With Hope and Mira now feeling better, the Mikaelsons were preparing to leave New Orleans once again. Before it was time to go, Hayley suggested they take the girls out to see Mary, and both Hope and Mira were excited at the idea of visiting their grandmother. That morning, Mira sat cross legged on her parents bed, doing her best to keep still as Audrey put her hair up into plaits. 

   "Alright, all done." Audrey mused, as she finished putting the hair tie on the end. Grabbing the small mirror from the bedside table, she held it in front of Mira, allowing her to look at her reflection. "You like?"

   "I love." Mira grinned, bobbing her head to make them bounce up and down on her shoulders. "Thank you, mom."

   "You're very welcome." Audrey smiled, and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "Go get your shoes on, okay? We'll be leaving for the bayou soon."

   However, Mira hesitated to get up, and bit her lip as she turned to look at her mother. "Mom..." She trailed off, making Audrey look at her in concern. "The Hollow... are you sure that it's gone?"

   "Mira." Audrey gently took hold of her hands. "You don't need to worry about the Hollow, okay?"

   "It really wanted to hurt me, Hope, and those other kids." She said with an unsure look.

   "Sweetheart, listen to me." The Gilbert girl cupped her daughters face in her hands, looking at her with loving yet serious expression. "Your dad and I are never going to let anything hurt you, okay? Just like your aunt Hayley and uncle Nik are never going to let anything hurt Hope. The Hollow, all of that is over now, alright?"

   Mira stared back at her mother for a long moment, before she nodded with a small smile. "Okay, mommy."

   "That's my girl." She kissed her forehead with a small smile. "Okay, go get your shoes. I'll meet you downstairs."

   Mira nodded and got to her feet, passing Elijah on her way out of the room. "Hi, daddy. Bye, daddy." She smiled, before disappearing into the room she and Hope had been sharing.

   "Everything alright?" Elijah raised a brow.

   "Yeah..." Audrey nodded with a sigh, rubbing her face with her hands. "She was worrying about the Hollow."

   Elijah's lips pressed into a frown, glancing in the direction their daughter left in. "It appears she's not the only one." He admitted to her. "Niklaus is staying behind while we take the girls to the bayou. He wants to make sure the threat to them is truly over before we leave."

   Audrey couldn't help how her face fell. "He's worried there's still something going on?"

   "He wants to make sure there isn't." He told her honestly. "I offered to help him, but he said he can manage with just Freya."

   "I really hope he's just being paranoid." She muttered, and she could see the concern on his face as he looked at her. "She's six, and she's worrying about some evil spirit wanting to hurt her and Hope. She shouldn't have to be worrying about something like this."

   Elijah sighed as he sat down beside her, rubbing her shoulder gently. "She won't have to. If there is anything, we will take care of it." He stated firmly, tilting her chin up so that their eyes met. "No harm will ever come to our daughter."

   Audrey looked at him a long moment, and she knew they were both on the same page. They'd go to hell and back before they let anything hurt Mira. Leaning in, she kissed his lips softly, resting her forehead against his. "Come on." She said softly, taking one of his hands in hers. "We should leave them waiting on us too long."

   However, Elijah gently pulled her back onto the bed as she went to stand up, making her giggle as he connected theirs lips together once more. Waiting just moment longer wouldn't do anyone any harm.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

   Giggling together, Mira and Hope ran ahead in the fields of the bayou, picking flowers to give to Mary as they made their way to the cabin. Hayley walked ahead with them, keeping an eye on both girls as the couple walked just behind, their hands entwined together as they walked. The moment they'd stolen together back the compound was quickly interrupted by Mira and Hope, who'd been sent upstairs by Hayley to tell them it was time to leave. When they got downstairs, the Marshall hybrid sent Audrey an innocent smile, and Audrey merely gave her a flat look in response. 

   "I've been thinking." Audrey began after a moment, and he looked at her with a raised brow. "After all this over, what should we do next?" She asked. "Klaus and Hayley are going to do what they think is best for Hope, for her future. But we haven't talked about what is best for Mira's, or what we want for our future as a family."

   "I lost five years with both you." He said softly, his eyes glancing between Audrey and his daughter. "I want to make up for that and not lose anymore."

   Her smile grew as she squeezed his hand. "So where should we go?"

   Elijah looked thoughtful for a long moment. "We never did get to go to France in the end." He reminded.

   The Gilbert girl blinked in surprise, and knew exactly what he was talking about. Seven years ago, they were meant to be going to France. A fresh start after everything they'd been dealing with in Mystic Falls, but then a note from Katherine led them to New Orleans, where they discovered Hayley was pregnant. Klaus daggered Elijah, and when he was back, their focus was on their family and making the city safe for Hope's arrival. It had been so long since Audrey had thought about those plans they'd made, and a lot in their lives had changed since they made them.

   "You want to finally go?" She asked, thinking through the idea.

   "There's a place there, Manosque. It's this beautiful village in the south of France." He explained to her. "I want to show both of you it. We could build a life there, we could be happy."

   "Living in France?" She thought over the idea, a smile growing on her lips. "That sounds amazing." She admitted, and the more she thought about it, the more excited the idea made her. Somewhere quiet and peaceful, where they could raise Mira without the constant threats their lives in New Orleans had brought them.

   Finally giving Mira the life she knew she'd always wanted. A home with both her parents, the ability to see all her family when she wanted, and the chance to have a normal childhood. Where she could go to school, and make friends with other kids her age. As close as her and Hope were, she knew she wanted the chance to meet other kids, and she knew that Hope wanted the same. It was something Hayley and Audrey hated not being able to give them the chance to do, as the last five years of their lives had to be spent constantly on the move, looking over their shoulders for any potential threat.

   "Then we do that." Elijah wrapped an arm around her waist as they slowly paused in their steps, brushing the stands of loose her hair from her face. "Together." He mumbled, kissing her gently.

   It was Mira and Hope's calls of "Grandma Mary!" That caused the pair to pull apart, walking to stand with Hayley.

   "Well, hello, sweethearts." Mary smiled as she pulled the two little girls into a hug. "Oh, my girls."

   "We picked you some flowers." Hope held up the small bouquet in her hands.

   "We went for the bright and colorful ones." Mira added with a grin. "We know they're your favorites."

   Mary took them and glanced at the adults, her smile instantly dimming as she laid eyes on Elijah. Noticing, Audrey sighed, knowing exactly what was coming. "Honey darlings, why don't you run inside? I need to talk to your mamas." She suggested, and both girls did as told without question. "I didn't know you were bringing him." The Kenner woman frowned toward Audrey.

   "Mary, come on." Hayley gave her a look.

   "Vampires aren't welcome. You two are the exceptions." She stated firmly. "Rules of the house."

   "Mary--"

   Before Audrey could argue in his defense, Elijah gave her a small shake of his head, pecking her lips. "I'll leave you three." He said, before leaving the three women to talk.

   The Gilbert woman watched him go and sighed once more, giving Mary a look as she and Hayley made their way to the cabin door. "Seriously?"

   "You know how I feel." Mary defended, nodding to herself and Hayley. "Our kind ends up dead when they're around.  Yesterday, we lost Lara. I wake up to hear there's been some kind of occult massacre in the woods. Let me guess, Mikaelsons were involved?"

   "That's why we're here." Hayley told her, the two mothers exchanging a look. "We want to talk about what really caused that massacre last night."

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

   "All we know is this cult wanted to sacrifice children." Hayley explained to Mary, as the three stood outside the cabin on the dock. Hope and Mira were occupied inside, coloring in pictures for Mary as the women talked. "Somehow Lara got caught up in it, and when she tried to get out, she couldn't, and killed herself."

   Mary shook her head with a confused look. "That doesn't make sense. Someone is recruiting Crescents into a cult?"

   "Crescents, humans, witches, vampires..." Audrey trailed off with a grim nod. "Anyone who is willing to believe in this thing, they're recruiting them. Even Kinney had started following them."

   "This is what we need you to look out for." The Marshall-Kenner hybrid told the werewolf grandmother. "Mary, anything strange. These people obsess over specific imagery. It's a serpent eating it's own tail."

   Mary's face went pale, stiffening slightly. "What'd you say?"

   "A serpent. Like a dragon." Hayley explained further. "When Hope was effected, she drew some. Here." Reaching into Hope's bag, she pulled out a pile of the drawings, handing them to the elder woman.

   "Mira's been doing the same." Audrey said as she looked at them. "The same image, over and over again."

   A grave and guilt ridden look appeared in Mary's eyes as she looked at the pair, her focus landing specifically on Hayley. "There's something you need to see."

   Mary handed over a journal that belonged to her late husband, and soon enough, they understood why Mary wanted them to see it. The same image was sketched many times on the pages of the journal, a serpent eating it's own tail. The Gilbert girl looked at Hayley worriedly, watching as she read and reread what he'd written inside. 

   With this information coming to light, and Mary keeping the girls busy inside, Audrey text Elijah to join them out on the dock. "This journal belonged to Mary's husband." Hayley barely glanced up as they heard him approach. "He filled it in the months before he died. Most of it's revolutionist garbage. Plots for an uprising but there's stuff about my parents in there." She spoke quietly, handing it over to him.

   He raised a brow as he glanced at the pages. "What does he say about them?"

   "Ramblings about how they were traitors for dealing with vampires." She answered.

   Elijah frowned slightly, noticing what they had the more he flipped his way through the pages. "You can see his thoughts deteriorate as his thoughts do." He paused on one specific page, spotting the marking of the hollow like they had.

   "There's even more of them in there toward the end." Audrey told him.

   "In the end, he can't even form a coherent sentence." Hayley looked at the messy handwriting that turned more into scribbles of nothing on each page. "I think the Hollow made Mary's husband kill my parents." Taking a deep breath, she rubbed her face with her hands, looking out aimlessly at the lake. "Growing up, I never belonged anywhere. Not in school. Not in foster care. I always thought if I could find my parents, I'd finally belong somewhere."

   "Hey." Audrey sat down beside her, rubbing her arm. "You do belong somewhere. With us, with the pack, with Hope."

   "I did terrible things to find my family, guys." She told them, biting her lip as she looked down. "And when I did, they were already dead. And now I find out that the same people who killed them are the ones who hurt Hope and Mira."

   "That doesn't mean they're going to hurt you." Audrey gave her a serious look. "These people, we aren't going to let them get that far. They will not lay another hand on the girls, and they will hurt you either. We'll make sure of it." She promised, taking her hand and squeezing it gently. "Nothing is going to happen to you, Hayley."

   Hayley looked at her for a long moment, before she rested her head on her shoulder, allowing Audrey to pull her into a hug. One it was clear she needed more than anything in that moment. Elijah watched them with a sympathetic smile, moving out of the way as his began to vibrate in his pocket. "What is it?" He answered.

   "You need to come back to the city, or Marcel's going to kill Klaus." Freya's voice spoke urgently. 

   The three looked at one another in alarm, until Audrey gave Elijah a nod, and he rushed off to go join help his siblings. Hayley pulled away and gave Audrey the same nod, but she hesitated. "Go. Mary and I have the girls." She urged, and giving in, Audrey rushed off after him.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

   Freya, Elijah, and Audrey managed to intervene before Marcel and Klaus could kill one another, Freya breaking the procession the Hollow had on the pair of them. With Marcel unconscious, they brought him back to the compound, deciding to lock him down in the dungeon until further notice. 

   "I prefer my mind remain unaltered for the time being." Klaus dismissed the drink Elijah offered him, as they sat upstairs in the study. 

   "Weird. I feel the exact opposite." Elijah mused, offering the bottle toward Audrey. 

   "No." She shook her head, the thought of alcohol making her stomach turn. "I'm good."

   He nodded and took a sip from the bottle, as Freya joined them. "Rest easy, brother. My spells have Marcel bound and cloaked. Even more, I can find no trace of the Hollow's magic in either of you." She assured him.

   "So where has it gone?" Elijah looked at her.

   "It's a ghost. It could be anywhere." She answered.

   "That's reassuring." Audrey muttered, perching on the edge of the desk.

   "Since we know that it still wants to sacrifice someone powerful, we have to be prepared." Freya reached for the dagger she'd made as a weapon against Marcel, but Klaus grabbed it before she could take it.

   "I think I'll hold onto it for now." He spoke firmly.

   "This wasn't a gift. Today proved Marcel's a threat, whether used as a sacrifice or possessed." She argued pointedly. "What good is having a weapon if you won't use it?"

   "Niklaus, give it to her." Elijah cut in, stopping them bickering further.

   Reluctantly, he hands over the dagger with a warning look. "Having a monopoly of power makes you a target, sister. Remember that." He warned, Freya brushing the warning off as she walked out of the room. "You think I spared Marcel out of some mawkish sentimentality. The Hollow wanted both of us dead. Killing him would have given it what it wanted. Mercy was necessary. That's all."

   But the more the couple looked at Klaus, they knew that it was more than that. Despite all that had happened, Marcel would always mean something to Klaus Mikaelson. There are just some things that will never change.

I know it's been a long time and I am so sorry! I've had really bad writers block when it comes to this story, but I'm hoping the fact I finally wrote this chapter means I'm over it. I remembered all my plans for this season and it helped a lot.

I hope you all enjoyed!