•|•

Isabel sat on the picnic table outside of her former lake-front shack, waiting for Jackson to return. After a few moments, he appeared from out of the woods, carrying fire wood and an ax in his hands. When he saw her, his face immediately grew cold as he realized just how much he truly missed her.

Isabel wouldn't let him push her away though so she put on her best serious face as she greeted him. "I know you needed space, Jack but come on. You can't even come home and talk to me?"

The Alpha rolled his eyes at the word home. "Right. To the apartment Elijah compelled somebody to rent us, with the bedroom that looks in on Klaus' balcony and Kols old room."

Jackson's uncharacteristic bitterness surprised Isabel enough that her face dropped into a small frown.

"I know you had a life before me Isabel. But these Mikaelsons... they are taking up a whole bunch of our life together."

Isabel crossed her arms as if it was a defense mechanism. "Jack..."

"You still love Kol don't you?" He asked. "Tell me the truth."

Isabel bit her lip, feeling an overwhelming guilt. "You knew when you married me..."

Jacksons face dropped as the words she spoke washed over him. "It's been a year. I have stood by you. I have fought for you. I have loved you and your kids. And do you know what the worst part is? Coming out of those woods just now, seeing you sitting there... I'll be damned if it wasn't the best thing I had ever seen. Even when I'm pissed as hell, I would rather be near you than anywhere else." Isabel rubbed her arm subconsciously from feeling guilty about how much pain she had caused him. Jackson sighed in frustration at his own words. He, just like Isabel, was all over the place and he didn't quite know what to do. "Now, what kind of fool does that make me?"

Isabel took Jackson's hand in her own and squeezed it affectionately, though Jackson looked surprised by the gesture. "My feelings for Kol... they are always gonna be there. The regret, the connection, the loss and I can't help that, Jack. Nor can I help that the Mikaelsons are apart of me in many ways. But that doesn't mean that I love you any less. I decided to do this with you because I believed we could work together. I chose you. Can't that be enough?"

Jacksons calmed down a lot more at her words and thought it over for a few moments. "It's our first Christmas together. I've never had a happy one. I just want a quiet night with you and the kids -our family. And I don't care if their house is on fire- for one night, I will let it burn."

Isabel smiled weakly, relieved to hear that his anger toward her was diminishing.
"So does that mean you'll come home? Rose misses you."

"She's the only one?" Jack asked with the quirk of his lips.

"Okay maybe Hope too..." she smiled at him cheekily as he gave her a straight stare. "Alright, alright, I did too."

The Alpha smiled and finally said, "okay then. I'll meet you there."

"Okay," the female hybrid said with the quirk of her lips.

"Go on."

Isabel gave his hand one more squeeze before letting it drop and walking away.

≪≫•≪≫•≪≫

After Isabel healed Freya from the Strix attack she asked, "are you okay now?" Once Freya nodded Isabel looked at Jackson teasingly. "Kind of hard to ignore it when someone needs your help, huh?" She had been at a store to get food for her kids when Jack had texted her about needing her at the compound and it was obvious he helped Freya considering he was shirtless and Freyas arm was wrapped in his flannel shirt.

Jackson made a face, but before he could respond, Freya suddenly looked panicked and started to become aware of what happened to her. "They took it. The Serratura." She groaned in frustration as she pushed herself into a seated position on the couch. "I was meeting with a witch from the bloodline who built the lock. I was hoping she could help me destroy it, but it's not possible. She said the only way to get rid of it is to use it. We have to get it back and lock something else away. Anything but my family."

Isabel let out a breathe unhappily. "Oh well that's fantastic." She ran a hand down her face briefly before saying, "why don't we pay Tristan a visit and ask him really, really nicely? Maybe then he'll help."

Suddenly, Elijah walked into the courtyard with Hayley only a few inches behind him, both wearing a very somber expression.

"I'm afraid we have a far more urgent problem." Elijah stated.

"Tall, blonde, original vampire problem." Hayley added.

Both Elijah and Hayley look over to the entrance to the courtyard just as Rebekah walked into the room, looking pale and tired, though she smiled at her friends and family once she saw them.

"Well, to be fair, I am the prettiest urgent problem you have ever seen."

≪≫•≪≫•≪≫

Freya and Rebekah are sitting side-by-side on the couch in the compound as Freya examines the skull-shaped weal on her wrist, which has only grown larger and more painful looking since the last time it was seen. Elijah paced around beside them while Jackson and Isabel watch them with worry and Hayley crossed her arms in thought.

Rebekah sighed in frustration before addressing Freya, "give me the bad news, Doc."

"Aya's stake was cursed." Freya informed her, the worry and fear for her younger sister very present. "It infected you. As this mark grows, you will go mad. Left unchecked, you will become a relentless, unstoppable Ripper."

Rebekah sighed again and rolled her eyes sarcastically. "Aya always was thorough."

"The Strix always employ a safeguard. In the event that we were successful at retrieving your body, you were cursed. You see, if one is on a rampage, one is not difficult to hunt." Elijah turned to Freya with a concerned expression. "Can you fix this?"

Freya picked up the stake and examined it, noticing a set of unfamiliar-looking runes carved into the end of it before nodding weakly, she wasn't sure but she was not going to give up hope. "The spell is carved here. I can... I can reverse it," she said as she quickly stood to her feet. To everyone though, the dazed look on her face and the quiet tone of her voice told them that something was wrong with her. "I just... need some time... and a hell of a lot of magic."

Just then, Freya's eyes rolled back into her head as she fainted only to be caught by Elijah. Yet still Jackson, Isabel, and Hayley all rushed over to her to check on her as Elijah laid Freya's unconscious body on the couch next to Rebekah, who looked panicked.

"She was fine." Jackson fretted. "Isabel healed her."

Elijah looked down at Freya and noticed a puncture wound on her neck that was still bleeding. "This scratch is not healed."
Within a second a lightbulb seemingly went off in his head. "This is poison. This is an assassination attempt."

They all look around the room at each other in alarm at this news.

≪≫•≪≫•≪≫

Elijah held his hand out to Freya once she started to wake and she immediately latched on and squeezed it tightly as she sat herself up. "Are you okay?" He asked.

The witch panted heavily as she said, "I feel weak."

"Those vampires must have stabbed her with something when they poisoned her." Jack commented.

"So, the Strix are fond of this slow-acting poison. There is an antidote... If I can get my hands on it." The Original pulled out his phone and walked away to make a call, leaving the others to continue to brainstorm.

Freya reached over and took Rebekah's injured wrist into her hands as she addressed the others. "For this, I'll need a pure silver knife, some white muskroot..."

Isabel turned around to look at her husband and said, "I'll get the knife."

"Then I'll track down the root." Jack offered quickly.

"Will you be staying and helping me, Hayley?" Isabel asked her. Hayley looked between her and Jack which caused Isabel to sigh. "Hayley please. Can you stop avoiding me? You are my sister." Something in what she said seemed to have struck a chord in Hayley and she faltered in her strong stance. "We are family. And I know that comes with a price but you've known that for a while now and I've done everything I could to protect you and this family. You dying was not my fault and I will forever feel guilt-" she was stopped when Hayley pulled her into a hug.

"No you're right. You are my sister and I forgive you." Hayley remembered when Elijah sat her down after they sparred and she continuously failed and talked to her. She knew how much family and forgiveness meant to him and he told her a story of when Klaus forgave him for helping his mother bind his wolf. And he told her that Isabel loved her dearly and that what happened is done and that she should let Isabel help her. "I was just so angry. Heightened emotions, a new thirst... I'm sorry I acted like a brat."

While Isabel hugged Hayley back she gave Jack the signal to leave with eye contact and a head nod. "I'm just glad you're talking to me now." She pulled away and looked at her younger sister adoringly. "The hybrid look suits you, Hayls." She smiled.

≪≫•≪≫•≪≫

"You should be a little more careful, Freya," Isabel said. "I'm not so sure with this poison you'll be able to do much."

"I'll channel Finn." She replied, still panting.

Rebekah scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Oh, lovely! My fate rests in the hands of our black sheep of a brother that we have trapped in a necklace! I'm sure he's just leaping to help."

Freya sighed before turning to face her youngest sister. "Well, he's the only other powerful witch here, and you and I are out of options, sister." She weakly stood to her feet and walked upstairs with Hayley behind her to make sure she doesn't hurt herself as Rebekah and Isabel watched her worriedly.

≪≫•≪≫•≪≫

Rebekah sat on the bed in her old room as Isabel walked in to check on her.

"Don't fret! I haven't gone full hellion yet," Rebekah told her. Isabel gave her a a look and the Original smiled. "No more than usual anyway."

Isabel walked toward her and gave her a sympathetic smile. "Well, that's good. I wouldn't want to have to fight you right now." She reached out to her parabatai and wrapped her up in a tight hug for a long moment. "I hope that we can find a way to fix you, Bekah." She sighed before pulling away.

"So do I." Rebekah then turned back toward the bed and picked up a beige sweater that was laying on the bed. "You know, we need to talk about your sartorial choices. This is positively darling." She turned back to the wolf, who chuckled.

"Yeah... that's not mine. That's actually Cami's. Klaus has allowed her to stay here the past few nights." Isabel shifted on her feet nervously before saying, "actually... Jack and I have our own place now. Although we still manage to get ourselves in the messes here."

Suddenly, Rebekah's face grew cold, and it was clear that the darkness from her curse had flared up at her words.

"You don't seem to mind the family drama when you need something from us, like a decent dress or a babysitter..."

Isabel's eyebrows furrowed in hurt. "Excuse me?"

"But when you're looking for someone to blame for your unhappiness, we seem to be the enemy."

Despite figuring out that this was the curse, Isabel was still reeling from the words. "Rebekah that's not true... You're wrong. This... this isn't you."

"I am wrong- I believed we were friends. Nearly sisters. But, the last time we spoke, you were planning on taking Hope away from this family forever." Rebekah stated as she started to walk closer toward Isabel, who nervously leaned away from her.

"So where do you stand, Isabella? Are you a friend? Are you family? Or perhaps..." Rebekah sped toward Isabel and pinned her in a choke-hold against the far wall, causing the hybrid to gasp for breath and cough painfully as Rebekah's vampire face flared out. "...You've been a foe all along."

Rebekah continued to hold Isabel in a choke-hold as the hybrid struggled to break out of the Originals grip and gasped for breath.

"Be honest- you want Nik dead, don't you?" Rebekah roughly let go of her neck, and Isabel massaged her throat and gasped several times before recovering enough to answer.

"Rebekah." Isabel spat, her eyes starting to glow blue as she started to get worked up. "I have been doing everything I can to fight this prophecy, at the expense of my own family."

Rebekah laughed bitterly. "You mean that fake husband you've been parading around in front of Elijah and Nik? Do you know the agony it causes them? Perhaps you like it, knowing you still have the power to break their hearts."

Rebekah smirked at Isabel as the latter looked offended by the accusation and tried her best to talk her down. "You're wrong. I don't want to hurt them. I never have. And it kills me to know that I am."

"Well, it hasn't yet, love, but it might today. You tore my brothers apart. If they turn on each other, as the prophecy suggests..." Rebekah's vampire face came out, along with her fangs, as she lunged for Isabel. "It's because of you!"

Rebekah shoved Isabel through the wood and glass doors to the room and out onto the balcony overlooking the courtyard. The force with which they broke through the doors caused them both to lose their balance and tumble over the balcony railing and onto the floor of the courtyard below.

Rebekah opened her now black demon-like eyes and she growled ferociously as she quickly pulled herself to her feet and returned to her fight with the female hybrid.

"Raah!"

Isabels fangs come out to accompany her glowing eyes as she flipped onto her feet and got in a defensive position as she growled.

Rebekah roundhouse kicked Isabel in the stomach before backhanding her across the face, causing her to spin away and land in a heap on the floor. Isabel got back to her feet and grabbed Rebekah's hand as it tried to grab at her and then kicked her feet from beneath her.

"Stay back Hayley!" Isabel yelled when she saw her sister start to come out.

Rebekah swung her leg out and knocked her on her ass but before Rebekah could lunge for her, Elijah appeared in front of her and grabbed her roughly by the arms to stop her. "Listen to me. Listen to me!"

Rebekah struggled against his hold, her eyes still pure black, as she growled menacingly at Isabel, who was now standing and staring at her in shock.

Elijah shook her to get her attention onto him instead of their parabatai knowing that she was the main target. "Rebekah, look at me! Rebekah!" The blonde Original reluctantly looked Elijah in the eyes as he said, "control yourself."

Rebekah sighed hesitantly and closed her eyes. When she opened her eyes again a moment later, they have returned to their usual white and blue. "Dear brother... I have control."

Elijah sighed in relief and let go of his little sister. "Good."

Just then, Rebekah's eyes go black again, and she hit Elijah under the chin with the heel of her hand so hard that it nearly snapped his neck. He fell to the floor, not expecting such a reaction, which allowed Rebekah to turn her sights back on Isabel.

"Ha!"

Isabel rushed over to Rebekah to fight her again, but Rebekah vamp-sped toward her and plunged her hand into her chest, squeezing her heart tightly. "Yaah!" Isabel choked in pain as Rebekah continued to squeeze harder and harder.

"Unh! Aah! Re- bek- uh!"

Hayley quickly vamp-sped down to try and get Rebekah distracted but Isabels cry of pain as the vampire squeezed roughly stopped her. She knew if she got to close Rebekah would pull with no hesitation so she held her hands up in defense, her eyes darting to the entrance when she saw Klaus with Cami.

Once Klaus saw Rebekah killing Isabel, he growled. "Rebekah!" He vamp-sped to her when she showed no signs of letting go and clenched his hand around Rebekah's wrist to prevent her from ripping out Isabel's heart as Cami rushed into the compound and gasped in horror.

"Not her." Klaus forced Rebekah to release Isabel's heart, and she gasped in relief as her body started to heal.

When Rebekah saw Hayley rushing to her sisters side she tries to lunge for her as well, forcing Klaus to hold onto her arm tightly and pull her away. "Not her either!" He told her as Cami rushed to Isabel and Hayley.

Klaus vamp-sped himself and Rebekah backward until he slammed his sister onto the nearby dinner table, smashing all of the glass plates on top of it.

Cami, who had a black briefcase in her hands that she and Klaus stole from Lucien, gave it to Isabel with a nod. Isabel, knowing that Klaus had Rebekah under control, rushed upstairs with it to take it to Jackson.

"Aah! Big brother. So protective of sweet Isabella-" Rebekah used all of her strength to throw herself onto her feet, though Klaus still had his arms on her to hold her back. "-trying to protect her and those close to her." She sneered hatefully. "You lost her, Nik. And yet you still try." She smirked. "And you know what? You should have left her alone. Cause every woman that you and Elijah bring into our lives turns to poison." Rebekah looked over at Cami and Hayley. "Just like they will."

Hayley glared daggers into Rebekah before whispering something to Cami and dragging her away to get away from Rebekah.

The Original suddenly shoved Klaus away from her with a yell. "Hyah!"

Klaus wasn't thrown back very far, however, and he and Elijah, who had finally recovered, stood side-by-side as they glared at Rebekah angrily.

≪≫•≪≫•≪≫

Isabel walked in the bedroom to see Jack desperately supporting Freya's head to keep her from choking on her blood. He looked at Isabel with concern and fear when he saw the bloody spot over her chest from when Rebekah tried to kill her, but she paid the look no mind and opened the briefcase to grab one of the syringes inside. "I'm okay. Klaus handled her," she said as she handed him the syringe. "In her heart."

Jackson gently laid the now-unconscious Freya onto the ground and uncapped the syringe, hesitating for a moment before holding up the syringe and plunging the needle through her chest and into her heart.

Once the antidote was injected into her system, she gasped awake and raised herself into a seated position before looking at Jack desperately. "Did you get the muskroot?"

Jack silently held out a burlap bag of the herb she needed as Freya arranged everything she needed to complete the spell, holding the muskroot in one hand and the silver knife in the other. "Niax a tam..." Jack absentmindedly rubbed Isabel's arm affectionately as they watched Freya and hoped it worked. "Niax en at tem alach ti. Niax en at tem alach ti." The blade of the silver knife started to glow orange as Freya's magic started to work.

Downstairs, Rebekah fought with Klaus and Elijah but when she lunged toward them, Klaus and Elijah each grabbed onto one of her arms and threw her back onto the dinner table, where she struggled against them.

"No! No! Aah!"

A still-weak and bloodied Freya rushed toward them as fast as she could with the enchanted blade in her hand. "Hold her!"

Klaus and Elijah do what they were told and pin Rebekah down as hard as they could as Freya came up and sliced the patch of skin with the cursed skull weal on it off of Rebekah's wrist with the knife and chanted the spell, though Rebekah screamed so loudly her incantation is unintelligible. Finally, once it was done, Rebekah slumped down as her body started to heal from the injury. Her eyes close for a moment, and Elijah and Klaus hesitantly let go of her and back away. After a moment, Rebekah began to stir again, and she groaned as she went to sit up. Klaus, Elijah, and Freya all look at her with concern, though they are relieved that her eyes are no longer black.

"Well, that was annoying." She noted sarcastically.

Freya sighed in relief, and Klaus couldn't help but chuckle at her. After a moment, Rebekah smiled cheekily, indicating that all was well for now.

≪≫•≪≫•≪≫

In Isabel's old bedroom, Rose and Hope were on a blanket spread out on the floor in the nursery, Rose playing with her wolf toy and Hope playing with the little wooden knight that Klaus carved for Rebekah when they were children. Isabel, who was now in new clothes, held Jake as she bounced him lightly up and down and watched her little girls.

"You ready to go?" Jack asked once he entered the room.

She sat Jake down on her old bed next to his favorite fluffy blanket that he loved snuggling as she stood up. "Am I the being a bad parent for letting my teething toddler gnaw on something that's been around for a millennium?" She grimaced slightly as she looked between Jack and Hope.

Jack looked at Hope, who was cooing as she put the wooden knight in a coffee mug and pulled it out again. "Hope's tough. I think she can take it. Are you okay?"

Rose stood up using her hands and feet and walked over to her mom and latched onto her leg. "Momma say she's fine."

Isabel smiled and pat her head. "She's right. I'm fine. You just never get used to the feeling of a fist around your heart." She sat down on her bed next to Jake who played with his blanket, allowing Rose to climb and seat herself on her moms lap. "I'm really sorry," she said as she pat her daughters hair down. "I know I promised that we'd spend the night alone. I even had this really dumb plan that we were gonna drink some egg nog and watch Santa Clause together. Yet, here we are..."

"You don't need to apologize." He told her assuringly. "Today, it was me that saw their house on fire and decided not to let it burn."

"Why did you decide to step in?" She asked as she silently analyzed him.

Jack hesitated for a moment and rubbed his face contemplatively before he finally answered. "Instinct. I don't know. I felt like one of my pack was in danger, and I acted. I mean, don't get me wrong- my in-laws really suck." Isabel smiled widely and let out a chuckle as Rose looked between the two of them and took it upon herself to play with the zipper on her jacket. "But, hey, they fought like hell to protect each other today, and I respect that. I was born to love you, Isabel, and if that means I have to deal with the Mikaelsons, then okay. I'm in."

Isabel smiled more warmly and grabbed him by the back of the neck with a little effort and kissed him softly. Rose laughed and the two broke apart. "You little stinker bug." Isabel scrunched her face at her daughter and gave her a little tickle before looking at Jack. "You know, if we leave now, we could still catch some of the movie before their bedtime..."

Jack smiled at her before saying, "I got a better idea."

Downstairs in the courtyard, Elijah, Freya, Hayley, Klaus, Rebekah, and Cami were all dressed in their Christmas clothes and standing around the lit Christmas tree. Elijah placed a large, beautiful wrapped gift under the tree next to some others and then adjusted some of the ornaments on the tree nervously as Freya walked up behind him and placed a few small gifts of her own. They then stand and walk toward Cami and Hayley, the former handing each of them a glass of red wine as the latter sipped on her own.

Klaus walked out next with two more glasses of wine and smiled as Freya walked over to him and kissed him affectionately on the cheek and grabbed the glass of wine when she noticed the people coming downstairs.

Isabel, who is holding Hope and Jacob in her arms, stops at the top of the stairs and stared in awe at the holiday gathering below them. When Klaus saw them, he walked toward the bottom of the steps, and Elijah, Freya, and Cami turn to look up at them with smiles on their faces. Rose smiled widely and wiggled in Jackson's arms and he set her down, watching as she ran into Klaus' arms.

"A big twee!" She exclaimed happily as Klaus made sure he didn't spill his wine.

Isabel smiled wider and looked at Jack. "You helped do this?"

"You said you wanted a happy family Christmas. Well, the family's all here."

Isabel walked down the rest of the way and met Klaus. "Hey." She smiled. "Thanks for this."

"I'm not the only one who had a hand in this." He smiled back. "But you're welcome."

Elijah walked over as Klaus set Rose down and she ran to Hayley and Cami.

"Merry Christmas, little ones," he said softly to Hope and Jacob. He bent down and gave his nephew and niece a kiss on the head as Freya walked over to Jackson with a smile and handed him a glass of wine.

Klaus gave Jack a small smile as he said, "thank you for helping Freya." Jack looked absolutely surprised by Klaus' uncharacteristic kindness and looked at Freya who only smiled. "Unfortunately, we're all out of mason-jar moonshine." He laughed as he gestured to the wine.

Rebekah, in a berry-red holiday cocktail dress, walked toward them to join the party. "Well, Nik, you are positively merry tonight!" She looked at everyone in the room. "Looks like the whole family's here. Great!"

Suddenly, Klaus' face looked horrified as he noticed a very large metal bowl full of burning wood on the other side of the room, obviously having been set up by Rebekah.

"Oh, no!"

Rebekah looked even more pleased by how terrified Klaus looked at the prospect of their family's holiday bonfire. "Yes, I know it's not exactly a bonfire, but I improvised." Klaus continued to look annoyed by it, but Rebekah just groaned in mock frustration. "Come on. It's tradition!"

Cami looked around them in confusion as Isabel and Hayley chuckled. "...Tradition?"

"I think I can explain it." Isabel looked at Cami. "We write our wishes and then burn them for luck. Klaus absolutely despises it as you can see."

"Hmm, I don't recall wishing for an influx of enemies, and yet year after year..." The hybrid muttered sarcastically.

Elijah smirked as he sipped his wine. "How odd. Forever on Santa's naughty-list."

≪≫•≪≫•≪≫

Everyone had just finished unwrapping their gifts, and Elijah rung the bell on the new tricycle he bought for Hope to entertain her. Hope tried her best to ring it as well, but to no avail. Isabel giggled affectionately, which made Jackson smile from nearby, though Elijah's physical proximity to Isabel seemed to bother him slightly.

Jackson walked over and handed Isabel another glass of wine, just as Rebekah, wearing a coat and carrying a suitcase full of her belongings, entered the room with a somber expression.

Freya's face held a sad expression as she acknowledged that Rebekah had to leave once again and stood to her feet to say her goodbyes. "Oh, Rebekah. So soon?"

"Take care of our brothers, Freya." She leaned forward to give Freya a hug, which she returned.

"God knows they need it." Freya said, a hint of humor laced in her voice.

Rebekah pulled away and turned back to Elijah, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek before rubbing Jacob and Hope's back.

"Bye, babies." She then gave Rose a big hug. "I'll see you soon, little bug." Rebekah turned to Isabel with an apologetic and guilty expression.

"I'm so sorry about what I said, Isabel."
Isabel knew Rebekah didn't mean it but it still hurt to hear nonetheless. But she didn't want Rebekah to leave on a bad not so she smiled at the female Original to assure her she was forgiven.

"It's fine."

"You know, when I left last, I thought for sure you'd hate Klaus forever."

Isabel let out a short laugh and rolled her eyes. She remembered her first few nights her and Rebekah's words. "Oh, it's still there. But even when you hate him..."

Rebekah smiled at the familiar words and Isabel laughed again before giving Rebekah a hug. She turned to Hayley and gave her a short hug. "Be careful. And stay alive. I'd like to see you again when I come back."

"Sure thing." Hayley replied with a smile.

Klaus then walked into the room and Rebekah turned to him, noticing his sad expression. It was clear that he was taking her departure hard.

"You're always leaving."

"And I always come back." She responded.

Klaus gave Rebekah a tight hug before pulling away to remind her of her instructions. "Run far and fast, stay on the move, and- should you happen to meet some handsome fool- know your weaknesses."

Rebekah laughed happily at his remark before giving him a look.

"Well, perhaps it's time our roles reversed. I'll run away from love if you run toward it." She looked at Isabel and the kids letting him know specifically what she was talking about. "Despite everything she's stood by you and those kids adore you. Maybe you won't be together but be a family. Let them show you love that we never could. And in return show them the side very few get to."

≪≫•≪≫•≪≫

Isabel sat with the kids, Jackson, and Cami as Elijah talked to Rebekah.

"I forgot to hand this gift over," Klaus said as he kneeled next to Isabel who had Hope on her lap and playing with her. He opened the casing to show her a beautiful silver tiara with three red rose shaped crystals embedded in it. "For Rose."

Isabel took the tiara and gave him a smile. "It's beautiful." She turned to Rose and sat it on her head. It was a bit big and hung low in the back but she looked adorable.

Rose giggled happily as Cami decided to take a picture of them without them seeing.

"She'll grow into it," Klaus told her. "But I saw that and I thought of her."

"How much was it?" Isabel asked before flipping the casing and looking at it, her eyes growing wide. "Nik that's a lot. You shouldn't have."

"No need to worry about the price, love."

She touched his arm to show her gratitude. "Thank you." She turned back to Rose and dropped her hand. "Say thank you baby."

Rose got up and walked the short distance to Klaus and gave him a big hug. "Tank youu!"

Klaus gave a big dimpled smile and pat her back. "A princess deserves her tiara."

"I'm a pwincess?" She asked looking back up at him but not taking her arms away from his neck.

"Of course you are." He replied. "Just like Hope. And Jacob is the prince."

"Whas mommy?" She asked curiously.

"Well she's the Queen."

Isabel let out a short laugh. "Here switch." She gave him Hope and took Rose off his hands. The tiara was starting to slip so she grabbed it and put it back in the case. "You can play with it again later but we don't want to break it now do we?"

Rose shook her head vigorously as her reply.

Isabel was so relieved that unlike most children Rose was practically a saint. She listened, did her best to respond, and was mostly quiet. She also liked getting things and learning about new things. She gave her oldest a kiss on the cheek before looking at Klaus who had Hope in his lap and had stroked her cheek until she fell asleep.

"I'll put her to bed." She offered as she sat Rose down and let her play a little more with her gifts. She carefully lifted Hope and adjusted her on her hip when Klaus stood up. He looked like he wanted to say something but stayed silent instead and watched her walk away, cooing to Hope.

Once she was out of view he kneeled back down and smiled at the babies. "Hey little ones."

≪≫•≪≫•≪≫

Isabel reset the fire late at night while everyone slept, a note in her hand. She gave it one last look, reading it over again before throwing it in.

I wish that some day soon I'll be truly happy again...

She stared into the fire a little longer, her heart yearning for peace and her family to all be together.

There's a lot written here so I might have to revise later on but I think it looks good from what I've seen. Lol

Also if you like Corpse feel free to check out Meraki! I've put in a lot of time and effort into the book.

Oh and late merry Christmas!