Falling in love was no easy feat, nor was falling in love with a Mikaelson who, at first, planned to kill you. Juniper knew it would be hard from the very beginning, from the first time she laid eyes on him in that overly crowded tavern. From the way his lips curved into a boyish smile and the way his fluffy hair swooped over his forehead messily as if he had run his fingers through it many times before.

When he spoke, ordering her a glass of cider, speaking his name with such confidence it almost pissed her off. Knowing him had been an anomaly. Kol Mikaelson was not supposed to happen. Juniper Zenik was never meant to meet him, Juniper Rietveld was, however.

Juniper Zenik was a monster with bloodied hands. She was angry and wanted only one thing: revenge. But Juniper Rietveld, she wanted something, too: love.

The two sides co-existed for a long time, the former pushing the latter to the bottom of her heart, keeping it locked away for safekeeping. And it stayed like that for a while, until she met him and his stupid lopsided smile.

She learned everything about him, the way his laugh sometimes silenced itself if he thought he was being too loud, the way his head tipped downwards as he smiled, the way he fiddled with his hands behind his back when he was nervous, the way he hated chocolate cake with chocolate icing and could only eat a mix of vanilla and chocolate without being repulsed.

She saw the way he cowered when in the same room as his siblings, fear setting in his heart whenever he heard a quiet clinking sound that resembled a dagger. Juniper knew that he put things off to the last minute, the act leading to him being filled with stress, though he never stopped doing it.

She knew him inside and out. Every quirk. Every thought. Every stresser. Everything you could imagine, she knew.

And that is why it hurt so much when she felt his heart stop beneath her hand as she cried into his chest, his blood coating her skin.

Two Weeks Before

"It's simple, I promise," Juniper spoke, her hands held firmly in Kol's as he stared down at her with worry. "You haven't been on a heist in over a year, darling. Are you sure you are prepared?" He paused, watching as she opened her mouth before cutting her off, "And no, I do not mean weapon wise."

The Heartrender grinned, her thumbs rubbing along his skin comfortingly as she stared into his soft brown eyes. "I will be fine. Matthias will be by my side for most of it and no one can get past him."

"Why can't he and Inej take care of it? Or even Jesper. I'm sure he could find a way in– he could just shoot the lock."

She chuckled softly, "And inform the entire guard of his location? That won't end well, baby."

"Then why don't you just teach them or something?"

"It would take months for even Jesper to figure it out. I'm the only one who can do it, Kol."

He groaned, his head tilting back, "Why do you have to be the only one? You are constantly putting your life at risk. Your human life that can stop at any time."

Juniper's hands left his and moved to his jaw, softly holding it as she moved his head so that he was staring down at her once more. "Because it's fun. And because I'm awfully good at it."

His nose nudged hers, lips ghosting over hers. "Just be safe?" he asked, his voice soft, breath fanning over her skin.

"Always. In and out."

"In and out."

— — —

It was not in and out. It was in, out, back in, two rounds of gunfire, a fist fight, many wounds, many grunts, and then out. The Crows, however, made it out perfectly fine, just as Juniper said.

Their skin remained clean, not an ounce of blood coating the cloth that covered their bodies. Even Juniper's gloves stayed in their pristine state from the evening before when Kol insisted on cleaning them for her.

However, unlike a few hours before where her hands carried nothing but a slim knife, she now held a stack of papers.

Matthias stood to her left, a coat made of fur draped over his shoulders as he walked. Snow fell on their heads leaving small dots of white in their hair.

Inej stood on the rooftop, jumping with ease as she moved throughout the city, eyes watching over the Crows beneath her. And Jesper was on Juniper's other side, fingers twiddling his guns with poise, each movement precise and clean.

"So, you gonna stay for a little while, boss?" The Novyi Zem man asked as he pointed his gun to the sky as if he were about to shoot a cloud.

The Heartrenders eyes met his, amusement lining her face. "Why? You miss me?"

He grinned, "Not a chance, love."

She could hear Matthias grumble from beside her. "He hasn't stopped complaining since you left. Even Djel couldn't save me from his incessant talking."

"Oh, don't act like you weren't complaining too! You are such a brooding tulip that I almost shot myself to get away!"

The Fjerdan grumbled once again, pulling the furs closer to his face, hiding his blush in a manner that made Juniper chuckle. "I missed you, too, little yellow tulip."

"I am not a tulip," He argued.

"You're right, Matthias. You're a yellow tulip," Juniper said with a grin, Jesper chuckling beside her.

"Djel save me," He muttered, glancing up at the night sky above them.

Juniper nudged his arm, "Even Djel can't save you. You're stuck with me for eternity, little yellow tulip. Even in death, I will be with you."

"Yeah, Matthias. I'll hire Inej's ghost to kick your ass," Jesper quipped.

"My ghost will not associate with your ghosts."

Nina walked up behind them along with Walker, Jesper's boyfriend, who quickly wrapped his hand around Jesper's awaiting arm. "I will just force your ghost then, Druskelle," the Ravkan woman teased, her hand grabbing the Fjerdans as she sent a smile to Juniper.

Juniper had quickly acquainted herself with the woman, both bonding over their love of waffles and homeland. Nina was a vampire much like the rest of the Crows, however, she was born the same year as Juniper.

They had lived in villages close together, though they never once crossed paths. Nina joined the army in an attempt to fight the oncoming supernatural war and was one of the few survivors. Nina reminded her of her old self, the reckless, impulsive, loving self that laughed at anything and made dirty jokes for the sake of it.

And then there was Walker. He was a vampire as well, turned in the 1950s after his father left him on the streets. He was dying in a back alley, hidden by a few rags that he had scavenged when a vampire came in and turned him.

Jesper had met him not long before now after he blew up an old hideout the Crows used to use in the 20s.

He was a quiet person, kept to himself and was undoubtedly the nicest member of the band of criminals. Juniper kept her eye on him, even while away with Kol. The young vampire reminded her of Wylan.

"That was fun," he commented with a bright smile, the look on his face seeming innocent as if he hadn't just killed twelve people in an explosion he created. A few hours earlier, he and Juniper had worked on different types of smoke bombs, seeing which ones were the most effective.

Nina grinned, "Can we get waffles now?"

"It's three am," Inej spoke as she jumped down and joined them on the street.

Juniper glanced at the Suli woman with a smile on her lips, "So?"

— — —

As the Heartrender walked back into her bedroom in the Slat, a phone pressed to her ear, she moved to slump in her reading chair.

"You're in Denver?" She asked after a moment as she shook off her boots, the act earning a loud thud.

"You know they call this place 'Mile High City'? You should've come with me, see if that's true or not."

A small blush appeared on her cheeks and as if he could see her, he smirked, "Cat got your tongue, darling?"

"Shut up," she grumbled, holding in a laugh as she slid her knives onto her bedside table.

She could practically see the smirk on his face as he spoke, "I thought you liked my teasing? Or do you rather it when I'm between your thighs?"

On the floor beneath her bedroom, she could hear Jesper's laughter before he shouted, "Get it, boss!"

"For fucks sake," she murmured, eyes rolling as she heard Nina's laughter join his. She stood up from her chair and moved into her small washroom before turning on the tap, hoping it would stop her overly eager Crows from listening.

"Come on, boss! I wanted to hear that!" She heard Jesper shout, the words followed by a herd of giggles from Nina.

"Go to bed!" Juniper yelled back. "And stop listening to my conversations!"

"So, you don't want them to hear what I'm going to do to you when you join me?" Kol asked as she pressed the phone to her ear once more, this time settling in her small twin size bed after taking off her jacket and outer clothing.

"Definitely not," she told him, not bothering to fight the smile that had forced its way onto her lips. "I wouldn't hear the end of it."

"I'm sure they wouldn't either," he said slyly, the words earning a small grunt, "Stop it."

"Can't help it, darling, I like it when you turn red."

"You can't even see me."

"No, but I have a wonderful imagination and at the moment I am imagining my head between your–"

"I'm hanging up now," she warned, finger hovering over the red circular button on her screen.

"Wait! Wait, don't hang up. I'll stop... for now."

"Good boy."

"Oh, fuck."

She grinned as she gained the upper hand, "Goodnight, Kol."

The vampire groaned softly, "Yeah, yeah, you little minx. Goodnight."

— — —

Before Juniper could even set foot in Mystic Falls, still multiple states away, chaos had ensued. Even outside of the magical town, Kol had forced chaos to follow.

While Juniper had been committing theft and first degree murder in Ketterdam, Kol had been tormenting the 16-year-old Jeremy Gilbert. It wasn't much of a choice for Kol, it was more of a 'do as I say' from Klaus.

Juniper didn't want to leave the drab city of Ketterdam so soon, but one phone call from Klaus had her running back to the small town.

"June? We need you back here," the hybrid spoke through the speaker of Juniper's phone as she stood in the corner of the Crow Club, watching over the drunken occupants practically throwing their money into her hands.

"Why? Is Kol alright?" She asked quickly, her thoughts immediately going south from his tone.

"Yeah, Kol's fine. Incredibly annoying, but fine. Elena and her group of friends seemed to have discovered a weapon that can kill us. Finn's dead. My mother tried to kill us... again. I almost died. The history teacher was a serial killer and the doppelganger is a vampire now."

Her lips parted slightly in shock, "I'm sorry, Nik."

"I didn't like him all that much anyway. I'm more worried about the lives of the siblings who haven't tried to kill me permanently and my lovely sister-in-law."

She held back an eye roll, gloved hands grabbing a shot glass Matthias had handed her after seeing a familiar, almost hidden stressed expression on her face, before downing the burning liquid. "Where'd they find it?"

"Mystic Falls sign at the Wickery Bridge. Rebekah had burnt the bridge, but somehow managed to forget the sign."

"Don't be a dick. At least she did something to help. What do you need me for?"

"You're science?" He requested, though it sounded more like a question.

"Mhm," she muttered, "And what do you really need me for?"

Klaus grumbled, "Don't make me say it."

"If you don't say it, you won't get what you want," she told him, a smirk twisting on her lips.

"I hate you."

"No, you don't. Because if you did, you wouldn't have called me. Now, tell me why you want me there, Nik."

He opened his mouth, wanting to protest, but sighed. "I need my bestfriend. I know you might not see me as yours, I know you've told me a thousand times that Inej and the rest of the Crows already filled that slot, but you are my best friend and I... I really need a friend right now."

Juniper audibly sighed, her gloved hand rubbing her temple, the act earning a questioning look from Inej who stood at the bar, handing out drinks to a group of women. The Heartrender shook her head at the Suli woman, silently telling her she was fine.

"I'll be there soon... If you let Kol come back from Denver. He won't stop going on about me joining him in 'Mile High City.' It was cute at first but after the first twelve times..."

He grinned, "He's already on his way. Though I will have to yell at him for a short while when he arrives home."

"What'd he do?"

"Killed my vampires."

"Mmm, I know exactly what vampires you are talking about..." she spoke in a sarcastic tone. "I'll let you have three minutes with him and then I'm taking him home with me."

"Deal."

Just as Juniper hung up the call, she felt a presence by her side. "Yes, Inej?"

"You're going back?" She spoke, eyes unable to meet Juniper's blue ones. She slowly moved her eyes up and watched as Juniper nodded. "It sounds like it'll be dangerous."

"Probably. It always is, isn't it?"

"Oh, but that's the fun of it!" Jesper's voice sounded as he and Walker joined them in the corner, his shoulders bumping with Juniper's. "We don't need to worry about her, Inej. She's a Zenik. The baddest bitch of all, innit that right, Junebug?"

Juniper rolled her eyes at his teasing, "Another word and you lose your tongue."

"Oh, June's already threatening us?" Matthias spoke, Nina at his side, "It's only nine. What did you do to piss her off?"

"I, for one, love her threats," Nina said, a grin on her face. Juniper's threats had always been entertaining for the Ravkan, who actually learned a few things from the Grisha.

"That is because you are both terribly sadistic beings who thrive on others' pain," he muttered only to receive an elbow to his side. "I will let her take out your tongue. And no waffles for a week."

"You're not my mother."

She smirked, "That isn't what you said last night."

He blushed madly, "I- I didn't- I haven't a clue as to what you are implying."

Jesper placed a hand on the Fjerdan's shoulder, "We all heard it, man. Nothing to be ashamed of. I heard Nina call Juniper mommy once, too."

If it was even possible, his blush deepened while Nina winked at Juniper who chuckled softly. "And I'd do it again. And hey, if Kol ever wants to share, I'm up for it, boss."

Matthias grunted, "You're all going to bed. You are all clearly far too drunk to be awake right now."

The Ravkan grinned at Juniper one last time, sending her a sneaky look before taking Matthias' arm. "Yes, Daddy."

— — —

Juniper's brown hair was braided neatly into a bun, small whisps falling around the crown of her head, framing her face. It wasn't unusual for the Heartrender to have her hair done so perfectly, it was almost a daily task for her.

Ever since she was a small child, it was taught to her to always look as though you are perfect, as though you are the most valuable in the room. It had never made sense to her then, nothing much did, but as she grew older, she understood.

It was all an act. Everyone was acting.

In the small farm town, nestled in a deep forest near the lake in Kribirsk, perfection was of utmost importance if you wanted to get anywhere in life. You wanted better food? Better clothing to keep warm? Dress like it, flaunt yourself until you are given it.

Every morning, most young girls would have their mother do their hair and pick out their finest dresses, before they were set out for the day, but Juniper? Juniper had Kaz. Kaz would sit behind her for hours on end, his nimble fingers buried deep in the dark brown locks of hair as he learned to tie it up in the most luxurious ways.

Then, once again, instead of a mother, she had a Wylan. Wylan would sit on her bed for hours, early in the morning occasionally shaking his head when Juniper walked out in a dress.

And now, she has a Kol.

"Darling, you know I love you, right?"

Juniper glanced back as she straightened her shirt in the mirror, "Yes?"

"Good. Good," he muttered. "Because that shirt looks dreadful."

He watched as she glanced down at the shirt with a picture of a pug on it. "You don't like it? Matthias and Nikolai got it for me."

Kol's head tilted to the side as he stood from their shared bed before walking towards her. He stopped in front of her, his fingers pulling at the edge of the graphic shirt. "And where did they get it?"

She glanced down at her feet, "An alley... To be fair, it was a very clean alley."

"Was it?" He chuckled, looking down at the slightly deformed looking pug.

"Maybe. Do you really not like it?"

He answered quickly, "No, I love it. It's just... different." Juniper grinned widely at his answer before she turned holding his hand as she led him out of the room, "Good. Because it is time for our date. And I went back and got you a matching one."

"Wonderful... That's exactly what I wanted," he muttered as she pulled out another shirt with a deformed pug plastered on the front.

Juniper grinned widely, "I thought so– Shit, I should've gotten one for Nik, too, since he's a dog... not a cute one though... Are there any ugly dogs? Or is he the only one?"

"I can hear you!" Yelled the hybrid from the floor below causing Juniper to giggle. "You were supposed to!"

— — —

"Do you really think that's a good idea?" Asked Juniper through the open mouthed kisses Kol was giving her. Kol had just told her his plan to corner Elena Gilbert and convince her not to wake the immortal Silas.

"I can't let them wake him. He'd kill us all. He'd kill you– I can't let that happen, Junebug," he muttered into her shoulder, his fingers tugging gently at the neckline of her top.

"I understand that... Why all the kisses though? Are you feeling alright?" Juniper questioned as he pulled away only to undo the first few buttons of her henley before continuing his kisses along her collarbone.

"Because I love you?" He spoke, though it sounded more like a question.

"You do know I can feel your heart and sense your emotions, right? What's got you so nervous?"

He sighed, moving away from her neck once more, this time moving to sit on the edge of the bed. "I tried to dagger Rebekah," he admitted, holding his head in his hands as Juniper moved to sit next to him.

"And you're mad at yourself for it?" She asked. "You don't have to feel guilty, Kol. You know you wouldn't actually hurt her and if you did dagger her, you would take it out not a second later and apologise profusely for the next hour."

He shook his head, "It's not that."

She could feel as his heart raced in his chest, skipping beats every few seconds as his breathing constricted. Juniper hastily moved to the ground, kneeling at his feet, her hands coming up to the sides of his stomach as her power rushed through him, calming his body.

"Don't–" he choked out, hardly able to get out any words.

The Heartrender shook her head, "I'm okay. Just breath, okay? Nice and slow, just like you taught me."

For the first time in months, she didn't feel the urge to stuff parem down her throat from using her small science, all she could feel was his racing heart and heavy lungs moving at an unstable pace, each slowly calming from her touch.

As his heart returned to its normal speed, he slumped down to the floor, sliding into Juniper's awaiting arms and buried his face in her neck. "She held a white oak stake to my chest, Juniper. Rebekah was going to kill me. If Nik hadn't stepped in–"

Juniper's power didn't stop coursing through his veins, not as he shook in her arms, nor when he fell asleep from pure sadness. It lingered, giving him comfort and sending warmth through his once dead body.

One thing Juniper never understood about the Mikaelson family was how easy it was for them to hurt each other.

The daggers, she partly understood; Klaus wanting to keep his brothers and sister safe from their treacherous father. But even after their father was dead at Klaus' hand, the threats continued.

Then as Finn, their eldest brother was murdered in cold blood, thousands of other vampires following, none seemed to care.

As the knowledge of the white oak stake making a reapearence in their enemy's hands, it is only then they seem to gather some semblance of care for each other, each other being Klaus, Rebekah and Elijah, not once being Kol, the one who just might have needed it most.

And when he made one mistake, one last act of trying to get some sort of attention from his broken family, he was on death's door, just centimeters away from greeting the cold unknown abyss.

She knew that when the time came, they would realize how much they truly needed their brother, the one who loved them so much that he yearned for just an ounce of their attention for centuries, never giving up even after being thrown in a coffin time after time.

Juniper just hoped it wouldn't be too late that they realize it.

— — —

"And you're sure you don't want me to come with you? I've been told I'm very good at threatening people," Juniper said with a grin as she masked the prominent worry that had been floating in her chest for the last few hours.

Kol smirked from above her, his hands moving up to hold her face, forcing her eyes to meet his. "I'm a thousand year old vampire, darling. I think I can handle a few deranged teens."

"You couldn't handle me."

He opened his mouth for a moment before closing it again, silently deciding what to say knowing she was right. "That may be true, but you are no ordinary deranged teen. You never were. And you are not stupid like these ones."

She sighed, leaning into the warmth of his hand, "You should never underestimate someone, Kol. You never know what they are willing to do for those they love."

"And they don't know what I am willing to do for you. I would tear apart this world if you so much as asked, Juniper. And I will do everything in my power to keep you safe and to keep Silas away from you."

Her hands moved up to hold his as her eyes tore into his, "Promise you'll come home to me?"

His thumb brushed against her wedding ring, "Always and forever."

— — —

Kol walked through the dark suburban streets of Mystic Falls alone as his phone rang in his palm. And he grinned as if he were expecting it.

"Jeremy Gilbert," he greeted. "Nice to see I'm still in your speed dial, mate. Hey, you want to meet up in the batting cages in Denver?"

"Actually, it's Elena Gilbert," a feminine voice spoke through the phone's speakers.

Kol grinned, "What a treat. Yeah, I was just thinking of all the clever ways I could have your brother killed. My dearest Juniper mentioned ripping his eyes out, but I'll settle for ripping off his illustrated arm."

"I need to talk to you," Elena told him before reiterating, "In person. I want to call a truce in the name of Silas."

The Original paused in his steps. "You want to talk about Silas?"

"I'll meet you wherever you want. I'll come to you."

"Tell you what. How about I come to you?" He asked with a small smirk before ringing the Gilbert family home's doorbell alerting the nervous occupants of his oncoming presence.

Through the dark oak door, he heard the sound of a gun click. "You want a truce? Open the door and invite me in."

After a beat of silence, the only sounds filling his ears being her racing heart, he breathed out once more. "I'm waiting! Let me in and let's call a truce."

"Wouldn't that be kind of stupid to invite you in?"

"On the contrary, I can't kill your brother with my own two hands, or I'll suffer the hunter's curse and spend the next 20 years trying to off myself in gruesome ways. And my wife already told me that if anyone is going to off me it will be her, so... no."

Inside the house, he heard the back door open and close before he heard the familiar heartbeat of Matt Donovan disappear.

"And I've heard that vervain's back in town, so I can't compel you to kill him either. So I think it's fair to say you're semi-safe, for now," He continued as he wrapped the cord of his earbuds before placing it in his pocket.

"I'm the only one that can invite him inside," Jeremy muttered through the door.

"He's right, obviously," he muttered as the door slowly opened. He stared at the brunette doppelganger, "You'd think being alive for over a thousand years would teach me some manners, but I couldn't resist stopping by."

Elena stared at him cautiously, half hiding herself behind the door. "If I let you in, my brother goes. You're not getting near him."

"Fair enough," Kol agreed, glancing at the younger Gilbert. Elena did the same, glancing at her brother before sending him a small nod.

"You can come in," Jeremy spoke before quickly walking out the back door.

Kol held back a laugh as the teen scurried out of the house. "No gold medals for bravery, I see. You know the thing I love about the modern age is...music, anytime you like," he muttered as he placed his phone in his pocket. "So...this is the part where you offer me a drink so we can have a proper chat."

— — —

"Sorry, I had to dig up the old people alcohol," Elena said as she presented a bottle of liquor she had found in a dust covered cabinet. Kol turned around from the tv before joining her inside the kitchen.

"Yeah, that's the problem with people today. They have no drinking imagination. Turn-of-the-century New Orleans – now, they knew how to make a drink. Hell, even Portsmouth knew how."

"You lived in New Orleans? And Portsmouth?

"Met my wife in Portsmouth," he answered with a smile, reminiscing about the short time spent with Juniper in the coffeehouses and taverns. "We all lived in New Orleans, till Niklaus shoved a dagger in my heart."

"Why? What did you do?"

"I fell in love. But, what makes you think I did anything? Has your alliance with my brother softened you to his horrors?"

Elena breathed out, unable to meet his eyes. "I don't have an alliance with Klaus. We had a mutual interest in finding the cure– that's all."

"Had?"

"Yes. And I'm willing to give up looking for it if you promise to leave my brother alone," she spoke as she grabbed the mixer. "Now, can you teach me how to make this?"

Kol stared at her for a moment before he grabbed the small metal device as she moved away to get ice from the fridge. As she pulled out the small tray, she moved to close the door only for Kol to appear in front of her.

She flinched, her heart racing in her chest as she held up the ice, "Here you go."

"Would you like one?" He asked as he moved back to the small island. Elena hesitated for a moment before nodding, "Sure, why not? You said you met your wife in Portsmouth? What was that like?"

Kol didn't look at her as he placed the ice cubes in the glasses. "I was sent to kidnap her," he admitted, ignoring the look of shock on the girl's face before continuing, "Nik sent me; he wanted her power. I watched her for a few days, and I couldn't help myself from approaching her. She was– is the most beautiful woman I have ever met."

"That sounds really nice."

His lip twitched upwards, "The night we first met officially, I remember buying her a drink, taking her for a dance and walking her home. She had drunk a little too much and was leaning on my side. I had every opportunity to take her to my brother but I couldn't bring myself to. I fell in love with her without even realizing it."

"And then what happened?"

"And then I received a letter from my brother. I had finally found happiness and that one letter took it all away. She was about to be burned at the stake, the townspeople thought she was a witch, they weren't wrong, but... I found her before the fire could reach her, but before she could do anything, I brought her to a ship–"

"And brought her to Klaus?"

"Almost," he admitted, grabbing his glass, "Our ship got stuck in a storm and we were stranded in the Fjerdan wilderness. I tried to stay away from her but she didn't let me. I don't know what I would've done if she let me leave."

— — —

"You're really good at that game. Definitely considering you've been locked up in a coffin for a hundred years," Elena commented, eyes watching as Kol shot multiple men on the tv screen, an act he had learned from Jesper.

He smirked, "I'm a quick learner. Speedy reflexes. It's not much like the real thing, though, is it? You've killed, haven't you? Or are you one of those Mary Sue vampires?"

"I've killed. Once. I'm guessing your number's a lot higher than mine."

"You lose track over the years. So, are we going to talk about Silas, or just jibber-jabber?"

Elena slowly nodded at him before gesturing back to the kitchen island where the tray of ice sat. "Nobody else seems to think Silas exists, so why do you?" She began.

"I used to run with some witches. Africa in the fourteenth century, Haiti in the seventeenth century. They all knew about Silas; that he needed to stay buried. I actually hold witches in high esteem." He chuckled, "Especially since one is my wife."

"Yeah, but why Silas? Why are you so afraid of him?"

"They said if Silas rises, he'll unleash hell on Earth. I happen to like Earth just the way it is."

"That's pretty biblical," Elena commented as she glanced down at her phone before meeting his eyes once more.

"Well, that's the other problem with people today: they've lost faith. And in that loss, they no longer know who they should fear," he breathed out, pushing against the marble before walking towards a small table and picking up a frame.

It was a photo of Elena and Jeremy when they were younger, both looking so happy as if their lives weren't about to change forever.

He sighed once again, wishing that Juniper could have a chance to see her siblings and hold them the way Elena could her own.

"So, we're out of gin, but I think this is a good year," Elena spoke once more, holding a bottle of alcohol as she joined him.

"What if I said I don't believe you?"

She chuckled softly, "Okay, you caught me. I don't know anything about wine."

Kol stared at her as he placed the picture frame back in its original place. "It just seems odd that you'd be so willing to give up something you want so much."

"I would do anything for my brother. And if what you're saying about Silas is true, what does it matter what I want if it puts everyone else in danger?"

He nodded, "Well, this has been enlightening. Thanks for the drinks." As he moved to leave, Elena attempted to step in front of him only for him to open the door and step outside. "I'll take your request for a truce under advisement."

Before he could leave the porch, she quickly spoke, "Is there any chance that you could be wrong about Silas?"

"Trust me, Elena. Some things are better left buried."

— — —

"So, you talked to her? How'd that go?" Juniper asked the second she picked up her phone after seeing her husband's name appear on the screen.

"Well, I must say I am regretting not bringing my human lie detector with me. I can't tell if she is being sincere or not," Kol admitted as he moved to lean against a car that was parked on the street just in front of the Gilbert home.

"I can come over if you'd like. I'm not too far away."

He chuckled softly, "You're right around the block, aren't you, darling?"

She grinned, "Maybe. And if I was?"

"Then I'd tell you to stay put for now–" He heard her groan, "But I've never been good at that, you know that."

"I know, little bird, but I can do this on my own."

Juniper nodded, knowing he couldn't see her, she spoke, "Fine... You aren't actually gonna kill the brother, right?" She asked, her words softening with every last word.

"Never," he answered. "I wouldn't do that to you."

Her lip quirked up, "You know, I think you are what Rebekah would call a simp."

Kol laughed deeply, "I believe my sister would call me a moron, but that might be on her vocabulary as well."

Before he could say another word, he heard a voice speak from within the house. "I'm sorry. He left. I mean, I – I tried to stall as long as I could."

Kol sighed, "I gotta go, darling. I'll see you at home? I'm thinking Italian for dinner."

"Sounds perfect," Juniper smiled, "I love you."

"I love you more," He told her sincerely before hanging up the call and making his way back to the doorframe where he pressed the doorbell.

"That's Bonnie. She was right behind me," Jeremy spoke through the wooden door. However, as Elena opened the door, instead of the witch appearing, Kol did.

"I've considered your request for a truce. Request denied," Kol spoke before she slammed the door in his face, the act causing him to sigh. "I'm sorry. I've already been invited in!" he shouted as he kicked in the door and entered the house only to see the siblings already hidden.

"Hide and seek? Fine by me."

He strode through the house, listening to the Gilbert girl's rapid heart as he moved up the staircase where Elena's room sat.

He could hear the unmistakable sound of a dresser being pushed along the wooden floor in an attempt to keep the door shut, but he quickly pushed back, his strength dominating hers with ease. The force of his kick sent the girl to the ground as he entered the bedroom only to see her gone.

With his free hand, he pushed what was left of the door out of his way before walking towards the bathroom door where he presumed Elena ran inside. With great intent, he kicked in that door just like the other and grinned as he heard a heartbeat rise in the room next to it.

He quickly ran to the other door in the bathroom which connected to Jeremy's room and kicked it down only for a stake to be shot in his direction. With ease, the Original caught it before it could pierce his chest.

"Missed!" he shouted, the boyish grin yet to have left his lips even as another stake got shot in his direction, the carved wood landing in his other hand.

Before he could move, though, twelve wooden bullets pierced his chest, the burning feeling that followed had him stumbling against the wall behind him as Jeremy ran out of the room and more bullets followed.

As the gun near ran out of bullets he used the stake that was held in his hand and threw it at the doppelganger's thigh before speeding out of the bedroom to find Jeremy hastily running down the staircase.

Jeremy moved to fight the vampire only to receive a right-hook so hard it knocked him out cold.

Kol grinned madly as he dragged Jeremy's unconscious body into the kitchen. "Now...about that arm.

— — —

Juniper sighed as she pulled the phone away from her ear for the second time in the last ten minutes. It was unusual for the vampire not to answer her, in fact he had once answered her in the middle of a car crash that Klaus had caused after getting angry at Rebekah.

She glanced at the phone screen once more before looking up at the darkly lit suburban street before her feet began to move towards the Gilbert home only a block away.

— — —

Kol had just finished strapping the teenage boy down onto the island when he started to come to. He watched as Jeremy's eyes fluttered for a moment before opening fully as his consciousness came back to him.

The vampire moved to the side before grabbing a cleaver and reappearing into the teens' sight. "Now, like I said, I don't fancy the hunter's curse nor my wife's wrath, so I'm just going to chop off your arm. But don't worry, I'll heal you right up with a bit of blood after."

His free hand came down to push Jeremy's head to the side, forcing his cheek against the marble countertop. "Sorry about the sting. Now, which arm is it? Is it left or right? I'll just chop off both to be safe."

Before the cleaver could reach his arm, however, Elena appeared and pushed him against the counter, the push causing him to drop the knife, promptly cutting the restraint holding Jeremy down.

Elena glanced back for a split second and retrieved the knife before she shoved it inside Kol's chest. A grunt emitted from his lips before screams soon followed as vervain water was showered onto his skin.

The Gilbert girl quickly moved away from him, but not before grabbing the stake that was placed neatly in his jacket, as the water sprayed across his skin, burn marks coating him in its wake. She glanced back at her brother as she threw the stake in his direction, "Jeremy, now!"

The second those words left her lips, Juniper ran inside only to watch as the white oak stake pierced her husband's heart.

"No," She whispered, her heart shattering in her chest as she heard him scream out in pain as his body erupted in flames.

The word kept leaving her lips as she ran towards him, ignoring the burning feeling she felt as the fire touched her skin, before grabbing his body and moving his head to her thigh.

"I'm sorry," she heard him cough as the flames moved to his legs.

"Kol," She sobbed, her voice fading in his ears. She moved her hands away from his back, ignoring the fiery pain that submerged her body as she pressed her hands to his chest, pumping her fingers in an attempt to bring his heart back. "Please don't leave me," she cried.

"I'm so sorry, Juniper," he spoke softly as the light from his eyes.

His chest stilled beneath her hands.

Juniper shook her head, not believing what had happened, not allowing herself too as she tried to restart his unbeating heart. "Please," she whimpered, her words cutting themself of from a sob that broke through her throat.

"What did you do?" She heard a voice say from behind her, but the voice sounded distant as if it were miles away.

"We didn't have a choice. He was trying to cut off Jeremy's arm!" Elena shouted, her eyes moving back and forth between Juniper's disgruntled body and Klaus who stood angrily at the door.

"Lies! He never would've gotten inside if you hadn't have set a trap for him."

"You said you were going to put him down too," she argued.

Klaus was furious, angrier than he had ever been, but not nearly as angry as Juniper. Her eyes slowly left Kol's charred body and met the hybrids. She gave him a single, defeated, almost terrified look before her hands lifted and the bodies of Elena and Jeremy started seizing as she stopped every bodily function they had.

Blood poured from their lips, the red liquid bubbling as it burned them from the inside out. She pinched her fingers together, the act causing their lungs to squeeze and as if they were balloons, pop in their chests.

As they fell to the ground, their bodies twitching as death approached them painfully she looked back at Kol. A sob left her lips as she realized she didn't even recognize him.

"Love?" She heard Klaus speak from the door, his voice laced with confusion as he watched her place her hand on his brother's cheek.

"I can't lose him, too," she muttered. "Not like them. Not again."

Klaus watched in horror as the veins in her wrist turned black.

"Don't do this! Not this way, Juniper! You're not strong enough."

She grabbed Kol's hand and held it to her chest as her other hand held his cheek tightly. "Please," she whispered, ignoring Klaus' pleas as the black veins trailed down to her fingertips.

And like nothing had happened, she was back in Kribirsk. Juniper looked around madly, eyes taking in the lake view to her left and the forest to her right.

It wasn't until she felt a hand slowly grasp hers that the sob broke through her lips, her emotions crashing down against her in waves as she pulled him into her arms.

The sun shone down on them brightly as she buried herself into his touch, her fists wound tightly as she shook. "You promised," she cried. "You promised you wouldn't leave me."

The hand came down to her cheek to brush her tears away and as the tears cleared, Kol came into her vision. "You need to go home, Junebug."

A bright light filled her eyes once more causing her to squint as she looked into it. Her heart skipped a beat as two men came into her view behind Kol's shoulder.

Wylan and Kaz stood with small smiles on their faces as their little sister came into their view.

Her fists unwound before her hands came up to hold his perfectly clear skin. "I am already home," she told him as she glanced between him and her brothers. "We're finally home."  

A/N

And there was the long awaited ending of Broken Glass! I hope you enjoyed reading it :) 

Thank you for all the love! 

Little announcement: I will be taking a break from wattpad and writing for a little while. I don't have much time to write anymore and I hate leaving you without updates for weeks at a time. But, I do graduate at the end of June so after then I should be able to write more then.

I'm gonna try my best to get some chapters writen for a new book that I am planning and I'll let you know on my tiktok and on my announcements on here that it is published whenever I do decide to publish it. 

I will still be active on tiktok so if you have any questions or just want to see some cool edits of these books, go on over there and have a little look :) 

Again, thank you for all the support, I truly do apreciate it