Things definitely hadn't gotten quieter with Klaus, Hayley, and Hope gone. With the threat of white oak still being out there, the Strix were now placing all of their attention onto protecting Elijah, which was interfering with them dealing with Klaus' enemies. The compound was as safe as it could possibly be, with Freya's magic and now Strix guarding every possible entrance and exit. 

   With a deep frown, Audrey made her way into the study, giving Kol an annoyed look. "I just got Mira down. Will you quit shouting?"

   "Blame him!" Kol pointed toward Elijah. 

   Audrey looked toward Elijah, who looked at his younger brother calmly. "Are you quite sure?"

   "I saw him with my own eyes. Finn must have come back when Davina resurrected me." Kol insisted, making Audrey's eyes widen in disbelief. They already had so much going on, and now there was the possibility that Finn was once again alive, which added only more worry to everything. If anyone would want to see this prophecy completed, it'd be him, family be damned. "The spell was tied to the blood of the Mikaelson line. Either it worked on him, or he found a way to hijack it. Either way, the only "how" I care about right now is how long I'm going to make him suffer before I kill him."

   "Restraint, brother." Elijah told him, as Kol began to pace the room anxiously. "For now."

   "Why?" Kol scoffed. "Finn is clearly the one spreading rumors about missing white oak. He's luring Nik's enemies out of the woodwork. It's all apart of his tedious revenge fantasy."

   "It's not a too far fetched theory." Audrey admitted, glancing at Elijah. 

   "You're wrong." Freya spoke as she walked into the room. "Those rumors began before either of you returned. Finn's innocent."

   The youngest of the siblings gave her an incredulous look. "Innocent?" He repeated, as Freya crossed her arms and perched on the desk. "Pardon me, love, but Finn tried to kill the rest of us more than once! He's an enemy of our family."

   "He is our family." Freya argued strongly. "Finn's return is an opportunity to mend old wounds and fix what's broken."

   "He would have seen Mira and Hope dead." The Gilbert girl reminded her, giving her a flat look. "There's no mending that wound."

   "He didn't just drop of bloody vase!" Kol shouted angrily. "He murdered me."

   Elijah looked away from Kol as he walked toward Freya. "You seem certain..."

   Kol's face fell at that. "Are you honestly siding with her?"

   Elijah simply raised his hand toward him and remained focused on Freya. "Time and time again, Finn has demonstrated nothing but contempt toward his family. So, you tell me-- how can you be so certain that he would return to us in peace?"

   Before Freya could answer, another voice spoke up from the doorway, making all their heads snap in that direction. "Our sister knows me well." Finn held a slight smirk on his face, walking into the room with hands raised in the air. "Though, perhaps you're right to doubt my intentions. By all means, let's discuss our family quarrels. I believe we're long overdue."

*   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *

   Finn's presence hadn't gone down well, especially not by Kol. The second Elijah stepped out the room to answer a call from Marcel, chaos ensued, Freya and Audrey between the two remaining brothers to stop them from fighting. Admittedly, as Audrey helped Freya keep them apart, she was resisting the urge to take a swing at Finn herself. After everything he had done, it wasn't like it would be undeserved, and she knew she would if he even tried to take a step near Mira or her nursery. 

   "Take a swing at me, huh?" Kol glared as he struggled against Freya. "All these side-steps and parries... Even the way you fight is boring."

   "It's an odd critique, considering all your flair and flourish couldn't keep you from being bested the last time we face one another." Finn retorted smugly. 

   Kol reached around his sister and shoved Finn back roughly, earning a glare of annoyance from Freya. Losing his temper, Kol shoved Freya aside so she fell onto the couch, knocking Audrey down as he rushed and pinned Finn back against the wall. Before he could do anything, Lucien rushed in and pulled him off Finn, pinning him by the throat up against the bookshelf. 

   "Perhaps we should let them fight?" Lucien glanced at Freya and Audrey, keeping Kol pinned with ease. "After all, they can't actually kill each other." 

   "Behave yourselves." Elijah said firmly as he rejoined them all. "Particularly considering we'll be confined here together for the foreseeable future."

   Audrey narrowed her eyes at that. "Elijah?" 

   Kol broke out of Lucien's hold, shoving him back as he marched toward Elijah. "What does that mean?" 

   "I believe the term is staycation." Elijah stated, looking around at them all. "You see, Niklaus isn't the only one who's inspired revenge fantasies. Right now, we are all at risk." Kol turned and glared at Finn, as Freya closed her eyes with a deep sigh at the news. "So, while Marcel works to retrieve the white oak, I recommend we dispense with the posturing and get down to some good, old-fashioned family bonding."

   Kol stormed out of the room angrily, Finn not waiting long before he left in the other direction, Freya quickly following after him. Audrey gave Lucien a look, who took the hint and left the room. "Elijah, they're not going to stop." She said knowingly. "Kol's anger isn't going to fade, and Finn is only making it worse."

   "We'll handle it." Elijah said calmly. "But until Marcel can retrieve that white oak, this is the best possible solution."

   "I know. I just..." She let out a sigh, looking at him honestly. "I don't like the idea of him around Mira."

   Elijah's look softened and he walked toward her, cupping her face in his hands as he kissed her forehead. "I give you my word, I will not let Finn near her." He swore seriously. "Our daughter will be safe."

   Audrey nodded, resting her hands gently on top of his. "I trust you." 

  A small smile twitched on his lips, and he leaned in, kissing her softly. Audrey arms slowly moved and wrapped around his neck, deepening the kiss slightly as he perched on the edge of the desk, pulling as close to him as possible. Before it could go any further, the familiar cries of their daughter filled their ears, making them pull apart breathlessly. 

   "I need to see to Finn." He said as he straightened his tie. "You got her?"

   "I've got her." She nodded, pecking his lips softly once more before she left. 

   As she reached the nursery, she paused when she saw the door open, peaking inside to see Kol had beaten her there. He sat on the ground beside Mira's crib, poking his fingers through the bars and allowing her to play with them happily, sniffling slightly as her crying stopped and she calmed down.

   Feeling eyes on him, Kol glanced up toward the doorway. "Hope you don't mind."

   "Of course I don't." She smiled, walking in and sitting down on the floor beside him. Mira didn't really notice her, far too busy twisting around the daylight ring that sat on her uncle's finger. "Have you called Davina?"

   "You think if I'm going to be forced to stay here all day, I wasn't going to ask her to join me?" He asked, letting out a scoff. "She's on her way over."

   "Look, Kol..." She began with a sigh. "You have every right to feel the way that you do toward him. We're going to solve this the best that we can. But getting angry and lashing out isn't going to solve anything."

   "I don't know about that." He muttered. "Beating the life out of him would definitely make me feel better."

   "Well, we both know that's not possible." She pointed out, making him sigh. "Despite how good it might sound." 

   "I don't know how you've managed it." He said after a moment, causing her to raise a brow. "This family would have drove anyone else mad by now, but you're still as rational and sane as you were when we first met." He gave a small smile. "Tougher too."

   Audrey smiled herself, shrugging her shoulders slightly as she watched her daughter. "I found my family when I met all of you." She said honestly. "I got used to all that came with it, even the insanity and mayhem. And as for getting tougher, well..." Mira cooed, very much entranced playing with Kol's ring, making them both chuckle at how bright and wide her eyes grew. "I have good motivation."

*   *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

   Finn saw that there was one simple solution. He wanted to be placed back into the body of a witch, and allowed to leave their lives forever, with Freya the exception. Of course, Elijah was hesitant to agree, and Audrey held the same hesitation when he told her. They all knew what Finn was capable of with access to magic, and they had no guarantee he wouldn't turn on them all the second he got what he wanted. Kol was furious at the idea, and didn't see it the way that Elijah suggested it, as a way to expel Finn from their lives. He saw it as Finn getting exactly what he wanted, even after everything he had done to their family. 

   What made it worse was his temper, which he admitted he had been struggling to control since he came back, alongside his hunger. It had been tense and quiet as they waited for news from Marcel, who had managed to track down and get the last remaining white oak, with some help from Josh and Vincent. He'd just dropped it off, when all hell finally broke loose between Kol and Finn. Freya and Audrey exchanged a glance, before the Gilbert girl rushed them downstairs and into the courtyard, where Kol stormed toward a weak Finn with a lit candle in his hands.

   "Kol, stop." Freya ordered, trying to intervene. 

   Kol merely glared at her, as Lucien appeared behind the two women, and continued to walk toward his older brother. Suddenly, Elijah appeared between the pair and shoved him backwards. "Enough!"

   "This isn't your fight!" Kol snapped angrily.

   Elijah gave him a stern look. "I told you stay your hand."

   "Fine." Kol gave in and threw the candle across the courtyard, as Davina stared at him in shock. "I'd rather take my chances out there with white oak then stay here with you lot." He spat before he left, Davina quickly following after him.

   "Elijah?" Freya said warily at that, as she moved to check on Finn.

   "He'll be fine. Marcel has paid us a visit." He assured and reached into his pocket, pulling out the bullet. "The last remaining white oak in the world...right here. Sister, if you would be so kind."

   Freya nodded and flicked her wrist toward the fountain, which burst into flames in front of them all. Elijah tossed the bullet into the flames, but Finn didn't give it a chance to burn, rushing and plunging his hand into the flames to grab it. "No!" He yelled desperately.

   "Finn!" Audrey shouted in disbelief, Finn groaning in pure agony until he pulled the bullet out of the flames.

   Finn fell to his knees as he clutched the bullet in his hands, looking at the four with horror in his eyes. "The little witch has condemned me to this! To remain a beast!" He cried in despair, looking toward Elijah with a pleading expression. "Elijah... I can't bear an eternity with no hope of escape. Can you?"

   "Finn." Elijah spoke calmly, holding his hand out to him. "Give it to me." He made no attempt to move. "Give it to me."

  As Finn still didn't move, Lucien sighed and sped toward Finn, stealing the bullet from him and rushing back to where he once stood. He examined the bullet in his hands in awe, before he noticed all eyes narrowed on him, and sighed once more. He just held it out to Audrey, and took it from him and moved to stand beside Elijah, handing it over to him. 

   "Come on, then." Lucien said impatiently. "After all this time... go on and destroy it."

   Elijah looked conflicted, making Audrey look at him in surprise. "Elijah?"

   "Elijah, forever is burden that nobody should have to bear." Finn begged.

   "You cannot keep that white oak in this house, Elijah." Lucien argued. "It is already a beacon drawing your enemies to you." As Elijah still looked conflicted, Lucien calmly took a step closer. "Perhaps the best solution is obvious? Entrust it to the one who loves each of you most."

   Freya quickly nodded in agreement to this idea, noticing Finn's desperate gaze fall onto her.  "I can cloak myself." She nodded. "If it has to exist, at least I can take it as far away as possible. Hide it under a thousand spells, somewhere where no one else will ever find it. Until the day comes when... you're ready for release."

   Elijah's unsure look fell onto Audrey, who looked back at him for a long moment. She knew what he was asking her, even if he wasn't saying it out loud. Because this effected her as much as it did him. She glanced over at Finn, and she let out a deep sigh, seeing the pain on his face. All he wanted was to be free of being a vampire, of living for eternity. This was the part of himself that he despised. If the bullet was kept, he'd be able to have that one day. It would be an option for any of them that wanted it.

   "Take it." She told Freya, and Finn's body slumped in relief. 

   And Freya took it with a serious look, as Elijah slipped his now empty hand into Audrey's, squeezing it tightly. Both of them hoping they'd made the right decision. 

So it's been a while. I know the last time I updated, I said I'd have regular updates throughout September. It's now October, and this is the first time I have updated since. My head just hasn't been on writing, and life just got busy. I promise that I have not just given up on this book, I am still very dedicated to Audrey, Elijah, and Mira, and finishing this story. 

I just think I needed the break, even if I didn't realize it. 

I'm not going to promise regular updates, as I know me, it won't happen. But there is going to be more updates this month. I'm not going to just disappear again. Thank you all for being patient with me.

I hope you all enjoyed!