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I groan from my place beside the toilet, who knew being pregnant made you basically live in the bathroom. I couldn't sleep since last night, after everything, the unification, Kols death, my pregnancy news. I still have yet to tell, Well, almost everyone but I just don't know how.

I only told one person, which is where I'm hiding out, I hear him from outside of the bathroom talking on the phone. I sit up and walk out of the bathroom.

"That sounded like it went well." I mumbled while walking to the sofa and taking a seat.

"Well, you know how Niklaus is." Elijah responds as he looks through his suit rack and I roll my eyes.

"Thanks, by the way. Once I couldn't sleep, I just, I had to get out of the compound and Hayley told me about you moving here." I say looking up at him. "Plus, I really needed someone I could trust with...you know..."

"The pregnancy?" Elijah asks as he walks to the kitchen and starts taking out some food. "Speaking of, are you hungry?"

"Elijah, you don't have to." I shake my head at his generosity.

"I'll take that as a yes." He smiles at me as I laugh and walk to the counter in the kitchen and watch him.

"You should teach me to cook, sometime, because I am not a good cook. Actually, I almost burnt the compound kitchen down trying to cook for my dad once." I giggle to myself thinking about my dad's face. "My dad wasn't angry though, it was his birthday and I wanted to do something nice so I was going to cook, I didn't really know what I was cooking but it set fire and my dad came in and put it out. Afterwards I was so sad, thinking he would be angry but he laughed, he said he appreciated it and that he loved me and me being with him was better than anything I could have done."

Elijah listens carefully as he cracks some eggs and cooks some bacon with toast. "He was so good as a parent, especially a single one, he raised me all by himself and although I'm a little bit of a mess, he did a great job." I sniffle and wipe my tears. "I just hope I can be a good parent like my dad was to me. And I'm just so scared because, I was sent away as a baby, Hope was sent away as a baby and I'm scared for my child. I wouldn't be able to handle my own child to be sent away or-or taken from me."

"Maddison," Elijah starts as he turns off the stove and sits next to me. "Your child will not be sent away. You will raise your child in your home, here in New Orleans, if that's what you want but I give you my word, I will not let this child be sent away and I will always protect the both of you. No matter what."

I nod my head and laugh. "Do you know how hard it is being a vampire with heightened emotions and being pregnant with pregnancy hormones?"

"I don't imagine I would know that." He smiles as I laugh harder and shove his chest a bit. He stands up and finishes cooking and placing the plate in front of me.

"Hey, Elijah?" I ask and look at him as he hums. "I need your help with something."

*

"Are you alright?" Elijah asks as the two of us walk into my dad's loft to see him and Rebekah.

"Barley. The attackers knew me, Elijah, not me me but this, her, whoever she is. They want her dead." Rebekah tells him in worry.

"We will find them and show them why their anger is unwise." Elijah says walking towards Marcel.

"You don't want to mess with that crowd." I tell Elijah as my dad nods. "If we want answers, we're gonna need to ask Josephine Larue."

"She serves as matriarch to the covens outside the quarter. She'll know who wants Rebekah dead." Marcel explains.

"How can you be sure?" Rebekah asks wearily.

"She bankrolls the Fauline cottage. She'll know exactly who you are and why you were locked up in there." Marcel says looking to Rebekah.

"And what if she want to lock me right back up? I won't go back to that horrid place." Bekah argues as I sigh and feel a bit dizzy.

"The two of you go and see what you can find about this body you now possess, and we shall pay a visit to Josephine." Elijah commands and looks to me.

My dad looks at me with furrowed eyebrows. "Are you okay?" He asks suspiciously but with worry.

"I'm fine, just a bit dizzy and annoyed with all this back and forth talking." I smile at him.

"A warning to you." Elijah says to break the silence and looks to his sister. "You are not who you once were. This body is all too vulnerable." Elijah starts to walk towards me so we can head out but my dad stops him.

"Elijah. Josephine is an eccentric old bat with no love for vampires. Your charms might not work as well as you think." My dad tells him.

"My charms are quiet adaptable, Marcellus, let me assure you." He says and walks out with me following.

*

"Can't we just bring wine or coffee cake, bundt cake, any kind of cake." Gia says setting the violin down.

"From what I can gather, miss Larue was something of a musical prodigy in her youth. The way to her heart is with the music she loves the most... Beethoven, 'sonata number 9, opus 47.'" Elijah tells her reading the paper as I sit next to Gia, eating some cookie Elijah bought me.

"How about I bring my laptop, speakers, add a drumbeat?" Gia asks as i nod my head agreeing with her.

"The promise of your performance is what has opened the door for us. If this fails, the life of someone I care for deeply will be in jeopardy, and that would displease me immensely. Shall we move, please." Elijah snaps his fingers and turns.

"No one likes demanding people, Elijah." I whisper to myself.

"No. Why don't you make both of our lives easier, just compel someone from the symphony?" Gia asks.

"My darling Gia, you are an artist far more gifted than anyone from any local symphony. Unfortunately, miss Larue despises vampires, and we need to show her that our community's comprised of a....a different breed with a new sophistication." Elijah says moving with every word he says which makes me wanna vomit.

"Sophisticated, huh? I suppose you want me in a dress." Gia tells him.

Elijah makes a thinking face. "We should adapt for our audience, yes."

"And you...dark suit in the left side of your closet or," Gia gasps, "identical dark suit on the right?"

Elijah smiles looking at her. "I prefer the one in the middle, thank you so much."

"Man, if anyone ever needed a woman to mess his life up a bit..." Gia stands with a smile. "Right. Uh, your girl actually went and..."

"She did." Elijah nods.

"Married another..." Gia trails off.

"Another guy." Elijah finishes.

"Um, look. For what it's worth, I thought Marcel and I had a thing, but that didn't work out. We may not be in the same boat, but it's the same ocean." Gia smiles and walks out as Elijah turns to watch her leave. I laugh making Elijah look at me.

"You like her. And she likes you."

*

"Oh my god." I say with wide eyes as Elijah, Gia and I walk up to Josephine's house. "Soon, I'm not gonna be able to fit in my dresses or anything." Elijah rolls his eyes amused as Gia laughs at me. "This is serious."

Once we arrive to the door it's opened for us and we walk through to see Josephine sitting down and Gia begins to play the violin.

Elijah and I sit as she does and listen until she's done. It was beautiful, I'm not gonna lie. "You are as calculating as I've heard, Mr. Mikaelson, having your companion play the very piece I once preformed to great acclaim."

"Is it not also a piece that you enjoy?" He asks her.

"It's best not to insult more powerful than you, which is the only reason I allowed you into my home. Now if you will excuse me, I have many things to do." Josephine tells him.

"My goodness. I had expected a more cordial welcome here." Elijah smiles.

"And why would I be cordial to you?" She asks. "Since your family has returned to this city, our elders have been murderer, promising young witches have been inhabited against their wills."

"Just to be clear, it was the witches that brought the Mikaelsons to New Orleans. It was the witches who signed their death certificate. You can try and blame the Mikaelsons but if the witches had just let it be then it wouldn't have happened." I defend the people who are like my family. "And Elijah can put an end to all of it."

"With all due respect, I can believe that as much as I believe I will play my violin again someday because, Mr. Mikaelson, beneath your formal attire and behind the lovely Beethoven, you are all the same... liars, monsters wearing the skins of humans. Good day to you three." Josephine says as I grow sad and angry. What if my child is the same as me? It wouldn't be a monster.

"Miss Larue, we needn't be unpleasant." Elijah tells her.

"I hold no animosity, nor do I want to do you any favours. I simply want you to leave my home." She says walking away.

"Screw her, Elijah." I say making her turn. "I don't see a damn crown on your head."

"I beg your pardon?" she asked.

"Your not the queen of the witches. You don't speak for all of them." I tell her. "You know I can't believe Gia even dressed up and learnt how to play Beethoven. She hates Beethoven."

Josephine looks to Gia behind me, "and what do you like, young lady? If not for Beethoven, then what?"

"Ahem." Gia gets her violin in position and starts playing making me smile.

Josephine smiles. "Eddie south. That makes you a true jazz girl."

"You know Eddie south?" Gia asks shocked.

"At one time, I nearly eloped with a jazz musician. Um, my mother learned of my plans and, uh...let's just say, she wasn't pleased." She says looking down at her hands before looking at me. "Your candor is refreshing. I find most vampires to be more calculating...no offence." She says looking to Elijah as he smiles at her.

"None taken. I also on occasion admire her candor." He tells her.

"He has great taste." I say looking to Gia. "He's also a man you can trust, and I say that as someone who doesn't trust very easily. Or...at all really." I say looking over to Elijah, who is looking at me already.

"I suppose I should just hear you out, Mr. Mikaelson." Josephine says as I smile.

"Thank you." Elijah says as some guy hands him something. "One of the witches that escaped the Fauline cottage is of particular importance to my family. My request to you...tell your people to leave her to me."

"You have no idea how dangerous these witches can be." Josephine argues.

"She will cause you no further trouble, I can assure you that." Elijah looks down at her. "In return, I shall find all the remaining witches and deliver them safely back to you. Consider this the first step in a new and mutual beneficial alliance."

Elijah gives her a paper and she sighs. "Eva Sinclair. Powerful and sadistic. If I aim to relinquish someone like her into your custody, I will require someone equally powerful in return. The treme coven wants Vincent Griffith returned. How you expel your brother Finn from his body is your concern."

"Consider it done." I tell her.

*

I tried calling Klaus, but no answer. Gia went home and I called Jackson to see if Klaus was there but apparently he was at the cemetery with Finn. I smell blood once Elijah and I get there and speed towards Klaus, shoving him against the tomb, stopping him from killing Finn.

"You didn't answer my call." I tell him.

"Well, I was a little bit busy." He responds looking to Finn.

"We need him alive." Elijah says.

"I have no time for your soft-hearted sympathies." Klaus moves away from me. "Stand aside. Let him die, Elijah."

"The witches want that body returned unharmed." Elijah tells his brother.

"And what else do they want, a parade, free broomsticks for all?" Klaus yells as I feel my veins appear under my eyes. I look to Finn and the blood...oh god. The pregnancy, what if I won't be able to control myself.

"This alliance could be greatly beneficial to us all." Elijah argues.

"Yes? Well, currying some witches favor does not concern me." Klaus tells Elijah as i try and force my fangs to go away.

"It should." A females voice says. "Witch allies can prove valuable."

"Freya...Freya. Help me..." Finn whispers.

"Elijah, you have to stop the bleeding." I whisper leaning against the tomb. Elijah rushes to my side. "I can't, I can't control it right now."

Klaus looks at us suspiciously like my dad did but then looks to Finn and Freya. "Don't worry, brother. I won't let them hurt you." Freya grabs her pendant and chants as Finn starts to scream. She stops chanting and Finn cowers away putting his hands up.

"Who are you?" This must be Vincent Griffith.

"Sleep." Freya says making him go down.

"What did you do to him?" Klaus asks.

"Finn is now safe from harm, and his hatred of you can no longer do damage to our cause." Freya tells him.

"Our cause?" Elijah asks.

"Yes. Ours. And now if you two can stop arguing long enough, perhaps you'll allow your older sister to offer you a deal."

"What could you possibly offer us besides fairy tales and lies?" Klaus asks angrily.

"Whatever you may think of me, brother, know this...when I speak to you, it is the truth. If you have any doubts remember it was I who rescued Rebekah from the Fauline cottage." Freya tries to defend herself.

"And was it not also you who led Finn on his vile mission to take Hope's life?" Elijah asks walking past her.

"The threat to Hope came from Finn, not me. The brother I knew would never have stopped to threaten a child." I eyes her suspiciously. I don't trust her. "Our mother destroyed him like she did me, you, everything she touched." She says looking at Klaus.

"Do not speak as though we are familiars. We know nothing of you." Klaus says making Freya do something to the brothers, see something I guess.

"Do you think me a liar?" She asks.

"About some things, yes, if I'm being honest." I say making Klaus smirk at my response.

"That proves nothing but your ability to conjure illusions. Before you dismiss me, you should know this. If I have woken from my slumber, then Dahlia has, as well. Once she's sensed your child's magic, she will come for her, and she has the power to kill anyone who stands in her way unless we kill her first." Freya explains.

"It's quiet convenient, isn't it?" Klaus asks. "You show up in the nick of time to help us kill the woman with whom you spent a thousand years!"

"You have no idea what it took to escape her or what I lost in the trying. Her punishment will be profound." Freya says to Klaus angrily.

"And you know how to stop her?" Elijah says after a while.

"Given the proper materials, yes. I've sent father to procure them." She says as my eyes widen.

"You put the life of my child in the hands of Mikael?" Klaus yells at his sister and begins to leave.

"Don't you mean children?" She says as I shake my head and look to Elijah with an alarmed look.

Klaus stops in his tracks and turns to look at us as I look away from his gaze. "You didn't know?" Freya asks as I glare at her and speed out of the cemetery. I am going to murder that god forsaken witch. I wanted to tell Klaus myself, once I knew how.

In every moment, a choice exists. We can cling to the past or embrace the inevitability of change...

Maddie takes a deep breath before knocking on the door waiting for it to open. She stands nervously as the door slowly opens and the guy she loves, the father of her child, is right there behind it. Klaus opens the door wider as she walks through. "Look, Klaus, I wanted to be the one to tell you. I just...I wasn't sure how."

And allow a brighter future to unfold before us.

Klaus guides her to sit in the bed and holds her hand. "It's okay." She looks up at him in shock, in all honesty, Maddison was terrified of this moment, Klaus already has a daughter and she didn't know if he wanted more children. Klaus' hand slowly travels to Maddison's stomach. All he could think then is that he would do right by the beautiful woman carrying his child, by their unborn baby and by his daughter.

Such an uncertain future may call for even more uncertain allies. Either way, a new day is coming, weather we like it or not.

Klaus and Maddison laid together on his bed that night. No words were spoken between the two, just some romantic looks exchanged and Maddison falling asleep. Once she was asleep, Klaus stared at her for a moment, tucking her hair behind her ear and talked to their child quietly.

The question is will you control it, or will it Control you?

❤️