laughed loudly, the sound intertwining as they ran after each other in the compound's courtyard. They were playing tag, and although Noah had never been to the Abattoir, he was weaving in and out of halls as if he had lived there his entire life. Not to mention that he was fast, almost as fast as her, and she hurried to outrun him, making sure not to use her werewolf speed lest it be an unfair game.

She giggled as she ran around a large oak table, Noah coming to a breathless stop on the other side of it, hands braced against the wood. Despite their panting, they both wore wide smiles on their faces, and Mercy's heart soared at the fun they were having.

"Giving in already?" He asked her sarcastically, raising an eyebrow. "That doesn't sound like Mercy Mikaelson to me."

"Then you'd be right," she responded. "I am Mercy Mikaelson, and this game isn't over until I win."

Her chin was raised in defiance, and she saw the spark of challenge in his eyes before he bolted toward her. She giggled, circling the table in the opposite direction until they stood face to face again. She stood in the spot he had just a moment ago, and she placed her own hands on the table, readying herself to push off of it if he made a move to come after her.

Heart racing, Mercy reveled in the game, reminded of the times where she could play like this all day long, until the sun had ran its course through the day and settled into a peaceful night. She felt free now that she had come back to the Quarter from the bayou, no longer bound by worries and fears and doubt. She felt the same feeling she experienced when looking over at the bayou from the roof, and when her eyes connected with Noah's, she knew that he could feel it too.

He jerked to the right, and Mercy copied his actions to the opposite way, halting her movements when he did. He tried the other way, but after she repeated the motions, he huffed.

"Well since it looks like neither of us are going anywhere," he said with a pointed look to her, "we might as well sit and catch up before my parents come back."

He pulled out one of the chairs to the dining table, a large mahogany seat that looked heavy when she watched him strain against it. He sat down, and her eyes narrowed, wondering if this was a trick. At his expectant gaze though, she found herself pulling out a chair as well, her eyes not leaving his as she lowered herself on it. They sat at both heads of the table, the long slab of wood separating them.

"So," she began, still a little suspicious, the game not yet leaving her body. "What's up?"

He smiled at her casual question. "Not much," he told her. "My parents dropped back in, seemingly from the sky, so there's that. What about you?"

"Oh you know, the usual," she told him wryly with a wave of her hand. "Becoming a wolf warrior, defeating the Hollow, trying to get Hope to paint anything other than landscapes. Just a normal day in the Mikaelson house."

He chuckled, shaking his head at her answer. "And we're supposed to be the ignorant ones of the family, what with being kids and all," he said almost bitterly, and Mercy felt her smile shift when she felt that same bitterness mirrored in herself.

She sighed, pursing her lips tightly. "I haven't really felt like a kid since I came here," she told him honestly. He looked up at her, but her eyes were trained on the table, studying the lines and creases that the wood made.

He frowned, but didn't say anything. How could he? It wasn't like Mercy didn't have good reason for feeling this way, and how could he reassure her if he was feeling the exact same thing, just in a completely different situation?

Mercy was lost in her thoughts when the sound of the chair moving backwards snapped her back into reality. She looked up at Noah, seeing that he had an unnaturally serious look on his face. "Well it seems our childhood is over, and gone too soon."

His voice held exaggerated sadness, and Mercy giggled at the sound. Deciding to play along, she jumped out of her chair, a prestigious expression on her face, as if she were a snobby aristocrat. "A shame really," she commented, happy that they were able to make a joke out of their broken childhood. "Adulthood contains much too pressing of matters."

"Oh, of course," Noah said, striding to her in large steps that Mercy had to stop herself from laughing at. She didn't want to break character. "Such matters should be attended to quickly. Come along now."

He held out his elbow to her and she looped her arm through it without hesitation. The two of them moved together and their legs were extended with each step, being obnoxious in the way they walked. Mercy accidentally let a few giggles escape her lips at the obvious satire they were using for their views on adults.

When Noah spoke next, his voice was normal, and he almost looked a little nervous. "There's another thing that adults usually do," he began hesitantly, and Mercy looked over at him in confusion.

"And what is that?" she asked, still speaking a little more properly even when her voice returned to normal along with his. He stepped a little closer and Mercy stilled, her eyes widening.

Without a word, Noah leaned in slowly to peck her lightly on the cheek. It wasn't unlike the first time they had kissed, just a quick brush of skin on skin before he pulled away, blushing. His lips were still soft, and Mercy could feel her entire face lighting up in fire.

She opened her eyes, not realizing she had closed them, and looked into Noah's face with a slow smile. "At least there's one good thing about being grown up," she eventually found herself saying, and she watched a grin take over his face.

"When I grow up, I'm going to marry you," he said abruptly, and Mercy widened her eyes, feeling a laugh bubble up in her throat.

"Noah, we're seven," she reminded him with a giggle.

He shrugged his shoulders, raising his head in childish ambition. "Just gives me more time to woo you," he explained. She raised an eyebrow at this, crossing her arms over her chest and jutting a hip out to the side like she'd seen her mom do before.

"Woo me?" She asked skeptically. "Who woos people nowadays anyway?"

He laughed at her words, and she couldn't help the smile on her face. Her eyes lit up with an idea, and she tilted her head at Noah's direction with a playful look painted all over her face. "Fine," she agreed, watching in amusement as his eyes grew big with surprise. "But first we have to make a non-marriage pact."

He looked at her incredulously. "What?" He asked, obviously confused, but she could see a small spark of interest brewing in him.

"A non-marriage pact," she repeated herself. "We have to swear that we won't marry anyone else until you get the guts to propose to me," she told him with a smug expression. She paused though, her grin slipping. "And we have to actually be adults."

He laughed, nodding his head. "Okay, deal," he said.

Mercy, her smile back in full force, held out her right hand, pinky extended toward him. Getting the message, he held his own hand out, connecting the two together. The young girl looked up at him, seeing him already staring at her. Blushing at his stare, she spoke. "Noah Day," she began. "Do you take me, to not have, and to not hold, until... you get my dad's permission?"

He let his hand drop with a baffled expression on his face. "Oh, come on," he said in exasperation. "That'll be forever."

She smirked at him. "That's kind of the whole point," she told him, watching in bemusement as he sighed. His pinky came back to wrap around her own.

"I do," he said, his own smirk forming on his lips. "And do you, Mercy Mikaelson, take me to not have, and to not hold, until you become the greatest wolf that ever lived?"

"Definitely," she said, but at his pointed look, she rolled her eyes. "I do," she settled on saying, and he nodded his head.

"By the power invested in pinky promises," Mercy started, bringing her empty hand up and gesturing to Noah's other one as well. Getting the message, the two kids connected their opposite hands, crossing their arms over one another in an X shape. "We are now... betrothed? Is that the right word?"

Noah laughed. "I don't know! You're the one who knew the pact," he said, and she joined him in his laughing. They eventually released their hold on each other, Mercy having to grab onto her stomach because of how much it hurt. It had been a long time since she laughed like this.

When they quieted, she stood straighter, sending a kind look to Noah. However, when he looked back at her, a dark expression passed over his eyes, and he bit his lip. Mercy read his expression easily and without fail: he was afraid.

"Look Mercy," he said, his tone holding none of the laughter from before. "There's another reason why I wanted to see you today."

She placed a hand over her chest, letting her mouth drop open in faux shock. "My wonderful personality wasn't enough?" She asked, but was disappointed when he only shook his head at her.

"This is serious!" He whisper-yelled, and her smile dropped.

She raised her hands out as if to calm him. "Okay, okay," she said softly. She was getting concerned by the look on his face. "What's wrong? What did you need to tell me?"

He looked around them as if he was anticipating being overheard. He didn't seem to like the openness of the courtyard because he grabbed her hand tightly and ushered her against the wall of a hallway. They stood shrouded in shadows now, but she could still see his nervous gaze.

"Noah it's alright," she tried to say, but he shook his head, placing his hands on her shoulders.

"It's not," he spoke so quietly that she was surprised she heard him at all. She watched him take a deep breath before his eyes met hers. "It's my parents," he began, and her heart stuttered, the feelings of suspicion and worry hitting her like a bus. "I think there's something... wrong with them."

"What? Other than the fact that they seemingly appeared out of nowhere?" She echoed what he had been complaining to her about earlier. "And why now of all times?"

"No, it's not that," he argued, letting his hands fall from her shoulders as he stepped back. She missed the touch instantly, but focused back on what they were talking about. "It's almost like... like they—" He cut himself off, obviously having trouble with getting the words out. He looked up at her and sighed again, preparing himself as she watched patiently. "I don't think they left when I was a baby, Mercy. I think they died."

The girl's eyes widened, shaking her head in surprise. "Died?" She repeated. "Then how could they be here now?"

She realized her mistake the second she asked the question. Only a few hours ago her family was determined to bring her Uncle Elijah back. The ancestors had come back after years of being gone, and even the wolf ancestors had made an appearance in the modern world through Mercy. When it came to spirits and bringing back the dead, New Orleans was kind of a magnet for it.

Her blood ran cold, looking back up at Noah with wide eyes. "How do you know?" She asked, wondering how he had pieced this puzzle together.

He stepped closer to her, as if they were sharing a secret, and she supposed they were. "I've been eavesdropping on them the past few nights, ever since they moved back into the house," he whispered quickly. "They keep talking about how they need more time to get some kind of blood. That if they transition, they won't have to die again." He paused, biting his lip hard. "They said they're running out of time to do what she wants them to."

"What who wants them to?" She asked, her heart stuttering at the words he was telling her.

He opened his mouth to speak, but then shadows appeared further down the hall, where the entrance to the compound was. Mercy and Noah moved instantly, hiding behind a stone pillar as the shadows moved forward.

"Noah! Sweetie, it's getting late," Mercy heard the voice of Lucy Day call out. The little girl's heart beat faster at the sound. "Time to go!"

Noah turned to her quickly, reaching into his pocket and revealing something that almost made Mercy's eyes pop out of her head. "I found this in their office," he said, extending the knife out to her. It wasn't too big, but it wasn't necessarily small either, the blade being about as big as their young hands. "They keep babbling on about how important it is."

She took the knife from his outstretched hands, hearing Lucy call out for her son again, their steps coming closer. Suddenly, Mercy's eyebrows furrowed together, and she looked to Noah with shock. "Were you seriously running all around here with a knife in your pocket?"

He smirked at her expression, shrugging his shoulders. "I like to live on the edge."

"The edge of a knife?!"

He shushed her, looking over his shoulder to make sure his parents hadn't found them yet. When he looked back at her, his face was back to its seriousness. "Keep the knife, keep it away from them," he said before a small, sad smile appeared. "We're the adults now, right?"

She was stunned to silence, and he took that moment to reveal himself to his parents. She heard the babble of voices growing softer as Noah expertly led them out of the Abattoir without any questions asked. She was momentarily impressed by his ability to act so normal around his parents, especially when he had shown such fear a moment ago. She still stood behind the pillar, feeling the cold steel of the knife in her hands. The knife seemed almost unnaturally cold, and as Mercy looked down at it, she saw symbols etched into the surface of the blade. She ran her fingers over the grooves, feeling a chill run up her spine at the touch.

Her head shot up when she heard footsteps. She was sincerely glad to her past self for deciding to wear jeans today, stuffing the blade under her waistband and avoiding any sharp cuts thanks to the thick denim. She tugged her shirt over the knife, standing peculiarly straight so that the outline of the weapon didn't show under the clothes.

Turning at the noise, she was surprised to find her Uncle Kol walking through the entrance.

"Uncle Kol?" She questioned in confusion, revealing herself and catching him slightly off guard.

"Mercy," he greeted with a smile, but she could tell it was slightly forced. "How's my favorite niece doing?"

She smirked, crossing her arms over her chest. "Don't let Hope hear that," she warned, and he chuckled at her antics.

Then, his face became more serious, just as Noah's had, and she silently hoped that he wouldn't be putting even more pressure on her than she already had. It seemed that whenever people looked at her this way, something bad was going to happen and she was the one that had to fix it.

"Mercy, do you think you could help me with a small spell?" He asked her, and she was almost relived until she wondered what kind of spell he needed to do, and why couldn't he get someone older to do it like her Aunt Freya?

But, she held the questions at bay, feeling the knife against her side still. "Ask Hope," she said instead, shrugging her shoulders. "She's better at the witch magic than I am."

Before he could question her further, Mercy turned around and practically ran up the stairs and into her and Hope's bedroom. Her sister was pacing, her trusted stuffed bunny cradled in her arms as she did. When Mercy entered the room though, her twin stopped and stared at her.

"What's wrong with you?" She asked in concern, and Mercy tried her best to school her features, but it had always been hard to do around Hope.

Instead, she decided on a different strategy. "Uncle Kol is wondering if you could cast a spell for him," she said quickly, moving to the bedside table to swipe up all three of her werewolf books and pile them into her arms. When she turned back around, Kol was standing in the doorway, looking surprisingly awkward. "If you need me, I'll be in the attic."

With confused looks from both her sister and her uncle, Mercy left the room and headed up to the top floor. She breathed heavily under the weight of the books while also trying to avoid slicing herself in half from the knife still tucked into her waistband.

She climbed the last flight of familiar stairs and entered the attic, glancing to the corner of the room to see that the remains of her last spell had been cleaned up. She silently thanked whoever had done it, not wanting a reminder of such terrible images when it seemed like yet another problem had fallen into her lap.

She dropped the books on a chest with a loud thump, moving carefully to take the knife out and set it next to the small pile. The symbols were facing up and Mercy glanced at them, sitting next to the chest and plopping all the books open, flipping through their pages quickly.

She saw spells and rituals and ways to make totems as well as information about what it means to be a wolf, but she found no language or letters symbolizing the ones on the blade. She checked again, moving across the pages slower, her eyes studying each and every letter. There was nothing, not even a mention of a language that resembled whatever was carved into the knife.

Mercy huffed in exasperation, clenching her hands together in her lap as anxiety raced through her. The blade was like a bad omen, signaling that the worst was yet to come, and when Mercy looked upon the reflection of the weapon, all she could feel was cold in her blood.

She thought back to her conversation with Noah about his parents, remembering when he told her that Lucy and Caesar had been running out of time to do what she wants them to. She thought of who this "she" could be, but with the coldness from the knife as well as the seemingly ancient language, Mercy had a pretty strong hint as to who it was.

She groaned, her head falling into her hands; this meant that Lucy and Caesar were working with the Hollow, and what's worse is that Inadu probably brought them back from the dead, meaning that her magic was infested in them. It would only be a matter of time before they finished whatever it was the Hollow needed from them, but none of those things scared her more than the fact that Noah had to live in the same house as them.

She gasped at the thought, clenching her eyes shut to push the image away. She couldn't think of Noah getting hurt by them, but she knew that it was a very possible outcome. She felt helpless, unsure what to do and how to proceed with this new information.