[ Chapter Thirteen ]

THEIR WORST fears became a reality. Klaus sped to the cavern of tunnels underneath the Mikaelson Compound to where he sealed Aurora up, only to discover that the woman was nowhere to be found. Lucien freed her, and most likely gave her the second serum to turn her into the new species of vampire he created.

To combat Lucien's insanity, the compound was placed in Freya's name so no vampires, other than the Mikaelson siblings, could enter without an invitation. The witch in question worked twenty-four/seven to find the enhanced vampire's whereabouts, and for a way to stop him once and for all.

So far, she found nothing useful.

The ancestors also decided to insert themselves into the chaos that enveloped the city. Apparently, they were in control of Vincent when he preformed the spell that made Lucien into the beast of their nightmares. Possibly even the prophecy. They chose their side, and it was not the Mikaelsons.

Not only that, Kol found himself effected by the dead witches. His return from the ancestral plane came with a whole host of problems. He began to lose control. Bloodlust overtook his and urged him to kill his girlfriend, Davina Claire. The ancestors wanted her dead for everything she did to oppose them.

With the multiple threats out and about, Raylynn forced herself to stay inside the compound. Her and her unborn son's safety were one of the most important things, at least according to Klaus and Hayley. The added stress was not good for her, especially so close to giving birth.

So to ease her mind, Raylynn kept busy with baby preparation. She sorted out the things she acquired of the last few months when she had a spare moment. Several articles of clothing, packages of diapers, and other necessities were scattered around her room, soon to be her son's.

Raylynn sat crossed legged on the bed with baby clothes spread around her on the duvet. Piles of onesies, shirts, pants, and blankets had already been folded, while many others were left for her to organize. She would have set up the nursery sooner, but they had little to no spare time.

Raylynn also remembered that she and Klaus failed to pick out a name for their son. He and Hayley chose Hope's an hour before she had been shipped off with Rebekah for her own protection. She did not want to do that with her son. They had more down time with Lucien's terroristic reign, and Raylynn wanted it picked out before she went into labor.

Klaus walked in through the open bedroom door to find the witch with a grey onesie in her hands. "I see you are making the most out of your down time," he voiced and strode into the room.

Raylynn placed the folded piece of clothing down onto a pile and rolled her eyes. "Can't do much of anything else, seeking as I'm about ready to pop this kid out at any moment," she said, raising a hand to rub her large stomach.

Klaus released a light laugh, before he eyed her and set his gaze where her hand laid. "You know, we still haven't discussed a name."

"Haven't exactly had the time," Raylynn stated and then smirked. "Although, I do have a few suggestions."

Klaus shook his head with a smile. "This should go well."

Raylynn gapped at him. "Hey! You haven't even heard them, yet."

Klaus nodded, stopping next to the side of the bed. "Alright, tell me, then."

Raylynn leaned back against her pillows. "I actually put some thought into these names, so don't judge them too harshly. Also, they do have pretty nice meanings. So, there's a plus."

Klaus continued to smile. "Well, that makes me feel slightly better."

Raylynn gave him a playful glare and then ran through the names list in her head. "Okay, the first one is -Beau."

"Meaning beautiful in French," Klaus retorted.

Raylynn sighed. "Of course you would know that." She shook her head. "Anyway, the next one is -Briar. That one is self-explanatory. And honestly, not my favorite. I just thought it was kinda cute."

Klaus chuckled. "Alright, what's the next one."

A light smile formed on Raylynn's lips. "Ryan. Little king in Ireland."

Klaus stared at her for a long moment in a contemplative manner. His own smile returned moments later. "Certainly a name fit for a Mikaelson."

Raylynn nodded. "I thought so, too."

_______

A little while later, Klaus left the room to take care of something. Something he would not tell Raylynn about. She assumed it had to do with Lucien, otherwise he would have told her about it. She could only hope did not do anything stupid.

Once she stashed away all of her son's things, Raylynn made her way downstairs for food. But before she could get to the kitchen, she heard furious knocking on one of the compound's door. Raylynn quickened her pace to the stone archway that led to the closed entrance. Hayley joined her.

Raylynn paused when she found Cami there with wide eyes. "Cam, what's wrong?"

"It's Klaus," Cami exclaimed in a frantic manner. "Lucien has him."

Raylynn's heart almost stopped in her chest.

Hayley called out over her shoulder, "Freya! Invite her in!"

Raylynn looked behind her to find Elijah and Freya. They had to have heard Cami.

"Yeah, come in. You're invited," Freya muttered, too shocked by the woman's statement.

Cami crossed the threshold without resistance and rushed toward them.

"Tell us what happened," Elijah addressed the blonde vampire.

"Lucien ambushed him. He knocked him around like it was nothing."

Raylynn stepped forward and met her friend's eyes. "But did he bite him? Did his teeth come anywhere near his skin?" she questioned. Her voice cold.

Cami shook her head. "No. I think he wanted him alive. I followed them. Lucien took Klaus back to the penthouse."

Before any of them could respond, Elijah's phone began to buzz in his jacket pocket. He took out the device and glanced at the screen. His worried increased. "Lucien is demanding my presence at the Whiskey Cask -alone and immediately," he said and glanced around at the women. "He says if I delay, Niklaus will die."

_______

Elijah left the compound shortly after he read Lucien's text. Freya followed him to help in any way she could, even if it meant she could not be seen. Raylynn, Hayley, and Cami decided to enact their own rescue mission. One with a little more confrontation.

Neither woman was thrilled about Raylynn's involvement, but they could not sway her out of it. She needed to save Klaus. If not for herself, then for their son. Raylynn would not let some grunge riddled man and his psychotic obsession destroy her family.

Raylynn shoved her arms deep into her the pockets of her coat to keep out the early spring chill. Dozens of drunken tourists stumbled through the streets. Many of them were there to enjoy the NOLA Music Days Festival. The crowded city made their mission a little easier with the added cover.

"Here's the problem," Cami spoke as they continued in the direction of Lucien's apartment complex, "I haven't been invited into Lucien's penthouse."

Hayley shrugged. "So, you can wave your Dark Objects in the foyer, I'll do all the dirty work, and Ray intervenes if necessary."

Raylynn nodded along. Yeah, she knew that her assistance would be more than necessary. Aurora was completely and utterly crazy. She would not go down without a fight. A dirty fight at that.

Cami came to a halt, bringing Raylynn and Hayley to do the same.

"Hey, are you up for this?" Hayley questioned with her eyes narrowed.

Cami sighed. "What if I'm a liability? I've been training so I can punch a bag, but a real fight?"

"Cami, here's the thing about being afraid -if you have to do the thing you're afraid of, then all this fear is for nothing. Either turn it into anger, or leave it at the door. But, either way, you control your emotions, which mean you're already one step ahead of Aurora," Hayley told her in a stern tone.

Cami nodded, although still hesitant. "But how are we going to take her down? She's probably already taken the serum."

Raylynn smirked between her and Hayley. "Leave that to me."

_______

They moved quick through the French Quarter and made it to Lucien's penthouse suite in no time. Their plan called for Cami to distract Aurora long enough for Hayley to ambush her. Raylynn would wait in the disabled elevator until she got a clear enough shot at the red haired bitch.

As solid a plan as they could make it.

Now, they had to make sure Aurora did not get the upper hand.

Raylynn and Hayley waited behind the closed doors of the elevator, already having disabled it from moving up and down with her inside. The huntress listened closely as Cami approached the apartment's entrance.

"Well, it appears we have company," Aurora's voice sounded from inside.

Raylynn could not make out what the redhead asked, but she heard Cami's answer.

"As a matter of fact, I'm enjoying it. That's why I'm here," Cami paused for a moment to likely pull out one of her Dark Objects, "to express my gratitude."

"Ooh, you cheeky little minx! Have you come to have a go at me?" Aurora questioned.

Raylynn heard Klaus growl from the penthouse. Her heart clinched.

"Get out of here, Camille!"

"Shut up, Nik. This is between us girls," Aurora retorted. "Though, I suppose I will let you listen to her cries as I tear off her limbs like the wings of a pretty little butterfly."

Cami sneered in response. "I'd like to see you try."

"Ooh! You're brandishing your antiques at me." Cami must have let the object be seen. "I suppose I would be scared, if I thought you were quick enough to use them. You really did not think this through, did you?"

"Actually, we did."

A ding sounded when Hayley punched a button on the wall and the elevator's doors slid open. She sped from the small space and into the penthouse. Raylynn heard her best friend and Aurora scuffle.

That is, until Klaus yelled, "stop! She drank the serum."

Raylynn heard multiple thuds and a crash. Uh oh.

"Nik, what a conundrum!" Aurora exclaimed. "Mother of your child over here," she paused, "beloved therapist over here. All we need is the huntress of your dreams and I wouldn't have to decide who to kill first."

"I'm the one who betrayed you. I'm the one you hate," Klaus plead with the woman.

Raylynn released a long breath. A few more moments. She needed Aurora distracted before she could make her move.

Cami, come on.

"And they're the ones you care for. So, what a pleasure for me to watch your face as I rip them apart!"

Cami spoke up. "Hey, I'm right here -ready and waiting."

Yes, Cam. Keep her attention.

"Oh, Cami. 'The Hero' was never a good look on you. Trembling and helpless is more your style," Aurora taunted the O'Connell woman.

Raylynn heard more struggling and the snap of a bone. Cami screamed, causing the huntress to wince.

"Cami, did Nik ever mention to you what happens when a vampire goes into a room without being invited?" Aurora questioned.

Cami began to scream, most likely having been dragged into the penthouse.

Raylynn squeezed her eyes shut. She knew what had to be happening to the woman. Her brain would start to liquefy and blood would gush from opening on her face. Eyes, nose, mouth, ears. Anything to escape.

Hold on, Cami. Just a few more seconds.

"Aurora! Please! Let her go!" Klaus shouted.

"Hush, Nik! Don't make her final moments any worse than they need to be!"

Aurora's mockery masked the elevator as he doors dinged. Raylynn slipped from the square space and inched her way to the entrance of the penthouse. She peeked around the corner to find the redhead's back to her. Raylynn moved forward and stopped at the threshold with her hands raised, palms facing out and angled down.

"Ray, now!" Hayley yelled from where she woke up from the ground.

Aurora spun on her heel to face the entrance, but she was not fast enough.

Raylynn's magic stirred in the pit of her stomach, growing larger and hotter as she chanted. "Haec persona est scriptor cerebrum usque ad sanguinem. Haec persona est scriptor cerebrum usque ad sanguinem."

Aurora moaned, before she screamed and clutched the sides of her head. Blood poured from her eyes and nose as she fell to the floor on her knees. Raylynn strode toward her and continued her spell, closing her fists to intensify the woman's pain. More blood stream down Aurora's face and dropped her to the floor. Unconscious.

Raylynn fell silent and raised a hand to wave at the redhead's body. "Nighty-night, sweetie." Her stare lifted from the woman to where Hayley stood to her feet, then to Cami, who already recovered, and then to where Klaus sat in the center of the room. His hands were shackled above his head and chained to the ceiling.

Klaus stared at her. His lips turned up in what appeared to be amusement. "What did you do to her?"

Raylynn shrugged, dropping her arms to her sides. "I just did the same thing she planned to do to Cami." She smirked toward him. "I liquefied her brain."

Klaus sighed and slouched against floor.

_______

Back at the compound, Aurora found herself in an eternal sleep curtesy of Freya. They could not kill the woman unless they wanted another enhanced vampire in New Orleans, but they did not have a way to extract the serum from her blood just yet. Once they did, Aurora would either remain locked up in their storage room or be killed.

Raylynn stood in the upstairs study with Klaus, Freya, and Elijah. The Mikaelson witch examines the mystical chains Lucien and Aurora used to keep Klaus trapped.

"Mission accomplished. And it only took you the better part of the day," Klaus exclaimed in a snarky tone.

Freya quirked a brow and held up the shackles. "Do you want the chains back on?"

Elijah grinned. "You'd be doing us all a marvelous favor. Perhaps, you could fasten something to his mouth?"

Raylynn bit into her bottom lip to stop herself from laughing.

Hayley chose that moment to enter the room. "Aurora's still out cold. What are the chances of keeping her that way?"

Freya turned to her and said, "oh, my spell will keep her down long enough to use the serum in her blood to figure out a way to kill both her and Lucien."

"I must say -I'm rather looking forward to it," Klaus voiced as he looked to his sister.

Freya smiled and set down the chains. "You're welcome." She then pivoted on her heel to leave the room.

Raylynn held a smile of her own, until a sharp cramp spanned throughout her stomach. She winced and raised a hand to rub her bump.

"I supposed I ought to be thanking you two as well." Klaus glanced between both women left in the room.

Raylynn offered a tight grin, but another wave of pain rolled through her.

Hayley smiled and crossed her arms. "You can thank me in diaper duty."

Raylynn groaned when the cramp intensified. Everyone snapped to her, eyes wide at the sight of a dark stain that formed down her thighs. Her water broke.

"Might want to double the diaper duty," Raylynn hissed between gritted teeth. "I think the second Mikaelson miracle baby is about make his appearance."

_______

Hours passed as more and more pain racked Raylynn's body. To her dismay, she could not simply leave and go to the nearest hospital. With Lucien on the loose, they could not simply leave the compound. The man would pounce the second they stepped across the threshold.

Because of him, Raylynn had to go through labor without the benefits of pain medication. Something she desperately wanted as the pain progressed.

Raylynn moved into her old bedroom with Hayley, Klaus, and Freya at her side. There were there through the first of it, but a thirty minutes or so before both Mikaelson siblings left. Raylynn did not know why, only that Klaus told her not to worry and that they would be back before their son met the world. She tried to remain calm, but she knew something had to be wrong. They would not just leave without a good reason.

Hayley sat next to her on the bed and blotted her sweat covered forehead with a wet cloth. "You know, I think you are a lot better off than when I had Hope," she voiced to lighten the mood.

Raylynn released a strained laugh as another contraction constricted her stomach. "You where also killed by a bunch of witches."

Hayley shrugged. "And you get to lay in your comfy bed. I'd say that's a step up."

Raylynn shook her head. Massive pressure flowed through the lower half of her body and told her to push. No. Klaus was not back yet. Freya was not back yet. "Well, I'd like to argue, but I think your nephew is ready to say hi," she ground out and screamed.

Hayley leapt from the bed, rushing to the foot of the bed. She raised the sheet that covered Raylynn's legs and her eyes widened to the size of saucers. "Freya!" she shouted over her shoulder. "We need some assistance in here!"

A moment later, both Freya and Klaus raced into the room. Raylynn grasped the sheet beneath her in her fingers, nearly ripping the soft fabric to ribbons. She barely noticed Klaus at her side, while Freya took Hayley's place at her feet.

"Alright, it looks like this little one is coming now," Freya said and readied herself to deliver the baby. "Okay, Ray. You need to push."

Raylynn nodded and screamed as she pushed. And pushed. And pushed. And pushed. She fell back against her pillow when the pressure disappeared and a massive release left her. Raylynn breathed heavily, her eyes set on the ceiling and a small cry sounded through the room. The light overhead shined too bright, but she did not care.

Raylynn turned her head to where Klaus sat at her side. She failed to notice that she grabbed his hand sometime throughout the blinding pain. "That -sucked," she huffed.

Klaus smiled, lifting his free hand to brush strands of her sweaty hair from her face. "I did not enjoy the experience much myself."

Raylynn turned her attention to where Freya and Hayley stood next to the bed. The Mikaelson woman held the child in her arms wrapped in one of the blankets placed around the room.

Freya smiled, moving over to the edge of the bed. "Here is your beautiful, bouncing baby boy," she said and handed the child over.

Raylynn held her son in her arms, staring at every speck of him. The way his eyes squinted from the light to the little twitch of his nose. Her lips parted as she watched her baby boy open his eyes. Bright, blue irises met her brown. They then closed tight as he snuggled into the blanket.

A laugh escaped her lips. Raylynn smiled and turned to Klaus. His stare fixated on the baby. Wonder and awe swarmed in the blue eyes that mirrored his son's. Raylynn's heart swelled as she slightly held out the child to him. Klaus appeared hesitant at first, but he soon took his soon into his arms and stared down at him with the same love that swarmed Raylynn.

"So," Hayley spoke, drawing the new parents' attention to her, "does he have a name yet?"

Raylynn looked over to Klaus and shrugged. "You wanna tell them?"

Klaus glanced away from Hayley and down to the child. "Ryan," he told them. "His name is Ryan."

_______

For the next hour, Raylynn remained in her happy bubble. She gave birth to her beautiful son, Ryan, and enjoyed his first moments with Klaus at her side. Both of them were more than entranced by the little life they brought into the world.

But as all things, everything came crashing down around them.

Klaus told Raylynn about what happened that morning and why he had to leave during her labor. Cami showed up at the compound with a bite from Lucien. He and Freya tried their best to find a way to slow the infection, but they came up with nothing so far.

Raylynn urged Klaus to go to his sister and find a way to save Cami. They had the rest of their lives to be with their son. Cami only had a few hours at most.

Although reluctant, Klaus departed from her and their son's side to help save Cami. Raylynn remained in her old room for as long as she dared, before she wanted to venture out to see the O'Connell woman for herself. She knew that she could not simply walk about after she had just given birth, but she had to try. So by sheer force of will, Raylynn discovered something new about her strange Nightingale magic.

She could heal herself.

It took a lot out of her energy-wise and she did not want to do it again any time soon, but Raylynn returned to how she looked before her pregnancy. Aside from the obvious weight gain. She cleaned up herself and Ryan, dressing herself and him in fresh clothes. She wore a pair of sweats and slippers, while he adored comfy pants and a long-sleeved shirt.

After she disposed of the bloody sheets, Raylynn bundled Ryan in a blanket and exited the room. She made her way down the hallways to the study. Voices were heard inside, so Raylynn moved over to the door to enter.

Her appearance caught Klaus's attention. He sat in one of the chairs and stood to his feet. His action alerted Cami. She turned around on the couch, shifting her gaze to where Raylynn entered the room with Ryan close to her chest.

Raylynn could see the deterioration of Lucien's venom. Cami's skin appeared pale and covered in sweat, while her eyes were rimmed red. Despite the circumstance, she smiled at the sight of the huntress and gasped when she saw the child in her arms.

"Camille, we'd like for you to meet the newest member of the family. This is Ryan," Klaus voiced.

Cami leapt from the couch and released a laugh. "Oh, my God! He's so tiny," she exclaimed, inching closer to her friend.

Raylynn stepped forward and stopped in front of the blonde. "You want to hold him?"

Cami's eyes widened. She shook her head. "No. No. I probably shouldn't."

Raylynn scoffed. "Nonsense. A minutes won't hurt anyone," she said and eased Ryan out for the woman to hold her son.

Cami took the baby into her arm and smiled own at him. Ryan squirmed in the blanket, keeping his eyes closed as he let out a small yawn. Cami laughed, along with Raylynn.

A second later, Cami began to cough. Raylynn reached out and took Ryan from her when the woman shook from the action. Cami wobbled on her feet, falling against a table to steady herself.

Freya appeared in the room at that exact moment with a bowl in her hand. "Here. Drink this." She handed the bowl over to the O'Connell woman.

Cami took it, downing the contents in one gulp.

Marcel and Vincent followed soon after. There eyes on the blonde. Everyone watched her for a long time as she finished whatever happened to be in the bowl. Now, all they had to do was wait.

_______

Throughout the rest of the day, Cami's deterioration worsened. Klaus had her move into a guest room to lay down when she could no longer stand upright. Raylynn encouraged him to sit by her side and help ease her through the worst of it. He knew her better than anyone. Cami needed that in her last moments.

Everyone came to terms with the fact that Cami would not get better. The concoction of Lucien's blood and then Hope's did not to slow the infection that slowly killed the woman. She would die just like Finn.

And come nightfall, their worst nightmares were realized. Cami left the world behind and died in her sleep.

Raylynn handed Ryan to Elijah, who seemed to be the only one not in an emotional mess. She needed time to say goodbye.

Raylynn claimed the chair sat next to the bed where Cami's body remained. Dark veins twisted over her skin. The only sign that she was no longer alive. She reached forward and grasped her friend's cold hand in her warm one.

"I always though that if anyone was going to die first out of the two of us, it would have been me," Raylynn voiced with humorless laugh. Tears stung her eyes, but she pushed on. "You weren't supposed to have this life, Cam. You were supposed to graduate from college and become a psychologist. Live a happy, human life with a few kids someday." She sniffled, whipping at her eyes with the sleeve of her sweater. "Now my little boy will never get the chance to know you. I just -I hope you knew how much being your friend meant to me. I'll never forget you. And, I really want you to be happy wherever you are. Happier than you ever could've been here."

With a choked sob, Raylynn rose from the chair and leaned over the bed to place a kiss onto Cami's cheek.

<February 17, 2019>

RIP Cami O'Connell. I miss you so much.

Don't forget to vote and comment.

-Jordan

P.S. Unedited chapter.

P.P.S. Let's just pretend that gif at the beginning isn't Hope, okay?