─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Winnie was not exactly one for dressing up so Elijah wasn't surprised when she got in his car wearing her hoodie and sweatpants before putting in a half-packed suitcase, it just wasn't her style to go overboard.

"So, on a scale from one to ten... how off the rails is Nik at the moment?" Winnie asked. She was sitting with her legs crossed upwards, absentmindedly chewing on the strings of her hoodie as she scrolled through her Instagram.

Elijah studied her ever so comfortable state, forcing himself not to order her to get her legs off the car seat as he cleared his throat, "I would say it's a broken scale."

Winnie giggled, tying her hair up in an even messier hairstyle, her very own bun before she reached her hand backward, pulling a pack of chips and a bottle full of blood, "So, where exactly are you Mikaelsons staying now? Fancy hotel or bought yourselves a rich house?" She questioned, huffing as she got up from her seat, leaning over Elijah to push a few buttons on his door and open her window after the first attempt didn't work.

He eyed the girl warily before she got back in her seat, "What? I don't sit beside the window to keep it closed," Winnie shrugged her shoulders, waving her hand away as if brushing off some weird smell, "Your cologne is too much, it's suffocating me. Man, if you think this attracts the ladies...it really doesn't."

Elijah contained a chuckle, raising his eyebrow, "I would appreciate it if you kept your attention on what you would say to Niklaus rather than misplacing everything in my car."

Winnie rolled her eyes, huffing, "Chill...did I hurt your ego? It's just an advice from a woman to a clearly desperate man--"

Elijah turned to face her, cutting her off "I am not--"

She cut him off, raising her hand in his face as she opened her phone's camera, "That's what they all say," Winnie grinned intentionally to annoy him and before he could reply, she raised her phone upwards and practically ordered, "Smile for the picture!"

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .*

Winnie, no matter how witty or determined, was shaking when they reached the Mikaelson mansion. She hadn't seen Niklaus in nearly six hundred years and she knew him too well but even then, she didn't know how he would react. Would he kick her out? Try to kill her? Or do the least likely and give her a genuine hug?

She urged Elijah to go in first and try one last time to convince Niklaus, she had false hope he would listen that once because she had no troubles running back to Los Angeles. The Noble Mikaelson agreed, walking before her as she sat in the car, listening to every word, anticipating the moment where she would have to interfere.

"Brother, now that our family's greatest threat is eliminated then it is time to undagger our siblings," She heard Elijah start out, crossing her fingers behind her back.

"But a greater threat still remains!" Niklaus cut him off, yelling out as Winnie inhaled sharply, "The Salvatores have that coffin--"

"Let them have it! She is dead!" She heard Elijah yell back and frowned. He might have missed a few details on their way there, he quite literally told her nothing but old information, like Niklaus breaking his curse and that was all.

Getting bored with sitting around, Winnie took a deep breath and walked out of the car, slamming the door behind her. She walked up to the house, slinging her hands in her sweatpants' pockets as her combat boots clicked on the porcelain foyer.

"Paranoid as ever," Winnie commented, simply walking into the house as Elijah had intentionally left the doors open. Niklaus raised his eyebrows, looking her way as she shrugged, "Should I have knocked? I mean the doors were open..."

A few moments passed with Niklaus and Winnie exchanging looks as the shorter blonde hummed, clapping her hands, "Well...I should probably go...since you guys seem busy?"

"Busy? Six centuries and that is all you have to say?" Niklaus spoke up, harsher than he intended.

Winnie nodded, clearing her throat, "I take it a reunion hug is out of order...," She mumbled, "Well...I could have started with asking you, very nicely, to undagger Rebekah--"

"--Our entire family," Elijah interjected as Winnie shot him a glare for interrupting her.

"As I was saying, you should undagger Rebekah...but it seemed ill-mannered to start with that," She grinned sickeningly sweet, sitting on the closest couch, "Or you two could tell me more about the greater threat...the mysterious she in the coffin."

Winnie raised her eyebrows at Niklaus' unmoving expression before repeating, "Start...you have my undivided attention."

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .*

"Yes, darling, place these there, please," The blonde vampire pointed out for one of the compelled humans as Klaus sat at the dinner table, awaiting the Salvatores as his eyes burned holes in the back of Winnie's head, "I think your eyes are about to shoot lasers at me."

"Do you not deserve it?" He mocked, asking in response, "You ran for six centuries and the first thing you do back is order me to undagger Rebekah?"

"I mean were you expecting a hug?" Winnie shrugged her shoulders, pulling a chair to sit down beside him, "I am not a hugger and last I remember, neither were you."

Their conversation was cut short as Elijah opened the door, letting the Salvatores in, "Niklaus, Winona, our guests have arrived."

"Tell your brother that if he continues using that name, I will shove a wooden stake up his arse," Winnie turned to Klaus, whispering lowly as he contained a chuckle.

"Damon. Stefan. Elijah tells me, you seek an audience. Very bold," Klaus greeted them, commenting, standing up, "Let's discuss the terms of our agreement like civilized men, shall we?"

Winnie chose to stay seated as both Salvatores passed her confused glances, "Just go along with what he says, for your own good," upon the continued glances, she cleared her throat, "I am Winnie, the sanest in here so...?"

"I didn't come here to eat," Stefan stated, "Fact, I didn't want to come here at all. But I was told I had to cause you would hear us out."

Winnie chuckled as the Salvatores turned to her, "Oh, I am sorry. Klaus? Hearing people out...well to be specific, he will hear but he will do what he wants at the end of it."

Klaus nodded at her wordings before he added, "Well, Winnie here is correct. We can sit and eat or I can reach down your throats and pull out your insides. The choice is yours."

They all take seats at the table, Winnie seated between Klaus and Damon, facing Stefan and Elijah as they ate and drank except for Stefan, "Thank you, love," Damon thanked one of the waitresses as she poured him a drink

"You lost your appetite," Klaus commented, looking at Stefan.

"Your threats must have scared him away," Winnie chuckled, chewing on her mash potato, "Didn't he, Stefan?"

Stefan eyed the blondes but didn't make an attempt of touching his food before Damon spoke up, "Eat. I thought we agreed that we would leave the grumpy Stefan at home."

"That's the spirit," The Hybrid chuckled as Stefan started eating, "Isn't it nice? Five of us dining together? Such a treat. Is this what you had in mind when you pulled the dagger from my brother?"

"Well, I didn't think your blonde friend would be here but⁠—" Damon started before Winnie interrupted.

"I have a name and it's Winnie and if you can't pronounce it then I suggest you keep your mouth shut."

"Forgive her, she is moody," Klaus remarked after her as the blonde turned to him.

"And you are exceptionally civilized tonight," She retorted, picking a piece of stake with her fork.

"I can recall the name," Damon said, "You sure we haven't met?"

"Didn't have the misfortune up to now," Winnie smiled sickeningly sweet, sipping champagne as Damon chuckled at her remark, "But you have probably heard of me, I leave a mark wherever I go."

"Kinda like Klaus?" Stefan asked as Damon shot his brother a warning look.

"I would say worse but you know, like father like daughter," Winnie shrugged, nudging Klaus, "What about you, the Ripper of Monterrey, huh? I would say you leave more than just a mark...a trail of headless bodies they say," She playfully winked it at him before asking him casually, "Could you pass the salt please?"

Stefan nodded, passing her the salt as he stated, "I have been going around, yet I have never heard of you."

"I would say you are lucky, most of those who had the fortune of meeting me...," She trailed off, pausing to take a sip of champagne, "Didn't live to tell the tale."

"Maybe we could dial it down on who's heard of who? I mean we all know one another now, no?" Damon suggested.

Winnie shrugged, chuckling, "I was just sharing my absolute admiration for the Ripper, I always like a good old monster," She teased with a sinful smirk on her lips as the Hybrid laughed slightly, only now remembering how much he had missed her.

Much like Rebekah and Winnie, Klaus and the younger blonde had a father-daughter relationship that was very clear as soon as either of them started taunting someone or marching out threats, that they always follow through.

"We're here to make a deal—" Stefan started before she cut him off, raising her hand.

"Yes, of course. Why don't you eat because you are complaining too soon," Winnie said, waving her hair off her shoulders, "That's the least of my taunting self."

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .*

"Stefan. Where is the lovely Elena tonight?" Elijah asked.

Stefan answered shortly, "I don't know. Ask Damon."

Both Elijah and Winnie were confused, the young blonde not even knowing who the hell was Elena as Klaus laughed, remarking, "I'm sorry, you've missed so much. Ah, trouble in paradise."

"One more word about Elena and this dinner's over," Stefan sneered as Klaus smiled tauntingly, putting a finger to his lips as a promise to keep quiet about Elena.

"Did he hit a nerve?" Winnie asked in confusion, not quite liking to be out of the loop.

"You know what, probably best just to keep Elena in the do-not-discuss pile," Damon suggested quietly.

"You're probably right," Klaus shrugged, putting down the fork and knife in hand as Damon mumbled quietly, "Yeah."

"It's just the allure of the Petrova doppelgänger, still so strong—" Klaus started before the shortest in the room cut him off.

"Ah, so Elena is the newest doppelgänger?" She had just realized as Klaus nodded, "Well, I have only ever met one who didn't talk so well of you," Winnie shared, pointing her finger at the nefarious hybrid, "Katherine, lovely girl with remarkable surviving skills."

"It's no surprise that Katrina wouldn't be my biggest fan," He chuckled, continuing his last statement, "What do you say, brother? Should we tell them about Tatia?"

"Now why should we discuss matters long since resolved?" Elijah asked.

"Well, given their shared affection for both Elena and Katerina, I think our guests might be curious to learn about the originator of the Petrova line," was Klaus' answer as both the Salvatores and Winnie turned to them, seeming intrigued.

"Well, we're not going anywhere Elijah. Please, do tell," The eldest Salvatore urged as he took a sip of wine.

"When our family first settled here, there was a girl named Tatia. She was an exquisite beauty. Every boy of age desired to be her suitor, even though she'd had a child by another man," Elijah explained, dramatically revealing, "And none loved her more than Niklaus."

"I'd say there was one who loved her at least as much," Klaus added.

"Wait a minute. So you both loved the same girl?" Stefan questioned, looking between the two.

"Seems awfully familiar, doesn't it?" Winnie countered, taking another bite of her food.

"Our mother was a very powerful witch. She sought to end our feud over Tatia and so she took her. Klaus and I would later learn that it was Tatia's blood that we consumed in the wine on the night where our mother performed the spell which turned us into vampires," Elijah continued explaining, "Tatia wouldn't make a decision between the two of us, so for a time Niklaus and I...grew estranged. Harsh words were traded, we even came to blows, didn't we, brother?"

"But in the end, we realized the sacred bond of family," Klaus replied.

"Family above all," Elijah said, raising his glass along with Klaus, Winnie had her elbows resting on the table before the hybrid nudged her and she huffed, raising her glass along with them.

The reason for that, happened to be that Winnie never really considered any of the Mikaelsons her family, except for Rebekah and Klaus. They had raised her and cared for her more than her blood ever could have, so when it came to the rest of the Mikaelsons...she was as bitter as they come, knowing full well how judgemental they could get.

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .*

Damon's phone made a sound as he received a text and Winnie pretended she hadn't looked at it before downing another drink, "So, why don't we move this evening along and discuss the terms of this proposal?"

"That's very simple. Klaus gets his coffin back, in exchange, he and the Original extended family leave Mystic Falls forever. Me, Stefan, and Elena live happily ever after," Damon said before shortly adding, "No grudges."

"The deal sounds fair, brother," Elijah countered.

Winnie shook her head, chuckling, "That sounds too sappy to be true...plus I didn't know threesomes were still a thing...," She commented, trailing off as Stefan's eyes glared at her as if trying to pierce through her soul, in which she grinned happily.

"I don't think you understand. Elena's doppelgänger blood insures that I will always have more hybrids to fight those that oppose me," Klaus dismissed the deal, stating, "I will never leave her behind."

The Original Hybrid got up and started to pace, explaining his point, "Let's say I do leave her here, under your protection, what then? How long before one of you turns her into a vampire? Or worse, how long before she dies caught between your feuding?" He asked, mockingly.

"You see, each one of you truly believes that you're the one that can protect her, and that is simply a delusion. Gentlemen, the worst thing for Elena Gilbert is...the two of you."

Winnie shrugged, looking at the Salvatores, "I couldn't have said it better myself."

Damon nodded, giving them a small smile, "I'm gonna get some air."

"Let me deal with this," Elijah assured, leaving after Damon as the two blonde vampires turned to Stefan.

"We didn't hit any nerves for now, yes?" She asked Stefan, rising to her feet as she leaned both her hands against the chair, "I mean you have yet to throw a bloody remark or a witty reply so I am just itching to see how not ripper you acts."

"Your words aren't really that important," Stefan retorted.

"Ouch...you hurt me right here," Winnie feigned hurt, pointing to the left part of her chest as if pointing to her heart, "And I thought we were becoming friends."

"You are uh...used to manipulate your so-called friends?" He asked.

"No, I taunt them to the point where death is their greatest wish," She revealed, pretending to think for a few seconds before shrugging, "No wonder I don't have any friends."

"Ah...," Klaus chuckled, patting her shoulder, "All this talk has made me thirsty," He looked at one of the servants as she walked up to him, offering her wrist to the blonde pair of vampires, "What do you say, Stefan? Can we interest you in a little after-dinner drink?"

Soon enough, Winnie and Klaus bit the girl, each at a wrist as the human hissed in pain. It had been a day but the temperamental vampire was already getting back to the lifestyle of the Mikaelsons, she would deny it...but Winnie was loving it.

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .*

Klaus and Winnie had drained the girl dry before dropping her body to the floor, "Delicious. Aged to perfection."

"Well, I guess the only reason you agreed to this evening, Klaus, is to drive a wedge between me and my brother," Stefan started, sharing his point of view.

"Isn't that already happening? I mean you and your brother don't need the help of Nik to do that," Winnie shrugged, settling back on her sit.

"Because of Elena, you're gonna lose your brother and you'll only have yourself to blame," Klaus continued after her.

Their attention was sent to Damon and Elijah as they re-entered the room, the younger vampire questioning, "What do you say, Klaus? It's time for you to put something on the table. We've made our offer, now you counter."

Klaus nodded, "Okay. I offer Elena's future happiness. You see, what she needs right now is to be rid of you lot. And to fall in love with a human, maybe that nice football player, you know the blond one?"

"Matt Donovan? Really?" The raven-haired Salvatore scoffed.

"Yeah, why not? They'll marry, live a long and fruitful life, and pop out a perfect family."

"And continue the Petrova bloodline. Every few hundred years, you'll have a new doppelgänger to drain and never run out of hybrids, right Klaus?" Stefan realized, questioning the Hybrid accusingly.

"Why not?" The blonde ancient vampire asked, "If you love her then you know you are not good for her."

Klaus placed his hands on Winnie's shoulders, adding, "Consider it a small return on my investment in her well-being. See, after you hand me back the coffin, I'll ensure her safety for the rest of her natural life. You know it's what's best for her."

He patted the girl's shoulder before walking up towards Stefan, "So, what do you say Stefan, hmm? Do we have a deal?"

Stefan walked up to Klaus as his brother questioned worriedly, "What are you doing?"

The Hybrid had his hand out for Stefan as the latter grabbed it, shaking it, "Nice try, Klaus. But no deal."

In the spur of a moment, Klaus broke Stefan's arm before kicked his leg and broke it as well. He pushed Stefan's hand into the fireplace as it started to burn. Damon attempted to rush over to him, but Elijah intercepted him and pushed him against a wall as the raven-haired groaned out, "What are you doing?"

"Barbarians," Winnie sighed under her breath as she rose to her feet, she clapped her hands together, announcing, "Elijah and I will accompany Damon to get the coffin and if there's any due then the Ripper will have to look for another arm."

"Capish?"

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .*

Elijah and Winnie did accompany Damon to a place where there were coffins, just not the ones Klaus thought of. They were in the Mikaelson mansion, in the room where the coffins of the Mikaelsons were in as Winnie lifted the lid of Rebekah's coffin, her eyes fall over the blonde Original in a mesmerizing red dress.

"Rise and shine, Bex," Winnie smirked, pulling the dagger out of the Original vampire.

She took a blood bag from Elijah, pulling the cap off of it before she placed it on Rebekah's mouth, the Original's face slowly regained color as she clutched the blood bag in her hands, "There, she goes."

The blonde turned around to find Kol and Finn Mikaelson had already sat up as she slyly waved her fingers at them, "Hi...try to keep it quiet, we are manufacturing a plan here."

One of them opened up his mouth to speak and she had sped herself in front of him, placing her hand on his mouth, "I said keep it quiet," She hissed out.

He eyed her hand before clutching her wrist and taking it off his mouth, "I do know what quiet means," He whispered.

"Doubtful," She replied, taking his hand off of her wrist as she moved to hug Rebekah, "Okay...I imagined this in many scenarios and this may not be the best but I am glad I actually got to hug you," Winnie greeted, smiling from ear to ear.

Rebekah had yet to see the girl's face but she had immediately recognized her smooth voice as she tightened her arms around the girl, "Winnie, you are here. You are really here."

"I am," The younger blonde nodded, pulling away, "We are following a plan of Elijah's so I am gonna need you to keep quiet till my sign."

Soon enough the blonde migrated from their room and walked up to the dining room along with Elijah and Damon, "Elijah...why haven't you left?" He questioned, yet to see the blonde's short figure as she stepped out from behind Elijah, "Winnie...what in the bloody hell is happening?"

She shrugged as Elijah replied, "Where are your manners, brother? We forgot dessert," He took the cover off of the tray the blonde servant was carrying as two silver daggers laid in it.

"What have you done?"

"What have you done?" Elijah repeated after him venomously, "You see, I've learned not to trust your vulgar promises, Klaus. We're doing this on my terms now."

"Kol," Klaus named as his brother stepped into the room. Winnie kept in mind the name of the Original she had ordered to keep it quiet earlier as Klaus started to back away.

"Long time, brother," Kol greeted.

Finn suddenly appeared, and he grabbed a dagger, Klaus yelled at him, "Finn, don't!" However, Finn just stabbed Klaus through the hand with the silver dagger.

He rushed away, but ran into Rebekah, "Rebekah!"

She stabbed him with a dagger through his abdomen, claiming, "This is for our mother."

Rebekah pulled the dagger out and Klaus fell back into Kol's arms who restrained him as Elijah looked at the Salvatores, "You're free to go. This is family business."

Winnie tried to help but Elijah was quick to hold the blonde back, "I would advise you not to interfere."

"You didn't exactly say he will get beaten up while I watch," Winnie sneered at the Original, trying to pull her arms out of his hold but his two hundred years on her made it harder than she expected.

"He daggered them for centuries; retribution is in order."

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .*

"I like what you've done with the new place, Nik," Rebekah commented as she picked up a vase and threw it into one of his paintings, making it fall to the floor

Winnie huffed, "Can we not be so vile? I mean you are alive and well again...Revenge is so old-fashioned, Bekah."

"Oh, you don't have to get yourself into this," The blonde Original turned to Winnie, scoffing, "We still have a long talk ahead of us."

"This is not retribution, it's madness!" Winnie stated, shaking her head at them.

"I wanted it to be for all of us," Klaus whispered, "A place we could all call home. A place we could all be a family. None of us would ever have to be alone again," His voice seeming to crack as Winnie looked up at him, it was clear she wasn't enjoying the situation a tiny bit.

"Well you're right, none of us will be," Elijah said, coming at the doorway as Winnie furrowed her eyebrows, she could understand punishment but maybe they were taking it far, farther than usual but who could determine usual for a thousand years old vampires?

"You're staying behind," Finn added.

"We're leaving you, Nik," Rebekah stated, agreeing with the rest of the group as Winnie frowns; last she remembered was Klaus and Rebekah being the closest, "Right after I kill that doppelgänger wench, then you will be alone. Always and forever."

"I think we are taking it far," Winnie rose to her feet, her eyes darting between the siblings, "Plus if you guys leave I will stay...just in spite of your grudge carrying arses," She shrugged.

"Winona—"

She snapped at Elijah, "It's fucking Winnie! How hard is that?"

"If you run, I will hunt all of you down," Klaus rose to his feet, unleashing his anger on them.

"Then you'll become everything you hate," Elijah retorted coldly, "Our father."

"I'm the hybrid! I can't be killed! I have nothing to fear from any of you," He shouted out at them as Winnie shook her head, looking at the floor as the situation worsened more and more by the second.

"You will when we have that coffin."

Neither Klaus nor Winnie had time to address that statement as the door opened up to reveal a blonde woman, she walked in as Rebekah gasped out, "Mother?"

Shit...this is not fucking good.

Esther ignored Rebekah as she continued walking up to Klaus as Winnie tried to move at his side, that once Rebekah held the girl back, not knowing what to expect.

Klaus avoided looking at his mother before she ordered, "Look at me! Do you know why I'm here?"

"You are here to kill me," He forced out a whisper, the tears visible in his eyes.

"Niklaus, you are my son and I am here to forgive you,' Esther said before turning around to face her children, "I want us to be a family again."

Winnie was unconvinced. It couldn't have been true, she had centuries-old instincts and the blonde was one hundred percent sure she didn't need them to know Esther was lying.

"And who might she be?" Esther questioned, looking down at Winnie.

"She is—" Klaus and Rebekah went to introduce in unison as Winnie raised both of her hands in their faces, cutting them off.

"—I can introduce myself, I was born with a tongue, you know," She chuckled, dismissing the blonde siblings.

"A very sharp one at that," Kol commented as she passed him an unamused glance.

Winnie turned to the witch, crossing her arms, "I am Winnie and I don't think you are that curious about me, last I checked witches talk on the Other Side, don't they?" She mocked a question.

"Yes, they do—" Esther confirmed before the shorter blonde cut her off once again.

"Very lovely, now I have a question so we could all continue this warm family reunion," She smiled brightly as Esther nodded for her to proceed, "Since when do wicked witches of the west turn good?"

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .*