SIX months following Dahlia's defeat, Elijah tried to maintain a diplomatic relationship with the hybrids. Freya moved into the compound and attempted to help with Hope but Ingrid still wasn't up to trusting her. Marcel was angry at Klaus so that meant Ingrid didn't see him much and Hayley, along with her pack, were still affected by the curse.

Klaus stood in the living room, standing directly front of the wall of painted portraits of each the Mikaelsons at some point in their history. He looked upset as he stared at the portrait of Elijah and whispered quietly to himself. "Always and forever, indeed." After a moment, Klaus turned and walked away. He made his way up the stairs and down the hall to a closed door.

He walked into the room to see Ingrid sitting in her chair behind her desk and writing something down on the calender.

"Yes, Niklaus?" She greeted him without looking up from her paper.

"What is on your itinerary for today?" He asked curiously and sat down in one of the chairs across from her.

Holding a finger up, she flipped the calender toward that current day and started reading off her schedule. "Well, in about a ten minutes, I have a meeting with Elijah to discuss an appeal for his right to spend time with Hope. Then Hope goes down for her nap at three and at six we have your gallery showing at the infirmary." Ingrid informed him then looked up to finally make eye contact and smiled widely. "Is that the one you were worried about?"

Klaus chuckled at how transparent he had been with Ingrid and folded his hands together. "Perhaps."

Shaking her head with a small laugh, she gave him a sincere expression and reassured him. "Don't worry, Niklaus. I would never miss it."

He grinned at her and shook his head with a small laugh. "I know you wouldn't." He stated, standing to his feet and walking around to desk, joining her on the other side. He kissed her on the cheek and smirked deviously down at her. Running his hand down her cheek toward her collar bone in a gentle, grazing motion, he mused lowly and placed his lips behind her ear.

Ingrid smiled blissfully and tilted her head to the side, giving him more room. "Niklaus..." She called out in a soft moan before grabbing his hand with hers and pulling it away. "Elijah will be here any moment." She informed him with a disappointed frown.

At the mention of his older brother's name, Klaus growled for a second before covering it up with a small shrug and pretending it didn't bother him. "Reschedule."

"As cross as I am with him, I've rescheduled him four times with basic excuses. The absolute least I could do is meet with him in person. There's no reason to delay the motion any further." She explained sternly then gave him a seductive look and kissed the palm of his hand. "However..." She trailed off, standing to her feet and facing him with her entire body. "There is plenty of time to do this later."

"Ooh, there's room in your schedule for this." Klaus mocked her then leaned down and proceeded to cover his face and neck with sloppy kisses.

Laughing, Ingrid grabbed his face in her hands. "For you? Always!"

Klaus mused happily and pulled her closely. "Hmm. Yeah?"

She giggled and nodded her head, glancing up at him through her eyelashes. "Yeah." She drew out slowly in a suggestive motion.

The sound of someone clearing their throat caused the couple to turn to meet the owner and were face to face with Elijah. Klaus looked away from his brother and sighed loudly in disapproval and disappointment before kissing the top of her head and letting go. "I'll leave you to it." He said, walking away and brushing his shoulder against Elijah's on his way to the door.

Elijah rolled his eyes at Klaus' behavior and turned to Ingrid. "May we get started?" He questioned impatiently then shot her a bitter smile. "Or would you like to reschedule?"

Smirking at him in amusement, Ingrid sat down in her chair and motioned for him to sit down in front of her. "Is that the attitude you wish to bring to the table for this meeting? Because I do have a suggestion against it."

Doing his best to keep the snide remarks to himself, Elijah took a seat and sighed heavily. She gave him a patronizing smile and sat back against her chair. "So you would like to open the discussion for an appeal. Well, then... the floor is yours." She offered and placed her elbows on the desk, resting her head on her hands.

Elijah pulled out a folder and proceeded to handed her stapled packets of papers. "Hope needs her family. She needs all of us. And... these are several articles which prove that children, in the long run, have better development when their family is involved in their lives."

Ingrid grabbed the papers and pretended to read them as she stood up from her chair and walked across the room. "Hmmm... I see your point." She mused lowly before stopping in place and holding up a finger. "You know what else helps children's development?" She questioned curiously, not letting him answer, and dropped the articles into the shredder. "Not stealing them from their parents and handing them off to a complete stranger." She snarled furiously and walked back over to her desk. "Who knew?" She remarked sarcastically, sitting down again.

Growing frustration with her, Elijah leaned forward in his chair and clentched his fists. "Ingrid, I'm trying---"

"Okay, I'm going to stop you right there." Ingrid cut him off and pointed a finger in his direction. "There are a few things I would like to discuss myself. I wish to speak on the damage betrayal does to family development." Shs stated calmly causing Elijah to roll his eyes with a small scoff. "Nope. This is my office and we are on my time, so I'm going to speak."

Realizing she was right, Elijah sat back in his seat and gestured for her to continue, giving his sister-in-law his undivided attention. Smiling, Ingrid ran her hand across the wooden top of her desk and pursed her lips. "You know... you're on thin ice. Actually, correction... you're not even on the ice. The ice broke and now you're trudging through freezing waters." She warned him sternly and raised an eyebrow. "You really fucked this up, Elijah. See, the daggering... that I could forgive. Lord knows this family deserves a good daggering once in awhile but what irks me... is that you allowed Hayley to take Hope and run away with her. That you agreed that it was good for her."

"That is something I will never forgive you for." Ingrid pointed out, her tone both angry and hurt.

"I understand my transgressions and I've apologized for them." Elijah argued sternly and looked over at her, desperate. "How many times do I have to keep apologizing?"

"Let's see..." Ingrid pretended to think about it and rolled a pen between her fingers then pointed at him with it and smirked bitterly. "Take your previous apologies and multiply them by infinity." She answered snidely then gently set the pen down. "The answer is no. You cannot see Hope."

He stood to his feet angrily and held his hands out at his sides in disbelief. "This is nothing more than mere punishment."

Standing to her feet and slamming her hands against the desk, she stared at him with a glare. "Congratulations! You've finally realized that. Actions have consequences! It's time you receive yours."

Elijah stood there stunned in surprise for a second before jabbing a finger at her in rage. "You're punishing her more than you're punishing us! One day you'll have to explain to her why she has no family left other than two paranoid, deranged lunatics!"

"Yeah?" Ingrid shot back with a humorless laugh and straightened her posture. "And I'll explain to my daughter how her family almost let a pack of savages take her away from her parents. I'll tell her all about how her family betrayed her trust. How they decided it was easier to give her away. She needed you to protect her and you gave her away!!" She yelled furiously then took a deep breath as tears twinkled against the light in her eyes. "She trusted you. We trusted you..." Ingrid shook her head and licked her lips, turning her eyes away from him and biting the inside of her cheek.

Elijah's face softened and he sunk down into his posture, his demeanor one of guilt and understanding.

"There's no fixing this. You made a choice and it was the wrong one. Now it's time for you to live up to that choice and accept that I cannot allow you around Hope. A mother is meant to protect their children and I'm doing just that." Ingrid continued on as her voice shook slightly. "I don't trust you. Therefore, I cannot have you around my daughter. Once she's old enough enough, she can make her own choice but for right now... I have to be the one to make that for her." She explained in a stern manner, swallowing her tears back and sitting back down at her desk. "Final answer is no."

She opened her planner and began writing it until she realized that Elijah was still standing in front of her. Looking up with a blank face, Ingrid waved her hand in his direction and dismissed him. "We're finished. You may go."

"You want to punish me? Fine. Go ahead." Elijah encouraged and walked closer toward her. "Ultimately, you're correct. I deserve it."

"Are we reaching a point?" Ingrid questioned dully, looking back down at her planner.

"The Cresent wolves don't deserve the torment Niklaus has inflicted upon them." He responded in a heartfelt manner and looked at her, hopeful. "Please help me free them."

"Oh, believe me, Niklaus' plan was the more humane one compared to mine." Ingrid boasted with a laugh and glanced at him with a devious smirk. "Would you like to hear the alternative? I must warn you though, it's the mind child of a paranoid, deranged lunatic." She sneered bitterly as her face fell into a cold expression. "The Cresent wolves got the least of what they deserved. Don't worry though... I have plans for Hayley and Jackson. They'll get theirs soon."

Elijah was clearly unhappy about this confession and stood to his feet, glaring at her. He fixed his suit and turned around to leave the room but Ingrid called out to him. "Oh, Elijah?"

He reluctantly turned toward her, uninterested in what she had to say next. Ingrid had her hands folded together as she smirked over at him. "The difference between you and myself is that I may be paranoid or reckless or whatever else. But I own up to it. You? You stroll around with your pristine appearance and pretend to be civilized. Deep down... you're just as violent as myself. You lead with ill intentions and fabricate these good deeds around them so that you don't seem as deranged as us. But need I remind you, your whole plan for Hope was to use her solely as a means to Niklaus' redemption. From the moment I found out I was pregnant you continued to use that reasoning. So do yourself and all of us a goddamn favor and stop pretending. It'll make things easier."

Elijah didn't respond and simply walked out of the room with a frown plastered on his face.

Freya was in one of the upstairs sitting rooms, cleaning up various toys that surrounded the floor around her. Elijah walked into the room with an unreadable expression and she turned to him with a small smile.

"Tomorrow's the full moon. I can help you with Hayley, if you'd like." The witch offered kindly.

Shaking his head, he managed to muster up the best smile possible. "That won't be necessary. You deserve a night off.

Klaus walked into the room to join them and jumped into their conversation unbidden. At the sound of his brother's voice, Elijah instantly scowled in anger. "I'd offer to accompany you myself, but I fear my fragile ego could not endure the litany of insults Hayley has no doubt prepared."

Elijah rolled his eyes and responded in annoyance. "Yes, I doubt that your presence is particularly welcome anywhere."

Klaus placed a hand over his heart and feigned offense. "My own brother, greeting me with such disdain!" He turned to Freya to discuss Elijah as though he wasn't even there. "What do you think, Freya? Is he still angry for my part in Hayley's curse? Need I remind him it was my ploy that kept her alive?"

Elijah spun on his heel to face Klaus and continued to glare at him, and Freya stood in preparation to mediate when necessary. "Of course, forgive me. So, you would call this an act of heroism even as you bask in her torment?" Elijah questioned sarcastically, waiting for a logical answer. "Or should I be thanking you for not allowing Ingrid to go through with her twisted ideas for punishment?"

Klaus glared at him, unamused. "Or perhaps I'd be more sympathetic if Hayley apologized. After all, it was her that tried to run off with my daughter."

Freya looked between her brothers, frustrated. "Oh, if you two must poke at one another, may I suggest doing it elsewhere?"

Elijah then walked out of the room without another word, leaving Klaus and an exasperated Freya behind. Freya went to follow him out but stopped to make one last statement to Klaus before she left. "Nicely done. At this rate, you'll drive the entire family away." She snapped and bumped into Ingrid in the hallway. Blinking repeatedly in surprise, Freya mumbled an apology and rushed after Elijah.

Ingrid laughed to herself then looked at Klaus in confusion. "I wonder what it's like up there on their high horses. Do you think they get off on their own self-righteousness?"

"They have to some way." Laughing, Klaus walked toward her and grabbed her face in his hands.

She wrapped her hands around his waist and gave him a suggestive look. "Hope is down for her nap... so that gives us a whole two hours."

He smirked down at her and kissed the tip of her nose, speaking in a low, husky tone. "Oh yeah?"

Biting her lip, she nodded and ran her hands across his back. "Yeah."

"Hmm... well then we have time for--" He sped toward the door and closed it before bending down to get on her level and growling in a seductive manner. He then sped toward her and pulled her up by her waist. "This."

Ingrid laughed and wrapped her legs around him then leaned down and passing kissed him on the lips. He moaned into the kiss and sped them toward the couch, climbing on top of her.

Klaus' art exhibition was underway, and though there were no familiar faces, he seemed to have drawn a large crowd. A middle-aged man was studying a painting of Ingrid posing in their bed with nothing but a white, translucent sheet draped around her body. He discussed it with his two female companions in a pretentious manner "It's a derivative fiasco-- little atmosphere, less technique. It's nothing more than a self-congratulatory ego trip."

Nearby, Klaus was eavesdropping on the man's criticisms and watched him walk away. He felt a soft touch graze across the small of his back and turned around to meet the dark brown eyes of his wife. Smiling widely, he leaned down and kissed her on the lips.

When they pulled away, Ingrid handed him a glass of champagne and studied the painting with a confident smile. "It's definitely more than a self-congratulatory ego trip."

"Oh no. Definitely. Well... not for me." Klaus agreed then leaned down to whisper in her ear. "But... for you? That's a different story." She tilted her head to the side and giggled happily causing him to laugh as well.

After a moment, a tall, dark haired man appeared out of nowhere and alerted Klaus his presence by speaking to him. "I wouldn't expect you to host an art show without compelling the critics to speak your praise."

Ingrid's smile fell as she realized who was standing before her and she tried to cover up her disdain by chugging her champagne. A waiter walked by with a tray full and she grabbed two more full glasses.

"And I wouldn't expect an uncultured savage to crash such a formal affair." Klaus insulted back then smirked at him, not entirely unhappy to see him.

"Yeah, not my usual scene." He answered with a small shrug then glanced at the female hybrid. "Ingrid..." He trailed off with a wide, flirtatious smirk. "My, my, aren't you as gorgeous as ever?" He complimented and grabbed her hand, placing a kiss on her knuckles.

Groaning, Ingrid snatched her hand away and rubbed it on Klaus' jacket in disgust. "Hello, Lucien... I'm surprised to see you." She responded honestly.

Lucien laughed at her before looking over at the art critic from earlier, who had moved on to another painting. "Though, that mouthy blood bag does have a point. Your work is derivative--" He began and glanced at Ingrid up and down then back to the painting.

Klaus glanced at him, amused. "Oh

"Of Degas, I'd say. Although, I happen to know that you compelled Degas to mentor you. I always thought his work improved after your influence." Lucien complimented like the suck up that he was.

Klaus gestured toward him and smiled widely. "Finally! Someone with an eye for art!"

Ingrid groaned under her breath and downed her third glass of champagne. "Can you two suck each other off somewhere else?" She mumbled to herself in annoyance. One of the reasons she hated when Klaus was around Lucien was because Klaus always seemed to grow more smug as Lucien continued to kiss his ass.

"Well, live long enough and you develop a taste for it... among other things." He lowered his voice and leaned toward Klaus. "Speaking of which, can we please have a drink? I am quite parched."

Klaus laughed joyfully and threw his arm around Lucien's shoulders before leading him to the bar. Ingrid rolled her eyes and slowly followed behind them while checking her phone for text messages. Seeing that there were none, she opened Marcel's contact information and quickly typed up a message.

How are my children? -I

A few seconds later, she received a message back from him and opened it to see a picture of Marcel and Hope with big smiles.

We're fine. Stop worrying. Big bro's got this! -M

She laughed blissfully and responded with a simple heart emoji.

Lucien and Klaus began reminiscing about their past as they drank copious amounts of liquor. "Oh, Kol! Kol was a bloody loon! I loved it!" Lucien raved on while Klaus laughed hysterically. "But Finn! Oh, Finn-- Finn was fine... as long as you didn't actually have to speak to him."

Klaus laughed for a moment and swished his liquor around in the glass. Sobering up, turned to Lucien with a dark expression. "Have you spoken to her?"

Lucien glanced at him, confused. "Who?" Klaus raised his eyebrows and Lucien suddenly realized who he was talking about. "Oh, you mean her."

"Yes. The clinically insane red-headed clinger." Ingrid insulted in aggravation then shot her husband an unimpressed look. "Niklaus seems to have a trend of red heads clinging to him."

Klaus rolled his eyes and shot her a look before reaching over and grabbing her by the waist. He stroked his thumb across her hip in a nonverbal, reassuring motion and she rested a hand on his shoulder.

Lucien was annoyed at Ingrid and seemed to be momentarily choked up at the memory of the woman they were speaking of. "As you well know, Aurora and I parted ways centuries ago."

"Well, that's probably for the best." Ingrid remarked in a dull tone, sipping on her whiskey. She scanned the crowd and narrowed her eyes when she came across a certain blonde. Standing straighter, she placed her lips against his ear and whispered softly. "Your human friend is here."

Klaus furrowed his eyebrows in confusion and turned to match her eye line. Sighing, he set his drink down and excused himself for a moment. Lucien glanced at him in suspicion and turned to see where Klaus was going.

Lucien turned toward Ingrid and smirked mischeviously. "Who's that tasty thing?"

"You don't want to go after her." Ingrid advised with an eyeroll. "Believe me. She'll spend all her time convincing you that you can be a better person if you just worked on yourself and that your trauma doesn't define you. Blah blah blah."

"Psychologist?" Lucien questioned knowingly causing Ingrid to nod her head and both vampires then groaned.

Cami looked at Klaus, frustrated. "Someone tortured and killed a local. Left the body right out in the open. I think it was a vampire." She whispered while looking around quickly.

"Yes, well, vampire business is now Marcel's purview. Or Elijah's, when he's not busy loathing me. By all means, check with them." Klaus advised in a snide tone and Cami looked a little hurt while staring at him intently when he walked away.

Later on, Lucien suggested they go somewhere else and the trio arrived at the vampire's new apartment complex, where they approached a pair of ornately carved and decorated front doors.

Lucien turned back to Klaus, opening the doors to allow them entry, and smirked. "Please excuse the mess! I've been entertaining."

The two walked into Lucien's apartment, which was full of loud music and fancily-dressed people partying together. Some of them were vampires who are feeding on their human companions. Klaus looked around at the scene with a smirk and turned to Lucien, amused. "Well, you never were one for subtlety."

Lucien chuckled and joined them before leading the couple into the master bedroom, where someone had set up a nearby table with what appeared to be spell materials, including lit white candles, various animal bones, and bowls full of herbs.

Ingrid glanced around with a raised eyebrow and spared a look at Klaus, who held the same skeptically expression. "You brought us here to have a seánce?"

"Not to insult the host, but we're not really interested." Ingrid responded politely and gave him a fake smile.

Lucien closed the door behind them and smiled mischeviously at them. "Something like that." Just then a woman walked slowly into the room, and Lucien gestured toward her. "I present my personal forecaster, the lovely Alexis."

"Don't tell me you're here to scry some future portents of my doom?" Klaus mockinly questioned Alexis in an amused manner.

Lucien rolled his eyes at his sire. "Alexis is no back-alley palm-reader. She's an expert cipher-- patterns, trends, cycles... She does exceptionally well on the stock market, and never fails to guess the winner of The Bachelorette."

Alexis walked over to Klaus and stroked his chest seductively causing Ingrid to growl and flash her golden-amber eyes. Lucien watched her reaction and chuckled to himself.

After a moment, Alexis spread her palm over his chest and focused on it. Klaus glanced down at her with an uneasy smirk and raised an eyebrow. "Touch forward, isn't she?"

"I've heard so much about you. One of the famous hybrids. Your ancient heart beats strong indeed for someone in such danger." Alexis mused in a slow, sultry tone.

Klaus smiled fakely, growing uncomfortable under her touch. "If you have a warning to deliver, love, best get on with it."

Alexis shrugged and Lucien helped her take off her shawl, revealing a black cocktail dress underneath. "By all means! But, if you want the most from the experience, I suggest you feed on me. As you do, I'll allow you into my mind." She brushed her hair off of her neck, baring her throat to him. "You can see for yourself." Alexis then offered one of her wrists to Ingrid, who raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

Klaus laughed stiffly as Lucien lifted Alexis' wrist to his mouth. "Come on, how long has it been since we shared a real drink?"

Lucien bit into her wrist and started to feed, and Klaus, not to be outdone, bit into her neck. Ingrid soon joined in, sinking her fangs into Alexis' other wrist.

Though Alexis winced at first as they fed on her blood, she soon smiled and began speaking her prophecy in a low voice while they saw the visions in her mind for themselves. "Drink deep, but beware-- what you broke is past repair."

The vision cut to the Mikaelson compound's dining room, which had lit candles on the table and was set for a meal, but otherwise, the room was empty. Suddenly, Klaus appeared and stood up at the end of the table to address Elijah, who was frowning and standing at the other end. Lucien sat on the left side and watched silently. Then, the table was shown to be completely trashed, and the room. darkened.

"All your oaths you betrayed, your sacred vows you've severed. And now you see that nothing last for always and forever."

The vision was now of the Mikaelson compound's living room where the wall of painted portraits of the Mikaelsons hung along the wall. The painting of Elijah was suddenly splashed by a fount of blood, which ran down the length of the painting, obscuring his face.

"Four yet remain, two already crossed-- yet, in one year's time, you'll all be lost."

They watched a scene from when Finn and Kol were being held captive at breakfast last year. Elijah had gotten upset at comments about Rebekah made by Finn, who was still possessing Vincent at that time, that he threw him on the table and fed on him.

"As your family is undone, you will seed the beast that is to come."

The vision flashed to what looked like a witch's grimoire that was open to a page full of magical symbols and instructions before cutting over to what looked like a very muscular man, who opened his mouth to growl, revealing extremely long and sharp fangs unlike any vampire seen thus far.

Once Alexis' prophecy had been spoken, Ingrid backed off and spat out any remaining blood.

Klaus immediately stopped feeding from the witch and grabbed her in a choke-hold, causing Lucien to stop feeding as well and wipe the blood from his face. Klaus snared at her angrily. "You think you can fool me with bad poetry and parlor tricks?"

Alexis looked down at him, unamused. "My visions are conjured from you. The threat you face will be more clear the longer I am in your presence. Kill me, and you'll never see what's coming."

Klaus looked over at Lucien, who seemed worried, and after a moment he reluctantly let go of her, though he continued to scowl angrily at her. Ingrid turned to Lucien with an unimpressed expression on her face. "What game are you playing?"

Lucien kissed the palm of Alexis' left hand, just above where he had fed from, and smiled at her affectionately before walking toward Klaus. Alexis silently walked away and left them to talk.

"I told you-- something is coming." Lucien remarked sternly, looking between them. "You'll need me."

Klaus immediately became enraged by this statement and groaned angrily before throwing him against the nearby wall. "I AM KLAUS MIKAELSON! I don't need anyone, nor will I be warned by lesser men!" Lucien narrowed his eyes at Klaus in annoyance as Klaus leaned forward until his face was only inches from Lucien's. "I am the thing lesser men fear!" He whispered harshly, his blue eyes narrowed into a dangerous glare.

Ingrid rolled her eyes at their behavior and grabbed a glass from the bar then proceeded to pour herself a drink. She sat down in one of the armchairs and sipped on her drink, watching them with a blank look on her face.

Lucien smirked and pushed Klaus off of him. "Then act like it!" He chuckled and walked past Klaus, who seemed both hurt and angry at this reaction. "Instead of doting on your pretty wife and pouting about your family's disapproval! Yes, you are Klaus Mikaelson! You are the most ruthless, wicked beast to ever live!" Lucien praised then pointed at Klaus, poking him in the chest hard with his index finger. "I came here to remind you of that. Because, quite frankly, I've been worried that you've lost a step."

Klaus growled furiously and sneered at him. "I need no reminding of who I am. That truth has been clear to me for a thousand years."

"And, in those years, you've acquired countless enemies. And, with the sirelines at war, you now have mine as well." Lucien walked over to the window and looked out at the city as he leaned against the wall. "Anyone who would kill me can now come after you. And, since I have so many rivals, and because I do not want to die, I beg you-- let me help you! From now on, I'm the only one you can trust!"

Klaus considering this for a moment, looked at Ingrid, who gave him a confused look, and hesitated before looking back at Lucien and finally speaking. "I don't trust anyone."

The couple were walking home in silence and Klaus sighed heavily and stopped in place causing Ingrid to stop as well and glance at him in worry. "Niklaus?"

He walked toward her with a slight guilty look on his face and grabbed ahold of her hand. "I didn't mean you." He remarked and she looked at him, perplexed to what he was talking about. "When I said I don't trust anyone. I didn't mean you."

She gave him a reassuring smile and squeezed his hand. "I knew that, love. I figured you were just be dramatic to try to sell a point."

He grinned in relief and rubbed his thumb across the back of her hand. He was about to say something else when he realized the art critic who spoke poorly of his art was walking across the street. Holding a finger up, Klaus motioned toward him with his head and Ingrid smirked wickedly.

When the man passed an alley, Klaus walked out of the shadows to greet him with a devious smile. "Good evening! I wonder if we might discuss your analysis of my work?"

The man looked at Klaus in confusion but before he could react, Klaus pulled him into the alley and threw him onto the ground. Klaus pinned the man onto the ground with his foot and the man screamed as Klaus literally began ripping him limb-from-limb, first pulling off one arm, and then the other before pulling him up by the front of the shirt and feeding on him viciously while Ingrid leaned against the brick wall and watched with a sinister smirk.

---
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