"The Italians call them strega. The Yoruba of West Africa call them aje, meaning mother. Where my mother was from, they called them häxa, and here we call them witch." Elijah explained to Hayley and Audrey that morning, as the three sat in the study, going over the sketches that Davina had done. All of them had pieced together like a puzzle, revealing a giant image of Celeste, which Elijah and Audrey recognized instantly. "Over the centuries, vampires have fought them and fought beside them, bedded them and burned them. Whether adversary or ally, they have been a force to be reckoned with. Their ancestral magic anchors this city. There's never been one all-powerful witch until Davina."

   Despite how much the couple just wanted to spend the day together that day, both of them still taking in what had happened between them last night, the revelation in the sketches required attention. Elijah was sure there had to be a meaning behind why Davina had done them, so Audrey agreed to help him look into it, the feelings she got when she first learned about Celeste no longer there. She wasn't sure if it was because of the ring that now sat on her finger, or because she truly knew she had no reason to be jealous of Celeste, but his interest in the matter didn't bother her.

   "Who is now tucked in safe and sound down the hall under my protection." Klaus announced as he joined them, taking the spare seat beside Audrey.  He tilted his head as he looked at the drawing, which had been laid out and carefully taped together on the table. "Your Celeste was quite beautiful and a portent of evil, according to our volatile artist in residence."

   "Yes. Perhaps Davina's mistaken what she calls evil for power." Elijah mused, not glancing up at his brother. "Celeste was certainly very powerful in her day, but she's been dead for over two hundred years. I don't understand. Why all these sketches now?"

   Klaus shrugged, leaning back comfortably in his seat. "Why do witches do anything?" He asked, rolling his eyes as Audrey hit his arm away from behind her shoulders. All four of them went silent, as multiple crashes sounded from down the hall, all of them knowing exactly what it was. "Well, that's going well."

   Audrey just gave him a look. "And I wonder whose fault that is?" Another smash sounded from Davina's room, who'd been lashing out magically at anyone who tried to talk to her, especially Marcel.

   Elijah nodded in agreement, looking at his brother with the same expression. "If you were trying to win the girl's trust, perhaps poisoning her one true love was not the most splendid idea."

   Klaus rolled his eyes. "Oh. Are there any more inopportune deaths you'd like to wave in my face?"

   "Give me a month." Elijah answered with a slight smirk. "I'll get you a list."

   There was a final crash, and the hybrid's face fell in annoyance, letting out a huff as he got to his feet. "Young, old, dead, or alive, witches are a pain in the ass." He stated as he walked away.

   "You're not much better." Audrey called after him, smiling innocently as he looked back at her flatly, before disappearing out of the room. Elijah gave her an amused smile as their eyes met, before he returned to examining the drawing, which made her smile. Her eyes then fell onto Hayley, who sat looking nervously at the drawing, opening and closing her mouth like she debating saying something. "Hayley?" Audrey raised a brow at her. "Everything okay?"

   "Um..." Hayley began slowly, looking between the couple, her eyes mostly focusing on Elijah. "There's something you need to know."

   Before she could continue, the house began to shake violently, making their eyes widen in alarm. Concern on each of their faces, the three make their way out onto the balcony overlooking the courtyard, where Rebekah is stood looking around in confusion. "What the hell is going on?" She asks when she spots them.

   Klaus walks out to join them at that moment, a grim look on his face. "Davina."

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

   When the shaking eventually stopped, Rebekah went to go check on Davina, while Klaus, Elijah, and Marcel discussed what was going on. Audrey made her way toward the study to join, when she noticed Hayley standing outside the door quietly, the same anxious and nervous look she before on her face. 

   "Hayley?" She raised a brow, crossing her arms over her chest. "You can go inside, you know."

   "I know." Hayley began, looking at her in guilt. "Audrey, I did something...something you might be mad at me about."

   "What?" The Gilbert girl blinked in confusion. "What do you mean?"

   Hayley opened her mouth to answer, when Elijah walked out into the hall, looking at the two in surprise. Hayley's nerves seemed to grow. "You're going to see Sophie." She said knowingly.

   "You don't need to eavesdrop." He gave her a look. "We keep nothing from you." He reminded her, as he laced his hand with Audrey's. 

   The pregnant werewolf slowly nodding, beginning to pace back and forth where she stood. "Yeah, well, I don't want to keep anything from either of you either, and if you're going to see Sophie, then there's something that you should know." She pauses for a moment, before continuing. "She called me and asked me for a favor. She promised me that she would help break the curse that Marcel put on my people in exchange for some information. And I didn't think anything of it, but then Davina started doing those pictures of Celeste--"

   Elijah cut her off, giving her a calm and reassuring look. "Whatever this is, you have to tell us."

   "Sophie wanted to find Celeste's remains, so I went through your journals, and I found out where you buried her, and then I told her. I know it was stupid and it was snoopy. And I--I should have just asked you." Elijah stares at her blankly, speechless, as Audrey's face fell in disbelief. "Please say something. Please."

   "She wanted to be left in peace." Elijah spoke after a moment, the upset clear on his face. "When a witch's remains are consecrated, that power fuels the rest of their community. Celeste did not want her remains to be found. She made me promise to bury her where she would not be found. You not only violated my privacy, you have broken my promise to her." 

   Hayley's face faltered with guilt. "I thought they were just bones, Elijah." She said quietly.

   "If you truly believe that, why didn't you ask me where to find her?" He shot back, before letting go of Audrey's hand and walking away. 

   "Audr--"

   "No." Audrey cut her off instantly, shaking her head. "There's nothing you can say right now that can make this better, Hayley." She gave her a look. "You knew what the Celeste stuff did to us, you knew how he'd react, but you did it anyway. I know you want to help your family, Hayley." She sighed. "But we're supposed to be your family now, too." 

   "I know that." Hayley's voice cracked slightly. "It was stupid, I just wanted to do something to help them." She looked at her honestly. "Audrey, I'm sorry."

   Audrey looked at her for a long moment, letting out  sigh. "I know you are." She nodded. "But it's not me you need to prove that to." 

   Giving her one last look, Audrey made her way into the study, where Klaus and Rebekah were sat waiting. Klaus handed her a drink as she walked in, rolling his eyes as the shaking started up once again, none of them with any idea how to stop it. It seemed to be getting worse the more emotional Davina became, or whenever she started to vomit up dirt, which apparently was also a new development for her.  Audrey took and sat beside him at the small bar, the three remaining silent until Elijah arrived back with Sophie. 

   The Deveraux witch sat on the couch, Elijah looking at her with distaste. "So you have stolen the remains of the very person that Davina's been drawing for months. Would you care to explain this startling coincidence?"

   "I can't." Sophie shook her head. "I didn't even know who Celeste Dubois was until I--" Once again, the violent shaking started up, but the three Mikaelsons and Gilbert girl remained unfazed by it. "Was that Davina?" Sophie asked them in alarm.

   Klaus nodded, sipping his drink. "Charming little habit she's developed."

   Sophie blinked. "And that earthquake I felt today?"

   "Also Davina." Rebekah confirmed. "And, she's taken to vomiting dirt."

   The alarm on Sophie's face grew, shaking her head in panic. "Oh. We have a huge problem." She let out. "I thought that we had more time, but we need to complete the Harvest now."

   "Said the desperate witch, conveniently." Klaus mused dully.

   "I'm serious!" The Deveraux woman snapped. "That earthquake you just felt is a preview of the disaster movie that is about to hit us."

   Audrey looked at her skeptically. "This wouldn't be the first time you've lied to get what you want, Sophie. We're going to need more than that."

   "Yes, my love makes a point." Elijah agreed, looking toward the witch with his own skeptical expression. "Why should we believe you?"

   "You've met Davina, you know her story." The witch reminded them all, sitting forward in her seat. "For months now, she's been holding all the power of the three girls sacrificed in the Harvest ritual. A force that was meant to flow through her and back into the earth." She pointed out. "One person was never meant to hold that much power. It's tearing her apart, and it will take us down with it."

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

   In the end, it was decided that trusting Sophie was the only way to solve the issue. All the magic Davina was holding was killing her, and the effects it had would bring New Orleans down her. The earthquakes, then the wind started, the second sign warned them about. Rain would follow, and the would come fire, which would burn everything and everyone down. Using the magic from concentrating Celeste's remains, Sophie would complete the Harvest, sacrificing Davina and allowing the ancestors to resurrect the four Harvest girls. However, dead set against the plan, Marcel had taken Davina and fled the compound, leaving the others trying to find them as Sophie prepared for the ritual. 

   Despite her best efforts, Sabine was unable to help them find them with a locator spell, and more problems continued to appear. As it turned out, Celeste's remains were missing the magic that they should have, leaving Sophie with no power to complete the Harvest with. Until, Elijah had an idea. 

   "It's taken one thousand years, but you've finally gone mad." Rebekah scoffed when he explained his plan. "Our own mother?"

   Elijah nodded, as he looked at his siblings and Audrey. "Yes, our beloved mother, who Niklaus has affectionately placed in a coffin in his basement-- not daggered, but quite dead."

   Klaus simply smirked, shrugging. "Well, she did try to kill us all." He reminded, and Audrey bit her lip to hide an amused smile, which only made his smirk grow when he noticed. 

   Elijah shook his head at the pair, before clearing his throat as he continued. "Well, I say we put her to use and put her to rest once and for all." He told them. "Now if we bury our mother on land owned by one of her descendants, she becomes a New Orleans witch, and we, as her family, share in that ancestral magic."

   "We're vampires, Elijah." Rebekah pointed out to him. "We can't practice magic. Or own property, for that matter."

   "Yes, with regard to practicing magic, that would be where Sophie comes into it. We'd have to take part in the Harvest, so she can use us to channel mother's magic." He explained. "And, as for owning property, not all of our mother's descendants are dead..."

   Klaus's eyes widened in realization. "The baby."

   "The baby." Elijah confirmed, holding up a piece of paper. "The parish Tax Assessor's office is just steps outside of the Quarter. Hayley now holds the title to the plantation. So, if we bury our mother there, and we consecrate those grounds, we can finish the Harvest ritual."

   "You're a bit of a mad genius, Elijah." The hybrid hummed, an impressed look on his face. "Count me in."

   "Am I the only one thinking?" The Mikaelson girl asked, looking between her brothers in disbelief. "Our mother was the most powerful witch in history. If we bury her, we hand that power to our enemies to use against us."

   "Given our circumstances, I hardly see that we have a choice, Rebekah." Elijah told her. 

   Rebekah let out a sigh of frustration. "I don't know why I bother. You two will just do what you want anyway."

   Elijah shook his head at her words. "No. Our decision must be unanimous." 

   "This is not a democracy." Klaus scoffed impatiently.

   Audrey rolled her eyes, clipping her hand around the back of his head. "Shut up." She warned him, before smiling toward Elijah to continue.

   Elijah smirked at her, before he gave his younger brother a look. "You're quite right. This is family." He corrected, all of them falling silent as they heard the sound of heavy rain beginning to bounce off of the roof. "Rain. The next sign's begun." He realized, and looked toward his sister. "Rebekah?"

   Rebekah sighed once again, remaining quiet for a moment as she considered their options. "Kill a demon today, face devil tomorrow." She recited, before she began to nod. "Count me in."

   Elijah looked at her gratefully, and his eyes then fell onto Audrey gently. "My dear?"

   The Gilbert girl blinked in confusion, and soon noticed all of their eyes had fallen onto her, waiting for her answer. She hadn't expected to get an opinion in the matter, if she was honest. Esther was their mother, and after everything she'd done, the decision was there's what they did with her. But the longer their eyes remained on her, it became clear they wanted her input on the matter. Of course she was skeptical about anything to do with Esther, remembering that bad feeling she got the very first time that she met her, which only ended up being proven to be justified later on. 

   But they were running short on time, and on other options.

   "I'm in." She answered simply. "If it solves this problem, then I'm in." 

   Klaus smirked. "Well, this is no family reunion without our mother. I'll fetch her."

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

   With the help of Father Kieran, the Mikaelsons, Hayley, and Audrey gathered and had Esther's remains consecrated into New Orleans soil, allowing for the plan to go on. Once Rebekah managed to track down Marcel and Davina, all they could do was wait with Sophie and Sabine in the cemetery, hoping Rebekah had said enough to convince Marcel to bring Davina. The rain continued to pour down heavily, drenching them all as they waited. 

   Suddenly, flames erupt at the entrance of the cemetery, making them all turn to see Marcel carrying Davina. As he walks toward them all, a trail of flames form and follow behind him, licking at the bottom of his heels. Carefully, Marcel placed Davina on her feet as they reached the alter, and Sophie hold the knife over the flames before she moves in front of the Claire girl. 

   "Do you believe in the Harvest?" Sophie asked her. 

   Davina nods nervously. "I believe."

   The second the words left her mouth, Sophie didn't hesitate, pressing the blade to Davina's skin and slitting her throat. A gasp of shock left the young witches mouth, before she stumbles and falls back, Marcel quickly catching her in his arms and lowering her to the ground. The rain stops in that moment, a gold light of power flows through Davina's arm as she died, disappearing as it reached the end of her fingers into the ground. 

   "After the Harvest comes the Reaping." Sophie began, as Marcel carefully laid Davina's body next to the bodies of the other Harvest girls. "Their sacrifices made and accepted. We call upon our Elders to resurrect the Chosen Ones." Their was silence as they wall watched, but nothing happened, the four girls remaining still and lifeless on the ground. " We call upon our Elders to resurrect the chosen ones..." Sophie repeats, her face going flustered as nothing continued to happen, tears glistening in the corners of her eyes. "Resurrect your Chosen Ones...please...I beg." It became clear to everyone in that moment that it hadn't worked, and Sophie broke down into a sob, falling to her knees as she cried heavily. "No!"

   Hayley, Rebekah, and Audrey each began to cry as they watched Sophie breakdown, Klaus and Elijah silent with sorrow filled looks. Marcel looked the worse out of anyone, sending a hate filled glare toward Klaus before he rushed away, Klaus not hesitating to follow after him. Elijah moved quietly to Audrey's side and took her hand, squeezing it gently as they all began to leave, knowing Sophie needed to be alone in this moment.

   Audrey squeezed his hand in return, and couple made their way out of the cemetery, Rebekah and Hayley going ahead back to the compound together. The pair took a slow walk along the streets of the Quarter, neither of them a rush to return home after what had happened. 

   "Are you alright?" Audrey asked him after a moment, glancing up at him. "I know today was a lot, with what Hayley did concerning Celeste..."

   "You don't need to worry about that." Elijah told her gently, lifting her hand and kissing the top of it softly. "While I need to time to forgive Hayley for what she did, Celeste is my past." He said honestly, looking at her softly. "I have been lucky enough to find love but twice before in my life, Audrey, and each time I have honored it. With you, I have found even more that. I've found forever."

   She felt heart warm inside her chest, and stepping closer, she leaned up and kissed him with love in her eyes. "Always and forever." She promised in a whisper, and Elijah's own heart warmed as he deepened the kiss. 

   The two remained stood like that for a long moment, neither of them looking as if they wanted to pull away. Audrey's phone beginning to buzz in her pocket was what stopped them, the Gilbert girl letting out a sigh as she reluctantly moved to check it. Elijah raised a brow as he saw her stare at the screen. "My dear?" He asked in concern. "Is everything alright?"

   "It's Caroline." She said after a moment, lifting her eyes up to look at him. "She's asked if I wanted to visit for a couple of days. Something happened." She began to explain, trying to wrap her head around the message she received. "Katherine's dying."

What's this? I updated again?

My inspiration for Absolution is back, and I can't wait to write the rest of season one for Audrey. I've got some fun things planned before we move onto season two. So expect the next update to happen soon. 

Do you want me to write the crossover? I've been debating it a lot, and I can't decide. On one hand, she'd see Caroline, and I love writing Audrey and Caroline together. On the other hand, Audrey would have to deal with everyone else in Mystic Falls. So if you want to see it, let me know, or I'll just continue onto the next episode of The Originals.

I hope you all enjoyed!