Gabriel walks into the dining room the next morning with bags under his eyes and a blank face.

" Elijah! I have compelled the city's finest pastry chef for your own personal edification, and yet, you ignore my efforts in favor of needless concerns!" Klaus claps at his brother with a smirk.

Both brothers raise a brow as they notice Gabriel's appearance. "Gabriel, did something happen?"

Rebekah walks into the room looking tired and immediately goes for the coffee pot. "Yes, isn't Caroline coming back today?"

"Last night at Alaric Saltzman's wedding, his fiancé was killed and he proceeded by killing himself. Elena Gilbert is in a magical coma and Caroline won't be back for some time." He frowns.

All of the siblings eyes widen in shock. "So the dopleganger finally got what she deserved?" Rebekah scoffs.

"Is Caroline alright?" Elijah questions his brother.

Gabriel nods. "Yeah, but something just feels weird."

"What do you mean?" Klaus questions, sitting straighter.

"I had given her a protection ring..." he mumbles to himself. "I could always feel my magic in the items I placed them in and last night it stopped. Like something sucked the magic out of it."

"If I'm correct, the Gemini coven does have a siphoner do they not? The infamous Kai Parker you dealt with last time you were in Mystic Falls." Elijah questions.

"But it just doesn't make sense why in the midst of all of that he would siphon her protection ring she wasn't the target." He shakes his head at what his brother was suggesting.

"Maybe he didn't want you to interfere." Klaus adds in.

"Maybe." He runs a tired hand down his face. "Anyway, let's talk about Dahlia.

Klaus claps. "Ah yes! Elijah was just berating me for killing Mikael. We all fled Mikael's tyranny together for centuries! I would have thought the mood this morning might be a bit more jubilant!"

Elijah sends him a stern glare. "Under normal circumstances, the annihilation of our father would be rather commendable, Niklaus. Unfortunately, we have a greater threat to contend with."

Klaus hops to his feet to grab himself and Gabriel a drink. "You know, for someone who's been invited to a celebratory breakfast, you're proving quite the kill."

Gabriel nods his head in thanks as he downs the whole cup. Rebekah takes a seat next to her older brother.

Elijah deeply sighs. "Well, Niklaus, if anything indeed has killed the..."buzz," as you say, perhaps it was because you alienated the one person who truly knows how to defeat Dahlia!"

Klaus shrugs. "If Freya wants to be part of this family, she should be willing to accept us, warts and all!"

Rebekah growls. "Elijah's right. Freya loved Mikael, and you've likely ruined everything."

"Leave him alone." Gabriel rolls his eyes. "We've wanted him dead for a thousand years. Now he's gone for good. Keeping him here to help us solve the Dahlia problem is just saving another problem for the one after this one. It never ends."

"You do Whatever you please, apparently!" Elijah snarks.

Klaus slams his hands on the dining table. "Do not mistake my high spirits for lack of clarity! I know full well the threat we face. And, I intend to deal with it... personally."

Their conversation is interrupted by the sounds of heels clacking against the stone floor. The siblings all glance at each other in caution, not expecting anyone. "Someone's here." Gabriel states.

They all follow the noise and their face contorts into confusion when they see Josephine Larue.

She maintains a calm facade as the the four approach her. "Forgive me for calling so early, Elijah, but, I've come bearing a message from your aunt Dahlia."

The siblings stay back in shock. What was the meaning of this?

"She is owed a debt, and she means to be paid."

"She can rot in hell first." Klaus snaps.

"For merely taking what your mother promised her? If you must harbor hatred, isn't it better spent on the one who traded your child away a thousand years ago? Blame Esther, if you must, but I seek only to fulfill a bargain. A bargain that, consequently, resulted in your very existence. Perhaps you should be thanking me?" She tilts her head with a sinister smile.

Gabriel is the first to step forward. "Dahlia."

"My child, I prefer Aunt Dahlia." She mocks.

"You dare enter my home?" Klaus questions furiously.

Dahlia sighs. "I only came for what is mine."

Suddenly blood begins to poor from Josephine's throat. "The time has come to add the child's power to my own. Though, I do not detect her here. I see you've used a spell to cloak her. No matter. Such spells will yield, as will you. Say your farewells. You have 'til nightfall tomorrow, and then the child shall be mine. Be a dear and inform the mother? No reason we can't be civilized about this."

Before anyone can blink Gabriel had taken the womans whole head off with his hand.

Klaus is in his art room at the compound, where he is furiously painting an abstract piece. He has covered a large canvas in dark red, gold, and green/brown paint, which has a mottled appearance. Elijah and Gabriel enter the room to find him absorbed in his artwork and Elijah seems appalled at his behavior.

"You do understand there is no time for this Niklaus." Elijah sighs.

Klaus looks back at Elijah and glares at him before going back to his work ignoring him.

"Niklaus, if Mikael's ashes are the key to ending Dahlia, then surely you must see the need to share their whereabouts?" Elijah tries again.

Klaus doesn't even turn around, he simply continues painting "I see nothing of the sort."

Elijah looks at him with slight hurt. "It is no secret that you often strategize while painting. I assume you have a plan, here."

Klaus snorts. "You ask that I share my strategies so you can run straight to Freya and bring her into the circle of trust? I think not."

Elijah looks to his older brother in frustration but seeing as he's getting no help he grits his teeth. "It is too dangerous for you, brother. You cannot do this alone!"

Klaus turns to his brother. "And who should I trust to protect Hope? Our new-found sister with duplicitous motives of her own? Hayley, whose allegiance to her husband grows stronger by the day, or how about Jackson, the self-declared king of the wolves?"

Elijah groans. "You need only trust me. Gabriel is on our side, trust him."

Klaus shrugs. "I would love to, Elijah. Now, more than ever, I need my brother, my closest ally, my blood... but you have not been the same since Mother got inside your head. Your judgment is not what it was. You are not what you were! The Elijah I know would never have clung so desperately to the word of a duplicitous stranger, telling him what he wants to hear!"

Elijah sighs and Gabriel just patiently waits for this conversation to be over. "Freya is our blood, brother. She also has every reason to want Dahlia's demise! We have no cause to distrust her!"

Klaus throws his hands in the air. "Which is a far cry from being trustworthy! She vanquished Finn, yes, but only after she herself resurrected him, and though lauded for saving Rebekah from Eva Sinclair, how do we know she didn't have a hand in waking that demon in the first place?"

Elijah takes a step closer. "Niklaus, if we cannot trust one another, we can't work together."

Klaus returns to his painting. "No, we cannot."

Elijah frowns at him, clearly frustrated with his attitude and quickly leaves the room and Gabriel waits until he hears him exit the building.

"I cannot continue to put my faith in your hands unless you tell me we have a plan, brother." Klaus quietly mumbles.

"I do." Gabriel says. "You're not going to like it but I see no other way."

Klaus turns his full attention on him. "What is it?"

"You know as well as I do that you and our siblings are never on the same side or plan when it comes to our enemies." Gabriel shrugs. "They believe I am neutral, simply following their every move."

"And are you?" Klaus cautiously questions.

"Of course not." Gabriel scoffs. "Davina and Kol have been in hiding as you know. I gave them a little project to work on while they are gone."

"And what is that?" He questions as he stares at his brother.

Gabriel pulls something out from inside his coat and Klaus stares at the object in confusion. "While Dahlia got into Everyone else's head, I got into hers very briefly."

"And?" Klaus prods.

"It will be no surprise when our siblings turn on you. However Dahlia would like to poach you to play for her team. She believes that's where she went wrong with Freya and having one of Hopes parents around will make a greater outcome." Gabriel quietly explains as he runs his finger along the edge of the dagger. "We want that to happen, we need you to have more time than I did to pry through her mind, it would be impossible for that to happen unless our siblings could put you down for a period of extended time."

"And that does the trick, I suppose." Niklaus sighs.

"It does." He nods. "So when the time comes I will miraculously give this dagger to our siblings, and you need to pretend to know nothing."

"And what next?" Klaus questions, completely hating this plan already.

But he would do it for Hope. And earlier when he had told Elijah that he trusted no one with Hope better than he, he lied. He trusted Gabriel as much if not more than himself to protect him daughter.

"After that you be you and ill take care of the rest." He smirks before waltzing out of the room.

"And everyone wonders where I get it from." Klaus mumbles to himself

Gabriel walks down the street growing more worried and paranoid by the second. "Hello beautiful, it's me again." He sighs. "Pick up the phone or I will be sending Kol to Mystic Falls. Please, call back soon."

He pauses at the entrance of the jazz club the witches had secured for Hayley and hope as a safe zone. "Why don't you come on in? I would love to show you some hybrid hospitality."

He sighs to himself. So many problems, so little time. And only one Gabriel.

"I only wanted to see the little one who has been promised to me. Won't be long now. Surely you've noticed the spell protecting you is growing weaker." Dahlias voice taunts.

Gabriel slowly walks into the club letting his footsteps be known and begins clapping his hands. "Oh aunt Dahlia. Your wits remind me of a certain blonde witch, where is she..." he hums, tapping a finger on his chin as he reveals himself. He snaps his fingers. "Oh, right! Dead!"

Hayley visibly relaxes but still stays on guard, clutching Hope to her chest.

"Gabriel, is it? The child I was supposed to have. I have no quarrel with you. Esther made this bargain long ago. It's most unfortunate Hope has been dragged into it." She lamely sympathizes.

"I have seen plenty of women with plenty of Villain origins. Yours might be the most pathetic." He hums, walking around the witch and towards Hayley and Hope like he couldn't be touched.

She narrows her eyes in suspicion. She could feel very little magic surrounding the man, why was he so confident.

"When I give my word, I keep it, and I expect others to do the same. Esther and I made a bargain a long time ago, and so, you see, that child is rightfully mine. The only question that you need ask is would you deny me, knowing that it would mean your death?" She looks at the two in curiosity.

Hayley takes a step forward, furious. "You're not taking her."

Gabriel pulls her arm back and wraps his arm around her waist to keep her from doing anything sudden.

Dahlia sighs, attempting to not flip out. "You're frightened for...your child. Heh. I can assure you anything that Freya may have told you about our life together, well, she always had a flair for the dramatic."

"Well, it seems to run in the family." Hayley snaps. Gabriel raises a brow, slightly offended.

Dahlia rolls her eyes. "Well, then of course, most of my troubles with Freya stemmed from the fact that I came for her so late in life. She had such a strong memory of the family that I took her from, but Hope is still young. She won't cling to the memory of you or cry for you in her sleep. You can take comfort in the fact that for her it will be as if you never existed."

Hayley let's her hybrid eyes show and Hope begins crying, reaching for Gabriel. She immediately quieting and cuddling into his chest. "Well... You've upset the child. Pity. You ought not to waste your last hours with her this way. You should spend your time saying your farewells. Nightfall tomorrow will come all too soon. Good-bye for now, little one."

She spares Gabriel one last glance before disappearing.

He immediately steps away from Hayley holding Hope as close as possible.

"Thank you." She breathes out, beyond stressed. "I don't know what she would have done if you didn't come."

"Anything for Hope." He whispers as he gives the little girl a kiss on the forehead.

It's silent for a moment but Hayley can't help but question the man. "Is she... gone? For good?"

He knew she wasn't talking about Dahlia. "No. She's coming back once everything in Mystic Falls calms down."

"Is it bad I wish it never did?" She questions, Hope in her eyes.

Gabriel sighs, looking towards the woman. "Yes, Hayley. Because I want nothing more than to have her back."

"How did everything change so quickly?" Hayley mutters, mostly to herself but he heard her clearly.

"You made your choice." He simply says. "And now I've made mine."

"I need to tell you something." She shakily says. "I think... I think we need to leave with Hope. The pack and I." She clarifies.

"Gabriel..." She tries to stop him from leaving out of the door but he just walks away.

He gently places the dagger on Marcel's table in his currently empty loft. He knew the man would be home soon. He places the note he had Davina write before she had left and flees the house.

'To put him down.

Stay safe.

-D'

Gabriel stands between his two brothers as they all argue with Hayley. "Freya objected to us making a single weapon because it spoilt her plan." Klaus growls.

Jackson's voice is heard through the walls. "Klaus!"

"Jack?" Hayley confused my questions.

He walks in with Aidens mauled body and Gabriel's eyes widen. "Klaus made Aiden spy on us. Instead, he told me everything, so you killed him!"

Hayleys head snaps to the man that fathered her baby. "You killed him, one of the wolves sworn to protect our daughter?"

Klaus looks to Gabriel in panic. Gabriel sadly nods his head. They both know he didn't do it, but regardless no one would believe him so they might as well take the opportunity to speed things up. "So what if I did? This is what happens to anyone who dares cross me!"

"Just give us the word, Jackson." One of the wolves growls.

"Yes! Come and have a go, but you'll be putting your life on the line for one who was all too willing to betray you. Perhaps this never would have happened if he'd have had a real Alpha." He boasts.

Everyone takes a step forward but Elijah is quick to step in front of his brother. "Do you wish to die?"

Hayley scowls at the man. "You want to kill me too Elijah?" Her eyes dart to Gabriel's bored looking form. "What is wrong with you?"

He stares her straight in the eyes. "You're not my problem anymore Hayley. Stop trying to bring me into things when it benefits you."