(listen to this while reading. the songs are all in order)

𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐎𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐬, 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟗𝟏𝟒

Juniper twisted her wedding band on her finger as she sat at the bar of the Crow Club, watching over it like she did every other day.

Kaz's gloves were neatly placed in her pocket, making her feel as though he was still with her. Since she started wearing them when she built the new Crow Club, this had been the first time being out in public without them on her hands.

No one mentioned it. The Crows never knew why she wore them, they figured it was scars from a demolition accident or from punching someone the wrong way and splitting your knuckles.

They just never expected her hands to be smooth, no calluses, no evidence of violence painted on them other than the single scar on her middle finger from the time Wylan accidentally threw a knife at her.

The club was empty, other than the Crows which sat huddled up in one of the booths. Juniper sat on the opposite side of them, nursing away the bruises her body held from the night before. Kol had offered at least thirty times to heal her, but she always refused.

She didn't mind the pain she felt with every movement. She didn't mind how her leg had a slight limp as she walked or how her lip stung with every sip of her bourbon.

She'd been that way since she was a kid. Pain just never really bothered her all that much. Probably because her mind was on much more important things at the time like not starving to death.

Kol sat across from her, his knees occasionally brushing against hers.

"What are you thinking about?" He asked after noticing the dazed look in her eyes.

Juniper smiled, "The quickest way to murder my enemies. What are you thinking about?"

He chuckled softly at her words. "Definitely not that."

"No? Then what are you thinking about? World domination? Tax fraud perhaps?"

"Now that you mention it..." He laughed again. "No, I was just thinking about how happy I am to call you my wife."

The tips of Juniper's ears turned red as her face flushed. The Crows across the room smirked at the sight of their boss so flustered.

"I don't think I've ever seen her so soft," Jesper muttered in shock.

Inej couldn't wipe the smile off her face. "She really loves him. I once saw them cuddling on the couch."

Both Matthias and Jesper's heads whipped to face her. "When did you see that?"

"I think it was last week. June had asked me to bring her some information on a new thief in town and when I came to her office, they were fast asleep on her couch. It was actually really nice."

"It's nice that she has him again," Matthias agreed. Jesper smirked, "It's good she has someone who will deal with her stubborn ass."

"I can still dock your paychecks."

Their eyes widened at their boss's voice and quickly turned their heads to face her.

Juniper smirked, her eyes not meeting theirs as she continued to stare at Kol before offering him her hand and leading him out of the room.

"Don't come to my office. If any of you do, you will be stabbed."

"Got it, boss," Jesper weakly mumbled while Inej smiled. "What are you smiling about? She just threatened to stab me."

"She wouldn't actually stab you. She'd just throw a knife in your general direction. You just need to have faith it won't hit you."

"That's not at all reassuring."

"It's not meant to be."

𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐎𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐬, 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟗𝟏𝟒

"Niklaus is throwing a Christmas ball," Kol told Juniper in her office. He was sat on the couch across from her desk, throwing a ball at the ceiling and catching it every few seconds.

Juniper glanced up from the gun she was cleaning. "Oh? Doesn't he throw those every year?"

"Yeah, but he says he wants us to actually show up this time."

She smirked, "It's always your fault that we never make it."

"I wouldn't say it's all my fault. You definitely make a contribution to it."

A slight blush coated her cheeks. She looked down at her gun to hide it. "Why is he so insistent we come? We go there all the time."

"He says he has something special planned."

"Does this mean I have to dress fancy?"

He chuckled, "You know my sister. She'll probably have you in the most expensive gown to exist."

She breathed out a sigh, smiling slightly. "Super. Can't wait," She muttered, sarcasm lacing her voice. 

He moved to sit on the edge of her desk, fiddling with one of her knives.

"Be careful with that," She told him, not looking up from the barrel of her gun.

"I am very caref- shit."

"You cut yourself, didn't you?" She asked, noticing him hiding his finger from her.

He shook his head, "No..."

"Then why are you wiping the blood off on your pant leg?"

He grumbled. "Don't say it."

"I wasn't going to say anything."

"I can hear you thinking it."

She chuckled softly and moved her gun into one of the drawers beside her. "You can't hear my thoughts."

"I can't. But that doesn't mean I don't know what you're thinking."

"And what am I supposedly thinking?" She teased, tilting her head to the side. She had already taken the knife and hidden it from him along with any other weapon that could hurt him.

"You're thinking 'I told you so'."

"I was actually thinking you're a child, but that works, too."

He grumbled once more. "I am not a child." Juniper moved to stand between his legs before gently grabbing his already healed hand. "Need me to kiss it better?"

His scowl fell immediately and was replaced by a boyish smile. "I think that would help."

A soft laugh escaped her lips. "Do you now?"

"Mhm. Though maybe after that you could kiss me somewhere else."

Her eyes glanced at his lips for a split second. "And where else would you like me to kiss?"

The blush that once only coated his cheeks had spread to his ears. "There are a few places." He grabbed her hand and placed her finger on his cheek. "Starting here," Her finger moved to his lips, "Ending here."

"And what do I get in return?"

"A happy husband?"

She grinned. "Good enough," Before gently kissing his cheek, her lips stayed for a moment before they reached his lips. "I love you, Kol Mikaelson."

"I love you more, Juniper Rietveld."

— — —

The Christmas party was in full swing by the time Juniper and Kol decided to show. Multi-coloured lights lit the room, leaving a warm and comforting aura to cast over the people's faces as they danced in the center.

"I forgot how much I hate parties," Juniper muttered as she dodged a drunk man passing them, staggering his way to the bar.

Kol smiled down at her, holding her waist a little tighter to avoid yet another drunk man. "Only a couple hours and then we can go home."

"June! Kol! You two actually made it this year," Klaus spoke as he walked towards them, wrapping his arms around their shoulders as he led them further inside the room, past the tree that Rebekah had decorated prior to the party.

Kol smiled, his hand tangling with hers behind his brother's back. "Well, you did threaten me."

"Did I? I can't remember. Drinks are over there. Have fun- not too much though."

As the older Mikaelson left them, Kol brought her back to his side as he glanced around the room. "Something feels off," He whispered into her ear as he pretended to kiss her cheek.

She nodded silently, her eyes glancing around the room like his. "Inej is in the rafters just in case. Matthias, Jesper and Nikolai are all outside as well."

He smiled, "Thank you."

She kissed his cheek softly. "I'll keep you safe."

"And I'll keep you warm," He answered, repeating the same vow he promised a century before in Fjerda.

An hour of the party came and went and the feeling only worsened. Every few minutes, Juniper's eyes would meet Inej who would send her a reassuring nod.

And she trusted the Wraith. It was Niklaus she didn't trust. Sure, she liked the man like a friend, but that didn't forgive what he had done a century before, or all the other centuries before her time.

Her hand stayed locked with his, whether they were mingling with guests or dancing under the chandelier, she never strayed from his side.

"You look beautiful," He told her as he pulled her back into his chest.

She smiled as she focused on his heart which beat steadily in his chest. The soft thumping, the sounds letting her know he was still with her brought her comfort. "You look very handsome."

"A compliment? In public, too." He teased. "Wow. What'd I do to deserve that?"

Juniper rolled her eyes playfully. "Shut up."

He grinned widely as he spun her in his arms once more. "I don't think I can. The 'Juniper Zenik' just complimented little ol' me. In public of all places."

A smile tore through her lips, unable to stop it from appearing on her face as she laughed in his arms. "Stop it."

"No. I'm beguiling you," He teased, repeating her words once again.

She smiled, "Quit it."

He spun her around, their hands linked as he pulled her back to his chest, before swaying her. His fingers poked at her sides. "This is strenuous work."

She started to laugh.

"It's working! The beguiling has begun. Dirtyhands has fallen. You are powerless to resist me. You're all mine."

"All yours," She agreed before their lips met in a soft kiss.

Everyone in the room could see how much they loved each other. It was so obvious you could practically put them in a dictionary as the definition for true love.

Even Inej, who stayed hidden in the rafters, smiled at the sight of her boss so happy. 

Klaus, Elijah, Rebekah and Marcellus gathered on the staircase, beckoning Kol to join them. His eyes met Juniper's and she nodded. His hand squeezed hers for a moment before leaving the warmth of her touch for the first time in hours.

A man ducked under a drape before taking a photo of them, a bright flash going off before Klaus clinked a spoon against his wine glass.

"As you know, when the Mikaelsons arrived in Louisiana, we brought with us the tradition of holiday bonfire season. Now, we invite you chosen few to join us in our family's own tradition of writing wishes for each other and burning them for luck. The holidays are a time for celebrating family, and friends."

Juniper watched as Klaus's eyes met Marcel's before he looked at Kol who held a confused look in his eyes.

"It is especially gratifying in times when treachery runs deep. To know you have someone you can trust and someone who will never leave you. A toast, to you, my sister."

Rebekah, who stood on the lowest stair smiled up at Klaus.

"To Rebekah!" The guests chanted as Kol and Juniper shared worried glances.

Kol moved his way up the stairs, trying to get away from his brothers but Elijah caught him and blocked his path.

Juniper's eyes met Inej's as she ran up the stairs while Elijah held Kol by his arms, Klaus standing in front of him with a dagger in his hand.

"Don't do this, Klaus," She warned, holding up her fingers in an x as she slowed his heart.

"You shouldn't have betrayed me, love."

From behind her, Rebekah grabbed her by her arms, holding her the same way Elijah held Kol.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I apologize for the disturbance! But, what's a Mikaelson party without a little squabble?" Klaus spoke to the crowd before he stabbed the dagger into Kol's chest.

"Kol!"

"Juniper!" He shouted in pain as his skin turned grey.

The Heartrender fought against Rebekah's grip, trying to get to him. "Let me go!"

An orange smoke filled the air in front of her face and she began to cough. She fell back slightly into Rebekah's arms, loud heaves leaving her chest as she breathed in the smoke.

Rebekah let her go, moving to her brothers as the girl struggled to stand. She stared at them as she felt her legs collapse.

And once again, she was surrounded by water.

The water began to bead around her lips as she fell deeper. She gasped, her eyes wide as water seeped into her lungs.

Where was she?

She had one hand gripped onto what felt like a collar and four fists held her dress tightly, holding her down in the freezing water.

Bright flashes of memory sparked through Juniper's mind. A cup of hot chocolate in her mittened hands, Kaz and Wylan warning her to let it cool before she took a sip. Ink drying on the page as she'd signed the deed to the new Crow Club. The first time she'd seen Kol at the tavern, in the finest clothing she'd ever seen, his eyes filled with playfulness.

When he pulled her up from the ice and held her for a moment too long.

The sobs that had come from inside the cave the night he had a nightmare about his brother daggering him. The sobs she ignored.

Juniper remembered hiding outside of the cave, unsure of what to do as she felt the snow whip at her skin.

Juniper took a last breath as her mouth opened and water flooded in. She squinted against the rush of the water, hoping to see some hint of daylight. The river knocked her against what felt like a wall.

She tilted her head back, only to see a wall of bloated bodies. The pressure in her chest grew as a scream fell past her lips.

I'm stronger than this, she told himself. My will is greater. But she could hear Kaz and Wylan laughing. No, little sister. No one is stronger. You've cheated death too many times. Greed may do your bidding, but death serves no man.

The four hands pulled her to the surface and her eyes met theirs.

"Did you really think we'd go away, sister?" They yelled, holding her tightly before pushing her back under.

She had twisted her memories and what Klaus hadn't seen that night, was that Juniper had been the one to pull them out from the ocean. She had almost drowned that night in the water, kicking hard in the dark, borne aloft by Wylan's corpse and Kaz's unconscious body.

They pulled her back to the surface.

"Who are you without your vengeance?" Kaz yelled again, the sounds muffled by the water rocking against her ears.

"What is the worth of life if you have no one left to fight for?" Wylan continued, his voice rough.

Her head was pushed back under.

There was no one and nothing to carry her now. Kaz and Wylan had left her, their hands no longer holding her near the surface.

She tried to think of her brothers, of revenge, of Pekka Rollins tied to a chair in his house in New Orleans, trade orders stuffed down his throat as Juniper forced him to remember Kaz and Wylan's names.

But all she could think of was Kol. He had to live. He had to have made it out of the compound in time before the dagger hit his heart. And if he hadn't, then she had to live to rescue him.

The ache in her lungs was unbearable. She needed to tell him ... what? That he was lovely and brave and better than anything she deserved. That she was twisted, crooked, wrong, but not so broken that she couldn't pull herself together into some semblance of a person for him.

That without meaning to, she'd begun to lean on him, to look for him, to need him near. She needed to thank him for her new sense of peace.

The water pressed at her chest, demanding that she part her lips once more. I won't, she swore. But in the end, Juniper opened her mouth, and the water rushed in.

Juniper's body shook in Inej's arms as though she were having a seizure.

"What did you do to her?" The Wraith screamed as she steadied her boss's head, trying to hold her still.

At the sounds of her screams, Nikolai, Jesper and Matthias ran in.

Juniper's skin was pale. Paler than it had ever been.

"Djel, is she breathing?" Asked Matthias as he kneeled next to her, helping Inej steady her shaking body.

Nikolai thought nothing as he grabbed onto Klaus and held him by his neck against a wall. "What did you do to my sister?" He yelled, his grip tight on the vampire's neck.

Klaus struggled against his grip. Whether it was his newly found vampirism or his love for his seemingly dying sister, he was stronger than him.

"It's a hallucinogenic drug," Elijah answered as he dropped Kol's body to the ground. "Strong enough to keep her down."

"Keep her down? Why the hell would you do that? They are your family!"

"She was taking him away from us. It needed to be done."

"Enough!" Jesper shouted, "How do we help her?"

"Datura Meloxia. It's a butterfly."

Nikolai scoffed, "Only the rarest one in the world!"

The Mikaelson coughed in his grip, "There- There's a breeder on the other side of the city."

The privateer let him go only to push him against the wall once more, "If she dies, your head will be on a pike in Ravka. That's a promise. Come on, Jesper!"

Juniper sank further under the water. On either side of her, were Kaz and Wylan, both staring at the sides of her face with their glossed over, dead eyes.

She didn't notice. All she saw was the blue above her. The blue she used to fight, but now welcomed as she fell to the bottom of the sea, her back hitting the sandy bay softly.

She could feel her body slowly shutting down. Her eyes closed and the last thing she saw was the water rhythmically moving above her as if she wasn't about to die alone.

Two minutes later, her body shook violently as her eyes opened. She glanced down, seeing her skin had turned blue as she jerked erratically.

She could remember reading about this in school. Hypoxic convulsion. At the time, she was only eight, a child without a care in the world as she ignored her teachers.

As the convulsions left her, she could hear her heart and lungs die. The sounds were nauseating.

But she wasn't dead. She should have been. She wanted to be. Maybe she was. Maybe she had been this whole time.

She turned her head to the side as her hands gripped at the sand only to feel hands grip hers. Kaz held her left, Wylan holding her right.

Kaz was no longer covered in his own blood, his skin no longer held bite marks and his clothes were completely intact.

Wylan's skin was no longer bloated, but instead silky smooth as it had been years before. His eyes were bright and warm.

And they smiled at her as if they were welcoming her home.

And just as she was about to let it in, she felt hands grab her shoulders tightly. Her eyes met Matthias's as he shook her awake.

His hair floated in the water, moving with the tide as he screamed through the ocean, not caring as the water filled his mouth.

The sounds were muffled. She couldn't make out a single word as she stared at him with half-closed eyes.

Her head turned once more, and she met her brothers eyes before they disappeared into the tide. She reached out for them but her hands only met the cold water where they once were.

"Stay with me, drüsje!" She heard Matthias call out as her eyes fluttered, struggling to stay open.

"I'm sorry," She whispered before her heart stopped.

Every vampire in the room heard it. Her body stopped moving and lay completely still in Matthias's arms.

The Fjerdan, who said he only thought of her as an evil witch with money, cried as he left her mind and held her body tightly to his chest.

Nikolai ran into the room at full speed, Jesper rushing behind him before they kneeled in front of her body. The blonde man forced her mouth open, prying open her still jaw before shoving the butterfly down her throat.

"Please," He begged the saints as he held her mouth shut.

His grip only lightened when she began to struggle against it. She coughed as he moved his hand, water spilling from her lips before she passed out again, her lungs still full with water.

Nikolai's heart ached as he realized which hallucination she had been put through. He pinched her nose shut and used his other hand to push her mouth open as he tried to breathe air into her lungs.

He pressed his lips to Juniper's again, timing his breaths with the beats of her slow heart. Come on, you little shit. You've fought your way out of tougher scrapes, he thought to himself.

He heard the shift when Juniper's heart took over its own rhythm. Then she coughed, chest spasming, water spewing from her mouth. She shoved him off of her, sucking in air. "Get away from me," she gasped, wiping her gloved hand over her mouth.

Juniper's eyes were unfocused. She seemed to be staring right through him. "Don't touch me."

"You're in shock, drüsje," Matthias said. "You almost drowned. You should have drowned." Juniper coughed again, and her entire body shuddered. "Drowned," she repeated.

As her mind came to, she thought of only one thing. They had both broken their promises that night. 

Has anyone realized why Juniper doesn't let people call her Juniper? I made it a little more obvious in this one

Also, I would say I'm sorry, but I'm not. I had a great time writing this and a good laugh

Did you like the playlist? If you actually listened to it, that is