𝐊𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐦, 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟐

Juniper woke well before dawn. As usual, her first conscious thought was of parem, and as usual, she had no appetite. The ache for the drug had nearly driven her mad last night.

Trying to use her power when getting a free flight back to Ketterdam had left her desperate for parem, and she'd spent the long hours tossing and turning, digging bloody half-moons into her palms.

She felt wretched this morning, and yet a sense of purpose made it easier to rise from her bed. The need for parem had dimmed something in her, and sometimes Juniper was afraid that whatever spark had gone out would never return.

But today, though her bones hurt and her skin felt dry and her mouth tasted like an oven that needed cleaning, she felt hopeful.

Even as Jesper held her hair back, careful as to not touch her skin as she vomited everything that was in her stomach, a spark of hope was still lighting itself in her heart.

The pair sat on her bathroom floor, the cool tiles pressing against their skin as they stared at opposite sides of the wall. "I'm gonna miss you," He spoke quietly.

Her eyes didn't meet his. "I'm gonna miss you, too, Jes."

He grinned, "I thought nicknames were for losers?"

She looked up at him. "Speak about this to anyone and I'll cut off your finger... Jes."

His smile didn't falter, instead, it only grew. "I knew you liked me. It was only a matter of time until you admitted it."

Juniper rolled her eyes but even so, he noticed the way her lip twitched upwards in the slightest.

"Are you really sure we can't visit you? I can use my excellent skills in fashion and disguise us as pigeons?"

She shook her head though the small smile never left her lips. "You can't go anywhere near Hellgate, Jesper. It's too dangerous. They know your face. They know Inej's face. Even Matthias'. It's too much of a risk for you to be there."

Jesper nodded slowly. She could tell he didn't like the answer she gave him. Her boot-covered toe nudged his. "We'll find a way. I know we will."

She had one day left. One last day of freedom until god knows when.

"I'm sorry we couldn't get him back. I know you wanted to see him before you went back."

Juniper shrugged. "What're a few more years? It's nothing I haven't dealt with before."

A knock sounded from the door and Jesper quietly let them in. Matthias and Inej joined them on the floor, Matthias next to Juniper, a safe foot away while Inej sat close to Jesper.

They sat in comfortable silence, basking in the time they had left with their boss. No, not their boss. Their sister.

Matthias' fingers inched towards hers, just barely touching her as Inej and Jesper's feet nudged against her boots. Just enough touch not to bring back the harsh water but enough to tell her she was not alone.

Not yet at least.

𝐌𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐅𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬, 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟐

It had been a month. The Crows were getting antsy without their boss giving them direction. Sure, Inej had kept them stable and with bountiful monthly earnings but Juniper was... Juniper was one of a kind.

In Mystic Falls, it was easier to say what hadn't happened. Klaus had infiltrated the infested town and brought nothing but blood and gore. Juniper would be proud if she weren't so pissed at him.

But, after a month of long, tiresome work, he had broken his curse and turned his first successful hybrid. And of course, the Crows were the first to know.

Not from the man himself, though. After Juniper was taken back to Hellgate, they took matters into their own hands and kept watch on the newly turned hybrid.

There was a dinner the now undaggered Elijah was hosting. Inej was posted on the rooftop, watching through one of the skylights as Jesper stood at the backdoor, guns in hand. Then there was Matthias, the burly Fjerdan who you couldn't hide with the most bountiful amount of objects. He stood behind the treeline.

Inej glanced down the roof and nodded a Jesper before signalling to Matthias that the Salvatores had arrived.

"Niklaus. Our guests have arrived," They all heard the suited Original speak from the house.

The Crows were slightly on edge. They no longer had Juniper to slow their hearts to a pace where no one, not even the supernatural, could hear them.

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

As they sat at a dining table, Elijah spoke up again. "It's better to indulge him."

"I didn't come here to eat, Klaus. Fact, I didn't want to come here at all. But I was told I had to cause you would hear us out," Stefan grumbled. Inej sighed, he had become very annoying ever since his humanity turned off.

"Well, we can sit and eat or I can reach down your throats and pull out your insides. The choice is yours." Klaus's threat seemed to get to him and Stefan immediately shut up.

The hybrid glanced at Stefan again. "You lost your appetite."

Damon looked at his brother. "Eat. I thought we agreed that we would leave the grumpy Stefan at home." The young vampire rolled his eyes before he picked up his knife and fork.

"That's the spirit. Isn't it nice? Four of us dining together? Such a treat. Is this what you had in mind when you pulled the dagger from my brother?"

"Well, I know how he felt about you, so I figured the more, the merrier," Damon told him before winking at Elijah.

"Well, Elijah and I have had our share of quarrels over the century. But we always make it through."

"Kind of like you and Rebekah, right? Where is she, by the way? Last I checked she was still daggered because you were afraid to face her."

"If you're referring to the fact that Rebekah knows I killed our mother, I've already come clean to Elijah."

Damon's eyes met Stefan's. "Hey, Stef, remember when you killed dad? Might want to dial down the judgment until dessert."

"We're here to make a deal, Damon. Doesn't mean we need to kiss his ass for seven courses."

"I'm just saying we have a long evening ahead of us. Pace yourself."

Elijah pursed his lips as he clasped his hands together. "Stefan. Where is the lovely Elena tonight?"

"I don't know. Ask Damon."

The Crows held back their laughs but Klaus audibly chuckled. "I'm sorry, you've missed so much. Ah, trouble in paradise."

Stefan glared at him. "One more word about Elena and this dinner's over."

Inej glanced back down at Jesper and Matthias. If they kept going on like this, they were going to be here all night.

Matthias held a similar look in his eyes. He was already tired of the hybrid's voice. Actually, he was tired of all their voices but if it meant getting his best friend back, he would listen to these morons fight like children for a couple more hours.

They turned back into the conversation and heard Elijah speaking. "Harsh words were traded, we even came to blows, didn't we, brother?"

Jesper silently thanked himself that he wasn't listening. It sounded as though they were speaking of their past and that was one of the last things Jesper wanted to hear. He would much rather hear the sounds of his bullets leaving his gun as he shot their skulls.

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

"Family above all." They raised their glasses and Klaus repeated the statement. The Crows eyes met once more and they all shared a look of pure annoyance. 'Family above all', what a load of bullshit.

Inej glanced down as she watched Damon's phone light up. "Getting closer. Need more time." His phone read. The Wraith signed the words down to Jesper and Matthias, sending them both the message.

"So, why don't we move this evening along and discuss the terms of this proposal?"

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

"The deal sounds fair, brother."

Klaus stood up. "I don't think you understand. Elena's doppelgänger blood ensures that I will always have more hybrids to fight those that oppose me. I will never leave her behind." He paced slightly. "Let's say I do leave her here, under your protection, what then? How long before one of you turns her into a vampire? Or worse, how long before she dies caught between your feuding? You see, each one of you truly believes that you're the one that can protect her, and that is simply a delusion. Gentlemen, the worst thing for Elena Gilbert is...the two of you."

Damon weakly smiled. "I'm gonna get some air." Elijah went to follow him. "Let me deal with this."

Jesper moved further behind the wall as he watched them open a few coffins in a separate room before pulling out three daggers. He glanced up at Inej and signed, "Daggers are out," Before doing the same to Matthias.

Another thing Juniper insisted they learn only months after they all first met. She knew speaking aloud wasn't always the most reliable and told them that if they wanted to be Crows, they must know sign language.

They were silently thanking her for it now. Matthias stood behind a large tree, his jacket blending in with the wood as he remembered going over the movements of his fingers with Juniper a year after they met.

"No, no. That's all wrong," Juniper muttered.

The Fjerdan frowned as he placed his hands on the table. "What did I say?"

She chuckled softly. "You said you wanted to sleep with me." He blushed brightly. "I- I don't want to do that. I meant to say I wanted to kill you."

The Heartrender grinned, "Sure, you did."

When the two vampires re-entered, Damon spoke, "What do you say, Klaus? It's time for you to put something on the table. We've made our offer, now you counter."

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

"Matt Donovan? Really?" Damon scoffed.

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

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

"Consider it a small return on my investment in her well-being. See, after you hand me back the coffin, I'll ensure her safety for the rest of her natural life. You know it's what's best for her." He stood up and moved towards the young vampire. "So, what do you say, Stefan, hmm? Do we have a deal?"

Stefan stood from his seated position and grabbed his hand, ignoring Damon's confused stares.

"Nice try, Klaus. But no deal."

In a matter of seconds, Klaus broke Stefan's arm along with his legs before he pushed his arm inside the fire. Across the room, Elijah held Damon against a wall.

"Stop!" Damon shouted.

Klaus looked back at him. "Now, bring me my coffin before I burn him alive."

"I'll get it."

"Go with him, brother. You keep him honest. And when you return, I will make good on my promise to you and I will hand over our family."

Jesper watched as they walked back into the separate room. He peered through the window and watched as Rebekah and a man who he didn't recognize exited their coffins. He glanced at Inej and Matthias and held up two fingers.

Matthias glanced at him curiously as he signed, "Him?"

He shook his head before looking back through the window. A few minutes passed and then he saw a new head of hair appear. It was tousled from years of sleeping in a coffin but he could easily recognize it.

His eyes moved to Rebekah and the new man, seeing them both distracted, before he tapped on the window with the tip of his gun.

Kol glanced back, his eyes searching for the source of the noise only to see a gun wave slightly against the glass. His lip twitched. She was here.

After a few minutes of re-adjusting and more than a few blood bags, Elijah and Damon re-entered the dining room with a servant who held a tray covered by a cloth in her arms.

"Elijah...why haven't you left?" Klaus asked.

"Where are your manners, brother? We forgot dessert." Elijah then pulled off the cloth revealing the silver daggers to his brother.

"What have you done?" The hybrid seethed.

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

Kol walked into the room, his eyes quickly looking for her before meeting his brothers.

"Kol."

"Long time, brother." Klaus went to back away only for Finn to grab him before he stabbed a dagger into Klaus's hand. "Finn, don't!"

He rushed away only for Rebekah to grab him. "Rebekah!" Another dagger stabbed into him. "This is for our mother."

Elijah glanced back at the two Salvatores. "You're free to go. This is family business."

Matthias glanced back at Inej and Jesper. "Now?" He signed only for Inej to shake her head. "Not yet."

"I like what you've done with the new place, Nik," Rebekah spoke as she grabbed a vase and threw it across the room.

"I wanted it to be for all of us. A place we could all call home. A place we could all be a family. None of us would ever have to be alone again."

Kol glared at him.

"Well you're right, none of us will be."

"You're staying behind."

"We're leaving you, Nik. Right after I kill that doppelganger wench, then you will be alone. Always and forever."

Klaus grunted. "If you run, I will hunt all of you down."

"Then you'll become everything you hate. Our father."

"I'm the hybrid! I can't be killed! I have nothing to fear from any of you."

"You will when we have that coffin... Or Juniper. I'm sure she'd love another go."

A door opened behind them and before Kol could ask what Elijah meant, a woman walked inside. Rebekah gasped. "Mother?"

The Crows silently glanced at each other. Now, they weren't sure when to enter. It was actually getting entertaining for Inej.

Esther walked towards the kneeling hybrid. "Look at me! Do you know why I'm here?"

Klaus's eyes filled with tears. "You're here to kill me."

"Niklaus, you are my son and I am here to forgive you. I want us to be a family again."

Inej looked back at the Crows before nodding. Now was the time. She slipped in through the skylight as Jesper broke in through the window Kol had opened. He held it open for Matthias before he slowly closed it.

They joined Inej at the closed doorway. "Ready?" He signed.

They both nodded and then they opened the door. Jesper held up his guns, Inej wielding her knives while Matthias glared daggers at the vampires.

He didn't have any weapons on him, not that he needed to, his muscles were more than enough. He could probably whip off his shirt and distract them with his abs, or at least, that's what Juniper told him.

Shit, Klaus probably thought to himself. That's what it looked like he was thinking to Inej. Rebekah glanced at the group and suddenly shrunk back.

Elijah's eyes, however, searched the group trying to find someone, just as Kol's eyes did. When they didn't find what they were looking for, they frowned.

"Where is she?" Kol immediately asked, not caring how rude it sounded. Normally, he would speak kindly to the Crows but when it came to Juniper, he would do anything.

Jesper glanced at Inej and Matthias before he spoke, "She's not here."

"Where is she then?"

Jesper glanced back at them before nudging Inej. "You tell him. I don't feel like getting murdered today."

Inej rolled her eyes before mustering up the kindest expression she could as she looked at Kol. "Juniper is in Terrenjel."

"Terrenjel? Isn't that where the..." His words trailed off. "Is she...?"

The Crows all nodded silently.

"What's in Terrenjel?" Rebekah asked, speaking for the first time since the Crows entered.

"Hellgate prison," Elijah answered.

— — —

After changing into clean clothes that didn't smell like death, Kol joined the Crows once more, Elijah by his side. After seeing Juniper the way she was during their last meeting, he felt as though he owed it to help her.

"Why did she get arrested in the first place? She's always careful."

"We don't know all the details. Only the little amount she has told us. But they didn't arrest her at first. They took her into a holding cell. They wanted to see her Grisha science and see if they could... use it to their advantage."

Kol's eyes darkened. "And?"

"And they did. And then she killed them all. As she was picking the lock, more guards showed up, saw the bodies and then she was arrested for real."

He breathed out, holding his jaw in his hand. "How long?"

"Little over a year," Matthias answered, not liking the way the words rolled off his tongue.

"She's been in there for a year? Why haven't you broken her out yet?"

"She told us not to," Inej answered. "She didn't want us to get arrested, too."

He didn't get angry. He knew it wasn't their fault. They would follow whatever Juniper told them. If she said duck, they ducked, though that was usually because she was going to punch someone behind them.

"I found this in her desk," Inej spoke again, holding up a file. Kol grabbed it and opened it. "What is this?"

"Plans for an escape. She must have made them on her bail. I only got into her safe last week because I remembered something she had told me. The numbers were practically plastered all around her office without anyone even knowing."

27. 1. 1781. 1. 12. 1783 were the numbers she had found. They were scrambled but when she realized what they meant, she quickly knew the order. It was her brothers' birth dates.

"She wanted you to make the decision," Inej spoke again.

"Decision of what?"

"Whether we do a job that will most likely get us all killed or sit around and do nothing."

The Crows silently prayed to the saints that he would choose the former.

Kol nodded. "I guess we're going to Hellgate then. What do we need?"

"Batteries and a paperclip."

"And salt. But she already has that. So..."

The two Mikaelsons stared at them. "You plan to break into Hellgate with a couple of batteries and a paperclip?"

"No, that's how Juniper is going to break out. It's all in the packet. I thought you could speed read?"

Kol rolled his eyes at Jesper's words the act earning a chuckle from the boy.