A lot had changed in the four months since Hope was born. She was now safely away with Rebekah, the only person Klaus trusted to keep his daughter loved and protected. They all knew Rebekah would give her the best life she possibly could, until the day came that they'd be able to bring Hope home to New Orleans. The four months were spent locked away inside the compound, binding their time until it was the right moment to make the first move in taking down all the threats against them. Hayley's time was split between the compound and the bayou, using her knew ability as a hybrid to stroll the bayou in her wolf form, looking around the abandoned Crescent pack encampments. 

   Klaus spent a lot of time on his own, especially on the nights of full moons, shut away in his studio working on some new painting. Unable to do anything as the moonlight rings stole his strength each month. Together, Elijah and Audrey were working to track down all of the rings made by Genevieve, so they could finally be retrieved and destroyed to fix the problem. But even as they tracked them all down, the white oak stake was still missing, having disappeared the day Hope was born. None of them knew who it had fallen into the hands of, which was the one obstacle stopping them in making a move against the Guerrera wolves. 

   If they did have the stake, it put Klaus and Elijah at serious risk.

   As the months past, changes were happening to Audrey to. Slowly but surely, a baby bump had began to grow, becoming more noticeable as each day passed. And while she was determined to help as much as she could with everything, the safety of her and their child was Elijah's top priority, and kept her out of any possible danger. 

   Hearing loud opera music coming from down the hall, Audrey wandered toward the source of the noise, letting out a noise of surprise as she ducked out of the way of the doorway, as a canvas went flying across the room. "Nik!" She said in disbelief.

   But Klaus ignored her, his frustration completely overwhelming him in that moment. "AGGHHH!" He yelled at the top of his lungs. 

   Elijah gently touched Audrey's shoulder as he appeared behind her, before picking up the now broken canvas from the ground. "I suppose we shall have to call this your "white period"" He mused.

   "I'm missing a crucial color in my palette-- that of my enemies blood." Klaus told them angrily. 

   Elijah glanced at him as put the canvas down. "Well, I recommend a Venetian red, with a dash of rust..." 

   But his joke only causes him to completely lose his temper. "It's been months! I've adhered to our plan: sit and do nothing, sell our grief. And now, my child is safely away, and another full moon is upon us-- another night of pathetic weakness as the moonlight rings steal my strength!" The Original hybrid snapped in annoyance, taking a deep breath as the couple looked at him sadly, his voice growing quiet as he calmed down slightly. "The inertia is killing me. I need to act. I-I-I need-- I need to spill blood."

   Elijah nodded in understanding. "Well, then, you'll be pleased to know that I've located the last of the twelve rings forged with your blood."

   "The wolves handling the new casino?" Audrey guessed, raising a brow.

   He nodded in confirmation. "The very same."

   The information causes Klaus's face to perk up. "Then, it's time!"

   "And none too soon. We're concerned about Hayley." The eldest brother admitted, the youngest stiffening slightly at the mention of her name.

   Klaus turned away from them, beginning to sort through paintings in an effort to look busy. "She looks well enough."

   "She looks no better than you, brother." Elijah said knowingly. "Now, if the two of you would treat each other as more than just...passing acquaintances--"

   "She has you two for that." He cut him off. 

   "She won't talk to us." Audrey said gently, shaking her head. "She's been trying to deal with everything on her own, like you're doing." Klaus looked at them for a moment, before turning away and focusing on his art once again.

   The couple glanced at one another with similar looks, before they made their way out of the room, closing the door behind them. They made sure they were out of earshot before they stopped, Elijah's lips pressing to her forehead. "Perhaps once these rings are gone, they'll be able to work together."

   "If Hayley comes home." Audrey sighed. "She's been out in the bayou since yesterday. I've called, but she's not answering her phone."

   "She'll return eventually. She always does." He said, and she knew he was right. Over the last few months, there'd be times Hayley would spend days out there before showing her face in the compound again. "And when she does, we shall try to get them on the same page again." His fingers gently stroked some hair behind her ear, and at the familiar feeling of his palm resting flat against her stomach, a small smile twitched onto her lips. It had been a constant habit he'd developed, especially she'd started showing. "Tell me, how are you?"

   "I'm fine." She assured. "We're both fine." A smile of his own appeared, as she rested her hand over the top of his. "You were only gone an hour."

   "Yes, an hour far too long, if I'm completely honest." He mused. 

   Audrey leaned up and kissed him softly, resting her forehead against his. "I suppose it's a good thing you're back now then." Elijah said nothing as he cupped her face, kissing her more deeply as the two backed into their room, closing the door behind them.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

   "We have the Guerreras where we want them." Klaus announced as he walked into the dining room, returning from visiting Marcel across the river. Both Elijah and Audrey were surprised he decided to leave the compound in the first place, so his high and determined spirits when he returned were even more surprising. "We have them waiting, we have them worried, and now, we know they're an army with no defenses against an Original."

   "We don't know that for certain." Elijah shot back, shaking his head.

   Klaus shrugs. "I'm willing to gamble."

   "And what if you and Marcel are wrong?" Audrey asked him. "You're guessing here. It's a big gamble."

   Elijah nodded in agreement. "It's too risky." He told his brother. "The stake didn't just disappear, someone has it."

   "One enemy at a time!" Klaus reasoned with them, shrugging once more. "In the end, we'll slay them all." Moving to sit down at the table, he made a face of discomfort, as the effects of the moonlights began to kick in like they did every full moon. "Tonight, we just have to plant the right seeds, and for that, we need help. Marcel and his friend are already starting."

   "Then what's the plan?" Hayley raised a brow as she joined them, she and Klaus both avoiding looking at one another. 

   "We're taking the twelve original rings." Elijah informed her, slowly coming on board with Klaus's plan. "Now, four of them sit on the hands of the Guerrera brothers. One on Oliver, one on Francesca, three with the home security detail, and the rest scattered among their lackeys." He explained. "Now, each ring is distinguishable by it's setting-- gauche, like those that wear them."

   "If they believe they can get their hands on the stake, they will come for me when I am weak." Klaus told the three. "Each ring you retrieve will strengthen me, but I will still be at a disadvantage."

   "Ergo, any hope of our success depends entirely upon our working together." Elijah stated bluntly, looking between his brother and Hayley. "The two of you can no longer afford to retreat to separate corners."

   Hayley glances at Klaus at that, who sighs and stands up to look at her. "This is our fight. Are you ready for battle, Hayley?"

   "Just promise me that Francesca doesn't come out of this alive." The Marshall hybrid said sternly.

   A weak smile twitched at his lips. "Her head will be delivered to you a silver platter, little wolf." He promised.

   "I'll deal with the last piece of the puzzle." Elijah turned to leave, but stopped, his eyes settling on Audrey. "You--"

   "I'll be fine." She promised, but he didn't look convinced. Sighing, she walked closer and took his hands. "Go, do what you need to do. I'm going to be perfectly fine, I promise."

   "You remain safe." He warned her firmly. "Both of you. I mean it."

   "We will." She promised again, kissing him softly. "I'm not going to put myself in any unnecessary danger."

   "She'll be fine, brother." Klaus piped up, causing him them to glance at him. "She can stay with me as I regain strength. I'll keep her safe."

   "Very well." Elijah nodded, that putting his mind more at ease. 

   After everything that happened four months ago, he didn't want to take any risks when it came to her safety. Kissing her softly, he left to deal with the last element of the plan, leaving the three alone. The three looked at one another with determined expressions, and Hayley left to get into position, Klaus and Audrey making their way upstairs to his studio.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

   The plan went exactly how they wanted it to. As the moon rose that evening, Audrey remained with Klaus in his studio, the pair waiting for Klaus to feel his strength being returned to him. Soon enough, he felt it, a little bit more coming with every moonlight ring the others removed from the wolves. When two of the wolves tried to sneak in from the studio balcony, they barely got two steps into the room, before Klaus flung paintbrushes into their necks and killed them instantly. Audrey said nothing as he dragged the bodies toward his latest canvas, dripping his brush in their blood and using it to paint. 

   By the end of the night, all twelve of the rings Genevieve forged using Klaus's blood had been retrieved, and Hayley made sure Francesca Guerrera didn't escape New Orleans alive. Though, it didn't bring her the peace she hoped in would, and Audrey had to stop her before she completely tore apart Hope's nursery. Despite everything she'd been saying, she wasn't coping now that she was a hybrid. The Gilbert girl tried to comfort her, but in no mood for it, Hayley spent the rest of the night out in the bayou. 

   When Audrey made her way down to the courtyard the next morning, she found Elijah and Klaus around a table, the reclaimed moonlight rings also in front of them. "What's this?" She rose a brow as she approached, standing behind the chair Klaus sat in.

   "Destroying them." Klaus informed, and glanced at the rings in distaste, before looking at Elijah. "Could you not just take a sledgehammer to them?"

   "These were forged by a witch, brother. And, as such, only the elements of fire and water can destroy them. " Elijah said, rolling up his sleeves as he drops the rings into a stone bowl, on top of bed of burning charcoal. "I'd have thought this would have brought you greater pleasure."

   "As would I." Klaus sighed quietly, guilt appearing his eyes. "This was my fault. All of it." He admitted, causing the pair to stare at him in surprise. "If I had just accepted Hayley's pregnancy instead of..." His voice breaks. "Playing king...I should have listened to you both. Instead, my greed and envy robbed me of my daughter." His eyes fell onto Elijah, his guilt growing. "My actions led to the release of the weapon that can kill not just me, but you, and Audrey along with you." 

   "In a thousand years, I've survived your attempts to destroy me, brother." Elijah said honestly. "I imagine I can survive this."

   "And if you haven't yet noticed, Nik." Audrey hummed, sitting down beside him with a small smile. "Nothing has kept me down so far, so I have faith this won't be the thing that takes me out for good."

   The Original hybrid looked between them both, somewhat confused. "You chase my redemption, like a man rolling a stone up an endless mountain."

   Picking up a pitcher of hot water, Elijah pours it over the stones and charcoal, the rings breaking apart instantly. "Well, no mountain is endless, brother. Some are just steeper than others." He told him. "As much as Audrey and I have tried to console Hayley in this moment, I believe that only you can understand her grief."

   "We lost our child..." He trailed off, looking down. "I mean, what could I possibly say to ease her pain?"

   Audrey rubbed his shoulder gently. "Whatever she needs to hear." She told him honestly. "It'll help her more than you think."

   Klaus nodded as he rose to his feet to go upstairs, pausing to give them a small smile. "I don't believe I've said it yet, but..." He nodded to Audrey's stomach. "I'm happy for you both." He said before he left, the two watching him go with appreciative smiles.

And that is the first chapter of season two done!

It's not the the greatest chapter, but now we're past the first episode, it's only going to get better. I've completely rewatched season two to make sure all my plans for it fit, and now I know they do, I'm excited to share them all with you. 

What are you hoping for when it comes to the baby gender? Would like you Elijah and Audrey to have a girl or boy? 

I hope you all enjoyed!