Somehow in the night Frankie and Elijah had shifted. Rather than her being pulled close to his chest with his arm around her waist, she now lay half on top of him, her head pressed into the crook of his neck, held tight by his arm while their legs tangled beneath the sheets.

"'Lijah," Frankie groaned, spinning in his grip as she tried to pull away, "I want to get up, let me go."

"Hmm," Elijah grinned cockily. Though he'd been asleep when she'd first tried to shift away, he was more than awake now, spinning them quickly so he could cage her beneath him, his arms either side of her head while his fingers lazily twirled through the ends of her hair, "No, I don't think I will."

Frankie rolled her eyes in mock annoyance as she fought to keep the smile pressing itself to her lips, she had to repress a laugh at Elijah's lighthearted behaviour. Truly she liked how playful Elijah was with her. Normally so serious and steadfast, when it was just them both it felt like he was always teasing her, one of them often grinning or laughing at the other.

It was easy to forget her anxieties when she was with him, she enjoyed how light he made her feel, it was as though Elijah took each fear that ran through her and tucked it all away.

"This is why Rebekah's my favourite," she said shortly, watching Elijah's smirk widen in amusement at the low blow that was slowly becoming less true with each evening she spent with him.

He laughed at her attempts be cruel to him and to wriggle away, finally pulling her in for a kiss before loosening his arm so she could slide out. Watching her he could feel his heart race, delighted by her in his bed and then in only his shirt as she roamed the room searching for her clothes.

"Where are you going?" he asked, propping himself up on his arms as his eyes followed her, a little surprised when she tugged her jeans back on and prepared to leave so early when she'd often stay till early afternoon.

"Work," she rolled her eyes, grinning when he stood from the bed and passed her the shoes she'd been searching for though they sat in their place by the door, "Remember, the place I haven't been in a week because someone keeps trying to murder or kidnap me when I'm there. Pretty sure the only reason I haven't been fired is because my witch manager feels bad all her cousins are the ones trying to kill me."

"Oh," Elijah seemed surprised by this because his face furrowed uncertainly, "Do you want me to-"

"Please don't offer to compel me out of work again," she laughed, "I do like working Elijah and despite my track record I promise I'm not going to be kidnapped every time I step foot out of the house."

Whether he agreed with her on that or not he didn't say. Instead Elijah studied her in her stillness with her hands on her hips, taking the opportunity too to step forwards and snake his arm around her waist, "What else do you like?"

"Hmm," Frankie laughed, leaning back in his grip to cross her arms thoughtfully, "Well I like my dearly departed skateboard, my notebook I haven't seen in like four days because I keep forgetting to visit my own home-"

Elijah cut her off by pressing his lips against hers, grinning even greater as he felt her lips twitch into a smile and then a laugh against him. He knew things would be difficult when he went downstairs and had to undagger his brother but now he was enjoying the pleasure of her in his arms, her lips on his, the sweet woody floral that was her enveloping him.

"Alright," she pushed him back, "I gotta go actually. I wanna head early so I can buy a new board since I lost my other new one when that bitch kidnapped me."

Elijah nodded and she left him to change, tugging on a shirt and trousers while she headed to the stairs. Frankie was entirely too bouncy for nine am, her mood switching and her heart dropping as she saw Cami waiting anxiously by the entrance of the compound.

"Cam?" she called, "Are you alright? What're you doing here?"

Cami's head shot to Frankie but before she could reply another voice called her name. Elijah stood at the top of the stairs, pristine as always in his suit as he watched them, any hint of the playfulness they'd shared earlier gone, replaced now by a stony stoicism.

"Camille," he called, gesturing for Cami to follow.

Cami shot Frankie a weak smile before trailing after Elijah, unsurprised when her friend quickly turned from the doorway and followed after them. Frankie's head was running wild considering the possibilities on why Cami would be here with Elijah and her stomach dropped in fear that the hex on her uncle was much worse than they'd presumed the day earlier.

"Have you found a way to help my uncle?" Cami asked Elijah.

Desperation seeped into her words and Frankie who'd followed behind instinctively shot her hand out to grasp Cami's comfortingly. A tickle of guilt and anxiety bubbled in Frankie as she listened to Cami, realising at last how similar they both were. Much like Frankie losing Alaric in Mystic Falls, Cami was faced with an eerily similar situation with her uncle and she knew just how terrified she no doubt was.

The supernatural realm taking your family when you'd only just discovered its existence months ago was a gut wrenching way to lose control. She knew she needed to be there for her friend as much as she could, to force the Mikaelsons to do whatever they could because she didn't want Cami to go through the same pain she had.

"I can try," Elijah answered, his face furrowing as he glanced to Frankie and then back to Cami, "But first, I need your help."

"I don't have time for games, Elijah," Cami growled, "this hex on him is getting worse by the day."

"My brother has a mystical torture device buried in his chest, and the mother of his child is inexplicably missing. So, I can assure you, I have no time to play any games, either."

Cami's face fell and Frankie realised for the first time that Cami's anger at Klaus was much less so than what she'd expected. Guilt seemed to fill Cami too as she furrowed her brow in determination, "What do you need me to do?"

They'd moved to Klaus' room as they spoke and while Frankie and Cami stood near the door, clearly a little away from Klaus writhing in pain, Elijah was beside him, preparing a bowl and scalpel.

"Elijah," Frankie snapped, "What is going on?"

Elijah still hadn't explained what was happening, while it was obvious to Frankie that he was removing the dagger she couldn't understand why he needed Cami here and she felt baffled by her presence. No matter what affection Klaus seemed to have for her friend, she didn't want to risk having Cami here when a murderous Klaus woke and she grew more furious and terrified as each moment without explanation passed.

"I intend on removing the dagger," Elijah informed them, tugging his jacket off and passing it to Frankie so he could roll his sleeves. He didn't look at either of them as he prepared himself until he seemed ready, shooting a glance over his shoulder as he spoke again, "You might want to take a step back."

"Why am I here?" Cami asked.

She didn't seem as anxious or as angry as she had earlier, now only confusion flooded her body as they watched Elijah pick up a scalpel with his hand pressed on Klaus' chest as he prepared where to slice.

"Because of all the people that could be here, you're probably the only one he wouldn't immediately slaughter," Elijah said, pressing the scalpel along the scar clearly left by the blade the day before, "Also, he speaks of you with what is a rare degree, for him at least, of respect."

"Elijah," Frankie spoke lowly, anger coating her words, "Just because Klaus forced Cami to be his therapist for a month doesn't mean she should be here right now-"

Klaus groaned in pain. Elijah had finally tugged the blade from Klaus' chest where he'd been searching for more than a minute as both girls watched in half terror, half disgust. Frankie was growing more furious that Elijah had invited Cami here now and her heart began to race with fear for her friend. Though she trusted Elijah and trusted he wouldn't allow her directly to be hurt, she wished that he hadn't involved Cami at all, wished she hadn't tugged her friend further into the supernatural world.

"I can see you challenge him to see himself and others in a new light," Elijah continued, focusing on Cami as he reached for a towel to clean his hands, "A wonderful skill that I shall be counting on very shortly. You see, Niklaus will be weak as he recovers. So, watch over him and feed him, if you would. But slowly, please, and from your wrist."

"What?" Frankie snapped. Cami was silent beside her, in surprise or with no words, she hadn't spoken since Elijah's fingers wrapped around the scalpel with her eyes glued to the wound slowly stitching itself up on Klaus' chest. Frankie stepped forwards threateningly to Elijah, pointedly pressing Cami back as though protecting her friend from the suggestion, "We have blood bags in storage Elijah, you can't seriously be asking Cami to allow Klaus to drain her.

"We do," Elijah conceded, "but her blood is laced with vervain. So, it will burn him. He'll ingest it slower. Perhaps they could use the time constructively. She could persuade him not to murder his baby sister," here Elijah turned to face Klaus who still lay weak form the torture in bed, "Niklaus, it was not my desire to bring you pain, but I will not see you hurt Rebekah."

"You will pay for this," Klaus groaned.

"Cam," Frankie sighed, turning to face her friend with a frown on her face as she caught her shocked expression, "You don't have to do this, I'll do it. You go spend time with your uncle. I'm sorry Elijah dragged you all the way out here but you shouldn't do this."

Frankie didn't want her friend involved, she didn't want her wasting what could be her final days with her uncle on keeping Klaus controlled and she didn't want her staying and getting hurt either. Whatever Elijahs beliefs that Cami would be safe didn't assuage her fears, she knew Klaus in a rage would make him see red and she was terrified that he'd seek out revenge beginning with whoever was nearest and easiest to drain.

"It's alright," Cami nodded, half shaking her head as though to return herself to the conversation, "No, Frankie, I'll be alright."

Frankie could feel her blood boiling in rage that was really just terror and she stared at Elijah angrily. Barely a beat passed before she felt Elijahs penetrating stare just as she readied herself to argue with either Cami or Elijah again.

"Camille," Elijah said quickly, before Frankie could snap, "Thank you for being here, I hope you'll excuse us, we'll only be a moment."

"We?"

Elijah took hold of Frankies arm before she could say more than a word and the next moment she blinked she was somewhere new, tucked down some secret corridor that was thankfully free from prying ears and hungry vampires. She folded her arms over her chest angrily as she stared up at him, waiting for him to explain.

Frankie was angry, she was angry and annoyed but mostly she was scared. Scared for her friend and scared for Klaus and what he'd do to Elijah and Rebekah when he was at full health.

It had been a long time since she'd last allowed herself to feel scared, to let the terror win and so instead she pushed it down, replacing it with anger boiling over in the argument she was nearly certain she was about to lose. With his millennium of dealing with Klaus, she knew Elijah was poised to win any disagreement and he did it with silky phrases that coaxed around her walls causing her to collapse into forfeit.

"I don't want her involved," she said when it was clear that Elijah wasn't going to start the conversation. Though he was the one to pull them away to talk, when they'd stood in place he'd leaned against the wall with his eyes studying her, "Elijah, I thought when Davina decompelled her we'd get her out. Your brother will kill her."

"He won't hurt her."

"You can't know that."

"I've known Niklaus for a thousand years, he will not hurt her. In the short time they've known one another he's treated her more compassionately than most he encounters. He has no reason to hurt her and he cares, at least somewhat, for her. He will not hurt her."

"This isn't okay," she frowned, "Cami doesn't need to do it. I drink vervain, I'll just let Klaus take my blood. I don't want Cami at risk."

"Absolutely not."

"So its fine for my friend to donate half her blood but because of some doppelgänger you fell in love with hundreds of years ago I'm not allowed because it's not safe? Bit fucked that you want my friend to do something and won't even consider letting me do it. I don't know what you think this is between us but you can't tell me what I can and can't do."

"The rage that is coursing through Niklaus right now is immense," Elijah spoke slowly though his hand had reached out to grasp one of her tightly balled fists and as he talked his thumb brushed softly against the back, "Though not the initial target of his anger, I do not trust that he wouldn't hurt you in order to punish me for my part in hurting him and in allowing Rebekah to run."

"Klaus wouldn't hurt me," Frankie rolled her eyes, "He's a dick but he wouldn't do that."

"What of the night Stefan Salvatore betrayed Klaus and Rebekah in Chicago?" Elijah asked, "Didn't he do that very thing in a fit of rage. Surely you can understand that my brother is prone to rash decisions when he feels himself slighted."

Frankie knew exactly the night Elijah was speaking of, she was surprised that he had known about the evening but perhaps it was Rebekah who'd told him, who'd filled him in on each detail of their trip. She remembered the feeling of Klaus' hand against her shoulders and the terror that had throbbed through her body, her breath leaving her and her body freezing.

She'd been right, Elijah had won the argument. He hadn't done it through manipulation or though force but instead by speaking gently, reminding her how carefully he thought through any situation and how he'd run every possibility though his head.

"What if he hurts her," she tried weakly, her last effort to stop her friend putting herself at risk, "Elijah, I can't let him hurt her. I couldn't stop Davina getting hurt, I can't let him hurt Cami too."

"I truly do not believe he will," he promised, "Trust me, Frankie. I want Camille hurt less than anyone but you cannot deny that you're more at risk than any other person in New Orleans if Klaus is looking to punish Rebekah or myself. If Niklaus was to recover with blood bags you know he'd be fine in minutes, he'd have the strength to act on the rage that he's been brewing as he lay the night suffering. Camille will ensure he acts slowly, she'll force consideration into him, and she is possibly the only person that Klaus wouldn't take the opportunity to kill at once."

"If he hurts her," she said slowly a frown settling on her face, "'Lijah, I'll kill him."

"I have no doubt," Elijah said, a kind smile rising to his lips as he pulled the hand he still held to his lips, kissing her palm with its half moon indents gently, "I need to find Sabine, I fear she'll be making her final move against us. Can I take you home on my way?"

"I'm going to the skate shop, theres one a half block from Rousseau's, I'll be fine to get there."

"I'll take you."

"You go," she pushed, "I need to check on Cami."

"Francesca," Elijah spoke, his tone the closest to scolding it had ever been with her, "I know my brother and I know that you are not safe in that room today."

"I won't go in," she promised, "I just- I need to know that Cami is okay before I leave. I just feel like if she'd never known me then she'd never be involved like this."

Elijah didn't look as though he truly believed her but he nodded shortly, his face furrowed in apprehension before he gave her one final glance and quickly flitted away.

Frankie kept true to her word, she didn't enter the room nor even knock to make them aware of her presence but she did stand and listen from the doorway. She listened and heard the murmuring of conversation and then the sharp intake of breath that she knew was a reaction to Klaus piercing Cami's skin. It would be easier if she could pull herself away, if she could trust Klaus and Elijah and not need to worry about her friend. But she couldn't and when a few moments later she heard a cry of pain, her heart clenched in guilt before she heard Klaus, his voice raised louder, clearly for her benefit.

"Go," he told Cami, "Frankie has been hovering for more than five minutes, it might be best to assure her you're not dead yet."

"Hilarious," Cami deadpanned, tugging the door open and sliding out to meet her friend who's eyes flickered over her, checking for wounds aside from the two pinpricks on her wrist, "Hey, Frank."

"I'm so sorry," she blurted out, her hand reaching to grab Camis wrist and examine it, "Oh my god. Fuck Elijah, let's just tag team. Someone else can head to Rousseau's and I'll-"

"I'm okay," Cami laughed, "Seriously, I'm good. You deserve a day, I got this."

Frankie faltered, her eyes searching Cami for any hint of falsities though truly she did seem fine. It was surprising how easily Cami seemed to slide into this world, Frankie felt sure that her introduction to the supernatural came with several more internal breakdowns than Cami seemed to be having.

Cami's integration into the world of vampires didn't make her more comforted in fact truly it only ingrained terror deeper into Frankies heart. She felt like she'd already failed to protect her friend once in New Orleans, with Davina dead, she was terrified that Cami would soon follow.

"Are you sure?" she asked gently, "Like really sure? I can probably get a few good hits in when Klaus is like this-"

"Not if you wanted to keep your heart," Klaus called from the room.

"Fuck what Elijah said," Frankie continued, ignoring Klaus though secretly his words surprised her that he wasn't furious at her as she and Elijah had expected, "Cami, really-"

"Frank," Cami cut her off, grabbing her hands to stop her rambling, "I promise you I've got this."

Frankie seemed more than unconvinced but she tugged her friend into a tight hug and then watched as she slid back onto the room, the door clicking shut behind her. It was surprising how useless she felt when she finally exited the compound and made her way to the skate shop.

Her day passed by in a manner that was more than mundane. She'd gotten a new board, shiny with a much too clean deck and wheels, and she'd skated to work where she opened up, anxiously checking her phone as she worked.

Cami came by, updating her on what'd happened with Klaus, how they'd talked and he'd told her of Rebekah's betrayal and of how he'd gone after her.