SURPRISE DOUBLE CHAPTER MUAHAHAHAHA-

okay I'm done

The adults all headed to Ric's office. Or, really, Kol marched through the halls quickly while his wife, Ric, and Marcel followed hastily. And eventually Freya joined as well. After, you know, fixing what she broke.

Ric sighed as he closed the door behind him, trying his best not to be annoyed that his office is being searched by an original vampire for alcohol of all things.

"Just so you know, I don't keep any alcohol here anymore," he said.

"Is that so?" Kol laughed.

"That's so."

"Then what's this, mate?" Kol managed to find a full bottle of any sensible vampire's favorite beverage: bourbon. It was in in a secret cubby behind a few old books on the shelves.

"That's... actually not mine."

"Then who's is it?" Kol took a glass off a shelf and helped himself to a drink.

"It was... nevermind, look, it's not a good idea for four scary powerful beings to be here, so-"

"We came to take Melori home," Marcel said. "Nothing more, nothing less."

"I'm sorry to say this but I'm not sure she wants to go back. If she did she would've been in New Orleans by now."

Marcel cocked his head to the side. "Why wouldn't she want to go home? Where her family is?"

"Well technically her family's dead, so-"

With that last comment striking a nerve with Marcel, within the blink of an eye he rushed to Alaric and grabbed him by the throat. The man was slightly raised off the ground to the point where only the tip of his shoes were touching the ground.

Freya rushed to them and grabbed Marcel's hand. "Let go."

"You don't know a damn thing about that."

Ric tried his best not to struggle, knowing that'd only make Marcel tighten his grip. Instead he pried his hands as much as he could to create more room to breathe. "I know enough," he grunted.

Freya stepped closer to Marcel, sending him one of her deadliest glares to intimidate him. "Let go, now."

Because Marcel has common sense enough to know not to challenge a witch (or at least the two in the room), he did what was told of him... By sending Alaric flying into the nearest wall. With a thud, Ric fell to the floor leaving him groaning and definitely wanting to schedule a back massage.

His office doors flew open and none other than the young hybrid herself rushed in. She quickly scanned the room and saw Ric on the floor. She ran over to help him to his feet. "What the hell just happened?"

"Nothing," Ric groaned. "Just some grown up business."

"Pack your bags, Mel, we're leaving."

Melori looked directly in the man's eyes, pursing her lips. "I'm not leaving. I can't."

"Seems father dearest isn't giving you much of a choice," Kol smirked. "Best we be on our way then."

"I have too much to do here, okay? Malivore-"

"Isn't your concern," Marcel finished. "Look, you got out just fine. You're safe now, there's no reason to stay and concern yourself with someone else's business."

"And by someone else you mean a certain tribrid because 'people around these Mikaelson tend to get hurt.' Yes, Marcel, you've made that clear over the years. I gotta do something about this thing because- if you haven't caught on by now- three good years of my life was wasted because of it."

Davina, who was wandering the room to look at all the artifacts, walked behind Marcel, leaning close. "She's got a point, you know."

Alaric went to sit in his chair at the desk. "Of course she does. And for what it's worth, I think she and Hope are the key to destroying this thing." He smiled at Marcel specifically.

"Do I look like I give a damn?"

"You should. You don't know the type of monsters that come out of that thing. And if we just leave Malivore be, who knows what damage he could do? He already wants Hope dead. Maybe Mel too, and so far they might be the only defense we have against him."

"That's your problem."

"It could be the world's problem if we don't do something about it. We need Melori. She stays."

"You boys are forgetting who's choice this is," Freya sighed. The ancient witch walked over to face the young hybrid, gently placing her hands on the girl's shoulders. "Yours, obviously. What do you want to do?"

"That's easy. I'm staying. I have to stay." She raised a finger at Marcel. He was readying to protest to this decision and she knew that all too well. "Marc- look, you don't get it." Mel grabbed Freya's hands and held them. "I owe them."

"What do you mean?" Mel reached into her pocket to take something out of it. The letters. She kept them on her to make sure Hope didn't find them if she snooped. When she snooped. Although confused, Freya recognized the envelope. "I remember this."

"What's it?" Kol lingered.

"Nik asked me to send this to you before... well, yeah. He asked me to not open it though so I didn't." She took the letters out and quickly read them.

"I meant exactly what I said. I owe them. For that night. Hell, I owe all of you, but..."

Freya shook her head, handing the letters to Marcel and then hugging the girl. "Say no more, kid. Do what you have to."

"I really don't like this," Marcel said.

"You don't have to. I got my own little missions I've got to see through... then there's that," she nodded towards the papers in his hands. "Malivore wants Hope dead. Most likely me too, but we have to kill him before he kills us because if that happens, then- I mean, really, who knows what'll happen?"

"Eternal doom for all supernatural creatures," Ric answered. "Every. Last. One. Even children because Malivore has no limits."

Marcel rolled his eyes while shaking his head. "I can't let Mel get hurt."

"I won't get hurt," Mel lied. At least partially. Maybe. Truth be told she doesn't know what will become of her or Hope or anyone for that matter. But what's important is that he's stopped. And she's determined to make sure that happens without the death of the princess. "Just... please let me do this. It's important to me."

"You were going to do this even without my approval."

I smirked lightly. "True. But at least I asked, right?"

Davina stepped in from scrolling through the books in Ric's office, but also watching and listening. "Here's an idea. I'll... maybe stay, look after Melori while you big scary originals go back to New Orleans."

"Hello? Aren't you forgetting me?" Kol waved his hand. "You think I'm leaving you here?"

"You know very well that I can handle myself."

"But what about se-"

"Don't say another word, Kol. I'll stay. You all go back. Mel, do you mind showing me around?"

"Yeah, sure. But... are you like, gonna be teaching here now...?"

"We'll see." Davina grabbed Mel's arm and led her out of the room.

But before she was out she turned to Marcel with a smile, happy to have seen him again. "Bye, Dad."