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WARNINGS: MENTIONS OF DEATH, TRAUMA, VIOLENCE AND BLOOD

┌─────── •✦• ───────┐

Thursday, December 18th, 1919

"BLOW out the candle, blow out the light. Hell is near, the devil will bite. The author, the original and the maker will arrive, maim and come to take her. The snake hissed and spilt the truth, causing damage to the family, especially the youth.

The clock is ticking, so only time will tell, they will all need a miracle or a dark spell. Judgement day is close, so repent your sin. For the devil is coming, after all, especially your kin. So listen up and then you'll learn, Everyone will burn. Everyone will burn."

Valerie's daunting words had everyone on edge. Since the death of Erebus Lumière, powers erupted and became more erratic, at times they thrived, but in others, they morphed into something uncontrollable. Adrienne, though grieving did her best to control herself, especially around her baby boy. Hadeon tried to handle his well, a drink or two could remedy that. Fortunately, Evania was a great help, being a siphon served well and she and Clementine monitored the city. Other French quarter witches still kept to themselves, whispering, and humming about the prophecies that surrounded them.

Dark times were on the rise, darker than they had ever seen and yet no one truly knew how to prepare themselves.

"I've been dreaming of father."

Rebekah immediately tensed up at the hybrid's words.

The Mikaelson siblings occupied Elijah's study, spread out across the room.

The blonde original's hold on the energetic tribrid tightened, causing him to whine and thrash around.

Klaus was beside his sister in seconds, taking his son out of her hands and bouncing him in his arms, not before shooting a glare at the vampire. Malachai soon calmed and gripped his father's many necklaces.

Malachai learnt to distract himself, whether it was Elijah's ties, Rebekah's flowing hair, Marcel's daylight ring, Hadeon's face or his mother's breasts.

Kol watched as his brother talked to his nephew with the biggest smile on his face, sending his wretchedness haywire.

"You are not alone, brother," Elijah spoke from behind his desk. "He visits me in my dreams also."

"Me as well," Kol stated, looking out the window.

"Rebekah?" Klaus asked and they all turned to their sister.

"What?" she slumped on the leather sofa, growing uncomfortable by their stares.

"Don't tell me it's only us he decides to torment," Kol scrunched up his face.

"She was always father's favourite, it shouldn't come as a shock for him to exclude her from his terror," Klaus muttered, almost bitterly.

Turning away from his sister, he gleefully ran his fingers across Malachai's stomach, extracting giggles from him.

As soon as Malachai faced his aunt, his lip started to quiver and his eyes began to water, alerting his father.

Kol was confused, "What's wrong with him?"

"He's a baby Kol, babies cry you, oaf," Klaus cast him a glare and tried claiming his son, whose tears painted his face red.

Elijah emerged from behind his desk, missing the guilt-filled look from his sister and attempted to distract his nephew.

Kol scoffed, "Again with the names."

"If you two must argue, please do it away from my crying nephew," Elijah scolded, withdrawing a handkerchief to wipe away his tears.

Malachai was a blubbering mess, not even his father's familiar eyes brought him comfort.

"He's my child Elijah, or are you neglecting to acknowledge the evident similarities whenever you glance at his perfect features," Klaus spoke rather condescendingly and took his son to the opposite end of the room, much to his brother's displeasure.

"His incessant need to cry does remind me of you," Kol remarked, with a sly grin.

Just as Klaus went to retort, Rebekah found her voice, getting their attention, "Enough, if you're having nightmares of our father, then it's only a matter of time that I do, but that's not all."

Elijah's brows pinched together, "What is it?"

"Mother appears in mine."

"You kept that quiet," Klaus commented, bouncing his son in his arms, slowly settling his cries.

Malachai tried sounding out Papa again which made Klaus' heart swell so much that he almost disregarded the situation at hand.

"Really quiet," Kol added, with a raised brow.

"Well if only you asked," Rebekah snapped quietly.

"Describe the dreams sister," Elijah insisted, sending warning looks to his brothers.

"All she does is talk, cry then scream," Rebekah recalled, fumbling with her fingers.

"Sounds like her," Kol snorted.

"Kol," Elijah hushed him.

Rebekah didn't look at them, "One second she's holding me, and then the next I'm being taken away and she wails, whilst holding one of you."

"Perhaps it was Elijah," Klaus suggested.

Rebekah shook her head, "I don't think so."

"Was it Kol?" Elijah inquired.

"I think it was Finn," Rebekah concluded, drawing a sigh from the hybrid.

"Well, that's enough of that chatter," Klaus groaned, running a hand over his son's back.

"Niklaus," Elijah sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Must we discuss that boring sod in my son's presence, it distresses him?" Klaus motioned to the sleeping Mikaleson.

Kol rose a brow, "Ah, yes why would you want to discuss the brother you keep locked away, we wouldn't want to remind you of your faults would you?"

"No Kol, you wouldn't want to be reminded that you could end up just like him," Kol's smile fell because of Klaus' words.

"Children, would you please stop," Elijah almost yelled, "Valerie's prophecy undoubtedly has all of us in disarray, our minds are being tormented by our parents, more than usual I imagine," he turned to Klaus, "Have you spoken to Adrienne about this?"

"She's still grieving her father, it's not a topic I could bring up in conversation," Klaus said calmly, listening to the little breaths escaping his son's mouth.

"You can," Rebekah murmured thoughtlessly much to their surprise, "What I mean is, Erebus was a nasty piece of work, she needs a distraction, and this would serve as one."

Klaus simply eyed his sister, as did Kol.

"Perhaps Rebekah is right, but the last thing we need is for Adrienne to lose herself," Elijah warned.

"Saint Elijah to the rescue," Klaus said with an eye roll. "If I present my dreams to my wife," he noted Kol shift uncomfortably, amusing him greatly, "who is already dealing with not only the death of her father, by her surrogate mother, but the threats towards our son she almost died boring and she reacts poorly, don't say I didn't warn you."

"Brother, must I remind you that the threat isn't just the witches, but potentially our father," Elijah cautioned, whilst settling a hand on his nervous sister's shoulder.

"Mikael won't lay a hand on my son Elijah," Klaus said lowly.

"Tell that to your dreams brother," Kol drawled.

"Nikolai, please!" Elijah didn't mean to yell, but everything was getting out of hand. Turning to Klaus, the hybrid shut his eyes briefly and inhaled deeply, "Do not listen to him Niklaus, it's important to remain composed."

"I'm only being pragmatic," Kol muttered, wary of Klaus' response.

Rebekah didn't know what to do. At first, she contemplated taking her nephew off of her brother but feared she would cry the moment he was in her arms.

Klaus' eyes snapped open and landed on Kol, "My son will be safe, as well Adrienne, my wife, regardless of the visions of Mikael taunting my mind. Precautions will be taken and enemies will be thwarted, that I know," he glanced between his other siblings, "our family will remain together, safe as long as we stay honest about our intentions."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Rebekah's outburst came as a shock to no one.

"Mother is dead, father is not, if he is coming I need you all on my side."

"Of course, you doubt us," Rebekah scoffed.

"One can't be too naive when enemies are cornering us," Klaus added, scanning the room.

"State your hand, brother," Elijah pressed.

"You know, what I tell you, until then, do try not to betray or conspire against me..." his eyes zeroed in on Kol, who surprisingly had nothing to say, "Again."

─────── •✦• ───────

"There's my grandbaby," Marie hastily took Malachai from his stroller the moment Adrienne pushed him into her home.

Adrienne was accompanied by Klaus who noticed her apprehension and the tension bubbling around the room.

He squeezed her arm, "I'm right here."

Adrienne wordlessly nodded as they all entered the sitting room.

"You wanted to talk," Adrienne sat opposite Marie, whilst Klaus monitored his son who sat comfy in his grandmother's arms.

"You were avoiding me," Marie stated, analysing every movement they made as well as ensuring that Malachai didn't try to stick her many necklaces in his mouth.

Ever since Erebus' funeral, she hadn't heard a word from Adrienne, or even the little band of witches surrounding her. It was what she expected yet it didn't hurt any less.

"You killed her father, needless to say, she's not the happiest at the moment," Klaus remarked, sitting next to his wife and sliding an arm around the back of her chair.

"And you brought the hybrid to my house," Marie added, matching his animosity.

"The hybrid is the father to the child you're holding," Adrienne spoke up, dragging her gaze to her, "he wouldn't have let me come alone."

"You think I would hurt my own child?" Marie frustratedly questioned Klaus.

Adrienne wanted to smile, yet she couldn't. She didn't know how to feel.

"One mother already has," Klaus quipped, then steadily regretted his words when Adrienne flinched.

"You dare speak to me like that...beast, in my home?"

"I'd advise you to watch what you say in front of my son," Klaus warned, making Adrienne jump to defuse the tension.

"We're here Marie, I'm here, Sorry if I'm not the warmest at the moment, I am grieving, I know why you did what you did, but it doesn't hurt any less. My father, albeit wasn't the best, but it still cut deep, like the blade you drove into his heart."

Malachai began to whine and reach for Adrienne, trying to sound out Mama, he was so close but couldn't.

Adrienne leaned across, took him and mustered up a smile.

"It was his plan and I knew the burden it would bear on my heart, I see it when you look at me. It was a way to protect you, Hadeon and the little heir in your arms. Many prophecies are going 'round, some are true and the rest are just lies. You got enemies coming at every corner."

Klaus tilted his head, "So how can we trust you?"

Marie laughed, looking between them, "You're a 'we ' now?"

"No," Adrienne spoke before Klaus could, earning an exacerbated sigh from him, "I know I can trust you, I just... I'm processing it all. Hadeon and I are... well we each lost a parent."

"Adrienne, honey, has Deon not told you?" All amusement faded from Marie's face after she asked.

Adrienne shot Klaus a nervous look.

"Told me what?" Adrienne finally asked after a moment.

Marie's face hardened, "What the immortality spell requires."

"I know, I've seen many," Adrienne murmured, passing Malachai over to Klaus, feeling her powers jolt.

"Not in regards to Lumeires, your bloodline is far too powerful for just a simple spell or sacrifice." Marie leaned forward, "Besides both you and Hadeon are two different entities, he has my blood also —"

Malachai began to babble and squeal, softly beating his hands against his father's chest, but his gaze was solely on a pile of skulls in the corner of the room.

He started pointing at them, getting his parent's attention.

Marie waved her hand and suddenly one appeared in his hands, making him giggle as he stared at it. Even when Klaus teasingly moved his hand to the skull, Malachai's grip tightened.

Klaus watched his son with amused eyes, "A skull? There is no denying he inherited your genes, Adrienne."

Ignoring him, Adrienne gestured for Marie to continue, "Your father's sacrifice won't be enough, not for Hadeon at least."

"Meaning what exactly?" Adrienne knew, she just needed to hear it.

"That you would have to die, that's it isn't it?" Klaus deduced, earning a nod from the woman and Adrienne immediately tensed up.

All the hairs on her skin stood up, not out of fear, or precaution, but dread. The thought of losing yet another person who cared for her like a mother should made her sick. A mother's love, a feeling she hadn't felt until recently and it was being pulled away from her like nothing.

Klaus set a hand on her back and rubbed it in a soothing motion.

"And Hadeon knew this?" Truthfully Adrienne wasn't surprised as it explained his odd demeanour the past week.

"I'm sure he didn't want to worry you, sweetheart," Klaus suggested.

"You can't die, though, I knew you struck a deal with a Haitian Iwa," Adrienne said, shrugging him off.

Marie hummed, "Yes, he's a spirit, in fact, he's the father of the spirits of the dead. I struck a deal with him many moons ago, brought him offerings to keep my youth."

"And if you stop, you die," Klaus commented.

Malachai was far too distracted by the skull to even notice the shift in atmosphere. The alluring nature made sure he didn't drop it even though he wanted to.

"My immortality is in exchange for the offering of one innocent every year," Marie informed, making the couple exchange a look.

"Innocent as in..." Adrienne trailed off and Klaus' hold on their son tightened.

"There's a loophole in my contract, pure soul, not child, I'm not a monster," Maire scoffed at the thought,

"So is the Baron Samedi or Papa Legba?"  Adrienne wondered aloud, knowing they were many different Haitian spirits, she often thought she saw them, even at her father's funeral, she was sure she witnessed a man, an old man wearing dark glasses without a lense, top hat, tailcoat, leaning on a long black skull handled cane.

But she wasn't sure.

"The former, he's an acquaintance," Marie confirmed.

"So how would this even work, you... You can't just leave," Adrienne's tone cracked slightly, alerting her son who looked at her all while dropping the skull in her lap, "Iwa's are tricky, you said it yourself, he won't just allow you to stop bringing him innocents, he wouldn't."

"Not if I work beside him," Marie felt guilty for even suggesting it. The pain swimming in Adrienne's eyes was breaking her, it was nearly as bad as Hadeon's reaction. Her son looked broken and didn't stop hugging her for hours.

Adrienne breathed out, "What?"

"How?" Klaus asked, wanting to reach out and hold his wife.

"He's been wanting me to join him for a while and this way at least I know you and Deon are safe," Marie promised. "Joining the father of Iwa's means I would mirror his work."

Adrienne's fingers coiled into her palm, "And you'll just be gone."

"What is dead ain't really gone, you know that," Marie tried.

"You'll be gone," Adrienne repeated, suppressing her anger.

"Would they be able to see you again?" Klaus questioned, coming to terms with the variations of spirits. "Physically?"

"Yes, just not for long."

Adrienne scoffed, "So there's no point of you returning."

"Adrienne," Marie against.

"And Hadeon has just accepted this, you... leaving for the prospect of our survival? You won't be there, we have just... he's just found you. Two years isn't long, it hasn't been long enough to form a proper bond. I... I mean he needs more time with you. Hadeon needs... you," Adrienne ranted, shaking as she did so, making Malachai whimper in his father's hold. "You barely know your grandchild, he needs you also."

Marie turned to the whining child as she spoke, "I won't be gone, truly."

"But you won't be here," Adrienne whispered, holding her finger out for Malachai to grip.

"The spirits are talking honey and when I listen, they tell me things, like they tell you too. You know what's at stake, and so do I. You've made sacrifices, and so will I, to protect my family. You're angry, mad, frustrated, but if that's the price, then I'm willing to pay," Marie stated with conviction.

"You shouldn't have to."

"But I won't hesitate to do so."

Klaus admired the woman, just as he was incredibly unnerved by her presence. He'd helped her in more ways than one, hell, she was there to help deliver the birth of his son and for that, he couldn't cast her aside, not when his wife was practically pleading with her to stay alive, but then again, his wife and brother-in-law's survival came at the cost her death, and so he would happily let her pay.

"No doubt you've been seeing sightings in your dreams," Marie continued, "nasty sightings."

"People are coming," Adriennne muttered, avoiding her gaze.

Klaus' head snapped towards Marie, "What people?"

"They've got the ancestors stressed, therefore the living get anxious," Marie declared.

Klaus repeated, turning to his wife, "What people?"

"I'll leave that for you to find out." Marie interrupted, "Adrienne out, I need to talk to your husband."

"We need to speak," Adrienne pressed.

"We'll talk later, feed Malachai."

"He doesn't —" Malachai started to tap her chest, cooing up at her, "Well... that was luck," Adrienne murmured, taking him into her arms, and setting the skull on her husband's lap. "Come on baby, don't bite Mama," she whispered, attempting to contain her tears as she left the room.

Klaus goggled at the skull, not necessarily avoiding Marie's penetrative gaze but irked that he felt like a little boy when he was around her.

"You told her about your dreams?" Marie's question dared him to finally look at her.

"How did you —"

"She knows, you know my child, she plays all stupid around you, especially after you ruffling through her mind like a plaything." 

"That was a mistake," Klaus gritted out.

"And you made a lotta mistakes," Marie accused, folding her arms.

"I know."

"I'm leaving her in your care, you're big and you're bad sure, but she's meaner, fiercer and could choose any other man," She took pleasure in the emotions flooding his face, "She's got powers I ain't ever seen before, done things in months that's taken witches year to do. And that little man, you've made, I've dreamt about the things he'll accomplish."

"What did you see?" Klaus was curious, he already imagined an amazing future for his son.

"Great things." Marie didn't explain further.

"Will we win against these great forces of nature, those who claim to want to harm my kin and maim the ones I love?" she could detect fear in his tone.

"I believe you will, in ways," she foretold.

"Witches and their premonitions and prophecies, will they ever end?" Klaus muttered bitterly.

"Even when hell freezes over, visions won't end, and certainly not because of your frustrations."

"Will she forgive me?" Klaus exacerbated.

Marie just stared at him with unreadable eyes, before Adrienne emerged with a happy Malachai in her arms.

The witch Queen felt the tension in the room and all the words left unsaid as she adorned a forced smile and sat down trying to entertain her son who was entranced by the sparks drawing together across her hands and taking the shape of a wolf, that brought a smile to the hybrid's face.

The fiery wolf dropped onto his son's hands, Malachai's two small teeth showed as he beamed, especially when the wolf attempted to howl in his face.

"Your sins are my sins mon chéri," Marie broke the comfortable silence as tears stung her eyes, "If repenting is what I must do then I will do it, the prophecies aint ever scared me before and I will be damned if those forces hurt Malachai or you" and deon, but that went without saying. "I am your mother and it's my job to provide and protect, you got that?"

Adrienne shakily nodded with a sad smile on her face.

"Good."

Klaus sent Marie a grateful look, to which she nodded.

Women were a force to be reckoned with, but unbeknownst to them one was coming that evoked fear from the undead, they would need more than just defences, they would need to morph into something else completely.

─────── •✦• ───────

Friday, December 19th, 1919

"You spoke to Katerina? That is who you met in the depths of the city against my warnings, my experiences —"

"You slaughtered her family because she knew of the ritual and her part in it and decided to escape death," Adrienne abruptly cut Klaus off.

The two had been arguing since they returned from yet another tension-filled council meeting. The moment they arrived, Elijah joined Clementine in the nursery to cater to see his nephew, leaving Adrienne and Klaus to engage in yet another argument, this time because his curiosity and paranoia surged through him.

"By dying... the doppelgänger killed herself, so she failed at escaping death," Klaus said in an obvious tone, drawing an irritating sigh from Adrienne.

"And then you took her family from her, well done, classic you," she threw up her arms.

"I don't think you understand the danger you were in," he snapped, combing his hands through his hair.

"Valerie and Clementine were there, under a cloaking spell," she stressed, sitting at the edge of his bed.

"Oh, I don't doubt that for a second. Your lack of care for your life astounds me, Katerina is not a fool, she very well knew of their part in this whole ordeal, She could have hurt you," he loomed closer, growing more infuriated by her blank face. "She would have hurt you if she did not comprehend the role you play in my life."

"And what role is that? The mother of your child. Your wife, or the woman who plays second fiddle to everyone you've slipped into over nine centuries?" she asked with an innocent expression, fueling his irritation.

"There you go testing my patience yet again," he paced, "Adrienne you and Malachai are my all, and you know very well what I would've done if she touched a hair on your pretty little head so remind me one more time as to why you decided to become a pawn her game."

"Because I was bored of being a pawn in yours," Adrienne argued halfheartedly.

"Adrienne," Klaus seethed, halting in his stride and turning towards her, "Would you please take this seriously."

"Why, because of the prophecy, the other prophecy, or the fact that you decided to question my loyalty because I lied about who I was meeting that night?" he couldn't find the right words to say, much to her amusement. So she stood up,  "Oh so now you're speechless, good, because you need to listen. At that point in my life, I was tricked and treated like the enemy by those who were supposed to do nothing apart from love and protect me and yet was betrayed by not one person, but by three one of whom, stood in front of me!" she hissed, and he shifted in discomfort, "So no, maybe at that point, I cared more about finding out who was out to get me, rather than what clue could lead me to my potential death, but it's quite clear I should've been looking closer to home."

Adrienne's chest heaved as she stared up at Klaus.

They basked in the uncomfortable silence created by the memories that tied them together. Adrienne closed her eyes for a moment, pressing her hands over her temples, as he rubbed the back of his neck, standing like a picture of dejection.

"I understand why you rendezvous with Katerina Petrova, loud and clear. But the next time you dare to put yourself in harm's way I won't hesitate to step in. I would slaughter anyone who posed a threat to you or our son. You can't stop me," Klaus proclaimed, causing her to lower her hands.

"I won't try to," she responded and a ghost of a smile tickled his lips.

Klaus hummed, "Good."

"Grand," clasping her hands together, she manoeuvred around him, "all that chatter has made me hungry, and you're not gonna let your twenty-one-year-old royal wife starve right?"

"I would never," She made a noise of acknowledgement but just before she reached the door, he reached out, "You should know, I've been dreaming of my father."

"Mikael?" she cautiously asked, turning around to see the vacant expression on his face.

"Yes."

"Ever since the prophecy?" he nodded in response, but her questions didn't stop there, "What about Elijah? Rebekah?"

"He's sought out my brothers also, though it seems he doesn't care to torment his favourite child..." Adrienne's face scrunched up at the information, "My mother has taken his place in her dreams."

"The author, the original and the maker will arrive," she quoted the prophecy, dragging the blanket of distress over them. "It makes sense as to why this is happening. But what was happening in yours, what was Mikael doing?"

"It was vague," the words fell from his mouth, "I see his face, menacingly smirking at me, whilst you're screaming my name. He was beating and humiliating me, laughing until a blaze of fire engulfed my sight, and pulled me from the nightmare. I was drenched in sweat when I woke," his hands instinctively played with his wedding ring, catching her attention, "It made me feel weak, so desperate... it was like I was..."

"A child again?" he didn't say anything, but she knew, "You survived something no child should go through, no one should go through."

"I feel so weak I didn't fight back I never did," Klaus murmured, avoiding her gaze.

"You're not weak," she took a step closer.

"I don't feel strong," he confessed, "not in comparison to him."

"You just need to feel powerful," she insisted, gaining his attention. His gaze softened at her tender expression, "And then you'll know what to do. Three steps ahead..." she started.

"...So we're out of reach."

"Exactly," she gave him a small smile, "Please tell me if there are any more dreams."

"I will," he mirrored her expression. "You're right, food would do us justice, but do let Katerina know if you ever see her again, tell her to run faster."

A pronounced sigh escaped her lips, "Klaus –"

"Now for the food, I apprehended your brother's gumbo recipe, I hoped to make it for you and I know our boy isn't satisfied with milk any more," Klaus guided her towards the door.

"You stole it, didn't you?"

"You know me so well."

─────── •✦• ───────

Thursday, December 25th, 1919

Shortly after the uneasy Christmas feast concluded, and the tense-filled bonfire, Klaus took his wife and child to the conservatory, where they could see the snowfall, from the comfort and warmth inside.

Klaus brought them there under the guise of an intimate celebration of Malachai's first Christmas, which was true but considering that Adrienne didn't allow them to honour their one-year wedding anniversary a few months ago, he organized this little picnic, almost mirroring their second date.

So that's where they sat, on a soft blanket on the conservatory floor, shoes off to the side and, food and treats gathered around their son as the harsh yet comforting winter breeze hummed against the windows.

"What do you think Malachai would've wished for if he could write?" She smiled cheerily at their son who nibbled on chopped-up strawberries.

"To be able to stand up without staggering," Klaus joked, remembering all the times they all almost witnessed him trying to walk.

The feeling he felt in his chest was indescribable.

"He'll get there by the end of the month, I know it," she was confident that Malachai would be walking and talking in a matter of days.

They turned to their baby boy who gradually stood up, holding onto Klaus' sides, the look of determination plastered across his face as his legs shook and he crumbled to the floor, with the biggest smile.

"Well done baby," Adrienne cooed. "So close, can you say Mama?"

Malachai began to giggle and tried to sound out Papa instead.

Adrienne quietly groaned and nearly rolled his eyes when Klaus cheered for him and took their son into his arms.

"Well done Malachai," he gently shook him, staring into those beautiful eyes that were so similar to his, "he's advancing."

"He's showing his favouritism."

"Should've written it down as your wish sweetheart."

"You're hilarious," She softly scoffed, "and you're lucky that my witches didn't attack you, I know Clementine wanted to."

"And here I thought she was the sweetest," he playfully rolled his eyes, settling his son on his lap, "Besides, Elijah kept her occupied, Valerie was directing her angst towards Kol and Evania was staring longingly at your brother."

"I know but he's too busy entertaining the wolf Queen at the moment," Adrienne sighed yet continued to smile when Malachai tried taking Klaus' threats from his hands.

"Lana?"

Adrienne's smile faltered.

"Yes Lana, why do you call her that?" She questioned, rolling her shoulders back.

"It's her name, it would be rude if I didn't," Klaus stated, eyes growing even more amused when Malachai started to clap.

Adrienne tilted her head to the side, "When did you care about being rude?"

"Since I want to get in the wolves' good graces, after all, I am a part wolf, as is our child," Klaus boasted, pressing kisses to the top of Malachai's growing golden curls.

Shooting another forced smile at their son, Adrienne snapped her gaze back to Klaus, "I know, I'm just surprised, you never bothered to build bridges with Easton or William," She paused, and dramatically did the sign of the cross, "May God bless his royal soul."

Klaus let out a humourless chuckle, "The new werewolf Queen didn't pierce her teeth into Marcellus, leaving him to manic episodes and dementia."

"No but she's certainly caught your eye," Adrienne muttered and took a bite of the beignet, suppressing a glare when a grin grew on his face.

"My respect yes," he corrected, letting Malachai play with his rings.

Adrienne stiffly nodded and plucked a few grapes from his hands.

"Why does that bother you?" Klaus pressed, loving the way the green-eyed monster grasped her tone.

"Why would it?" Adrienne shrugged, although her heartbeat skipped, which he heard.

"Answering a question with another question, you're not jealous are you?"

"No, why would I be, we're married, yet not together. You can do whatever you want," his smile faded at Adrienne's smug response. "I know Easton does the same thing, dabbles with my close friend Valerie whilst continuing with the marriage facade, I might just do the –"

Malachai whined, subduing part of his father's anger, though worry seeped through him when he saw his small fingers coil into a fist.

"Your taunting seems to have upset our son," the vexed edge of Klaus' tone went ignored when Adrienne leaned closer.

"It's not taunting, Klaus, look at his eyes," She plucked him out of Klaus' hold and showed him.

Their jaws slacked when his cyan eyes flickered and the lights around them sparked.

"They're turning black, bloody hell, they're..." Klaus was speechless, thrilled, overjoyed.

"Turning grey... hey handsome, Malachai, it's okay, don't cry," she gently shook him, cautious of the magic vibrating off of him.

Klaus didn't think his eyes could grow wider.

He softly wiped away the tears pouring from Malachai's face.

"His magic, I can feel it, just like I can feel yours." he'll do great things, Marie's words weren't faint on him. He took his son into his arms and let him play with his necklaces, hoping it would work.

"Handsome look," Malachai whimpered, trying to block out the noises and focus on his mother's gentle voice. "Look at me, it's all okay, Papa is here and look what Mama's doing,"

Malachai's eyes faded to their natural cyan entranced by the sparks drawing together across his mothers and taking the shape of a wolf.

"A bigger wolf Ri — Adrienne," Klaus hastily corrected himself.

Her hands encircled the sparks, morphing the wolf into an alpha, a noir-coloured one, who's eyes beamed crimson red.

"Good girl," he quietly praised, to which she tried to ignore and suppress a smile. "Look at the big wolf, that's an alpha, the largest and strongest wolf within a pack," he told his son who was calming down. "Similar to the wolf Fenrir, where you get your other name-sake from."

Malachai's head finally rested against his father's chest as his eyes blinked slowly watching the wolf howl loudly in his face putting a smile on the hybrids.

"Do you think this is what he's been doing all this time?" Klaus asked softly, noting the yawns their son let out. Time for another nap.

"Elijah's said milk bottles have spilt," Adrienne said whilst nodding.

"Rebekah mentioned that he has been more cranky," Klaus didn't know what to make of that.

"Marcel too, it could be related, I never liked attention when I was younger and we know they love to shower him with it."

"The lights went out a few weeks ago, that was our son wasn't it?" Klaus tried to contain his excitement, "All that power."

"My god, the older he gets the more out of control it'll get," Although she was happy about how early he triggered his magic -- no doubt he was doing it from the womb -- she was scared for him.

"Magic can be tracked Adrienne," reality started to seep into his mind, but his pride didn't fade, "do you someone could..."

"Yes, they could track him but the good thing is it's sporadic, I'll create some sort of blocker for him to wear always," Adrienne leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his head, "Mama and Papa promised to protect you, and that's what we'll do."

Klaus chuckled, thinking of all the things his son must've been getting up to when no one was looking. Mikaelson trickster. My son, my brilliant son... who was now dribbling on his own attire.

So Klaus hastily used his handkerchief to wipe all the food and spit from his face.

"You know If I turn, or transition into an immortal witch, the first immortal grey witch, no one could lay a hand on him," Adrienne settled back onto the floor, content that Malachai was now falling asleep.

"Immortal parents, to a tribrid," Klaus was elated by the prospect, but the deliberating expression on Adrienne's face made him ask,  "But do you want to be immortal? Not be able to die, give up the chance of possibly having more children?"

Adrienne raised a brow at his last question, making his face heat up.

"I know the price of being immortal, I know what I'm sacrificing, but I know what I'm gaining, the power I would wield, it's like I would be siphoning my own along with it," she said, "I harbour a lot already, you know that. It's like I would be unstoppable," power-wise of course.

"Not like, you will be unstoppable," just like me, that went without saying. Malachai's steady breathing informed him that he was asleep. "But you need to know what it's truly like. It's lonely, gruelling, tiring and that's only on easy days Adrienne, being plagued by your worst memories when you close your eyes, that only cease momentarily when the right person is near you."

She glanced away at his confession.

"There will be days where silence is your closest ally and also your greatest torment and I cannot promise you that you won't contemplate ending it all," he whispered towards the end, worried that his words would somehow reach his son's dreamless state. Adrienne turned back to him, startled, "Your magic is eminent enough to prevent your mind from consuming you, that I know, that I am sure of, but sweetheart, you've barely lived, how are you sure that this is what you want? Your friends...sisters... they'll fade like a precious memory."

"I know I'll outlive them all, and as much as it pains me to say such things, I'll do it. For our son."

The conviction in her voice was one thing, but the pain in her eyes was another.

Klaus merely nodded, thinking of the right words to say, but she beat him to it.

"I've talked to my witches about it all, even Deon when he bothers to talk back and they didn't say much, other than it's what a good mother would do and an even greater witch Queen should do."

"I cannot disagree with them on that."

Adrienne forced out a smile.

"And for what it's worth, it would be a pleasure to see your eternal beauty forever."

Adrienne bashfully nodded, trying to ignore the fierce heat kissing her cheeks, "You did say you would wait for me to forgive you."

"However long it takes," he didn't hesitate to say and usually she looked as if she didn't believe him, but now, he seemed to be getting through. "Raising a tribrid won't be easy."

"Nothing in our families is," she responded, eyes flitting over his face but never landing as she stumbled over her next words, "If I wasn't considering it if it wasn't on the table, what would you have done?"

"What do you mean?"

"I would grow old because I am mortal," she went on, and all of a sudden he stiffened.

"Are you suggesting that I would've turned you?" He accused, more hurt than angry.

"No. Not that, I just wanted to know what you would've done," she asked softly.

She couldn't imagine him waiting and watching her grow old and eventually die even if she slowed down her aging. Not that she thought he was incredibly vain, (which he was) but she didn't think he would allow that to happen.

Klaus roughly swallowed the knot tightening in his throat and started to think.

He glanced from Adrienne to their sleeping son and all the food decorated around them in wonder. 

He started, "I wouldn't know. I know that when I was courting you, it was in the back of my mind, always. The thought of not being with you was crippling, so I don't know what I would've done."

"Oh," she surprisingly accepted that answer.

For a few minutes, they stared at their son, watching his chest rise and fall at a moderate pace. Loving the sounds and the faces he made even in an unconscious state. He appeared to resemble Klaus more, but during the daytime when he was focusing on whatever blocks he wanted to build or sculptures he fixated on he looked like Adrienne. His belly was bigger, chubbier, matching the rolls on his arms and his hair grew more unruly as the days passed.

He was everything.

Adrienne suddenly spoke up, "You should know, I won't be dead... meaning If I feel like having more children, that is still on at the table."

"Oh, that's good, great even." A crooked smile kissed his lips.

She quickly added, "If I still want them."

"That too."

Adrienne senselessly began to play with her wedding band, drawing his gaze, "Marie informed me that Malachai's powers can be influenced by mine," she explained further, "I stopped practising magic together when I was pregnant with him, scared that I would somehow hurt him or tap into his powers which I didn't, so when I blocked myself, his still continued to thrive even now. But when his moods mirror mine, his magic can spiral, like it did before. If I become immortal, my magic won't stop, it will just grow."

"So you haven't peaked?" He paused, "You won't peak?"

"No, I won't, but it will be its most powerful during full moons because —"

"We conceived him on a full moon," a blush coated his cheek at the memorable night.

Adrienne cleared her throat, "Right, and I was born on a blood moon."

"Fantastic."

"I guess it is," Adrienne awkwardly agreed.

"Adrienne," he forced his hands to stay wrapped around his son. "You won't be alone, I won't ever leave you."

Adrienne desperately didn't want to believe any more one of his promises but this was simply too much and so she nodded in acknowledgement.

"Come on," she rose from the ground, keeping her gaze on him, "let's put him to bed, I know Val would love to see him but I would hate for him to wake again."

"You do realise, the best way to ensure he remains in a dreamless state is for you to sleep beside me?" His tone was far from jovial yet his smile told her otherwise, "or better yet a shirt of mine on your person also reminds him of my presence, I'm speaking from observation of course."

"Creep," she muttered as he stood on his feet, readjusting his hold on their baby.

"I'm a creep for monitoring our son?" He teased.

"Don't insult my intelligence by asking that, You know exactly why I'm calling you a creep and our son has nothing to do with it."

"Whatever you say, my beautiful wife, let's hope none of these fools dare to wake up our precious heir."

"Or as Valerie calls him, the devil spawn," she countered, subconsciously hoping they'd return to the beautiful room.

"And what does Hadeon call him, oh yes, the antichrist?"

Adrienne withheld a smile, "No, not anymore, not since he believes when Malachai grows up, he will have the ability to beat him."

"Oh, at least he has his smarts or part of them," They inched closer together as he spoke.

Feeling the warmth coming off of her, Klaus subtly inhaled, all while she focused on Malachai.

She kissed his head, muttering a few heartfelt phrases in her mother tongue, then looked up at him, shocking him with her anxious expression.

"I wasn't honest with you..." she paused, cautious about his reaction, "you confessed something before, about your dreams. I should've told you, something as well."

"Go on."

"It's happening again," Her words had the hairs on the back of his neck standing to attention.

"What is?"

"The dreams, I'm not dreaming of a black cat like the last time, no, we're all going up in flames."

And that's when Klaus' face dropped.

─────── •✦• ───────

Friday, December 26th, 1919

KILLER OF MONTERAY STRIKES AGAIN!

Beware all! Village of immigrants wiped out. The killer remains at large.

"You stare at me as if I did it," Kol slammed the paper back onto Klaus' desk.

"I know full well it wasn't you, I'm not a dullard, the papers have been raving about this... ripper for quite some time now, If it was you I would know," Klaus rolled his eyes and leaned back in his chair.

"Would you, it's clear to me that you don't know everything Niklaus, many things do not meet your eye or the entire globe would be under your thumb," A wry smile grew on Kol's lips.

"Careful brother, that sounds like a challenge," Klaus cocked his head to the side, "You wouldn't want my ear too close to the ground or I would track down your precious Melinda Park," his eyes grew dark at the mention of the sly witch, "she left town shortly after conspiring with my beautiful wife. Your lover is still at large and believes to be safe."

"Enny... Adrienne would never forgive you."

"How can you be so sure? She may not act like a doting wife, yet she stares at me like she remembers what we had, which is what you clearly loathe. But of course, I'm walking on thin ice, so I'm keeping my vengeful habits to a minimum, for now," Klaus shrugged innocently, tapping his fingers along the desk.

"What is the point of you telling me all of this, you being here, come to bite me again? No that's not it, I wouldn't be breathing steadily if you were," theories raced through Kol's mind.

Klaus shot him a droll look, "I could be waiting."

"You're not nearly as unpredictable as you seem Niklaus, that's more mine or Elijah's territory," Kol wished to capture the offended look on his brother's face, "What do you want?"

"Peace."

Kol laughed.

"What?" Klaus appeared to be serious.

Kol squinted, "You want peace?"

"What I want is for my youngest son to grow up dissimilar to us, surrounded by love and parents that would protect and love him no matter what, but because of who and what he is, it's proven to be quite an impossible task when regarding those who threaten his life," Klaus tone grew darker towards the end as he stood from his chair and leaned over to stare in deeply into his brother's eyes.

"Peace is not possible Niklaus, not for us."

"Which is why I'm proposing a compromise," Kol allowed him to continue, though his brow was raised questionably. "I won't bite you, nor will I threaten to harm you for what you did to me, your many conspiracies and plots against my life, and your biggest crime, hurting the woman I love."

"We both hurt a woman we love, Niklaus, therefore the crime is unmistakably shared between the two of us," Kol argued, beginning to grow more frustrated.

"Compromise," Klaus repeated, paying no mind to the words spoken.

Kol took a step back, "Or what, A dagger lands in my heart?"

A bitter sigh escaped Klaus' lips, "As you are fully aware I am not in possession of my daggers and even if I was, that form of punishment is far too childish for your indiscretions. Tormenting you this past year has barely scratched the surface of what I had in store for you but for now, I'm issuing a compromise, brother to brother, one family outcast to another."

Kol deliberated, eyeing his brother, practically staring him down with the extra two inches he had over the hybrid. Compromise, where's that ever gotten me? It sounded more like a trick, a ploy of his own to Kol. It didn't make sense and at the same time, it did. There's little sand in this hourglass, and there were enemies at every corner and only a matter of time before the prophecies came to fruition.

Klaus stalked around the desk with a wicked smile, "Come on take a chance Kol, it's the nicest thing you'll ever receive from me."

"I don't doubt that Niklaus, after all, it was you who played with my life even before we were forced to bear this curse for nine centuries. It was you who betrayed me. It was you who committed the original sin," Kol finally snapped, stopping his brother in his tracks.

"Solana," Klaus rolled his shoulders back, as if speaking her name brought him discomfort.

"Yes Solana," Kol gritted out, "We cannot talk about compromise and indiscretions without considering my motive."

"It was a mistake," Klaus said halfheartedly, rounding the table.

Kol coiled his fingers into his palm, "You cannot claim your actions to be a mistake when they were thought out and calculated. You used her to hurt me and then hurt her as collateral."

Klaus tutted, "The same format you used in going after Adrienne."

Kol's heart pounded in his ears, "At least with Adrienne I cared for and love. What was Solana to you but a friend who chose to prioritise another and therefore you decided to ruin my life."

"I did not want to ruin your life," Klaus proclaimed tiredly.

"Then why did you? You may not owe me many things in this lifetime or the next Niklaus but you owe me this, an explanation and an apology."

Kol almost sounded desperate. Pleading for something he never understood and here laid his brother, taunting and denying him of something he could give so easily.

Klaus confessed, averting his gaze, "Fine, I'm sorry is that what you want to hear? She began to neglect our friendship, something I held dear. Yes, I was entertaining and enjoying Tatia but Solana was supposed to be my constant, my safe space and you took her from me."

"You used her as a crutch, a backup whenever that wench doppelgänger ignored you for Elijah, and when I decided to show her something more you hated it. You loathed me and decided that her heart was worth sacrificing," The pain clutched at Kol's chest and when he heard no response, he screamed, "Admit it!"

"Yes, I decided to plot against the pair of you despite all the facts, that you were in love, that you were engaged to be married and I couldn't stand it, she did not pay attention to me, you were what occupied her mind and I couldn't stand it! Is that what you want to hear Kol?"

For a moment there was silence.

Kol tried to blink back the hurt-filled tears pooling in his eyes, but memories were scratching away at his mind, reminding him of all he lost, thing things he knew to cherish and those he was just starting to experience.

He jabbed a finger in the hybrid's direction, "Your fear of abandonment cost me everything."

Klaus never heard his tone of voice sound so vulnerable, broken, so un-kol-like.

"My decision was because of my self-preservation," he argued, almost flinching at the rage washing over his brother's face.

"And look where that got us? Undead and alone, always and forever, that is the Mikaelson way."

"But it doesn't have to be," Kol scoffed at Klaus' promising tone.

"You speak as if you did not land me in this state. You claimed to be playing god all because you could, so when I returned the favour you acted as if my actions were dissimilar," Kol forced himself to turn away in fear his brother would see him breaking down.

"I did not plot to have you killed."

Kol swivelled on his feet, having enough of the lies, "You believed your own delusions, Niklaus, you truly do. I speak out of turn and I get daggered. I act without getting your permission, I am silenced for a century. I dare to think differently to you and I cannot see the light until the ages have changed and you believe you are not like father."

Klaus couldn't believe it, "I am nothing like him!"

"Funny, I fear him just like I fear you."

Klaus recoiled at his words, "You do not. You are my brother."

"And yet you cannot recognise my ploys and plots come from a place of hurt and desperation," Kol angrily rebutted, taking a step closer.

Klaus senselessly took a step back, "You want to hurt me like I hurt you, I know but you cannot as I am a father and a husband."

"Things I would've been if you just kept your nose out of my business, but you sniffed around like the bloodhound you are and took away what I loved. Henrik would be ashamed if he could see you now."

Klaus flashed in front of him, shaking with fury, "Do not speak of him!"

Kol did not back down, "Why? Did you know it was him who was by my side when Solana did not want to see me, that it was him who advised me to write to her until my fingers bled and my head grew tired of attempting to send the letters with magic?" He watched as Klaus attempted to argue but failed, too stunned by the realisation. "No, because you don't care about me, you never did. A bloody thirteen-year-old brought me more comfort than you ever could. You think you can monopolize grief in regards to his death but you cannot. He was not just my brother he was my friend."

Klaus' face scrunched up, "You speak as if you blame me for his death. But you're too late as I blame myself. I have since that day and I carry that burden with me."

"Yet you cannot attempt to apologize for burdening me," Kol cried out, earning a sigh.

"Kol..."

"If you want to compromise, then give me what I want and I'll do the same. No more ploys, plans or plots. Just protection and loyalty for not just Malachai but for each other." He rushed out, "Is telling me what I need to hear so hard?"

"Kol..."

"Bloody hell, it is isn't it?"

Klaus groaned in frustration, "If you would let me finish, I'll give you want. Nine hundred years overdue if you just listen."

"Always on your terms," Kol threw his hands up in exhaustion, "Fine, I'll listen."

"Adrienne is not in love with you Kol. Nor will she ever be," the words battered and bruised Kol, and yet Klaus did not relent,  "And you can try and argue with me all you want but she did not lead you on, that I know. I should've known she did not want anyone but me," just as Kol went to leave, Klaus exclaimed, "I'm telling you this to spare further heartbreak. She's the mother of the youngest, wife and woman who owns my heart in every way. You need to accept that."

"I do accept it," Kol snarled, clenching his fist, but his heartbeat did not agree with his rebuttal, which they both were aware of.

"Good, because before it seemed as if you could not comprehend that," Klaus couldn't help but play with his brother, "but I'm glad you do now." So when stepping forward, a sinister look almost overtook his expression, "It appears a compromise is on the rise."

The brothers, though riddled with frustration and ire, shook hands and agreed that they were at peace within the family. But for how long I was not sure.

"I need my family by my side," Klaus spoke as soon as they dropped hands.

"Has it occurred to you that not all members are present?" Kol asked, using frustration as a guise for his defeat.

Klaus scoffed, "As if you want Finn undaggered, you believe he was a bore more than I did."

"He's still family is he not?"

Before Klaus could respond, A soft knock at the door pulled them apart.

"Come in," Adrienne stepped in, holding a giggling Malachai, "Adrienne, hello."

Klaus straightened himself up instantly, smiling at the day of light hitting her, my Adrienne. The sounds of his son's laughter momentarily settled his vexation.

"Hello Klaus," she greeted her awkwardly standing husband then turned to the silent Mikaelson, "Kol."

"Hello," Kol couldn't bring himself to stare for too long, fearing he wouldn't look away.

"Malachai has lost his skull that Marie gifted him and he wanted to play with it before his nap," she informed, shutting the door behind her.

"Did he tell you that?" Kol couldn't help but tease, staring at his nephew who stared back, all while Klaus searched for his son's toy.

"He allows me into his mind when he's not tired," she blurted then went on to explain. "Not that I ever tried, it just happens sometimes."

Kol's elated gaze snapped up to her, "So activated his magic, and he's not even a year old?"

"Exactly."

"Here —"Just as Klaus went to pass the skull over, it fell from his hands and rolled onto the floor, drawing a loud whine from his son, who wanted to tug out of his mother's grip. "Little Fenrir, it's alright, it's not broken," but his calm tone did nothing but further agitate his son, so Adrienne placed him on the ground, to let him try and crawl over to it, "Malachai..."

Three sets of eyes doubled in size when he found his footing, wobbling but determined as he leaned against his mother's legs and took a step.

Klaus' jaw plummeted, "Oh my —"

"Hush," Adrienne cut him off as Malachai took his second step.

Tears were in his parent's eyes, not that he noticed, all he could focus on was his skull, which he needed at this very moment in time and his teddy bear wouldn't suffice.

Kol cracked a smile at the baby who toddled over to the (in his opinion) creepy object, babbling in excitement when he made it.

"He walked," Adrienne's glee was muffled by her hand, and neither she nor Klaus could believe it.

"He walked," Klaus repeated, in equal amounts of awe. He didn't bother to wipe away the tear trickling down his cheek.

And despite all the animosity in the air, Kol shared their pride and said,

"He walked."

└─────── •✦• ───────┘

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a/n:

due to erebus' neglect, i hope it's clear why adrienne's reaction to his death wasn't that serious. if their relationship was close or even on speaking terms it would've been different and she wouldn't even care to see marie. now that adrienne is losing someone else, someone who cared for her like a mother, it makes everything worse. everyone knows that the sacrifices need to be done now that adrienne and hadeon must become immortal to go against the forces that are barreling towards them.

klaus and adrienne's moments are becoming more tender and soft, between him informing her that he'll always be there, and making him aware of the dangers of living forever and her potentially sleeping in the same bed as him, and just being closer because of malachai... it's so cute but I'm reminding myself that he shouldn't be forgiven too quickly, not at all. but don't worry, we're getting there (laughs quietly).

everyone's on edge. deon is sad again, kol is mad and desperate, bekah is acting strange and now that the official prophecy is out, what do you think might happen?