"Niklaus!"

I turn my head, slowly drifting away from the fireplace that was giving off heat. I set down my cup of tea and walk towards the sound of Klaus' name.

"Elijah?" I ask, confused. "I thought you left with Rebekah...?" I walk over to him as he continues to search around the living room with his eyes.

"Yes. You see, a bit of the plan has changed. Have you seen my brother?" Elijah asks me and I nod. "Yeah, he said he's going to New Orleans for a few days because some witch was plotting a move against him. He told me to stay here... I didn't think much of it."

"New Orleans, you say?" he asks and I nod, once again. "Pack your bags. You're coming with me." he tells me.

I furrow my eyebrows, "If I'm not involved, I don't have to go." I say, not wanting to leave my friends and I did not want to miss another day of school since I am about to graduate soon. I also have Elena to take care of, who's currently locked up in a cellar.

"I have a feeling it's everything to do with you. So, come on. We'll be leaving shortly." he says before flashing out of the house.

§

My heels click against the New Orlean's ground. Elijah was able to convince me to go, not like I had a choice or anything.

There was no sign of Klaus and it began to worry me. Of course I knew he'll be able to protect himself, but still. He did text me a few hours ago asking how I was, but that was it. He doesn't even know I'm here.

Elijah was able to find some contact between a witch Sophie Deveraux and her sister Jane-Anne, who just died and was the witch who was contacting Klaus in the first place.

So now, Elijah is practically dragging me to the back of some bar. "It'd be much easier if you did not struggle beneath my hands, Maya."

"If you'd let go, then I wouldn't struggle." I tell him and after a brief moment, his hands are free from my arm. "Thank you."

Not even a second later, he grabs my arms once again and speeds both of us against a wall. He motions me to be quiet and I do so, listening closely to the voices that were nearby.

"The doors work, you know." a woman says, who I assume is Sophie, with candles in front of her. "You're doing magic?" a man asks and I could tell he's a vampire.

"I'm praying to my dead sister. Go ahead, pay your respects." Sophie responds, a hint of sarcasm lingering in her voice, turning back to the other guy, who speeds right in front of her. "Don't make this a thing, Sophie. The hybrid was looking for Jane Anne—Marcel wants to know why."

"Oh, that sounds like witch business. I'd say ask her yourself, but I guess you can't, seeing as Marcel killed her."

I give Elijah a look and my eyes travel down to the ground. I remember Klaus telling me stories about his first time in New Orleans. He also told me about Marcel, but I thought he was dead.

I hear a whoosh right besides me and Elijah disappears. I walk a few feet forward, but stop once I hear something fall to the ground, a heart.

The second man from before gets thrown against the brick wall and it's not long before a stake is shoved across his chest. I raise my eyebrows and step towards Elijah, who straightens his coat. "I'm Elijah. You heard of me?"

Sophie nods fervently. "Yes."

"So, why don't you tell me what business your family has with my brother?"

Sophie told him she'd much rather show than tell. I, on the other hand, just trailed along. Not really introducing myself since Elijah was much rather eager to see what the witches are conspiring against Klaus.

We stumble upon a cemetery and Sophie opens the squeaking gate and enters the cemetery. Elijah stops in front of the entry as I walk through.

"This is sacred ground, which means vampires have to be invited in. But, since I'm desperate... Come on in." Sophie says and Elijah is now able to enter.

"We can talk freely here." Sophie tells us and Elijah nods, "Then I suggest you start talking. What did your sister want with Niklaus?"

"Isn't it obvious? We have a vampire problem, and we need help. Marcel has an army backing him. The witches have been trying to fight back."

"I didn't really have time to introduce yourself, but I'm Maya. And I'm sorry about your sister." I say and the look on her face concerned me a bit, as if she knew who I was already.

"Okay, what I'm about to show you, you may not like." Sophie states and I furrow my eyebrows. Sophie calls out, "Bring her out!"

The next thing that happened, I did not want to see. A pile of witches circling around one girl I never thought I'd see again, Hayley. "What? What is Hayley doing here?" I ask, crossing my arms in frustration.

"The reason I brought you two here is because Hayley is carrying the child of Klaus'."

I almost choked on mid-air. Did they really think Elijah and I were going to believe that. "Excuse me? Klaus and Hayley? Okay, one, Klaus can't procreate, and even if he could, he wouldn't cheat."

"It's impossible." Elijah speaks up. "Nothing is impossible, especially not when it comes to your brother. Think about it—they call him the hybrid, right?" Sophie explains and I roll my eyes.

"One more thing. The mother of the child isn't Hayley. It's you, Maya."

I look at Elijah, unaware what to do next. "You don't actually believe this, do you?" I ask him and he doesn't respond, basically telling me that he does believe this miracle baby is Klaus'.

"Give us a moment, please." Elijah tells the witches and they guide us to a quiet area in the cemetery. As soon as the witches leave us, I spin around to Elijah. "It's not possible. It can't be and you shouldn't be believing them."

"Given of his werewolf side, he can procreate. It's rare, but it can happen." Elijah states and I shake my head, "Okay, so if the child is ours, how did it end up in Hayley?"

"Because in your human state, you couldn't handle carrying this supernatural baby." Sophie chimes in and I turn around to face her. "So, you just picked Hayley? Out out everyone, without telling either me or Klaus?"

"Hayley was the last person to keep in touch with you two before she came to New Orleans. We assumed you're her friend. But, judging by your face when she walked out, I'm guessing she wasn't."

"What, precisely, is it that you want and what does it have to do with this young woman?" Elijah asks, changing the subject.

"We want to run Marcel and his vampires out of town. Klaus is the key. Everything Marcel knows about being a vampire, he learned from Klaus. Marcel trusts him, looks up to him, and he won't see the betrayal coming."

"Yes, well, as I'm sure you're aware, my brother Niklaus doesn't like to be told what to do." Elijah states and Sophie nods, "That's why I brought you both here. Marcel drove the werewolves out of town decades ago. Do you really think he's going to welcome a hybrid baby to the neighborhood? Convince Klaus to help us, and no one has to know about the newest member of the Original family."

"That sounds remarkably like blackmail." Elijah responds as Sophie gives him a look. "Like I said, I'm desperate."

"Well, then, I have my work cut out for me, don't I?"

An hour or two later, Elijah came back with Klaus by his side. We are all standing in a circle in a mausoleum. His eyes meet mine, "Maya, what are you doing here?"

"He's all yours. Proceed." Elijah tells Sophie and she begins her speech to Klaus.

"You know you're famous in this town? Witches tell bedtime stories about the powerful vampire Klaus. We know Marcel was nothing but an orphan street rat, until you made him what he is. And now he's out of control. He does what he wants, he kills who he wants. I'm gonna stop him, and you're gonna help me."

Klaus smiles, amused. "This is why you brought me here?" he asks his brother. "Hear her out." Elijah replies.

Klaus shakes his head. "I don't need to hear her out. I assure you, love, there is not a thing on this earth that will matter enough for me to waste even thirty more seconds of my time. Elijah, Maya, what madness is this?"

Hayley enters the mausoleum with a few other witches and Klaus looks at me, a smirk forming on his lips. "You brought her? I'm sorry, this is absolutely ridiculous."

"Marcel may be able to keep up from practicing real magic in this town, but as keepers of the balance we still know when nature has cooked up something new. For example, I have a special gift... of sensing when a girl is pregnant." Sophie says and I roll my eyes. I wish she'd start by saying the child is indeed not Hayley's.

All amusement leaves Klaus' face and he seemed angrier than ever. "What? What are you saying?"

"Niklaus... the girl is carrying your's and Maya's child." Elijah tells him and Klaus' eyes turn to mine once again. "No. It's impossible. Vampires cannot procreate. Why is Hayley carrying it and not Maya?"

"But werewolves can. Magic made you a vampire, but you were born a werewolf. You're the Original hybrid, the first of your kind, and this pregnancy is one of nature's loopholes. Maya wouldn't be able to carry that child, she couldn't survive it, so it was up to Hayley."

"My sister gave her life to perform the spell she needed to confirm this pregnancy. Because of Jane-Anne's sacrifice, the lives of this girl and her baby are now controlled by us. If you don't help us take down Marcel, so help me, Hayley won't live long enough to see her first maternity dress." Sophie continues.

"Wait, what?" Hayley gasps and Elijah steps forward, "Enough of this. If you want Marcel dead, he's dead. I'll do it myself."

Sophie shakes her head, "No. We can't, not yet. We have a clear plan that we need to follow, and there are rules."

Klaus, turns slowly to face Sophie, his anger barely restrained and his voice frighteningly quiet, then turns to shouting. "How dare you command me... threaten me, with what you wrongfully perceive to be my weaknesses. I won't hear any more lies."

Klaus begins to leave, but Elijah steps in and stops him. "Niklaus. Listen."

Klaus looks at me, then at Hayley and her stomach. I could see how his face soften and I assumed he was listening to the baby's heartbeat. He looks back up, his face turning back to normal. "Kill her and the baby. What do I care?"

And with that. He left and Elijah soon follows after him.

§

"What?! What do you mean you and Klaus have a child?" Caroline screams through my phone. "Would you stop yelling? I'm sure all of New Orleans can hear you."

"But, if you two have a child, then that means you're gonna stay in New Orleans." Caroline says and I could almost see her frowning. "Which means we can't be roommates in college if you're changing diapers."

"Yeah, I don't know. Klaus refuses to believe the child is his and thinks Hayley is pregnant with someone else's child." I explain to her, wandering around the cemetery as I want for Elijah to come back.

"But, I kind of felt some kind of connection when I was near Hayley. It's probably stupid and all of this is going to my head." I continue ranting on to Caroline as she listens.

"I'm sure he'll come around. You said Elijah is talking to him now?" she asks and I shrug, "That's what I thought. I have no idea where he is now."

"Maybe you should talk to Klaus instead. I mean, it is both of your child." Caroline says and I hear Elijah behind me. "I'm afraid I have to agree with your friend."

"Hey, Care, Elijah is back. I'll call you back." I tell her before hanging up the phone. "What did Klaus say?" I asks, putting my phone in my back pocket.

"He believes it's all a trick. But, I believe if you talk to him, he'll change his mind."

"Well, where is he now?"

After talking to the witches, they gave us until midnight to change Klaus' mind and they even had Sophie connected to Hayley. So, whatever happens to Sophie, happens to Hayley as well.

I stand above on a balcony with Elijah by my side. He took me to a courtyard party with loud music and vampires. Klaus appears.

He begins to talk to someone, but me not having special hearing powers, I had no idea what they are talking about.

"Who's that man he's talking to?" I whisper to Elijah and he answers with one word. "Marcel."

"—you were just a pathetic little scrapper still trembling from the lashes of the whips of those who would keep you down, and now look at you—master of your domain, prince of the city. I'd like to know how." Klaus says as the music stops and now it was much easier to hear what they are saying.

"Why? Jealous? Hey, man, I get it. Three hundred years ago, you helped build a backwater penal colony into something. You started it, but then you left. Actually, you ran from it. I saw it through. Look around. Vampires rule this city now. I got rid of the werewolves. I even found a way to shut down the witches. The blood never stops flowing and the party never ends! You wanna pass on through? You wanna stay a while? Great. What's mine is yours, but it is mine! My home, my family, my rules."

"And if someone breaks those rules?" Klaus asks and Marcel gives him a look, "They die. Mercy is for the weak. You taught me that, too. And I'm not the prince of the Quarter, friend. I'm the king! Show me some respect!" he shouts.

After a few moments, Klaus speeds towards one of Marcel's men, bites him viciously in the neck, then drops him. Klaus speaks with blood dripping from his lips, "Your friend will be dead by the weekend, which means I've broken one of your rules. And yet I cannot be killed. I am immortal. Who has the power now, friend?"

Klaus faces off with Marcel, who says nothing. After a minute, Klaus smiles around at the crowd then turns and leaves.

I let out a sigh and Elijah takes my arm, speeding us out of the courtyard. "I'm going to leave you here. It's already past midnight and I am going to try and convince the witches to give us more time."

I nod vigorously and after that he flashes before my eyes.

I begin to wonder around the streets, not knowing exactly where I was supposed to go. I stumble upon a bench and sit on it, spotting Klaus, who is talking to some blonde as they stare at some painting.

It was far away and I wasn't sure if Klaus could sense I was here or not. I pull out my phone after a few minutes and read a text message from Elijah saying the witches gave us one more chance.

I let out a sigh of relief and then felt a presence besides me. "About time you and I had a chat alone." Klaus thick accent breaks the silence.

I turn my head towards him. "Did you think it's possible? For you and I to start a family?" I ask and his face drops. "No."

"We're able to now. Why dodge that offer?" I question, my eyes staring right back at his. "Why start a family when that wolf girl is carrying our child?"

Klaus gets up from the bench and starts to walk a few feet away. "The witch said I wouldn't survive carrying the child. It's probably best if Hayley carried it than I."

I knew my words didn't do much, but it was an effort. I stand up from the bench as well. "Klaus, I love you and this child will give us everything we've been asking for."

He turns around to face me. "Will it? Grant us everything we've asked for?" he repeats my words and I nod. "Yes. It will and it's what I want. But, I don't want this if you're not on board."

"For a thousand years, I lived in fear. Any time I settled anywhere, my father would hunt me down and... chase me off. He made me feel powerless, and I hated it. This town was my home once, and in my absence, Marcel has gotten everything that I ever wanted. Power, loyalty, family. I made him in my image and he has bettered me. I want what he has. I want to be king."

I sit back down on the bench and Klaus soon follows after me. "If it's what you want... tell Sophie Deveraux we have a deal."

"You have to want it too, Klaus. I know you do." I grab his hands and his eyes look down at our intertwined hands. "I do."