The night had ended soon after Rebekah's reunion with the modern world. Much to Frankie's dismay, Klaus had convinced Rebekah not only to keep whatever the great secret was from Frankie, but also to not undagger Elijah yet. Frankie was pissed, at every turn answers were denied to her and she was frustrated being the only one kept out from the big secret that was so well known some witch in a foreign city knew while she couldn't.

The morning after followed much the same as previous days although at least Rebekah was wreaking havoc on Klaus' carefully controlled monarchy. Each time Klaus twitched with rage at her petulance and insults, Frankie felt at least somewhat vindicated. Rebekah was nice, a little bratty and quite full on, but Frankie enjoyed having a change in company and especially a change that brought rage to Klaus.

They'd spent the morning in a fancy boutique watching Rebekah try on dress after dress, eager to find her own style in a fashion world so different from the one she'd last left. Frankie had leant her clothes so she needn't wear her dated and bloodied dress but the trousers and ripped shirt she'd been given only resulted in disgust. She didn't really take it personally, Frankie liked being comfortable but it was clear casual attire wasn't something that Rebekah could tolerate.

Surprising no one, Klaus had compelled them champagne, pouring it freely as they'd watched Rebekah show option after option after option and while Stefan had been allowed to leave the store to get some air, when Frankie attempted to follow, Klaus' fingers had circled her wrist and pulled her back down rudely. With a glower, Frankie retaliated by downing a lot more of the champagne than was necessary and goading Rebekah on, encouraging her to both try and buy more of the clothes, as well as continue to tease Klaus.

Finally Klaus conceded, tugging Frankie with him to get lunch before they met Rebekah back at Gloria's bar.

The relationship between Frankie and Klaus was a funny one, he certainly didn't seem like he liked her, but thinking back on Gloria's words from the night before she realised he often did seem to cave into her demands. Even now as he sat watching her eat her lunch, although he was frustrated with Rebekah's inability to help in the way he hoped, he hadn't actually taken it out on her. She'd spent the morning taunting and teasing him too and all she'd received were snarky replies, but no actual punishments for the offences, even in instances that would've cost Stefan a hand round his throat or through his chest.

After their meal, Klaus and Frankie arrived back at Gloria's with Rebekah following soon after. Gloria continued to give Frankie sympathetic glances but Klaus didn't give them a chance to talk alone and she wasn't able to attempt to interrogate her again this time. This was only the second time that Frankie had seen a witch in action and she watched curiously as Gloria pottered around the empty bar, setting up candles and laying out a large antique looking book.

Eventually Stefan returned, he seemed nervous and when Frankie offered him her beer that she'd been sipping on, really just as something to do, he downed it gratefully, his fingers tapping anxiously across the bar top.

"So she's uh, she's looking for the necklace, huh?" Stefan asked curiously.

Rebekah had gone to sit beside Gloria, holding her hands out so she could channel her to try and find a necklace that she'd worn a hundred years ago. The necklace had been the reason Klaus had undaggered her in the first place, it had been what Gloria needed in order to discover the reason why Klaus' attempt to sire more hybrids had been unsuccessful and when Rebekah had awoken to discover it gone, she'd thrown such a terrible fit even Klaus' rage had been unmatched.

"I found it," Gloria announced, dropping Rebekah's hand as though she'd been burned and turning to Klaus and Stefan. Moments before, she'd been struck as though in a trance, her eyes glazed over as she continued to chant the spell to help her find the necklace.

"So where is it?" asked Rebekah.

"It doesn't work like that, doll," Gloria replied cooly, "I get images. There's a girl with her friends."

"Yes, a dead girl with dead friends, if I don't get my necklace back."

Frankie snorted with laughter at Rebekah's instantaneous threat, just like her brother, murder seemed the most logical solution to any problem apparently. Stefan meanwhile seemed less amused, his fingers had ceased their tapping along the bar and now clutched it tightly.

"Well, I'll have to dive back in to get the details."

Watching the melted wax drip down the sides of the candles to pool on the table, Frankie was astounded knowing this was now her life. Flash back to six months ago where her days consisted of four nights a week of work with freelance projects on the side, partying, and relaxing with Mitch, to now, sitting in a bar at noon watching a witch do a spell to find a magical necklace.

If she'd tried to explain this all to herself from back then she would've suggested she laid off the hard stuff for a little while, the whole concept of a supernatural realm too overwhelming to comprehend and yet at times it all felt so natural. Watching Klaus and Rebekah bicker and ganging up with Rebekah against Klaus, it felt instinctive almost, being wrapped up in this bizarre life.

"So dive," Klaus snapped, he wasn't interested in Gloria spreading this task out, the sooner she could tell him where the necklace was, the sooner she could tell him how to fix his issues with his hybrids.

"I need more time," Gloria replied, narrowing her eyes coldly as Klaus approached her, leaning threateningly over the table, "-and space. You're harshing my ju-ju."

"We can wait."

"I'm sure you can. But that's not what I asked."

It was a battle of wills, Klaus' desire for the location matched against Gloria's unwillingness to rush her magic. It would've been hard to work with Klaus and Rebekah towering over you, watching each move intensely, both Frankie and Stefan seemed eager to let the witch breathe for a moment lest the day turn bloody.

"Hey, hey, you know why don't we just come back later," Stefan suggested, easing the tension in the room, "I'm hungry anyway. I'll let you pick who we eat."

Klaus looked tempted, glancing to Rebekah who nodded, they began to walk to the door, only pausing as they realised Frankie stayed back in her place against the bar.

"No," she snapped, her arms crossed as they all turned to face her, a scowl present on Klaus' face instantly, "I'm not coming along as you eat someone, that's fucked."

Klaus pinched his brow in annoyance, "I missed the moment you deluded yourself into thinking you had a say in the matter."

"Oh I'm so sorry that my distaste for murder is hard to comprehend. You lot have fun, I'll hang back," a false smile made its way up her face at the frustration coming off the hybrid in front of her and she raised her hand to twinkle her fingers into a wave, "Thanks."

"You're not staying with the witch," Klaus snapped, if they needed to give the witch space, he wasn't leaving Frankie here behind, lest she discovered more of her backstory than he wanted. Although he had this tender alliance with Gloria, he didn't trust her, ultimately he knew that she was loyal only to herself and if she thought she had a better chance by betraying him, she'd do it in a heartbeat. He didn't trust her with his secrets and he certainly didn't trust her with Frankies safety.

"Well I'm not coming with you either, guess I'll do some sightseeing then meet back up."

Klaus was clenching and unclenching his fists by his side in rage. If Stefan had been so blatantly disobedient he would've ripped his heart out, if his sister had refused to do as he said, she'd have a dagger in her heart and yet Frankie suffered none of that. Instead after a moment he let the breath he'd been holding out and pulled his phone out, snapping demands down the line before shoving it violently back in his pocket.

They all waited anxiously for whatever Klaus had done, Rebekah and Stefan seemed bored as they leant by the door while Frankie and Klaus stared stubbornly at one another until finally it was broken, the door pushed open by a stranger in a button down.

"Take her to the warehouse and don't let her leave," Klaus compelled the man, "We'll be there soon."

The man had barely nodded, twitching his head to the side for Frankie to follow, before Klaus, Rebekah and Stefan rushed from the room. Frankie was surprised she'd so successfully gotten her way, pleased as the man drove her back to the warehouse that had been their base camp since they arrived in Chicago.

When they finally pulled up, Frankie hopped up, walking through the door and making a beeline for the couch in the corner before an idea struck her. Alone in the warehouse with the compelled man who'd only been told to prevent her from leaving, she realised this was a perfect time to wake Elijah and have him explain exactly what was going on.

Lifting the lid of a coffin was a new experience for Frankie, it was heavy and cumbersome and it took her breath away looking down at Elijah's daggered corpse. Pulling the dagger from his chest, she was surprised by the effort it took to yank it away from his body, she dropped it on the floor beside her, curling up into a ball on the floor as she waited for him to wake.

Finally after a long time had passed, Frankie began to hear a stirring of some kind. Pushing herself to her feet, she pressed a hand to the side of the coffin to peak in when suddenly the lid was slammed down, a grip tugging her hand out and away just in time.

Spinning around to the figure beside her, it was hard for Frankie not to quake with fear at the glower Klaus was giving her. His hand was holding her wrist tightly and he used it to yank her away from the coffin towards the couch in the corner where Rebekah and Stefan now sat, three bloodied and confused looking girls by them.

"Do you get off on death?" Klaus snapped as he roughly tossed her onto the couch, "Because thats the only thing I can come up with to explain how absolute your suicidal tendencies seem to be."

"Get fucked," Frankie snapped back, pushing herself into a more comfortable position, she could see Elijahs coffin no longer sat open of course, but also the dagger she'd abandoned by its side was gone, likely back in Elijah's chest, "Stop killing your siblings like that's a normal fucking reaction to an argument and stop getting shitty at me over trying to fix it."

"Frankie, darling," Rebekah warned, "You really must stop talking."

Frankie huffed, crossing her arms across her chest as she glared at Klaus beside her. Eventually he calmed himself down, tugging one of the compelled girls towards him as he began to greedily feed. Frankie didn't speak again, not when Klaus and Rebekah began to argue, who was the more difficult sibling, not when Stefan killed the girl he was feeding on, dropping her to the ground, and not when he left, leaving Frankie alone with the Original siblings, alive and dead.

Eventually Klaus stood, turning to Frankie who was still sulking beside him he flicked his head up to the side, "Get up," he told her.

"Why?"

"I need to go and check on the witch," he explained, practically stamping his foot in an effort to make her hurry, "You clearly can't be trusted so you're coming along."

"If you'd only answer me, I wouldn't need to-" Frankie was grumbling under her breath when Klaus grew sick of it, grabbing her arm he sped them away before she could finish.

Frankie would've continued her grumbling, making Klaus well aware that she was annoyed with him but as they pushed the door open to the bar, he tensed beside her. The bar was empty, not just empty but spotless, all remnants of the spell Gloria had been working on earlier seemed cleared away, the candles were gone and even the spots of wax where they'd dripped upon the table seemed to have been scrubbed away as though she'd never been there.

She didn't open her mouth to comment on Gloria's disappearance, even climbing the narrow stairs to the studio above the bar with Klaus to confirm she truly was gone. He was fuming as he sped them back to the warehouse, both of them silent until he stormed in.

"Gloria's gone. She's cleared out," Klaus snapped as he stormed into the warehouse, he'd dropped Frankie's arm as soon as they arrived and she trailed after him lazily, annoyed by this new development as much as he was, "We need to find a new witch immediately."

Klaus faltered in his step, allowing Frankie to catch up to him as he took in Rebekah and Stefan, standing close as though intimate. Something was wrong though, Rebekah seemed worried and Stefan seemed tense, as though he was preparing to defend himself.

"What's going on?" Klaus asked, glancing between the two.

"Something's wrong," said Rebekah, "He was asking about Mikael, He's not with us, Nik. I can sense it."

"She's wrong, Klaus-" Stefan had begun to defend himself, holding his hands up in surrender but before he had a chance to plea his case fully, Klaus had rushed towards him, snapping his neck and allowing him to fall to the floor.

Frankie began to raise her hands too, stepping back slowly as both Rebekah and Klaus turned to her now, his face was curled up into snarl while hers looked furrowed in concern as they scrutinised her. Klaus' head cocked to the side and he considered her, had she had something to do with Stefans betrayal? She made no secret of her distaste for him at times, had she bonded together with Stefan in the moments he'd allowed together?

"What are you hiding," Klaus said cooly to her, fighting to keep his temper controlled.

"Nothing," she replied quickly, too quickly for Klaus' liking.

In the next moment she was pressed against the wall, Klaus had tried to be gentle with her as he forced her to the wall but she hissed out in pain as his hands pressed her shoulders back with more pressure than she thought possible.

"Tell me what you're hiding," he yelled, his voice was so loud her ears hurt and she felt his breath pressing on her face like his rage was enveloping her whole.

Frankie couldn't breathe, she didn't know if it was the sudden hardness of the wall against her back that'd winded her but she couldn't catch her breath. Klaus' hands on her shoulders felt so firm and his face in front of her seemed so close, she couldn't breathe because of the overwhelming compilation of it all.

"Nik," Rebekah was behind Klaus speaking softly, desperately, "Nik, let go of her, listen to her heart, Nik, she's terrified. You must let her go, you're hurting her."

Frankie was so caught up in the racing of her heart that it took her a moment to realise Klaus' hands had released her from her position, he was pacing back and forth in front of her while Rebekah stood between the two defensively.

"I don't know anything Stefan is hiding," Frankie said when her heart and breaths had steadied at last, her hand protectively over her heart as though measuring the pace of its beats, "I'm not hiding anything. Klaus," here she waited till he'd turned to look at her, "I'm not happy with what you've done to me but the only thing I've done is tried to undagger Elijah. I haven't got some great secret from you."

Klaus didn't respond but eventually he let out a tense nod as he pulled his phone out and stormed from the room. Rebekah had appeared by her side, biting into her wrist quickly to offer it to heal her.

"Thanks," she smiled, pushing it away gently, "But I'm alright. Bruises don't last long."

"I know he doesn't show it, but he does care for you," Rebekah said quietly, "We all do."

"Why can't you explain why? I might be able to understand it all if I just knew why."

"It's for Elijah to explain."

Frankie sighed.

They were going in circles. They were always going in circles, she mattered to them, but they wouldn't let her know why. They wouldn't let her know because it was for Elijah to tell her, but Elijah couldn't tell her, because Elijah was dead and daggered, and was to remain that way until Klaus saw fit. She felt like sisyphus pushing the boulder up the hill, unable to ever reach the top and truly understand.

Frankie and Rebekah talked while they waited for Klaus to return, he did eventually, bringing with him an armada of compelled servants who entered and began to pack Klaus' coffins and Stefans dead body into a truck. It was a silent process watching his family be packed back into the truck and Frankie spent the time trying to work out whether he seemed saddened by the process or if he was simply resigned after all this time.

Frankie didn't talk throughout the drive, she and Rebekah sat in the back of the car, while Rebekah fell asleep quickly, her head on her shoulder, Frankie stayed awake, watching the horizon and Klaus' stony face as he drove.

Klaus didn't apologise to her, but he did pull through a drive through, handing her a milkshake with a weak smile, she supposed for Klaus that was an apology enough.