Audrey stood by the desk in the study, watching as Klaus paced up and down, a mixture of fury and worry on his face. It appeared, despite how happy everyone had been after being able celebrate the holiday together, it had been ruined. Cami had died during the night, compelled by Aurora to slit her throat during the night and bleed out silently, Klaus finding her body cold and lifeless beside him when he woke. Though it looked like she was gone, the full extent of what Aurora had done came to light, when the blonde gasped awake in transition. 

   Aurora had compelled her to drink her blood before she died. 

   As Cami cleaned herself up in the bathroom, Audrey was trying to get Klaus to calm down, knowing him in this state wasn't what Cami needed.

   "How is she?" Elijah asked as he walked into the room, taking off his coat.

   "She has just risen from the dead. As soon as she feeds, her mood will change for the better." Klaus answered quietly, before the worry on his face turned into just fury, his voice rising. "In the meantime, these attacks need to be answered! Our retribution must be swift, and it must be brutal!"

   "I'm with Klaus on this." Audrey said honestly. "They can't get away with what they've done. Aurora especially."

   "Agreed." Elijah nodded calmly. "After the Serratura has been recovered." He let out a deep, worried sigh. "Freya's pendant is also missing."

   The Mikaelson hybrid just rolled his eyes. "And Finn's mystical essence along with it. So let the imbecile stay lost!" He snapped. "Our business for today is to finish off the de Martels!"

   "Now, brother, think. Think." Elijah urged him. "Tristan needs the most powerful witch in the city to activate that weapon. A Regent."

   "Vincent." Klaus sneered in realization, and began to storm toward the door. "Who was once possessed by Finn."

   Elijah grabbed his younger brother by the arm, stopping him in his tracks. "Stay here." He told him firmly, giving him a look. "She'll need you, brother." He turned toward the door to leave himself, pausing as he looked at Audrey. "My love--"

   "I know." She nodded, knowing what he was thinking. While Klaus looked after Cami, someone needed to be there to keep an eye on him. "I've got it, go."

   He nodded and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I'll be back soon." He promised before he left.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

   Audrey sat numb on the couch in the courtyard, clutching the letter in her hand, as Freya stood beside her with tears falling. As Klaus talked Cami through her options, and took her home to get some things that she needed, Freya and Audrey stayed behind to keep an eye on things there. They'd just gotten Hope and Mira down for a nap when it arrived, and the pair had been in silence ever since. Footsteps approached, and soon enough Elijah and Vincent appeared in sight, Elijah picking up on the looks on their faces instantly.

   "Audrey? Freya?" He asked in concern, moving closer to them. "What is it?"

   "A messenger came." Freya spoke up tearfully. "Some compelled tourist. He left this..." She shakily nodded to the box sat on the table. 

   Elijah glanced from them to the box, his concern only growing. Slowly, he lifted the corner of the box lid, taking a look at what was inside. Seeing the bloody heart that sat inside, he immediately closed the box in alarm, taking a deep breath. "Who?"

   "Jackson." Audrey's voice cracked, holding up the letter. "Courtesy of the Strix."

   Elijah closed his eyes and let out a sigh, taking the letter and scanning his eyes over the contents. "So, unless we meet their demands, Hayley will be next."

   "So then we do it." Audrey shook her head. "We can't risk losing Hayley too."

   "Three vampires and two powerful witches against an army of miscreants?" Klaus spoke up as he walked toward them. "I'm rather looking forward to it."

   Vincent gives Klaus an exasperated look. "Keep in mind that I'm mortal, and, as much as I want these guys out of my city, I like breathing." He pointed out in reminder. "So, let me go to the covens. I can propose an alliance. They hate you guys, but if I explain what's going on..."

   Elijah shook his head in dismissal. "There's no time."

   "There never is." Freya sighed, giving her brothers a serious look. "But, before we rush into battle, let's keep in mind that Tristan may be the very foe to lead you to your doom. Isn't this exactly what the prophecy foretold? Rebekah's on the run. I will not lose the two of you, as well." 

   "Rebekah's said." Elijah brushed off after a moment, before looking hesitantly toward Klaus. "Brother, perhaps you should stay..."

   Klaus immediately scoffed. "And what kind of father would I be if I didn't fight for the mother of my child? No, I have no intention of being outmaneuvered by Tristan de Martel, of all people."

   "Intention's got nothing to do with it." Vincent shook his head. "As long as Tristan de Martel has the Serratura and your baby's mama, the advantage is all his."

   "So, what you're saying is, there is very good chance we're screwed no matter what we do." Audrey nodded knowingly, running a hand through her hair. "That's good to know."

   Freya was quiet a moment before a look appeared on her face. "Well, then we should take that advantage from him." She said and looked toward Klaus with a knowing smirk. "I'm gonna need something that belonged to his sister."

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

   With a plan in motion, Klaus, Elijah, and Audrey waited in a warehouse in St. Patrick's dock, with Aurora locked in a shipping container behind them. Taking Aurora gave them the advantage back, just as Freya wanted, and Tristan had no choice but to agree to their terms now. Hayley and the Serratura, in exchange for Aurora, alive and untouched. 

   "Here them come." Klaus mumbled, as the three walked forward, as groups of Strix vampires rush into the warehouse, slowly surrounding where they stood. 

   Finally, Tristan, Aya, and Marcel arrive, Tristan nodding as he stepped forward. "Gentlemen, lady, I wish I could say it was a pleasure."

   "I doubt it ever is when you're involved, Tristan." Audrey mused, giving a cold look in his direction.

   Klaus smirked and his eyes glanced toward Marcel. "Marcellus. Made your bed with the enemy, I see."

   Marcel simply flashed a fake smile. "Membership has it's privileges."

   Klaus smirked more before looking back toward Tristan expectantly. "Let's get on with this, shall we?"

   The de Martel man nodded toward one of his vampires, and two of them begin to walk forward, dragging a bloodied and chained Hayley along with them. They stop moving and let her go, causing Hayley to weakly fall to her knees on the ground, unable to stand on her own. 

   The two Mikaelsons and Audrey stare at her state in horror, as Tristan looked unfazed. "Hayley Marshall-Kenner, only slightly worse for wear. You'll have to forgive her if she seems a bit off. There's enough wolfsbane in her system to kill an entire pack." The Gilbert girl growled slightly and went to lunge at him, but Elijah was quick to grab her arms and hold her back, giving her a look and shaking his head. "However, here she is, as requested. Now, where's my sister?"

   "She lives." The Mikaelson hybrid sneered. "You can thank Elijah for that. I wanted to flay her and hang her skin as a flag, and when Audrey agrees with me, well..." He shrugged with a slight grin. "Anyway, enough chit-chat. Let's conclude this tedious business, shall we?"

   "My sister first." Tristan stated firmly. "And, if you're tempted to argue, consider the numbers."

   Klaus walked closer in amusement at that, making Tristan shift in slight discomfort at how calm he was at the threat, but he stood tall. Rolling his eyes, Klaus moved and walked over to the shipping container, pulling the door open to reveal Aurora inside. A black hood covering her head, her wrists bound to the back of the chair she was sat in.

   Tristan eyed this for a moment, before he looked toward Aya. "If they try anything, attack." He ordered, rushing inside the container.

   As he took the hood from her head, undoing the the ties on her wrists, Aya gave a nod to the vampires watching Hayley. Yanking her to her feet, they took off the chains and pushed her toward the Mikaelsons, the Marshall-Kenner woman stumbling into Audrey's arms. "I got you." Audrey mumbled reassuringly, holding her upright as she tried to steady herself. 

   "Oh, brother, you came for me." Aurora let out with a weak smile.

   "Always." He promised with a smile of his own. Helping her to her feet, he wrapped his sister in a hug. "Come on. Come on." As they hugged, Aurora slipped her hand into his pants pocket and pulled out the Serratura, yanking herself out of his grip. The moment he sees the medallion in her hand, his eyes watcher her warily. "Rory...? What are you doing?" Before he could do anything, she slams the Serratura against the wall of the container, causing the warehouse to shake as a invisible boundary seals the container as Tristan desperately tries to get out. "No...Aurora...what have you done to us?" He asked in horror.

   Aurora looked smug as she walked toward him. "Not to us. To you." Without another word, she stepped out of the container, walking to join Klaus, Elijah, Audrey, and Hayley where they stood.

   As she turned to face Tristan, a haze covers her and Aurora's face disappeared and was replaced with Cami's, making him stare in fury at the revelation. "What is this?"

   "You know what they say--" Cami shrugged as she stepped back. "Payback's a bitch."

   "The Serratura creates an impenetrable boundary. Nothing living or dead can pass through." Klaus reminded him smugly.

   "And, thanks to your lunatic sister, I'm neither." The O'Connell woman finished.

   Tristan's eyes widen in horror, as the true nature of his situation sinks in for him. "No, no. NO!" He looked toward the Strix, who looked clueless of their next move in that moment. "What are you waiting for? Take them! Now!" He barked in order.

   As they go to obey, Elijah stepped forward, placing himself protectively in front of Audrey, who kept Hayley close to her. "Before you rush headlong toward almost certain death... As your sire, I would like you to employ just a little bit of common sense."

   Aya scoffed. "We are ancient vampires, Elijah-- each of us almost as strong as you."

   "You might almost be successful in subduing us, but at what price?" He asked with a shrug, looking around at them all. "Most of you will die in the process, and for what? To avenge a fool marching you headlong toward your very extinction in the name of a witch's prophecy? You do realize he engineered absolutely all of this purely to satisfy some petty grievance against my family?" He turns and walks toward the shipping container, sending Tristan a false smile as he leaned against the door. "Tristan doesn't care for any of you."

   "Stop listening to him!" Tristan shouted.

   But Elijah just ignored him as he continued. "The only danger here is the choice that you must make. You see, I am not your enemy. It's true, I delivered you into this existence. I can just as easily pluck you out of it. The choice is yours to make."

   Aya continued to glare at him with a torn expression, and Marcel steps closer and leans into her ear. "It's done. The moment has passed. Be smart, Aya. Smarter than Tristan. Don't waste any more of our guys." He urged her.

   Aya considered his words for a long moment, before she turned to look at all of the Strix. "Stand down."

   "You will not abandon me!" Tristan yelled in disbelief as they listened to her.

   Aya then walked forward to the container with a regretful look. "It's a shame it has to end like this."

   "Aya, this isn't over." He hissed in warning.

   She places her right hand over her heart in salute to their former leader. "May the ghosts of our fallen keep you company." She said coldly, and she and the Strix began to leave the warehouse Tristan banging his fists against the barrier as he yelled after them. 

   Once the warehouse was empty, Cami left to go home with the time she had left, despite Klaus pleading with her to change her mind about feeding. Once she was gone, he pulled open the door to the container so they could see Tristan, who seemed resigned to his fate at this point. 

   "So, this is to be my end?" He let out with a sigh.

   "No, no. This is the very beginning." Elijah told him with a patronizing smile, Klaus smirking as he leaned against the door. "You are going to the bottom of the ocean, where you will drown in darkness again and again and again over the course of centuries." A gleeful look appeared on his face. "This will be your splendidly horrific and perpetual end."

   Tristan swallowed anxiously. "What have you done with my sister?" 

   "Nothing...yet." Klaus smiled widely. "But, I assure you, her death will be spectacular." 

   As he went to close the door, Hayley stepped forward and shook her head. "Wait." She said, walking forward to look Tristan directly in the eyes. "You took a very good man from this world. He will be with me forever, but you? You will be forgotten. And as you rot in the ocean, remember my face." Reaching over, she grabbed the container and began to pull it shut, looking at him with nothing but hate. "Because it's the last one you're ever gonna see." She said coldly , before slamming the door closed.

Rest in peace, Jackson Kenner. 

When I first watched this episode, I did cry at his death. While I didn't agree with some of the things Jackson did, I did like his character, so him being killed was rather sad. I worked out from this point, there is only 12 episodes of season 3 left for me to write, and I'm hoping to get them done rather quickly. There is a lot left to come though in these next twelve chapters. 

I hope you all enjoyed!