The Murder of One

Finn is walking down a street in New York when Klaus approaches him. Klaus looks smug at his older brother as they both walk together, "Hello Finn."

Finn rolls his eyes as he continues to walk, "Hello Niklaus. I have nothing to say to you."

"Well, I'm not here to chat. I will ask you one time though, where's our mother?"

"Gone to find another way to end our abominable lives." Finn explains, "And when she does, I will sacrifice myself all over again."

Klaus smiles, "Well, how fortunate that I found you, I require your assistance."

Finn scoffs, "I have no wish to help you. Only to see you dead."

Klaus shrugs his shoulders, "Right, well, that's the thing; you see you won't be able to see me dead, because if I die, then you die. So, wish unfulfilled, I'm afraid."

"Oh, bother someone else with your hollowed charms, Niklaus."

"Why? Why not come bother my big brother?" Klaus taunts as they cross the street, "I need you to accompany me back to Mystic Falls, I have a witch there who can help undo Esther's spell that linked us together."

Finn comes to a halt and glares over to Klaus, "I have no wish to be unlinked."

Klaus moves in front of Finn and places his hand on his chest to stop him from moving on, "Again with the wishes. Let me rephrase, you will come back with me or I will put you back in that coffin in which you rotted for 900 years."

"What happens to one, happens to all." Finn seethes, "You may not feel the effects of the dagger, but you'd lose your precious Rebekah."

"Wouldn't be the first time."

Finn walks off, Klaus watches him leave. Finn super speeds down an alleyway but Rebekah and Lola block his path. Rebekah smirks over to him, "Let's not make this any worse than it has to be, darling brother."

Finn frowns, "You're siding with him? Rebekah, he stored us in boxes."

"At least he's not trying to make us extinct." Rebekah argues back.

Finn glares over to Lola, "I see you've brought the family pet with you."

Lola flashes a cocky smile over to him, "Nice to see you again, Finn."

Finn turns around and sees Klaus behind him, "What are you gonna do? Kill me?"

Klaus smirks slightly, "Oh yeah, that's right, you've got a death wish. Fine, pathetic, but fine. The thing is, I'm not gonna let you take the rest of us down with you." Klaus throws Finn against the wall and he crumples to the ground.

Rebekah claps her hands together, "Back to Mystic Falls we go." She starts to walk out of the alley.

"Elijah called earlier." Lola starts, she looks over to Klaus, "I'm going to meet him to get his blood for you."

Rebekah frowns, "He's told you where he is?"

Lola shakes her head, "Not exactly. I'm not meeting him wherever he has been living, he was rather secretive about that. I'm meeting him in Washington at the request it's just me that goes there."

Klaus kisses Lola's cheek, "Very well, we'll see you back home, love."

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Later, in Washington DC, Elijah is sitting on a bench besides the Washington Monument waiting for Lola. Unknown to him that Lola has approached behind him, she smiles in his direction, "Why am I not at all surprised that this is where you wanted to meet?"

Elijah stands, fixing his suit jacket and turns to greet her, "Well it was either here or the Smithsonian and given how you were last time I took you into a public building I thought it would be rather best we did this outdoors."

Lola laughs as she pulls Elijah in for a hug, "It's good to see you, Elijah." They both pull away from the hug, "How've you been?"

"I suspect I should be the one asking you how you are." Elijah frowns as he takes Lola's wrist and looks down at the mark and sighs, "So what Niklaus told me is true, you've been marked."

Lola sighs as she takes a seat on the bench, "Yep and the only way to finish the spell is to have your mother perform it and even if the spell was finished I would have to die for the entire thing to be completed. So I guess I'm just learning to live with it."

"Charlotte..." Elijah starts as he sits beside her.

"Elijah, it's fine." Lola interrupts him, she flashes a smile at him, "I am fine. Anyway, do you have the blood ready?"

Elijah goes to take something out of his jacket pocket but pauses, "Just answer me this one thing, is this really the life you want?"

Lola frowns, "What do you mean?"

"You've spent over 100 years being someone you are not. Are you really so sure you want to stay like this and not uncover more potential that you could possibly possess? No one else like your kind has been seen since the early 1900s."

"Maybe it's for the best, you know." Lola starts, "Back in 1903 when Nik and I went looking for the rumoured group that was just like me we had no luck. Either we just missed them in England or maybe they were just one big story. Either way I think it's for the best because from what we heard they didn't exactly sound like a decent group. The only way I could even break this spell is at the hands of your mother and I don't know if you can remember but she hates vampires so why would she help one?"

"Perhaps it isn't just my mother that could finish it."

Lola shakes her head, "The witch we spoke to told us she is the only one powerful enough. But please, if you find a witch as powerful as your mother give me a call." Lola stands up from the bench, "I need to get back to Mystic Falls with your blood so Nik can get you all unlinked."

Elijah also stands and hands over the vial of his blood, "Just please look after yourself, Charlotte."

"I will."

---------------------------------------------------

Lola arrives back at the mansion, closing the door behind her she looks around to see no one, "Klaus?"

"Lola..." A voice is heard from the ballroom, a familiar voice to Lola.

Lola is just about to walk into the room when Klaus appears smiling over to her, "Love, you're back."

Klaus pecks Lola's lips, she smiles up at him as she hands over the vial of blood, "Here's Elijah's blood." She frowns as she looks towards the ballroom, "What's going on in there? I could have swore I heard..."

"It's nothing." Klaus interrupts Lola, "Follow me." He then leads her into the study where Bonnie is sitting looking anxious.

Lola looks in the young witch's direction, "Hello, Bonnie."

Bonnie narrows her eyes at Lola. "What are you doing here?"

"Uh, I live here." Lola deadpans.

Klaus walks over to the pair, "Let's get started, shall we?"

A scream can be heard from the other room. Bonnie looks around panicking, "What was that?"

Klaus leans against the doorframe behind Bonnie with his arms crossed, "I wouldn't let it bother you, love."

"Well, it does bother me." Bonnie snaps, glaring at Klaus, "You bother me." Klaus puts his hand against his chest, faking that it hurt his feelings, "The way you use people to get what you want, it's not right."

"You're being emotional, Bonnie. I understand that things have been rough for you. You know, with your mother leaving. Again." Klaus attempts to look sympathetic as he steps closer to the witch, "It's very sad. I can help you find her, if you want. I have people who can find people who can bring her back to you." Klaus takes hold of Bonnie's arm as he smirks, "Or, if you choose I can just bring parts of her back." Bonnie pushes Klaus away from her, "Isn't it obvious that I'm just gonna continue to hurt the people you love until you do the spell? Now, I know it's in the grimoire and I know it requires the blood of my siblings, so here we are."

Klaus grabs a case and opens it. There are four bottles of blood within it. Klaus points to them, "Elijah. Rebekah. Kol. Finn." Klaus bites his hand and holds his bloody hand clenched in a fist and looks at Bonnie. Blood drips from his fist, "Where do you want us?"

Bonnie looks away and grabs a glass, holding it under Klaus's hand so his blood can drip into it and begins to perform the unlinking spell.

Lola takes Klaus to the side, lowering her voice in a hushed tone, "Tell me what's going on."

"Later." Klaus walks back over to where Bonnie is performing the spell.

Bonnie takes all of the sibling's blood and pours them into a large glass as she begins to chant. She continues to chant as she pours all of the blood onto the table has completed the spell. Lola and Klaus both step closer to the table as they watch pools of blood starting to separate. The chanting becomes more intense which then the flame on the candles placed around the table rise, Bonnie closes her eyes and arches her head back. She opens her eyes to five separate pools of blood on the table, she looks over to Klaus and Lola as her eyes fill with tears and the look of guilt as Klaus and Lola both smirk to each other.

Klaus begins to walk Bonnie out of the room towards the front door. Lola places her hand on his arm, "I'm going to get changed." Klaus nods in her direction, she then walks up the stairs to their bedroom.

Rebekah walks out of the ballroom, wiping the blood off her hands as she looks over to Klaus escorting Bonnie out of the house, "Aw, leaving so soon?"

"Sister. Be nice." Klaus taunts.

"Thank you, Bonnie." Rebekah says as she fakes an innocent smile to Bonnie, "See you in physics class." Rebekah smiles and walks away, revealing Damon in the snares in the room Rebekah just walked out of.

Bonnie gasps and looks over to Damon's state in shock, "Oh my God."

"Yeah, you'll have to excuse the mess." Klaus says, "Apparently Damon hurt her feelings."

"Bonnie." Damon weakly whispers.

Klaus gestures towards Damon, "Go on, help him. Save the man who turned your mother into a vampire."

Bonnie looks at Damon again, "Just get me out of here."

Klaus smiles, "Very well." Klaus escorts Bonnie out the house.

Lola walks back down the stairs after getting changed, she walks over to Klaus who is standing by the door.

"Lola." Damon croaks.

Lola turns to look into the ballroom, absolutely horrified. She looks over to Klaus. "What the hell is going on?!" When Klaus doesn't respond, she rushes into the room where Damon keeps going in and out of conciseness, "Damon!" She holds his head up, "Hey, look at me."

"Lola..." Klaus warns as he steps into the room along with Rebekah.

"Do not "Lola" me!" Lola snaps at him, "What are you playing at?!"

"Your brother deserves it." Rebekah scoffs.

Lola turns to face them both, "Rebekah, I love you but say another word and I will drop kick you so damn hard."

"It's okay, Lo." Damon says weakly.

"No it's not!" Lola shouts as she looks at Damon, she turns to look back at Klaus and Rebekah, "What the hell is happening?"

Klaus walks over to her, "Come with me."

"No."

Klaus glares down at Lola, "I won't ask you again."

Lola steps closer to Klaus, "So don't."

Klaus picks Lola up, throwing her over his shoulder and walks her out of the room, "You son of a bitch!" Lola snaps as she tries to fight out of his hold, "Put me down now!" Klaus eventually puts her down as he walks them into the study, "What is the matter with you?!"

"If you stop jumping down my throat maybe I'll tell you what's going on." Klaus snaps back.

Meanwhile, Damon is still strung up by the traps as Stefan enters the room with a duffel bag. Damon squints his eyes to focus on his brother walking in, he scoffs, "This was much different in my head."

"Klaus, I'm here!" Stefan announces, "Let's do this."

Klaus, Lola and Rebekah all walk back into the room, Lola looks over to her younger brother, "Stefan."

Klaus looks at Stefan amused, "Oh good, a hero. What do you want?"

Stefan drops the duffel bag with the stakes and Klaus's feet, "I'm here to make a deal."

Damon frowns, "Stefan, what are you doing?"

"Eight stakes made of white oak." Stefan informs, "The part of Wickery Bridge that you forgot to burn."

Klaus glares over to Rebekah as she shakes her head in shock, "That's impossible."

"Actually it's not." Stefan retorts, "Finn's dead."

Rebekah glares at Stefan, "You killed my brother?"

Stefan looks at Klaus, "Damon in exchanged for the last eight weapons that can kill you."

"And how do I know there aren't any more left?"

Stefan shakes his head, "Because there aren't."

Klaus narrows his eyes at Stefan, "Let's be certain, shall we?" Klaus walks over to Damon, "Leave."

"No."

"Go on. Leave."

"Nik, he's my plaything not yours." Rebekah whines.

"Shut up, Rebekah." Lola snaps.

Klaus grabs Damon by the throat and compels him, "I said, go home."

Damon starts to pull a wrist out from the snares, peeling the flesh off of it in the process. He screams in pain.

Lola squeezes her eyes shut, unable to watch what's going on, "Klaus, I swear to god..." She warns him.

Klaus laughs, "Alright, stop, stop, stop, before you hurt yourself. Well, seeing that he can finally be compelled. Now." Klaus grabs Damon by the throat and compels him again, "Minus the stake that's in my brother, how many more stakes are out there that can kill me?"

"Eleven." Damon croaks.

Lola looks down at her feet and sighs, deep down hoping her brothers were telling the truth.

"Eleven!" Klaus repeats in an amused tone, "Really? So, not eight then."

Rebekah smirks over to Stefan, "You really shouldn't have lied."

"I'll get you the other three." Stefan says defeated.

"Yeah, that'll be nice." Klaus shrugs, "Or since you lied, maybe I'll just compel your brother to chew out his own tongue."

Stefan glares at Klaus, "What is wrong with you?"

"What is wrong with you?!" Klaus snaps, "Do you really have no appreciation for me? I have given you someone to hate, to loathe, a target for all of your anger; so you don't have to turn it on yourself. I have given your life purpose, as your friend." Klaus laughs, "I really think you should be thanking me." Stefan rushes at Klaus and pins him against a wall with a white oak stake in hand. Klaus grabs his wrist, "Step down, or you both die." Stefan loosens his grip and Klaus takes the stake, "There. Now you only have to get me the other two."

"This is ridiculous." Rebekah scoffs as she walks over to Damon and releases him from the traps. Damon falls to his knees.

Klaus walks over to her, frowning, "What are you doing?"

"I brought him here. I get to release him. My rules now. Bring us the stakes and you both live. Take your brother as a sign of good faith." Rebekah picks up the duffel bag with the stakes and leaves.

Lola follows her out, Klaus takes hold of her hand and Lola stops walking with her back to Klaus, "Let go of my hand, Klaus." She seethes.

Klaus sighs releasing his grip, he turns to face Stefan, "Bring us the stakes. All of them. Or I will wage a war against everyone you love. I hope I'm being clear."

Klaus follows Lola up the stairs towards their bedroom. He walks in to see Lola pacing around the room, clearly agitated at what she's witnessed. She turns to face Klaus, glaring at him, "I cannot believe this!"

"Which part, love?" Klaus mimics Lola's glare, "The part where none of this was my doing or the part where you think I orchestrated all of it?"

Lola storms towards Klaus, pointing her finger towards him, "Don't you dare. Don't you dare turn this around. We've not even been back one day and already it's you versus my brothers."

Klaus laughs spitefully as he looks away for a moment, shaking his head. He looks back over to Lola, "How about we've not even been back one day and already you're thinking the worst of me. Did you not hear your brothers? They have stakes that can kill me!" Klaus raises his voice, "Lying that they gave us them all when they had others hidden. Damon using Rebekah to get in her head to find out where white oak was." He steps closer to Lola, "So yes I will dare to turn this around to prove to you that this wasn't just out of spite. This was to protect myself and our family." He then walks out of the bedroom and goes back downstairs and speaks to Rebekah.

-------------------------------------------------

A little while later, Lola heads back into the study where Klaus is sitting the fire making his way through all the bourbon. He notices her presence as he watches the fire crackle in the fireplace, "Come to accuse me of something else? Perhaps Kol has killed someone in Denver and it's my doing."

"Nik, please. I'm sorry." Lola walks around Klaus and crouches down in front of him, "I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions, I know. It was just so nice being in our own little bubble when we weren't in this town then the second I get back one of my brothers is chained up in one of the rooms like a bear. I am so sorry about Finn."

Klaus flashes a weak smile as he takes hold of Lola's hand, "It's okay." He gestures for Lola to sit on his lap, "I can never stay mad at you, love."

Lola smiles down at her love, moving some of his hair from his forehead, "Likewise."