21 | HUMAN

"She's a whore." Anastázia attempted to soothe Michelle's hurting heart. Michelle was taken back home with Belle, Klaus apologized but needed to quickly leave to go take care of Aurora whom still had Rebekah hidden somewhere in the bottom of the ocean.

"He's just using her to get Rebekah and that prophecy. Honestly, I think all of that talk about a prophecy that is destined to end us all is bullshit." Anastázia grabbed a comb and began to detangle Michelle's hair.

"He could've told me." Michelle spoke emotionlessly.

Stas shook her head and rugged through Michelle's curls. "You know he's an idiot. He probably didn't think of telling you until after you found out. Plus, the bitch probably already knows that he was using her by now. So she's out of the picture now."

"Mhm." Michelle hummed, in an upset tone.

"Don't think that you're clean, Michelle. You're an idiot, too. You ran off without asking for help. You stole away my niece from me without telling me. And you went to a trashy motel, out of all places. That's— well you know how I feel about that sort of things." Anastázia gagged at the idea of Michelle and Belle staying in a cockroach infested motel. Michelle couldn't hold back her scoff. Despite all of Stas' efforts, she would always be spoiled and materialistic person; it was quite comedic to Michelle, and it gave her a warm sense of continuity.

* * *

Elijah and Niklaus managed to retrieve Rebekah from the ocean within a few days. And fortunately, Rebekah made it back just in time for Christmas. It was her favorite holiday after all. Michelle still hadn't left her bedroom since she had gotten back from running away. Leaving Stas to take care of Belle. Stas carried the wiggling baby downstairs to go look at the Christmas decorations. "Look at the lights, Bells." Stas pointed to the Christmas lights.

Belle's eyes sparkled as she watched the twinkling lights in astonishment. "What have you dressed my child in?" Niklaus' voice rang out from across the home.

"It's cute." Stas waved him off, feeling a bit insulted.

"It's sparkly." Klaus groaned eyeing the bedazzled Santa onesie that Belle was wearing.

"Well, if your baby's mother would get out of bed and free me from playing nanny, Bells wouldn't be dressing her like this." Stas readjusted Belle on her hip and turned around to face Klaus.

"Give her some time." Klaus shook his head in a melancholic way.

"Oh I am. And she can have all the time she needs. Because I am enjoying taking a break from all of the chaos and killing this family participates in." Stas cheekily spoke, her face twisting up into a cheery smile. She was truly happy just caring for Belle, it was what she sought after for so long, after all... (to care for and have a child.)

"We have good intentions." Klaus rebutted.

"That's what every criminal says." Stas chuckled.

"You're not going to run off again, are you? If you're scared about this prophecy—" Nik began.

Stas cut him off. "It's total bullshit. If some gypsy walked in here and said the world is going to burn down, you'd believe it wouldn't you? What's the prophecy again?" Stas inquired.

"We will fall one by friend, one by foe and one by family." Klaus recited.

"Well, one, we don't have friends. If anything, we simply have many acquaintances. Two, all of our enemies are weak, and the enemies who were strong are now dead. Three, this family is far too glued at the hip to even try to kill each other. Although, we all think about doing so." Stas retorted.

"We shouldn't just ignore such a threat." Klaus mumbled.

"Then be a fool and believe it. But, I won't. I'll help my family when they are in trouble, but I won't go creating more enemies if I have something to lose." Stas pointed at Belle, insinuating she was something that could be lost.

* * *

"A mark? A mark that the stake left on you? That's what's making you suddenly go insane?" Stas inquired her sister, Rebekah, whom had just returned from being held captive in the ocean. Rebekah claimed that the dagger they used was a special one. One made of ancient voodoo magic that left her paralyzed, but still alive— where she could feel everything happening to her, her body caving in on starvation, the cold, the lack of air underwater, everything. It sounded horrendous, but Stas was still skeptical— Rebekah was almost as dramatic as she was, after all.

"Aya's shake was cursed. It infected you. As this mark grows, you'll go mad. Left unchecked, you will become a relentless, unstoppable ripper." Freya explained as she analyzed the mark on Rebekah's wrist. Aya— being one of the leaders of the Strix (co-leader to Tristan)— clearly knew was she was doing when she wanted to capture an original vampire. The idea that other vampires had the ability to take down an original vampire was rattling Stas.

"Strix always employ a safeguard. In the event that we were successful at retrieving your body, you were cursed." Elijah announced aloud.

Stas hummed. "Yes, the Strix do think much like you, Elijah. They are your bloodline, after all." Stas groaned and combed her fingers through her hair.

"Wait! They think a lot like you. If they had a safeguard in the event that Rebekah was retrieved, they'd have a safeguard in the event that one of their own was cursed. There must be a way to reverse this thing." Stas grabbed the cursed dagger from the coffee table. Elijah had also brought the weapon home, for safekeeping of course.

Stas twirled the wooden stick around and noticed all of the carvings in it. "Look." She handed it to Freya.

"The spell is here. I can reverse it, I just... need some time, and a hell of a lot of magic." Freya sounded exasperated as she spoke. Her words began slurring and her breaths became heavy. She proceeded to stand up, but failed and collapsed onto the floor— falling unconscious.

Elijah and Stas hurried to her side. The two quickly scanned her body for any wounds. "She has a scratch here," Elijah pointed, "this is poison." He announced.

Stas gasped and lifted her sister up. "Someone tried to kill her." Stas added. Elijah helped Stas lift Freya back up onto the couch.

Within seconds, a gasp for air erupted from Freya's mouth. "You okay?" Elijah questioned.

"I feel weak. I was attacked earlier, by some Strix. They took the serratura. I must've been stabbed with something." Freya finally spoke up.

"And you didn't find it important to mention that before?!" Stas exclaimed.

"There's an antidote. Let me see if I can get my hands on it." Elijah quickly plucked his phone from his pocket and hurried to the next room to find someone that would have the cure for the poison.

"Speaking of antidotes, how will you cure Rebekah?" Stas asked.

"I'll need a pure silver knife and some white musk root." Freya spoke.

"I'm sure Jackson and Hayley can find that in the Bayou. I'll call them. Where will you get the magic from?" Stas pushed for more information.

"I'll channel Finn." Freya clutched her pendant that was strung around her neck.

"Our dead brother, that, mind you, hates this family. Great. I've got to call Nik." Stas sighed, unhopeful of the situation, and left to go back to her bedroom.

* * *

Stas coated her fingernails in a pretty pink polish as she rang her twin's phone on speaker. Soon enough, he answered. "Elijah already filled me in. I know where we can get the antidote. If the Strix have been using this poison for years, Lucien likely has the antidote for it. And he seems to be obsessed with you recently. So, why don't you retrieve it, dear sister?" Klaus bombarded Stas with information and an objective.

"Hello to you too, brother. Yes, I am doing just fine. How are you? Great? That's great." Stas feigned a normal conversation to make it a point that Klaus shoving a mission in her face wasn't something that usually happened when someone called their brother.

"Our sisters need to be saved, and this is the only way we can do it." Klaus reminded.

Stas rolled her eyes and returned her focus on the nail polish. "So will you do it?" Klaus asked after waiting for a response for a bit.

"Fine." Stas grunted begrudgingly.

* * *

Stas' heart fluttered as she knocked on Lucien's penthouse door. It was an odd feeling that she'd feel every so often. She felt it with Damon and many other men from her past, it was nothing special. The door soon opened up and there stood Lucien in all of his glory. "Anastázia, I didn't think I'd see you again." He mentioned, gulping as he realized his appearance wasn't up to its usual par. He was shirtless and wore casual sweatpants with some house slippers.

"Look, I hate to be short with you but I need something from you." Stas admitted, stepping inside of Lucien's home.

"Anything for you, my love." He raised his brows in suspicion of what she was to ask for. Because there were many things that he knew were off limits, but he feared that his heart would give in to her for whatever she desired.

"I need an antidote. For a the Strix's slow-acting poison. I'm sure you have some lying around here somewhere." Stas scanned the open area with her eyes, hoping to catch a glimpse of what she needed.

Lucien was relieved that was all she needed, then suddenly began to worry. "Are you hurt?" He tenderly touched her arm and scanned all of her exposed skin to see if she had been nicked.

"No, my sister, Freya, has been poisoned." Stas informed, and once again, Lucien was put at ease.

"Very well then, I'll go get it for you." Lucien quickly left and returned with an encased syringe filled with a clear liquid.

"Here." He handed it to her.

Stas smiled, genuinely, which is extremely rare, this time. "Thank you." She spoke and wrapped her arms tightly around Lucien.

When they pulled apart, Lucien sucked in a sharp breath. "About the other night..." He sounded like a typical teenage boy out of a cheesy movie after having a one night stand.

Stas waved him off. "It was fun. It can be the end of it if you want." Stas was very much used to just sleeping with a man and moving on.

"I want to take you on a date. I've made my desire to be with you very clear—" Lucien began but was interrupted by Stas pressing her lips against his. It was a simple, quick kiss, but it was enough to make Lucien melt. It made both of their hearts feel like they were glowing with a special kind of warmness. It sent a message that only a few people in the world ever feel. It wasn't lust, it wasn't infatuation, it was a true connection that the two had just shared. One that is only ever told in stories: love. Maybe it was because the both of them had never been treated in such a kind way before, or maybe it was because they never had a stable relationship, ever, in their lives. Nevertheless, it made them feel almost human again.