Cold nipped at her exposed flesh, drawing out a pinkish hue to her pale complexion. Pain reverberated through every fiber of her being, so she just laid there, her hazy mismatched eyes staring blankly at the barred window.

Through the bars she could see the moon, the only light provided to her, outshining the twinkling stars she missed dearly.

She wanted to go home.. she missed her Mom, and Dad, her brother.. even her sister at this point. That's all she wanted.

A soft, familiar click made the girl tense.. because it was soon followed by the door creaking opened. Without thinking she scrambled into a corner, the chains binding her wrists and ankles rattling. He smiled sweetly at the small girl, "Did you miss me, sweetie?"

Glass shattered, startling the small woman awake, she whimpered, tightening the blankets around her small body. Tears stung, welling up in her green/brown hues.

More loud, destructive sounds echoed throughout the house, along with yelling. Vanessa clung to the blanket and slid off the bed, padding out of the room.

The soft patters of her bare feet barely compared to the fight going about. A short, frightened scream left her lips as Klaus was thrown passed her, crashing into a wall.

Both Mikaelson's froze upon seeing her distressed figure.

"W.. why are you fighting?" she whimpered, Klaus quickly pulled his mate to him. "It's just a little disagreement, little love. Nothing to worry over." he assured, both men silently agreeing on a truce for the time being.

She pulled back, a frown adorning her features. "On what?" she questioned, Elijah sighed, "Niklaus refuses to wake our siblings for some reason." earning a glare from the hybrid.

Vanessa tilted her head, "I don't understand.." she murmured, her mismatched hues drifting towards the brunet.

"There's a way to kill an Original without necessarily killing us. It's similar to a comatose state." he explained, much to Klaus' displeasure. The platinum haired woman looked between her mates.

"Why don't you want to wake them, Nik?" she spoke softly, timidly, "It's not that I don't want to.." Klaus sighed, running a hand through his hair, "I only wish to protect them."

"From what? We're safe from Father." Elijah countered, both brothers fixing glares at one another.

"W.. wouldn't it be better t.. to work together.. r-rather than fight by yourself?" Vanessa inquired, turning her gaze to the floor as she tightened the blanket around herself, Klaus went rigid, looking between his brother and his mate.

Klaus looked away, he was conflicted, uncertain. Why would she agree with Elijah over him? As if reading his thoughts, Vanessa spoke up.

"I.. I'm not picking sides.. Nik.. but they deserve to find their mates just as much as you do."

The hybrid found himself relaxing at her gentle voice, her small delicate hands cupped his scruffy cheeks.

"You want to meet them, don't you, love?" he sighed, his blue-green hues meeting her mismatched ones. "Uh-huh!" she giggled, eliciting a smile from both her mates.

"Very well, love." Klaus chuckled, lightly kissing her nose before looking to Elijah, "Would you take her out for a bit? I expect they'll be quite angry at first."

"I think it'd be best that I wake them." the Noble brother sighed, earning a knowing nod from the hybrid.

*************

Vanessa waved her arms, giggling as the sleeves of Klaus' jacket flapped wildly. Her mate couldn't help but laugh at her childishness as the walked through the town square.

"Nik." the white haired woman chimed, he hummed, "Yes, love?" "C.. Can I hold your hand?" she murmured, her porcelain face flushing a pinkish hue. "You don't have to ask." he mused, gently lacing his fingers with her thin ones.

This only caused the blush on Vanessa's pale face to grow. Nevertheless, she had a content expression on her face.

The two mates ventured into the Mystic Grill, gaining quite a few looks from the other patrons, some of which happen to be 'Team Save Elena'. They watched the hybrid and the Gilbert girl as the two settled in a booth.

Vanessa happily kicking her legs like the childish young woman she is, while Klaus watched her fondly.

"How can she just sit with him like that? He's a monster!" Klaus' expression fell as he heard the Forbes girl speak, "He probably compelled her." the Bennett witch offered, both her and Caroline glaring at the couple.

Vanessa tilted her head at Klaus' frown, she leaned forwards and cupped his cheeks with her small hands.

He rose a brow, now looking at his mate. Her cheerful expression was now one of determination. She pursed her lips, brows furrowed, nose scrunched up. "Stop being sad." she huffed, pushing the corners of his mouth up.

The smile she forced turned into a genuine one, he couldn't help but laugh as he gently grasped her porcelain hands in his slightly-darker toned ones.

"I'm not sad, little love. I'm just.. thinking." he assured, it wasn't necessarily a lie, he was thinking. But those thoughts had made him upset.

She hummed, "Believing in negative thoughts is the single greatest obstruction to success."

"You never cease to amaze me, little love." he breathed, Vanessa giggled, "I love you too."

The hybrid's eyes widened, he hadn't expected that. Vanessa's face reddened, a shy smile graced her lips, he smiled warmly, gently picking up one of her small hands and planting a kiss to her knuckles.

'Lord, what did I do to deserve her?' he thought, watching the silver haired woman turn to the waiter who had finally arrived, 'She deserves the world.'