Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Once home from a long evening shift at the local bar, Luna flops down on the couch. Tiredly she kicks her shoes off. Her evening had been long as there was certainly no shortage of drunks and nagging customers.

After zapping through the channels for some time, she decides to give in to watching her guilty pleasure: The Vampire Diaries. Although she can't stand most of the characters due to their irreparably annoying personality traits, she still finds the show entertaining, especially when it came down to the Mikaelson-related episodes.

However, this moment of rest was short-lived. Outside she could hear a loud crash, followed by several voices bickering with each other.

Luna froze, wondering if she should investigate the source of the disturbance, which was coming from her garden. After a moment of hesitation, she decides she couldn't deny her curiosity any longer. With a sigh, she throws off the blanket she was under.

"Great idea, Luna. Like any character at the beginning of a horror movie, let's go towards the unknown, possible serial killers outside," She mutters whilst picking up the aluminum baseball bat from the hall, and making her way towards the back door.

"Shh, I think someone's coming." 

Luna frowns, whoever they were, they were evidently unfamiliar with the concept of whispering.

"Hey, don't push me!" 

This statement sparked further disputes amongst the people outside. 

The bickering of the strangers on the other side of the door reminded her of her little nephews. Rolling her eyes she pushes the curtain back and unlocks the door.

She rubs her eyes tiredly while gaping at the group of odd-dressed intruders. Without thinking she switched on the outdoor lighting, which also inadvertently drew the attention of one of the strangers to her, the others still engaged in their heated quarrel.

There was a moment of absolute silence as the eldest sibling, Finn Mikaelson, looked at the woman in the doorway.

His breath caught in his throat as the realization dawned on him. It was her. She was his reason for being, the one he waited for all his life. This woman is his soulmate.

The anger and betrayal he felt when he was finally awoken after 900 years was spontaneously forgotten. He immediately regrets his involvement in his mother's plans. The idea of sacrificing himself to make his mother's guilt disappear was now long gone.

"Damn, you guys look even hotter in real life" Luna mutters incredulously, not looking away. Immediately she felt the need to hit her head against the nearest wall, she had finally gotten her voice back, and of course, she used it to blurt out something inappropriate.

Luna's sudden statement now also caught the attention of the other Mikaelson siblings. Rebekah looked appraisingly at the unknown young woman, abandoning her heated argument with Kol.

Elijah, the second oldest, could not believe his eyes. Previous affections towards various Petrova's descendants were nothing compared to this otherworldly sense of belonging he was experiencing now. It was as if a lost puzzle piece finally fell into place.

Tilting his head slightly, Niklaus took in the image of the woman before him. A warm, alien feeling spread through his body and swallowed him whole. Under his, hopefully, casual demeanor, his instincts were about to run wild. Immediately a sense of familiarity took hold of him.

Kol, the youngest of the bunch, was the first to overcome the initial shock of seeing his mate. Although he too was immersed with a sense of familiarity and affection for the angelic woman before him, he lacked the impulsive control of his brothers.

Without thinking, Kol sped towards the young lady in an unnaturally rapid manner. She saw his movement from the corner of her eye and stepped back on an impulse.

Kol was so taken aback by the discovery of his mate that he forgot, that as a vampire, he couldn't just storm into the house without having received an invitation from the inhabitant. This led to him crashing up against the invisible barrier.

Slightly alarmed by his sudden actions, Luna turns her gaze to the man in front of her.

"Nathaniel? Umm, what are you doing in my garden?" She asks, before quickly glancing over his shoulder, and seeing the other Mikaelsons still staring at her. "With the rest of the cast? Not that I have any objection, but most celebrities use the front door," She adds dryly. Her voice sounded confident, something she certainly didn't feel in this bizarre situation.

"Nathan- who? Never mind that. You must have mistaken me for someone else. The name is Kol Mikaelson, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, darling." Out of habit he reaches forward, wanting to grab her hand, but was stopped yet again by the invisible barrier.

"Kol Mikaelson?" Echoes Luna uncertainly. She raises an eyebrow and slightly tightens her grip on the baseball bat. He nods.

"Alright, 'Kol Mikaelson' what are you doing in my yard? And what was that noise?" She wasn't sure what was going on but decided to play along. The first thought that crossed her mind was that this was all part of a prank show of some sort.

"Why are you making quotation marks with your hand?" Kol was slightly offended, as if he would ever lie to his mate, especially about something as trivial as his name.

Finn watches the conversation between his mate and his youngest brother. Like Kol, he too got over his dismay. He looked away reluctantly and noticed how Elijah and Niklaus gazed at the woman. Frowning slightly at this discovery, he returns his gaze to the woman. To his pity, he remarked that the human being had no sense of the attraction that he, and his brothers, felt towards her.

The oldest Mikaelson wasn't the only one to notice this. Rebekah tilts her head slightly and then understood what was happening. If her suspicion was correct, then her brothers had found their mate. Although she was happy for her siblings, a sense of concern immediately gnawed at her. She doesn't want her brothers fighting for her affections or worse, being played by this woman. 

Despite this sense of apprehension, she had snorted when she heard the first remark the woman uttered. She and her brothers probably weren't supposed to hear it. At times like this, she was very happy with her supernatural hearing.

"Sorry for the turmoil my siblings and I have caused, love. Niklaus Mikaelson, but you may call me Klaus or Nik." Niklaus steps forward quickly. He did not want his reckless brother too close to his mate. Although she was still behind the threshold, Niklaus did not like the idea of any harm being orchestrated against his mate. 

Kol narrows his eyes at his brother and growls lightly in annoyance at the implication of harming his mate.

"We, ourselves, are not sure what happened. One minute we were in my mansion the next in the backyard of a beautiful young lady." Niklaus continues while flashing a charming smile at Luna.

Luna looked at him motionless for a second and averted her gaze, before bursting into laughter. She had finally let go of the baseball bat and was now clutching her stomach.

The Mikaelsons gave her a puzzled look and various noises of indignation could be heard.

Seeing the bemused looks of the 'Mikaelsons' only made her laugh louder. 

"Wow! You almost got me there!" She giggles while gasping for air. "I knew you guys were funny, but this is next level! Anyway, where are the cameras?" she asks, sobering up a bit. Even going as far as wiping a tear away.

"Cameras?" Finn gave her a questioning look, though he enjoyed hearing her laughter, he was afraid she might be over-exhausted and therefore talking nonsense.

"There are no cameras, Angel" added Kol, who was warily eyeing his approaching elder brothers.

"But ... if this isn't a joke, then why are you in my yard? And why are you pretending to be your characters from the show?" Luna looks confused at the diverse faces she has admired on the screen so many times.

Judging by the bewildered looks on the faces of the intruders, they didn't have the slightest idea what she was talking about.

"Maybe we should continue this conversation indoors," Elijah suggested, whose inner animal became slightly agitated by the fact that thanks to his brothers, he couldn't get closer to his mate.

Although Luna did not dare to speak up about her suspicions, she decided to put them to the test. She gave a short nod and took a step back. She wanted to see how the 'Mikaelsons' responded to this act and if they could enter without her explicit invitation.

As expected, Niklaus and Kol, who were closest to the door, look warily at the threshold and seemed unsure about how to proceed. 

Rebekah looked at Luna with raised eyebrows and understood what she was doing. She stepped forward, pushing her brothers aside. 

Both made noises of protest but otherwise did not object to their sister's action 

"Very clever to not invite us in verbally. I suppose this means you know what we are?" Rebekah grins. The human nods in response.

"It's impossible and I'm pretty sure this is one of my bizarre dreams. But I'll play along. You are the Mikaelsons, also known as the Original family. You are about 1000 years old and you were turned into vampires by your mother Esther, The Original Witch. You are feared by every supernatural being and have the motto 'Always and forever'.'' With a shrug, Luna ends her little summary and looks at them one by one.

At the mention of his mother, Finn awkwardly averts his gaze. Knowing all this, chances were she also knew about his planned betrayal of his brothers and sister.

Luna notices Finn's motion and softens her gaze. She always thought it was unfair that Finn was portrayed so negatively by the writers. If she was put in a box for 900 years, she wouldn't be too happy with her siblings either. Finn was one of those characters who deserved better and if all of this was somehow real, she would make sure he got the life he deserved.

Elijah looked at his mate in surprise. He wondered how she knew all this. "Please let us in. We would love to learn more about you and how you became acquainted with our past." 

Luna looks at him with uncertainty, once they could enter, she wouldn't be able to shield herself from any Mikaelson-tantrums they so often had on the show.

The noble Original seemed to hear her doubts and immediately wanted to reassure her. "Do not worry, Elskan. My siblings won't harm you, you have my word." 

Luna couldn't help but smile fondly at him upon hearing his promise. Elijah and his word, another beloved catchphrase.

"My name is Luna." She simply states. "And thank you for your promise. Please come in, Elijah." Flashing a kindhearted smile, she took another step back to allow the Original to enter.

Elijah carefully steps over the threshold, so as not to startle the young woman. As he walked past her he sniffed lightly. He allowed himself to take in her scent. Elijah halted next to her, relishing being so close to his mate without being disturbed by his other brothers.

Niklaus and Kol saw their older brother's self-righteous look and growl menacingly at him.

Elijah ignored the insignificant sounds of his brothers and allows himself to admire Luna from up close. He marveled at her physique and thought of her to be the most exquisite creature to have ever graced the earth.

The brunette was oblivious to Elijah's investigating gaze. She instead looks at the agitated Mikaelsons in front of her, troubled by the idea of having them enter her home in their current state.

A cough diverts Luna's attention. She shifts her gaze to the female Original.

Rebekah had rolled her eyes at the animalistic sound coming from her brothers. "Would I be allowed in too, Luna? Although I am an immortal being, I'd rather not spend the rest of the evening in your garden, no matter how lovely the rose bushes look."

"Please, come in Rebekah" Luna smiles at the blonde, briefly touching her hand in passing, to show her wish for friendship to the blonde. 

Rebekah looks somewhat startled at this but quickly covered it up with a hesitant smile.

Although Rebekah would love to have a real friend, one she could trust, she still resolved to be a little reserved towards Luna. The brunette had not done anything wrong to her or her brothers, but she didn't want to be stabbed in the back again by a so-called friend.

Luna had realized how all the Mikaelsons had drawn their attention to her and felt a bit self-conscious. She disliked being the center of attention, especially when that attention came from five extremely attractive, yet dangerous Originals. 

Luna shifts her feet slightly. After standing all night, she felt her fatigue grow. Especially the discovery that she was now surrounded by her favorite (fictional) serial killers drained her energy.

"Finn, please come in." Luna reaches timidly for the eldest brother. 

Finn was slightly surprised that she looked at him with such sincerity. He grabbed her hand almost eagerly once he passed the threshold. He felt her grip relax faintly, but she didn't let go. As if she knew he longed for human contact. A gentle squeeze in his hand confirmed his speculation.

Kol looked longingly at the entwined fingers of his mate and his brother. He looks at his eldest brother incomprehensibly. Finn's usual aloof and unemotional features were now relaxed, almost amused even, as he admired his mate.

Kol shifted his gaze to Luna and looked at her pleadingly. "Can I go in too? Please, Angel? You weren't going to leave us out in the cold, were you?" He asks, tone slightly accusing.

Niklaus said nothing but shot the two brothers who were within reach of his mate an aggravated look. Honestly, would he, the Original hybrid be denied access by his mate, meanwhile his stupid, self-righteous brothers had free reign? 

In his mind, Niklaus was already thinking of ways to get even with his brothers when the voice of his mate broke through.

Luna recognized the look in Niklaus' eyes all too well. This was his 'I will kill you and everyone you know' look. Not knowing that this look was directed at the men beside her.

She was mildly tormented with the dilemma that now arose. She could let him in, and he would probably crush her windpipe within seconds. Or she could deny him and Kol entry, which would likely cause irreparable damage to her parental home. Luna had seen what he did when he was denied access to the Gilbert residence, and she didn't want to take that chance.

Deciding to take a page from Elena's book, something she never thought she would do, but then again, she never thought she would face the Original family either.

"If I let you in, you will have to stick to my rules."She begins, her voice trembling slightly. She was all too familiar with both Mikaelson's temper and their inability to follow rules.

Elijah saw her jaw tighten and heard her pulse quicken. He took her other hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. Gratefully, she squeezed back.

Kol immediately opens his mouth to protest but snaps it back shut when he saw the ominous looks his elder brothers gave him. He gazes at the brunette with a slight pout.

"You leave my family, neighbors, and friends alone. Also, if you want to eat, you do it decently. And, no murder sprees! Deal?" Luna looked sharply at the youngest Mikaelson brothers.

"Deal." Niklaus huffs after a short silence. At this point, he would buy her the Eiffel Tower himself, if it meant he could finally get closer to his mate. 

Kol pouts a little longer but finally caves, seeing that his mate was not going to change her rules for him.

"Niklaus, Kol. Please come in."

Chapter Text

Luna pinches the bridge of her nose in exasperation. She felt a massive headache coming up. Undoubtedly, her tiredness and the initial shock of the situation were to blame.

Even though her feet are dragging, and she was most likely to have dark circles under her eyes, she knew she would not get any rest that night without further explanation for the peculiarity that had forced itself onto her. She had always been cursed with nocturnal worry.

She quickly put some painkillers in her mouth and washes them down with some leftover white wine from the fridge. Nothing wrong with self-medicating.

Digging into her memory, she tries to retain the original timeline of the Vampire Diaries. Thinking of clues that could explain their sudden transport to her universe. Judging by their apparel, she was almost certain the Mikaelson ball just took place. Dangerous Liaisons, one of her favorite episodes.

Taking out her phone, she quickly googles the episode to figure out what year they came from. 2010, that meant that the Mikaelsons would be in for a culture shock, especially Finn and Kol, who had been desiccated until recently.

Luna shakes her head slightly. The first thought that crossed her mind was the pity she felt for the youngest and eldest Mikaelson men. Finally released from their dreaded coffins, slightly adjusted to the new world, only to be thrown into the future, yet again.

She sympathized with the Mikaelsons. At least, the Mikaelsons she knew from TV. She has no idea whether their characters were being portrayed correctly. What if they were even more menacing in real life?

"Excellent idea, inviting them in, idiot." Luna scolds herself softly, cringing at her own naivety.

The sound of the kettle interrupts her reverie. She eagerly prepares her favorite source of caffeine and filled her oversized mug to the brim. Impatient as she was, she takes a big gulp, instantly regretting her greed when she feels the familiar burning sensation in her esophagus.

Luna blinks out of her daze when she hears several footsteps coming down her stairs, accompanied by mumbling voices. Strangely enough, the hushed sounds comforted her.

She wasn't used to this. Normally, the house was filled with silence, which Luna usually tried to counteract by playing music or turning on the TV for some background noise. No matter her efforts, this did not cover up her loneliness.

• • •

After she had given Kol and Niklaus permission to enter her house, she had immediately regretted it. She was still pretty much boxed in by the elder Mikaelsons. Each was still clasping one of her hands, which they enjoyed thoroughly. She wasn't embarrassed to say that she had flinched when Kol and Niklaus had suddenly flashed forward.

This demonstration of supernatural speed once more confirmed the vampire theory. It seemed so normal on TV. She had gotten used to seeing Stefan and Damon running all over Mystic Falls, but seeing it happen in real life was a completely different experience. She suddenly understood why the characters gasped in such dramatic fashion whenever a vampire flashed up to them.

This newfound action aroused a sense of alarm within the brunette. She felt immensely inferior in the presence of the five Mikaelsons. It had only then dawned on her that she really was surrounded by vampires, actual vampires. Vampires who could kill her at any given moment. They had killed before, they killed to sustain themselves, to punish, and to entertain. She found the last scenario particularly disturbing.

Although she had cheered extensively during the TV show every time the Mikaelsons sought retaliation, she was now less enthusiastic about the idea of the Mikaelsons killing any of her acquaintances.

Her face had unconsciously taken up a panic-stricken look. This did not go unnoticed by the Mikaelsons.

Kol felt his heart drop as he saw the panicked look on her face. He had seen that look a thousand times before, on various victims. He had relished in the idea that people feared him, but seeing that look on his mate pained him deeply.

He had flashed her an apologetic look and slowly took a step back to give her some space. He thought quite highly of his selfless act, especially when Niklaus had followed his lead.

Despite the revelation, it never occurred to her to let go of Elijah and Finn's hands. The firm hold of their hands helped her stay grounded.

Usually, in a situation that caused her distress, she would fidget with her fingers, or start pinching and scratching the skin on her hands for some stress relief. But now that her hands were already preoccupied, she unconsciously began to squeeze their hands.

Elijah appeared calm, but beneath the surface he almost boiled with anger. Of course, his brothers had to act recklessly again.

Rebekah had watched the impulsive actions of her brothers in annoyance. She felt quite sorry for the human. Luna appeared not much older than her physical self, and seemed tired and confused. She knew her brothers could be a lot to handle, and it would be quite the task to explain to her the concept of soulmates. She had however allowed herself a small smile when she noticed Luna unconsciously seeking comfort with her eldest brothers.

Luna had quickly snapped out of her daze and she was met by various worried gazes. She had quickly plastered on a somewhat convincing smile and decided to take on the role of the perfect hostess, just to distract herself, and everyone else, from the awkward situation.

Luna had given them a quick tour of the house and had allowed them to freshen up in the bathrooms. She had handed Rebekah some pajamas, although the blonde was a bit taller than her, she was sure it should fit.

Luna didn't know why, but she had felt slightly remorseful about not being able to provide the men with more comfortable clothes. She felt a little lame when she apologized, but they quickly reassured her. To feel less burdened, she impulsively suggested buying clothes the next day. The men quickly agreed to the idea, which in her eyes sounded very optimistic, till now, she wasn't even sure if she would still be alive the next morning.

During their absence, she was suddenly acutely aware that she probably looked like a slob and quickly changed into some fresh pajamas and fuzzy socks.

• • •

Rubbing her face, Luna walks towards the sofa, coffee in hand. She was nervously plucking at a piece of fluff on her pajama bottoms when the living room door opened, and the Originals poured into the room.

Rebekah immediately flashes towards the large, comfortable chair, so that the rest of the Mikaelsons and Luna were assigned to the 3-seater sofa. The seating arrangement immediately sparks another round of bickering amongst the brothers. Rebekah grins as her brothers argue over who would get to sit next to their mate.

Luna gazes wide-eyed at this spectacle. She had never met a family who could argue so often in such limited time.

She looks flabbergasted at Rebekah, who wore a smirk that silently communicated that the Mikaelson men were her problem now. Luna narrows her eyes slightly, not really understanding why the Mikaelson men were acting the way they were.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Luna breathes.

"Thoroughly."Rebekah replies, still smirking.

"They're over a thousand years old, and they're bickering over who gets to sit on a couch-they do realize I have other chairs too, right?"

"They get a bit dumb sometimes." Rebekah jokes, she didn't feel the urge to tell Luna the real reason for their dispute.

"A bit? Sometimes?" Luna murmurs incredulously while rolling her eyes. She can recall several incidents in which the Mikaelsons behaved recklessly.

Rebekah blinks, this comment reminded her that this human somehow knew about them and their pasts.

To avoid interfering with the bickering Mikaelson men, she quickly walks back to the kitchen to get a refill of coffee. She wasn't sure if it was a smart idea to leave the Originals alone in a living room with some of her beloved houseplants and their very fragile pots, but she would find out soon enough.

While in the kitchen, she quickly chugs two glasses of water, feeling thoroughly dehydrated. Her thirst may also have been fueled by the fact that she was surrounded by gorgeous, drool-worthy vampires.

She blushes at the thought that she had fantasized about meeting these people. Could you really blame her? They were fantastic! On and off-screen.

Trying to ignore the warmth of her cheeks, she walks back into the living room, where the bickering had finally stopped.

Elijah and Finn now sat on the couch, leaving a spot in the middle. Elijah was flipping through an old newspaper, and Finn was gazing at the frozen image on the TV. Both men had taken off their jackets and loosened their bow ties, looking like they'd spent a day at the office instead of an extravagant ball.

Niklaus was now in the comfortable chair, and Rebekah and Kol sitting on the carpet, leaning against the couch, and whispering amongst themselves. This view aroused her suspicion, the last time she saw this, they were plotting Matt Donovan's death. She wonders briefly what Niklaus had threatened Rebekah with to get her to give up her seat.

All the Mikaelsons looked relaxed, and an outsider would have thought this family spent every night like this together

A little shyly, she maneuvers herself past several legs and placed herself between Elijah and Finn. She sat on the edge of the couch, not comfortable with taking up more space.

Niklaus observes his mate. Though her face looked calm, her troubled heartbeat revealed her nervousness. He carefully watches the tendons under her skin move as she flexes her hands, frowning slightly at the discolored skin where she was scratching earlier, an obvious indication of her harmful habit.

"Seeing as I already know a lot about you, I think it would be fair if I also shared something about myself." Luna begins hesitantly. She felt the same tension in her stomach that she had when she had to give a presentation and started scratching one of her hands without realizing it.

Finn saw this and gently took her hand in his. Without even uttering a word, he had managed to calm her down considerably. Oblivious that she, just like Finn, and the other Mikaelsons, was touch starved.

Luna smiles at him in gratitude and glances at their hands, which had found each other, just like before.

Finn's inner vampire was pleased with the thought he could comfort his distressed mate, and smiled back.

She didn't understand how, but he made physical contact easy, she felt a familiarity with him, all of them really, which in turn worried her, as she was never a fan of showing vulnerability. She shook her worries off and moved on. "So my name is Luna Mason, I'm 21 years old, I'm an art student and work in a local bar..." She trails off awkwardly.

"Any hobbies?" Elijah asks, trying to get her to open up a bit more, this was a good move on his part because Luna erupted enthusiastically.

"Oh, I love to read and anything art-related. Making art, viewing art, criticizing art." She rambles with an excited glint in her eyes, nervousness gone.

Niklaus admired her passion towards a subject he had a shared love for, a small honest smile playing at his lips. The nervous and unsure girl from a minute ago was replaced with an excited and spirited person.

There was an easy silence in the air as the Mikaelsons marveled at the beauty of human enthusiasm, something they hadn't always appreciated in their long lives.

Kol, impatient as always, broke the silence. "You pretty much summarized our lives earlier. Would you like to explain that, Angel?" Kol asks while gazing curiously at Luna.

"Before I explain that to you, maybe you would like something to drink-No wait, I think you should definitely have a drink, it might help against the potential murderous tendencies." Luna nods at her own reasoning, standing up.

"Are you willing to tap a vein?" Niklaus blurts out in a deadpan tone.

Luna looks at him, slightly wide-eyed, and pales at the mere suggestion. She had recognized his teasing smile, but she couldn't be sure if it actually was a joke. Deciding to be safe, she bustles off to the kitchen.

Rebekah flung a pillow at Niklaus' face and looked irritated. "Way to scare off your mate, you moron."

Niklaus rubs his face, annoyed at his sister's reprimand, and apologizes profusely to Luna upon her return.

"I hope this is alright, I don't really drink heavy stuff at home" Luna smiles while presenting an old bottle of whiskey she had found in the back of her cupboard. It was her father's favorite.

She briefly glances at Niklaus. "Do you really think I'll let you take a bite of me every time you're feeling peckish?" She deadpans with an unexpected burst of confidence

"Yes?" he smirks at her remark, indulging in her teasing.

"No, the answer was no. Grab a blood bag or something. Heathen" The last word was whispered by Luna. She knew it wouldn't be smart to insult any of the Mikaelsons, but sometimes her mouth worked faster than her brain.

"I'd like to, love, but I don't think you have those in your fridge. And I'm pretty sure you won't let me eat your neighbor." He replies with a playful tone.

Luna frowns slightly. He had a point there, they had to get blood one way or another, and she wasn't volunteering.

"Don't worry about us for now, we can look for a... food source tomorrow." Elijah interrupts her thoughts.

She nods and hands out the glasses.

"We're getting off the topic here, maybe you can answer Kol's question from earlier." Rebekah suggests. The blonde had taken it upon herself to sort through the stack of books that was placed beside the couch. This human sure liked her contemporary romance books.

"I am a seer." Luna deadpans.

Rebekah looks thoroughly unimpressed at Luna and arches an eyebrow at her. There was no way that this girl was a seer. Seers always radiated a certain energy. And Luna was clearly human.

Luna chuckles when she sees Rebekah's skepticism.

"Nah, I'm just fucking with you. You guys are characters in a TV show I watch."

"What?!"

Chapter Text

Luna blinks blearily at her ceiling, she had experienced the strangest dream. A good dream, nonetheless. Her blissful thoughts are interrupted by a head poking into her field of vision.

"Ah! Jesus, Be-Bekah?! What are you-Wait? This isn't a terrible coma dream?!" Out of fright, Luna had given the Original a hard shove, and managed to kick her off the bed.

Rebekah laid slumped on the ground, rather ungracefully. Disconcerted by the situation, Luna never considered that kicking a vampire out of bed might not be a very smart move.

"Bloody hell." Rebekah groans while quickly scrambling back to her feet. "Normally, people don't scream bloody murder the morning after sharing a bed with me. Very refreshing, but not worth repeating." Rebekah grumbles.

Luna looks unimpressed at the blonde, and then her eyes widened comically. "Wait- sharing a bed?! Did we? You know? And why were you hovering over me like a creep? Please tell me you didn't watch me while I slept?! I do not need an Edward Cullen situation." Luna rambled sitting straight up, feeling a bit nauseous and proud at the same time at the idea of sleeping with the female Original.

"No, we didn't. You wish! And I wasn't hovering, I was going to wake you. By the way, did you know that you scrunch your nose whilst sleeping?" Rebekah smirks upon seeing Luna grab onto her nose, looking quite insulted.

"Wait, if you were sleeping here, where did your brothers sleep? The last time I checked, I only have one other bedroom, and the mental image of your brothers snuggling up on a twin bed is way too disturbing this early in the morning. And should I be worried to find a pile of dead bodies in my living room?" Luna narrows her eyes suspiciously; you could never be certain with five bloodsuckers in your house.

"Do you really think we would go on a killing spree in the few hours you were resting?" Rebekah scoffs indignantly.

Luna raises her eyebrow in question.

"No, we did not, we stayed up finishing the whiskey and having some family time. Eventually, I joined you in your bed, which I deeply regret as you seem to enjoy kicking your bed companions. My brothers probably slept on the couch and or floor." Rebekah explains while ripping the covers from Luna, who whines and glares daggers at the blonde.

Rebekah rolls her eyes and drags her out of her bed. She had waited long enough for the brunette to wake. Her brothers had insisted on giving Luna a minimum of 8 hours of sleep.

After Luna's rather blunt announcement, the Mikaelsons had all reacted startled. Finn was worried that the exhaustion had severely influenced Luna’s mental capacities, and Niklaus had simply gaped at her. 

After clarifying the situation, the Mikaelsons were still somewhat skeptical, but knew that it might be possible. If magic, werewolves, and vampires were real, surely an alternative universe could also exist.

Kol was very enthusiastic about the idea that he was a TV star and immediately asked Luna if they could watch an episode, preferably with him in it. Luna, who was just as enthusiastic of this idea was about to meet Kol's demand, until Elijah suggested giving Luna some rest first.

It had not escaped Elijah how his mate’s eyes closed heavily every time she blinked, and the bags under her eyes were becoming quite prominent. He was concerned about the bodily health of his mate and believed that she had enough impressions and excitement for one night. He promised her soothingly that they could watch anything they wanted tomorrow.

Luna had protested strongly. But Elijah could be quite convincing if he wanted to. She didn't want to go to bed because she was afraid it was all a dream and her time with the Mikaelsons was therefore limited. She wanted to know more about them, she secretly really liked their family disputes and childish behavior.

Kol watched his mate pout in disappointment and saw that Elijah was about to give in. For a change, Kol decided to help his older brother, instead of working against him. He too was concerned about Luna's tiredness, and the amount of coffee she had drunk in an hour didn't exactly reassure him. Only after Kol had threatened to eat her neighbor, Luna reluctantly gave in and retreated upstairs.

• • •

The Mikaelsons sat and stood around the kitchen island. Kol was reading an old magazine, Elijah spoke softly to Niklaus, and Finn rummaged through Luna's regrettably empty cupboards.

"Why so grumpy, Bekah?" Kol chirps while throwing a stray napkin at his sister's face.

"I don't know, maybe being yelled at and karate kicked out of bed in the morning by my new friend has something to do with it?" Rebekah replies grouchily before throwing the crumpled napkin back at Kol.

"Wait, we're...friends?" Luna enters the kitchen and looks slightly disturbed after the blonde's comment. The thoughts of being friends with the blonde had certainly crossed her mind, but she never thought it would happen.

"Don't say that while looking at me like I've just killed a puppy." Rebekah snaps, looking extremely offended.

"Well, sorry! This is very new for me!" Luna looked around helplessly. She had clearly offended her and was uncomfortably searching for a way to fix it. "So, we're friends...great! Cool! Very awesome! Now what?"

Rebekah narrows her eyes at her faltering words, but acknowledged her efforts and gave Luna a somewhat amused smile.

Where Rebekah previously had felt pity for this human and the situation she was thrown in, she now rather had pity for herself. Already seeing that this socially awkward child would be a perfect fit for her chaotic brothers. She hated the idea that her only partner in crime, could be even more tiresome than her brothers put together.

Rebekah was also concerned for Luna's reaction when she'd learn about being the soulmate to her brothers. If the human already seemed uncomfortable with the idea of a friend, how would she respond to a suitor? Let alone a herd of them.

Luna shifts her gaze from Rebekah, who seemed to be deep in thought, to the other Mikaelsons, who were watching their exchange with amused smiles. She was amazed that the Mikaelson men still looked great after the long night. No outsider would suspect that they had slept on a floor.

She greeted them slightly flushed, suppressing the need to grimace at her own body betraying her.

"Good morning, my love." Finn begins. "I wanted to make you some breakfast, but you don't seem to have anything in your fridge or in any of your other cupboards" His tone is somewhat accusing.

Luna frowns at the term of endearment, which rolled disturbingly easily off his tongue. Yesterday she also noted that the men were very easy with pet names, maybe that was just something they always did. Niklaus was known for calling Caroline ‘love’.

"I think there's some yogurt in the door." She shuffles towards the coffee pot, which, to her surprise, was already filled with the steaming stuff, her favorite mug placed beside it. 

Sipping her drink, she settles herself next to Elijah. Kol saw this and quickly took the empty spot next to her.

Niklaus opens the refrigerator in response to this, looking back up a second later, mildly disturbed. "Yeah, that 'yogurt' is blue, so no. You don't have any food in your house!" He comments, astonished at how she seemed unable to take care of herself. Luna didn’t look close to malnourished or anything like that, but he could easily distinguish that she didn’t hold to a particularly efficient and healthy diet.

Luna looked down at her hands, guiltily. She was supposed to do groceries last night before work, but got held up by an unforeseen phone call. "Do you guys want to see yourself on TV?"

Kol looks at her in disbelief. He was not amused with her obvious diversion attempt. He, however, saw how she shrunk under the gazes of his siblings and decided to break up the tension. "Let's do some grocery shopping first, Angel"

Luna smiles gratefully at Kol's rescue-attempt and nods in agreement.

• • •

Shopping with the Mikaelsons was quite an experience. Luna did not dare to say whether it was a good experience, but at least it was memorable.

"Put down the pasta Kol!" Luna regretted bringing the youngest male Mikaelson on the shopping trip. She should have left him in the car, really.

Kol was running around the aisles, happy to be out of the house, and she had lost sight of the others as soon as they walked into the store. Only Finn had stayed by her side, helping her push the cart. It felt like a very homey scenario. As if they went shopping together every week. 

This pretend scenario made Luna feel somewhat miserable. She knew the Mikaelsons would eventually leave, and she would have to go shopping alone again. Also, her house would once more feel way too big and empty.

On the spot, she decides not to bond with the Mikaelsons any further. She would enjoy the time they would have. And when the moment came, she would let them go and return to her normal life, as if all this had never happened.

Luna had insisted they all wore sunglasses and baseball caps. Although she did not expect fans in the area, she didn’t want to take the risk of unwanted media attention.

Although the Mikaelsons had not yet realized the magnitude of their fame, they went along with Luna's request. The men had a hard time refusing their mate anything, and Rebekah believed the girl probably had her reasons, seeing as she was the most familiar with this universe.

Finn and Kol got multiple disapproving looks from old ladies, who probably thought they were either hungover or just rude for wearing glasses indoors. Luna and had smiled at them apologetically, while Kol flipped most of them off. "Lucky for you, I prefer my meals a lot younger" Kol muttered at one point.

"But, you said you liked pasta," Kol replies, looking disgruntled. He didn't really know anything regarding human eating habits, but he would not allow his mate to ever have empty cupboards again. Even if he had to feed her himself, he would make sure she would consume enough nutrients. He reminds himself to look up some more information about humans and food, when they were back home.

"I do love pasta, but since we already have eight varieties in the shopping cart, I think we can leave the macaroni in the store." Luna deadpans while inspecting a jar of pasta sauce.

Kol still held the package and looked at it in conflict.

"Kol, put it back, or I'll drop you off at the kid's corner!" She threw him a withering glare. 

Huffing, he put the carton back and wanders off.

"How did I suddenly become a mom of a thousand-year-old toddler?" Luna asks exasperated. "I apologize to every mother I've glared at in the grocery store in the past."

Finn chuckles softly while gazing at her. He enjoyed being this close to her. He even loved doing something mundane like running errands as long as she was within arm's reach.

He curiously looks around at the many packages that brought the promise of food. The world had become so much easier for humans, yet they seemed less fulfilled than a thousand years ago.

Niklaus emerges ten minutes later, with his arms full of bottles of expensive-looking liquor. Luna was about to make a comment when Elijah appeared as well, holding even more bottles.

"Great, now we'll definitely come across as professional alcoholics! I can never show my face here again!" Luna groans. Niklaus and Elijah smile sheepishly at their mate, and Niklaus took the cart from here in apology. 

Finn places a comforting hand on the small of her back, she unintentionally leans in, enjoying the warmth of his palm.

Another five minutes later, she finally got all the Mikaelsons to stick together for once. She felt like a mother who had to keep her children in line. Said children were constantly throwing unnecessary products into the cart, which she then had to fish out and put back on the shelves.

Kol and Rebekah had soon turned this into a game and only stopped when Elijah had glared menacingly at them. He was irritated by the fact that they were unnecessarily exhausting his mate.

"I will definitely need these." Luna mutters while throwing in several boxes of painkillers. 

Kol looks notably insulted when Rebekah throws six more boxes into the cart whilst smirking at Luna. She was sure that at some point Luna would get used to her family and would no longer need painkillers to endure their company, but it could presumably take another thirty years or so.

The blonde smugly recollects some of her brothers' previous girlfriends whom she had successfully scared off, often together with Kol.

Scaring Luna off wouldn't be an option. The soulmate concept is a sacred thing in the supernatural world, not that she would want to though. She thought Luna would be good to her brothers and could definitely heal their broken family over time.

The human had already affected them without her knowing. The Mikaelsons had been able to talk about their feelings the night before, something they normally preferred to avoid. But now the brothers had a common goal. It was impossible to make Luna happy if they continued to treat each other like rubbish. Even though Luna's happiness wasn't Rebekah's priority, she too would like to move forward with her brothers.

Although Luna was a lot more active, now that she was awake, and had mercilessly kicked the blonde out of bed this morning, the female Original still longed for a friendship with the human. Luna didn't seem to be afraid of their vampire side at all, which Rebekah respected immensely. This might also be because Luna had not yet seen their vampire features, but all would be revealed soon enough.

Rebekah did notice that Luna seemed to be a little uncomfortable with her brothers. Not because they were blood-drinking serial killers, but because they were men. The blonde guessed that Luna didn't enjoy much male attention based on her flustered physique whenever one of her brothers paid her any attention. She was sure this would change soon.

• • •

"So, to summarize: Kol made a few toddlers cry, Finn discovered seventeen kinds of peanut butter, Rebekah flirted with the cashier, Niklaus threatened the old lady with the bananas, I have thoroughly embarrassed Finn, and you've tripped a total of seven times. Overall success, right?" Luna beams brightly while closing the trunk, which was stuffed with grocery bags.

"Nine,” Elijah corrects. "And your definition of success differs drastically from mine." He grits. Elijah didn't know how, but he was sporting a massive headache and was still pissed off with Kol, who had been insistent on tripping Elijah as many times as possible.

Luna giggles at his tortured expression and walks towards the driver's side. Elijah follows her example and got in the car, he had already claimed the passenger seat on the way there.

She looks amused in the rearview mirror. The rest of the siblings were jammed into the back seat and looked extremely uncomfortable. Rebekah, who refused to sit on one of her brothers' laps, pushes Kol off hers and towards Niklaus, who looked like he might kill his younger brother if he kept squirming around. It was quite entertaining to Luna to see the big Mikaelson men cramped together.

Rebekah was very annoyed she had to share the backseat with her brothers, but accepted it, for now.

Unfortunately for the blonde, Luna didn't trust any of them behind the wheel. She was probably right though, Kol's driving was disastrous, Niklaus had a severe case of road-rage and Finn was awake long enough to know who Mozart was, but certainly not long enough to drive a car. Elijah and herself could drive alright, but of course, Elijah caved to his mate's demand, as the love-sick puppy he was.

After a five-minute drive, Niklaus noticed that she had taken a different road. "Are we taking a detour, love?" Niklaus asks curiously. Luna met his gaze in the rearview mirror and smiles mischievously.

"We're going to get you guys some lunch." She says while pulling into the hospital parking lot. 

Niklaus immediately understood what she meant and furrows his brow. Slightly surprised at her casual tone when talking about their diet.

At the idea of their main food source, the Mikaelsons felt the familiar unpleasant grinding sensation in their throat. This reminded them of the fact that they hadn't fed for over 24 hours. Light veins started crackling under their eyes.

Elijah feels his fangs wanting to come out. The enticing scent of the human next to him didn't help his thirst. He quickly clenches his jaw and shakes the disturbing images away. He would never hurt his Luna.

Finn shifts his gaze awkwardly towards the window. He also experiences the grating feeling in his throat and looks slightly pained as he tries not to think about his craving. Although he no longer wanted to help his mother plan their demise, he was still far from comfortable with his monstrous nature.

Luna felt the change of atmosphere in the car. "Now that I've made it weird, I'll make my exit." She quickly departs the car. She had no trouble with yelling and insulting vampires in a public place, and she had not yet been attacked by any of them, but sitting in a confined space with five hungry supernatural beings was asking for trouble.

Luna was already walking towards the entrance when she realized it could be useful to take a more convincing person with her when stealing blood. She quickly walks back to the car and taps on the back window.

Niklaus looks up in amusement and slowly rolls down the window. "Missing us already, love?" 

Luna narrows her eyes at his smug tone. "Not really, I quite enjoyed the peace," She snaps before shooting the hybrid a knowing look. "But when stealing blood, it can be helpful if no questions were asked." 

Niklaus pushes his door open and is about to get out, when Kol shoves his head harshly to the side and quickly jumps out of the car, immediately seizing the chance to spend a moment alone with his sharp-tongued mate.

"Honestly..." Niklaus groans exasperated before Kol purposefully closes the door on him.

Kol and Luna walked towards the entrance. Luna wasn't sure if the Originals could compel people in this universe, but they would find out soon enough. "If you're experiencing some, performance issues, we can always pretend we were joking." She suggests.

"Performance issues?" Kol stares indignantly at his mate. "Never had such problems, but maybe Nik would like to hear your advice on that. With all that grunting and growling, he seems to be compensating for something. Don't you think so?" He grins at her and opens the door for her.

• • •

Half an hour later, they were outside again with a big cooler. Kol was holding the cooler in one hand and a blood bag, covered with a paper bag, in the other. He happily sucked out its contents like a Capri sun.

Although Luna would rather not be a victim herself, she was pleased to learn that the Originals could still compel people in this universe.

Luna looked at Kol's under eyes in astonishment. She had always found this transformation incredibly fascinating on TV. The veins moved under his skin, and his eyes were dark.

She had unconsciously brought her free hand to his face and carefully stroked the skin under his eyes.

He met her gaze, his eyes glimmering with amusement. He had initially been slightly startled at her sudden touch, but let her do whatever she wanted. He savored her soft caress and purred slightly, pleased at the intimacy.

Someone clears their throat and Luna quickly retracts her hand.  Kol glowers at the intruder.

"My apologies for disturbing what I'm sure is an intimate moment, but I also would like a little snack. I'd rather sink my teeth into a blood bag than our lovely little Luna." Rebekah smiled sarcastically with her head sticking out of the car window.

Kol speeds over to her and pushes her head back into the car.  

Rebekah growls, flashes out of the car, and shoves Kol to the ground.

Luna rolls her eyes at Kol's impertinent behavior. She walks over to Rebekah and awkwardly hands her a blood bag.

"We can get you someone-something fresher later." She was amazed at the situation she found herself in. She was standing in the parking lot of a hospital, offering a stolen blood bag to a vampire from a TV show.

Taking advantage of the situation, Rebekah quickly shot in the driver's seat and slammed the door. Luna blinks surprised at the blonde, who looked back smugly and gave her a sarcastic wave.

Luna peers through the rear window at the hopeful looks of Niklaus and Finn. Reluctantly, she slides in and takes place on Finn's lap. 

Kol got in too and seemed very pleased that he no longer had to sit on top of his siblings.

Finn automatically puts his arms around her waist. Supposedly to serve as a belt, but secretly to snuggle with his mate. Experimentally, he pushed his nose gently against her throat. He noticed she didn't protest his actions, satisfied he took in her scent. To his surprise and relief, he didn't feel any impulse to bite Luna, maybe in a playful way, but not to feed on her.

Luna endures Finn's embracing and nosing patiently. She generally didn't like physical contact, but she was less uncomfortable than she thought. She knew Finn was up to no harm and had to admit that his embrace was very enjoyable.

Elijah let out a displeased sound from the passenger's seat and demonstratively looks out of the window, annoyed. He understood he had to share his mate, but he couldn't help feeling territorial and jealous.

Niklaus wasn't too pleased with his mate seeming to prefer his older brother over him. He stealthily tries to reach for her knee.

"Nuh-uh, hands off the merchandise." Luna snaps, quickly slapping away the offending hand. She was alright with one of them touching her if they absolutely had to, but she was not a toy to be groped by whoever.

"Finn is basically molesting your neck, and I can't even touch your knee?!" Niklaus questions indignantly while glaring menacingly at his older brother, who was looking far too smug for his own good.

"Well, I'm extremely biased, Finn holds a special place in my heart," She argues back, snuggling further in Finn's grasp. It was true, Finn deserved some love after being locked in a box for over 900 years. 

Finn smirks at Niklaus and basks in Luna’s natural warmth. The notion that his mate preferred him, was very alluring to him.

Rebekah watched all this in the rearview mirror, she knew Nik was probably going to throw the biggest tantrum yet if Luna kept rejecting his advances. Without commenting on the slightly tense atmosphere, she speeds off.

Chapter Text

After the hospital visit, the Mikaelsons efficiently store the groceries in the cupboards, which had never been this full.

Luna gulps when she sees the disturbing amount of infamous red bags in her fridge and quickly closes the door. She was almost certain the Mikaelsons would soon switch back to a living food source.

She had the suspicion that the Mikaelsons were holding themselves back for her, so as not to scare her away. However, she did not understand why they cared. Why should her opinion matter, and why would they possibly dread the judgment of an insignificant human? Besides, they knew she was already familiar with their typical behavior, thanks to the TV show. She was nevertheless extremely grateful she hadn't stumbled upon any mutilated corpses yet.

Finn prepared an elaborate lunch for them and although the Mikaelsons didn't need to eat, they considered it to be a pleasant social affair to partake in. He hands Luna an extra loaded plate and hovers around her to make sure she would eat at least half of it.

Luna rolls her eyes at this and demonstratively takes a few big bites. She knew he and the others were concerned about her diet, but it seemed unnecessary in her opinion, she had been fine so far. What did it matter, that she would rather have a cup of coffee than a plate of oatmeal in the mornings?

Despite Finn's obvious insistence, Luna had to admit that the food tasted fantastic. She didn't expect Finn to be able to cook as well as he did.

He told her that after being introduced to modern-day technology he enjoys watching cooking shows in his free time, and he also wanted to apply the acquired knowledge in practice. Luna smiles fondly at this discovery. It pleased her to hear that Finn had found something enjoyable to do.

Kol starts to get impatient and begins poking Luna, thinking this would encourage her to eat faster. He believed he had waited long enough and was eager to see himself on the big screen.

Luna, who was having a conversation with Niklaus regarding the renaissance, quickly slaps Kol's hand away.

Kol pouts at this and gingerly prods her again.

"Let Luna eat in peace, Kol. Or I will snap your neck, and we'll watch the show without you." Elijah grumbles, immensely irritated by Kol's inappropriate behavior.

Kol growls lightly at this reprimand, but finally drops his hand.

• • •

Kol and Luna were excitedly bouncing in their seats. They had all settled themselves in the living room to finally watch the TV show. The Mikaelsons and Luna were currently crammed on the sofa, except for Rebekah, who felt above such things as snuggling with her family.

Luna suggested starting with the episode ‘Bringing out the dead’. None of them fancied the prospect of having to watch three seasons of Elena's love life before they finally got to see themselves in action. Rebekah had gagged at the mere suggestion, which amused the others to no end.

Luna was thrilled to watch the TV show together with the characters themselves. She was however slightly concerned about their reactions, after all, it had to be weird to see yourself on TV. Knowing that thousands of people know your face and backstory. Although the Mikaelsons were quite well known in supernatural circles as the oldest and most feared family in their universe, their past was unknown to most, which they preferred.

Although the events of the episode they were going to watch had already taken place, the Mikaelsons were still wary. They would never admit it, but they were concerned about how they would be portrayed. Until now, Luna seemed completely okay with their nature, but they were still worried that seeing their less appropriate behavior with them next to her would make her recoil in fear or look at them with disgust.

Suddenly, Luna remembers that the Mikaelsons still knew nothing about their mother's ill intentions and Finn's assistance in the witch’s evil plans. Luna resolves herself to explain everything to the Mikaelsons before watching the episode Dangerous Liaisons.

She shoots a quick glance at the eldest sibling. No matter the reactions of the other Mikaelsons, she was going to try her best to protect Finn from the avenging nature of his siblings. Luna hopes it wouldn't come to physical blows, since she could impossibly take on an enraged Original, let alone four of them.

Luna wonders briefly why they hadn't just killed her anyway. She didn't exactly have anything to blackmail them, and it probably wouldn't matter to them. Just another victim. This thought distressed her slightly. To be fair, if they wanted her dead, they probably would have done so already. On the other hand, they could be enjoying the idea of luring her into a false sense of security before slaughtering her for their own entertainment. Luna quickly shakes the disturbing thoughts away and focuses her attention back on the screen.

Rebekah glances at Luna, who was snuggled up between Niklaus and Elijah covered in a soft blanket, a stuffed animal clutched tight under her arm. The blonde had gawked in disbelief at Luna when she had dragged her blankets and the stuffed animal downstairs.

"I'm still processing the fact you open doors with a baseball bat and have no problem with threatening and injuring Original vampires, yet you possess a multitude of stuffed animals?" Rebekah deadpans.

Luna narrows her eyes at the blonde and clenches her jaw. "Shut up. If you want to judge me on my bed companions, you can sleep on the floor for all I care. I haven't vacuumed in two weeks!" She says, threateningly, to prove some sort of point.

The Mikaelson men were pleased to learn that their mate's only bed partners were made of fluff. They wouldn't mind killing a few insignificant boyfriends either, but this certainly made things a lot easier.

"Gross. And I've already gotten acquainted with your floor. Seeing as you kicked me out of bed and onto it this morning!"

Luna smiles adoringly at the memory of Rebekah's normally gracious form slumped on her floor. "Rude of you to call me out now, in front of your brothers, when you've obviously already met them," She mutters contemptuously.

"Speaking of sleeping arrangements," Kol starts. "Even though I enjoyed my night on the floor, seeing as someone pushed me off the couch..." Kol trails off while glaring pointedly at Elijah, who looked interested out of the window. "Can't I switch with Bekah? I would be honored to get kicked out of your bed, Angel." Kol flashes Luna an innocent smile.

Rebekah grunts at the thought of voluntarily lying on a floor and glares at Kol for merely suggesting it.

"Ah, yes. Sorry-I completely forgot to offer you a place to sleep last night. I do have a guest room, so one of you can-" Luna suggests while looking apologetically at the Mikaelsons.

"I'll take it!" Rebekah immediately cuts Luna off. "One night of blanket hogging and blue shins is enough for me." She adds derisively.

This arose a question amongst the Mikaelson men. Who would get to sleep in Luna's bed? Rebekah was already looking forward to the growling match that would follow.

Luna was once again unaware of the glances the brothers shared. "I'll order two beds later. Once they are in, two of you can use those and the other two can use my bed and I can sleep on the couch?" she suggests hesitantly. "For tonight, I guess three of you can squeeze into my bed and the other can sleep on the couch." Luna nods resolutely at her own solution.

"I think you are forgetting something, Elskan." Elijah mumbles, who had been gently nosing at her throat. He had been sniffing at her for a good five minutes now and didn't plan on stopping anytime soon.

Luna looks a bit flustered when she realizes the non-existing distance between her and the noble Original. His torso was turned to her, his body practically hovering over hers. His actions had felt quite natural and comforting, she had barely noticed it. His pet name for her also added to the temperature of her cheeks. Not to mention his rolled-up sleeves and a slightly unbuttoned shirt. This was her favorite version of Elijah.

"What did I forget?" She asks, voice wavering faintly, shifting her gaze to a bug on her ceiling, not daring to make eye contact with anyone.

"Where are you going to sleep?" Elijah indulges, not bothering to look up, too busy taking in her scent. He saw her throat move as she swallowed nervously, which he found incredibly fascinating.

Luna glances helplessly at Rebekah while putting on her puppy eyes.

"I don't think so! No Way! Not happening! Sharing a bed with you in your double bed was already a nightmare. I will never share a twin bed with you! Original or not, I wouldn't survive!" Rebekah shouts, glaring at the brunette, who obviously trying to persuade her. That might work with her brothers, but she wouldn't give in so easily.

Luna made an indignant noise and looked away with embarrassment. She'd rather not sleep on the floor, but she didn't like the other option either. Don't get it wrong, before the Mikaelsons appeared in her yard, she would have jumped on the opportunity to join one of the Mikaelson men in bed. But now that they were here, she found her former filthy thoughts rather shameful.

She would never force anyone into such an awkward situation. Luna had noticed the discomfort of the brothers and assumed they didn't think of her in that way at all, which she found slightly disappointing but understandable. They would eventually find the partners they were destined for, back in their own universe.

Niklaus saw her gloomy expression and wondered what was going on in her head. "We will look for a suitable solution tonight. Do not worry, love" He voices softly.

Luna nods gratefully and quickly starts the episode, wanting to distract herself from the tension in the room.

"Previously on the Vampire Diaries..."

"That's my voice. How did they get my voice?" Niklaus immediately pauses the TV, looking dumbfounded.

"Well...seeing as it's a TV show. And your character looks and sounds exactly like you-you know, if you're freaked out by that, just wait until you see the flashback scenes regarding your human years." Luna rambles happily.

"They have footage of that? So, you've seen all of Nik's terrible haircuts?" Rebekah laughs loudly.

Niklaus growls at her and lobs a pillow at her head.

• • •

"Hey, I recognize those idiots from the dance. That dick snapped my neck!"

"Did you seriously let Stefan hold our bodies for ransom? Nice going, Nik! What if the guy was into necrophilia?"

"Wait! Tyler broke the sire bond?!"

"Stop pausing it. This was only the recap!" Luna glares annoyed at the Mikaelsons, who were doing more shouting than watching. "I already regret telling you the truth, I should have just gone with the seer story." She groans, while leaning her head against Niklaus' chest in exasperation, accidentally exposing her neck even further to Elijah, who hadn't even glanced at the screen yet.

Luna cheers gleefully when she sees Elijah ripping out the heart of one of Niklaus' hybrids. In her enthusiasm, she elbows Elijah in the chest. He grunts and grimaces. She sheepishly grins at him. "Whoops."

"Easy. I just finished renovating."

Kol grabs the remote from Luna and pauses the TV. "Seriously Nik? That's your priority? Your renovated house? While we laid there rotting?" Kol glares at Niklaus, who to his credit looks a little ashamed.

"Yeah… this episode is going to suck for you." Luna whispers to Niklaus, forgetting that everyone in the room could hear her.

Kol, Finn, Rebekah, and Luna all cheer when they see Elijah punching Niklaus in the face.

Niklaus winces noticeably, while Elijah's chest puffs up a bit at hearing his mate cheering him on, even if it was his TV version.

"They sure know how to portray me as the bad guy," Niklaus murmurs. Already he regretted agreeing to watch the show, but it was hard to deny his mate anything. Which worried him slightly, as she wasn't even aware of the power she possessed.

"Well, you do tick off all the boxes. Loose sense of morality, a tragic backstory, and incredibly good looks." Luna jokes while giving Niklaus a warm smile, which he returned.

"That's me! I look fantastic! Funny, I've never seen my desiccated state before, still hot though." Kol rambles excitedly. Which was quickly followed by a whine when he saw Niklaus placing the dagger back.

In Kol’s enthusiasm to seeing himself, he accidentally shoves Elijah away, who ends up even closer to Luna, not that he minded.

Luna wiggles a bit and tries to create some space so as not to get crushed by the Original.

Niklaus sees this and carefully lifts her onto his lap. He felt self-righteous enough to do so, seeing as Finn had already cuddled with their mate. Tentatively, he wraps his arms around Luna’s waist. He hadn't forgotten how his mate had rejected his touch earlier, which admittedly had wounded his ego a bit.

Luna however did not object. Since last night, she held hands and sat on people's laps as if it were the most normal thing in the world. The Mikaelsons didn't think all the contact was strange, so why should she protest. After all, this was the dream of many. She would enjoy her time with them as much as possible.

This new seating arrangement prompted a low growl from Elijah.

Luna blinks, dumbfound at the animalistic sound.

"Pathetic." Rebekah snorts.

"Thank God!" Kol shouts. He wasn't exactly pleased with seeing his mate on his brother's lap but, enjoyed the newfound spaciousness. "This cramming almost made me long for my coffin!" He says while dramatically spreading his limbs like a starfish.

"I have other chairs..." Luna offers, feeling guilty for making them sit in such an uncomfortable manner. It made her feel like a terrible friend.

"No worries, Angel. I'd spend the rest of my life in confined rooms, as long as it's with you." Kol flirts, eyebrows wagging.

Luna looks back at him, a bit startled at his words. She was used to getting flirtations from customers at work, and she often played along to get better tips, but Kol seemed to be sincere with his flirting, which scared her a little. She looked at her hands that had automatically slipped back into her nervous scratching and pulling.

Finn, who was grumpily watching her interaction with his siblings, swiftly grabs one of her hands and holds it firmly, just like he had done the night before. His thumb rubbing soothing patterns on the back of her hand, which earned him a small smile from his mate.

"Ugh, I'm seeing the face of the Doppelgänger Wench." Rebekah groans and demonstratively presses the fast-forward button.

"Is that miss Forbes?" Elijah wonders out loud. He had finally stopped harassing Luna's throat and looked interested at the screen.

"Yeah, how is Caroline? " Rebekah adds in, grinning menacingly at Niklaus, who was already glaring at his older brother for mentioning his previous crush.

"So, you were dating her?" Kol pauses the screen and looks disgusted at his brother on his mate's behalf. Personally, he wouldn't mind if Niklaus dated Caroline, as this would mean less competition for Luna's attention. But the thought of Luna getting heartbroken by Niklaus’s possible affair immediately prompted him to take a defensive stance.

"Kol, don't speak ill of Caroline, she's nothing but a sweetheart and Nik would be a lucky man to end up with someone like her." Luna scolds. "And I swear to God, pause it again, and I will file down your fangs until you can only sustain fresh blood by stabbing a straw into someone's neck!" Luna impatiently grabs at Kol to get her hands on the remote.

Kol looks dumbfounded at this creative threat and reluctantly hands her the remote.

"No, I did not date Caroline." Niklaus answers Kol's question while glaring at his other siblings, who were purposefully trying to make him look bad in front of his Luna.

"Nik, surely you had a crush on her, you even provided her with a dress and jewelry!" Rebekah points out.

"He did seem quite taken with her!" Elijah adds with a straight face, seizing his chance to put Niklaus in a less appealing light.

Agitated by his siblings, Niklaus impulsively presses his nose against his mate's jugular to calm himself. Luna shifts a little but did not push him off, which he took as a positive sign

Finn scowls at the sight of Niklaus's stupid face in Luna's neck, his inner animal getting jealous at the sight. Much like Elijah, Finn did not enjoy the prospect of having to share her, but would not deny his brothers of her either. During the car ride home, he got to claim her to himself. He had relished the feel of her in his arms and was reluctant to let her go once back home. He had nosed her neck extensively and quickly became addicted to the alluring scent of his mate.

"I have to ask, what's up with the whole sniffing thing? Is this like a vampire thing?" Luna asks curiously, hoping not to offend. She hadn't minded the actions of the Mikaelsons but it had raised some questions, seeing as she hadn't seen the vampires act like this in the show.

The Mikaelsons glance furtively at each other. They had mutually agreed not to broach the loaded topic until tomorrow. Rebekah watched her brothers and decided to help them, they really were hopeless without her. "It is comparable to cake, even if you don't eat it, you can still enjoy the smell."

"Well, that's a bit…disturbing." Luna awkwardly clears her throat and pushes the play button, again.

• • •

"Kind of weird, your lady servants"

"Did you seriously leave the poor girl standing there?"

"Stefan. Where is the lovely Elena tonight?"

There was a collective groan at the mention of the doppelgänger.

"Yes, Nik, do tell us about the doppelgänger allure." Kol's remark was answered with a pillow being thrown in his face.

Rebekah was disgusted by the lovesick glances her brothers kept throwing at Luna. She chuckled at the fact that history was in a way repeating itself. Rebekah was extremely thankful Luna wasn't wearing the doppelgänger’s face, otherwise, she might have had to kill her just out of spite.

• • •

"You sure have a thing for blondes, don't you, Nik?"

"Poor girl, first she has to serve you, only to subsequently serve as a meal herself."

"Lovely how you toss them to the floor, brother."

"Delicious. Aged to perfection."

The Mikaelsons were thrilled to criticize Niklaus on everything throughout the episode. Luna had watched them with amusement, but also sympathized with the hybrid. She couldn't really judge him for his impulsive and aggressive deeds.

"To be honest, I think there are quite a few teenage girls out there who let you drain them." Luna mumbles.

"Wait-what?" Kol looks mildly disturbed at this announcement.

"Yes, your lips on their necks and your arms around them, it probably sounds like a dream to them." Luna looks down and realizes the situation she's in. "Guess I am living that dream." She mumbles, shrugging she untangles herself from multiple limbs, and rises from the couch.

"Luna-" Niklaus lets out an involuntary whine at the loss of her body heat.

"Just getting some more popcorn." She shouts from the kitchen, "Man-child" she mutters softly.

• • •

They had all cheered loudly when Kol, Rebekah, and Finn made their first appearance, and even louder when Rebekah and Finn sought their retaliation by stabbing Niklaus, except for Niklaus who was grumpily watching the screen. Were they done making him the bad guy? Sure, he had murdered and terrorized thousands of people, but this was just over the top. How he longed for those silver daggers now.

"Rebekah, it almost looks like you're stabbing Nik in the dick. Did you? A bit of a low blow, eh? Do you get it? Low blow?" Luna chuckles at her own joke.

"I’m glad my pain amuses you, love" Niklaus mumbles sarcastically, nipping at her throat in retaliation.

"At least I'm not getting turned on by the sight of Elijah choking Damon." Rebekah fires back. She had seen the predatory glint in Luna's eyes at the display of violence.

"What can I say, I dislike Damon, I thoroughly enjoy watching Elijah being violent and appreciate the thought of erotic asphyxiation." Luna shrugs.

Kol chokes on his drink at his mate's revelation and begins to cough extensively.

Finn blink.

"Sort of like that, less drool, though." Luna adds with a straight face.

• • •

"I like what you've done with the new place, Nik."

"I still can't believe you threw a vase at a Van Gogh painting, you uncultured heath-!" Luna hisses at Rebekah. She was cut off by a pillow hitting her in the face. She glares ferociously at the blonde.

Niklaus flings the offending pillow back at his sister and gently wipes away the stray hairs that now cover Luna's face.

"Fine! I'm sorry for assaulting a piece of canvas! I was a bit upset with Nik being a dick!" Rebekah growls.

"A bit?! You stabbed me?!" Niklaus shouts incredulously. 

"A piece of canvas?!" Luna exclaims simultaneously, both she and Niklaus looked extremely offended at Rebekah’s words.

"Nothing you haven't done before, Nik!" Kol chimes in, happily adding fuel to the fire.

Luna’s gaze shifts back to the TV and glares heatedly at Esther, who finally makes her debut.

The Mikaelsons look at her questioningly, wondering if there was anything she knew that they obviously didn't.

Luna quickly pauses the TV before the next episode could start. She crawls out of Niklaus' lap and motions for Finn to also stand up. He looks at her questioningly, but follows her example.

The other Mikaelsons look curiously at them.

Luna didn't know why, but saw this as some sort of threat. She quickly tugs at Finn's sleeve and pulls him behind her, while briefly wondering if she was really willing to die for a fictional character, apparently, she was.

She turns to Finn and looks at him intently, he looks back at her nervously. He had a suspicion of what was coming.

Luna nods curtly and gives him a reassuring smile. To reinforce her gesture, she takes his hand in hers and squeezes it gently, like he had done for her in her times of distress.

She turns back to look at the other Mikaelsons and decides to just throw it out. "Your mother is a lying, manipulative, shortsighted bitch."

Chapter Text

"Your mother is a lying, manipulative shortsighted bitch."

• • •

In hindsight, this may not have been the best approach, as the Mikaelsons now glared at her. While none of them would harm Luna, they wouldn't allow someone to insult their mother who had done nothing wrong in their opinion, the woman had been insistent on reuniting their family.

"Okay, not smart," She mutters, losing her bravado. Luna clears her throat and continues. "Your mother lied to you about her intentions. She is not back from the dead to forgive you Niklaus, and she certainly does not want to play a happy family with all of you. She wants to correct her mistake from a thousand years ago. The Original Bitch wants to kill you and ultimately every other vampire that walks the earth."

Luna feels very sorry for the Mikaelsons. Although Luna is terrible at articulating her feelings, she still tries to bring the whole thing as tactfully as possible. Okay, calling their mother 'Original Bitch', might not have been tactful on her behalf, but there had been an effort.

"Can you please elaborate, Elskan?" Elijah voices calmly, he was certainly taken by surprise, but not as much as his other siblings. He already had his suspicions at the party, but did not want to jump to conclusions and ruin the blissful peace his siblings had found upon Esther's return.

"At the ball, Esther, with the help of Elena-"

A collective groan could be heard at the mention of the latest doppelgänger.

"Your mother put something in the champagne. You all drank this, and with Finn's cooperation, she linked you as one. Esther had planned to sacrifice Finn with the help of the Bennett witches, and you would all eventually die. And when one of you dies, so does every vampire from your sire line. Every vampire you've created, every vampire they've created, and so on. The extinction of a species..." Luna trails off nervously glancing at the Mikaelsons who seemed to be fuming. They were quiet, too quiet.

Suddenly, Kol and Niklaus flash forward. Both were growling and snarling and seemed to double in size as they towered over their mate, who still stood protectively in front of their eldest brother. Neither of the youngest brothers handled betrayal easily.

Luna blinks and tries to control the rising panic. Although she was about to wet her pants in fear, her first instinct is to reassure Finn. She continues squeezing his hand, not daring to make any other sudden movements with the two upset vampires in front of her.

Finn wanted to bury his face in the crook of her neck right now, if only to comfort himself with his mate's scent, but that didn't seem appropriate to him. Since his brothers were already furious, that sight certainly wouldn't help.

Instead, he lowers his gaze to Rebekah, who had remained silent. Despite being closer to both Niklaus and Elijah, she too was familiar with the feeling of being unjustly punished with the dagger and being cast aside when inconvenient.

"I apologize profusely for the part I played in all this, please forgive me." Finn says while trying to pull Luna closer to him, worried that his brothers might accidentally harm her due to their blind rage.

"Okay, wait-hold up. Before you kill each other, you should know the Original Bitch manipulated Finn to a great extent." Luna starts not daring to shift her gaze from the two angry Originals.

"Finn felt very betrayed and abandoned by you. You have all been able to live life and enjoy the beauty of the evolving earth without even considering waking him up. 900 years, that's not nothing. Mummy dearest benefited from his grief and saw him as an easy pawn for her plans. The elitist bitch had persuaded him to help her, only to free herself of her own guilt-ridden conscience." Luna rants heatedly, now glaring at the two threatening Originals who were still trying to get closer to Finn.

Elijah rises from the couch and pulls Kol and Niklaus away from his mate. Inner animal annoyed that his mate thought it to be smart to stand in front of two furious Originals. Also, the aggressive attitude of his brothers towards his mate aroused a territorial instinct within him.

"I have a suspicion that after you guys were linked, something went wrong with Esther's plan and that's why you ended up here." Luna adds more calmly now that the immediate threat was gone.

Eyes widening slightly at a sudden realization, "Wait- this reminds me, we need to test something." Luna lets go of Finn's hand, and she hurries to the kitchen. A minute later, she reappears with a large knife.

Kol looks slightly alarmed at his mate, worried that she sought retribution for his anger from earlier.

"I think it is useful for all parties involved to know if you're still linked. If so, we'll solve it. If not, that is only a bonus." Luna twirls the knife in her hands, eyes shifting between the siblings.

Elijah immediately understood what she was referring to and willingly stretched out his arm, palm turned upwards. Luna looks at him a little uncertainly, blinks, and gently grabs his hand. She placed the point of the knife against his palm and made a small cut.

The others look expectantly at their own palm. There were several relieved noises when nothing happened.

Luna watches with fascination as the cut heals itself. She looks up at Elijah's face and blushes when his eyes met hers, and she promptly lets go of his hand.

• • •

"This is one of my favorite episodes" Luna states happily. The Originals had all calmed down considerably and were finally back on the couch watching 'Dangerous Liaisons'.

Luna looked back on the incident with satisfaction. It could have gone a lot worse, not even blows had been dealt. Finn was a bit calmer overall now that his siblings knew the truth.

Despite the semi-relaxed atmosphere, Luna was insistent on staying by Finn's side, not fully trusting Kol to not snap Finn's neck if he got the chance. This resulted in her being nestled on the vampire's lap, his arms wrapped tightly around her, while happily nosing at her throat.

Niklaus had glared furiously at Finn, but reluctantly dropped it after receiving a reprimanding look from Luna. He understood that he could not seek retribution against Finn, otherwise, he would face Luna's wrath. For now, he had to accept it.

He had found it hard to believe that his mate had no problem with Finn's betrayal, but realized she was right. He had kept Finn in a box for centuries, just to avoid being admonished for his own repulsive behavior and short temper, traits Elijah and Rebekah had reluctantly accepted.

"Well, I am. And I'm not leaving until I find out what Esther wants. So, shall we?"

"The whole Salvatore-sandwich concept makes me want to barf." Luna whines.

Rebekah happily high-fives Luna after hearing her statement. "You don't think Damon is a catch?" The blonde asks teasingly.

Finn pauses his nosing at this, arms tightening around his mate. The last thing he wanted to hear was that his mate was attracted to a vampire who had crossed his family on multiple occasions.

"Nope, I don't like arrogant bastards who like to compel teenage girls into sleeping with them." Luna scowls at the thought of Damon hurting Caroline.

Finn sighs with relief at her answer and gently nips at her throat.

Luna gasps softly when she feels the blunt teeth grazing her skin. She thought that this is probably some sort of self-soothing method from vampires and decides not to comment. She felt unexplainably at ease with the Mikaelsons, despite their fangs and touchy-feely behavior.

"So, what do you like in men?" Rebekah continues, trying to ignore Finn, who was busy harassing her friend.

Rebekah internally rolls her eyes. Despite their instincts, her brothers could at least wait for her to leave the room.

"Well, I don't really have a type. I just want him to have nice hands and the suggestion that he can read. Why'd you ask, are you trying to set me up?" Luna giggles at the mere thought of the blonde acting as her wing-woman. Her past relationships hadn't been very spectacular, so any advice from the Original was welcome.

Rebekah shakes her head in disbelief, her brother was gnawing on her like a chew toy, yet she was wondering if Rebekah would introduce her to other possible suitors.

Kol looks appraisingly at his hands for a moment before nodding happily.

"I have nice hands, and I can read! Seeing as I already fit your two criteria, this means we could date, right?" He asks hopefully.

• • •

"No, don't forward this! This part is so cute!" Luna looks adoringly at the screen. She loves the way Niklaus looks at Caroline with such affection, not noticing that Niklaus had been looking at her in the same manner for the past two days.

"I need a drink."

"Same." Rebekah mutters.

"Rude." Luna mumbles simultaneously. "He tries so hard, give the man a chance!" Luna forgot that she was not the only one who was watching, and was slightly startled when she heard Niklaus sigh, with an irritated look on his face.

"Spoiler, you will have sex with her in season five." The brunette smiles reassuringly at the hybrid, thinking this would cheer him up.

It did not. Niklaus looks annoyed at his TV version. The last thing he wants is for his mate to be happy with the concept of him dating someone else.

Rebekah was about to throw herself off a building. Was this child really that dense? She'd been on his goddamn lap, yet she still thought he'd want to be with Caroline. If her brothers kept stalling, she would tell Luna herself. All the yearning looks made her want to gag, this wasn't a damn Jane Austen novel.

• • •

"No! You have lost remote privileges!" Rebekah slaps Kol's hand away.

"Since when?" Kol rubs his hand, pouting.

"When you made us watch the same bit five times just because your hair looked 'great'." Rebekah snaps and gives him one more glare. "Spoiler; it didn't."

"Are you narrating the script?" Niklaus asks a few minutes later while looking fondly at Luna, who was smiling blissfully.

"As I said before, this is one of my favorite episodes." Luna answers, not daring to take her eyes off the screen. She didn't even try to disguise her enthusiasm.

"Tonight's pick is a centuries-old waltz, so if all of you could please find yourselves a partner, please join us in the ballroom."

"Iconic!" Luna sighs happily at the sight of the Mikaelson siblings on the stairs.

The first notes of 'Give me love' can be heard, and Luna quickly snatches the remote from Niklaus's lap and turns the volume up. "I wish my town threw parties like these; it looks so magical! I would dance all night!"

"On our return, we will throw one in your honor." Elijah offers his mate.

Luna blinks whilst processing Elijah's kind offer. Apparently, the Mikaelsons assumed she would return with them to their original universe. The possibility hadn't crossed her mind before, seeing as she surmised that they would return home and she would remain here.

She swallows. As much as she liked the Mikaelsons, she didn't want to be presented with a dream scenario. Once she got her hopes up, disappointment usually awaited.

• • •

"What are you doing? Why are you here with the She-Devil?"

"That bitch! Calling me a she-devil! She can't even appreciate Nik's kind words or the dress he gave her!"

Niklaus rolls his eyes. Could they shut up about the damn dress for once?

• • •

"You've changed, Bekah. You know, settling for mortals is the first sign of weakness."

Kol pales slightly at his own words. He did not think his affections toward Luna to be a weakness at all.

Rebekah smirks at Kol's expression, while the other Mikaelsons look disapprovingly at the youngest Mikaelson man.

Luna was too busy enjoying the drama on the screen to notice the interaction, she had to admit, watching the show with a live audio commentary from the characters made the series five times better.

Every now and then, a gasp, a wince, or a growl could be heard and she loved that the Mikaelsons seemed to be just as fascinated with the show as she was.

• • •

"Easy on the hand. Guy's a quarterback."

Kol gasps dramatically as he watches Damon snap his neck.

"Honestly, this happened two days ago, you were there, Kol. We were all there. How can you possibly be surprised?" Niklaus sighs exasperatedly while rubbing his face. The idiocy he had to deal with every day astonished him. Could they really blame him if he gave his siblings a time-out every now and then?

"Next time you see Damon Salvatore, please stake him." Luna mutters bitterly. She squeezes one of Finn's forearms in frustration, who in return softly pokes her side to distract her from her anger.

"You're certainly not a fan, huh?" Elijah smirks at Luna, who furiously shook her head.

"He might develop some redeeming qualities later on, but let's just say that I thoroughly enjoyed watching Kol beat his face in with a baseball bat-"

"I did- I do?" Kol asks, grinning mischievously. Already enjoying the prospect of getting even.

• • •

"So, we're pretty much home bound?" Rebekah asks. They had all finished watching the episodes and had done some research on their actors and the show.

Rebekah was already dreading the prospect of spending weeks in one house with Kol. The second-youngest Original was not exactly known for his composure. He gladly made use of every opportunity to wreak havoc, trailing behind as many bodies as possible.

"Until we have a plan to get you guys back home, you can see it as a ...Scooby gang-free vacation. No need for murdering, torturing, or other shady extracurricular activities." Luna offers.

"No murdering?" Kol asks, looking put out at her suggestion.

"Are you serious, Kol? You can't go a few days without spreading terror?" Elijah asks exasperated.

"Well, I think I'm doing great, since getting out of that god-awful coffin, I've only killed seven people." Kol snaps, still agitated with the revelation from earlier, regarding his brother's betrayal.

"That's a weird thing to brag about..." Luna looks somewhat disturbed at Kol. "And wasn't that like only four days ago?"

Kol gives her an innocent smile and Luna narrows her eyes suspiciously.

"Fine. Just, show some restraint, please?" Luna already knew she was going to regret indulging in his request.

"Kol, do you even know the word restraint?" Niklaus jeers, not liking the way Kol had manipulated his mate.

"I don't know, Nik. Do you?" Kol retorts while baring his teeth. His brother could be such a hypocrite.

"That's enough of you both." Elijah interrupts the two bickering men. Niklaus had been snarling at Kol, and Elijah really didn't feel like having to renovate his mate's house because of his brothers' quarrel.

"Alright, now that's settled. Let's go get you guys some new clothes." Luna beams brightly.

"Now?" Rebekah asks, laying slouched on the big comfy chair.

Luna glares slightly at the blonde. In the show, Rebekah did not seem to mind shopping at all. If necessary, she would force them to come, she wouldn't be able to put up with another feedback round from Rebekah on her dress style.

"Yes now. The stores will be open for a few more hours, and I'm sure Elijah here would like a new suit." She teases, grinning at Elijah.

• • •

"You are delaying," Rebekah remarks while flipping through a magazine.

The Mikaelsons were scattered around the living room. They had all changed into their new clothes and looked fresh and spotless.

Luna was upstairs, getting ready for her evening shift, so Rebekah decided to confront her brothers. She was done with all the longing looks, not so subtle touching, and unnecessary growling. Hopefully, as soon as Luna knew, her brothers would behave less moronic.

"We don't want to overwhelm her with the information and freak her out. We thought it might be easier to become friends first?" Niklaus replies softly, afraid that Luna would hear something from the conversation. He was pacing, inner animal on edge.

"Have you met her? She's going to freak out anyway!" Rebekah snaps impatiently. Her brothers' bumbling had gone on long enough now.

Luna would eventually hear the truth, establish a relationship with them, and live happily ever after. And Rebekah would be on the sidelines with banners and all. No matter what, she was going to make sure her brothers got their happily ever after, even if she had to kidnap Luna to get her back to their own universe.

Luna was the reason there were few to no incidents in the family in the past two days, which doesn't sound like a lot, but it was. The brothers tried to do everything they could to make a good impression on their mate.

"Any human would freak out when finding out about the existence of soulmates, especially when they discover they are the soulmate to four Original morons."

"Hey! Words hurt, sister." Kol exclaims indignantly. He might be the more reckless one, but that didn't mean he was an idiot. Besides that, Luna enjoyed his playful side, at least that's what he interpreted.

Rebekah rolls her eyes and glances briefly at her brothers. "The longer you hold this from her, the more upset she will be. You pretend to be her friend when in reality..." Rebekah trails off and looks pointedly at them.

The brothers frowned at her words, knowing she was right.

• • •

"Alright! I'll be back in about five hours. Please stay inside as much as possible, and no killing civilians, Kol. Or each other, Nik." Luna enters the living room in jeans and a crop top, which was a bit more revealing than she was comfortable with, but it usually got her more tips.

The Mikaelsons wanted her to quit her 'dumb job'. They notified her of the fact they had money enough to provide for her. But in reality, they were being ridiculously possessive. The brothers weren't completely above admitting that they wanted her to spend all her time with them instead of a bunch of strangers.

Luna however, insisted she needed a break from vampires now and then, and working was a great way to do so. The Mikaelsons had taken a little offense to this.

Also, Luna found the idea that the Mikaelsons wanted to take care of her, financially, uncomfortable. She didn't want to be a burden, let alone give them the impression she's only friends with them for their money.

"Where do you think you're going, my love?" Finn questions, gazing at his mate, or rather the exposed skin of her stomach.

"Work? I told you about my shift earlier?" Luna looks questioningly at Finn.

"I think it's best if you changed your… shirt." Finn comments. He would not let his mate bare herself to strangers, especially those of the male gender. Inner animal growling at the mere idea.

"Excuse me?" Luna looks at the oldest Mikaelson sibling in disbelief.

"You should change. Now." Finn repeats more firmly. His eyebrows rising slightly, challenging his mate to defy his order again.

"Finn Mikaelson. You do not get to decide what I wear!" Luna runs her hand through her hair in frustration. She was offended that Finn thought he could just hand out commands. He was acting like a possessive boyfriend, which he has no right to. He was her guest, nothing more. She was briefly considering kicking his ass out of her house.

"Yes, I do. Change." Finn growls. His brows draw together in frustration and confusion. His mate didn't seem to understand she was possibly endangering herself by dressing the way she did.

Although Finn had been in a coffin for the last 900 years, he was all too familiar with the cruel nature of man, especially that of vile men with dishonorable intentions.

"Since when?" Luna snorts indignantly. He may be a thousand-year-old vampire, but she was a modern woman who would not be bossed around. No, she would stand her ground. No matter how intimidating Finn could be. She would not give in to his silly demand.

"Since now, change."

Luna looks defiantly at Finn, arches an eyebrow, and demonstratively lifts her top up to reveal even more skin.

Finn looks at her exposed skin with narrowed eyes, his mind went to other places, but he would not cave to her demand just because the sight of her skin was extremely alluring. He rises from the couch, successfully towering over his mate. He gives a tug at the hem of her top, fingers lingering on her stomach.

A chill settles in Luna's body. The cool tips of his fingers brushing against her skin felt pleasant, and she almost encouraged him to keep them there.

Luna's smile falters and she swallows nervously. Finn was extremely close and was showing a very authoritative side she definitely hadn't seen on television.

Finn and Luna stare into each other's eyes for a while. Neither willing to give in. Eventually, Luna loses her bravado and casts her eyes downwards.

Luna figured she could not change Finn's mind, and she shifts her gaze towards Rebekah, Elijah, and Niklaus, who were all watching their interaction from the couch.

"Nik, please tell Finn he's being ridiculous and that women in the 21st century can wear whatever they want." Luna looks at him urgingly.

Finn glares at Luna as she tries to prove her right by involving his siblings.

"Hmm no. I agree with Finn. You should change to something more appropriate." Niklaus replies. He wasn't quick to agree with his older brother, but when it came to his mate's safety, he was willing to do anything. He would have of course worded it differently, but desperate times, etcetera.

"What-Why?" Luna looks at Niklaus in surprise, she never thought he would take sides with Finn.

"Because your diaphragm is on display" Niklaus says with an exaggerated gesture towards her shirt, as if it had personally insulted him.

"That's not my diaphragm. It's only my belly button" Luna protests. "Bekah?" She looks at the blonde, sure that she would help her out.

Rebekah smirks amused at Luna, who was starting to look desperate. She was sure that if she stood up for Luna, sooner or later she would be back in her coffin.

Luna rolls her eyes. With Rebekah's talk of 'girls sticking together' on the show, she expected a bit more support. She resolves that if she ever sleeps in a bed with Rebekah again, she will kick the blonde, extra hard.

"'Lijah?" Luna asks hopefully that Elijah, the reasonable one of the bunch would pick her side.

"Change." His tone was the same as his brothers', and she suddenly felt like dumping a big bucket of dye all over his new wardrobe.

"No." Luna states and childishly folds her arms in front of her chest. She had run out of arguments, and she knew they knew.

"Change, Elskan" Elijah's voice got a dangerous edge, which turned her on a bit. Not that she would ever admit that.

He arose from the couch and walks toward her. She blinks at the two men who were now towering over her and shrinks visibly.

She looks at Elijah for a good minute.

"Fine! I can't even choose my own clothes anymore. " Luna caves. "I should have left you in my backyard." She mutters under her breath

"Watch your tone, little one."

Luna turns and looks at Finn, ignoring the blush that rose to her cheeks at the mention of the pet name.

"You're really pushing the whole respect your elder's agenda, huh?" She huffs. "Stupid vampire hearing." Throwing one last glance at the three brothers, who had all teamed up against her, and walks back upstairs.

Elijah looks in amusement at the place where his disgruntled mate had stood. Although their instincts made them want to give in to all her wishes, they wouldn't let her wear that kind of clothes, not without their presence. The last thing they wanted was to call out unnecessary masculine attention to her, which could possibly endanger her. Luna would not win such discussions from them.

Luna returns five minutes later, wearing a different shirt.

"Happy?" She asks sarcastically, attracting the attention of the Mikaelsons.

"Extremely." Finn replies, not being able to hide his triumphant smirk.

"Good luck tonight, darling. Let us know if we have to strangle anyone!" Kol shouts from the kitchen.

"I can name a few people already..." Luna mutters.

Chapter Text

Luna's shift seemed to last forever, the customers were obnoxious, she got harassed by drunks, and was constantly worried about the Mikaelsons. Until now, she could keep an eye on them and bring them back into line when necessary. Now that she was gone, Elijah would have to return to his parental role.

She was especially anxious about the youngest three. They were known for their short tempers and weren't above starting a fight, just for the heck of it. Finn and Elijah were more mature, but they could also give in to their childish sides, especially when provoked by the others. After all, it was not difficult to piss them off.

She marvels at how quickly she got used to the bizarre situation. She didn't even know the Mikaelsons 24 hours ago, and now she couldn't even go a few hours without missing them.

She was somewhat concerned about the physical contact with the brothers. She couldn't remember the Mikaelsons being this touchy and clingy in the tv show. She didn't find their touches annoying or irritating, but 24 hours ago she would have been severely uncomfortable with a man even touching her hand, and now she sat comfortably on one of the brothers' lap and willingly allowed them to scent her neck. It felt so natural and it seemed to make them happy, which in turn made her happy.

Besides the touching, they were also strangely possessive. She frowns as she remembers the clothing incident. It irritates her that the Mikaelsons think they have a say in things like the way she dresses. Although Kol had not entered the discussion, she was almost certain that he had agreed with his siblings. Otherwise, he would have taken her side.

Yes, she was a little more exposed than usual and her motive for this wasn't exactly innocent, but it was still her choice. But she could also understand that they were interfering out of concern.

Should she be angry at the interference, or happy that they worried about her? And why were they so worried for her? These questions and others raced through her mind.

• • •

With tired legs, Luna stumbles to her front door, she had convinced her boss that she wasn't feeling well and was allowed to go home early. She normally didn't lie but she really wanted to return home.

Before she could put her key in the lock, the door was thrown wide open.

"You are back!" Kol cries happily and he barrels into his mate, squeezing her into a tight hug.

Luna was almost thrown to the ground by Kol and the air was forced out of her lungs. She quickly grabs onto the torso to keep from falling over.

"I was so bored, my siblings are just awful!" He puts his face in the crook of her neck, complaining while nosing at her jugular.

Luna giggles at this remark and pats his back clumsily. She squirms slightly, trying to get free from his tight grip because the air shortage became quite acute.

After Kol had been able to sniff her neck extensively, he lets his grip around her torso slacken and rests his arms around her waist, nose still pressed against her jugular.

Luna gratefully takes in a big breath. "It's like having a puppy." she mumbles and smiles gently while instinctively brushing her hand through his hair. Kol purrs imperceptibly at her comment and gently nips at her throat in retaliation and pulls back.

Luna was about to make a comment about the minor throat assault but stops when she sees Kol's mouth. It was covered in a red substance and she hoped it was strawberry jam. "Is-is that blood?"

"No?" Kol raises his eyebrows in an attempt to look innocent. He mentally curses himself for not cleaning his face before greeting her. Horror dawned on him, Luna was in for an unpleasant surprise. He and his siblings didn't expect her back home this early and were probably still participating in their recreational activities.

"That's not a question you're supposed to answer with another question." Luna deadpans and flinches when she hears a loud thump coming from somewhere in her house.

Apprehensively she looks over Kol's shoulder at the bay window, hoping to get a glimpse of the situation inside, but the drawn curtains prevented this. Her gaze shifts towards the hall and her eyes widen.

"Wait-Is that a dead guy?!" A body of a man laid sprawled on the stairs, covered in a lot of blood, probably his own.

"Maybe?" He looks at her, worried about her reaction. Although she had indicated that she was okay with their less civil activities, this was the first time she had been exposed to their murderous sides. He quickly rubs the blood from his mouth with one hand, to hopefully make the whole ordeal less distressing for her.

"It is-I can see it right in front of me. Slumped on my stairs..great."

She stares at Kol, unimpressed by his second unhelpful answer. Luna cringes when she sees blood dripping down the stairs.

Kol glances over his shoulder to see what she was gazing at. "I promise I'll clean it up before dinner." He gives her a cautious smile.

"I have a slight suspicion that he was your dinner." Luna deadpans. She hears another loud thump and cry of triumph that reminds her suspiciously of Rebekah's voice.

Luna, who was fearing the worst, decides to face the situation inside. She picks up her bag and walks inside, Kol in her wake.

She tries to walk past the bloody stairs with the greatest possible arc. Distraught, she glances at the ceiling, trying to ignore the large gaping hole in the man's chest. 'This has to be Elijah's doing.' The fact that she could distinguish the killer by the wound was mildly troubling.

After entering the living room she suddenly wishes she was still by the stairs with the dead man.

In the living room, the other Mikaelsons were standing around a pile of corpses, occasional limbs and organs scattered on the floor.

The Mikaelsons looked suspiciously nonchalant. As if this were an everyday occurrence, which it probably was to them.

Luna gasps and blinks in disbelief at the state of her living room. She stood frozen, not even aware that she was standing in the ever-growing pile of blood.

Kol almost bumps into her and notices her shocked state. He quickly grabs her hand, attempting to offer her some comfort.

Luna gazes briefly at their joined hands, the fact that his hand was covered in blood didn't help the situation, especially seeing as his hand was now also subconsciously rubbing blood on hers.

The rest of the Mikaelsons, who all seemed quite smug with themselves, looked up from their handy work when they heard Luna gasp.

A sudden groan can be heard from the pile. Luna quickly looks away as Niklaus bends down to the pile and she hears the sickening sound of bone breaking.

Luna wasn't sure how to feel right now. She was disgusted at the sight of the bodies but was not surprised either. In the show, there were plenty of deaths at the hands of the Mikaelsons. Seeing it in person was disturbing, but could she really blame them?

"Please do not be upset, love. They were burglars, bad people, and they-" Niklaus starts, but Luna shakes her head to cut him off. Judging by their stained mouths, and the incidental bite marks on the dead people, she concluded that it was not just a so-called burglary. Besides that, Luna thought it very unlikely that burglars would operate in groups of nine.

She looks at her rug and frowns, the fuzzy white material was stained with a deep red color. "Next time, can you please not spill your meal on my carpet?" Luna asks quietly. She pulls her hand free from Kol's and rubs her forehead for a moment before grabbing his hand again. Her other hand still clinging tightly around the handle of her bag.

Elijah notices the blood from Kol's earlier snack, now smeared on her forehead and throat, and slowly walks over to her. He was surprised at her calm demeanor and did not want to accidentally frighten her by any sudden movements. He grabs his handkerchief and gently pats her skin clean.

Luna willingly allowed this and smiles reassuringly at him. He looked inquisitively at her, not understanding. After cleaning her skin his hand lingers on her cheek.

A rumbling sound could be heard coming from Kol's chest, and Luna briefly rubs the back of his hand with her thumb. Kol was amazed that Luna was reassuring him as if he wasn't partially responsible for the dead-people pile.

"You look..surprisingly okay with all this." Rebekah voices while eyeing the usually chaotic human suspiciously.

"Yeah...I'm like, super disturbed by all of this," She starts grinning sheepishly, while gesturing vaguely at the pile, finally having dropped her bag. Her hand goes to Elijah's and she briefly caresses it before removing it from her face. "but I'm okay."

Rebekah looks even more concerned now, this mild reaction did not fit the Luna she got to know the past 24 hours.

She is convinced Luna is in shock. Striding over, she pushes Elijah away and gently grasps her free hand to escort her away from the crime scene.

Kol reluctantly let go of her hand and let them move towards the kitchen.

Elijah felt somewhat rejected but also understood that Rebekah was now the better option as she wasn't drenched in blood, unlike himself and his brothers. The brothers heard Rebekah mumbling comforting words to Luna.

The men quickly began to dispose of the corpses and stray body parts. They were happy that the kitchen was in a separate room This way they could work without further distressing their mate

Meanwhile, Rebekah gently washes Luna's hand, which was still covered in blood. Luna willingly endures Rebekah's doting and quietly watches the blonde bustling around the kitchen to prepare her a hot beverage.

Luna felt like she should be sad, but she wasn't. Rather, she felt exceptional joy and relief. She couldn't be upset with the Mikaelsons or their actions. Their behavior showed that they apparently cared enough about her to kill some 'burglars'. Their sympathetic gestures, after her discovery, also showed that they were earnest in their attempts at friendship. Something that warmed Luna's heart.

Luna snaps out of her daze when she sees a hand waving in front of her face.

"We can head back to the living room if you want?" Rebekah offers softly while handing her a cup of coffee.

Luna looks puzzled at Rebekah but then realizes that the brothers had probably gotten rid of the bodies. She nods after taking a sip. She didn't feel like talking much, too deep in thought about her own morals, or rather lack off.

Luna's silence did not go unnoticed by the blonde.

Rebekah had been continuously been feeding Luna childhood stories for the past 15 minutes, to hopefully distract the brunette. Rebekah found the silence of her friend awkward and a bad indication of her wellbeing. The 21-year-old human usually blurts out a silly or inappropriate comment every other minute.

Rebekah escorts Luna into the living room, hoping her brothers had cleared away most of the blood.

The room looked spick and span. The stained carpet was gone, but next to that the room looked almost exactly the same as it had done a few hours ago.

They sat on the couch and, to Rebekah's surprise, Luna snuggles up close to her. Rebekah was taken aback by the intimate act but quickly put her arms around the brunette.

Rebekah covered them both with a soft blanket and coaxing some conversation out of Luna while the brothers refreshed themselves upstairs, allowing the women a moment alone.

After a few minutes, Luna finally dares to confess to Rebekah what was going on in her head

"I'm upset because- I don't-I don't care about the people you've killed. I'm upset that I- I don't care." Luna start. Her cheeks were turning red because of her stuttering. This whole honesty and emotion thing was dreadful.

"I'm not upset with any of you if that's what you're wondering. That wouldn't even be possible because I knew what I was getting into when I invited you in. I am familiar with your casual attitude towards death and I know that the killer side is part of your nature. And I would never judge for it, or try to change that..." Luna trails off awkwardly, not sure what else to say. 

Rebekah became slightly emotional from this monologue and hugged her friend even tighter.

• • •

Luna walks into the fully occupied kitchen and smiles when she sees the domestic scene. Earlier Niklaus had asked Luna for pencils and paper and he was now drawing at the dining table. Finn and Elijah were cooking, talking, and laughing. Rebekah was looking at her brothers with a big smile on her face and Kol was setting the table. A big contrast with a few hours ago.

Kol came up with the spontaneous idea to have a family dinner at eleven in the evening. Because according to him 'food makes everything better'.

Funnily enough, when it came to the actual cooking, Kol did not contribute one bit. Not that his brothers were surprised by this. Elijah eventually banned him from the kitchen island and ordered him to the set the table, with the words of caution that Luna would be incredibly upset if he broke any of her tableware.

Rebekah had ushered Luna upstairs to change into something more comfortable, set on pampering the human. Luna was slightly worried about leaving the Originals alone in her kitchen, which held a lot of pointy objects. Rebekah promised her they would be on their best behavior. After seeing Luna's unconvinced look she hastily added that they couldn't even kill each other permanently in this universe.

Luna looks at the candlelit dinner table and smiles happily. Kol immediately steers her towards the seat at the head at the table. He holds out her chair for her and once seated quickly takes the seat on her right.

He reaches out for her hand and she happily slips her hand into his.

Kol was relieved his mate did not fear him or his other siblings. He had felt terribly ashamed upon seeing her horrified look. It pained him that he was the partial blame for her distress.

"Are you alright Kol?"

Kol looks up and glances at her slightly worried face. He notices the small birthmark under her eyebrow and the way her lashes graced her eyes mesmerized him.

"Kol? Seriously, are you alright?" Luna now looks alarmed at the youngest Mikaelson.

"No worries, my darling. Kol was just admiring your beauty." Niklaus comments from the other end of the table. He had rolled his eyes at his brother's behavior but also knew he too got caught up by her beauty every now and then.

Luna smiles at Niklaus who was now fervently sketching. She wanted to sneak a peek and quickly stood up, letting go of Kol's hand.

Niklaus quickly closes the sketchbook as he sees Luna approaching.

"Are you drawing dirty things, Mr. Mikaelson?" Luna teases as she makes a grab for the book. Niklaus quickly catches her wrist and pulls her onto his lap.

"You wish. Whatever it is, it's not finished. You will have to be patient." He comments as he tosses the book to the end of the table. He gently brushes away the hair that had fallen in her face.

Luna is about to object, when Rebekah walks up to the table with several plates, soon followed by her other brothers.

She swiftly retakes her original seat and smiles at Elijah who takes the seat on her left.

Luna beams towards the people at the table. It felt odd to sit at the head of the table as if she was the matriarch of this dysfunctional family. It made her happy, to think she was also a part of this family, even if it was only for a few more days.

• • •

"Is that a vase in the shape of a naked woman?" Finn glances at the object, looking slightly taken aback.

"Yes. I named her Susan" Luna beams happily at the oldest Original who was looking around in fascination at the various items in her room. He strokes the covers of some leather-bound classics on her desk and carefully sniffs at the dried roses on her dresser.

Luna's room was her sanctuary, it was filled with things that brought her happiness and comfort. It was filled with books, art, and plants.

Before Rebekah's involuntarily sleepover, no one besides her had ever entered it. She expected to feel tenser, but both Elijah and Finn were very respectful towards her possessions.

Despite the relaxed atmosphere, she felt slightly abashed. The brothers had insisted that two of them sleep with her in the double bed.

None of the males had liked the idea of a sibling snuggle session in the middle of the night. Their egos wouldn't allow that.

Luna had made another attempt to get Rebekah into her bed, that way she could put a safe distance between herself and one of the brothers, but Rebekah had laughed in her face at the mere suggestion.

The whole bed-sharing situation provoked another row between the brothers. The eldest brothers believed it to be their privilege because of their age, so naturally, they teamed up. Claiming that neither Kol nor Niklaus was mature enough to not pull any weird tricks on their mate in the middle of the night.

Kol and Niklaus had made indignant noises at this and claimed that they were no better with their pretended propriety.

In the end, Finn played the 'You've left me in a coffin for 900 years' card. This made Niklaus cave. And Elijah kept glaring at Kol until he also gave in. Kol did not need another one of Elijah's dreadful lectures.

Rebekah and Luna had watched all this from the couch. Luna had facepalmed embarrassedly while Rebekah had happily munched on her popcorn, enjoying the drama.

Finn and Elijah had relished in their victory. Elijah gave his youngest brothers, who were crammed on the sofa together, an extra smug smirk when he left the living room to join his mate and Finn upstairs.

"My darling luna, you seem tired, perhaps it is time for us to retire?" Elijah voices gently already seated on the bed.

Luna nodded and went to the bathroom to get changed into pajamas. She felt painfully awkward when she crawled over Finn to get to the spot in between the brothers.

They were a bit cramped but Luna enjoyed the warmth that radiated from Finn and Elijah. She was worried that she might kick them but knew that if she did, they would heal quickly.

"I'm glad you guys landed in my backyard." She whispers while sleepily gazing at Elijah. He smiles softly at her confession and gently rests his hand on her cheek.

For the first time in a long time, she felt completely calm and safe.

And with her stuffed animal tucked in her arms and her head on the pillow she shared with Finn, she quickly fell asleep.

Chapter Text

"Good morning, Elskan ."

Elijah had noticed the increasing heartbeat from his mate and knew she would wake shortly. He had been silently watching Luna sleep for about an hour.

Elijah and Luna's legs were slightly intertwined. She had subconsciously grabbed onto one of his forearms to replace the stuffed animal from earlier, which now laid abandoned on the foot of the bed.

Elijah studies Finn's face for a moment.

He laid curled around Luna with one of his arms wrapped around her waist, holding her close. He seems happy. Surely, this was due to his close proximity to Luna. Seeing Finn's relaxed demeanor filled Elijah with a sense of joy. After so many years of conflict amongst his siblings, they're finally able to live in harmony with each other. Something he had always longed for.

Elijah was amazed that he had not been kicked once that night. Judging by Rebekah her many protests yesterday, he had expected the worst.

But his mate was strangely calm in her unconscious state.

His mate. The mate he would have to share with his brothers. He still did not like this scenario. He has waited on her for ages and finding out he would have to share her seemed like a cruel joke to him. However, this unexpected twist would not stop him from giving her everything she wanted. He would give her the moon if that was what she desired.

Elijah frowns as he thinks about the downside of their situation.

Being a partner of an Original was a great danger in itself, let alone four of them. They were the most powerful and feared family in the supernatural world, but they also have a lot of enemies.

He wonders if they should even go back, he did not want to expose Luna to unnecessary danger and suffering. But he also knew that they, the Originals, did not belong in this world. He and his siblings still wore the same faces as a bunch of actors. What if they left Luna here? Would she not be safer here? He quickly shook the ominous thoughts away. He and his brothers were far too selfish to actually do that.

Luna opens her eyes and looks straight into Elijah's eyes. Just like the previous morning, Luna is startled to see yet another Mikaelson in her bed.

She had forgotten that she had invited the Original into her bed.

She quickly shuffles her body back.

"Goodmorning, my love." Finn's deep voice came from behind her.

She froze in shock as she felt his arm curl even tighter around her waist.

Both men chuckle at her shocked reaction.

Luna feels the familiar flush creep across her cheeks. She squirms lightly in Finn's grasp, trying to create an appropriate distance between them, but in vain, Finn's hold is adamant.

"You might want to stop squirming, my love." Finn purrs softly, already nosing and nipping at her neck.

Finn's words caused her cheeks to burn even more. Luna finally realizes the situation she was in. This was bad, very bad. She was in bed with two Originals, back pressed against one, being stared at by the other, with no escape route. She quickly casts her eyes down in embarrassment, Elijah's gaze way too intimidating this early.

"Luna! Whatever you're doing, stop it!" Rebekah's shouting disrupted the tense silence. "Finn, keep it in your pants! I do not need to hear this at 7 in the morning, or hear this at all!" She continues while loudly groaning in disgust and irritation.

On hearing his sister, Finn let out an exasperated growl and Luna sees Elijah roll his eyes.

"Be-bekah?" Luna mumbles as she turns in Finn's arms, gazing bleary-eyed at the bedroom door, which was closed. She hopes dearly that the screams were part of her vivid imagination.

"Yes, of course, Bekah! How many other women do you have in your home? Ugh, I should have gone to a hotel." Rebekah calls back in irritation.

Luna hears a kind of thump that reminded her suspiciously of the sound of someone hitting their head against a wall.

"Wait! You can hear us-you can hear me!" Luna was now wideawake and positively horrified at the idea the blonde could hear... everything. Luna was very fond of her privacy, especially when it came to the bedroom. Not that anything inappropriate had happened, but still.

"We can all hear you, love." Niklaus's amused voice came from below. He was still agitated that he had to share the couch with his lively younger brother. But hearing his mate's adorable confusion cheered him up a bit.

"Good morning, Angel!" Kol adds in, also wanting to join the conversation.

Like his other sibling, he could hear the upstairs events, and who would he be not to add to Luna's embarrassment.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Luna groans. She quickly covers herself, and involuntarily Finn, under the duvet.

"Remind me to soundproof my room." Her voice was muffled under the blanket and there were several roars of laughter audible in the house.

• • •

Finn pushes a plate, loaded with toast, scrambled egg, fruit, and crackers towards his mate.

The residents have gathered around the dining table for a joint breakfast. 

Yesterday's shabby breakfast option was nothing compared to the extensive breakfast assortment that now adorned the table.

Luna eventually got out of bed with great difficulty, secretly she found it very cozy in bed with the Mikaelsons. After another fifteen minutes of chatting, she forced herself to get moving. Everyone got ready for the day and Niklaus and Finn had taken care of preparing breakfast.

Luna has been clutching her cup of coffee like a lifeline. She looks up at him, doubtfully, she normally didn't enjoy eating breakfast. After a moment of hesitation, she decides not to go against his wishes and gives him a grateful smile when accepting the plate.

The Mikaelsons were talking amongst themselves while Luna was poking at her breakfast. Once again the preparation of the food had been immaculate.

She was quietly nibbling on a piece of toast when Rebekah spoke up.

"I do hope you've kicked them both thoroughly and repeatedly, Luna. Otherwise, I will." The blonde looks expectantly at the human and then shifts her gaze to her oldest brothers, hoping for confirmation that they, like her, had been roughed up by the brunette.

Luna didn't answer the blonde, not knowing the answer herself, and still quite embarrassed by the eventful morning.

Elijah smirks smugly and shakes his head in an amused manner. "No, I have not received any abuse. I do not know about Finn, but I have never slept so peacefully before. She was extremely well behaved."

Luna quickly looks down at her plate, not knowing how she should respond to that comment.

Rebekah narrows her eyes at him and shifts her gaze to Finn, hoping for a more desirable answer.

Finn, who copied Elijah's expression, also shakes his head. "Best night's sleep in 900 years. I do not understand what you were complaining about, sister. I found Luna to be quite cuddly."

Luna, who was just about to eat some scrambled egg, drops her fork with a bang on the plate. Her eyes widen comically and the infamous blush covers her cheeks again. They were thousand-year-old vampires, didn't they have more interesting things to discuss?

At this, a low rumble could be heard from the youngest Mikaelson. Startled Luna shifts her gaze to him and sees how he was glowering at his older brothers.

Niklaus on the other hand looked completely fine with this new piece of information and was smirking at his, once again, flustered mate.

"Traitor" Rebekah whispers while glaring at Luna.

"Cuddly?" Luna asks in a small voice, ignoring Rebekah's dig. She had never really paid any mind to her nocturnal mobility but was now deeply concerned. What if she had accidentally harassed the men in her sleep?

• • •

"What are today's plans, love?" Nikaus asks while curiously gazing at his mate.

"I have another shift tonight, so I thought it would be good to go to the library this afternoon to do some research about magic in this universe. And we can make some concrete plans for your return to your own universe." Luna answers, contentedly munching on a few blueberries.

There was a kind of uncomfortable tension at the table. Although the Mikaelsons knew they would eventually have to return, they were enjoying themselves here. It was nice not to worry about possible enemies and threats for a while. In addition, it sounded as if Luna did not include herself in this return, something they didn't like at all.

Seeing the several frowns around the table Luna quickly adds "You guys can come along if you'd like. I'm sure there are plenty of books to go through..."

Rebekah was about to protest but Elijah cut her off. "We would love to accompany you, Elskan."

Rebekah mutters something inaudible. Luna was almost certain she could hear the words 'Stupid', 'Morons', and 'Lovesick'.

• • •

Much like the shopping trip, Kol and Rebekah immediately sped off in different directions, while loudly shouting to each other. Luna groans in exasperation. 'How much trouble could they cause in a library?' She wonders, not wanting to know the answer.

Luna walks towards the fantasy section with Niklaus, Elijah, and Finn in her wake. She softly caresses the leatherbound spines and almost jumps up and down in joy after seeing some of the pretty covers.

The brunette wasn't exactly sure what to look for but decides to pull out every book regarding magic, travel, vampires, and witches.

Every book she extracted from the shelves was promptly taken from her hands by either Finn or Elijah, who then dumped it in the arms of Niklaus.

Niklaus, who nearly collapsed under the weight, groaned irritably and threw angry looks at the two eldest brothers, who were being quite boastful with their current positions next to their mate.

Luna was listening to Elijah's story about Viking folklore when she hears a crash and a male voice cursing.

Looking over her shoulder she sees Niklaus on the floor, sprawled on the floor surrounded by fallen books. She stifles a giggle and quickly crouches down to assist him.

She grasps one of his hands pulling him into a sitting position. Once seated, she begins gathering the fallen books and arranging them in small piles.

Niklaus smirks smugly at his brothers, who hadn't bothered to pay their struggling brother any mind.

Finn rolls his eyes at Niklaus' dramatics and crouches down next to Luna to help her. After picking up the books, Luna left the brothers to their own devices to find the missing Mikaelsons.

After searching for a good five minutes she finds them in the kid's corner, terrorizing the children. Luna rolls her eyes at their antics 'Children'. She grabs them both by their arms and drags them to the others.

In the meantime, the brothers had settled themselves in one of the many reading areas. On their way to the sofa's Niklaus had tripped again. Neither Finn nor Elijah seemed to know where the sudden hindrance, that tripped their brother, came from, but both had smirked satisfied when it happened. They might be the oldest, but they too could be petty.

"I see you've collected the kids, darling." Niklaus humors while flipping uninterestedly through a book about witches.

At this Kol lobs a book at Niklaus' head.

Luna rolls her eyes at Niklaus and throws the troublemakers one last annoyed glance before shifting her gaze to the big piles of books.

Elijah swiftly pulls the irritated Luna in his lap wrapping his arms tightly around her waist. Luna didn't comment on this and grabs the first book she could reach. Opening the book, she looks at the chapter with interest.

Noticing the stillness of his mate, Elijah lifts his head from the crook of her neck to look at the page she had landed on. Soulmates.

Elijah glances quickly at Kol sitting to their left and saw that he was also looking at the page. Kol looks up to meet Elijah's gaze, both unsure of what to do next.

"Is this true? The concept of soulmates, does it exist?" Luna voices curiously. She softly strokes the beautiful illustration that accompanies the text.

The brothers shared brief glances. They wanted to tell Luna about their connection, but in their own way and certainly not in a library, but they didn't think lying was an option either since Luna would learn the truth soon enough.

"It exists. There have been several well-known examples of soulmates." Niklaus begins hesitantly, not knowing how much he should elaborate.

"It is quite rare however, vampires often do not live long enough to meet their soulmate." Finn adds.

"That sounds very romantic, does this mean you guys also have soulmates?" Luna looked at Niklaus with a hopeful expression, hoping for an affirmative answer. It seemed very amorous to have a perfect match.

Rebekah looks at Luna in disbelief and was about to throw herself against a wall, but contained herself. After all, Luna couldn't help it that she didn't know about the existence of soulmates. And since the human was clearly not used to socializing and platonic relationships, she also thought it was not unreasonable that Luna was not able to distinguish between romantic and platonic gestures.

Niklaus and Finn nodded apprehensively, afraid for a follow-up question, Knowing that if she asked them who theirs was, they would not lie to her, but it would definitely turn this agreeable trip to the library into a disaster.

But Luna only nodded happily and flipped through the chapter quickly, since she had no need for the soulmate chapter in her search. She didn't feel the need to ask them further about this subject, already thinking about their love-interests on the show.

A few hours later, the Mikaelsons are slumped on the various couches. Kol was napping with a book covering his face while Rebekah balanced the useless books on his chest.

Niklaus was scowlingly reading the umpteenth book about so-called time travel.

Finn, who was sitting patiently next to Luna, was holding a binder in his lap and occasionally handing her the cup of coffee he had bought earlier for her.

The Mikaelsons were a bit surprised when Luna had pulled the binder out of her tote bag. Elijah had chuckled in amusement at her preparedness.

Like his siblings, Elijah had given up on the search and was contentedly nosing at Luna's neck, who was still sitting on his lap.

The stack of books beside Luna had decreased considerably. Every now and then, she notes her findings in the binder. She noted down various theories as to why the Mikaelsons landed where they landed, and also made a list of scenarios that needed to be changed or prevented, such as the awakening of Silas or the return of Malachai Parker. As far as she knew the Mikaelsons and the Siphoner had never met, and she would like to keep it that way. She did not want to imagine the damage they could cause together.

Luna finally closes the last book and tosses it on the pile with a thud, which causes Kol to stir awake, books flying on the ground.

"What-what did I miss?' He asks while looking at the fallen books in bewilderment.

• • •

The Mikaelsons pull themselves out of the car, each holding a stack of books, Luna had selected the most relevant ones. Normally the library only allowed you to take ten books at a time, but they made a compelling case.

In front of Luna's house awaited two large boxes, the beds she had ordered.

Kol and Finn had been amazed at the speedy delivery. With an innocent expression on his face, Kol asked Luna the name of the website and quickly ran in.

Once settled in the living room Luna began to reread some of the notes she made, she was pondering about the why of all this. Why would the Mikaelsons end up in her garden?

Luna decides to voice her concerns. "I keep wondering why you landed in my garden and not in a field in Virginia or something. I can't make sense of it."

The Mikaelsons shared a glance, they had their suspicion that this was due to the soulmate bond but did not want to say anything about this.

Luna looked up when she did not receive any response, and sees the anxious glances between her guests.

"You're holding something back." Luna states this without any accusation in her voice. She didn't look angry or indignant, but she wasn't happy either. They could use all possible information to find a way back, and this silence of the Mikaelsons indicated that they did know something pertinent.

Luna knew of Niklaus' suspicious nature, but she had hoped that Rebekah or Elijah would've trusted her enough to share important information with her. After all, it wasn't like she would destroy them with whatever information it was.

Niklaus, who was starting to feel abashed, gets up quickly. "Would you like something to drink, love?"

Luna looks at him, unimpressed by his attempt to escape the laden subject but nods. "Coffee, please."

Niklaus frowns, slightly concerned about her caffeine intake. If he had observed correctly, she already drank five cups. He shook his head lightly and headed for the kitchen.

Moments later he returned with a steaming cup of coffee and some blood bags. Smiling, he gave the cup to his mate and distributed the blood bags amongst his siblings.

Luna watches with fascination as the faces of her housemates changed before her very eyes. She smiles encouragingly at Finn, who seemed quite uncomfortable to drink in front of her.

She shifts her gaze to Niklaus who looked at her intensely, he lifted his blood bag slightly to encourage her to drink her coffee.

Luna glances suspiciously at the brown liquid and took a careful sip.She hadn't even swallowed the liquid when she set the cup on the table with a bang.

"Niklaus Mikaelson! If you try to feed me decaf again and I will find a way to subdue you long enough to tattoo something very rude on your forehead." Luna snaps while glaring furiously at the perpetrator.

Normally Luna would never throw a book, as it went against her principles, but seeing as a pillow probably wouldn't send the message, she hurled a big book at him. He caught it without effort while smiling apologetically at her. 

Chapter Text

"I think I've lost one of the screws..."

"Another one?!"

After lunch, all the Originals were helping to assemble the new beds. Usually, such a task required a maximum of two people, but apparently, with the Mikaelsons, it is all about teamwork.

Finn is frantically flipping through the manual. "This can not be all the instructions, right?"

Elijah is recounting the number of screws and bolts for the second time, Kol is lying on the floor, searching for the missing screws and Niklaus was grumbling incoherently while trying to nail two pieces of wood together.

"How many Mikaelsons does it take to assemble a bed?" Luna mutters, walking in the living room with a steaming mug, rolling her eyes when she sees the progress they have made.

Luna had offered her help, but the men insisted they could do it themselves. Their ridiculous male egos would not accept the help from their mate with something as silly and easy as putting a bed together. Luna had rolled her eyes at their reasoning and left them to their devices.

They were at this for about three hours now, and the prospect of finishing before midnight was getting slimmer.

"Weren't you ancient vampires? Aren't you supposed to be incredibly skilled, at everything?" Luna asks, sarcasm clearly audible, as she looks questioningly at the so-called bed frame that looked creative at best.

"Yes, and yes, but normally we pay people to do this, but since that's not really an option now, we will have to do it ourselves." Rebekah answers. She was sprawled out on the couch, a glass of wine in hand.

All the blonde had really done was pointing to random parts while shouting unhelpful feedback to her brothers.

"We? You have not made any contributions at all!" Niklaus snaps frustratedly as his handiwork collapsed, again.

"...more than five apparently," Luna mumbles softly while rolling her eyes. This remark earned her a cushion in the face from Rebekah.

After Niklaus destroyed the 'bedframe' out of frustration, Luna had sent both him and Kol to the kitchen while assembling the other bed with Elijah and Finn in record time.

The Mikaelsons may know everything about curses, vampires, and history, but she knew her fair share of assembling Ikea furniture.

• • •

"There is absolutely no need for you to keep that awful job. I'm pretty sure everyone there sucks and once we get back to our own universe you can do everything you want without having to worry about something as silly as financial stability. I'm sure Nik would love to paint with you or you can read some big boring books with Elijah..." Kol trails off. He would of course prefer it if she would spend all her time with him but knew coercing her with her hobbies could help his case.

The brunette was currently getting ready for work and Kol sat on her bed trying to convince her to quit her job.

Luna was getting annoyed with his endless rant. She too preferred not having to work there anymore, but she did not want to admit that to Kol. The last thing she wanted was to agree with the youngest Mikaelson that her job is indeed awful, his ego would never deflate. No, she should just hold on for a bit longer.

• • •

Luna's shift was the same as any other shift, her boss behaved like an asshole and so did the customers. She places a drink in front of a man and is about to pull away when the man suddenly grabs her wrist. Luna looks up at his face, slightly startled by the sudden contact.

Luna smiles tensely at the man when she recognizes his face. He's a regular customer.

"Can I help you, sir?" She asks, voice wavering slightly. Normally, she'd ripped her hand away long ago, but she knew her boss would get very cross if she angered a regular customer. Bad for business.

His grip on her wrist was firm and his piercing stare made her feel somewhat nauseous. This was very different from the kind and gentle touches of the Mikaelson men.

"I'm sure you can." He answers while glancing at her body. The male had heard the wavering in her voice and tightens his grip on her wrist, pulling her towards him.

Luna looks alarmed at these words and tries to yank her arm back. The man's hold on Luna's wrist tightens even more and she winces. She was sure she would develop a bruise later on.

Before Luna could punch him, the hand was suddenly gone.

"Is that how you treat women?" An angry voice asks.

The question is followed by the sickening sound of breaking bones. Luna looks up and sees Kol. She stares at him, dumbfounded at his sudden presence.

Kol gave his mate a small smile before crouching in front of the offender, who was clutching his now broken hand.

Luna didn't hear Kol's conversation with the man, she was almost certain it was a threat.

Kol got up again and took two big steps before he stood before his mate.

"Hello Angel" He murmurs while gently grasping Luna's forearm and carefully examining her injured wrist. His need to check up on his mate was bigger than his need for retaliation at the moment. He resolves to return later and give the man the cruel end he deserves.

He frowns at the red skin and touches her wrist gently to make sure it wasn't broken. Luna flinches but doesn't retract her arm.

Kol was about to bite his wrist when Luna stopped him.

"Not now"

The last thing she wanted was to draw even more attention to them by sucking on Kol's wrist in the middle of the bar.

Kol nods, inner animal not happy with the fact that his mate had to suffer from the injury any longer than necessary, but Kol did not want to force her.

He brought her other wrist to his mouth and pressed a soft kiss on it.

Luna looks somewhat startled at this tender gesture but smiles reassuringly at Kol. She was okay.

She suddenly remembers that Kol isn't supposed to be here, in public, without any disguise.

"Kol, what are you doing here?" Luna looks concerned at her savior, all different kinds of doom scenarios shot through her head. 'Where are the other Mikaelsons? They could be injured, or dead.'

"I was bored and I missed you. And you obviously needed my help!"

"Kol," Luna starts, looking down at her watch. "I have only been gone for twenty minutes! And this," she looks pointedly at her harasser. "is a common occurrence during a shift."

Kol seems to think for a moment before deciding on something.

"As I have told you before my siblings are awful, and it doesn't take away the fact that you needed my help, now let's go!"

Luna rolls her eyes, she knew very well that Kol loved his siblings very much and would do anything for them, regardless of their common fallouts.

"Wait-What? Go where? and why?" Luna tries to find her footing to slow Kol down. Kol had gently grasped her non-injured hand and carefully but determinedly dragged her into the kitchen.

"You can't just kidnap me from my job!" Luna hisses indignantly. She didn't get an answer to her earlier questions, but she had a suspicion of Kol's plan.

"Watch me! Now, where is your boss, Angel?" Kol looks around in the empty kitchen. His grip on her hand relaxed slightly now that they were away from what Kol considered, potential dangers.

"Why do you need my boss? Wait- you're not going to kill him are you?"

Luna looks worriedly at Kol. Yes, her boss was a horrible person, but that didn't mean he deserved to die.

"Me? Never! I'm just going to convince him that you deserve a nice break from your work, forever." Kol voices innocently.

At that moment her boss walks in, Kol sees the recognition in Luna's eyes upon seeing the man and lets go of her hand.

He speeds towards the man and pushes him against the nearest wall with a tight grip on his throat. He didn't take the harassment his mate had endured under his authority lightly and was about to snap his neck when he remembers what he said to his mate.

Her boss was sputtering confused and terrified until his eyes landed on Luna who was standing a few feet away. The man's eyes narrowed and multiple profanities were thrown in her direction. Luna flinches lightly at his harsh words.

"Luna, dear, are you sure I can't kill him?" Kol, who had obviously heard every insult, was now close to boiling with anger. His hold on the man tightened mercilessly.

"Yes, Kol." Luna deadpans.

"What if I just break his face a little bit?" 'and his spine' Kol thought. Not wanting to voice his violent fantasies to his delicate mate.

"Just-compel him already!" Luna's voice was now slightly desperate. Afraid Kol would really kill her boss in front of her.

Once in the alley behind the bar, Luna can finally breathe safely. The adrenaline leaves her body and only now does she feel the throbbing in her wrist.

She sees Kol raising his wrist to his mouth but she shakes her head.

"Let's just go home," Luna says, turning on her heel towards her car.

Luna wasn't comfortable with the idea of drinking vampire blood, so she was going to delay it for as long as possible. She hoped Kol would eventually forget about it.

• • •

Meanwhile, at home, the remaining Mikaelsons are wrapped up in another heated discussion.

"Niklaus, we cannot force her to come along, Luna must be able to make that choice herself!" Elijah raises his voice and stood snarling at his younger brother. He wouldn't allow Niklaus' temper to be the cause of Luna's unhappiness.

"Even if I have to kidnap her, she will come along. We will not leave her here under any circumstances!" Niklaus could not care less about the selfishness of his words. His mate's happiness would always come first, but he would never leave her behind.

"Are you really this selfish?" Elijah's eyes were now pitch black and veins were appearing underneath.

"Do not come to me with your act of propriety and nobility, Elijah. We are all selfish, we kill thousands of people for our own gain, entertainment, or appetite. If Luna rejects our offer, would you really be able to respect her choice? No, you wouldn't!" Niklaus had bared his teeth as well and both men stood chest to chest, growling and snarling.

"I agree with Nik, she can't even take care of herself. We have all noticed that by now, right?" Rebekah narrows her eyes at the eldest brothers who seemed to have formed an unspoken alliance.

She pulls Niklaus away from Elijah, who looked like he was about to rip his heart out, which was saying something about the normally well-controlled Original.

Rebekah refuses to let her older brothers ruin their chance at happiness. Their noble personalities got in her way from time to time and she would rather be selfish in this matter than spend the rest of her life having to hear them whine about their regrets of abandoning the human.

"Luna is an adult, although her capability is regrettable in certain areas of self-sufficiency, she has made it so far and she will continue to do so if necessary." Elijah argues, his glare shifting to his sister.

"Sister, does Luna not deserve to make her own choice? Isn't that what feminism is all about? Making your own choices? Something I believe you are a big supporter of?" Finn agrees with Elijah. Although leaving his mate behind sounds like a nightmare. He would never force her to do anything she absolutely did not want. He only hoped the past days were enough to earn her trust and affection.

"Feminsim? You wouldn't even let the poor girl wear a crop top! So don't speak of feminism, you hypocrite! Besides that, this has nothing to do with equality! This has to do with the fact that you are willing to leave my best friend and your mate here alone and unsupervised!" Rebekah shouts back. She suddenly understood why Niklaus kept their coffins and daggers at the ready.

"Niklaus, when the moment comes, you will let Luna decide for herself. You will not threaten, do something reckless, or hold a tantrum. You will respect her decision!" Finn says decidedly, ignoring Rebekah's shouting.

"Enjoy your freedom while it lasts, as soon as we're home with Luna, you will be back in your box for another 900 years."

Niklaus shifts his gaze to the Noble original. "And you will face the same fate."

"Again with the dagger threats, Niklaus?" Finn rolls his eyes at his younger brother. Whatever happens, he would never let himself be put back in that box.

"I'm fairly certain that will not happen." Elijah voices airily.

"How so?" Niklaus narrows his eyes and wonders if Elijah knew something he did not.

"She wouldn't allow it. Daggering us would surely upset our little mate-" Elijah starts.

"She has threatened to dagger Kol three times already, I don't think she'd mind..." Rebekah cuts of mockingly.

Kol, now standing in front of the house with Luna, hears his siblings bickering through the closed door and looks affronted at his sister's remark. Surely, his Angel had no intention of executing her threats. Right?

Luna opens the door and drags Kol in behind her.

"Seriously? Who let him ou-" Luna stops mid-sentence and lets go of Kol's arm when she sees all of them standing around.

It was clear she was interrupting yet another argument. Given the bared fangs and black eyes, this quarrel was a bit more intense than previous ones. "Am I disturbing a family moment?"

She got no response and only heard the hard breathing of the three seething vampires. Her gaze went from Elijah and Finn to Niklaus standing opposite them.

"What did you do?" Luna looks at the hybrid with narrowed eyes.

"What makes you think I did anything, love?" Niklaus asks indignantly, not missing the accusing tone of his mate.

"Seeing as your eldest siblings are glaring daggers at you, I assume it has something to do with you." Luna deadpans, already feeling the familiar throbbing in her head.

"Now that you mention it..." Elijah comments dryly. Elijah seemed quite smug , he relished in the idea that his mate immediately suspected his younger brother as the originator of the argument.

"You threatened them with daggers, again?!" Luna looks positively more menacingly than Elijah did a moment ago.

"Maybe..." At least Niklaus had the decency to look ashamed.

"No! No, new rule. No daggering your siblings! If anyone is going to dagger you, morons, it is going to be me!" Luna points at herself and glares heatedly at the Mikaelsons, who have managed to cause another one of her headaches in mere minutes.

"Ugh, I can't even leave you guys alone for half an hour!" Luna threw her arms up, in an exasperated manner.

"Well, now you don't have to anymore!" Kol adds smoothly. Kol knew, that Luna knew, there was no way she was going back to her job, now that he and soon the others are aware of the occurrences at her job.

"What do you mean? Kol? Luna?" Elijah looked questions at both. His face had returned to normal and now seemed tense for a completely different reason.

Luna demonstratively kept her mouth shut, glaring at Kol. Tattletale.

Kol rolls his eyes at his mate's childish behavior. Since Luna refuses to say anything, Kol decides to take matters into his own hands.

"Apparently this," He carefully lifts Luna's arm showing the now purple wrist to the others. "is a regular occurrence at Luna's delightful job." Kol's voice was dripping with sarcasm.

The Mikaelsons look at the purple skin in shock and disgust. All bear an expression indicating that they were willing to bathe the whole town in blood if necessary.

Kol slowly lowers her arm. Feeling guilty for his betrayal, he softly nuzzles at her temple in apology.

Luna lets him, she could not really be upset with him. She knew they would have found out eventually.

"And you didn't even bother healing her? How careless you are, Kol." Elijah accuses. His inner animal frustrated and upset with seeing his mate injured. He assumed that his brother at least killed the bastard responsible, otherwise, he would do it himself.

Kol narrows his eyes at the comment and throws himself at his brother. He's had to endure a lot of sermons, but this was completely beyond his control. He would not be lectured by his elitist older brother when it came to his capability of looking after his mate.

Niklaus saw this moment of distraction as his opportunity to attack Finn, the earlier remarks from both his older brother still fresh in his mind.

Luna watches in shock as the Mikaelson men flew at each other's throats. "I see anger management is really paying off huh?" Luna comments dryly.

She wasn't even going to try to stop the men, like those girls in drama shows who throw themselves between fighting boys. She knew she could never stop four Originals, her attempt would probably end up with her having her nose broken.

Her gaze shifts to the female Mikaelson, who was being remarkably quiet. Luna groans in exasperation when she sees Rebekah filming everything on her smartphone.

"Bekah, seriously?" She gave the blonde a hard stare which was answered with a shrug.

Upon hearing a loud crash Luna's attention is drawn to the now gaping hole in one of her walls. A seething Finn rose from the rubble and speeds towards Niklaus, tackling him to the floor.

Luna had seen enough, she was amazed at the fact that none of her plants had perished due to these displays of unnecessary violence.

"Time out, now!" She yells while waving her arms around, trying to catch their attention.

Finn, who was holding Kol up against a wall by his throat, unceremoniously drops him to the ground and looks back at his mate.

Kol scrambles to his feet and gives Finn a final shove for good measure, before sending his mate an innocent smile.

"Elskan, you can't be serious?" Elijah asks, after throwing a final punch in Niklaus' face.

"Oh, I am, Elijah. You want to act like five-year-olds, you get treated like five-year-olds." Luna deadpans. She felt like a kindergarten teacher, but desperate times call for desperate measures. "Finn, 'Lijah, seeing as you two are as thick as thieves lately, go to my room. Nik, Kol, spare bedroom."

"Can I at least get the privilege of cleaning myself up, before I'm exiled to a bedroom?" Niklaus asks while pointing dramatically at his nose, which was bleeding quite heavily.

"No" Luna could not bring herself to worry or fret over his injuries. He was as guilty as the others and he would heal soon enough.

For a moment there was silence. When the men saw that she wasn't going to change her mind they begrudgingly made their way upstairs.

"It's like running a fucking daycare." Luna mumbles annoyed.

Luna could hear them rumbling and grunting in annoyance. After she hears the doors close she shifts her gaze to Rebekah who was staring at the brunette in amazement.

"You do know how to wound their masculinity, don't you?" Rebekah grins at her feisty friend.

Rebekah's respect for the human had grown even more, if possible. Few people could call her brothers into line. Let alone could speak to them in that manner without signing their own death warrant.

"Well, as your host, it is my right and duty." Luna replies smoothly. She looks at the mess, shakes her head, and heads towards the kitchen, Rebekah in her wake.

"Now that my brothers are in their timeout, which I think is an admirable achievement, what are you going to do now?" Rebekah watches as Luna started pulling things out of cupboards.

"We are going to have a nice little family dinner and talk about my favorite topic...feelings"  

Chapter Text

"We are going to have a nice little family dinner and talk about my favorite topic...feelings"

Rebekah frowns after hearing Luna's idea. She knew she and her brothers weren't good at talking about their emotions, and she seriously doubts whether they would suddenly start expressing their feelings.

"I don't expect you guys to suddenly open up. But this fighting has to stop, whatever is going on between you and your siblings, from now on you're going to discuss your issues in a civilized manner. In the TV show, your disunity is the cause of half of the hardships you guys face. Your constant arguments enable your enemies to hurt you. That will stop now. You are family. Always and forever!" Luna clarifies after seeing Rebekah's puzzled expression.

Luna knew the men upstairs could hear her. 'This message may have given the idiots something to think about.' She thought savagely.

Rebekah smiles warmly at her friend when she hears the vow that she, herself, had made so many years ago. Luna didn't know it yet, but she now also falls under that promise. No matter what happens, she is family.

• • •

The idiots upstairs had indeed heard her.

Kol was lying on one of the beds, flipping through one of Luna's old sketchbooks. He scowls at the prospect of having to talk about his feelings, sure he was on edge since being released from his dreadful coffin, but it was nothing compared to him with his switch off.

Luna was however right about the fact that their arguments lead to unnecessary dangers, but the last thing he wanted was a family therapy session.

Niklaus was pacing around the room. He managed to clean his nosebleed with a box of tissues left in the guest bedroom. He didn't want to talk about his feelings but knew there was no way around it. His mate wanted them to communicate and he too wanted to get rid of all the unnecessary bickering and fighting.

He, however, was glad that his mate was already largely familiar with their past. Based on her accepting and open attitude towards them, he could assume that she was not disgusted with them. No matter the horrifying things they have done, she still treated them with otherworldly kindness.

"She's right, again." Niklaus voices out of nowhere. Neither he nor Kol had talked since entering the guest bedroom, both had still been submerged in their anger.

Niklaus wonders briefly whose side Kol would have picked had he been part of the earlier discussion. He didn't know what his brother's position was regarding the impending departure, but he knew Kol would never abandon his mate. He wasn't sure how his brother felt about a potential kidnapping though.

"Of course she's right. We're a bunch of bloody idiots who use arguing as the main form of communication." Kol shakes his head, frustrated. "I don't know what's going on in that TV show, but I feel like she's been holding something back. Something is going to happen that she wants to prevent." Kol points out.

"Her emphasis on the restoration of our family makes me think, that whatever it is that she's not telling, it probably does not bode well for us."

Niklaus mutters, contemplating all the horrible possibilities.

• • •

Elijah felt disgruntled in his wrinkled shirt and wanted to change. To his misfortune their clothes were in the guestroom and seeing as he didn't want to risk facing the wrath of his little mate, he had reluctantly accepted his messy state.

Finn didn't mind his appearance much and was happy to be back in Luna's bedroom. The room was filled with her sweet, familiar scent. He enjoyed being surrounded by it, this was the second-best thing to being next to her in person.

He considerately continued his marveling from the previous night. Taking in every detail of the cozy room.

The men had been upstairs for an hour and a half and had plenty of time to complain to each other about the behavior of their younger brothers.

These complaints had been answered with several loud thuds from the other room. This was Kol throwing books at the wall. He could have of course stepped outside to do some more damage but did not want to risk getting caught.

Elijah and Finn had listened to their brothers' theories and their gazes met briefly.

"Do you really think something bad is in store for us? And that our mate can prevent whatever it is?" Finn asks apprehensively. He still felt some sort of detachment from his younger brother. Elijah, like Niklaus, had abandoned him, so asking him for advice or comfort felt foreign.

Elijah studies his brother's side profile. He recognizes his brother's stiffness and could relate to it. This was probably the first time he'd been alone with Finn for so long. Finn had always been the gloomy type and would rather sit with his head in the clouds than participate in the games and plottings of his siblings. Elijah now realizes that he might have come up short in attempting to include the oldest brother.

"I think as long as we stand together we can handle anything. Our Luna will certainly play a major role in this. I suppose it's best to follow her lead." Elijah admits with a sigh. He didn't like to be out of control, but couldn't help trust his mate. Something in him said that it would all work out.

Elijah believed that she wanted what was best for them. 'Why else would she try to repair our damaged family?' He mused to himself.

The past few days had been relaxed and enjoyable, but it did not change their messed-up family dynamic and old grudges. This had to be addressed one day and apparently, that day is today.

• • •

"I can't believe I have to play peacemaker between a bunch of thousand-year-olds." Luna mutters in an exasperated manner.

She and Rebekah had cooked up a feast and Rebekah was setting the table. Luna meanwhile walked upstairs to release them from their banishment. Hopefully, they had cooled down considerably.

Luna is surprised that the men had actually stayed in their assigned rooms. She knocks softly on her bedroom door. 

The door opens almost instantly and Finn appears, promptly taking a step forward. He presses a soft kiss to her temple in greeting and apology. Finn smirks when he hears her increased heartbeat. He takes a step back, allowing Elijah to also greet their mate.

"You can, umm, come out now." Luna mumbles, blushing slightly.

She turns to the door of the guestroom. Before she can knock the door swings open revealing Kol and Niklaus, waiting eagerly for their liberation.

"Hello, love. You've finally come to set us free?" Niklaus teases. His anger had taken down considerably and he was extremely happy to be within his mate's presence again. He saw that she was no longer irritated, this pleased him. He did not like seeing his mate upset, especially if he or his brothers were the cause of it in the first place.

The happiness Niklaus felt upon seeing his mate diminished almost immediately when he catches sight of his older brothers hovering behind her. A low rumbling noise could be heard from his chest and for some reason, he felt like baring his teeth at them.

"Shall we go downstairs?" She suggests, trying to break the tension.

Niklaus is about to step past her when Kol holds him back. Kol looks at Luna for a moment with narrowed eyes and takes a step forward.

Luna is about to ask him if there was anything wrong but stops when she sees him biting his own wrist. She winces at the sight and quickly shakes her head.

"No, that won't be necessary. It will go away on its own." Luna tries to reason while slowly backing away until she bumps into someone's chest.

"Angel, please." Kol looks at her pleadingly, holding his bleeding wrist in front of her face.

The person behind her lets out a rumbling sound as if challenging her to try and back out of this.

Luna understood that she could not avoid drinking blood this time. She didn't understand why they were fussing over her injury. It was a bruise, not a stabwound. Finally, she decides to go along with it, knowing they probably wouldn't move until she gave in.

Luna rolls her eyes to emphasize the futility of it all and reluctantly grabs onto Kol's hand and forearm. Her gaze meets Kol's for a second before she looks to the wound. Apprehensively she wraps her lips around the wound and begins to suck lightly. The alien act made her feel self-conscious and she decides to close her eyes. She never imagined herself sucking on the wrist of a fictional vampire, or any wrist really.

To her surprise, the blood doesn't taste as bad as she expected, it was a rather satisfying experience. She kept drinking until she felt a finger stroking her cheek. She looks up and sees Kol smiling at her. Luna realizes she had probably had more than enough and blushes. She pulls her mouth away and lets go of his forearm. She sees how Kol's wound heals almost instantly and glances briefly at her own wrist, which had healed completely.

Kol stared at Luna in admiration. If his mate wasn't already captivating, she certainly was now. She probably hadn't realized it herself, but his blood-covered her mouth and dripped down in a single line. He found the way she drank from his wrist immensely attractive. While she drank he had smiled at his brothers in an extra friendly manner. Kol was sure that if Luna wasn't between them, he would have received another punch. That thought made him even happier, Luna was his guardian angel.

Elijah gently turns Luna towards him and takes out his handkerchief. Instead of offering it to her, like he usually would, he gently starts wiping the blood away. When Elijah gently brushes his thumb over her bottom lip, she quickly looks away.

"You guys better not be making out! The food is getting cold! Just because you guys can't constrain your hormones doesn't mean we should all suffer!" Rebekah's shouts interrupted the tense silence.

Rebekah knew nothing of such sort was happening, but Luna was the one who insisted on having a family dinner, so she had every right to call them out on their tardiness.

Luna clears her throat and pulls herself away from Elijah's grasp.

"Food? Rebekah... cooks?" Niklaus asks, dumbfounded that his sister knew how to cook at all and mildly concerned about the edibility of this 'meal'

"Yes, we made dinner, your sister was very benevolent in the process," Luna replies, happy for the change of subject.

"I heard that!" Rebekah shouts back.

• • •

"You guys will have to start talking eventually..." Luna voices.

The Mikaelsons and Luna sat at the set dining table in absolute silence. All that could be heard was the sound of the cutlery on plates and the occasional thuds of glasses being put back on the table.

Luna hadn't touched her food yet, too tense to get anything down her throat. She was afraid that the Mikaelsons would get into a fight again at the slightest provocation.

Luna was back at the head of the table and glanced at all the faces at the table. Rebekah sat at the other end of the table, giving Luna an encouraging look. Rebekah herself had been through enough arguments to know that her words would not contribute now, so she had put all her hopes in her brothers' mate.

Luna watches the brothers glare at each other from time to time. Kol occasionally rolled his eyes at Elijah. This gesture was then answered with a growl and a slight baring of his teeth.

Niklaus and Finn shared less passive-aggressive communication, but both demonstratively kept their mouths shut as they glared at each other.

"Fine, don't feel like talking? I'll talk because I'm known for my amazing linguistics." Luna snaps sarcastically, patience wearing thin.

"You are the oldest family on Earth, you are nearly indestructible and feared by all. Yet you fight each other like little children. You attack each other for even the smallest of things. This bickering makes you guys vulnerable. Vulnerable enough so even a bunch of teenagers and middle-aged vampires can harm you. In the TV show, two of you die and the reaction from the rest has been mild at best. Niklaus you've slain cities in search of your precious hybrids, yet when two of your siblings died, you didn't even kill the culprits. None of you did! Do you all really care so little for your family?" Her question was answered with silence. Perhaps bringing up the fact two of them would die was a bit rude, but Luna couldn't stop herself. She was agitated that the Mikaelsons couldn't seem to get their heads out of their asses.

Niklaus looked taken aback by the revelation that two of his siblings would die if it had not been for the sudden intervention. He could not imagine himself not seeking revenge for their death. He narrows his eyes as he realizes this is one of the things she wants to prevent from happening.

The other siblings also look quite shocked at this. All were wondering who was dying on the show.

Rebekah suddenly understood why Luna wouldn't let them watch any other episodes. Seeing yourself die on-screen couldn't be pleasant.

"You have a family, you have each other. Isn't that something to be thankful for? Something to fight for?" Luna ran her hand through her hair. She felt anger and frustration build up. Luna couldn't understand that these people did not realize the importance of family.

"I don't have that! And god, I would give everything for something like that. People who care about me, people to fall back on, to not have to be alone all the damn time. The fact that you have all of this and take it for granted, pisses me off!" She feels tears building up and quickly blinks them away

"I know you have all gotten hurt over the years and that you've all suffered. You have all felt lonely, betrayed, or misunderstood, but please, get over it! Is it really that hard for you to be honest with each other? To take each other's feelings into account? I'm not asking you to never bicker, heaven knows that is impossible, but I am asking you to talk to each other. You are the fucking Mikaelsons, the Original family! That means something, right?!" Luna lets out a short chortle and shakes her head in frustration. It wasn't her intention to have a rant, but her temper got the best of her.

"You do have a family, Luna." Elijah begins, breaking the silence. "We are your family. And you are right we don't talk and we do take this for granted, but not anymore. We shall reiterate our vow, including all of us this time. Always and forever."

Luna smiles at Elijah's words and briefly glances at the oldest and the youngest Mikaelson to see their reaction to their brother's words.

Finn had a joyous yet determined look on his face. Before coming into this universe, he was about to betray his siblings and end his and their lives. But now, three days later, he has the promise of a peaceful future with his siblings. He wasn't sure when they were going back, but he knew he would do everything he could to protect this, his family, and his mate.

Kol seemed relieved. Like Finn, he had never been part of the pact his older siblings had made. He always felt like the outsider, the troublemaker. The fact that Elijah said these words made him feel elated.

"You give me too much credit, Elijah. I've only known you guys for two days. I hardly think that's enough time to establish a familial bond." Luna grasps his hand which was lying on the table and gave it a small squeeze in thanks. "But I'm delighted to hear that you will all move forward, together."

• • •

"I'm curious. What were you fighting about this time?" Luna questions, looking up from her book.

The family had installed themselves in the living room. After Luna's rant, the Mikaelsons and Luna had talked amongst themselves and enjoyed the rest of the dinner. The atmosphere was relaxed, until now.

Luna frowns as she sees them all tense up. 'Apparently, emotions are still running high.' she thought.

The brothers gave each other nervous glances. They didn't want to burden her with the information but knew they could not keep postponing it.

Rebekah looks intently at the glances her brothers share and saw that they had come to a mutual agreement, without uttering a single word.

The blonde hesitated briefly whether she should remain seated. She did not want to intrude on what she was sure would be a delicate conversation, but also knew she would be able to hear them anyway. Besides that, knowing Luna, she was probably not going to take the news well. Rebekah might be able to comfort the girl if necessary.

"Remember when we were at the library-" Elijah starts. He gazes at his mate's hands which lay on top of her closed book. The urge to grab ahold of them was strong, but he restrained himself.

"Of course she remembers that, that was this afternoon." Kol deadpans, cutting his brother off.

"Shut up, Kol!" Niklaus snaps, throwing a menacing glare at him. This was difficult enough as it was, no need for commentary

Kol holds his hands up in response while pulling an apologetic face.

"As I was saying, we were in the library and you found this chapter about... soulmates." Elijah swallows thickly. He tugs lightly at the knot of his tie, which was suddenly feeling too tight for comfort.

Luna nods. She gazes at Elijah's tugging. She straightens up a bit and grasps the tie and carefully undoes it for him.

"Ok, so you were fighting... about...Err... soulmates?" Luna's voice waivers not really understanding how they could fight about this now when their soulmates were in their own universe. Luna fiddles lightly with the end of Elijah's tie.

"Yes-no. Sort of. See the thing is Luna, you are our soulmate." Niklaus adds, stumbling over his words, nervousness clear in his voice and posture.

Luna raises an eyebrow and immediately wonders who exactly he was referring to. Luna throws a fleeting glance in Rebekah's direction.

Rebekah, who had been staring at Luna to see her reaction, saw her gaze and suppressed a giggle.

"I mean Kol, Elijah, Finn, and myself." Niklaus clarifies after seeing who Luna was looking at.

"Soulmate-to the four of you? Yeah..no. That's not possible-I'm...no that's-just no. No-thank you. I'm good." Luna rambles nervously. She was close to giggling at the absurdness of the situation, much like the night when she had discovered them in her backyard.

Like the Mikaelsons, Luna felt nervous and on edge. She couldn't comprehend the revelation and what it would mean for her.

Don't get her wrong, she loved their characters and the past few days have been fantastic, but that didn't mean she would just dive into a relationship with them. Besides, what she had read on the subject didn't exactly sound like a temporary thing. Luna was almost shivering at the idea that the universe somehow forced her into a lifelong relationship. This thought frightened her, she was very fond of the notion of free choice.

"Why wouldn't it be possible, Angel?" Kol rose up from his seat and knelt before Luna, gently grasping her chin to make her lookup.

Luna looks up into his eyes, frowning. She gingerly removes his hand from her chin. "In the show, you have girlfriends. I'm sure they are waiting for you. Sage, Caroline, maybe even Katherine?" Luna offers awkwardly. It made her nervous to think of herself in a relationship with the men, but naming their previous and current partners also felt uncomfortable. Naming Katherine might have been a bit of a low blow, but she had to make her point somehow.

Elijah's face fell at the mention of Katherine. Sure, he had felt the lure of the Petrova doppelganger, but those feelings were nothing compared to the feelings he felt towards the human who sat beside him.

He quickly looks at Niklaus, whose jaw tightened at the mention of the blonde baby vampire and the Petrova doppelganger who had escaped his grasp over five hundred years ago.

Finn seems less agitated at the mention of his former lady-friend. He had been in love with her, but the redhead had not crossed his mind once since awakening. His previous infatuation with her now seemed silly and insignificant, like the love between children.

Kol rolls his eyes at the mention of the women, like Rebekah, he hadn't been too fond of his brothers' previous lovers, especially when they all wore the same face.

Luna's reaction wasn't as bad as Rebekah had expected, but it was clear that the human was a bit overwhelmed.

The blonde stood up and strode over to her, pushing Kol away in the process. She sat down on the armrest and took a hold of Luna's twitching hands, which was a bright move seeing as her habit of scratching herself had resurfaced.

"Luna, those girls don't matter. This is meant to be. You complete them, and they complete you. You might not feel it yet, but you will. They've waited for a thousand years to find you." Rebekah tries to reason.

"Not my fault!" Luna blurts out.

"Perhaps it is better to get some rest, Elskan. It has been a long day with lots of impressions." Elijah suggests while standing up from the couch. He offers his hand to Luna to help her off the couch.

Luna looks apprehensively at his outstretched hand but takes it anyway. She lets Elijah lead her upstairs, Finn following swiftly.

"Well, that could have gone a lot worse..." Niklaus comments dryly.

Chapter Text

"Psst...Bekah?"

"Hey... Psst...Are- are you awake?"

"Bekah?"

A whispering voice draws Rebekah away from her dream. She opens her eyes and Luna's face can be seen four inches away from her own. Her face is lit by the light of a street lamp shining through the window.

Rebekah, startled by the unexpected sight, gives a loud scream.

"Good to know you're a screamer." Luna chirps happily, not at all disturbed by Rebekah's scream. Luna was quite glad she wasn't punched in her face though. She did prefer her nose and jaw unbroken.

"Bloody hell! What are you doing here?" Rebekah hisses, glancing at the alarm clock by her bed.

"Umm...this is my house." Luna deadpans.

"No! I mean, what are you doing hovering over me like a creep? At three in the morning?!" Rebekah whispers harshly while glaring at the brunette.

"Well, now you know what that's like!" Luna huffs, remembering her first morning with the Mikaelsons in her house. "And... I can't sleep in my bed."

"Why not?" Rebekah wonders briefly if she had to kick her brothers' asses for inappropriate behavior.

Rebekah looks at Luna, the girl was wrapped in a blanket, a stuffed animal tucked under her arm. 'Oh no, she doesn't want to sleep here, right?' the dreadful thought crossed Rebekah's mind.

"Because 'Lijah and Finn are in there..." Luna had the decency to look a little embarrassed.

"So?"

"They're my...mates."

"Yes, I know this. That doesn't explain why can't you sleep in your own bed?" Rebekah rubs her face tiredly. This conversation was like trying to get information out of a toddler and her patience was wearing thin.

"Who knows what kind of freaky soulmate thing they're going to do while I'm sleeping? I don't want to wake up with a random tattoo or five months pregnant or something." Luna hisses back. She had come to Rebekah for some comfort and so far she wasn't very sufficient in providing it.

Normally Luna wouldn't bother others with her troubles, but she was sure Rebekah could provide her with some womanly wisdom. After all, they were her brothers.

"Luna, you've slept with them last night and nothing bad happened. You even let them gnaw at your neck, so I don't think things can get much weirder. " Rebekah rolls her eyes in exasperation. "Now get the hell back to your room before I drag you!" Rebekah hisses. She demonstratively turns over so her back is turned to Luna.

Rebekah suspects that Luna had been sent from hell to disrupt her sleep rhythm for the rest of her life.

"Jeez... somebody's grumpy..." Luna mutters, narrowing her eyes at Rebekah's unmoving form, wondering if the blonde had really fallen asleep.

Rebekah's words reassured her nevertheless. She was sure Rebekah would save her if anything weird did happen. She was about to turn around to return to her room when another voice spoke up.

"Luna? Are you alright, little love?" Niklaus' groggy voice came from the corner of the room. He had been awake for the entire duration of the conversation but didn't feel the need to interject, so instead, he amused himself with hearing his mate's entertaining way of communicating.

"I'm sorry I woke you, Nik. It's nothing." Luna apologizes, a feeling of guilt creeping over her.

The ruffling sound of moving blankets can be heard.

"You apologize for waking him, but have no problem with disturbing my sleep?!" Rebekah asks rather loudly. Once more glaring at the brunette.

"Well...if you hadn't screamed he wouldn't have woken up in the first place. So no, you don't get an apology" Luna snarks, also glaring.

"To be fair, I think Rebekah woke everyone..." Niklaus points out, happy to take his mate's side on anything and everything.

There was an affirmative noise from the other side of the wall.

"I'm sorry, how is it that I get blamed for this? Luna is the one who hovers over me at three in the morning!" Rebekah half-shouts while launching a pillow at Niklaus.

"Can't even have a normal conversation in the middle of the night anymore." Luna mutters. Her comment was met with another withering glare from the blonde and a pillow being lobbed at her head.

Luna quickly exits the room, so as not to be attacked again. Niklaus' snicker could be heard through the door that was closed with a bang.

• • •

"Goodmorning Bek-" Luna stops as soon as she sees the scowl on the face of the blonde

Luna was seated at the kitchen island with a fresh cup of coffee in her hand. Besides her nighttime visit, she had slept like a rose. She had decided to push her worries about soulmates to the back of her mind. She didn't feel like having an identity crisis right now, seeing as there were more pressing matters at hand, like getting the Mikaelsons back to their own universe.

This was also the reason that she was already browsing through the thick binder at seven in the morning. She had let the Mikaelsons sleep, hoping to get a moment of peace. Don't get her wrong, she loved the liveliness of her home, but she could use some silence to do her research.

With all the spiritual trends unfolding in her world, she was pretty sure that there had to be real magic in this universe, and thus a way back.

"Goodmorning Angel! How are you?" A voice breaks her train of thoughts. Luna looks up to see that the rest of the Mikaelsons have made their way into the kitchen.

"Goodmorning, everyone. I'm fine, thank you Kol." Luna suppresses the uncomfortable feeling in her stomach. Yesterday's news should not affect her behavior towards the Mikaelsons.

"How do you feel about yesterday's revelation?" Elijah questions while grabbing some things from the cabinets.

"For now, I've decided I'm going to aggressively ignore the situation till it goes away." Luna nods curtly at her own answer. Proud of her newfound confidence and professionalism regarding the situation.

"That's not how soulmates work, love." Niklaus adds in hesitantly. The last thing he wanted was to scare her off, but evasive behavior didn't seem like an option either.

"It is now."

"That doesn't sound like a healthy coping mechanism." Rebekah voices, her agitation with the brunette fading away.

"Neither is throwing your siblings against a wall, but- wait a minute! You still didn't tell me why you were fighting, only the subject!" Luna narrows her eyes at the Mikaelsons. There was no way she would let them get away with the man-sized hole in her wall, without an explanation.

The tense silence of last night's dinner returned until someone cleared their throat.

Luna raises an eyebrow in expectation at Elijah, who looked a little less composed than usual.

"There is a disagreement between my siblings and me as to what will happen to you when we find a way back to our own universe." Elijah starts

"Please, elaborate."

"Finn and I believe you should make your own choice whether you want to come along or stay here. And Niklaus and Rebekah-" Elijah offers before being cut off.

"Nik and I believe it would be ridiculous for you to stay behind. You obviously won't miss much in this dreadful universe and besides that Nik and I would miss your endearing personality." Rebekah sees Elijah's irritated face and throws him a bitchy smile.

Luna is about to interject but doesn't get the chance.

"This is ridiculous, sister. You make it sound as if we do not want Luna to come along." Finn protests, coming to Elijah's defense. After last night's bonding time in Luna's room, Finn felt the need to stand beside his brother more than ever. He would not let Elijah fend for himself again.

"Well, you clearly don't!" Niklaus provokes, retaking his stand beside his sister, chest-puffing up slightly at his opponents.

"How dare you accuse us of not-" Elijah starts, pushing the equipment he was using to make breakfast to the side, as to not accidentally break anything.

Luna was shaking her head at the scene that was unfolding itself.

"At least we are willing to do whatever it takes-" Rebekah shouts, gesturing aggressively towards herself and Niklaus.

"Kidnapping, you mean?!" Finn growls.

Luna's eyes widened at this.

"When push comes to shove you would do the same. Stop trying to be courteous when you know-" Niklaus snarls, eyes flashing gold.

"You are willing to upset her like that-"

"You are already upsetting her?!"

"Enough! Seriously?! Do I have to put you in another time-out?" Luna shouts, ready to smash her head against a wall or better yet, smash their heads against a wall.

Finn and Rebekah each took a step back, composing themselves. Elijah busies himself with making breakfast and Niklaus flips through one of the books trying to look fascinated by its content.

Luna shifts her gaze to the youngest Mikaelson who had been quiet this entire time. "You have been awfully quiet, what is your opinion on all of this?"

Kol raises his eyebrows at his mate. He did not expect her to want even more opinions thrown at her. He contemplated for a second, trying to put his feelings into words.

"I think you should come along. Fate obviously led us to you for a reason. And I would be awfully miserable if you were to stay here." Kol starts. "Besides that, it would allow you to stab Damon, which is something you were quite enthusiastic about." At this, he gave Luna a cheeky smile.

"Excellent point, Kol. We will deliver him to you on a silver platter. Maybe even the other Salvatore, just as a little bonus. Wouldn't that be nice, love?" Niklaus suggests, nosing apprehensively at her temple. He wasn't sure how comfortable Luna was with their touches, but couldn't resist trying.

"That does sound alluring, I will think about it." Luna responds in a teasing tone. She had no desire to kill the Salvatores without any real reason, but there was nothing wrong with harming them a little. She still sought retribution for the abuse he inflicted on Caroline.

"I do want it to be clear that whatever I choose, will be respected," Luna looks pointedly at Niklaus and Rebekah. "No kidnapping!"

Both of them nod reluctantly.

"Now that's settled, what is on the agenda for today, my love?" Finn asks, looking peased that his mate indirectly agreed with him and Elijah.

"I have to go to school to pick up some of my artworks. My school also offers some occult classes, I figured I can talk to the professor, see what he knows about multiple universes and witchcraft."

"Fantastic! After you've finished your breakfast, we can leave." Niklaus offers while presenting her the bowl of oatmeal Elijah had prepared.

"Absolutely not!" Luna protests.

"Luna, dear, breakfast is the most import meal of the-" Finn tries. He is insistent on personally monitoring his mate to make sure she would not skip out on meals.

"Not that!" Luna huffs indignantly. Her kitchen had been empty once, and they couldn't seem to let it rest.

"You are not coming with me! I haven't forgotten Kol's little surprise visit from yesterday. No way! You will attract way too much attention."

• • •

After quite some hassle the Mikaelsons and Luna were finally seated in a subway towards her school.

Even though the Mikaelsons had gotten familiar with means of transport like cars and busses, the subway was a whole new experience.

Finn and Kol had gazed in amazement at the small entrance gate. The escalator was met with gasps of excitement from Kol, who went up and down a total of three times before Luna dragged him away.

She had tried to reason with the Mikaelsons, the trip wasn't going to be exciting at all, but they had insisted that she needed the protection. Luna had rolled her eyes at this, it was not as if the streets were crawled with supernatural beings. Seeing as there came no end to their useless arguments she had caved.

They could have taken the car, but traffic was usually awful this time and she figured this was the fastest way to get back home again.

It was amusing for her to see the normally composed and almost regal-looking Mikaelsons crammed into the little seats wearing various 'disguises'.

She gazes at Elijah, who was grumpily looking out of the window. She had forbidden him to wear a suit, seeing as that would surely draw attention, which he had protested heavily. After some encouraging words from Luna, he had agreed.

Rebekah sat across from Luna. Even though the subway was quite packed, the seats beside her had stayed empty so far. The reason for this might have been Rebekah's withering glare, which was thrown at anyone who tried to come near her. She had glowered so badly at one man in particular that he had walked all the way to the back of the compartment, cowering.

Niklaus was seated next to an elderly lady who kept blabbering to him about how handsome he was and that he should meet his granddaughter. Niklaus had smiled politely at the woman until she started showing him a wide variety of pictures from her wallet. He had shot Luna several alarmed looks, begging for a rescue, but Luna had only given him an amused grin. He who always tortured people was now allowed to experience it himself.

Niklaus was not the only one who was put in an uncomfortable position. Finn was seated next to a family of five. The youngest child of the family kept asking him random questions and started tugging at his clothes.

Finn had ignored the child until a sticky hand slaps him across the face. The rest of the Mikaelsons snicker at his expense.

Finn stands up abruptly and walks towards Luna, who was sitting in between Elijah and Kol, lifts her off her seat, and pulls her onto his lap.

Luna turns around in his lap so she is seated sideways and takes a handkerchief out of her bag. With a giggle, she starts to wipe the brown substance, which she hoped was peanut butter, from his cheek.

Finn wraps his arms around her a little tighter and rumbles happily, content to have his mate on his lap again.

Kol, who had been glaring at any man that even looked at his mate, heard Finn's soft rumbling and turns to Luna and started to poke her cheek repeatedly, trying to gain her attention.

Luna pulls one of her hands from Finn's face and swats Kol's hand away.

"Ow, is that how you treat your mate?" Kol whines while rubbing his hand with a hurt expression.

"I'm still in denial about all that, so yes." Luna deadpans, continuing to wipe Finn's cheek.

• • •

"Can you stop growling at the teachers? We're getting funny looks." Luna mutters under her breath, knowing the vampires could hear her perfectly.

After surviving the trip on the subway they finally made their way to Luna's school. Luna had guided the Mikaelsons as stealthily as possible towards the stockroom, which contained her artworks.

Niklaus had looked in awe at all the paintings in the storage room. Luna warned him not to steal any of those. Niklaus had looked offended but knew Luna was right about her suspicions. He had obtained artworks in less appropriate manners before.

Niklaus and Finn took the responsibility to carry Luna's works. They saw this as an important task and Niklaus had already growled at three people who had come too close to the canvases.

"Miss Mason, I haven't seen you in a while." A tall man greets her as she walks into the almost empty lecture hall.

"Mr. Thomas, it's good to see you. I hope you are well." Luna smiles warmly at the professor.

"I am, thank you. I received your electronic correspondence-who are these interesting people you've brought with you?" Mr. Thomas gazes appraisingly at the Mikaelsons eyes lingering on Elijah's unimpressive outfit.

Elijah scowls at this and grumbles incoherently. Kol grins at this and elbows him teasingly.

"Oh, yes. These are my...friends! This is Jessica, Sam, Dean...Tom and-" Luna offers. Coming up with random names on the spot was more difficult than she thought.

"Joseph" Niklaus cuts in, offering his hand towards the man. Mr. Thomas shook it firmly.

"Yes, my friend...Joseph" Luna threw a glare at him but quickly replaced it with a smile as she saw Mr. Thomas looking at her.

"Boyfriend, actually." He smirks and throws an arm around Luna's shoulders. "Boyfriend, future husband, love of her life... you could even say soulmate. Right, love?"

Luna turns red and looks away uncomfortably. Behind her, she hears several low growls. Luna clears her throat, hoping to send the men the hint that they needed to stop the whole 'growly' thing.

"Soulmate?" The teacher raises his eyebrows while taking in Niklaus' interesting fashion choices.

"He is joking, such a funny guy." Luna elbows Niklaus in the ribs while sending Mr. Thomas a broad smile.

Mr. Thomas nods shortly and shifts his gaze towards Luna.

"Shall we go to my office, so I can answer some of your questions?"

"Great idea, thank you." Luna smiles, escaping Niklaus' grasp. "My boyfriend will wait out here."

• • •

"Alright, once we get inside I will do the talking and you go and do your vamp-face thing. And then we will threaten her a bit...right?" Luna asks while making several random hand gestures.

"Sounds like a plan, Angel." Kol hums in agreement. This probably wasn't the best idea, but it was better than having to undergo another library trip.

After getting back home and putting away her canvasses, Luna decided to take a little trip to the local occult shop. Of course, Kol wanted to tag along. Luna's conversation with Mr. Thomas was interesting. He had told her all he knew of alternate universes, but nothing that would help them to travel towards one.

Luna hoped the people from the occult shop could offer her some more information.

Kol suddenly stops in his tracks, staring intently at something or someone in the alleyway. Luna was about to ask what was going on when Kol flashed forward. Luna watches silently as Kol snaps the man's neck.

She walks towards them and recognizes him as the man who had grabbed onto her wrist last night.

"This is a disappointing development" Luna comments dryly. She had barely blinked. Compared to the corpse pile she had walked in on, this was nothing.

"I have no regrets!" Kol states defensively, after dropping the man. He was in no need of a lecture. 'The man had it coming, jerk.' Kol thought self-righteously.

"You should, you really should." Luna deadpans. She scans her surroundings to make sure no one saw them. "Do we...Err...do we bring him home?" She asks in an unsure voice.

"What for?" Kol looks inquisitively at his mate's proposal.

"I don't know. So you guys can eat him?" Luna offers. She thought that they might as well make use of the fresh corpse, maybe they could share him. 'Do vampire's share meals?' she wonders briefly.

"It's not a Thanksgiving turkey, Angel! We are not going to roast him and serve him on a silver platter." Kol snickers at his mate's suggestion.

"Oh, right. Sorry!" Luna blushes slightly at her silly suggestion.

• • •

"What did you want to show us, Elskan?" Elijah voices while he and his siblings followed her towards the car.

Luna doesn't answer and opens the trunk with a wide grin. She barely refrains herself from shouting 'Tadaa'.

In the occult shop, she ran into a young woman who was bragging about special books and complicated terms. Luna had given Kol a very subtle signal and per Luna's request, Kol knocked the woman out.

Kol was a bit skeptical about the woman being a witch, but who was he to deny his mate anything.

"Kol, what did you do?" Elijah glances at the body. Disapproval and irritation are readable in the lines of his body.

The thought that his innocent mate was an accomplice in the killing of someone was extremely disturbing to him. Thankfully he heard a faint heartbeat, assuring him that the woman had survived the car ride.

"Don't look so judgy, Elijah. This was all her." Kol defends, throwing his hands up in surrender.

"I found a witch!" Luna cheers while pointing proudly at the woman in the trunk. She was quite smug about her ability of kidnapping people. Sure, it had been Kol who had knocked her out and Kol was also the one who had put her in the trunk, but she had given the signal, which was like fifty percent of the job.

Elijah threw a glare at Kol for condoning in all of this.

"This woman?" Niklaus asks, looking doubtful at the unconscious woman. He had met a lot of witches and knew how they carried themselves. He had a hard time imagining this woman as a powerful witch who could send them back to their own universe.

"Well, yes. She was talking about Tipitakas and Sutras, god knows what that is but it sounds Latin!" Luna explains while grabbing a few of the books the woman had bought.

"She's probably a Buddhist." Elijah offers gently, while glancing at the books Luna bestowed upon him. He did not want to put a damper on his mate's good mood, but there was no use beating around the bush.

"So, not a witch?" Luna looks disappointed at the woman.

"No, love. I'm sorry." Niklaus smiles kindly at his little mate, who looked notably sad at this news.

"Well...then she can be your lunch! I was going to offer you some other dude, but Kol already ate him. He was the one who hurt me last night. Kol said you guys don't roast people like turkeys, which I understand. But do you think you could prepare blood like food? Like, cook it with some sugar, or if you're feeling fancy add a slice of lemon? And do you guys share meals?" Luna rambles nervously while poking the girl in her trunk to make sure she was still unconscious. She was very new to the whole kidnapping business and did not want to screw things up by accidentally killing the abductee.

Finn shakes his head at the rambling human, lifts her up, and carries her inside. Standing outside in broad daylight, near an unconscious girl in a trunk was bound to attract unwanted attention from some neighbors.

"Kol" Elijah jerks his head at the supposed witch and walks towards the house. Elijah was not planning on touching the woman. Kol was the one that got her, he can carry her inside.

Kol rolls his eyes in annoyance. Reluctantly he picks the girl up and carries her inside. Making sure to bump her head on the doorpost.

Chapter Text

Luna walks downstairs after a short nap. She hadn't thought it necessary, but Finn had insisted. He was worried that his mate might be over-exhausted seeing as she was unexpectedly okay with kidnapping someone.

Luna had tried to sneak out of her room but was unfortunately caught by Finn, who was waiting outside of her door. She had groaned and tried to bribe him, but he was resolute and herded her back to her bed. After seeing Luna staring grumpily at her ceiling for a few minutes, Finn had lost his patience with her and crawled onto her bed. He cuddled her from behind, urging her to relax in his arms.

Luna enters the living room, glancing at the unconscious woman that was lying on the couch. Kol had not been particularly gallant when it came to laying her down. Luna rolls her eyes and props a pillow under the girl's head. She winces slightly upon seeing the big bump on her forehead.

"Has she...Err... moved?" Luna asks, looking up at Elijah and Rebekah. Both were reading and Luna thought they looked a bit too comfortable with an unconscious body on the couch.

"No, it seems Kol might have been a bit too enthusiastic in his attempt to knock her out." Rebekah scoffs.

"Where is he anyway? It's remarkably quiet?" Luna wonders aloud, worrying about the trouble Kol might be causing if he wasn't in the house.

"I think he and Niklaus are outside." Elijah hums.

"Thank you, 'Lijah." Luna smiles gratefully at him.

"Anytime, Elskan." Elijah offers, smirking slightly upon seeing her flushed cheeks.

Luna feels her face heat up and clears her throat, forces out an awkward smile, and quickly walks towards the backdoor.

Luna opens the back door and is immediately exposed to the shouting match that was taking place between the two youngest brothers. Luna isn't the only one to hear this, as Elijah and Finn soon join her in the kitchen, listening in.

"How irresponisble are you, Kol? Exposing her to potential dangers like that!"

"As if you could have denied her if she asked you to do something!"

"You could have at least had her wait outside or something!"

Luna scoffs at this, she wasn't a dog.

"She was perfectly safe! Despite your beliefs, I am quite capable of protecting my mate!"

Luna decides that she has heard enough. She sticks her head out of the door and glares at the two Mikaelson men. They were standing chest to chest, both snarling and growling.

"Get inside! I still have neighbors!" Luna whispers harshly, glaring at the brothers.

Finn rumbles softly in annoyance at his little brothers. He gently pushes Luna towards Elijah and begrudgingly makes his way towards the troublemakers. Finn manages to drag Kol and Niklaus inside and presents them to his mate.

Niklaus and Kol kept grumbling and glaring, they hadn't come to physical blows, but Kol couldn't resist jabbing Niklaus in the ribs with his elbow.

Niklaus steps away from Kol, trying to be the bigger man, seeing as his mate was already looking annoyed with them. He knows she heard everything, he was fairly certain that she was about to give him a piece of her mind. Niklaus decides to try to reason with his mate, 'Surely she would understand his worries.'

"Luna, love. You're a human, you can use all the protection you can get, especially when facing the supernatural." He tries, rubbing the back of his neck in an abashed manner.

"Niklaus, I don't know if you're aware, but the only supernatural creatures in this universe are you guys." Luna starts. "And I've been living on my own for four years now. That's four years without any protection or bodyguards. I think I can survive a few days more."

"No, you can't! You would not stand a chance against a middle-aged man let alone a witch." Niklaus raises his voice, frustrated at the apparent lack of self-preservation instincts of his mate.

"According to you guys, she isn't even a witch!" Luna argues back, poking angrily at his chest.

Niklaus grabs a hold of the hand and squeezes it lightly in warning, before dropping it.

"She could have been! And then you could have gotten hurt!" Niklaus snaps. Niklaus was on edge, even more so than usual. His mate is in denial about the soulmate bond and he worries about their return. Besides that, his brother thinks it's responsible to expose his mate to potential witches. Having his mate shouting in his face didn't help his current state of anxiety.

Kol quickly moves to her side, grasping her waist and pulling her back slightly. Seeing Niklaus yell at his mate, made his territorial instincts kick in. Kol growls at his brother in warning, if necessary he would snap Niklaus's neck, just to ensure Luna's safety.

"But I'm not! Kol was there. I was perfectly safe! Why are you being so-Ugh!" Luna groans, she holds her hands in front of her sternum, fingers curved rigidly as if strangling the air. She would never harm the Mikaelsons on purpose, but it took every ounce of self-control not to slap him.

"Elskan, please don't be upset. We just want you to be safe." Elijah cuts in. He pulls Niklaus back, trying to relieve some of the tension that was hanging in the room.

"I'm not upset, 'Lijah. I'm angry that a so-called 'bond' makes you think you have the right to control my whereabouts! You don't see me acting all weird and possessive!" Luna folds her arms in front of her chest, afraid she would start slapping people if she didn't constrain her arms.

"We do have that right! You're our mate! Do you know how many of our enemies will try to harm you just because of that?!" Niklaus growls.

"Did you just growl at me?!" Luna narrows her eyes at the hybrid. Shaking her head in disbelief, Luna pulls herself free from Kol's hold and walks towards the living room.

"Great job on the whole 'easing her into this'. Fantastic really! Telling her she's a target to half of the supernatural community!" Kol deadpans, rolling his eyes. He walks past Niklaus, making sure to bump into him in the process.

Niklaus grumbles in response, not happy with the situation at hand, annoyed with himself for shouting at his mate. He had crossed a line with his last remark. He follows Kol into the living room, trying to come up with ways to reconcile with his Luna.

"Luna? Where are you going?" Rebekah asks, looking worriedly at her friend, who was striding past the couch where the blonde was still seated.

"Out," Luna announces. "I can't deal with that one." Luna points at Niklaus with a withering glare. "At least not sober!"

Rebekah rolls her eyes, her brothers are absolutely hopeless.

"Bloody idiots." Rebekah murmurs.

The door shuts with a loud bang, and the woman on the couch wakes with a startled gasp.

• • •

"Hey there, you look a bit lonesome. Can I join you?" A deep voice interrupts Luna's pondering. Sometimes she wishes she could just punch some sense into Niklaus. He could be an absolute sweetheart one moment and invoke an insuppressible rage and aggression in her the next.

Luna had worked down several glasses of vodka tonic, in an attempt to calm down. At times like this, she was thankful for the multitude of bars near her house. The last thing she wanted was to show up at her former workplace.

Luna looks up from her drink and is met with the face of a young man. He was probably in his late twenties and handsome. But nowhere near as handsome as the men who were probably remodeling her house right now. She takes in his outfit and assumes he just got out of the gym.

"No thanks." Luna gives him a forced smile and shifts her gaze to the large TV that hung in the corner.

"Why not? Got a boyfriend?" The man's voice sounds humorous but also slightly urgent.

Luna frowns, wondering why men needed a rationalization for their rejection, it seems unlikely to her that they would write the feedback down and use it during their next pick-up attempt.

"I said no. My relationship status is none of your business." Luna clears her throat and turns her body away from him, to show him that she wasn't interested.

"So you do have a boyfriend? Why else would you reject me?" The man sounds genuinely confused.

Luna groans internally at this. The idiocy she had to deal with on a daily basis was staggering. She would rather deal with another pile of corpses than this intruding stranger.

"I don't owe you an explanation, dickface. No means no." Luna snaps. She grabs her wallet and puts a few bills on the counter, smiling briefly at the kind bartender who had supplied her with liquor. She seizes her bag and coat and tries to leave, but a hand on her arm stops her.

"C'mon, no need to be a bitch, just one drink. I will make it worth your while, darling." He smirks and tries to pull her closer.

Luna cringes at the pet name. It didn't sound genuine or sweet like when Kol called her that. It was rather cold and clinical. In short, it felt completely wrong.

Luna gives the man a hard glare and pulls her arm free. She decides to take a page from Rebekah's book and slams the man's head against the bar. She knew she was not nearly as strong as Rebekah, but her anger turned out to be a good motivator to evoke the strength that the action required.

In addition, the alcohol made her feel less restrained. Normally she would have smiled kindly and hoped that the person would eventually leave her alone, but right now, Luna could only feel an overbearing aggravation towards the male sex.

"Touch me again and I will put your balls in a blender and feed them to you during your next juice cleanse!" Luna snarls in his ear.

The man groans and lifts his head slightly, spilled beer sticking to his face.

Luna pushes his head down again, making sure that he got the message. She wonders if she should let Niklaus or Kol have their fun with the man, but thinks better of it.

• • •

Luna stumbles to her front door. To her surprise, all the lights are out. She tries to peek through the crack in the closed curtains, looking for any sign of the Mikaelsons. Worry took over her and she opens the door as quietly as she could.

As soon as she's through the door she grabs hold of the baseball bat.

Luna halts to peek through the crack of the door, frowning at the sight before her.

In the living room, the Mikaelsons were tied up and seated on the floor. The previously unconscious lady stood in the center of the living room, flipping through one of the books that were on her person when she was kidnapped.

Elijah has been glaring at the witch, while struggling with his ropes. The witch had spelled the ropes, so they would not come undone by the hand of the prisoners.

Suddenly he notices the familiar heartbeat of his mate. His gaze snaps up and he sees Luna's silhouette behind the door. Elijah cringes imperceptibly when he gets a whiff from the alcohol scent that came from her direction. He had not yet encountered a drunk version of his mate but was fairly certain she couldn't be any more rational than sober Luna.

Elijah hoped Luna wouldn't do anything reckless, seeing as she probably didn't stand a chance against the witch who managed to overpower five Originals, especially not when intoxicated.

Luna sees the woman approaching Rebekah with a pointy-looking object.

Her blood boils at the idea of anyone harming her friend, forgetting she was hiding, she bursts through the door, bat raised.

Luna swung the bat at the witch, aiming for the hand that was holding the object, then proceeds to tackle her to the ground. With a loud thud, the witch and Luna crash onto the floor.

Kol grins widely at the scene that plays out in front of him. There was nothing but admiration in his eyes, proud of his little mate. He knew she could be tough when needed, but tackling a witch was beyond anything he could have imagined.

Rebekah looks rather smug, she knew there was a reason she put up with Luna's escapades.

Finn, like Elijah, was looking moderately worried, he had dealt with witches before and knew that the witch could probably retaliate at any moment. He had to admit, the element of surprise was the greatest benefit in her attack. His worry subdues significantly as he sees Luna tying the witch up with one of the spelled ropes.

"If I see even one hand movement or hear the whisper of an incantation I will knock you out, you fake Buddhist, witch bitch!" Luna snaps impatiently

Tackling an evil witch may not have been the smartest approach, but Luna was drunk and rational thinking sounded mundane to her.

"Why would you want to save them, They've done terrible things! They're an abomination!" The witch shouts, trying to reason with the human. If she could persuade the brunette to see them for the monsters they are, she could continue her plans.

"God, you sound like Esther, and that is not a compliment!" Luna groans while rubbing her knees, they got scraped during her fall. It annoyed her greatly that the witch was insulting her friends. "And I've come to terms with the fact that I might care about them. I'd rather not have them killed by a wannabe Sabrina the teenage witch. If anyone is going to hurt them... it will be me!" Luna blurts out, too drunk to be embarrassed.

"How touching, love." Niklaus groans annoyed. He was pleased to hear that she cares about him, but did not enjoy the prospect of her potentially harming him.

"Zip it, Lassie!" Luna snaps at Niklaus. She had not forgotten their shouting match from earlier. She would not let him criticize her actions especially since she was the one saving him.

"Honestly...." Niklaus rolls his eyes in exasperation. He wonders briefly how he ended up with such a... loving mate. He quickly shakes off the irritation. He wouldn't have wanted any other mate. He would rather have a teasing and chaotic Luna than a tame sheep who couldn't stand up to him.

Luna hears the witch's stammering insults and accusations, trying to put the Mikaelsons in a bad light, obviously unaware that Luna was already familiar with these events.

"Yeah, I'm all for Rebekah's whole 'Girls sticking together' or whatever, but you're insane! Time for a nap." Luna picks up her bat and swings it. Hard enough to knock her out, not hard enough to crack her skull. Luna sees the witch slump to the floor, and she drops the bat to the floor.

"You're even worse than Kol!" Rebekah mutters.

"Thanks" Luna grins at the blonde.

"That wasn't a compliment," Rebekah adds, giving her friend a disturbed look. Drunk Luna was certainly a whole new level of chaos.

Kol let out an indignant huff at his sister's snarky comment. Luna shrugs and walks towards the Mikaelsons.

"It's ironic, you talking about how I needed protection and here you are, tied up like a Christmas present." Luna snarks, lips curling up into a smirk as she crouches in front of the hybrid.

"Elskan, maybe this is not the right time for a lecture?" Elijah tries while eyeing his younger brother suspiciously. Sure, he relishes seeing his mate one-up Niklaus, but he would rather not have her provoke Niklaus further. Not without being able to protect her from him, were he to try anything.

"No...I think it is the right time." Luna giggles and boops Elijah's nose. It was not often that Luna would prevail over the Mikaelsons and she would take full advantage of it.

"Isn't it funny how she did end up being a witch?" Luna points in the general direction of the unconscious woman. She knew that finding an actual witch was an accident, but that wouldn't stop her from rubbing it in.

"Very funny, Angel. Good job. Can you please free me now? You can leave Nikkie tied up. I will even help you torture him." Kol suggests hopefully. Struggling in his ropes, he looks pleadingly at his mate. Her hair was a mess, as were her clothes, and the mischievous gleam in her eyes excited him, he could get used to this drunk version of his mate.

Niklaus gave Kol a harsh glare and a bump with his shoulder, unable to do more damage in his current state.

"I think I'm enjoying this sight though?" Luna gestures at them and stands up again. "I mean, normally it takes a bit more persuading to get a man on his knees for me, let alone four of them." Luna paces in front of the Mikaelsons, supposedly deep in thought. She felt like some kind of supervillain who was proposing their evil plan. This thought made her giggle.

"Bekah is a nice bonus." Luna winks at the blonde.

"Stop flirting with me. It's 5 PM and you're drunk." Rebekah deadpans, looking up at her friend.

"Like a skunk," Luna giggles softly, remembering Caroline using that line on Sherrif Forbes.

"I'm hungry, that's weird.. must be the alcohol..." Luna mumbles, frowning. Luna stops pacing for a moment, wondering which of the Mikaelsons could provide her with food, without instantly spoiling her fun. She could of course make herself something but didn't feel like cooking.

"Finn, honey, If I were to untie you, could you maybe make me something?" She asks while widens her gaze slightly and jutting her bottom lip out.

Finn smiles upon hearing her call him 'honey'. He nods eagerly, happy to provide his mate with food. Finn needed no persuading or puppy-eyes to grant her anything she wishes, but she wasn't aware of that.

Once he was released from his ties he stood up and embraced his mate tightly. The worry he had felt for his mate when the witch had overpowered them was awful. He timidly starts nosing at her pulse point. He was unsure if Luna was still comfortable with his nosing, but couldn't resist after the stress he had endured the past few hours.

Luna let Finn do his nosing without retracting or flinching. Her drunken state was less bothered with the physical contact. She understood his distress and had to admit she had missed this intimate gesture. Sighing softly she ran her hands through his hair. She heard a low rumbling noise, which made her chuckle.

Niklaus rolls his eyes at Finn's overbearing presence near his mate. Finn was playing favorite son again and it annoyed him to great extent.

"Not that I don't enjoy watching you get harassed by my older brother, but perhaps I can also be released? Like Kol, I'm also willing to help you torture Nik." Rebekah offers, giving Niklaus a cheerful grin.

"I'm really feeling that sibling love, sister." Niklaus groans. He huffs grumpily, trying to find a more comfortable sitting position.

"That reminds me," Luna smirks and untangles herself from Finn's hold. Finn reluctantly lets go of her and walks towards the kitchen.

"Did you know your actors," Luna points at Rebekah and Niklaus. "used to date?" Luna smirks at the siblings.

The sound of a falling pan can be heard from the kitchen.

Rebekah gags aloud and shuffles further away from her brother, face laced with pure disgust.

Niklaus pales visibly at her words and his face turns from agitated to revulsed. He didn't know which scenario was more disturbing: his actor dating his sister's actor or possibly conceiving a child with a woman that wasn't his mate.

His other siblings had glowered at him when Luna revealed that tidbit of information. They deemed it unfair that he would be able to procreate and they wouldn't. In short, Niklaus was having a rough couple of days.

"Honestly Niklaus..." Elijah groans exasperated.

"Stop whining Elijah, this is completely out of my control!" Niklaus growls.

• • •

Luna, Niklaus, and Elijah were nestled on the couch. Niklaus was softly reading to Luna, hand resting on her side when he needn't turn a page.

Elijah was reading one of the witch's books, searching for something useful. After being untied, Niklaus had offered Luna an extensive apology and she had graciously accepted it.

Luna is happily munching on the pasta dish Finn had prepared while resting her head against Niklaus' chest. They had fed Luna some blood for her knees, besides healing her it had also sobered her up significantly.

The domestic scene was interrupted by a muffled scream. Luna blinks up at the ceiling as if to see what was happening upstairs.

None of the other Mikaelsons seemed worried by this, which weirded her out even more, but who can blame them after a thousand years of torturing and murdering.

She feels Elijah's hand rubbing circles on her calf, in an attempt to comfort her. She smiles gratefully.

"Let me guess, they've turned my spare bedroom into a torture chamber?" Luna deadpans.

After releasing the Mikaelsons from their bindings Kol and Rebekah had dragged the unconscious witch upstairs.

"Keeping her in the bathroom might inconvenience us later on..." Luna could almost hear Niklaus's amused smirk.

"Luna!" Rebekah storms into the living room, she glances at the situation before her. She rolls her eyes when she sees Elijah and Niklaus tense at her sudden appearance. 'Idiots'.

Luna whines softly when she feels Niklaus' grip tighten uncomfortably. He quickly relaxes his grip and nuzzles at her temple in apology.

"Please train your boyfriends better" Rebekah growls, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"Not my boyfriends" She grumbles while glaring at the blonde. Rebekah claims to be merciful but hasn't shown Luna an ounce of it. She seemed to throw Luna under the bus at any opportunity she got.

"Yes, we are!" Kol shouts while also entering the living room. Followed shortly by Finn.

"What did you do?" Luna asks, looking pointedly at Kol.

"The bitch was insulting you, so naturally Finn broke her arms and Kol tried to rip her tongue out." Rebekah answers for him.

"Why would you stop him? I think Kol had every reason to rip the witch's tongue out." Niklaus voices. Snarling slightly at the thought of someone insulting his mate.

"Of course he does, but not before we get answers out of her! She obviously knows things about us and our universe." Rebekah answers exasperated. 'Do all vampires become mindless morons when it comes to their mate?' Rebekah scoffs at the idea of herself becoming a love-sick puppy for her future mate.

"Fine!" Kol huffs and takes a seat in front of the couch, annoyed that his reprisal had to wait.

"Anyway, the witch is out like a light, time for a girls night!" Rebekah exclaims excitedly.

Chapter Text

"I know you wanted a girls' night, but this can't be right. It feels dirty." Luna whines.

"Relax, I'm only braiding your hair, it's not like I'm pimping you out!" Rebekah sighs while trying to remember which strand was next. She and Luna were seated in the living room on the mattresses they had dragged down, well, Rebekah had dragged them down while Luna cheered her on.

After Rebekah's announcement she had explained that she wanted to experience a real girls' night. She had urged her brothers to go out for a few drinks and some male bonding, or 'bro-time' as Luna called it.

Luna hadn't been sure about Rebekah's request, she was concerned for their anonymity. As far as they knew, no one had recognized the Mikaelsons, (Luna had been keeping track of the actors and there hadn't been any updates about clones or 'real-life doppelgangers) and she wanted to keep it that way. It was a weird experience, stalking the actors, who portrayed the characters who live in her house. It helped somewhat that the actors were now a lot older than their characters. Where Rebekah and Kol were teenagers, their actors were already in their thirties. Which made the similarities in their appearances less severe.

The Mikaelson men didn't want to leave their sister and mate alone with the unconscious witch, but Rebekah managed to reassure them.

She had promised to check every half hour to see if the witch was still unconscious. If necessary she would give the witch another good blow, seeing as compulsion didn't work on her kind.

"Same thing" Luna grumbles, wincing slightly when Rebekah tugs one strand particularly harshly.

Rebekah might have impeccable taste when it comes to fashion, but her hair braiding skill requires some practice. Luna dreaded the idea that this had become her role, Rebekah's personal dress-up doll. Don't get her wrong, she would love to twirl around in pretty dresses, only the road to that result was quite appalling to her.

Rebekah had already ripped through her closet. She had criticized the contents of the closet on her first day in Luna's home and had done the same today. Luna didn't understand Rebekah's disappointment, it wasn't like Luna had bought an entirely new wardrobe in the past few days. Rebekah had set herself up for failure.

"How are you coming up with all these activities anyway?" Luna asks as she ran her hands through the different magazines that laid scattered on the matrasses. Rebekah was trying to recreate the intricate braid of one of the models.

"Movies" Rebekah smiles sheepishly at the brunette. She brushes her fingers through Luna's hair, undoing the untidy braid. Giving up she retook her original spot next to Luna, grabbing the bowl of popcorn.

"Were the twenties really this exuberant?" Luna questions as she shifts her gaze back to the TV which was showing The Great Gatsby.

Luna had suggested watching this movie, it was iconic, and seeing as Rebekah had lived in that period, she had hoped it would appeal to the blonde, seeing something familiar.

"Yes, they were." Rebekah's eyes glaze over, reminiscing about her party years. Rebekah had loved the twenties, besides the parties, there was also a new wave of awareness amongst women, there was no need for corsets or long hair. It was liberating. That was until Niklaus had decided to dagger her again.

"The parties were extravagant, the music was flowing and the speakeasies were filled with the scent of liquor and smoke." Rebekah smiles dreamily before blinking and shifting her gaze back to her friend. "You would have enjoyed it."

"I don't exactly see myself as a flapper girl, Bekah." Luna grins at the thought of herself with a beaded dress adorned with a boa and sequins'.

"It wasn't just the parties. The modernist era was incredible to experience. Jazz might not be your taste in music, but I'm willing to bet you would have loved the revolution that took place in the visual arts, architecture, and fashion. Kandinsky, Tchaikovsky, Chanel, Rietveld, Munch..." Rebekah trails off.

Luna's eyes gleam when hearing the big names she had often studied in her classes. "I would have loved to see that development in person." Luna agrees, smiling warmly at Rebekah.

She appreciated this alone time with Rebekah, her brothers' were great but could also be quite a handful. Luna frowns slightly, she suddenly realizes she misses the Mikaelson men a little, not that she would ever admit that to them.

"What do you think your brothers are doing?" Luna voices, trying to sound casual, but the slight increase in her heart rate betrayed her.

Rebekah raises her eyebrows in surprise upon hearing the increase of Luna's heartbeat while mentioning her brothers.

"Don't worry, they aren't going to a brothel if that's what you're concerned about." Rebekah snickers, hoping this would comfort her a bit.

In the past the Mikaelson men used to go to such ventures often enough, but seeing as they have found their mate, Rebekah knew they no longer needed nor wanted that kind of attention from foreign women.

"I'm not-I wasn't worried." Luna stammers, turning pink, she quickly turns her gaze to the TV. Luna didn't have to look at the blonde to know that she was grinning triumphantly.

• • •

"This is male bonding? It sucks!" Kol whines after downing his umpteenth glass of amber-colored liquor.

Across town, the Mikaelson men had found their way to one of the many bars. They were currently seated in one of the secluded booths in the back, where there was no need for their disguises. Niklaus had been immensely unimpressed by the lack of service and had compelled one of the waiters to bring them a few bottles of the expensive stuff.

They were all disgruntled that their sister had sent them out of the house. They would much rather have stayed home with their mate, but Rebekah could be quite persuasive if needed.

"Hush, Kol. We all agreed to give the girls at least four hours." Finn huffs, tired of Kol's whining.

"How much time has passed?" Elijah asks while gazing in disdain at a few lovebirds, a few booths over. He could have been snuggling up on the couch with his Luna, instead of being here in a bar, trying to make conversation with his brothers, who were as equally bad-tempered as himself.

"Forty minutes." Niklaus retorts.

"Fuck." Elijah mutters under his breath, not caring about decorum.

• • •

"Why are you making me do this?" Luna groans, hoping this would be the last makeover activity of the evening.

"You wanted to be friends, I figured this is what friends do." Rebekah looks slightly put out.

"This is what sixteen-year-olds do. I'm twenty-one and you are over a thousand years old." Luna deadpans. Upon seeing Rebekah's expression, Luna feels guilt creeping in.

"Fine, let me see the list." Luna makes a grab for the sheet of paper. Rebekah had made an extensive checklist with all sorts of activities that were not exactly feasible at this hour. Luna scans the list, looking for an activity that would keep her from contracting a physical injury. "Girl talk, what exactly does that entail?"

"Talking about cute boys, girls we hate, and other stuff." Rebekah grins, happy with Luna's change in attitude.

"So you voluntarily want to talk about Elena?" Luna asks, looking incredulous at the blonde.

"Ugh, shut your trap. I should have snapped the neck of that stupid doppelwench." Rebekah grumbles vindictively, remembering all the times Elena and her friends had tried to stop her plans. "Let's stick to boy talk." She suggests, trying to distract herself, as to not ruin their fun night.

"You want me to gush about how pretty your brothers are?" Luna deadpans. She was sure Rebekah did not need to hear or see anyone else drooling over her brothers, Luna had already exposed Rebekah to the vast majority of fan accounts on social media.

"Ew, no. But maybe... we can talk about the fact that they are your mate-" Rebekah offers. She had now watched Luna suppress her feelings long enough. Her brothers had finally come across the bridge and told Luna the truth, now it was her turn to be candid.

"Nope, I'm still trying the 'ignoring things till it goes away' approach!" Luna cuts her off, shaking her head vigorously.

"That's not going to work forever, I know you like them." Rebekah accuses. Seeing Luna's defiant expression she continues. "I've seen the way you are with them, getting snuggled up with them, sending them lovey-dovey glances. Luna, you need to stop running away from your feelings."

"But I'm so good at it." Luna deadpans at the blonde.

"Would it kill you to not be sarcastic for once?"

"You use fangs for self-preservation, I use sarcasm." Luna gives Rebekah a sarcastic smile while fidgeting nervously with her fingers.

"Luna..." Rebekah gives Luna a pointed look, telling her to cut the crap.

"Alright, it's just-this is confusing for me... and the whole situation makes me want to cry." There was a disarming sincerity in Luna's voice.

Rebekah's gaze softens and she grasps Luna's hand, silently encouraging her to continue.

"Before...this, I didn't have to worry about being upset or leaking out of my eyes. I just bottled everything up! like a normal person. And I was fine with that." Luna smiles at Rebekah, but it looked more like a grimace.

"But then you and your brothers stumble into my life, making me-you make me feel like I belong somewhere and-I just don't want to wake up and discover that all of this was a lie or a fragment of my messed up imagination." Luna confesses. She had turned her gaze to her lap, not able to look at Rebekah.

"We won't just disappear, Luna. Please know that we would never abandon you."

Luna looks at their clasped hands and lets Rebekah's words sink in.

"May I ask why you try so hard to ignore the fact that you have soulmates?" Rebekah questions softly, squeezing Luna's hand.

"Because the thoughts of having something so pure and honest as 'true love' terrifies me. I'm afraid of messing it up and not being able to meet their expectations. I'm pretty sure a twenty-one-year-old recluse does not exactly appeal to four ancient vampires." Luna chuckles darkly.

"There is nothing to mess up, you are destined for each other. And if you think you don't appeal to them, you're obviously blind." Rebekah was no stranger to playing matchmaker but she never thought she would have to play this part for people who were already soulmates. "In your own words, they try so hard, give them a chance."

"I will think it over." Luna gives in, feeling slightly relieved by Rebekah's words.

Luna, in her opinion, was done with the heavy stuff and grabs the pillow that was lying next to her, slapping it in Rebekah's face.

"Ow, what was that for?!" Rebekah shouts as she snatches the pillow out of Luna's hand, tossing it away.

"Pillow fight! All the good slumber parties have one!" Luna grins innocently at the blonde, secretly reaching behind her for another pillow.

"You're just looking for another excuse to abuse me-" Rebekah accuses while glaring at the brunette before she got hit in the face again.

"Perhaps, but it's not like I could do actual damage." Luna smirks, seeing Rebekah's annoyed expression.

• • •

"What do they need four hours for?!" Niklaus groans stabbing his fork in the plate of soggy nachos Kol had ordered.

"Do not look at me for answers, brother. I've been in a box for about 900 years, the only thing I remember from girl activities is gathering herbs and picking flowers." Finn wore a nauseated expression while glancing at the molten cheese, which looked less than appealing.

"They are probably talking about cute boys?" Kol asks, frowning. To his regret, he knew more of girl activities than he liked to admit. Kol had wanted to keep up with the times, so when Rebekah offered to watch some movies, which to according to her were classics, he had agreed enthusiastically, only to be forced to sit through an hours-long marathon of chick flicks.

"So... Luna is talking about us?' Niklaus asks, smirking. His smirk falters slightly as he imagines Rebekah telling Luna about their bad qualities.

"Oh no, what if Rebekah is telling her awful things about us? We have all done some pretty terrible things...especially Nikkie and I..." Kol looks slightly panicked, coming to the same conclusion as his brother.

Niklaus grunts in annoyance at the nickname.

"Kol, she has seen the show, I'm fairly certain she knows everything there is to know...Besides, any resentment Luna holds towards your actions and past is entirely your own fault." Elijah states in a reprimanding tone.

"Elijah, if I have to listen to another one of lectures, I will find some white oak, just to put myself out of misery." Kol rumbles annoyed, flicking a piece of hardened cheese at his brother's face

Niklaus snorts at this and Finn chuckles slightly at Elijah's offended expression.

"I'm itching to kill something" Kol admits after a short silence.

"Kol, besides the little burglar situation, we promised our dear Luna not to go on any killing sprees." Finn warns.

"I'm not talking about a killing spree, just a little snack." Kol rolls his eyes. "It's not like you guys aren't thirsty for something a bit more...alive."

There were still a few blood bags in Luna's fridge, but they were quickly running out, besides that, blood bags just weren't as fulfilling and good as the real deal. They all knew that.

Niklaus nods resolutely, standing up. At the mention of blood, he felt the veins under his eyes crackle and his fangs had wanted to pop out.

"Let's find a real drink." Niklaus smirks as he sees Finn, of all people, promptly following his lead.

• • •

The Mikaelson men had found their way back to Luna's home. Having fed, the brothers were in good spirits once more. Once inside they were met with an unexpected sight.

Luna and Rebekah were wrestling on the mattresses, laughing and shouting loudly. Rebekah was thrilled to get revenge for her restless nights. She, of course, held her strength back, to make it fairer.

Luna knew she didn't stand a chance against Rebekah's vampire strength, but nonetheless, she was able to deliver some serious blows.

Rebekah deliberately paid no attention to the astonished men still standing in the doorway, Luna on the other hand had no idea they had an audience and she soon found herself pinned underneath Rebekah.

"I always suspected that you would like being on top." Luna winks at the blonde, who immediately bursts out in laughter, grip on Luna's wrists slacking slightly.

Rebekah found Luna's flirting entertaining, especially as it seemed to rile her brothers up.

"Yeah, we are not doing that! Maybe one of my brothers would like to take my place though." Rebekah teases while grinning mischievously up at the men.

Luna frowns in confusion and follows Rebekah's gaze. As soon as she sees the brothers she rips her arms from Rebekah's hold and gives her a hard shove, which makes Rebekah collapse to the mattress with a groan.

• • •

"Are these nighttime visits going to become part of your routine?" Rebekah groans, finally caving to Luna's continuous poking.

Rebekah, Niklaus, and Kol were sprawled out on the couch and mattresses in the living room, none of them were even tempted to reside in the same room as the witch.

Luna was currently sitting on top of Rebekah's stomach, plate in hand and nibbling on one of the freshly baked cookies. Luna found it difficult to fall asleep, her conversation with Rebekah had caused her to ponder about her potential relationship with the brothers. After several hours of worrying, she decided to take advantage of her waking state.

"No, but...I made cookies and I was going to ask if you wanted some..."Luna looks down at the heart-shaped cookies on the plate, slightly disheartened by Rebekah's lack of interest.

Rebekah reluctantly glances at her phone to check the time, knowing she would dislike the answer.

"You baked cookies at four in the morning?!" Rebekah hisses harshly. After a thousand years on Earth, it was difficult to be amazed by the absurdity of people, but Luna seemed to excel at it.

"No, at three. Look, I even decorated some!" Luna chirps gleefully while shoving a cookie towards Rebekah's face.

"Bloody hell" The blonde sat up a bit straighter, which proved to be more complicated than usual, seeing as the human was still seated on her stomach. She gently pushes Luna to her lap, not wanting to make her drop the cookies.

"I did burn myself twice, but it's fine." Luna smiles, still offering Rebekah the cookie.

"You are perfectly fine with oven burns, yet you didn't let me curl your hair?" Rebekah sighs tiredly as she accepts Luna's cookie.

"Well, this," She gestures to her face. "Is the moneymaker. I couldn't risk having you ruin it." Luna smiles cheekily at the blonde.

"Did you at least cool it properly?" Rebekah takes the plate from Luna, placing it beside her, and gently grasps Luna's arms, searching for the burn marks.

"No?"

Rebekah groans slightly at her carelessness and bites her wrist, knowing her brothers would scold her for leaving their mate injured.

Luna rolls her eyes in exasperation and latches onto Rebekah's wrist. Amusedly she waves a cookie under Niklaus' nose, seeing if the scent would wake him up. She giggles when she sees his nostrils flare a little.

"Why aren't you sleeping this time?" Rebekah retracts her arm and rubs the blood away.

"I was thinking about what you said and...you might be right. I should give this a chance." Luna admits, glancing at Kol's sleeping form, his mouth hung open a bit and soft snores were emitted from his throat.

"That's great, Luna. But why are you telling me this now?"

"You were the one who wanted me to think about it..." Luna accuses mildly, looking confused as to why her friend would urge her to think about it, only to question her later on.

"No, I mean, why now. At four in the morning?" Rebekah grumbles, slightly irritated with Luna's nocturnal slow-wittedness.

"Otherwise the rest would have heard me." Luna's tone suggests that this was a perfectly logical reason.

"I'm pretty sure they are hearing you right now..." Rebekah points out, having heard the increasing heartbeats of her waking brothers.

A groan can be heard from the couch and Kol's previously still form wiggles around on the couch.

"Angel? What are you doing down- wait, did you bake something?" Kol's gruff voice broke the silence. Kol turns around rubbing his eyes, not even surprised to see his mate sitting on top of his sister.

"Yes, do you want some?" Luna beams at Kol, pleased to supply him with her baked goods.

"Sure" Kol answers enthusiastically, happily accepting anything his mate would offer. He rolls off the couch, landing on top of Niklaus with a thud.

"What's wrong with you people?" Niklaus groans and pushes Kol off, who lands in between Rebekah and Niklaus.

"Nothing's wrong, Nik. This is part of the slumber party!" Luna cheers as she shoves a cookie into Kol's mouth.

Kol takes the treat out of his mouth and sits up straight. He lifts Luna onto his lap and pushes his face into the crook of her neck, gently nosing.

Luna leans back into Kol, head tilting slightly to grant him better access. She enjoyed the warmth that radiated from his embrace.

Niklaus grumbles a bit before also sitting up straight, now that his mate and two of his siblings were awake, he might as well join them.

"Do you think our lady friend upstairs would like some cookies?" Luna wonders out loud. Surely the woman must be hungry, she highly doubted that the Mikaelsons would have provided her with sweets.

"No, and you're not going to offer her, love." Niklaus answers immediately, tone implying not to test him on this.

Two pairs of footsteps can be heard from the hall and the door opens to reveal the oldest Mikaelsons. Both Elijah and Finn had awoken and were wondering where their mate had run off to.

"What are you doing downstairs, my love?" Finn asks, glancing at the four people seated on the floor.

"Slumber party." Luna shrugs. "Want some?" Luna offers while pointing to the plate.

• • •

"Does this mean I have to delete my Tinder? Because," Luna glances at the notification she got a few minutes ago. "John is within 5 miles from me right now and is 'looking for a good time'." Luna rambles, making air quotation marks with her hands.

The men look at their mate with puzzled expressions. Although they had no idea what she was talking about they had already collectedly decided to show John anything but a good time, was he to ever step over the threshold of this house.

Once downstairs, Finn and Elijah had joined their mate and other siblings on the mattresses. It was remarkably cozy, as if they did this every night. Everyone was in a good mood, well except for Rebekah who had been ripped from Luna's side by Finn, who greedily took her spot.

Luna had pushed all of them to eat the cookies while she explained what she had decided regarding the soulmate situation. The brothers had been incredibly pleased to hear that their mate's decision, giving their relationship a hopeful prospect.

"What's this Tinder?" Finn asks curiosity taking over.

"It's a dating platform, where you swipe-" Luna answers while holding her phone up.

"Delete it." Finn grumbles, although his first instinct was to make his mate happy and therefore cave in to her every demand, he would not budge on this matter. It was unfortunate enough that he had to share his Luna with his infantile brothers, he did not want to add even more competition.

"But 24-year old David promised to cook me Italia-" Luna teases.

"Delete it." Finn gave her a reprimanding look as if to tell her not to challenge him on this subject.

Luna opens her mouth to comment but closes it as soon as she sees the menacing looks on the faces of the other Mikaelsons.

Kol tightens his hold on Luna and nips at her throat in reprisal, inner animal agitated at the thought of another man near his mate.

"Fine, I'll delete it. Spoiling my fun..." Luna huffs playfully and taps at her screen.

Chapter Text

Luna blinks her eyes open, confused to feel something move beneath her. Glancing around the room she sees how the Mikaelson men were sprawled out on the mattresses on the floor, Rebekah had remained on the couch.

The Mikaelsons and Luna had kept chatting downstairs. Eventually, Luna fell asleep around five in the morning. The Mikaelsons continued to chat softly about all that was to come in the upcoming days. They were excited to go home, although these enemy-free days had been nice, they were tired of hiding away. In addition, they wanted to get rid of their mother as soon as possible. Even Finn, the favorite, didn't want his mother near his mate, afraid she would try to harm Luna.

Turning her head she sees Kol, Luna giggles when she discovers some pink icing smudged on his cheek.

In need of her morning coffee, Luna wriggles herself free from his arms. While crawling over the unconscious bodies she accidentally kicks Elijah in his stomach. Distracted by his groan she stumbles over one of Niklaus' limbs and suddenly finds herself pulled on top of him, straddling him.

"Whoops," Luna smiles sheepishly down at the hybrid, who was smiling amusedly at her clumsiness.

"Good morning my little darling" Niklaus rumbles softly, gently clasping her hands in his. His inner animal was more than pleased to have a moment alone with her.

"Good morning Nik" Luna murmurs, blushing slightly while wiggling her fingers in his hold

"Have you slept well?" Niklaus gazes adoringly at her sleepy eyes and tousled hair.

"I have, thank you. I enjoyed our nighttime picnic." Luna smiles, gazing around at the other Mikaelsons. "Have you slept alright?"

Concern fills Luna's eyes, the Mikaelson men are pretty much piled on top of each other, which made her feel guilty seeing as she had slept perfectly comfortably on Kol's lap.

"It was alright. No need to be worried, love. As the Original hybrid, I can survive a few nights of discomfort." Niklaus teases, pressing a kiss to one of Luna's wrists.

Luna looks at Niklaus with a pained expression.

Niklaus seems to guess what her inner conflict is about. In an abrupt movement, he speeds them to the kitchen, Luna with her legs around his waist. He carefully places her on the counter and turns on the coffee machine.

He walks back to Luna, who is still sitting on the counter. He steps between her legs with a smirk, hands coming to rest on her thighs. He is about to lean in when he hears footsteps approaching. Retreating slightly he turns to see Rebekah.

"Ugh, I know your hormones are more severe than a pregnant lady, Nik. But please don't harass her where we prepare our food." Rebekah groans, while leaning against the doorframe. She glances with an almost bored expression at her friend and brother. She has found her brothers in more disgraceful positions in the past, but that didn't mean she wanted to see this first thing in the morning.

"I would never-" Luna stammers, cheeks turning pink. She tries to push Niklaus away, the last thing she wanted was for the rest of the Mikaelsons to find her in this compromising position.

"I would." Niklaus rumbles, leaning forward to nose at her neck.

• • •

Luna, now freshly showered and dressed, looks intrigued at the sight before her. Kol and Finn are flashing around in the kitchen, speeding towards different cupboards, now and then bumping into each other, which led to an exchange of grunts between the brothers.

Finn was a bit annoyed with Kol for entering his domain, but couldn't exactly scold him for trying to assist either. He had always been bothered with his youngest brother's reckless and childish behavior, but the last few days showed him that he himself could be less serious as well.

Kol never took a liking to domestic chores, but he was quite eager to show his mate that he too was very capable of providing her with food.

Finn notices Luna in the doorway, abandoning Kol to fend for himself, he hands her a plate with pancakes and herds her over to the couch, settling her next to Elijah before taking the other spot himself.

"Kol, hurry up with those!" Rebekah, who is seated on the comfortable chair, had already consumed her pile of pancakes and was eager to get her hands on another stack.

"I'm sorry, do I look like a middle-aged suburban housewife?" Kol growls, popping out of the kitchen and waving his spatula around in an annoyed gesture. He was more than willing to provide his mate with seconds, but his sister could make them herself.

Rebekah gives Kol a pointed look, clearly hinting at the flower-patterned apron that hung from his neck.

"Never mind, don't answer that." Kol sighs.

Before Rebekah can pester Kol further they are interrupted by the shrill sound of the doorbell.

"I'll go, love."

Luna is about to rise from her spot on the couch when she sees Niklaus already heading towards the hall. Luna relaxes once more and cuddles into Finn's side, while slowly working her way through the multitude of pancakes. She suspects that the Mikaelsons had joined forces in their attempts at fattening her up. The combined stares of Finn and Elijah confirm her suspicions.

The relaxed atmosphere is broken by Niklaus' shouting. Luna promptly untangles herself from Finn's arms and walks towards the source of the noise, wondering who could be at the door that could anger Niklaus like this.

In the hall, Luna was met with an unexpected sight. Niklaus, the big bad hybrid, was shouting at a postman. The man in question was sputtering and looked ready to pee his pants in fear. If Luna didn't feel bad so for the man she might have burst out in laughter.

"Nik, sweetie. Stop barking at the postman!" Luna snaps, tugging at the back of his shirt.

Niklaus grumbles bitterly, he gives the man another menacing look then proceeds to press his lips against Luna's jaw, in a clear manner of possessiveness. After nosing for a good minute he reluctantly retreats to the living room. He didn't fancy the idea of leaving Luna alone with the man but didn't want to test his mate's patience either.

Luna shakes her head in disbelief, for a thousand-year-old he could be exceptionally poor-mannered from time to time. She shifts her attention back to the man who still looked quite troubled. Smiling apologetically at the man she tries to come up with an excuse.

"Please excuse my... boyfriend. He's a bit over-emotional these days." Luna wonders briefly if 'boyfriend' is the appropriate term for her soulmate, but shook it off. She could hear Niklaus' growl from the living room, followed by several snickers from the other residents.

The man pales even further upon hearing the animalistic sound. 'If only you knew what I have to deal with on a daily basis.' Luna thought. It had been four days and she was already used to the snarling, bickering, and growling.

"What was the problem?" Luna asks while awkwardly waving her hand in front of his face, trying to gain his attention.

"I-uhh...I need an autograph from the main occupant." The man stammers, still looking a bit spooked. Luna wonders if this is what Niklaus was shouting about, he did have tendencies for dramatics, but this seemed a bit much.

"What for-" Luna gazes behind the man and sees a huge pile of boxes on the driveway. "Oh"

Luna looks back at the mailman, who was casting nervous glances towards the bay window. She cranes her neck and sees Niklaus and Kol, both are glaring in their direction while making threatening hand gestures. Luna gestures for them to move away from the window, but this was answered with a slight baring of the teeth.

Luna rolls her eyes and quickly signs the form the man was holding, desperate for the man to depart before either of the brothers did something reckless. After apologizing once more to the poor man Luna strides into the living room, looking ready to strike a man.

"Why are you terrifying and threatening a postman?! And why are there over twenty boxes on my driveway?!" Luna shouts while throwing her hands up in an exasperated manner.

"He was being nosy. He kept asking for you and trying to see you." Niklaus huffs, clenching his jaw in irritation at the thought of the postman.

"And you needed a new carpet." Kol pipes in, his mood brightening now that the potential threat had left.

Luna remembers why the previous carpet was gone and winces slightly.

"He wasn't being nosy! He needed a signature for the delivery!" Luna exclaims. In the past few days, she had become acquainted with the possessive and protective sides of the Mikaelsons, but this was over the top. "And that does not explain all the other boxes." Luna points out.

"Free shipping?" Rebekah offers with a shrug, grinning at the prospect of unpacking her new clothes.

"Just because you can order anything, doesn't mean you should." Luna deadpans, shaking her head in exasperation. "Let's just get the boxes inside, before I get even more funny looks from my neighbors."

In the end, the men did the heavy lifting while Luna watched them from the couch. She had to admit, it was very alluring to watch the men make themselves useful and the flexed muscles were definitely a perk. 'I could have done a lot worse' she thought, trying to hide her smirk.

"Luna, you've got some drool. Riiiight there!" Rebekah points at her own chin grinning widely at Luna's caught expression. This comment earned Rebekah another pillow being thrown in her face.

• • •

"Now I'm wondering, Rowan... what is a witch from New Orleans doing here, so far from her coven?" Luna asks while pacing in front of the witch.

Luna had joined Niklaus, Rebekah, and Elijah upstairs in her spare bedroom aka the torture chamber. The witch, Rowan, is currently strapped to one of the dining chairs. The previous night Luna had ordered Finn to heal the witch, disapproving of the unnecessary violent act of breaking the poor girls' arms. Sure, she had tackled and knocked her out, but breaking her arms seemed like the next level.

It was unexpectedly useful that the witch currently has vampire blood in her system. The likelihood of becoming a vampire if she didn't cooperate made the witch remarkably talkative. And if that did not suffice, the Mikaelsons weren't above using other forms of persuading.

"Do you really think that the arrival of the Mikaelsons to this universe would go unnoticed?" Rowan scoffs. "My coven has sent me here to investigate. I thought I'd run into a stray vampire, I didn't expect to run into the Mikaelson family with their... pet." She uttered the word as if it were poison.

Luna frowns when she hears the nickname. She hears a faint growl and sees Niklaus moving forward. Luna quickly raised her hand, to halt his movements. Killing their single lead would be less than ideal.

"You say this as if vampires appear regularly in this universe." Rebekah wonders out loud, eyeing the witch carefully.

The witch nods reluctantly, affirming Rebekah's suspicion.

"What do you know of the Mikaelsons, besides the TV show part?" Luna continues.

"I don't need a TV show to know that they're all abominations, who have committed heinous crimes against my kind and the human race."

"It's like talking to the Original witch herself." Luna sighs, raising her eyes to the ceiling, begging for patience.

Elijah sees the girl twitch slightly at the mention of Esther. At once he speeds towards the witch, hand wrapped tightly around her throat, ready to squeeze the needed information or her life out of her, whichever comes first.

At once he speeds towards the witch, hand wrapped tightly around her throat, ready to squeeze the needed information or her life out of her, whichever comes first

"What do you know of the Original witch?" Elijah demands, tightening his grip on the woman's neck.

Luna squeezes her hands into fists and narrows her eyes at Elijah. Strangely enough, she felt jealousy bubble up, she didn't like seeing his hand wrapped around the witch's neck. The only neck he should be touching was hers. 'Not the time to become jealous over something like this, Luna' she scolds herself. She relaxes her face, trying to look indifferent to the situation.

Luna shifts her gaze to Rowan's face, who was looking at her, silently begging for help. Luna suppresses the urge to roll with her eyes.

"Yeah, don't look at me. He's the noble one." Luna shrugs, feeling her pity for the woman lessen by the minute.

• • •

"Remind me to punch your mother in the face." Luna grumbles while making her way downstairs.

Rebekah snickers at Luna's bad temper, she had noticed Luna's expression when Elijah had touched the witch and knew all too well what that entailed. Her brothers might be over the top possessive and territorial, but Luna also had her claim on them. It's obviously a two-way street.

Elijah looks questioningly at his sister, hoping for an explanation for his mate's bad mood, he had been oblivious to the various facial expressions his mate had pulled during the interrogation.

Rebekah only grins at him while raising one of her eyebrows suggestively. He was allowed to figure it out himself. Elijah grumbles in response, trying to make his mate happy was a lot harder if he was kept in the dark.

"I will try, love. But I'm not sure if punching Esther would be wise." Niklaus hums, goodhumored. Besides getting the information they needed, he also got to see the possessive side of his mate, which he enjoyed immensely.

To his pity, he hadn't been allowed to kill the annoying chit. Niklaus wanted to kill her for her ambush the other day, or at least turn her into a vampire so he could compel her, but if they were to transform her they would have immediately lost the good graces of the New Orleans witches, besides that, they wouldn't be able to procure a daylight ring, so their 'tour guide' would have been useless.

"Neither is daggering your siblings and expecting no form of retaliation..." Luna mutters bitterly, entering the living room. She strides towards the large closet and pulls out various bags, she then proceeds to stuff them with multiple books.

"What are you doing, Elskan?" Elijah asks apprehensively, not wanting to upset his mate further.

"Packing." Luna answers, she turns around and sees their quizzical faces. "I thought it was pretty clear that New Orleans is the place to be?" Luna asks, her voice wavering with uncertainty.

"You want to leave right away?" Kol asks, looking concerned at his mate, he had never expected this sudden indulgence from her. He was afraid she would regret her sudden departure later in life.

"Yes, no need for procrastination. You guys can compel us some tickets, in a way, there are no passports required."

"And you're alright with leaving everything behind? Just like that?" Kol asks, still looking unsure.

"Wasn't this the plan all along? Taking me with you?" Luna shakes her head in confusion. She was concerned that she had misunderstood their intentions, perhaps they had changed their minds about bringing her along.

Fortunately, her concerns were quickly resolved

"Of course you are coming with us," Niklaus gave a sideway glance at Elijah. Annoyed with him for sowing doubt in his mate's mind by insisting on freedom of choice. "But don't you need some more time to adjust to the idea of leaving?"

Finn approaches his mate, who looked quite flustered with the effort of stuffing even more books into the already overflowing bag. He gently took the bag from her hands and grasped her hand in his. Gently squeezing it to calm her, like had done many times before.

"Not really. I mean from what you guys have told me, the soulmate thing isn't exactly a relationship you just break off, I know what I agreed to. Besides that, leaving my ordinary life behind wouldn't be the most shocking experience from this past week." Luna explains.

"Why are you bringing these books, Angel? You know we can buy you all the books you want in our universe?" Kol asks, clearly dropping the subject while reorganizing the books in one of the bags.

Luna's eyes gleamed at this very tempting offer. "The books I packed have not yet been published in 2010 and there's no way I'm waiting ten years for a reread," Luna smirks.

• • •

"Did you have to bring the naked lady?" Finn looks unimpressed at his mate after discovering the vase in one of the backpacks.

"Susan is family!" Luna defends, grabbing the bag from Finn's hold. "Besides that, she also holds most of my savings." Luna whispers in a conspiring manner and winks at Finn while showing him the contents of the vase.

The Mikaelsons, Luna, and Rowan were currently crammed into a borrowed vehicle, on their way to the airport. After packing, they had abandoned Luna's home. Luna had felt a slight tinge of sadness, watching her childhood home disappear when they rounded a corner but pushed those feelings away.

Whatever was going to happen in New Orleans, would be worth it. She had wanted an escape from her boring life and here it was, there was no way she would waste her once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

"Of course, my love." Finn rolls playfully with his eyes, wondering why he was still surprised by her antics.

"Would a private plane be possible? There's no way I will spend hours in a plane with screaming babies, smelly men, and children kicking my chair without killing anyone." Kol points out. He was sure his mate wouldn't approve if he ended up killing every human in the airplane.

"I'd rather be daggered in my coffin than in a flying death contraption where I have to share a bathroom with hundreds of other people." Rebekah pipes in, voice laced with disgust at the prospect. "Besides that, it's probably the best way to travel without having to compel an entire airplane."

"If I have to travel with five vampires, might as well do it in a way that's comfortable." Rowan comments dryly.

"You don't get a vote in this, Rowan!" Luna glares at the witch, the last thing she needed was another opinion to add to the list.

Rebekah snorted at this and Niklaus smirked upon hearing Luna's snark towards the witch.

"Sorry" Rowan mutters.

"Alright, seeing as you guys are insistent on a 'private plane', how are we going to get one?" Luna deadpans, caving after seeing the looks of the other Mikaelsons. They were all pretty much a big bunch of snobs.

"May I suggest violence?" Niklaus offers lightly.

"No, you may not." Luna deadpans.

Chapter Text

"It's that we don't want to draw unnecessary attention, otherwise I would leash him." Luna mutters, shaking her head while watching Kol's movements.

The second the Mikaelson entourage had entered the airport, Kol had been running around, speeding from one shop to the other. Luna understood that the whole flying experience is very new and exciting to him, but it was also Finn's first time flying and he somehow didn't feel the need to act like a lunatic.

Luna was extremely worried that the Mikaelsons would get recognized at the crowded airport. In order to be less noticeable, they had split up. She was walking in between Finn and Elijah. Kol was paired with Niklaus and Rebekah with Rowan. This last pair was strongly recommended by Luna.

Rebekah had rolled her eyes at Luna's pettiness and not-so-subtle suggestion but agreed to it. As long as the witch kept her mouth shut, Rebekah was fine with everything. In hindsight, her babysitting duty was by far easier than Niklaus'.

They all watch Niklaus running after Kol and pulling him back by the scruff of his neck. The older brother spoke animatedly to the younger brother, waving his arms around and pointing aggressively at different shops Kol had visited. Kol seemed to get an earful.

Luna shifts her gaze to Rebekah and Rowan and sees Rebekah snicker, she had obviously heard her comment.

Rowan has been surprisingly docile. This could be because she was able to go home or because of the threat of the vampire blood that was still in her system, either way, it worked out perfectly.

Elijah smiles down at his mate, squeezing her hand in an attempt to ease her nerves. "Once we get back, I would be more than willing to put Kol in a time-out for you, my dear Luna." He hums, pressing a kiss to Luna's temple.

Luna glares playfully at him, bumping her shoulder against him.

"Do you think one week would suffice, brother?" Finn pipes in. "Or shall we make it a month?" He offers, taking hold of Luna's other hand, pressing a swift kiss to her palm.

Finn, like Luna, had been tense, but not for the same reasons as his mate, from what he has heard, his role in the show hadn't been as prominent as that of his siblings, which made him less likely to be recognized.

He has been on edge because of all the strangers that were currently in close proximity to his mate, it made his territorial instincts flare.

Luna shifts her gaze from Elijah to Finn and shakes her head, laughing. "I don't think he'd ever stop pouting if I'd allow you to dagger him." Luna snickers at the prospect.

Elijah rumbles softly, inner vampire pleased that he managed to relax his mate.

"Luna! Nik is being mean!" Kol exclaims indignantly, striding towards the trio, looking deeply offended by the lecture he had just received.

Luna blinks in disbelief at the man-child. He had been running around, shouting, and hurtling in and out of shops like there was no tomorrow. Not a single trace of stealth or restraint, yet here he was complaining about being reprimanded.

Sighing, Luna pulls her hand free from Elijah's grasp, rolling her eyes upon hearing his protesting growl. With her free hand, she clutches Kol's arm and pulls him, and involuntarily Finn, towards the nearest empty bench. Elijah follows them and gives his youngest brother an irritated look.

Luna sees Niklaus and Rebekah giving her questioning looks, she motions for them to continue walking.

"Kol, what do you not understand about not attracting attention?!" Luna whispers harshly, shooting nervous glances at the people who were curiously glancing in their direction.

Kol looks at his brothers, seeing their judgemental and annoyed expressions he decides that he might as well piss them off further. He was tired of Finn and Elijah's territorial claim on Luna, she was his mate as well.

Without giving it a second thought he throws the duffel bag he was holding at Elijah and rips Luna away from Finn. He lifts her on his back and runs off.

"Jesu-Kol! Stop running! This is not helping!" Luna groans trying to wriggle off his back. "Please, we can't have people recognize you, it would mess everything up." Luna tries to reason at lack of reaction.

Feeling guilty, Kol walks into an abandoned side hall and puts Luna back down. He cages her to the nearest wall with his arms, nuzzling at her in apology. Luna huffs in exasperation but doesn't stop him.

"Is this man bothering you, lady?" A young man steps towards them, looking Kol up and down, sizing him up. Although the man was a lot bigger than Kol, Luna knew he would lose that fight. Kol pauses his nosing and Luna could feel him tense.

"I'm fine, thank you." Luna smiles stiffly at the man, she appreciated his concern, but she wasn't sure what Kol would do if the man stepped any closer.

"Please don't bite his head off," Luna mutters under her breath, knowing Kol can hear her. In response, he let out a low rumble, while squaring his shoulders. He rests one of his hands on her hip in a possessive manner.

"Are you sure? I'd be happy to get rid of him for you." The man narrows his eyes at Kol's looming figure. Luna groans internally at his. Why couldn't the man just back off? Why did people always feel the need to get involved in things that don't concern them?

"She said she's fine, back off." Kol growls, his fangs popping out instinctively. His inner vampire was nearly shouting at him to get rid of the man, afraid he would take his mate away from him.

Trying to restrain himself, he pushes his face in the juncture of Luna's neck, fangs grazing softly. Luna puts a hand on the back of his neck, stroking him gently in an attempt to calm him.

"She doesn't look fine to me, buddy." The man drew nearer, Luna was losing her patience. Before she can retort she sees how the man is grabbed by the shoulder and turned around.

"The lady is fine, move on." Elijah compels the stranger, letting him move on.

Luna sighs in relief and lets her shoulders slump. She smiles gratefully at Elijah. After a minute, she gently pushes at Kol's shoulder, he gives a small whine in response and involuntarily pulls back.

Luna pulls Kol's sunglasses off and studies his face for a moment, his eyes had returned to normal, there were a few veins still visible beneath his eyes, but he looked a lot more in control. She quickly strokes his cheek, grateful that Kol hadn't killed the stranger.

Elijah is about to open his mouth to scold Kol for his ridiculous behavior, but stops when he sees Luna shaking her head.

"Let's just go to the gate." Luna mumbles, not wanting to spend a minute longer than necessary at the airport.

• • •

"Rebekah, please snap your brothers' necks for me!" Luna yells to the blonde, who was lounging in one of the first-class seats.

The men had been bickering about the seating arrangement for a good five minutes. Luna had watched them with a bemused expression, she had hoped their territorial instincts would eventually decrease, but that clearly wasn't the case.

Once they had found themselves a plane headed towards the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, the Mikaelsons had compelled all the passengers to postpone their trips and the staff to turn a blind eye and continue the flight regardless of the lack of passengers.

"Do it yourself! They're your mates!" Rebekah shouts back, sipping on her champagne and enjoying the sight of the exasperated Luna and her bickering brothers. After Luna had forced her to babysit the witch, Rebekah was more than willing to watch her friend suffer for a bit.

Rowan was currently lounging on one of the chairs, working her way through a bottle of champagne herself. Kol had wanted to transport the witch in the plane's cargo hold, and Luna would have agreed if it wasn't for Elijah's objection.

"What's the use of a vampire bestie when she isn't even willing to kill her own family for me?" Luna mutters agitated while running a hand through her hair.

Giving up, Luna walks over to Rebekah, taking the window seat next to the blonde. She quickly grabs the glass from Rebekah's hand and takes a big gulp.

"Hey!" Rebekah protests, glaring half-heartedly at the human.

"Now look what they've done! Turned me into a day drinker!" Luna comments dryly, ignoring the blonde and pouring herself another glass.

The stewards that had watched the grown-up men bicker were now trying to get the men into their seats.

Luna and Rebekah giggle when they see Kol being told off by a random steward. Disgruntled the youngest takes his seat, snarling slightly.

Once in the air, Luna sees Elijah approach her. Without a word, he lifts her onto his lap, cradling her to his chest.

"Hi?" She greets confused.

"Hello, Elskan." Elijah hums while taking his suit jacket off and placing it over her. "It's another four hours until we arrive, plenty of time for you to take a nap." Elijah suggests lightly.

"M'not tired." Luna grumbles trying to wriggle from Elijah's lap.

"Luna, you've slept less than four hours this night," Elijah insists while gently gripping his mate's chin, forcing her to look at him. "Please, sleep," Elijah begs, knowing the human would need her sleep for the events that were to happen in New Orleans.

Sighing, Luna begrudgingly slouches in his arms, resting her head in the crook of his neck, falling into a dreamless sleep.

• • •

"Luna, stop poking me!" Rebekah groans, slapping Luna's hand away for the umpteenth time.

"I will stop poking when you give me the attention I deserve." Luna huffs, she was bored out of her mind, and Rebekah was ignoring her.

Rebekah was tired of entertaining her friend. She thought of Luna as her dearest friend, but the renewed energy of Luna after her nap and her extensive intake of caffeine made her insufferable.

She had tried to drown Luna's moaning and moping out by listening to music, which didn't work seeing as Luna kept pulling her headphones off.

She had also tried to convince Luna to take another nap, but Luna didn't plan on taking orders from the blonde. Luna already had to endure the bossing around from the Mikaelson men, no need to add to that.

Elijah and Niklaus are currently caught in a heated discussion about some event that took place around 700 years ago, Finn is reading, and Kol was probably bullying the flight attendants. And there was no way Luna was going to spend time with the witch.

"You have four mates, ask them!" Annoyed, Rebekah stands up and strides to the other side of the first class.

"Fine" Luna mutters, glaring slightly at the retreating blonde. Luna turns around in her seat, with her knees on her seat, peeking over at Finn, who was reading.

"Finn?" She asks meekly, widening her eyes slightly.

"Yes, my love?" He hums, looking up and smirking upon seeing Luna's wide-eyed expression.

"Do you, maybe- will you read to me?" Luna stammers, holding one of the books from her backpack up. His smirk always managed to discompose her.

"It would be my pleasure, little one." Finn's smirk melts into a genuine smile. He stands up, grabs a bowl of strawberries from the food cart, and takes the seat next to mate.

Luna pouts at the nickname but greedily takes the bowl from his grasp.

Finn lifts his mate onto his lap, wraps one arm around her waist, and presses a kiss to her jaw.

Luna leans back, munching contentedly on the strawberries as Finn starts to read to her in a gentle tone.

• • •

"I always knew this day would come!" Luna giggles, exiting her bathroom and waggling her eyebrows at the blonde that was sitting on her bed. "Admit it, you could not resist me any longer."

The Mikaelsons had managed to make their way to a hotel without being noticed. They immediately wanted to move into town, to meet with the coven, but also to visit the city they fled so long ago. But Luna insisted on freshening up first and making a plan of action. Naturally, the men gave in to her demand.

"Jesus-Luna! Towel!" Rebekah exclaims while dramatically covering her eyes. She was certainly no prude, but there were boundaries to her friendship.

"Mmm, that's not the response I usually receive." Luna laughs and puts a towel around her torso, right on time because a second later the Mikaelson men rush into the room. Of course to check if everything was safe, not because they had been eavesdropping at the door.

"Congrats, Bekah. You're the first Mikaelson who got to see me naked." Luna taunts, shooting her friend a wink.

Rebekah sees the various envious and annoyed expressions from her brothers. "Lucky me." She grumbles, knowing she would never hear the end of this.

• • •

"God, this place is going to the dogs." Rebekah groans, watching a couple making out in one of the alleys they pass.

Niklaus, Kol, and Rebekah were making their way to the cemetery where they were supposed to meet Rowan. When the plane landed, Rowan asked them to get a head start towards her coven, to explain the situation.

Niklaus had been skeptical of her sudden willingness to help them, seeing as the witch had ambushed them not too long ago. Rowan, however, promised them that her coven wanted nothing more than to send any vampire back to their universe. Elijah, the noble one, of course, believed her and let her go.

Niklaus grunts in annoyance, not in the mood for jokes. He'd rather be back in the hotel, spending time with his mate, than walking in the city that held a lot of painful memories, looking for a bunch of witches.

Kol chortles at Rebekah's remark and pats Niklaus on the back.

"Cheer up, brother. Soon we will be home with our Luna and we can go back to our daily business of tormenting the citizens of Mystic Falls."

Once they entered the cemetery the trio is greeted by a dozen of people, witches. Rowan is standing beside an older lady, who was staring appraisingly at them.

"The Mikaelsons." The woman greets, face and voice clear of any emotion.

"Good afternoon" Rebekah greets stiffly, rolling her shoulders back, to calm herself. She has had her fair share of witch problems in the past and didn't feel at ease being outnumbered by them.

"Where is the rest of your... family?" Rowan asks, looking puzzled at the three youngest Originals.

"You have told us about your intention to help us, Rowan. I'd like to believe that, but there's no way I'm going to unnecessarily endanger my mate by bringing her to a cemetery filled with witches. Not without their promise not to harm her." Niklaus points out, he has dealt with a lot of witches and knew better than to trust them blindly.

"Are you always this suspicious?" The older woman asks, smiling slightly. She could appreciate his protectiveness.

"It's his trademark." Kol deadpans, which got him a growl from Niklaus.

"Don't worry, we won't hurt her. We are more than happy to send you back to your universe"

"And how exactly do you plan on doing that?" Rebekah asks, suspicious of the ease of the conversation

"We need blood from the human," Rowan starts.

• • •

"Do you think everything is going alright with the witches?" Luna asks, her expression tight and anxious. Subconsciously she was picking at her hands, scratching and pulling at the skin.

While Rebekah, Kol, and Niklaus were talking to the coven, Finn, Elijah, and Luna were currently seated in a booth in a random bar.

Finn and Elijah were tired of hiding in the hotel and were excited to see a bit of the city. Luna had protested the idea, but the brothers had managed to persuade her. They promised to buy her real Beignets, a dish Luna had been eager to try.

Luna is now seated on Elijah's lap happily consuming the treat, while Finn and Elijah were making their way through the liquor supply of the bar.

"I'm sure our siblings can manage, do not worry yourself, my love." Finn offers. He grabs hold of Luna's hand, halting her actions, and gently strokes the reddened skin.

Luna nods curtly, hoping he was right. She didn't want to think about all that could go wrong.

"Daniel?" A voice calls from the front of the bar.

• • •

"No way!" Niklaus growls, whatever these witches were playing at, he wasn't having it. No way that he would trust this witch with his mate's blood.

"You just said you wouldn't hurt her!" Kol exclaims, looking outraged at the mere thought of someone bringing a knife to his mate's skin.

Rebekah stays quiet, but her look says enough. There was no way she would let them hurt her friend.

"We are not going to drain her," The witch rolls her eyes at Rowan's careless wording. "We just need a few drops. You ended up in this universe because of her."

"So this wasn't the work of Esther Mikaelson?" Kol asks, looking confused at this revelation.

"She'd wish." The witch grimaces. "No, she wanted to rid your world of vampires, hence the linking spell. When you got linked the universe took it upon itself to send you to your mate, this would ensure your survival. The witches may want to get rid of all vampires in your universe, but that would bring disastrous consequences. Imagine one day, millions of people dropping to the ground, turning into grey corpses covered in veins... How do you think humans would react to that? So the universe sent you away, to your mate. Seeing as you were all linked together, your sister automatically got dragged along." The witch explains, looking smug at her own reasoning.

"But we aren't linked anymore..." Rebekah wonders out loud.

"No, you aren't. Another perk of your travel I suppose." The witch shrugs.

"How do you know all this?" Niklaus narrows his eyes once more. The story was nice but could be one big lie.

"Even though the worlds differ, the spirit worlds of different universes are connected, we can contact the spirits of our elders, but also those of our sisters in other universes. And spirits do like to gossip."

"I still don't understand why you are so willing to help us? Rowan over there was more than happy to get rid of us herself." Niklaus snarls, glaring at the witch in question.

"Rowan can be...reckless. It is true, we don't want you here, we know of your crimes and violent nature, but we wouldn't do something dumb as to kill you either." The witch looks pointedly at Rowan, who looks away, abashed. "We just want to send you home, this way you don't bother us and we don't bother you."

• • •

"Fuck" Elijah curses under his breath, anxiously tightening his hold on his mate. He had no idea how to convincingly portray his actor, they hadn't exactly practiced that.

"Luna, dear, please help. I have no idea what that man acts like." Elijah whispers frantically as he sees the woman who had called him approaching their table.

"Say something inappropriate or curse a bit or something?" Luna blurts out, not knowing what else to say about the actor's behavior. She sees Finn ducking his head slightly, as if trying to disappear from sight

"That's your advice?" Elijah asks, looking unimpressed by the abstract directions his mate had given him.

"Do I look like I know him personally? From what I've seen in interviews, that man is pure chaos!" Luna whispers harshly.

"Who's this? New girlfriend?" The woman asks as she reaches their booth, grinning in Elijah's direction.

"Me?" Luna squawks while pointing at herself. "Oh no, I'm gay! Super gay." Luna blabbers, nodding along to her answer as if convincing herself instead of the woman.

The woman looks confused at Luna, not sure if the girl was serious or not seeing as she was sitting on one man's lap and holding the hand of another.

Luna follows her gaze and quickly pulls her hand from Finn's grasp. "Ew, men. Am I right?" Luna laughs, winking at the woman. Groaning softly when she feels Elijah's hold tighten possessively.

"I wouldn't date this man if he paid me." Luna continues, her laughter dies down and she clears her throat awkwardly. She quickly stuffs a piece of beignet in her mouth to stop her from rambling further.

"Jesus" Elijah groans annoyed in her ear. He knew they needed to convince this woman, seeing as a sudden affair would not bode well for his double, but hearing her blunt rejection was unpleasant nonetheless.

"Good to know...So, what are you doing in New Orleans?" The woman smiles amusedly at the sight of Luna, who looked extremely interested at her plate, and shifts her gaze to Elijah.

• • •

"It's a good thing we're leaving this place, I don't think Elijah can pull off another semi convincing performance..." Luna comments dryly, poking at the fries on her plate.

The Mikaelsons and Luna are gathered in a small restaurant. They had compelled the staff to close the restaurant, so they had the whole place to themselves.

"What happened?" Niklaus asks, putting his glass down and looking mildly concerned at the possibilities

"You didn't exactly help either." Elijah ignores his brother and leans over to nip playfully at Luna's jaw.

"I told you to be inappropriate, not my fault you embarrassed yourself with your fake accent." Luna points out, defensively.

"Yes, that was very...helpful. I was actually referring to you trying to flirt your way out of it." Elijah deadpans.

"What can I say, chicks dig girls who stuff their face with beignets." Luna smirks at Elijah, tugging playfully at his tie.

"Seriously, what did we miss?" Kol asks, eager to hear how his brother had embarrassed himself.

Chapter Text

"I don't think so." Elijah rumbles when he feels Luna moving in his arms, trying to get out of his hold. After his mate's various nighttime adventures, Elijah wanted to make sure Luna would rest tonight. So, except for bathroom breaks, she would just have to stay put until morning.

"But-'Lijah!" Luna whispers, voice slightly whiny as she tries to lift his arm off her torso. She had lain awake for the past half an hour, worrying about the next day's activities.

The Mikaelsons seemed to trust the witches, but Luna had her doubts. In the show, there were plenty of examples of how witches liked to work against vampires. She had no idea if everything would work out. And if it worked, where and when would they land? Mystic Falls or New Orleans? Ten years back in time? She also worried that she would somehow end up left behind. That possible scenario disheartened her deeply.

"No, Elskan." Elijah replies firmly, his voice halting Luna's brooding. Elijah places a kiss on Luna's shoulderblade, trying to calm her.

"I only wanted to check-" Luna tries.

"It can wait till morning, my dearest." Elijah cuts her off and turns her around in his arms, to look at her. Quietly he studies her face, somewhat alarmed by the sadness that was noticeable in her eyes.

Luna gazes into Elijah's eyes and ceases her movements. "Please" Luna begs, voice smaller than she would have liked. "If something goes wrong tomorrow- I can't lose you." Fear and desperation shone in her voice, the idea of losing them was heartwrenching.

"You won't lose us, Luna." Elijah coaxes, brushing his fingers across Luna's cheek. "Please, rest. All will be well."

"Are you sure?"

"You have my word, we shall never forsake you." Elijah hums, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Remember? Always and forever."

Luna gives him a warm smile, grateful for his reassuring words and his promise. Without giving it much thought, she pushes herself a little closer to Elijah and presses her lips to his. It was a short yet sweet kiss.

Blushing at her own impulsiveness, Luna hides her face into Elijah's chest, her body curling into his.

"G'night" she murmurs before closing her eyes and letting sleep take over.

While Luna dozed off Elijah stares into the dark, bewildered and delighted. Luna's kiss had been enrapturing, he had felt like being set on fire, in the best possible way.

His inner vampire was feeling incredibly smug that his mate had kissed him first. He'd wanted to kiss her from day one, but he knew it would be wiser if she were to set the pace. Now that she had kissed him, he was eager for the next. He rumbles softly, tightening his grip on Luna, basking in this newfound blissful feeling.

• • •

"Good morning Angel!" Kol exclaims, cheerily as he bursts into the room.

Kol is in an excellent mood. At last, they would go home, with their mate, who has enough knowledge of their universe to save them from future dangers. He would finally be able to walk the streets again without having to worry about being recognized as an actor.

Luna stirs and reluctantly blinks her eyes open.

"Kol?" Luna mumbles sleepily before setting her eyes on the youngest Mikaelson brother. Kol was already dressed, looking ready for the day.

Luna shifts her gaze, glancing at the vampires in her bed to see if they were still asleep.

She affectionately takes in Finn's sleeping form. His hair is tousled and his face completely relaxed, he appears younger. Luna wishes he could always be this carefree.

Elijah turned out to be looking at her already. He gave her a self-satisfied smile. Luna was immediately reminded of last night's kiss. Feeling a blush creep onto her cheeks, she quickly turns her head back towards Kol.

"Of course it's me." Kol hums happily, enjoying the sight of his sleepy mate.

"What's all that?" Luna asks, looking pointedly at the silver cart that Kol had pulled into the room. She carefully props herself up on her elbows, mindful not to elbow Elijah in his face or unintentionally wake Finn.

"Breakfast" Kol replies matter-of-factly, making a dramatic gesture towards the cart as if presenting the outcome of a magic trick.

"And they happened to deliver it with a complementary vampire?" Luna deadpans.

"Complementary vampire, at your service." Kol mock salutes before jumping onto the bed.

Luna groans from the sudden weight falling on her. Judging by the grumbling from her right side, she concludes that Finn had also joined the land of the living.

Kol had been careful enough to not crush his mate, resting his head on her stomach he looks up at her, smiling innocently.

Elijah rumbles agitated, unimpressed with Kol's impetuous behavior. He gives his brother a little kick from under the covers, hoping to get his annoyance across.

Before Elijah could even think about threatening or reprimanding his youngest brother, Niklaus walks in. Niklaus too looked exceptionally chipper.

"Goodmorning, my little love. Did you sleep alright?" Niklaus paces casually in front of the bed, not at all bothered by the sight of his brothers and mate crammed on the bed.

"I did, thank you for asking, Nik. Have you-" Before Luna can continue she is distracted by yet another Mikaelson entering the room.

"Sure, come in. No need to knock!" Luna mutters incredulously, wondering what sins she had committed to be saddled up with this lot of ill-mannered vampires.

"Luna, next time hang a tie on your doorknob." Rebekah complains as she takes in the scene before her. The last thing she wanted to see was her brothers and Luna being sappy. She has nothing against romance, but her brothers were the extreme.

"Shut up, Bekah." Luna grumbles, trying to untangle herself from several heavy limbs. "Nothing inappropriate happened." She shoots the blonde a well-deserved eye roll.

"Pity" Niklaus comments, giving Luna a smirk. He makes his way towards the trolley, peeking under the silver lids, before preparing a plate for Luna.

"I too am deeply saddened by this." Finn murmurs, digging his nose in Luna's neck

"Finn, not helping." Luna grits her teeth, sitting up straight, back leaning against the headboard.

"Thank you." Luna smiles gratefully at Niklaus, taking the plate and glass of orange juice he was presenting to her.

"My pleasure, love." Niklaus rumbles, happy to be able to provide his mate with anything she needed.

Luna places her plate on her lap and offers Elijah a grape, which he gladly took from her, playfully biting her fingers in the process. Luna gives him a pretend disapproving look in return.

"Where's mine, Nikkie?" Kol asks, turning his head to look at his brother.

"Get it yourself," Niklaus grumbles, taking a seat on the bed. Kol always knew how to rile him up, especially the infamous nickname did wonders for his temper.

"Kol, could you please hand me my bag?" Luna asks, pointing at the bag in question.

"Of course, Angel." Kol hums, jumping off the bed.

"Thank you." Luna grabs the bag and holds her glass out for Elijah, silently asking him to hold it for her.

Luna opens her bag and rummages through it until she finds a small glass jar. The jar is filled with a light green clear liquid, careful not to spill anything, she pours a small amount into her glass of orange juice.

Before Luna can take the glass from Elijah's hold, Kol had yanked it out of his brother's hand. Kol didn't think his mate would drink alcohol this early but didn't mind one bit.

"Don't drink that!" Luna warns, looking alarmed at Kol. Kol however, had already taken a big gulp.

Kol does a spit take, the orange juice landing on Elijah's face. Coughing violently, Kol grabs his throat. Elijah groans in discomfort and tries to wipe his face on a piece of blanket.

"Ow, what the heck?!"Kol asks when his cough lessens.

"I told you not to drink it!" Luna snaps. Rolling her eyes, she quickly grabs a handkerchief from her bag and helps Elijah to wipe his face clean.

"What the hell was that?" Kol asks, looking bewildered at the now half-empty glass.

"What do you think?" Luna deadpans, as she grabs the glass from Kol's hold.

"Vervain?" Niklaus sniffs. Normally he'd chuckle at the sight of his brother being spat in the face, but the fact that his mate had been in possession of the harmful plant made him worry.

"Ding ding ding." Luna replies.

"Why do you have a jar of vervain? Is it to punish my brothers if they misbehave?" Rebekah jokes.

"No, then I'd need a much bigger jar." Luna deadpans, taking another sip. "Seeing as we're going to vampire city, I thought I might as well prepare. I trust you guys not to compel me, but I can't say the same about the Salvatores... Once in Mystic Falls, I will look for a piece of jewelry to stuff the damn plant in, but till then, I will be chugging this stuff like vodka." Luna says before gulping down the remaining orange juice.

• • •

"Are you sure that you're comfortable with this? Do you need water? A towel? A beignet?!" Niklaus asks while gazing into Luna's eyes, looking for the slightest amount of discomfort or anxiety.

Niklaus and the other Mikaelsons had been hovering all morning. Luna thought it to be sweet, that they worried for her and the ritual to come, but when Niklaus had insisted on carrying her all the way to the cemetery she had put her foot down. She knew the Mikaelson men liked to fret over her well-being, but sometimes it was close to suffocating.

Luna and the Mikaelsons are currently gathered at the cemetery, standing around an altar, surrounded by witches.

"I'm fine, sweetie. Thank you." Luna reassures him, for the fourth time. Without another word, she reaches out, hand hovering over the altar.

"Ow!" Luna shrieks, not expecting the witch to cut that deep. "Couldn't you be more gentle about it?" Luna clutches her hand to her chest, pouting slightly. Before she can protest Finn pushes his bloody wrist close to her face.

Without protesting she latches onto his wrist, taking a few sips of his blood before retracting. She started to get used to the distinctive taste.

The witches start chanting and the blood on the altar starts to bubble.

Luna grabs hold of Niklaus' and Finn's hand before closing her eyes.

• • •

"Thank god for this soft landing." Luna chirps happily. "I thought it would hurt more."

Luna had been the only one to close her eyes, the rest of the Mikaelsons had shared looks of happiness at the prospect of going home. A bright light had surrounded them and just like the night they landed in Luna's back yard, they had stumbled into the new location.

Kol had landed with a thud on top of Finn and Elijah and Niklaus laid slumped on top of a few bags.

"Glad to be of service." Rebekah groans from underneath the brunette, pushing Luna off of her, before getting back on her feet.

Luna lands with her face in the grass. Grumbling she stands up, dusting her pants off. Her jaw almost drops as she takes in the building before her.

"Damn, I forgot you guys were loaded." Luna blurts out, whistling softly.

Elijah gives his mate a smug smirk, adoring how easily dazzled she was. If she thought this was impressive, she should see their vacation homes.

"Welcome home, love." Niklaus rumbles clasping his arms around Luna's waist, nuzzling her hair.

Kol gets up from his unfortunate position and flashes in front of Niklaus and Luna. Before either can protest he had yanked Luna out of Niklaus' hold. He takes her hand to lead her to the front door, leaving his siblings to deal with the baggage.

Disgruntled the other Mikaelsons gather the baggage and follow the duo swiftly.

"It's even more pristine than I imagined..." Luna looks in awe at the giant chandelier that adorned the ceiling.

"What do you think you're doing?" Rebekah asks.

Luna turns around and sees Rebekah glaring at a stranger, who seemed to be arranging a bouquet. The man cowers under Rebekah's gaze. "S-Setting up, ma'am." He stammers, looking down at the floor.

"For what?" Niklaus demands, joining his sister in intimidating the poor man.

"The ball, sir."

Luna takes pity on the man, she pulls Rebekah and Niklaus back, giving them an annoyed look.

"Wait, they are setting it up..so the dance is tonight?" Kol wonders out loud.

"This means..." Elijah trails off, not sure what to make of this situation. If the dance was tonight, that meant his mother was going to link them tonight, with the help of Elena Gilbert.

"So...how good are your acting skills?" Luna asks, giving the Mikaelsons a worried look. In her plans, she hadn't counted on arriving before the Mikaelson ball. Whatever happened, they couldn't let Esther know that they're aware of her plans for tonight. She wasn't sure about the current whereabouts of the witch so she had to be quick.

Luna turns to Finn, looking at him for a second. Cringing at herself for what she was about to ask. "Finn, sweetie. Until tonight, you can't let anything appear out of the ordinary alright?" Anxiously she grabs onto his hand, needing him to calm herself.

"I know I'm asking a lot of you, but I need you to play the obedient son. Do you think can you do that?" Luna gazes up into his eyes, anxiously awaiting his response.

"For you, I will do anything," Finn states simply, pressing a kiss to the back of Luna's hand. He did not enjoy the prospect of spending time with his mother, but he was more than willing to do it. If it wasn't to save themselves, he would have done it anyway, just to please his mate.

"Good to know you care so much about us..." Niklaus snaps, already agitated with the idea of playing house with the woman who was currently planning their demise.

Luna sees Esther Mikaelson approaching. Finn, who was still holding Luna's hand, notices his mother's heartbeat and growls softly, not feeling at ease with his mother near his mate. Luna squeezes his hand softly before letting go.

She was sure the Original witch would doubt her son's loyalty if she found out he had found his mate.

"Children, shouldn't you all be getting fitted- I see you've brought a friend..." Esther smiles as she walks up to the small crowd, looking a bit startled to see a human amongst her children.

Luna lets out an inaudible sigh and turns to give the witch a bright smile. Luna felt like strangling the witch on the spot or introducing her to her bat, but she knew she had to be smart about this.

At times like these, she was incredibly grateful for her years in the hospitality industry. Fake smiles are one of her specialties.

"Hi, it's so nice to meet you! My name is Luna, I go to school with Rebekah." Luna steps forward, stretching her hand out.

Niklaus is slightly surprised at how easily his mate lies to his mother. He found his mother extremely intimidating, as a human, he did not dare to lie to her. 'Maybe it's because she got to know Esther through the TV series' he reflects.

Esther returns her smile and shakes Luna's hand, wondering if the human is aware of the true nature of her children.

"Esther Mikaelson, it's a pleasure." Esther hums, glancing at the several bags that lay scattered on the floor.

"Oh, I'm so sorry for the mess." Luna gasps, faking embarrassment. "There is leakage at my home and Rebekah had kindly offered for me to stay here. I hope my stay doesn't inconvenience you." Luna tries her hardest to put on a genuinely concerned expression.

She hoped her stay would inconvenience the witch as much as possible, 'Stupid Original bitch' she thought spitefully.

"Of course not, dear. Please, make yourself at home. " Esther replies smoothly before striding out of the room.

• • •

"Shouldn't you be sending a dress to a certain blonde?" Kol asks casually while admiring himself in the standing mirror.

Rebekah snorts while gazing at her freshly polished nails. Luna found herself on the couch next to Rebekah, reading up on her notes.

It felt strange to be in a well-known scene from the TV show. Luna looks around at the other Mikaelsons. Elijah was indeed polishing his shoes and Finn's pants were being adjusted.

Unlike in the series, Niklaus was already in the room. He was busy picking out a bowtie. Luna found it cumbersome as he was already taking twenty minutes to pick between two, according to her identical, bowties.

"Shut up about the bloody dress Kol!" Niklaus growls, glaring fiercely at his youngest brother. "I'm not inviting Caroline." Niklaus grumbles annoyed, speaking the blonde's names as if it were something very unpleasant. He remembers all too well how enthusiastic Luna had been about him and Caroline. The last thing he wanted was to arouse that feeling again.

Kol only grins, content with successfully annoying his brother

• • •

So...we are headed towards the Grill?" Luna asks, gazing confused at Rebekah.

"Kol has to break someone's hand, right?" Rebekah grins, not taking her eyes off the road.

"So no lingering feelings for Donovan?" Luna deadpans.

"Not really, no. After your little summary, I find myself slightly repulsed by him. Tonight he will just be a prop."

"Alright, but why did I have to come along? I thought we agreed that I should lay low?"

"I wanted to flaunt you a bit... can you imagine the look on the face of that doppelganger wench? And...I've been meaning to ask you... I want to invite Caroline..."

"Really?"

"Yes. Nik is not inviting her, but you talked about possibly befriending her so why not invite her? Besides that, it will rile Nik up. Unless of course, you're uncomfortable with it." Rebekah stammers, looking concerned at her friend.

"It's fine Bekah, I think Caroline should come." Luan reassures, appreciating Rebekah's thoughtfulness. "I don't think Nik will jump her, and if he does, he'll spend the next 90 years sleeping in a doghouse." Luna shrugs.

Chapter Text

"There is no way your brothers will let me wear this, it shows more skin than a bathing suit!" Luna exclaims looking positively scandalized at the piece of fabric she was currently wearing.

After Luna and Rebekah's visit to the Grill, Rebekah had dragged the brunette upstairs to get ready for the ball together. The Mikaelson men had protested, accusing Rebekah of hogging their mate, but they quickly shut up after seeing Rebekah's scathing look. They may all be immortal, but it was best to avoid Rebekah's wrath. Especially Niklaus was cautious around his sister's temper seeing as he couldn't use the dagger as an easy way out anymore.

Rebekah had thoroughly enjoyed watching Elena's irritated expression when she invited Matt and Caroline to the dance.

At Luna's request, Rebekah had explicitly asked Caroline to extend the invitation to Bonnie. Luna would have done it herself but seeing as Luna was a stranger to them, they might become suspicious. Luna remembered that Bonnie wasn't an attendee at the ball in the TV show, but she thought the witch could use a nice night of dancing around in a pretty dress.

Caroline had been surprised at receiving a personal invitation but accepted it gratefully. She had always enjoyed the high school dances and there was no way she would miss out on the chance of snooping around in the imposing Mikaelson mansion.

"No, it doesn't!" Rebekah shouts back defensively. She was busy displaying her large quantity of makeup supplies on her dressing table.

"Bekah, you can almost see my belly button! Also, the split is up to my arse! It's supposed to be a formal ball." Luna deadpans, tugging at the fabric to prove her point.

Luna couldn't lie, the dress was beautiful, but it was something you'd wear on a yacht with your maffia husband, not to a formal ball. Putting her body up for sale probably wouldn't make a good first impression on the citizens of Mystic Falls.

"No, it isn't and I can barely see your ass! Anyway, my brothers don't get to criticize your dress tonight, only complement it." Rebekah snaps.

"How did you get them to agree to that?" Luna raises an eyebrow, looking skeptically at her friend.

"I might have threatened my brothers to take you up on your various scandalous offers if they didn't let me dress you the way I wanted..." Rebekah trails off, not meeting Luna's gaze. Rebekah would never be a homewrecker, at least not when it came to Luna and her brothers, but the threat had worked, which was the only thing that mattered to the blonde.

"You did what?!" Luna looks flabbergasted at the blonde. Luna expected Rebekah to threaten to dagger her brothers or lock them in a moldy cellar, but not this.

"You heard me..." Rebekah smirks, looking appraisingly at the dress her friend was wearing.

Maybe, Luna was right. It could be a bit too much, she didn't want her brothers to kill every guest because they were gaping at Luna. Sure they should gape, but not because her ass was hanging out.

Rebekah walks towards her closet, grabbing one of her favorite dresses. "Fine, try this one?" Rebekah thrusts the dress towards her friend, who was trying to wriggle herself free from the tight fabric.

Luna, finally freed from the death contraption, looks up. She glances at the cream-colored ball gown, gazing in awe at the delicate gold details and pastel-colored flowers that scattered the bodice of the dress.

"It's gorgeous." Luna mumbles, still in awe.

• • •

"I feel...pretty. Thank you, Rebekah." Luna mumbles, smiling shyly at her friend. Luna was incredibly thankful for Rebekah's help. She had always dreamed of attending a big ball and tonight that dream would come true.

The dress looked amazing and the fabric swished around every time she moved, which made Luna giggle.

"You're not just pretty...you're a sight for sore eyes." Rebekah compliments, as she walks up beside Luna, looking at her in the mirror. Rebekah was looking extremely satisfied with the end result. She loved her friend dearly, and making her feel beautiful was a small favor compared to the peace Luna had gifted her and her brothers in the past few days.

"Going to make my brothers drool." Rebekah smiles. "Oh no...now I regret helping you... They're going to be even more annoying now!" Rebekah looks horrified at this realization. "It's not too late to change into a potato sack?" Rebekah tries, grinning teasingly at Luna.

Luna laughs at the blonde's expression before slipping her heels on. She takes one last look at herself in the mirror before exiting Rebekah's bedroom.

The Mikaelson men had been patiently waiting outside of Rebekah's room for a good half an hour, at least Finn and Elijah had.

Kol had been whining and complaining, eager to see his mate. He had spent half of the time annoying Niklaus. Nikaus had ignored Kol's prodding and provoking comments for Luna's sake but was close to snapping Kol's neck.

Guests had already started to arrive at the mansion, but the Mikaelsons of course liked to be fashionably late.

As soon as they hear the door handle move, their gazes shoot towards the door.

Luna steps into the hall and curtsies shyly, gathering her skirts in her hands and gazing at the Mikaelson men through her lashes.

Rebekah follows Luna and leans against the doorpost, looking smugly at her masterpiece.

The brothers look astonished at the sight of their mate, dressed in the beautiful floor-length ballgown.

"You put angels to shame, my love." Finn compliments. He steps towards Luna, grasping her hand and kissing her knuckles. Luna looks at the oldest Mikaelson, giving him a bashful smile.

"Thank you. You look very handsome, Finn." Luna smiles "You all do." Luna compliments, looking at the other brothers. All of them were in pristine suits, fitted perfectly. She grins as she catches sight of Niklaus' white bowtie, she loved that look on him.

"You just enjoy having four Elijah's to look at." Rebekah mutters, rolling her eyes. Luna smirks at the blonde, not even trying to deny the allegation.

"You look ravishing, love." Niklaus comments, brushing his fingers across Luna's cheekbone. "But something seems to be missing." He continues, enjoying the way her heartbeat sped up at his touch.

Luna frowns slightly, wondering how Rebekah could have possibly missed anything. Before Luna can ask him to elaborate she sees Niklaus presenting her with a square box.

Niklaus makes no move to open the box. Luna looks at him uncertainly, waiting for his permission to peek inside. He smiles encouragingly and Luna lifts the lid cautiously.

"It's beautiful..." Luna gasps, looking taken aback. She stares in bewilderment at the beautiful necklace. She had seen Niklaus gifting jewelry to Caroline on the show, but she couldn't help feeling incredibly special at receiving this gift.

Luna feels even more flustered, if possible. Rebekah already let her wear a dress that probably cost more than her education and now Niklaus is presenting her with a necklace that seemed suitable for royalty.

"Just like you." Niklaus mumbles, gazing adoringly at his blushing mate. He loves spoiling his mate and seeing her blush was definitely a bonus.

"May I?" Niklaus asks.

Luna nods and turns around, holding her hair up.

Niklaus clasps the necklace around her neck, placing a kiss on the back of her neck before taking a step back.

"Thank you" Luna mumbles turning back, fingers brushing over the necklace.

"My dear Elskan, may I have the honor of escorting you down the stairs?" Elijah asks, bowing slightly before offering his arm. Having attended plenty of formal balls back in the day, he was well aware of the appropriate etiquette. Even though they were no longer in the 1800s, he knew the formalities would amuse his mate.

"Naturally" Luna chuckles, taking the offered arm.

Luna and Elijah take the lead as the Mikaelsons move to the grand staircase, as a small procession.

"Please don't let me tumble down the stairs." Luna whispers worriedly. Her nerves had increased exponentially when she laid eyes on the crowd that had gathered at the bottom of the stairs.

Soft music and enthusiastic chatter from guests filled the spacious hall. People were dressed to their best and looked around, admiring the interior of the Mikaelson mansion. Many of them had of course heard of the family or seen the exterior of the mansion, but not many had the privilege of becoming acquainted with the family.

"Never" Elijah declares solemnly, grasping Luna's hand with his free hand in a comforting manner. He enjoyed the idea of finally being able to display his beautiful mate to the rest of the world, or at least Mystic Falls.

Luna turns her head slightly to look at the other Mikaelsons. Kol catches her gaze and gives her an encouraging smile. She returns it, before facing ahead again, chin slightly lifted.

The sight of the Mikaelsons descending the staircase put a halt to the various conversations.

The Mikaelsons looked almost regal, descending the spiral staircase. Their gazes roaming the crowd, as if looking at their subjects.

As soon as the silence had appeared, she had disappeared again. A buzz arose as guests turn to their neighbors, whispering in hushed voices, speculating about the various family members.

"Well, I'm off to batting my lashes at the quarterback." Rebekah announces, grimacing shortly before putting on a bright smile, walking towards the blond who was nervously tugging at his bowtie.

Luna chuckles at Rebekah's acting skills. She's sure that if Rebekah had been recognized in her universe, she probably would have been just fine, unlike Elijah.

• • •

"Hello, Carol." Damon walks up to the mayor, holding his glass out, for her to clink hers against.

"Hello." Carol greets pleasantly, gazing around the room.

"Hanging out with your new besties?" Damons asks, glancing briefly at the Mikaelson clan.

"I'm the mayor, Damon. When the oldest, deadliest, family of vampires moves into your town, you welcome them with a smile." Carol retorts, giving Damon a forced smile.

"Hmm, Well at least you know who you're borrowing that cup of sugar from."

"I'm trying to protect this town. They've assured me they want peace, and I've assured them that I'd enforce it." Carol says, knowing whole-heartedly that she couldn't stop the Mikaelsons from slaughtering every last citizen if they wanted.

"That's your cue." Luna whispers, nudging Kol in the direction of the duo. Before Luna can protest Kol had placed his hand on Luna's back, guiding her towards Damon and Carol.

Luna glares at Kol, not wanting to get dragged into the conversation, but drops it as they approach the pair. With his free hand, Kol shakes Carol's hand in greeting, not feeling like placing his lips on anyone but his mate.

"Mayor Lockwood. We haven't formally met. Kol Mikaelson. I hope your lovely town embraces us just as much as we plan to embrace it." Kol gives the mayor a charming smile. He sees Damon gazing at his Luna and narrows his eyes at the vampire. He was more than willing to poke the bloke's eyes out if he kept gawking at his mate.

Luna glances briefly at the blue-eyed vampire. It was surreal to stand in front of this character. 'Person' she corrects herself, this was reality now. He was handsome, that she could not deny. The knowledge of his previous actions against some of her favorite characters however caused her to be cautious near the vampire.

Carol gives Kol a smile and Damon a warning look before excusing herself from the conversation.

Damon looks appraisingly at Kol before holding his hand out, willing to make a semi-good impression with the Original. He hadn't forgotten the way Elijah had retaliated to his bluntness.

"Damon Salvatore. Have we met?" He offers, clearly remembering the Original who was awoken the previous night.

Kol looks at the hand for a moment, deciding to stick with the script by ignoring it.

"I've met a lot of people. And you don't particularly stand out." Kol snarks, rubbing small circles on Luna's back.

Luna chuckles softly upon hearing the phrase.

Damon ignores Kol's snark and shifts his gaze back at the unfamiliar brunette, wondering briefly if Niklaus had another sibling he should worry about, and if she would be as much as a handful as Rebekah. This thought was driven from his head as he noticed her heartbeat. Human.

Damon was slightly confused, he thought he could smell Klaus and Elijah's scent coming from her. Don't ask him how he could recognize their scent, on such days he wasn't too happy with his superior sense of smell.

Damon grasps Luna's hand to kiss her knuckles.

"Damon Salvatore" He repeats, winking at the brunette.

Kol growls softly, just because he tolerates Damon looking at his mate, didn't mean he got to touch her.

Damon looks slightly startled at Kol's growl, still holding onto Luna's hand.

Luna looks unimpressed at te Salvatore and retracts her hand from his grasp. She had heard Kol's growl and she thought it best to cut this meeting short.

"Pleasure" Luna replies shortly before turning around. She didn't feel like trying to hide her disdain for the man in front of her. He had tried to kill her mates and best friend, and would surely try again. He had yet to earn her kindness.

Tugging Kol along, Luna makes her leave, not in the mood to converse further with Damon.

"Ugh..now I have to disinfect my hand, who knows where that mouth has been?" Luna whispers to Kol, knowing wholeheartedly that Damon could hear her snark.

Kol smirks smugly at his mate, more than pleased with her feisty side.

Damon frowns, he had tried his best to be polite to both but neither of them had seemed in the mood for making friends. His thoughts are interrupted as he sees Elena entering. He walks up to her, only to be beaten by Stefan.

"What are you doing here?" Elena asks, looking suspiciously at Stefan.

"I could ask you the same thing." Stefan retorts coolly, gazing around at the big crowd.

"Surprise, surprise. Nice tux. You're not supposed to be here." Damon says, looking pointedly at the doppelganger.

"Well, I am. And I'm not leaving until I find out what Esther wants. So, shall we?" Elena offers, looking stubbornly ahead.

"Who were you talking to?" Stefan asks, absentmindedly offering his arm to the doppelganger. He was looking pointedly at the girl Damon was talking to, who was surrounded by the four Mikaelson men.

"I saw her in the Grill today with Rebekah." Elena says, gazing at the girl. The brunette was smiling brightly at the hybrid while switching Kol's arm for Elijah's. The girl looked well fitted with the brothers and they all seemed remarkably friendly with each other. Something Elena didn't expect based on the stabbing session of the other day.

"Another one of Klaus' siblings?" Stefan asks dubiously. Not sure what to make of the group.

"Can't be, she's a human." Damon points out, narrowing his eyes at the girl. As if gazing at her long enough would get him all the information he needed.

"What is a human doing with them?" Elena wonders out loud. As far as she knew, the Originals didn't seem like the type of people to care about humans, unless they were doppelgangers or potential werewolves.

"Your guess is as good as mine. Maybe they compelled her as a blood bag?" Stefan

"Why would they parade a blood bag like this?" Elena huffs. She didn't believe that any of the cruel Mikaelsons were capable of treating a human the way they seemed to be treating the brunette right now.

"She's pretty, they like collecting pretty things." Stefan waves his hand, gesturing at the different paintings that adorned the walls. "I did think Klaus favored blondes though."

"Pretty or not I don't like her." Damon states, looking disgruntled.

"You're just grumpy because she didn't fall for your charm." Stefan mutters, having seen Luna's cold reaction to meeting Damon, something he could understand.

"I'm grumpy because she somehow smells like the Mikaelsons." Damon growls defensively. There was no way he would admit that his ego was hurt.

"Smells?" Elena looks confused, as far as she knows, she never smelled like Stefan.

"I don't know, their scent is like, vaguely surrounding her, rolling off of her."

"You think she is dating them?" Stefan asks, snatching a glass from a random tray they passed.

"Them? As in plural?" Elena asks, looking somewhat outraged at the idea of this human girl dating an Original, let alone multiple.

"Yes, I know what I said" Stefan deadpans, not in the mood for Elena's judgemental tone. She had used that exact voice when discovering his blood problems. It was obnoxious and did not contribute to their current situation.

"I don't think Niklaus is the sharing type, maybe casual groupie?" Damon offers. He wasn't too surprised, he had seen enough disturbing things in his life. A polyamorous relationship or friends with benefits situation were the least disturbing scenarios he could think of.

"Could be, they seem pretty... cozy" Elena grumbles. "You think she's sleeping with all of them?" Elena blurts out.

"No need to be jealous Elena, seeing as you've got your own little... Fanclub." Niklaus interrupts, walking up to them. He had heard their speculations and he was infuriated, to say the least. To avoid spoiling the evening with a fight, he intended to let it go. The three might get weird ideas of using Luna against them if he told them she was their mate.

"Klaus. What do you want?" Stefan greets stiffly.

"I'm only here to warn you to behave tonight, my mother wanted a nice evening, which will not be disrupted by your plotting or childish behavior." Niklaus let a silent threat hang in the air. Niklaus couldn't care less about his mother's desires, he only wanted a lovely evening for his mate. Giving a warning look, Niklaus turns around only to see Caroline and Bonnie enter.

He glances briefly at the blonde, she looked stunning, but his fascination with her was gone. Niklaus was overjoyed that he was now certain of this fact. Contently, he walks back towards Luna and his brothers.

"Pity, she would have looked much prettier in that blue dress." Kol comments, when Niklaus approaches the group. He had been eager to see Niklaus' reaction to seeing his former crush again. He hoped Niklaus wouldn't do anything stupid, like upsetting Luna, but if he did, Kol was more than willing to snap his neck, for Luna's sake, of course.

Caroline looks at Niklaus' retreating form, narrowing her eyes as she sees him kissing the cheek of a brunette. She fiddled with her bracelet, she felt a bit stupid that she had put it on, hoping that Niklaus would see it.

"Did you see that? Klaus is here with some poor girl he probably compelled. And of course, she looks great! He obviously got her a dress, only to rub it in my face." Caroline rambles to Bonnie, still frowning at Niklaus and the girl.

Bonnie rolls her eyes at Caroline, grabbing a drink from a nearby tray. For someone who claims to hate Niklaus, Caroline was talking an awful lot about him these past few days.

• • •

"It's time for your chat with Elena Gilbert." Luna mumbles, softly poking Finn's side.

Finn gives Luna a troubled look. He didn't want to be near the pesky doppelganger at all. He wanted to stay with her, he wishes silently that they were back in Luna's house, cuddled up on the couch and watching a nonsense TV show. That way he wouldn't have to worry about pretending to help his mother.

Luna sees his tortured expression and gives him an encouraging smile while briefly running her fingers over the lapels of his jacket.

Although they had agreed not to 'harass' Luna, as Rebekah called it, during the ball, Finn couldn't resist, he quickly places a kiss on Luna's neck, taking her scent in one last time before taking his leave.

Elijah huffs disapprovingly, Finn had to stick to the role of a martyr and not play an in love teenager.

"Come, Elskan." Elijah says, offering his arm.

Luna looks quizzically at him, before realizing what he meant. Luna shakes her head, taking a step back.

"No, I don't-I shouldn't... this is your family moment." Luna stammers, trying to come up with excuses. This was the iconic Mikaelsons staircase scene and Luna didn't want to intrude. Esther believed her to be a schoolfriend from Rebekah, there was no reason for her to join them. She had already made quite the entrance with the Mikaelsons, one moment in the spotlight was enough for her.

"You are family." Elijah replies firmly, still holding his arm out.

Chapter Text

"Elena Gilbert, I presume? I'm Finn Mikaelson. You're here to see my mother." Finn states, handing Elena a glass of champagne, trying to hold back a grimace as their fingers brush past each other. He was already quite annoyed that he had to play errand boy for his mother, an interaction with the doppelganger didn't exactly lighten his mood.

"Is she here?" Elena glances around the room before shifting her gaze back to the Original.

"Her request did not include your friends." Finn voices, looking appraisingly at the girl. This was the girl all the fuss in the TV show was about, she was the reason the Salvatores were constantly bothering his siblings.

Finn wasn't exactly charmed with the girl, he wanted this conversation done as soon as possible. His mate had encouraged him to stick to his part, but he was still worried she would be upset if he spent too much time near the doppelganger.

"They're protecting me. You may not know but your mother's already tried to kill me once." Elena points out, laughing humorously. She is feeling quite anxious to meet the Mikaelson matriarch.

"If you want to see my mother, you'll need to be alone," Finn replies stiffly. He tries to focus on his surroundings, hoping to hear his mate's voice or heartbeat, but could only hear the excited guests chattering.

Slightly agitated he ran his hand through his hair, the room was packed with people, people who could harm his mate.

"Uh, if everyone could gather, please." Elijah voices.

"Excuse me." Finn walks away, glad to be saved from the awful interaction. Finn swiftly makes his way towards the stairs, grinning brightly as he sees his mate standing beside Elijah. He lets out a breath, she is safe.

Luna is feeling tense, she had never been a fan of standing in front of big crowds. Once she was escorted up the stairs she had reluctantly let go of Elijah, his touch was the only thing calming her nerves, but they both knew they were supposed to keep up appearances.

Gazing around the room, Luna is trying to locate the various main characters. She sees the Scoobygang distributed in the crowd, all fashioning various suspicious or apprehensive expressions. In her peripheral vision, she sees Finn approaching them.

"Missed me?" Luna murmurs, stealing a glance at the oldest Mikaelson.She had watched his interaction with Elena, both he and Elena had looked tense. She was glad to see that the tension had faded from Finn's face.

"Always" Finn whispers back as he takes his stand beside Luna, fingers brushing briefly past hers, needing some form of contact no matter how brief. He snuffs softly, her sweet scent calming him down.

Elijah looks down at the crowd wearing a small smirk, relishing in this demonstration of authority. Showing his family and mate off for the entire town to see.

"Welcome, thank you for joining us. You know, whenever my mother brings our family together like this, it's tradition for us to commence the evening with a dance." Elijah's smirk falters slightly as he notices his mother descending the stairs.

Luna glances briefly at the Original witch, holding back a startled gasp as she sees the witch already looking at her. Luna was an intruder into this family moment at this point and wondered what Esther thought of all this. Luna was supposed to be a school friend and schoolfriends usually didn't act like they were part of a family hours after meeting them.

She smiles softly at the witch before turning her gaze back to the crowd, trying to ignore the eyes that bore in the side of her head.

• • •

"Do you see who I see?" Damon asks, gazing up at the group of Originals gathered on the stairs. Damon scoffs, all of this was a display of pure power.

"Oh, yeah," Stefan replies, letting his gaze shift from the witch to the girl standing in between Elijah and Finn.

"I think it's time we have a little chat with Miss Original." Damon suggests dryly. He had not learned much from his first interaction with Luna. Only that she was a human who apparently got on well with the Mikaelsons. He was eager to know why the Mikaelsons kept the brunette as a pet. Who knows, maybe Luna knew a way to get rid of them. He was intent on getting the answers out of her.

"Doesn't a dance sound like a great opportunity to start a conversation?" Stefan offers, giving his brother a meaningful look before shifting his gaze back to the brunette.

• • •

"Tonight's pick is a centuries-old waltz, so if all of you could please find yourselves a partner, please join us in the ballroom," Elijah says, making a gesture towards the ballroom.Luna turns to descend the stairs when she is met with Finn, bowing his head.

"May I have this dance, Miss Mason? Finn asks smilingly, straightening himself up and offering Luna his hand.

"Of course" Giggling slightly at his formal jargon, Luna happily slides her hand in his, enjoying the familiar touch.

"I must say, I'm surprised Kol isn't trying to push you off the stairs." Luna comments, looking behind her to gaze at the other brothers, who for once don't seem to make a fuss about who got to spend time with her.

"There's still plenty of time for that." Kol comments, sending her a roguish grin and a wink before running down the stairs.

Luna rolls her eyes playfully at Kol's childish nature, always the joker.

"I might have bullied my brothers into letting me have the first dance." Finn admits, smirking at Luna's surprised expression.

"Ah, that explains a lot. Tell me more." Luna was eager to know how exactly the mild-tempered Mikaelson got his way.

• • •

Avoiding Caroline's eye, Niklaus walks down the stairs, over to Carol. He offers her his hand as he graciously invites her to the dance floor. Carol contemplates her options for a second before accepting his hand

Caroline lets out a huff, glaring at Niklaus' retreating form. So what if Niklaus avoids her, she came here to dance, so she will dance. Abruptly she turns around, eyes landing on Stefan. With big strides she walks towards him grabs his hand and tugs him towards the ballroom, ignoring his sputtering and hastily joining the lineup.

Bonnie looks unimpressed at her friend, of course, Caroline abandoned her during a party filled with Originals. Her thoughts are interrupted as a hand is being offered to her. She looks up to see Elijah, the last person she expected. Reluctantly she accepts his hand, not wanting to be the only one of her friends not joining in on the 'fun'.

• • •

"I apologize upfront for possibly stepping on your toes." Luna whispers, glancing around at the people gathering on the dance floor, ignoring the jealous pang she felt upon seeing her mates with other ladies.

Luna had no experience whatsoever with ballroom dancing. Rebekah had quickly shown her the basics of the waltz in her bedroom earlier, but she is nowhere near an expert.

Luna hears someone snort, she looks up to see Rebekah looking at her and Finn, obviously hoping to see Luna stomping on Finn's feet.

"I would be honored to have my toes stepped on by you, my love." Finn reassures, doubting that his mate could break his toes. Finn sticks his chin out a little, looking incredibly proud of the fact that he got the first dance with his mate.

"Cute, let's see how you feel about that in a few minutes." Luna deadpans, copying Rebekah's movements from across the room. Luna smiles as she sees the blonde laughing at something Matt had said.

Although Rebekah had only asked Matt to annoy Elena and for Kol to crush his hand, she enjoyed his company nonetheless, he was normal, which was refreshing.

Luna giggles as she is being twirled by Finn. He secures his arm around her waist, resting his hand on her lower back. She plants her left hand on his shoulder, her right hand grasping his. She squeezes his hand softly, using the limited touching they were allowed right now.

• • •

"How are you holding up?" Caroline asks, eyeing Stefan carefully. He had been throwing occasional glances at Damon and Elena. Besides her own grieving for her father, she felt bad for Stefan. She wanted Elena to come to her senses and see how wonderful she and Stefan were for each other. It frustrated her that Elena was tormenting Stefan like this.

"I could ask you the same." Stefan retorts. Realizing his cold tone and rude attitude he opens his mouth to apologize but Caroline cuts him off.

"Don't" Caroline mutters, looking away and swallowing.

"Who is she?" Caroline asks, trying to get rid of the awkward tension. She peeks over Stefan's shoulder to get a good look at the mysterious brunette. She was pretty, her dress looked amazing and she seemed to be having the time of her life in the arms of her towering dance partner.

This confused Caroline, based on what she saw before she thought the girl was Niklaus' date, but Niklaus is dancing with the mayor. She catches Niklaus secretly looking at the girl.

She thinks back to her afternoon at the Grill with Elena. She had seen the brunette there too, she had kept a low profile, but she seemed to get along with all the Mikaelsons, which irritated Caroline even more. This new girl had already befriended the most dangerous family of Mystic falls.

She wonders what their motives were for allowing this person into their lives. As far as she knows, the Mikaelsons only acted on bigger plans. What would her role be?

Stefan turns his head slightly to get a glimpse of the girl Caroline was referring to.

"That's what I'm going to find out." Stefan mutters, sharing a dark look with Damon, who was also eyeing the girl carefully.

He and Damon had agreed to stay close to the girl, this way they could hopefully get a dance in with the new girl. He and Damon thought it could be difficult to corner the girl without arousing suspicion from the Originals, a dance was the easiest way to get some conversation going.

• • •

"How are your toes?" Luna whispers, grinning up at Finn. Her cheeks were slightly pink, she had gotten hot from the dancing.

To her surprise, she had never stepped on Finn's feet. Once she almost stumbled over her own feet, fortunately, Finn had a firm hold on her, so it seemed to the spectators that nothing was going wrong. Finn had looked at her affectionately, silently promising her that he would always catch her.

"I can still feel them." Finn whispers back in a conspiring tone. Finn gave her a grin, his mate made him feel like he could show his playful side, something he hadn't always felt free to do.

"Then I am doing something wrong." Luna retorts, giggling. She enjoyed Finn's teasing. That's how she liked him best, carefree and smiling, especially smiling.

"I love this." Luna sighs, enjoying their closeness. Luna suddenly feels the urge to kiss Finn. The flattering light, the soft chatter, and the romantic music all contributed to her desire to kiss the Original before her. She shakes her head softly, trying to rid herself of the thought, she couldn't let her own desires jeopardize their plan.

Instead of kissing him as she wanted, she cups his face. Her fingers stroke his jaw for a moment before she places her hand back on his shoulder. She feels Finn's grip on her hand tightening a little in reaction to her touches.

"Luna, love, it regrets me to inform you that we have to switch partners." Finn murmurs nosing at Luna's cheek for a moment.

Luna responds with a disappointed sound while shaking her head. She didn't want to lose the warm feeling she got from being close to Finn.

Trying to ease her disappointment, Finn quickly places a kiss on her jaw, hoping no one noticed. Raising his head he gives Luna an encouraging nod before twisting her out of his arms.

"Hello" Stefan greets, eyes widening slightly. The woman in his arms does smell like the Mikaelsons. Hidden under the layers of different scents, was her own sweet fragrance. Her increased heartbeat and pink cheeks were a dead giveaway for her human status.

"Hi" Luna gasps, not expecting to end up in Stefan's arms. Stefan was supposed to be dancing with Elena.

Luna scans the room to see Elena dancing with Kol. Both are looking quite uncomfortable with the arrangement. Luna stifles a giggle upon seeing Kol's scowl.

Luna had hoped to dance with her mates tonight. Luna sees Stefan nod at someone, she turns her head slightly to see Damon looking at them while dancing with Rebekah. The blonde was wearing an identical expression to Kol's.

Luna assumes that her dance with Stefan is no coincidence, Damon and Stefan were clearly up to something. The thought alone made her nervous. She was already uncomfortable around the vampire, she had liked Stefan's character, even had a slight crush on him in the past, but she didn't particularly enjoy this 'revenge on Niklaus' version of him, it made him precariously unpredictable.

"Stefan Salvatore" Stefan declares while thoroughly taking in Luna's appearance. Damon was right, she was beautiful, bright eyes, full lips, delicate-looking skin. The lavish dress clung to her body, only adding to her ethereal appearance. She was unmistakably beautiful enough to serve as an accessory for the Mikaelsons

"I know." Luna murmurs, cheeks crimsoning because of the minimal gap between her and the Salvatore. Although their closeness was completely appropriate, it still felt a bit indecent. She didn't fancy being this close to the Salvatore. In her own universe, she'd probably giggle or cheer when presented with such an opportunity, but now it felt awkward, the menacing looks from her mates didn't contribute to her uneasiness.

"You met my brother?" Stefan asks politely, already knowing the answer. He was trying to meet Luna's gaze, but she kept her eyes on his bowtie, not daring to meet his gaze.

Luna simply nods, not feeling talkative at the moment. She hoped they would switch partners soon.

"How do you know the Mikaelsons?" Stefan asks, cutting to the chase. It irritated him that the girl wouldn't look him in the eye. If she looked at him for one moment, he could force the desired answers out of her.

"Are you trying to interrogate a lady during a dance? How improper of you, Mr. Salvatore." Luna scolds, trying to make her voice seem playful. It was a rhetorical question, of course, he would want information from her. She was very happy that she had already consumed a good portion of vervain. If Stefan compelled her, he would learn everything he needed to know to wipe out the Mikaelsons for good, and unintentionally himself too.

"My apologies." Stefan gives her a genuine smile, glad to at least get a full sentence out of the girl. "May I at least know your name?"

"Luna Mason." Luna replies, finally looking up, meeting his gaze.

Making use of the newfound eye contact Stefan immediately tries to compel Luna. He holds her gaze and his pupils widen noticeably. "What is your connection to the Mikaelsons?" Stefan asks.

Luna looks at him, her face empty of emotion. She keeps this up for two seconds before bursting into laughter. She gets a few questioning looks thrown her way, but she ignores them.

Stefan gives her a disturbed look, not sure how to react to this. He thought the Mikaelsons compelled all their servants and playthings, he thinks back to last night's dinner party, all of Niklaus' lady servants had been compelled.

"Yeah, that's not going to work, buddy." Luna giggles, absolutely savoring Stefan's bewildered expression. "Nice try, though." Luna gives him a smug smile, patting his shoulder in a mock comforting gesture.

"So you know what the Mikaelsons are..." Stefan concludes, glancing towards the ceiling for a second as if praying for strength. This was not how he had expected this dreadful evening to go.

"Do you also know of their recreational activities such as slaughtering villages and terrorizing teenagers?" Stefan whispers mockingly. He wanted to test how much the human knew about the Mikaelsons. If she was already aware of their lifestyle and crimes, she was probably evil herself and if she didn't already know it would be fair notice to the horrific creatures that were the Mikaelsons.

Luna looks blankly at Stefan, no trace of humor left on her face. She knew Stefan was trying to get under her skin in the hope of getting her to spill information. 'Two can play that game' she thought.

"You should know all about that, ripper." Luna hums in a casual voice.

• • •

"You and your brothers are unexpectedly friendly with each other again. Even our favorite hybrid seems to be enjoying himself." Damon notes, gazing around the room at the Mikaelson siblings.

"Ah well, the bond of family is unimaginably strong, you should know all about that." Rebekah comments, thinking back on the past few days in Luna's house. Their little time-out from their own hectic universe had been good for them.

"Yes, I too stab my family members on occasion." Damon whispers, one of the corners of his mouth curling up in a half-smirk.

"Who's your new bestie?" Damons asks, observing his brother who was dancing with the brunette from earlier.

"Don't even think about it." Rebekah snaps. Damon might be pining after Elena these days, but she knew he had probably already slept his way through half of the female population of Mystic Falls.

"So she's off-limits?" Damon inquires, shifting his gaze back to the blonde in front of him. He is eager to know if the girl is dating any of those troublesome Mikaelsons, if so she would be a weak spot that he and Stefan could take advantage of.

"She's none of your concern, Salvatore." Rebekah snaps, she could almost see the gears in his head spinning. She knew the Salvatore brothers would do anything to get rid of them.

• • •

"What are you doing? Why are you here with the She-Devil?" Caroline snaps, glaring at Rebekah who was currently dancing with Damon.

"What was I supposed to say, no? And why the hell are you here with Klaus?" Matt asks, gaze roaming the ballroom. He tried to keep an eye on the Originals, although Rebekah showed him kindness, he still didn't trust them one bit.

"I'm not here with Klaus!" Caroline whispers harshly. "Rebekah invited me. Klaus has been avoiding my eye all night, so no need to accuse me of cheating on Tyler." Caroline snaps irritatedly. She had been surprised and slightly disappointed that Niklaus hadn't invited her. Based on the googly eyes he made at her any opportunity he got, she kind of expected him to. But seeing Niklaus with the brunette earlier, he had clearly changed his mind about her. She didn't know why it even bothered her, she had rejected him and he moved on, no big deal.

"I'm sorry, Care." Matt apologizes, clearing his throat. "Who's the girl Stefan is dancing with?" Matt asks, looking at the brunette he had seen earlier at the Grill. They seemed to be enraptured in an not all too pleasant conversation.

"You tell me." Caroline mutters.

• • •

"So... you must be Kol." Elena says, trying to cut the awkward tension. Both she and Kol hadn't exchanged any words since dancing together.

Kol, who had been staring at Luna and listening in on her conversation, shifts his gaze to Elena, eyes narrowed.

"Shut up" Kol snaps, turning his gaze back to his mate.

Elena huffs at Kol's rude reply. Niklaus might be a terrible person, but at least he had the decency to make conversation.

• • •

"If I can't compel it out of you, maybe you can just tell me. Any of those Originals your boyfriend? You should know, dating one of them will eventually lead to your death." Stefan's voice goes from cold and mocking to almost genuine. He hated the Mikaelsons and everything they stood for and what they had done and he didn't wish for Luna to be trapped or enslaved by the cruel Originals.

'Let alone four of them' Luna thought grimly. She had considered the possibility of dying at the hands of the supernatural, but just like most difficult things, she had pushed it to the back of her mind.

"How is Elena? Talk much?" Luna smirks as she sees Stefan's blank facade flicker for a moment. She had to admit, a bit of a low blow, but he was being a bit of a hypocrite right now. Besides that, he would eventually move past the doppelganger, so she couldn't feel too guilty.

"Elena is fine ." He replies flatly, glancing at Elena and Kol, both were grimacing. "Now back to the subject. How did a lovely little girl like you become acquainted with monsters?" Stefan taunts, his smile reappearing as he sees Luna's scowl.

Luna rolls her eyes at his condescending tone. Sure he could be disparagingly towards her height, but out of the two of them, he was still in high school.

"I suggest you stop insulting people with supernatural hearing in their own home," Luna advises, looking pointedly to her left, where Niklaus was dancing and obviously listening in on their conversation.

"Klaus doesn't mind, we're buddies. We even went backpacking over the summer. Lots of fun." Stefan assures her. He would bluff all night long, as long as it provided him with the information he needed.

"Really? From what I've heard you've been a lousy friend, stealing coffins, plotting his death, lying... should I continue?" Luna asks. She leans closer to Stefan "And it's not just Nik you need to worry about." Luna whispers gaze calmly roaming the room. Stefan whips his head around to see the other Mikaelsons glowering at him from various places of the ballroom.

Luna grins in satisfaction as she sees Stefan's confidence falter before she got spun into someone else's arms.

"Hello, Angel." Kol purrs, greedily wrapping his arm around Luna, as if afraid she would slip from his grasp if he didn't. He smiles smugly at Elijah, who in turn rolls his eyes.

"Hi, Kol" Luna greets cheerfully, gaze brightening significantly upon seeing Kol. She was happy to be near one of her mates again. "Are you enjoying yourself?" Luna asks, hoping the Original wasn't getting too bored at the formal ball.

"I get to dance with the loveliest lady at the party, so yes, I am. Are you though? You look a bit tense, darling." Kol asks, observing Luna's face.

He had caught her conversation with Stefan. Although he was happy that she didn't let him intimidate her he was also worried that Stefan's words might make his mate doubt her relationship with them.

As soon as this dreadful plan of his mother was terminated he would have some words with Niklaus about this so-called friendship with the Salvatore.

"I'm might be a little nervous," Luna admits. "I'm worried about the Salvatores being here and I'm worried about your mother, and I'm worried something will go wrong and you guys will get hurt." Luna mutters, not wanting the Salvatores to catch any of this.

"Everything will be fine. We can handle those petty Salvatores and mother won't touch you. This I promise." Kol assures, looking intently into Luna's eyes. "You only have to enjoy yourself and stay close to one of my brothers, leave the rest to us." He purrs, rubbing his cheek against hers.

Luna nods, wishing to believe him, but not certain if this was a promise Kol could keep.

Chapter Text

"Everything will be fine. We can handle those petty Salvatores and mother won't touch you. This I promise." Kol assures, looking intently into Luna's eyes. "You only have to enjoy yourself and stay close to one of my brothers, leave the rest to us." He purrs, rubbing his cheek against hers.

Luna nods, wishing to believe him, but not certain if this was a promise Kol could keep.

"How was... Elena?" Luna asks, trying to keep her voice casual.

"As appalling as can be." Kol assures her, lips brushing her ear. "If it makes you feel better, she looked almost green with envy. The doppelganger couldn't keep her eyes off you in your pretty dress, just like me." Kol rumbles possessively, his hold on his mate tightening slightly.

Luna swallows thickly, blushing heavily at Kol's declaration.

"As far as I can tell, she was staring at Stefan, not me." Luna points out, nonetheless pleased to hear that Kol didn't have too much fun with the doppelganger.

"What about Stefan? Did he bother you, Angel?" Kol hums, nose pressing into Luna's hair, nuzzling her. He was relishing in having his mate in his arms.

"I'd be happy to teach the disrespectful sod a lesson." Kol offers, growling softly and already imagining numerous bloody scenarios.

Perhaps he could offer Luna a nice souvenir. He wonders briefly if his mate would appreciate the heart, or any other organ, of the Salvatore in a silver box or rather a gold one.

Luna giggles. "Kol, you're a menace..." She lovingly brushes her fingers through the hairs on the back of his neck.

"And you love it." Kol grins, quickly pressing a kiss to her jaw, head dipping lower to nose at her neck.

Luna sighs softly, enjoying his nosing but also worrying that it could attract unwanted attention. "Kol" Luna warns gently when she feels his teeth grazing her jugular.

Kol lets out a small groan, annoyed that he has to halt his efforts. Reluctantly he straightens back up, smiling innocently at his mate.

• • •

Elijah smiles fondly at the sound of his mate's giggling. Like his brothers, he had tensed up when she landed in the arms of the Salvatore. Although all four of them argue for her attention, they preferred that over the idea of someone else getting close to their mate.

Elijah had hoped to sneak a dance in with his mate but knew it would be inappropriate to fling his younger brother across the room, no matter how tempting the reward.

Shifting his gaze slightly he sees he's not the only one looking in their direction, he sees both the Salvatore brothers and his own brothers gazing in their direction. Elijah grimaces, none of his brothers, he included, were very successful at the whole 'suppress your urges' part they were supposed to uphold.

Elijah feels someone staring at him. He turns his face to look at Elena, who had been studying him for a while. Elijah had been absentminded and quiet during most of their dance. His touch feather-light, no desire to accidentally bring the doppelganger any close to him than necessary.

Elena forces a smile, trying to hide the tension she was currently experiencing. She had just endured the most uncomfortable event of her life, dancing with the bad-tempered Kol Mikaelson. Kol hadn't bothered to look at her during the dance, let alone talk. It wasn't exactly a promising first meeting.

If that wasn't terrible enough, Elena also had to watch Stefan dance with the new girl, he almost seemed to be enjoying his conversation with her, which annoyed her even more.

Elijah looks dubiously at the doppelganger. He notices her irritation, he can practically hear her teeth grinding. Before his trip to his mate's universe, he had admittedly felt some affection and warmth for the girl before him. This was undoubtedly due to her link with Tatia and Katerina, but also because of her so-called innocence.

He has since found out that this 'innocence' is nothing but a trick of the light, the doppelganger had betrayed his trust on several occasions, making her an unreliable source. Her claim of selflessness only worsened his image of her.

Like Katerina, Elena managed to control almost everything and everyone, also having the Salvatore brothers wrapped around her finger, both willing to give up anything for her. Elena strung them along, just like Tatia had done with Niklaus and himself, which had led to his division with his brother.

Elijah decides to use this time to inform Luna of his 'suspicions' of his mother's motives. Although he is already familiar with the outcome, he follows along with the script. "Elena. I understand my mother requested to see you."

Elena is a bit shocked when she suddenly hears his voice. Like Kol, Elijah hadn't exactly been talkative. He appeared tense and irritable. "Uh, yeah. Why, is something wrong?" Elena asks, sounding concerned.

"Well, her ability to forgive my brother after everything he's done to destroy this family strikes me as a little strange to say the least." Elijah explains, gaze meeting Elena's.

"Do you think that it's an act?" Elena asks furrowing her brow. She too felt suspicious towards the witch, worrying that her little chat would end in her death.

'As much of an act as the one you're performing right now' Elijah thought bitterly. "It has me asking questions I never thought I'd ask. Can I depend on you to tell me what she says?"

Elena gives Elijah a small nod, before getting spun into Stefan's arms.

• • •

"It's time to switch partners, Angel." Kol whispers, looking apologetic at his mate who seemed to be enjoying herself immensely during their dance.

Luna pouts slightly, her dance with Kol had lasted far too short for her.

Grudgingly she lets go of Kol's shoulder, gives him a small smile, and lets herself be spun into the next set of arms.

"Of course." Luna mutters as she is faced with Damon Salvatore. Her happy daze of being near Kol fading quickly. Her soft gaze hardening slightly, her cheeks remained pink.

"Pleasure to see you again, Luna." Damon smirks, emphasizing her name. Damon had overheard her little chat with Stefan. Stefan was going for the good-cop approach, Damon was more a fan of the improvised route.

"I'm sure it is." Luna mutters, looking apprehensively into his eyes, she didn't trust his smug look. Luna looks down to focus on her feet, wondering how much Damon would suffer if she were to stomp on his foot, 'Must hurt at least a little, right?'

"What's wrong? Grumpy you can't dance with one of your precious Originals?" Damon grins, happy to provoke the girl. He was tightening his hold on her hand as if trying to coax a slip of information from the human. Luna clenches her teeth, she didn't want Damon to see her wince.

"Shouldn't you be chasing your brother's ex-girlfriend?" Luna retorts, smiling sweetly at Damon.

"I'd rather be dancing with you, unraveling the mystery around you." Damon wags his eyebrows.

"Don't let Elena hear that." Luna deadpans. "And sorry to disappoint, but there is no mystery for you to unravel. Just a small-town girl, living in a lonely world." Luna deadpans.

The last thing Luna wanted was for Damon to find out about her true origin and the possibility of alternate universe travel. If he knew he had a double walking around, who was quite a big deal on a TV show, his ego would never deflate.

"Journey? Really? I think I just threw up a little." Damon teases, mood lightening a bit.

"You and me both." Luna deadpans. His sarcasm made her feel a bit more at ease with him. Don't get her wrong, she didn't trust him, she knew Damon wanted to find a way to get rid of the Originals, but she also knew he did it out of love so she couldn't exactly blame him. She was sure she would do the same.

"Now that we've established that you have terrible taste in music, riddle me this, one moment four Original siblings are turning against the dagger-happy hybrid, the next they are happily playing house with a newly acquired human...How did that happen?"

"I wouldn't know, why don't you ask them yourself?" Luna replies.

"I would really like that, but right now my relationship with the family is a bit... fragile and I am just dying to know which one of them is the lucky fellow. Kol? Elijah? Don't tell me you've got a thing for the half-mutt?" Damon mocks, smirking as he sees Luna pursing her lips.

• • •

Niklaus looks thoroughly insulted upon hearing Damon's slur. 'As soon as this dance is over I will personally snap his neck.' he thought spitefully.

Niklaus was already quite disgruntled with Damon having his hands on his mate, now he also had to endure a dance with Caroline. Don't get him wrong, Caroline was a formidable dancer, very kind, but the last thing he wanted was to give Luna a reminder of their onscreen romance.

Niklaus glances at the bracelet on Caroline's wrist, a present he had gifted her. He was about to comment on it but thought better of it. "You know, you're quite the dancer." Niklaus compliments absentmindedly while stealing another glance at his mate.

"Well, I've had training. I happen to be Miss Mystic Falls." Caroline replies, rolling her eyes at Niklaus' wandering eye.

"I know." Niklaus mumbles distractedly.

• • •

"Look at that bastard, dancing with Luna, touching her, daring to insult us in our own home," Kol growls, glaring menacingly at the Salvatore.

He was starting to get strange looks from other guests, but he could care less.

"Kol, control yourself." Elijah whispers, he had been dancing close to Kol and Rebekah and had seen Kol's change of mood the minute the partners were switched and was worried he would have to hold his little brother back.

Kol gives Elijah an annoyed look before shifting his gaze back towards his mate. "I'm going to tear his arms off." Kol mumbles, not wanting his brothers to hear of his plan.

"No, you're not. That would surely upset Luna, which we don't want, right?!" Rebekah urges as she gives Kol a pointed look. She knew reminding Kol of his mate's wishes would help to keep him in line.

Because Luna was occupied, Rebekah had involuntarily taken up the role of babysitter. Rebekah had rolled her eyes more than ever as she observes her brother. If Kol wasn't glowering at the Salvatores or drooling over Luna, he was glaring at Niklaus and Caroline.

"Fine..." Kol grumbles annoyed. Already racking his brain for other ways to retaliate.

• • •

"Unless you are trying to court me, I don't think my relationship status is any of your business." Luna replies, glancing briefly at Niklaus and Caroline. She didn't think Niklaus would immediately dump her for the blonde, but she still felt a slight twinge. They looked beautiful together.

"And I urge you stick to the more mannered subjects before you get your tongue ripped out." Luna threatens softly.

Niklaus meets her gaze and gives her a reassuring smile, which she happily returns.

"Mm tempting, but no. As you said, I kind of got my hands full." Damon points out, ignoring Luna's threat. "And don't you enjoy participating in girl talk?"

Luna grimaces "Whatever you think of doing right now or in the near future, I highly suggest you reconsider. As far as I know, the Mikaelsons have been incredibly lenient with you, considering all that you've done to work against them, they won't always be this merciful." Luna warns, trying to keep her voice steady.

• • •

"Hmm. He dances, and I didn't even have to beg." Elena comments dryly

"Well, Caroline dragged me out here. Couldn't exactly say no. Besides that, it allowed me to talk to the newcomer." Stefan replies, eyes roaming around the ballroom landing on Damon and Luna. Judging by both their expressions, the conversation wasn't going well. Seeing Elena's grimace Stefan decides to change the subject. "Took you about thirty seconds to put Damon in a mood."

"He's just looking out for me." Elena mumbles, glancing briefly at Damon before landing her gaze back on Stefan. She secretly enjoyed being back in his arms, the familiar feeling caused her cheeks to crimson.

"I think he needs to figure out that you can look out for yourself." Stefan comments.

"I need to talk to you." Elena whispers urgently.

"Okay, so talk." Stefan mumbles.

"Not here." Elena mumbles, glancing at the various vampires that were in the room. Elena takes her hand of Stefan's shoulder and tugs him away from the dancefloor.

Elena glances briefly in Damon's direction, who was still occupied with dancing with Luna. She and Stefan stride towards the entrance of the mansion.

• • •

"And what do you know of their merciful side? Because if you aren't dating any of those...charming Mikaelsons then what are you to them? Pet? Human blood bag? Entertainment? What kind of deal did you make with them?"

Luna narrows her eyes upon hearing his disparaging tone if only she could slap that smirk off his face. She didn't want to show it, but being called the pet of the Mikaelsons stung a little. Was that how everyone would see her? Just an accessory to a vampire family?

"Listen here you overgrown mosquito, what I am to the Mikaelsons is none of your business. So knock it off with the interrogation." Luna whispers with a voice that dripped venom. She was done with Damon's questioning.

Luna sees Stefan and Elena leave, several couples follow their example.

Without uttering a word she untangles herself from Damon's arms and curtsies shortly before walking away.

Almost instinctively Damon reaches out to grab Luna's arm. He hadn't had the answers he was looking for and wasn't sure when the next opportunity arose to talk with her. His arm froze halfway as he is suddenly met with a glaring Elijah Mikaelson.

Elijah snarls at the Salvatore, fangs close to popping out, looking ready to maul the man. He wonders where Damon got the guts to try and grab his mate just like that.

Damon quickly pulls his hand back, making a surrendering gesture and giving the Original an apologetic smile. He turns and walks away. He'd seen the Original irritated and angry before, but right now he was scarier than ever before. Getting a pencil stabbed in his neck almost seemed pleasurable compared to the look he had just received.

Elijah briefly contemplates the idea of ripping Damon's head off for good measure, before turning around and hurriedly walking towards his mate.

"Are you alright, Elskan?" Elijah asks, slipping his hand in Luna's as he caught up with her.

Luna looks up at him and smiles up at him, glad to be near one of her mates again.

"I'm alright, 'Lijah, thank you for asking." Luna smiles up at him, squeezing his hand before retaking his arm, appearing more proper. "They are quite curious...and blunt, assuming all sorts of things about me, us. I don't like it that Stefan criticizes you guys when he too has done horrible things." Luna admits, looking sadly at her shoes.

"Would you like me to..rip his head off?" Elijah offers, he was more than willing upon seeing Luna's sad expression.

"Not his heart?" Luna teases, smiling up at Elijah.

"Naturally, I shall present it to you in a ruby-encrusted box." Elijah nods, grasping Luna's hand with his free hand.

Luna giggles softly. "I had hoped we would dance together." She confesses while bashfully playing with Elijah's fingers. She was already incredibly thankful for the beautiful evening, the necklace, and dress, she feels a bit greedy for wanting more. If possible she would drag Elijah back to the dancefloor right now, but she knew Elena and Stefan were plotting right this moment, it would be wise to keep focused on the events to come.

"No need to worry, my sweet Elskan. There will be plenty of opportunities in the future." Elijah promises, pressing a kiss to the side of her head. If needed he would throw another ball tomorrow, just so she could dance with him.

Luna squeezes his arm softly, a silent thank you. In her peripheral vision, she notices Finn approaching them.

Finn walks up to the couple, bows his head in greeting before hooking Luna's free arm in his. The three of them walk towards the empty parlor where the other siblings were already gathered.

"Fucking finally! I couldn't stand the pouting much longer." Rebekah exclaims dramatically as Elijah closes the doors, making a listless gesture in the direction of the youngest Mikaelson men. Both brothers sat on the sofa, looking broody and sulkily.

"Angel!" Kol shouts enthusiastically, he jumps off the couch, shoving Rebekah to the floor to get to his mate. He barrels straight into Luna, lifting her up and hauling her away from his brothers.

Finn and Elijah grumble a little, the latter giving Kol a long-suffering look.

Kol ignores the protesting sounds of his brothers and starts to happily nose at his mate.

"Such a gentleman" Rebekah grumbles annoyed, still a heap of limbs on the floor. Rebekah takes Niklaus' outstretched hand and pulls herself up, glaring at Kol's back while straightening her dress. "Will you stop mauling your mate?!" Rebekah groans, getting tired of witnessing the constant harassment of her best friend.

"No" Kol grumbles, nose buried in Luna's neck.

Luna wiggles her legs, trying to find some ground, losing her heels in the process. "Kol, sweetie, could you maybe do this with me on the ground again?" Luna asks with slight difficulty.

Kol caves to his mate's request and gently lowers Luna back on her feet, rumbling an apology. He tugs at the strap of the dress, putting it back in place for her.

Luna takes Kol's arm, balancing herself as she slips the shoes back on. Kol grasps her hand and herds her over to the couch.

Finn seizes a tray from a table which he then bestowed upon his mate. The tray was piled with various appetizers.

"Umm thanks?" Luna nods, looking questioning at the pile of food.

"Eat" Finn nudges the plate towards her, encouraging her to take the plate. Luna had already drunk multiple glasses of champagne and Finn was fairly certain she hadn't had supper because of her preparations for the ball. The least he could do was make sure she ate something in between dancing and plotting.

Luna hesitantly takes the plate before demonstratively stuffing a cracker in her mouth. "Happy?" Luna asks sarcastically.

"Very" Finn answers, nodding curtly and pressing a kiss on Luna's temple.

"What did those Salvatores want, love?" Niklaus asks, handing Luna another bite.

"They wanted to know who I was and what I was doing with you guys." Luna replies, leaving the hurtful assumptions out and placing the offered appetizer back on the plate. "Stefan even gave me unsolicited advice on human-vampire relationships." Luna adds meekly, placing the plate on the coffee table.

"He's one to talk." Rebekah scoffs.

"If you desire it, my love, I shall present his head to you on a silver platter" Finn offers, he was glowering at the thought of the Salvatores interrogating his mate, daring to make her feel uncomfortable.

"Alright, calm down there, king Herod" Luna pipes in, looking amusedly at the usually restrained Mikaelson. She had expected this threat from Niklaus and Kol, but a pissed of Finn was something new.

"What is it with you guys and offering me body parts? Is that a soulmate thing or a vampire thing? Or just a Mikaelson thing?" Luna questions looking around the room at her mate's.

"In your case, all of the above." Rebekah shrugs.

"Those Salvatores... I'm going to rip their arms off, invert their ribcages, and-" Kol snarls vindictively. He is cut off by an appetizer that is being crammed in his mouth by Luna.

"No, you're not. Growl at them if you must, but no inverting ribcages tonight." Luna reprimands.

Kol swallows the bite before giving his mate an incredulous look, insulted to have been cut off like that.

"You looked hungry." Luna shrugs.

Kol pouts, poking at Luna. He felt like he deserved a bit more attention after her heinous crime.

'Sorry' Luna mouths, grabbing a napkin to wipe Kol's face clean.

"Alright, Elena is talking with Stefan right now, planning to snap Damn's spine. Finn should go upstairs soon to make an appearance with the Original Bitch. After Kol breaks Matt's hand, you guys can do your attack thing, and then we can live happily ever after." Luna rants, coming back to the tasks at hand. "Am I missing anything?" Luna asks, looking at the Mikaelsons.

"Are you sure you're alright with us killing her, we can also imprison her?" Niklaus offers, he was no stranger to killing parents but wondered if his mate was really okay with him killing a parent. He wasn't sure what happened to Luna's parents but the idea of family seemed very important to her. Killing a family member just like that might be distressing for her.

"Yes I am, she's dangerous and the last thing I want is to endure an awkward Christmas dinner with mummy in law. Anything else?"

"Yes!" Kol gasps. "We need code names!" Kol exclaims excitedly, he had watched a spy movie this afternoon and was intrigued with the idea of playing a Bond character.

"No!" Niklaus growls, he was fairly certain either Kol or Luna would come up with another dog-related nickname for him.

"A gang name?" Kol asks, looking slightly put out at his brother's dismissal.

"I vote 'Luna's bitches'." Luna pipes in, grinning brightly at the idea of calling the notorious Originals her bitches.

"Yes!" Kol cheers, happy his mate joined in on his idea.

"No!" Rebekah groans. She would move heaven and hell for her family, but having to be part of 'Luna's bitches' was a step too far.

Finn rolls his eyes at their antics and decides to take his leave, he bends down to place a kiss on Luna's jaw, turns around, and leaves the parlor, leaving the door wide open.

A man passes the door, halts his movement, and curiously peeks inside at the gathered group.

Rumbling agitated at the intruder, Niklaus pulls his mate on his lap and wraps his arms around her waist.

"Nik, honestly!" Luna complains, wiggling a little against his tight hold. Jeez, if she thought they were possessive in her own universe, she was deeply mistaken.

Kol, like Niklaus, growls possessively, glaring at the man and puffing his chest out.

The man looks somewhat disturbed at the animal noises and quickens his pace.

"By all means, piss in a circle around her to mark your territory." Rebekah deadpans, rolling her eyes at her brothers. It's like living with four overgrown guard dogs.

"Don't give them ideas!" Luna groans. She loves being close to her mates, but this was slightly overbearing. Although they all agreed to lay low on the touching and mauling, as Rebekah calls it, none of them seemed to actually keep to their agreement. Their growling at every passing man didn't help either.

Luna wriggles herself free from Niklaus' grasp and rises from his lap.

"While Elena is otherwise occupied, I'm going to have a little chat with Caroline and Bonnie." Luna announces. "And if I hear even one growl from you guys, I will defenestrate you all like Catholics from 1618 Prague." Luna narrows her eyes at the Mikaelsons.

"Your threats are oddly specific, Elskan" Elijah muses. His jaw had tightened, he did not like the idea of his mate going towards the witch and vampire without any protection, but he also knew that his looming probably wouldn't contribute to their conversation.

Luna gives Elijah another pointed look, knowing full well the Noble one could be just as childish as his other siblings if needed. She brushes past him, exiting the room, and closing the door behind her.

Luna sighs, trying to rid herself of the tension she was experiencing. She rolls her shoulders back and strides towards the two girls, who were busy chatting and drinking. They seemed to enjoy themselves, which made Luna smile, they could use a night of relaxation.

"Hi, you are Caroline, right? I saw you earlier at the Grill today, and you must be Bonnie. I'm Luna." Luna beams brightly at the girls, holding her hand out to Bonnie.

Bonnie shakes the girl's hand, returning the smile. Bonnie was pleasantly surprised that she wasn't being plagued by dark images, such as she always did when she first touches vampires.

"Luna... Mikaelson?" Caroline inquires, shaking Luna's hand and looking her up and down. The dress was even prettier from up close. It was of course possible that she wasn't Niklaus' date, but another sibling, seeing as he's got a multitude of those. It would explain Niklaus' constant glances, he was just being an overprotective brother. This concept is erased from her mind when she hears the girl's heartbeat.

Caroline peeks past Luna to see the Mikaelsons glaring their way. Caroline clears her throat trying to ignore the glares.

"Mason" Luna replies giggling at Caroline's assumption.

Luna sees Caroline peeking past her and turns her head. "Jesus" Luna mutters, holding back a groan of agitation, the four Mikaelsons had sneaked out of the parlor room and were trying to appear casual, keyword trying.

Kol is leaning against one of the pillars, in what must be an uncomfortable position, Rebekah is fixing her shoe, Elijah seems extremely interested in fixing his cufflinks, and Niklaus is frozen on the spot, looking like a deer caught in the headlights. Niklaus gives Luna an awkward wave before quickly hiding behind the nearest pillar, dragging Kol along with him. She shakes her head softly before turning her attention back to the girls.

"Are you enjoying the party?" Luna asks, trying to keep the conversation going. Luna does her best to disregard the sound of breaking glass and harsh whispering that was coming from a particular corner of the room.

"Yes, definitely. Your dress is amazing by the way." Bonnie compliments, smiling at the girl. Unlike Caroline, Bonnie didn't have to worry herself with Luna's smells or heartbeat, she just enjoyed Luna's company. For all she knew, the girl could be completely oblivious to the supernatural world, she might think the Mikaelsons are just a big wealthy family she happened to run into.

"Thank you, you girls look amazing as well." Luna compliments, admiring their silky dresses.

"How do you know the Mikaelsons? We haven't seen you around town before." Bonnie asks kindly. Her tone was far less judgemental than the Salvatores' had been.

"I ran into them, or they ran into me." Luna replies. Technically she didn't lie, Kol had literally run into her, or at least the invisible barrier of her house. "We're...friends." Luna adds, trying to make it sound convincing.

She mentally rolls her eyes as she hears Kol's offended squawk, followed by Rebekah's snort.

"What's your favorite part of mystic falls so far?" Caroline asks, occasionally glancing at the Mikaelsons who were still watching them like hawks.

"I haven't seen much, seeing as this is my first day, but the Grill seemed nice." Luna offers.

"Your first day? Will you enlist in our high school? We could have lunch together!" Caroline smiles, she was earnest in her attempt to befriend the new girl, possibly gathering more information about the Mikaelsons and how to destroy them would only be a bonus.

"Oh no, I finished high school, I'm an art student." Luna replies. 'was an art student' Luna thought. "But I'm sure we can grab lunch at the Grill some-"

"Sorry ladies, emergency, big emergency. Code... orange? Orange." Kol cuts Luna off midsentence and whisks her away from the girls. Luna gives them a small wave and a smile before getting dragged away.

"What are you doing?" Luna whispers harshly when they were out of earshot of Bonnie and Caroline.

"What are you doing?" Kol retorts, glancing briefly at Damon, who was walking around with a newly filled glass, clearly searching Elena.

"Making conversation." Luna deadpans, not understanding why he was fussing.

"You can't make plans with them to lunch. They could kill you before the drinks arrive." Kol scolds, narrowing his eyes at her before returning his gaze to Damon.

Luna huffs annoyed. She notices Kol's shifty glances at Damon. She narrows her eyes when she sees a small smirk forming on Kol's lips. "You are remarkably well behaved tonight. What did you do?"

"I might have spiked Damon's drink with a bit of your vervain." Kol admits, no longer suppressing his smirk. "Just...keeping to the script, can't have mummy dearest thinking that her son had suddenly become obedient." Kol adds as he sees Luna shaking her head in disbelief.

"We can't have him choking on vervain, at least not with a crowd," Luna whispers harshly, before striding hastily towards the Salvatore.

"Yeah...you might want to, not drink that." Luna announces as she grabs his glass from his hand, holding it out of his reach,

"Why the hell not?" Damon urges, looking pissed off at his alcohol being confiscated.

"Because Kol spiked your drink...with vervain." Luna mutters before chugging the drink and handing the empty glass back to Damon.

"Oh, look at you looking out for me. We're already becoming friends." Damon mocks, secretly thankful for Luna's warning.

"This wasn't me trying to be your friend, Damon. This was me preventing you from causing a scene..." Luna retorts, walking away. '...Too early' she adds in her mind.

Damon quickly sniffs the glass, examining it for vervain before checking his phone. He had received a text from Elena. He hurriedly puts the glass down and makes his way towards the study.

"Got your text. What are we doing in here?" Damon asks, his gaze landing on Elena. He wonders why she and Stefan had wandered off together. The thought of those two cozying up together agitated him.

Out of nowhere, Stefan speeds into the room, breaking Damon's back, dropping him unceremoniously to the floor.

"Well, better hurry up. He won't be down for long." Stefan urges, looking unremorseful at his brother's dead body.

• • •

"Can I show you something?" Niklaus steps towards his mate, giving her a mischievous smile, eyes twinkling slightly.

Luna nods, eagerly taking Niklaus' arm.

"Where are you taking me, Nik?" Luna asks when they crossed the ballroom. Luna didn't want to take up Caroline's role. What if he wanted to show her his horses? She didn't particularly like the animals. To be honest, she was terrified of them. She would rather touch mold than risk getting bitten by one of those creatures.

Niklaus only hums, pulling Luna along through the mansion, eventually entering his studio.

Luna changes her stand slightly, feet feeling tired and slightly pained in her heels. She quietly admires the paintings that adorned the walls almost drooling at the vast collection of paint tubes, it almost looked like a store. "You wanted to show me your studio?" Luna questions, smiling softly up at Niklaus.

"Our studio," Niklaus replies nervously, fidgeting slightly with Luna's fingers. "I thought you might like to share a workspace with me, the light in this room-If you don't want to I-I totally understand! I can have a separate room cleared out this instant and-" Niklaus rambles tensely.

Luna giggles before raising her tippy toes, as far as she could, seeing as she was already in heels. She puts her hands on his chest, balancing herself, and presses a kiss to Niklaus' lips, cutting him off.

"It's an amazing idea, Niklaus. Thank you." Luna smiles up at Niklaus. "I would be delighted to work alongside you." Luna giggles softly at Niklaus' startled state.

Niklaus could only stare at his mate, the kiss came completely unexpected. He had received loving kisses before, but none felt like this. He doesn't want to use cliches, but it felt like fireworks were going off.

Luna pokes Niklaus' cheek softly. "Nik?" Luna asks, looking slightly alarmed at his glazed-over expression. She stares into his eyes, trying to find some sort of connection.

"Honey? Say something, please... growling is fine too..." Luna offers, voice wavering slightly. She was concerned that she had misjudged the situation. The last thing she wanted was to assault the hybrid.

Shaking out of his daze, Niklaus broke out a radiant smile. He wraps his arms around Luna's waist, leans in, and captures her lips into another kiss.

"Thank you." He whispers, resting his forehead against hers.

"For what? You're the one who offered to share a studio..." Luna whispers back, relief flooding her insides.

Instead of answering, he presses another kiss to her lips.

"Oh, that." Luna giggles, blushing furiously.

Chapter Text

"Easy, buddy. Don't want you doing anything stupid." Stefan says, smirking slightly at Damon's disheveled state. After seeing him dance with Elena he had been more than willing to give him a little time-out.

Damon pulls himself to his feet, about to lunge himself at Stefan to give him a taste of his own medicine when he changes his mind. He'd rather not die again tonight.

"Where's Elena?" Damon hisses as he stretches his back, trying to rid himself of the dull ache he was experiencing.

"Exactly where she belongs, talking with Esther." Stefan asks, looking a little apprehensive at Damon's peaceful behavior.

Damon regards his brother for a moment, wondering how these past three years of his life were more hectic than the previous 150 combined. Damon nods his head, sinking in the fact that Stefan left Elena alone with a thousand-year-old witch. "What did you get out of the girl?" Damon asks, changing the subject while straightening his bowtie.

"What? Not going to retaliate for killing you? For helping Elena?" Stefan asks, surprised at his brother's agreeable attitude.

"We got more problems going on than Elena being Elena." Damon deadpans, rolling his eyes. Sure, he was going to give Elena an earful and snap Stefan's neck later on, but not while they were still in the lion's den.

• • •

"Elijah is more suspicious than the others, so he may need more persuasion." Esther comments, letting go of Elena's hand and raising the chalice. She had successfully obtained the blood of the doppelganger, which was the last ingredient for tonight's spell. "But they must all drink at the toast in order to be linked as one."

"What do you mean 'linked as one'?" Elena asks, glancing briefly at the red liquid in the chalice.

"You said yourself Klaus can't be killed. But tonight's spell links all my children together, so that if one goes, they all go."

"What?" Elena looks shocked at Esther, not sure she heard correctly.

"I love my family, Elena, but they are an abomination. I betrayed nature when I created them. It's my duty to kill them." Esther replies, looking unremorseful at the shocked girl before her. Esther had gotten from Elena what she needed, no need for further niceties.

• • •

"Matt, meet my dear friend Luna." Rebekah and Matt walk up to Luna, who was of course being held company by two of her brothers, not much of a surprise seeing as they always seem to stick to her side like wet limpets.

Luna and Niklaus had rejoined the party. Niklaus had shown her a small part of his extensive collection of paintings, with the promise of showing her the rest after taking care of his mother.

"Matthew." Elijah greets, nodding curtly at the boy.

Niklaus only lets out a small huff, making no effort to further acknowledge Matt.

Matt approaches Luna, faltering his step when he hears a low rumbling noise coming from both Niklaus ad Elijah. He gives Rebekah an alarmed look, not sure how to proceed.

Luna rolls her eyes at the animal noises and steps towards Matt, who clearly didn't want to move any closer to the glaring men.

"Pleasure to meet you, Matt." Luna says, taking Matt's outstretched hand, shaking it, and giving him a warm smile. She hadn't particularly liked Matt in the show, but if she managed to be somewhat polite to Damon, she could manage some mandatory small talk with the quarterback.

Matt smiles back, amazed at how normal the girl appeared to be, for someone surrounded by vampires he would have expected someone a bit more intimidating or... meaner. His smile transforms into an awkward half-grimace when he glances at the glaring Originals behind Luna. Clearing his throat awkwardly he slowly takes a step back, as if backing away from an angry animal.

Elijah, pulls Luna back to his side, wrapping his arm around her waist.

Rebekah rolls her eyes at the territorial behavior her brothers were showing. Nonetheless, she pulls Matt away, concerned that one of them might jump the poor guy if they stayed any longer. Her evening with Matt had been fine, she had rather stayed with Luna, making fun of all the guests, but someone had to take care of the lost puppy. Before the toast, she would park him with his friends.

Rebekah and Matt have just left when Kol and Finn join the trio. Kol grins smugly as he pulls a bottle of champagne from under his jacket, presenting the bottle to his mate as if it were a prize.

Finn huffs lightly at his brother's dramatics and puts the six empty glasses he had smuggled from the kitchen down on the standing table, a lot more subtle than Kol, even though his task had obviously required more stealth, if he may say so.

"Well done." Elijah compliments, patting Kol on the shoulder in greeting.

Luna smiles at the men, she had been slightly concerned about this part of the evening, but Kol's plan had worked perfectly, and surprisingly enough, neither of them had been caught.

Kol uncorks the bottle as quietly as he can and fills the glasses, dumping the empty bottle in one of the flowerpots. With a smooth gesture, he hands a glass to his mate, who graciously accepts it.

"Thank you, Kol." Luna says, nervously stroking her dress while letting her gaze roam the room, checking if they got any weird glances from the other guests.

"Elijah, it's your time to shine." Luna pipes up while tilting her head a little, in the direction of Elena, who just entered the hall.

Elijah's relaxed attitude from earlier disappears in an instant, his shoulders tensed and his mouth forms a thin line, grimacing at the prospect of getting lied to by the doppelganger. She was willing to take the life of him, his siblings, and unwittingly all vampires on earth. Elijah himself was not a saint, far from it, but this would be a downright genocide.

Seeing Elijah's mood shift, Luna places a hand on his chest, giving him a reassuring smile. "It will be alright." Luna consoles. Elijah sighs and nods curtly at his mate before walking up to Elena.

"So how was my mother?" Elijah asks when he is within hearing distance of Elena.

"Intense." Elena replies, turning her body towards Elijah.

"And for what reason did she need to speak with you in private?" Elijah asks, glancing up at the stairs where his mother had appeared. At lack of response, he turns back to Elena, who is also gazing up at Esther. "Elena? Should I be concerned about my mother's intentions?"

"She just wanted to apologize for trying to have me killed." Elena lowers her gaze for a second, her heart is racing, and she suspects that Elijah is also aware of this. Lying to Elijah wasn't something she liked to do, but the idea of finally getting rid of Klaus outweighed her guilt.

"So it's true, then? She's forgiven, Klaus?" Elijah asks, narrowing his eyes slightly as he notices her increased heartbeat.

"It's true," Elena mutters, smiling up at the Original, hoping she had convinced him, at least long enough for him to drink the champagne.

"If you'll excuse me." Elijah mutters stiffly, already walking away, not waiting for a response. Elijah didn't want to spend a second longer with the treacherous girl.

Walking towards his mate a small smile forms on his lips, he was worried, tense, and disgruntled because of his conversation with Elena, but he didn't want his mate to worry about him. He takes the glass of champagne Finn offers him. Finn nods at him, understanding his current mood.

Luna blinks up at Elijah giving him a small smile. She knew all too well that Elena's lying did more to him than he let on, and that he was pretending to be alright with it for her sake. She wanted him to know that he didn't have to pretend and that his feelings were completely understandable and legitimate.

• • •

Elena looks at the Mikaelsons. Gazing interestedly at Luna who was whispering something in Elijah's ear, her hand gently grasping his forearm. Elijah in turn took hold of hers. He seemed to relax under her words, which made Elena frown, she thought Elijah had been comforted by her answers.

Elena glances down at her glass of champagne that had been presented to her by a servant. Gazing at the pinkish liquid she felt guilt gnawing at her inside. Had she been wrong in assisting Esther? The world would certainly be better off without the monsters, but Elijah wasn't a monster, Klaus was the problem. 'No, Klaus has to be stopped and Elijah has shown that he would do anything for his brother, so his death would be a small price to pay.' Elena thought vindictively. She looks up as she hears footsteps approaching her.

Rebekah halts in front of Elena and looks appraisingly at her, taking in, scrutinizing every inch of her. Rebekah despises the girl in front of her with all her being. As an Original vampire, Rebekah was at the top of the food chain and this human caused more trouble than she was worth.

"I don't know why Elijah stopped me from killing you, maybe because you're a photocopy of that godawful Tatia," Rebekah starts, narrowing her eyes at the doppelganger. Elijah might have saved Elena because of his affections towards previous doppelgangers, but that didn't mean Elena had a free pass on all the crap she had pulled. If the child thought she could get Elijah to do anything for her by batting her eyelashes, she was mistaken and Rebekah wouldn't mind reminding her of her place.

"But I suggest you keep those little doe eyes of yours focused on your Salvatores. One longing look at any of my brothers and I will poke them out, understood?" Rebekah snarls, glaring fiercely at the brunette.

Rebekah smiles sarcastically at Elena, upon seeing the hesitant nod, and walks off, back to her other siblings. Luna may not see Elena as a threat to her relationship and happiness, but Rebekah knew like no other about girls stabbing each other in the back. The brunette had shown in the past that she would let any of her friends sacrifice themselves for her own sake, so what would stop Elena from going after her human friend?

"What did the Evil Blood Slut want?" Caroline asks, wandering up to Elena with Bonnie, glancing briefly at the gathered Mikaelsons in the back of the room.

"She only wanted to threaten me to stay away from her brothers. As if I would want to date the man that killed my aunt." Elena huffs indignantly, glancing at Niklaus, who was chatting animatedly with one of his brothers.

"Why would Rebekah explicitly warn you to stay away from her brothers?" Bonnie wonders, also glancing at the group, blushing slightly when she meets Luna's eye. The brunette gives her a smile and a wave, which Bonnie hesitantly returns.

"Maybe it has something to do with their new pet." Elena snarls irritatedly, she was slightly annoyed with the way her friends kept gawking at the Mikaelsons, not even trying to hide their curiosity.

"Calm down with the slurs, Elena. We don't know anything about her and she seemed nice enough." Bonnie retorts, frowning slightly at Elena's wry tone. As far as Bonnie knew, the human had not yet done anything to deserve Elena's hostile tone.

Caroline clears her throat awkwardly. "Well, whatever reason Rebekah has, you're not going to date any of them, so no worries." Caroline interjects cheerfully, trying to get rid of the tension, while trying her best not to glance at Niklaus.

• • •

"You're even more possessive than usual." Luna comments dryly in response to the snarling Mikaelson men. Unlike the Originals, Luna hadn't caught Elena's conversation with Bonnie and Caroline.

Finn only responds with a modest grunt. His inner vampire was agitated, his mate had rejected his sniffing and nosing multiple times already, something he wasn't handling very well. His right hand was currently resting on her back, slowly, experimentally, he shifts his hand to her side. Excruciatingly gradual, with bated breath he moves his hand down, caressing the rounding of her hip, fingertips applying light pressure. He could almost feel her skin through the fabric, almost-

"Hey! Don't get handsy Mr. Mikaelson." Luna sputters, cheeks coloring red.

She gently pries his hand off her body, taking hold of it instead. In another setting, she wouldn't have protested, but she wasn't sure how far Finn would go, and getting felt up during a formal ball, in plain sight might be a little too inapropriate, even for her.

Finn murmurs an apology, squeezing her hand affectionately.

"Honestly Finn." Niklaus huffs in disapproval, not having missed his brother's actions.

Finn only gives him a glare, knowing full well he had done the same if the opportunity arose.

Before they could continue to squabble the sound of crystal ringing could be heard, which allowed a hush to fall over the room.

Luna retook her glass from the table. She felt a knot forming in the pit of her stomach, the evening has been building up to this moment.

All of them would drink the normal champagne and the witch would not be any wiser, not until she would try to complete the linking spell, which would ultimately fail. In that moment of shock, Finn would strike.

There had been a small spat over who would get the honor of killing the witch. But seeing as Niklaus had already killed her once, and Finn was the one who had been manipulated, he would do it.

Rebekah couldn't care about who would kill her, as long as the witch dies in the end, she was fine with it. Her affection towards her mother has passed, learning of her plans in Luna's universe, and truly experiencing what family could be like these past few days made Rebekah realize that she didn't need Esther for their family to be complete.

Luna glances around the room, eventually meeting Damon's gaze. He gives her a small smirk, raising his glass in greeting. Luna copies his movement, eyeing him carefully, not sure what he was playing at.

"I know you want to, but please don't hook up with him" Luna whispers to Rebekah.

"I'd sooner hook up with you..." Rebekah mumbles spitefully, narrowing her eyes at the Scooby gang. She had been a bit disappointed in her TV self when she saw her hooking up with Damon. In her previous ball, before getting transported, she had briefly considered sleeping with him, just to annoy Elena, but had thought better of it.

"Just give me the word, I can get naked in two seconds." Luna offers, grinning at the blonde. Her grin however turns into a pout when she sees Elijah's warning look.

"Good to know." Rebekah mutters sarcastically, her friend was looking a little too eager for her liking.

"Good Evening, ladies and gentlemen. Waiters are coming around with champagne. I invite you all to join me in raising a glass. It provides me with no greater joy than to see my family back together as one. I'd like to thank you all for being part of this spectacular evening. Cheers!"

"Cheers!" Luna says, raising her glass, clinking it with Elijah's. She glances up at the Original witch, who was quite clearly relishing in her current stance, on top of the stairs, overlooking the sea of people.

Luna shakes her head in disbelief, the way Esther was talking about her family and how happy they made her, knowing full well she was going to kill them. The woman could have become an actress.

"I hope you choke on it, bitch" Luna mutters, watching Esther raising her glass to her lips, before gulping down her own drink.

• • •

"Elena. Did you get what you want?" Damon asks, walking up to Elena with her shawl. He was impatient for her to leave, the Mikaelsons had behaved and so had he, but being in their house for too long made him feel uneasy, the sooner he and Elena were out, the better.

"Actually, yes." Elena turns around, grabbing the piece of fabric from Damon's hands.

"Good, tell me on the ride home. We're leaving. Come on." Damon grabs Elena's arm, ready to drag her out of the mansion if necessary.

"No, Damon let go of me. Look, I'm sorry that I had to cut you out of the plan." Elena sputters, freeing herself from Damon's hold.

"No, you're not sorry. You're sorry that I don't agree to your every plan, like Stefan." Damon retorts, narrowing his eyes slightly at the girl.

Elena looks a little taken back. She and Stefan were in a weird place and his comment was a little too real for her liking.

"Do you think I like going behind your back? I don't. But if I hadn't asked Stefan to help, then you would've tried to be the hero, and it would've ruined everything." Elena replies, voice raising in frustration.

"Sorry that I'm not trying to piss off every Original in town by not stealing coffins or challenging them in their own home." Damon hisses, noticing the sideway glances they were receiving.

"So now you're mad because of Stefan's retaliation? Mad that he and I are actually searching for a way to get rid of them?" Elena whispers harshly.

Discussing the Originals might not be the smartest move right now, but her emotions were taking over and the frustration from the past few weeks were coming out.

"No, I'm mad because you keep doing things which will get you killed! And I can't let that happen because I love you!" Damon blurts out, arms waving around in desperation.

"Well, maybe that's the problem." Elena comments coldly. She immediately regrets her words as she sees Damon's startled expression. "No. That's not what I-" Elena shakes her head, frantically searching for the right words.

"No, I got it, Elena. I'm only allowed to run around and go along with you and Stefan's plans like the good lapdog that I am! " Damon practically spits the words out. He takes one last glance at her face before turning around, being met by Caroline and Bonnie, who had obviously caught the last bit of their conversation.

"Have you guys seen Matt?" Caroline asks hesitantly, eyeing Damon carefully.

• • •

"Well... I'm on my way to break someone's hand." Kol whispers in a conspiring sort of tone.

"Honestly Kol." Elijah complains, rolling his eyes at his brother's bluntness.

"Well, at least I am sticking to the script." Kol retaliates. He sends Luna a roguish smirk before running up the stairs, following Matt.

"While Kol is doing that, I'm going to quickly wash my hands." Luna announces, slipping from Finn's grasp before he could protest.

Luna walks up the stairs, searching for the bathroom she had used earlier that day. "Stupid rich people, with their stupid hidden bathrooms." Luna mutters frustratedly as she opens the fifth door.

"Esther" Luna gasps, startled by the sudden appearance of the witch.

• • •

"What's taking her so long?" Niklaus grumbles while gazing intently at the top of the stairs where he had last seen his mate.

"She's washing her hands, Nik. I'm sure she can manage." Rebekah pesters, downing the rest of her glass. She was getting bored and wondered how long it would take for Kol to break Matt's hand, she was looking forward to some drama. Besides that, the time-out might be good for Kol.

"Shut up, Bekah." Niklaus snaps, glaring at his sister. So what if he was feeling a bit overprotective of his mate, he had every right to, seeing as their house was filled with vampires and witches.

• • •

"Hello Luna, I was wondering if I could have a little chat with you. I would love to get to know you a little better." Esther requests, smiling pleasantly at the girl.

Luna glances down the hall, hoping to see one of the Mikaelson siblings.

"Oh I would love to, I was just-" Luna stammers, trying to come up with a believable excuse. The last thing she wanted was to be in a room with Esther, alone.

"Luna, Please come in." Esther cuts off, her voice a little firmer now. She motions for Luna to enter her room, giving her an encouraging smile.

Luna tensed up at her tone, not trusting the witch one bit. She knew screaming or refusing would blow her cover immediately. Luna nods reluctantly, accepting Esther's invitation, and steps inside the room.

"Would you like some tea?" Esther offers while gesturing at the couch for Luna to take place.

"Oh no, thank you." Luna declines, smiling politely at Esther and taking a seat, as far away from the witch as possible.

"How are you enjoying the party?" Esther asks, taking the spot beside Luna, a little too close for Luna's liking. Luna had to resist the urge to glance at the door, she hoped that Finn would barge in and save her from this terribly uncomfortable situation.

"It's amazing, I got to dance and I've met a lot of people." Luna replies truthfully. Except for this conversation, her evening had been wonderful, even dancing with the Salvatores had been entertaining in a way.

"You like dancing?" Esther asks, looking interestedly at the girl.

"Yes, I'm not good at it, but I had a lot of fun." Luna replies bashfully, remembering how she had almost tripped during her dance with Finn.

"You will become a good dancer over time." Esther assures the girl, bringing her cup up to her lips.

Luna's shoulders slump a little in relief, Esther's vague promise meant she had no intention of killing her now.

"I see you've taken quite a shine to my eldest." Esther continues. "He is my favorite too, such a well-mannered young man, so loyal." A fond smile plays at the witch's lips. In between meeting with Elena and preparing her spell she had watched her eldest and the girl before her dance. She had seen the way her son had smiled at Luna, it almost made Esther feel bad for what she was about to do.

Luna resists the urge to frown, pretty rude of her to admit to a stranger that she favored one of her children above the others. Luna had always believed that parents should love all their children equally and unconditionally. 'You only like him best because he was the easiest to manipulate' Luna thought spitefully.

"He has been very kind to me and he's a great dancer." Luna smiles sincerely, reminiscing the loving glances they had shared during their dance.

"You like him." Esther acknowledges, smiling at the girl, taking a sip of her tea. Esther thought back to Finn's previous ladyfriend Sage, whom she had watched from the other side. She had watched Finn fall in love with the woman, a wrong choice in her eyes. Had it been otherwise, she would have loved to have Luna as a daughter-in-law.

"As I said, he's very kind, but I don't think I've known him long enough to establish any kind of romantic feelings." Luna replies, hoping her lie was convincing enough.

"And he likes you." Esther continues, ignoring Luna's objection. Esther's smile falters a little as she looks back up at Luna. "I'm sorry Luna, I'm sure you're a very nice girl, but I can't have you cloud my son's judgment. It would ruin my plans."

Before Luna can absorb Esther's words her vision becomes blurry and darkness takes over.

Chapter Text

"Good evening." Kol voices, flashing up behind Matt, who was looking around, searching for Bonnie and Caroline. "You're Rebekah's friend. We haven't met." Kol offers his hand.

A dangerous smirk was playing at his lips, besides dancing with his mate, this was going to be the highlight of his evening.

Matt carefully studies the man. At last, he steps up to him, taking hold of the offered hand. "Matt Donovan."

"Kol Mikaelson." Kol's smirk widens as he tightens his hold on Matt's hand, squeezing until he can hear bones crack under the pressure, making Matt groan in pain and drop to the floor.

"Hey, hey, hey, hey!" Damon interjects, taking in the scene before him. He hadn't been mistaken to perceive the youngest Mikaelson male to be a sadistic asshole like Niklaus.

Niklaus, who was done with waiting patiently, almost storms up the stairs, not caring about attracting weird looks from the lingering guests. The concern is legible on his face and he snuffs frantically, trying to locate Luna's scent, which is quite difficult as his house is filled with people.

Elijah, Finn, and Rebekah follow him closely, now also getting worried.

Once upstairs, they see Damon approaching their younger brother.

"Easy on the hand. Guy's a-" Damon comments.

It takes Elijah less than a second to speed over to Damon, slamming him into the nearest wall. Like his sibling, he had watched him and his brother gawk at his mate, Damon was definitely the kind of person who would harm Luna for his own gain.

"Where is she? What did you do?" Elijah bellows, thrusting his hand into Damon's chest, firmly gripping his heart.

Kol's smirk drop at the sudden change of events. He lets go of Matt's hand while eyeing the gathered group. He didn't see his mate, which sparked a sense of panic in the Mikaelson

"Ow" Damon groans, trying to keep his body as still as possible, staring at the enraged Original.

"Answer"

Niklaus, who had also flashed forward, snaps his fingers impatiently in Damon's face, waiting for his response.

"You talking about...Luna? You're barking up against the wrong tree" Damon snarls, immediately wincing as Elijah tightens his grip.

Niklaus glares fiercly at Damon, eyes tinting gold and veins webbing under his eyes.

"This is not the time to start your stand-up career. Where is she?" Elijah interjects, holding Niklaus back with his free hand.

"I..don't... know!" Damon replies, groaning in pain.

• • •

"Mother" Finn greets stiffly, entering his mother's study.

Although his demeanor is casual, his gaze frantically wanders the room, looking for a sign of his mate's presence.

Since Damon was ignorant of his mate's location, only one suspect remained. He had immediately sped towards his mother's study, not caring to inform his siblings, they would soon follow.

He suspects his mother's privacy spell to still be intact, so he deliberately left the door ajar.

Esther looks up from her grimoire, acknowledging Finn's presence.

"Finn, my dear boy. We can complete the link." Esther declares, rising from her seat, reaching for the dagger she had used earlier on the doppelganger.

"Where is she?" Finn asks, gazing intently at his mother, his voice cold and stern.

"Who are you referring to?"

"Luna, where is she? What have you done to her?" Finn growls while slowly prowling closer to his mother, eyes narrowed.

To the sound of Finn's question, the other Mikaelson men swiftly enter the room, all looking calculating at the witch in front of them.

Niklaus sniffs softly, recognizing his mate's scent. His inner vampire was frantic with his mate's absence. He figured Esther had used a cloaking spell, how clever. Niklaus rolls his eyes at his mother's predictability.

"Luna is safe, Finn. Let us complete what we've started and I shall return her to you." Esther suggests, apprehensively eyeing her children, who were all looking quite upset.

"Finn is not going to do anything. Return her to us, mother." Niklaus hisses while crouching slightly, as if ready to jump the witch.

"Watch your tone, Niklaus. I am still your mother." Esther retorts, narrowing her eyes at her son.

"Do pardon his cheek, as soon as you have returned Luna we can all take turns scolding Niklaus for his poor manners." Elijah comments dryly. Although his words were lighthearted, his tone was anything but.

"I'd never pass up on an opportunity to criticize Nik." Rebekah comments, entering the study. She had stayed behind to heal Matt's hand and make a few rude comments towards the Salvatore. She closes the door behind her, not in the mood for eavesdroppers.

Finn growls annoyed, his siblings were getting off-topic. Finn was restlessly pacing the study, snarling now and then at the mere idea of Esther hurting his Luna.

A muscle under Esther's right eye twitches, this wasn't how the evening should have gone. She hadn't thought a girl would suddenly drop in and mess up her plans. The only advantage was that she could use the girl as a pressurizing agent to get the blood of one of her children

Esther did wonder why this person was so important to them, she was clearly not a school friend as she previously claimed, but who was she to her children? Even Finn loved her, which was slightly insulting since he used to always support her, his mother.

"Finn doesn't have to do anything, I only need blood from one of you. Once I have it I shall return her to you." Esther says, eagerly grabbing the dagger from earlier, looking at her children one by one, a precarious glint in her eyes.

"Fine" Niklaus snarls. "Let us be done with this nonsense." He walks towards Esther, holding his hand out. He ignores the sharp sting of the dagger cutting his flesh, simply refusing to flinch or wince in front of his mother.

Esther is about to chant her incantation when Niklaus grabs the dagger at inhuman speed from her grasp, slams his mother against a bookcase, and holds the knife to her throat.

"You have my blood, the girl. Now!" Niklaus growls ferociously, baring his teeth at his mother.

"And don't even think about giving us one of your witchy aneurysms, do that and one of us will surely succeed in snapping your neck!" Rebekah hisses, narrowing her eyes at her mother. She was well aware of the crap witches pull on vampires and she'd rather not end the night with a headache.

Esther sighs, she did agree to return the girl once she had the blood of one of her children. She should have worded the agreement more carefully. With an almost bored gesture, she lifts the cloaking spell, revealing the girl on the loveseat in the corner of the study.

Kol is instantly distraught by the sight of his mate's unconscious form. He runs over and cradles her to his chest.

Instead of relief at the sight of his mate, Niklaus only gets more pissed off. He would usually admire a bold move against him, liking the challenge, but his mate's safety wasn't a game and he wouldn't let his mother off the hook for this.

While Niklaus is almost boiling with anger, Kol is gently snuffling at Luna's pulse point, relieved to hear her steady heartbeat, she was sleeping. He halts his nosing to gently pat her cheek in an attempt to wake her from her slumber.

Finn joins Niklaus and their mother, taking hold of the woman and forcing her into a kneeling position, readying her for her execution.

Luna slowly blinks her eyes open and is immediately met with Kol's concerned expression.

"You're awake, you're okay. Did she hurt you? Do you need anything? Asprin? Blood? Alcohol?" Kol rambles, letting his eyes travel frantically over her face, trying to read her expression.

"Kol..hey-sweetie I'm okay it's okay... I'm okay." Luna murmurs, stroking Kol's cheek, hoping to console him.

Luna looked worriedly at Kol, as if he had been the one who had gone missing instead of her. She shifts in Kol's hold sitting up straight, eyeing the other Mikaelsons. Her gaze meeting Esther's.

"For a thousand years, I've been forced to watch you. Felt the pain of every victim, suffered while you shed blood." Esther starts, still staring straight at Luna. Whatever the girl was to her children, she deserves to know the truth about the horrendous creatures that were her children. Esther hoped that would change Luna's mind about hanging around vampires. Like Elena, Luna was a girl, who didn't deserve to be exposed to the dangers of association with vampires.

Kol's jaw tightens at his mother's words. He couldn't care less that his mother didn't approve of the lifestyle that had been forced upon him, what irritated him was the way the woman was gawking at his mate. She was being insufferably pedantic towards Luna, which was enough reason for Kol to rip her throat out.

Rebekah looks at her mother only with pity. She was sorry that even now the woman on the ground would not face her own mistakes. She found it easier to blame her children.

"Even you, Elijah, with your claim to nobility, you're no better. " Esther continues, not even caring to look at her son.

Elijah merely stares at Esther, while rubbing his blood-covered hand clean with his handkerchief. The final sermon from his mother was completely unnecessary in his eyes. Like his siblings, he would have liked this whole thing to be handled as quickly as possible.

"All of you. You're a curse on this Ea-" Esther is cut off when Luna's fist meets her face.

"Ugh, shut up!" Luna groans, shaking the hand she had punched Esther with. What was it with witches and their inability to keep their mouths shut?

Luna had crawled off Kol's lap, ignoring his silent protests. Luna knew all too well where her little speech was going and she refused to watch her mates and best friend get mentally pulverized by their lewd mother.

The force of the punch knocked Esther's head to the side, a gasp can be heard.

"Bloody hell, you actually did it..." Rebekah mutters, looking incredulously at her friend with raised brows.

"Marry me." Niklaus blurts out, gazing in adoration at his mate.

"Wait-what?" Luna blinks in disbelief, thinking the exciting events of the evening addled his brain. "Nik, sweetie, I don't think this is the right time for a proposal..." Luna says as gently as she can, patting his shoulder in an awkward gesture.

"Idiot" Rebekah mutters, rolling her eyes at her brother.

"I'm going to umm, give you guys some privacy." Luna adds, making her way towards the door. Although she was pretty sure they all despised the woman, it must be difficult to kill the woman who birthed you nonetheless.

Elijah immediately follows her, grasping her waist to support her where necessary, after all, she had just regained consciousness and must have been weakened. Well, that is the argument he would use if she were to protest, in reality, he just wanted her close by.

Kol also flashes out of the room, for a change he wasn't in the mood to kill. He solely wanted to be close to his mate and bother her with his caring demeanor and hovering.

• • •

"Finn" Esther whispers, watching her eldest son prowling closer to her. She had never expected him to kill her. The whisper of his name wasn't meant as a plea for mercy, she knew none of her children were capable of mercy. She had obviously crossed some boundary she wasn't aware of and Finn had obviously informed his siblings of her plans.

"You hurt my mate." Finn growls, crouching in front of his mother, his fangs snapping near her face. "You tried to deny me of her." he accuses, his expression was full of hatred and disgust.

Esther's eyes widen, this explained quite a bit.

With a quick motion, he reaches into her chest, pulling her heart out of her body. Normally he left this method to Elijah, but breaking Esther's neck would be too tame for him.

Niklaus lets go of his grip on Esther's body and pats Finn on the shoulder. Silently showing his support. Niklaus walks up to his sister, who had also stayed quiet during the ordeal. Without exchanging words, he wraps his arms around her, silently comforting her.

• • •

"Ah, I see you've been found, great." Damon cheers sarcastically upon seeing Luna and the two Mikaelsons entering the hallway.

After Elijah had retracted his hand from Damon's chest, Damon had stayed seated on the floor. His chest ached, and he was still plagued by Elena's rotten remarks. Due to these and other factors, his motivation to immediately get up and move was extremely low.

"Why are you still here?" Elijah asks, gently pulling his mate closer to his side while narrowing his eyes at the Salvatore.

"Not much else to do." Damon admits, gently patting the big red stain on the front of his dress shirt. "How was mommy?" Damon pesters, even though he hadn't caught anything that had happened in the room, he could guess.

"Shouldn't you be carrying Elena home or something?" Kol retaliates, baring his teeth at the imposing vampire,

"She got a ride with Donovan." Damon replies, shrugging. Damon groans as he lifts himself up from the floor. Making his way towards the staircase, eyeing the Mikaelson men carefully.

Luna tugs at Elijah's sleeve, urging him to also move towards the stairs. Although a lot happened, they were still the hosts of this party and they should probably send any remaining guests home.

"Luna" Stefan greets as she, Kol, and Elijah descend the staircase. "I see you've found my brother." He comments dryly, looking pointedly at the giant bloodstain.

"That would be my doing, my apologies." Elijah offers, a small smile playing on his lips. He hadn't forgotten Damon's impolite conversing with his mate, so he couldn't feel too bad about injuring Damon.

Luna blinks, not needing any further explanation to guess what had happened.

Damon is about to complain, not liking Elijah's weak apology when he is interrupted by Niklaus's voice.

"We are not running a shelter! Salvatores, go home!" Niklaus growls while descending the staircase with Rebekah. Niklaus gestures dramatically at the door, he has seen enough of the two for one night.

Damon huffs at Niklaus, annoyed with the hybrid barking orders at him. Stefan merely rolls with his eyes, still waiting for an explanation for Damon's unkempt state. Sure, Stefan had snapped Damon's back earlier, but the stain on his shirt indicated that something a bit more dramatic had happened in his absence.

Luna turns around upon hearing Niklaus's voice, smiling softly at the hybrid.

Niklaus walks up to Luna. He gently grasps her waist, softly nosing at her cheek. Niklaus was glad that this evening was over and his mother had been dealt with. The worry he had felt when Luna was missing was terrible, he never wanted to feel that way again.

"What the fuck..." Damon whispers, he didn't know how to look. He felt like some kind of intruder in some intimate moment. He shifts his gaze uncomfortably at the ceiling, unable to perceive the hybrid, that had caused him so much nonsense and misery, as a being with actual emotions besides rage and bloodthirst.

Niklaus looks up from his nosing to see the two vampires still standing in his hall. He sends them an annoyed glare, a low rumble building in his chest. His territorial instincts were flaring up, what did those Salvatores not understand about overstaying their welcome.

Rebekah rolls her eyes, to prevent her brother from throwing a temper tantrum she quickly makes her way towards Stefan and Damon.

"Goodbye" She snaps, pushing the Salvatore brothers towards the exit.

Uncomfortably, the brothers stumbled out of the house without another word.

"Finn, are you alright?" Luna asks as she sees Finn descending the staircase. She frees herself from Niklaus' grip, carefully approaching Finn.

Finn had taken his suit jacket off and his hair was slightly messy. Besides that, she saw no direct changes. Which meant there hadn't been much of a struggle when he killed Esther.

"I am, do not worry for me, my love. Finn rumbles, stroking Luna's cheek affectionately. "No one harms my family and get's away with it."

Studying his face carefully, Luna notices his pupils were still dilated from the adrenaline. Luna throws her arms around Finn's neck, hugging him tightly. Finn buries his head in the crook of her neck, happily inhaling her scent. They had survived their first day back in town.

• • •

Luna totters up the stairs, making her way to the room Rebekah had shown her earlier. Elijah and Niklaus wanted to discuss the plans, but Luna wanted to get herself out of her dress first, it wasn't exactly a dress to relax in.

Luna undoes the necklace, carefully placing it back in its box. She kicks her heels off while browsing through the walk-in closet, searching for something comfortable to wear. Without Luna's awareness, the closet in 'her' room had been filled, stacked to the brim with brand new clothes. Luna suspects that was Rebekah's doing.

Luna opens one of the drawers, hoping to find anything different from the various luxurious-looking clothes. Luna clears her throat, looking flustered when laying her eyes on the wide variety of lingerie that was in the drawer. "You've got to be kidding me..." Luna shakes her head in disbelief. There were enough items in the drawer to start her own lingerie store.

She quickly closes the drawer, continuing her search. "Not even sweat pants." Luna grumbles softly, regretting the fact she didn't bring any clothes from her own universe. Perhaps she could bully one of the other inhabitants into borrowing her some clothes.

Luna knocks on the door to the right of her room, not knowing who the room belonged to. If no one opened, she could just have to sneak in and steal some clothes, no one needed to know. While plotting her perfect crime the door opens, revealing Elijah. He had exchanged his formal attire for a simple white button-up, she shouldn't even be surprised. Casual Elijah was still... Elijah.

"Elskan"

"Hi 'Lijah, I was wondering-umm if I could have a quick peek in your closet?" Luna asks, widening her eyes slightly at the man.

Elijah smirks upon seeing her puppy eyes and nods, Luna darts past him but halts her movements as she feels him grip her elbow.

Luna turns around, eyeing him inquisitively. Elijah doesn't say a word and leans in, capturing her lips in a kiss, something he had longed to do all day. He wraps his arms around her waist, pulling her as close as possible.

Luna happily answers the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck, smiling dreamily as he pulls back.

"I thought I'd lost you," Elijah admits, whispering the words against her skin. He presses kisses to her jaw, slowly making his way down her throat.

"You will never lose me." Luna replies simply, running her fingers through his hair.

Elijah pushes the strap of her dress off her shoulder, his hands run down her sides, pulling her closer to him.

Luna feels Elijah's hands running down her sides, his fingers pressing firmly in her skin. His kisses turning into harsh nips. While she'd love to see where this could go, she remembers that the rest of the Mikaelsons are probably waiting downstairs.

"'Lijah" Luna murmurs, gently squeezing his shoulder to cease his actions.

"I apologize, you came here with a purpose." Elijah rumbles, pressing one more kiss to her jaw before reluctantly pulling back, giving his mate a smirk that indicated he was feeling anything but repentant for his actions. He pushes the less than polite images and scenarios out of his head, regaining his sense of self.

Luna hums, not believing his apology one bit. She quickly walks over to his closet, not needing any further distractions.

"Wow, how do you ever choose?" Luna teases, as she is met with a multitude of suits, all hanging neatly, organized by color. She wouldn't be surprised if his socks were also folded.

"She's right." Elijah states, observing his mate's rummaging through his clothes.

Luna grimaces, she instantly knows who he was referring to, remembering Esther's harsh words. She shakes her head in silent disagreement while turning around to face him.

"My talk of virtue. When it suits my needs, I kill, maim, and torment. Even today, I terrorized and almost killed someone." Elijah continues, avoiding Luna's gaze.

"No, Elijah. She's wrong, unlike her you actually possess morals. I do not believe it's possible to live a thousand years as a saint and it's not something you should strive for." Luna counters. She felt anger bubble up. If the witch hadn't caught on, she would have punched her in the face again. How dare she hurt her own children like that. "Everything you've done was for your family, your loved ones."

Elijah sighs, letting his shoulder relax. She was right, his mother was just trying to mess with his head as she had surely done before.

"I will never think less of you because of your past or the actions you took to protect your own. And I'm sure Damon will live." Luna smiles, cupping his cheek. "So, no sweatpants?" Luna tries, poking Elijah's cheek.

• • •

"Luna's bitches have done it!" Kol cheers, handing Luna a glass of bourbon, shrugging when she declines, happily chugging the liquid himself.

The Mikaelsons and Luna are hanging out in the living room, taking stock of today's events. Kol was enthusiastically flashing around the room providing everyone with drinks while happily blabbering about his 'hand crushing skills'. Luna was settled on one of the couches, in between Elijah and Niklaus. Finn and Rebekah were seated on the other couch, all were dressed a little more casual.

"No, Kol. Just no." Rebekah grunts, lobbing a pillow at her brother. The last thing Rebekah wanted was for their team name to stick.

Kol makes a rude hand gesture at his sister before hurling the pillow back, into her face.

"Enough!" Finn interjects before the two of them would come to physical blows.

"What are you worrying for, love? Esther is gone." Niklaus reassures, upon seeing Luna's troubled expression. He brushes a strand of hair behind her ear before gripping her chin gently to gain her attention.

"For now." Luna mutters, pursing her lips.

"What do you mean 'for now'?" Elijah asks, furrowing his brow.

"She doesn't exactly stay dead, which is a really annoying characteristic if you ask me. The bitch has returned around three or four times in the shows." Luna elaborates.

"Fantastic" Rebekah groans in exasperation. "So if we're lucky we all get to kill her?" Rebekah deadpans.

• • •

Luna wakes up from a vivid dream, blinking to dispel the sleep from her eyes, she didn't remember when she had fallen asleep. She switches the light on beside her bed.

Luna frowns, besides herself and her stuffed animal the bed was empty. It was a bit foolish, but she didn't want to sleep alone, she had secretly taken a liking to the cuddling. With newfound energy Luna jumps out of bed, quietly sneaking into the hallway.

Once in the hallway, Luna stops to think. This was a problem, who was she going to bother with her need for cuddles? Deep in thought, Luna doesn't see a certain blonde approaching her from behind.

"Luna?" Rebekah asks, tapping Luna's shoulder. Rebekah had gone downstairs to grab some blood, last night's events had made her peckish.

Luna is startled by the unexpected voice. She turns around at an unprecedented speed to punch the intruder in the face.

"Luna! What the hell!" Rebekah shouts, gripping her face. She was pretty sure Luna had actually broken her nose. "Are you doing this on purpose?!" Rebekah grumbles.

"I'm so sorry! I punch on first instinct!" Luna shouts, looking around frantically for something to catch the blood, of course, she couldn't find anything in the dark hallway. In her haste to help her friend, she trips into one of the badly placed side tables. This resulted in a loud crash as the vase, which was apparently on top of the table, drops to the floor.

"Jesus" Rebekah groans.

"Shit" Luna mutters, stumbling away from the table, trying her best to avoid the glass splinters.

Several bedroom doors open and someone turns on the light.

"Angel?"

"Luna? What happened?"

"What's wrong little love? Why are you up?"

"Yeah sure, go ahead and ignore me and my bloody nose." Rebekah complains, still gripping her face.

Elijah also exits his bedroom, gawking in horror at the scene before him. His gaze shifts from the remains of the ten thousand dollar vase on the floor to his mate who looks bewildered at the mess on the floor, to his sister who was clutching her nose, blood dripping down her chin.

"What happened, Elskan?" Elijah asks, rubbing his face tiredly, ignoring Rebekah's indignant huffs.

"I woke up alone... And-I didn't like it. So, I went looking for you." Luna explains, now looking quite bashful. She carefully backs away from the glass, almost bumping into Rebekah.

"And then she punched me in my face." Rebekah exclaims, pointing at her face.

"I'm sorry it's stupid. I'll go back to bed." Luna mutters, ignoring Rebekah's shouting. Luna felt silly, her mates finally had normal sleeping places again and here she was whining about being alone.

"Come, love." Niklaus gently pulls Luna to his side, retreating to his room without another word to the others.

Kol takes another look at the mess, then at his sister. He was grinning gleefully at her tortured expression, before also retreating.

Finn and Elijah leave without another word, leaving Rebekah by herself.

"You've got to be kidding me." Rebekah lets out a small huff, wondering how she ended up with such a caring family before also going back to bed.

Chapter Text

"I don't know what you're growling about, Elijah! You have had your fair share!"

"Continue to bark at me like that and I will put you in a kennel."

"Don't make me grab the daggers!"

"Luna said you can't use your daggers to threaten us anymore, Nikkie!"

"Stop calling me Nikkie!"

"Do I want to know?" Luna simply blinks at the sight before her. It looked like something she had seen before. Kol and Elijah stood chest to chest, shouting and growling at each other, it sounded like she was walking past the tiger cage at the zoo. Next to the duo, Niklaus was waving his arms around while shouting heatedly at the two of them, and Finn merely scowled at his brothers, grimacing at the headache they were inducing.

When Luna awoke she found the bed was empty. Slightly disappointed, she got out of bed to look for her housemates. In the hallway, there was no trace of the destruction she had caused that night. Luna had hesitantly followed the incoherent shouting, leading her to the parlor.

"They've been at this all morning." Rebekah sighs in an almost bored tone. She had already ceased her peace-building efforts a few hours ago.

Obviously, there was no point in calming the Mikaelson men, so instead of wasting oxygen, she decided to repaint her nails, waiting for Luna to sort this out and give the men a nice long scolding.

"And what is that exactly?" Luna asks, trying to keep her tone casual. It was way too early for this, she was going to have a few cups of coffee, maybe some breakfast, and deal with this later.

"The idiots are settling on a sleeping schedule for you." Rebekah scoffs, wondering how finding their mate equated to her brothers becoming total morons.

"They are arguing over a sleeping schedule?" Luna asks, raising her brow skeptically.

"They're just being petty and territorial, again." Rebekah rolls her eyes.

A loud thumping noise and further growling noises make both girls turn their heads back to the men, who began to deal physical blows to settle their argument. Kol had pushed Elijah to the ground and now sat on top of him, dodging Elijah's flailing arms. Finn had tackled Niklaus to the floor, pulling his arm back, which incited a loud growl from the hybrid.

Luna quickly grabs her phone to snap a picture, she was definitely going to have this framed and hung on the wall. This would be a daily reminder for the Mikaelson men of their own sheer stupidity. "I'll just leave them to it." Luna declares, giving Rebekah a bright smile before heading towards the kitchen.

"What? No-Luna do something!" Rebekah shouts, pointing exaggeratedly at her brothers. Sure it was entertaining, but she cherished most of the items in their house and would rather not have them destroyed because of her brothers' raging hormones.

"Hmm, I don't think I will." Luna simply shrugs.

"Why not?" Rebekah winces as she sees Kol crashing into one of her favorite paintings, her expression darkening further when Kol retaliates by throwing a very old and very expensive vase towards Elijah.

"I don't feel like it." Luna snaps her fingers, pointing her index fingers in an imitation of handguns at the blonde. "Let them tire themselves out." She adds, turning back around.

"But-" Rebekah sputters, looking incredulous at the chaos her brothers had managed to create in the span of two minutes

"You want some coffee, Bekah?" Luna shouts over her shoulder.

• • •

"What's wrong with you? You tell me you love me and then proceed to sleep with the first girl you lay your eyes on?" Elena snaps, looking indignantly at Damon, who had just sent a random brunette home.

"Hmm, according to you, me loving you was a problem. So this is me trying to not be a 'problem'." Damon offers, giving Elena a sarcastic smile.

"So is that how it's going to be now? I hurt your feelings and this is how you lash out at me?" Elena shooting Damon an incredulous look.

Damon pours himself a glass of bourbon, something he was in dire need of when conversing with the doppelganger. He was only trying to keep her alive and this was how he was repaid, with hurtful words and judgemental looks.

"This is not me lashing out. Maybe, for once, something I did had nothing to do with you." Damon raises his glass at the brunette, before taking a big gulp.

"You should know that Esther is planning on killing her entire family. She's linked them all together with a spell. Whatever happens to one, happens to all of them." Elena offers, trying to coax a more desirable reaction out of Damon.

"Well, that's great! Klaus will finally be dead. We win." Damon fake cheers, going along with Elena. She didn't need to know that the witch wasn't killing anyone anytime soon.

"You do know that to kill Klaus she has to kill all of them, including Elijah. He doesn't deserve that." Elena protests, irritated by Damon's laconic attitude

"I'm supposed to care about Elijah? Since when are we buddies with him? Correct me if I'm wrong, but you didn't seem to mind lying to him." Damon grits, scowling at the mere idea of befriending the Mikaelsons.

Elena scoffs.

"He's right, you know. Klaus has to die. They all do." Stefan interjects, entering the living room. Stefan had heard the bickering and decided to help his brother for a change. He also still wanted to take revenge on Klaus, this way he would get both.

"See? It's democracy in action." Damon chimes in, enjoying Elena's enraged expression.

• • •

"Elijah and a wrinkly suit? The horror! Do let me know if I need to call you an ambulance" Kol jeers as he sees Elijah's sour expression.

The Mikaelsons and Luna were currently standing on the second floor. Niklaus had been insistent on giving Luna a house tour. Naturally, he wants to impress his mate with his architectural design and insights. He had reasoned almost every design choice, from chandeliers to skirting boards.

Luna had listened attentively, nodded obediently, and had even asked some questions. Niklaus had puffed his chest up in pride when his mate complimented him on the frame choices for the paintings.

Elijah, who was still annoyed with Kol's earlier attack, scowls at Kol's comment. To retaliate he gives Kol a subtle push, which results in the vampire tumbling down the stairs.

Kol growls, collects himself, and speeds back up the stairs. He is about to trip Elijah when Luna turns around, giving both men an appraising look.

Elijah flashes his mate an innocent smile, even patting Kol's shoulder good-naturedly, while Kol only scowls at him, 'noble brother, my ass'.

Niklaus glares at his brother from over Luna's head, their bickering was distracting his mate from admiring his work.

Finn did not interfere with his brothers' childish matters. He held Luna's hand very contentedly, staring at her unabashedly.

Rebekah stood by, shaking her head, wondering if maybe she'd rather lay in her casket after all

• • •

"He was gloating. Like actual gloat. Like he was proud of himself for sleeping with that stupid girl. Is it working?" Elena huffs annoyed, glaring at the memory of Damon's smug smile.

Caroline opens the door, entering the bedroom.

"It's not working. I can hear every word you're saying about Damon, the vampire gigolo." She snaps annoyed. She has been in the bathroom long enough, in her opinion.

"I don't know, it's a tricky spell." Bonnie gives Caroline an apologetic smile.

"When Esther did it, she kept the sage burning. There was a lot more smoke." Elena suggests, shrugging.

"Alright." Bonnie sighs, relighting the sage. "Try it again." Bonnie gives Caroline an encouraging look to reenter the bathroom

"No. Elena, your turn to play the eavesdropper." Caroline says, demonstratively planting herself on Elena's bed. She had heard enough of Elena's whining about Damon. She knew she had to be supportive as a friend, but her nagging about Damon irritated her.

• • •

"I always had my suspicion you guys are kinky... but this is next level." Luna comments dryly, gazing at the various tools that adorned the walls of the extensive torture chamber.

Finn frowns slightly at his mate's comment. About 900 years ago, unless you were a prisoner, a bunch of chains would be the last thing you'd find in a bedroom. Like Kol, he too hadn't had much time to explore the house since waking from his 'slumber'. The torture room was as much as a surprise to him as it was to his mate.

"Do you also use these in the bedroom?" Luna asks, poking one of the iron cuffs. She glances between the Mikaelsons, a dangerous smirk playing at her lips.

"Would you like that, love?" Niklaus rumbles, smirking back. He certainly wasn't against getting creative in the bedroom.

Elijah clears his throat awkwardly while tugging at his tie.

Luna is about to make a terribly inappropriate comment when Rebekah interrupts. "Jesus-stop it!" Rebekah groans, gagging dramatically. If she even hears the faintest clanking of metal these upcoming days she would set the mansion and herself on fire.

Kol burst into hysterical laughter, already picturing ways to further vex his sister.

"Wait! Before we proceed, Luna are you sure you don't want to punch me in my face again? I mean we are in the appropriate room after all." Rebekah snarks, narrowing her eyes at the brunette.

"Well, if you're offering..." Luna shrugs.

"I'm not offering! I was being sarcastic." Rebekah snaps, giving her friend an annoyed look.

"I said I was sorry! Jeez someone's touchy." Luna pouts.

"You broke my nose!" Rebekah retorts, swinging her arms around like a madwoman.

"You almost made me pee myself out of fright! So I guess that makes us even." Luna retaliates, glaring at the blonde.

"Hmm, you're so pretty when you argue with Bekah." Kol hums, twirling a strand of Luna's hair around his fingers.

Rebekah rolls her eyes, her brothers have developed a talent for making the most random things mushy and romantic.

"Now that that's settled and you've had an extensive house tour..." Elijah interjects, shooting Niklaus and Rebekah an annoyed look. "Let's discuss more pressing matters. Come, Elskan." Elijah places one of his hands on Luna's back, slaps Kol's hand away with the other, and escorts Luna back upstairs.

Elijah settles himself and his mate on one of the couches, handing her a small stack of papers.

"A deed?" Luna blinks unbelieving at the top paper.

"Yes, there is no way we will let vampires wander into this house whenever they feel like it." Niklaus scoffs, offended by the mere idea of unnecessarily endangering his mate. He was very much capable of protecting his Luna, thank you very much.

"Salvatores." Kol coughs, grinning as he sees Luna rolling her eyes at his dramatics.

"Sure." Luna agrees, knowing she couldn't protest this. It was a good idea.

"Is there no need for a notary to be present?" Luna asks, looking unsurely at Elijah, who was already placing a pen in her hand.

"No, Elijah here had registered himself as a notary a few years ago as a hobby. Quite tedious if you ask me, but now it is of good use." Niklaus reassures, ignoring Elijah's annoyed snarl.

"Before I sign this, you might want to...step outside. I'm not sure of what will happen when I sign this. In the show, Elijah couldn't breathe and had to flee the house, and later in the show, vampires were sucked out of the house like a vacuum. Whatever it is ... it's not pleasant." Luna winces at the idea of the Mikaelsons suffocating in their own house, no matter how briefly.

Begrudgingly, Kol stands up, making his way towards the exit, followed by the rest.

Luna looks at the paper and sighs. She wonders briefly when her house would be emptied and sold, or whether it would stay empty for months to come. No, she was here now, there was no use dwelling on her previous life.

With a newfound certainty, she put her scribble at the bottom of the paper. Luna was now the proud owner of the Mikaelson mansion.

• • •

"Esther is dead." Damon announces, looking at Stefan to gauge his reaction.

Stefan frowns. "How do you know?" He asks, crossing his arms, leaning against one of the book-covered walls.

"Last night, when I had that...little tussle with Elijah. He was looking for Luna. Apparently, she was with mommy Original. And judging by the way he almost ripped my heart out, I think we can assume they didn't let Esther live." Damon reasons, looking quite pleased with his detecting skills.

"Why do you think they would kill their mother in favor of a human?" Stefan asks, not understanding.

"Beats me, but it's safe to say Esther's whole 'let's kill my children plan' is discontinued." Damon shrugs.

"Why didn't you tell Elena earlier?" Stefan asks, narrowing his eyes suspiciously at Damon.

"Why do you think? I can't have her working against us."

"Us?" Stefan raises his eyebrows, giving his brother a skeptical look.

"Yes, us. I like you on my team. Must have driven her nuts, the way you agreed with me earlier." Damon taunts.

"What's our plan?" Stefan asks, giving in. He didn't care what Elena wanted, the Originals had to die. The sooner the better.

• • •

"Luna, sweetheart. It has been twenty minutes. Have you lost the pen?" Niklaus shouts at the closed door, impatiently pacing. This was ridiculous, how long did his mate need to put down one signature. He had the suspicion that his mate was playing a game with them.

"Oh god, what if she accidentally stabbed herself with the pen and is dying on the couch?" Kol chimes in, looking panic-stricken at that highly unlikely scenario. "We can't get in to heal her!" Kol speeds up to the front door, frantically knocking on it.

"She better not, I paid for that couch!" Rebekah scoffs, not believing Luna could be this dumb.

"Please. You've never paid for anything in your life." Elijah deadpans, also skeptical about Kol's far-fetched theory.

"I hardly see how that's relevant." Rebekah retorts, looking down at her nails.

• • •

"You want to dagger them." Stefan comments, looking apprehensively at the dagger Damon was presenting.

"Esther may be dead, but they are still linked. One goes down, they all go down. We stash them back in their little boxes, and Elena won't whine about Elijah, problem solved." Damon smirks triumphantly, casually waving the dagger around.

"Dagger is lethal to any vampire who uses it." Stefan comments. So far this was his only objection to Damon's dangerous plan. If this worked, they would finally be rid of the troublesome Mikaelsons, something Stefan has wished for since their arrival.

"Well, I just so happen to know some people who are crazy enough to give it a shot."

• • •

"It has been three hours!" Niklaus's voice gets louder with each word he speaks. He was looking thoroughly annoyed with everything and everyone, except for his mate of course. He could never be angry with her. Frustrated? Sure. Exasperated? Of course, but never angry.

He frustratedly taps his foot, his arms were crossed and he was glaring furiously at the door, the one obstacle that was separating him from his mate.

"Please let us in, Angel." Kol whines, dramatically flopping himself down on the gravel in front of the house.

The door finally opens. There is Luna, holding a plate of freshly baked cookies, chewing happily on the sweet treat. "Oh, hey guys." She greets cheerfully.

"Angel!" Kol exclaims. In Kol's enthusiasm to see his mate again, he speeds towards her, slamming himself up against the barrier, landing on his behind.

"Kol...this is getting embarrassing" Elijah lets out a suffering sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Kol makes a rude gesture towards Elijah, before pouting at his mate.

"Hey, guys?... That's what you say after making us wait three hours?!" Rebekah snaps, giving her friend the most vicious glare she could muster.

"Three hours? Wow...that movie was a lot longer than I anticipated... whoops." Luna blushes a little, looking down at her fuzzy socks. "Cookie?" She offers, shooting them an apologetic smile.

"Yes please." Finn replies simply, catching the multitude of cookies his mate tossed at him. Besides being the more level-headed one of his siblings, he could also be praised for his patience. He was just happy to see his mate again, it would be better if she would let him near her, but this would do for now.

"You watched a movie?! Without us?!" Kol asks incredulously, still sitting on the floor and looking thoroughly offended at this revelation.

"You made cookies... that's why you left us waiting?!" Niklaus growls at the same time, not even trying to hide his irritation at this point.

"See, I wanted to invite you in, but I got distracted... and seeing your expressions now, it might be better if you take a few more minutes to... calm down. Touch some grass, enjoy the fresh air, do some family bonding." Luna clears her throat awkwardly before slamming the door shut again.

Kol stares dumbfounded at the door that was just slammed in his face. He gives his siblings an incredulous expression.

"Shit, shit, shit." Luna curses, pacing furiously near the door. She had honestly forgotten about the Mikaelsons who had been waiting in front of their own home. She had been too busy exploring Niklaus's studio and the big kitchen.

After five minutes of quietly freaking out, she crawls towards one of the windows, pressing herself up against the wall. Luna carefully pokes her head out to look at the Mikaelsons through the window.

They weren't doing much. Finn was eating the cookies he was handed earlier, Kol was still sitting on the ground, looking as though he was just scolded, probably by Elijah. Elijah was merely looking at the house, Rebekah was throwing pebbles at Kol's head, and Niklaus was pacing agitatedly.

"We can see you, Elskan." Elijah comments, amusement evident in his voice. He chuckles as he sees Luna's startled expression, her face immediately disappearing from view.

"Fuck" Luna whispers, feeling a blush creep on her cheek. "Are you guys... chill again?" Luna shouts, carefully sneaking another peek

"We're...chill." Elijah voices, not liking the strange word, probably slang from Luna's universe he reasons.

"I don't believe you. Nik! Are you less growly?" Luna asks, she was all too familiar with Niklaus' temper and she would rather have him throwing his tantrum outside of the house than inside.

Niklaus rolls his eyes good-naturedly. "Yes, love. I am perfectly chill." He assures, though looking quite exasperated. At this point, he would promise his mate anything, as long as he got to go inside again. He flashes his mate a half-smile half-grimace, trying to convince her.

Luna frowns, wholly underwhelmed by Niklaus' expression.

Shaking her head slightly she reopens the door. The Mikaelsons were already gathered near the entrance, ready to step in as soon as Luna invited them.

"Rebekah, please come in." Luna offers.

Rebekah gives her brothers a triumphant smile, before swiftly making her way into the house, taking the plate Luna was still holding.

"Finn, would you like to come in?"

"It would be my pleasure." Finn offers, speeding towards his mate, nosing at her cheek in greeting. He rumbles happily and presses a chaste kiss on her jaw before stepping inside.

"Elijah, Kol, you can come in."

As soon as Luna spoke those words, Kol sped forward, barreling into his mate herding her away from his brothers. He greedily nuzzles at her neck nipping at her throat in retaliation for making him wait for three hours.

Elijah rolls his eyes at Kol's dramatics, waiting patiently for his turn to greet his mate.

"Typical." Niklaus huffs in annoyance, glaring at his brothers who were all chuckling at Niklaus's inconvenience.

"Niklaus, please come in." Luna grins. She enjoyed provoking the hybrid, but she was starting to feel bad for him.

Niklaus walks over to Luna, still scowling slightly.

Luna wraps his arms around his neck, giving him an apologetic smile before pressing her lips against his.

Niklaus' thoughts of chastising his brothers are long forgotten as he happily wraps his arms around Luna, stealing another kiss.

• • •

"What's next on the agenda?" Finn asks, looking at his mate for an answer.

"What?" Luna asks, clearly confused to see the Mikaelsons looking expectantly at her. She uncomfortably rubs her hands together.

"We assume that the Salvatores and co. are plotting our deaths. I mean in the show that's pretty much all they do, right?" Niklaus asks, grabbing Luna's hand and pressing a kiss to her palm.

Luna looks away from Niklaus's piercing gaze. She does not understand how, after several days, she still got discomposed by certain looks or actions of the men.

"Damon probably knows that you guys killed Esther... but they will think that you guys are linked, which is an advantage. Damon still has one of the silver daggers. Knowing Damon, I'm pretty sure he wants to take one of you guys out, hoping the rest of you will also drop dead. " Luna starts, gazing at the Mikaelsons, at lack of response she continues.

"So I say, we let them. This way we can steal the dagger back, which means no more involuntarily naps for you guys. I think Kol and Niklaus should go to the Grill, enjoy a drink, and wait for them to approach you." Luna suggests.

"Can we kill them?" Kol asks.

"Don't kill Alaric, he already has some ring drama going on." Luna warns, giving Kol a pointed look. "But you can snap Damon's neck for all I care."

"Niklaus, you should stop talking about your curricular activities, your violent ways are rubbing off on our little mate." Elijah comments, giving his brother a pointed look.

Niklaus sniffs haughtily, knowing full well Elijah could be just as bad, if not worse.

"While you guys do that, Elijah, Finn, and I are going on a little trip to the Lockwood caverns, where the last dagger is hidden." Luna continues.

"No, we are not letting you endanger your safety for a mere dagger." Elijah protests instantly, placing a hand on Luna's thigh as if that move could prevent her from moving.

"Nice try, but you guys can't enter it, only humans can." Luna retorts. "It's only one small task, Kol and Niklaus will be distracting most of the scooby gang, so it should be fine." Luna assures, squeezing Elijah's hand, hoping to ease his mind.

"What about me? What can I do?" Rebekah asks, wanting to contribute to their safety.

Luna thinks for a moment, then a big grin appears on her face.

"Rebekah... how do you feel about arson?"

Chapter Text

"There has been white oak in Mystic Falls all this time?!" Kol exclaims indignantly. His face was all astonishment and loathing as he glared at Niklaus.

"Nik, what the hell?!" Rebekah shouts simultaneously. She was close to banging Niklaus's head into the nearest wall to slam some sense into him. With all of Niklaus' money and minions, she'd thought he'd done at least some research before settling his whole family in a town with an entire bridge made out of the one thing that could kill them.

"I'm sorry am I supposed to have a white oak radar? A white oak detection system?!" Niklaus snaps, not liking the fact that his family blamed him for something that was beyond his control.

In response, Rebekah hurls one of her shoes at Niklaus' head.

"That was totally uncalled for!" Niklaus shouts.

Judging by the way Niklaus had dodged the shoe quite deftly, Luna was fairly certain Rebekah had thrown shoes at her brothers before.

"You could have gotten us killed, you moron!" Rebekah deadpans, tempted to throw her second shoe, hoping this one would hit the target.

"You are fighting, again... what a surprise." Luna deadpans, calmly sipping her coffee. She snuggles herself further up in Elijah's side. He contentedly curls around her nosing at her jugular, clearly not in the mood to interfere with his siblings' squabble.

"When you are finished abusing Nik, Rebekah, please do not forget to clean up the ashes from the sign." Luna offers, insistent on not paying any further attention to the arguing siblings.

• • •

"You do not need a bat, darling." Elijah mutters, shaking his head at his mate, who was merrily swinging the weapon around.

"You may never know when it comes in handy." Luna shrugs, flashing him an innocent smile.

Elijah sighs, taking the bat from her hand and holding it for her, she had accidentally hit his knee one too many times for his liking. With his free hand, he takes hold of hers, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles.

"Couldn't they hide the damn thing in a more easily accessible place? Perhaps in a safe? Like normal people?" Kol grumbles. He had successfully bullied Finn into letting him escort Luna instead.

Finn had rolled his eyes and wanted to chastise Kol but decided it wouldn't be worth it. After all, he would have Luna in his bed that night, he made sure to rub that fact into Kol's face before agreeing.

"It's pretty smart, the whole no vampires allowed thing." Luna admits. "It is however insane that you guys have actually been in the caverns in your human time, that you've left your mark." Luna adds, remembering the flashback where Rebekah had carved their names into one of the walls.

"Yes, back then Rebekah had already been a fan of vandalism." Elijah comments dryly.

• • •

"Should have brought marshmallows." Rebekah mutters, looking at the burning bridge.

She felt quite smug about her accomplishment, she had dug the sign out of the ground and thrown it into the fire. This way all the ashes would end up in the water, seeing as the last thing Rebekah wanted was to vacuum a patch of grass.

• • •

"I'm sorry." Niklaus suddenly speaks up. The brothers had been sitting at the bar in silence, both sipping their drinks, waiting docilely on their attackers. Niklaus turns his head, looking at Finn, who had been toying with one of the beer mats.

Finn turns to meet Niklaus's gaze. He hadn't spent time alone with Niklaus since waking and felt a bit uneasy. Finn inclines his head, motioning for Niklaus to continue.

"I know my words can't undo the suffering, but I say this with utmost sincerity, I had no right to leave you in that box, to decide over your life, and to shut you out as I did. I'm sorry and I'll spend the rest of my life looking for ways to make up for what I have done." Niklaus nods as if confirming his own apology, repentance visible on his face.

"Thank you, Niklaus, for your apology I appreciate it, but I don't want you to suffer for my forgiveness." Finn starts hesitantly, he had never been this open towards Niklaus. "I want you to know that every time that I close my eyes, I go back to that black horizon. That place where I was abandoned and forgotten by my own family. I never want to experience that pain and loneliness again." Finn confesses. Finn looks away from Niklaus, grabs his glass, and smiles sadly at the molten ice cubes.

"But things are getting better." Finn looks back up at Niklaus, giving him a small smile. "And I intend on spending the rest of my life alongside my siblings and our mate." Finn nods, patting Niklaus' shoulder.

"As do I... brother." Niklaus replies simply. This was the first time in a long time he had called Finn his brother without a sense of contempt or mockery, and it felt good.

• • •

"Fuck!" Kol curses, tripping over a random root, almost landing face first in the mud.

"Now you know what it's like to live with you." Elijah deadpans, smirking at Kol's trouble.

Luna sees how Kol silently repeats Elijah's remark, pulling an annoyed expression. Luna stifles a giggle.

"You're in an exceptionally good mood, 'Lijah." Luna remarks, looking up at Elijah, who was looking surprisingly delighted while walking through the forest in his very expensive attire.

Elijah smiles down at his mate, squeezing her hand. "I am taking an evening stroll with my beautiful mate and vexatious little brother to retrieve one of the last weapons that can be used against us, of course, I am in a good mood." Elijah points out, pressing a kiss to Luna's hand.

Kol scoffs, aiming the flashlight directly at Elijah's face. Elijah gives him a disapproving look, squinting his eyes against the bright light.

"Man-child." Luna mutters, shaking her head slightly as she removes the flashlight from Kol's grasp.

• • •

"Yeah, they're here and they've drunk their way through half the Grill's liquor supply." Alaric whispers into his phone, carefully eyeing the Mikaelson men at the bar.

"Good. It'll be easier if they're wasted." Damon replies.

"Are you sure this will work?" Alaric asks while wondering briefly why he kept endangering his own life.

"Of course it will! You only need to stab one of them. Donovan is already in the alley, it will work." Damon assures.

• • •

"Please be careful, Elskan." Elijah mumbles, pressing a tender kiss to his mate's forehead.

Rolling his eyes, Kol leans in, pressing a kiss on Luna's cheek, before stepping back.

"Don't worry, it will only take a minute." Luna reassures, squeezing Elijah's hand one last time before entering the cavern.

Luna lets the light of the flashlight slide over the walls, looking around skittishly. She didn't like the dark and unknown and she started to regret her offer but knew Rebekah and her mates would be safer if they had the last dagger in their hands. A moment of discomfort was a small sacrifice if it meant that their enemies could not kill them anymore.

Luna enters the open space and sees Esther's casket. She shivers at the thought that the Original witch had been in there for a thousand years. 'That can't be too fresh.'

"Luna! Is it going well? Are you safe?" Kol's shouting can be heard as easily as though he had been standing next to her, his lung capacity was proven to be quite impressive.

Luna jumps slightly and then shakes her head in disbelief, how was this man over a thousand years old?

"I am fine, Kol." Luna shouts back, slowly creeping closer to the casket. She didn't know why but she wanted to have a closer look.

"Do you already have the dagger? This has been more than a minute!" Kol shouts again, voice somewhat whiny. Luna hears a vague thump and a groan. Which probably meant Elijah had done something to shut Kol up.

"I'm looking for it! Have some patience, will you?!" Luna shouts back, backing away from the casket to search for the rock where the dagger was supposed to be hidden.

After turning over almost every stone without a result, Luna realizes that the Scooby gang must have collected it to increase their chances of success tonight.

Luna gets back to her feet and sprints towards the exit. She is almost at the end of the tunnel when she crashes into Elijah.

Elijah catches Luna around the waist, steadying her. He stares at Luna's worried expression. "What's wrong, Elskan?" Elijah asks, concerned to see his mate getting paler by the second.

"We have to go to the Grill, now. They have two daggers!" Luna explains while pulling at Elijah's sleeve, urging him to move.

• • •

"Is that..." Finn asks, trailing off as he sees Niklaus' dark look.

Niklaus didn't need another one of his brothers scolding him for his previous crush on the blonde, Kol was more than sufficient in that department.

Niklaus eyes the blonde suspiciously as she heads in his direction. Judging by the way Caroline had rejected him in the past, he hardly believed she was suddenly interested in his company, not that it would matter to Niklaus, seeing as he only had eyes for his beloved mate.

"Klaus." Caroline greets stiffly, barely acknowledging Finn. She had to keep her focus on the hybrid, seeing as she was supposed to lure him away.

"Caroline, how nice to see you again. I do hope you enjoyed the ball." Niklaus greets politely.

"It was lovely." Caroline replies, forcing a polite smile. She glances briefly at Alaric, not sure how to continue this awkward conversation.

This action does not go past the hybrid and he narrows his eyes slightly.

He is about to comment on Caroline's shifty behavior when he sees Luna bursting through the door, followed by Elijah.

Niklaus frowns at the sight of his mate and brother, this wasn't part of the plan. The Grill was the last place where he wanted Luna to be. Luna's expression appeared calm, but Niklaus noticed the panicked look in her eyes.

With big strides, Luna makes her way towards Finn and Niklaus. She walks past Caroline, barely noticing the blonde, and throws herself into Niklaus' arms, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her lips to his ear.

Niklaus automatically wraps his arms around her waist.

At the same time, Elijah bumps strategically into a passing waiter, letting a trayful of glasses hit the floor so his mate wouldn't be overheard by the blonde vampire.

"They have two daggers. Alley" Luna whispers, making use of the momentary chaos. She hoped Nikalus would understand her vague message.

Niklaus responds by pressing a kiss to Luna's jaw, silently thanking her for her warning.

Caroline stares at the scene before her, ignoring the shards of glass at her feet. She didn't understand why Luna was in such a rush. Could she suspect something?

As on cue, Luna pulls herself free from Niklaus' arms. "Thank you so much for the new car! You shouldn't have! We're going to take a test drive!" Luna giggles, hopefully, loud enough for Caroline and Alaric to hear.

With that, she presses a kiss to Niklaus' cheek and walks off. Luna hoped her little performance was convincing enough so that Alaric and Caroline would continue their plan. The Mikaelsons needed those daggers, the sooner the better.

Elijah follows his mate after handing the waiter a generous amount of money, to compensate for the damage.

Elijah and Luna walk towards the side of the restaurant, joining Kol, who was pacing anxiously. "What now?" Kol asks, glancing briefly over luna's shoulder to look at the back door of the Grill.

"If Nik understood my message, they should lure them to the alley, where we can hopefully ambush them and grab the daggers."

"We? No. No way. You are staying here. Safe." Kol objects.

"Kol"

"Nope, your puppy eyes are not going to work this time, Angel. They are armed and you're a human." Kol protests, putting a halt to Luna's pouting.

"Alright, leave me here." Luna grumbles, she didn't like that she couldn't help them, but she also understood that she couldn't compete with the hunter and a vampire. As it looked now, the brothers only had to take on Caroline and Alaric, which should be easy in itself.

"As soon as we're home you shall receive my undivided affections and devotion." Elijah comforts, caressing Luna's cheek, he too wasn't thrilled with the idea of leaving Luna alone.

Luna smiles softly, leaning into his touch. Their little moment gets interrupted by the sound of a door opening. Luna blinks and the two Originals have left her side. Luna huffs, leaning against the wall, waiting.

• • •

"Let's go!" Damon shouts, tossing a stake at Stefan, barely missing his face.

"What?" Stefan asks, looking startled at the piece of wood that had almost smacked him in his face.

"Apparently a certain noble Original is lurking near the Grill. Alaric has asked for some backup." Damon replies, already stepping outside.

Stefan gets up with a sigh. 'Could nothing ever go according to plan?'

• • •

"Kill me already." Alaric huffs, not in the mood for Niklaus' mind games.

"I don't think I will. See, you have a patron saint. For some reason, unbeknownst to me, that person wants to keep you alive and sane." Niklaus taunts, pushing Alaric through the back door. He has a tight hold on Alaric's arm, which was twisted behind his back.

Finn and Caroline walk behind the duo. One dark look from Finn was enough to tell the blonde not to try anything stupid. Meredith had been sent home by Niklaus with the promise of an agonizing death if she were to try anything stupid.

Alaric and Caroline had made small talk with the two brothers, hoping to lure them into a false sense of security. Losing his patience because neither were taking the bait, Alaric had shot forward, trying to stab Finn in his heart. Niklaus had intervened in tme. He had gripped Alaric's wrist, nearly crushing his bones and took the dagger from him, tucking it away safely.

Alaric snorts incredulously. He no longer believed in patron saints, also the thought of the big bad hybrid taking requests from anyone seemed far-fetched.

Once through the door, Finn breaks Caroline's neck and carefully places her body against the wall, sitting her upright. Although he had just killed her, there was no harm in being gentle with her unconscious form, she was still a lady after all.

Alaric looks on in surprise, not understanding Finn's motive for treating the enemy so nicely.

"Now, where is that last pesky dagger, hunter?" Niklaus asks, shoving Alaric to one of the walls, hand gripping his throat. He had waited long enough, no more small talk until the last dagger was safely in their possession.

"You said you wouldn't-" Alaric sputters, trying to ease Niklaus' iron grip on his throat.

"I said I wouldn't kill you. However, there was nothing said about severely mutilating." Niklaus interrupts, giving Alaric a devilish smile, baring his canines, eyes tinting gold.

All of a sudden, a stake is shot into Niklaus's side, provoking a loud growl from the hybrid. "Oh look, it's the quarterback." Niklaus grunts, removing the stake with his free hand.

Finn looks up, recognizing Rebekah's date from last night's party with some sort of rifle standing at the end of the alley.

Without a second thought, Matt fires another stake, aiming it at Finn's chest. Although this wouldn't kill him, it would give them enough time to dagger one of the Mikaelsons. Luckily, Matt's aim was a bit off.

Finn grunts as the stake pierces his abdomen, he yanks the stake out of his stomach, glaring menacingly at the human. Finn speeds towards the human, ready to knock him down when Damon appears out of nowhere, lunging himself at the Original. Damon tackles Finn to the ground and lands a few punches in Finn's face before he is thrown off by the Original.

Simultaneously Niklaus gets ripped away from the hunter. Niklaus groans as he is being slammed against one of the walls. "Hello, old friend." Niklaus grits, blocking Stefan's attempt to stake him.

Further attack attempts from Stefan's side are halted when he is abruptly pulled away from the hybrid by Elijah.

Kol also runs into the alley, roughly pushing Matt aside to aid his brothers. Matt stumbles before finding his footing again. He aims his weapon and fires a stake at Kol's back.

Kol lets out a cry of pain and collapses. His skin turns grey and veins were appearing on his skin.

The Salvatores, Alaric, and Matt are baffled when they realize the other Mikaelsons don't fall to the floor, which means they weren't linked. Their whole plan was based on the fact that they only had to kill one Original, but to kill them all would be a daunting task.

Finn uses Damon's derivative state to snap his neck, unceremoniously dropping his body to the ground.

Niklaus quickly kicks Alaric in his knee, making the hunter drop to the ground. Niklaus has one hand on Alaric's jaw, the other around the back of his head, ready to break his neck if necessary.

"Kill him already!" Stefan shouts over his shoulder, referring to Finn, who was closest to Matt. Stefan had thrown Elijah against the wall, he was about to stake him when he suddenly sees Matt collapsing.

Stefan's grip on the Original loosens and Elijah seizes his chance to throw Stefan to the ground.

Elijah looks up to see what had distracted Stefan. Standing next to Matt's body was Luna. She wore a furious expression, her bat raised.

Luna glances at Kol's unconscious body, expression softening slightly.

She had looked on from the alley. Seeing Kol being shot in the back was enough motivation for her to get out of her hiding spot. She knew she couldn't compete with Alaric, much less Stefan, but she was confident she could handle Matt. At work, she'd handled plenty of assholes his size. Besides that, she thought the boy was getting a bit too cocky with his weapon.

"I'll hold on to that." Luna grins triumphantly, grabbing the silver dagger that fell from Matt's pocket. "Now... you were saying?" Luna asks, shooting Stefan a sarcastic smile.

"Why did you do that? Matt is a human!" Stefan shouts, still laying on the ground.

"Human or not, he killed Kol." Luna snaps. Glaring briefly at the boy at her feet. Knocking minors unconscious was a new experience for Luna. "Don't worry, he'll wake up. Now I suggest you stop this nonsense. You've had your fun, be grateful that all of your friends will wake." Luna continues, not taking her eyes of the vampire.

Stefan looks over his shoulder at Finn, Elijah, and Niklaus. All of them had backed off, giving both Stefan and Alaric some space.

Stefan narrows his eyes slightly, he hadn't expected the Originals to take directions from a human.

"Thank you." Alaric offers awkwardly, not sure what else to say in this situation. He wasn't sure who the girl was, but he was fairly certain this was the patron saint Niklaus had mentioned earlier.

Alaric glances at Damon's body, he would be sure to scold him later on for leaving out crucial information about the newcomer.

• • •

"What the hell happened?" Rebekah shouts, seeing Finn walk in with Kol draped over his shoulder. "Did-did you steal a car?!" Rebekah asks, looking at the unfamiliar vehicle that was parked haphazardly on their driveway.

"It wasn't my idea..." Luna mutters, looking pointedly at Niklaus.

"Sweetheart, for the last time, I wasn't going to let you walk home. Your little legs would give out." Niklaus retorts, giving his mate a pointed look. She had been quite fussy when Niklaus had broken the window of the random car. 

"My little legs have nothing to with this." Luna grumbles, stomping over to the couch, dropping the bat she was still clutching on the carpet. "It's illegal." She huffs.

"So is murdering people." Niklaus replies, grinning at his mate. She seemed to occasionally forget that she was living with serial killers, which he found rather amusing. Niklaus makes a beeline for the fridge, grabbing a couple of blood bags.

Finn drops Kol's body in the spot next to Luna before taking a seat on her other side.

Luna fondly brushes her fingers through Kol's hair. She didn't like seeing him like this, so lifeless. The thought that he might die for real one day hurt her. Luna smiles when she sees the color returning to Kol's face.

Finn saw Luna's sad expression. He carefully pulls her onto his lap. Holding her tightly, he whispers reassuring words in her ear.

Luna turns her head, smiling gratefully at Finn. Leaning in she presses a kiss to his lips.

Finn looks taken back at this sudden display of affection. He knew she had kissed Niklaus before, but didn't expect her to kiss him anytime soon. He had resolved to be patient with Luna. It had been over 900 years since his last kiss and this peck didn't compare to any other he had received. This kiss, however small, made his heart flutter.

Luna's giggles took him out of his dream state. Greedily he pushes his head closer to hers and pressed his lips to hers. Although the kiss was soft and tender there was an underlying hunger coming to the surface. Finn rumbles happily, grip tightening around Luna's waist. One of Luna's hands run through the short strands of his hair, the other cupping his cheek.

"Get a room!" Rebekah shouts as she reenters the living room. The last thing she wanted to see was her brother getting it on with her best friend, gross. She hoped Kol would wake soon, she was dying to hear about this night's events.

Luna gives Finn one more peck before turning around to face the blonde.

"Don't worry, we will." Luna assures her, smirking as she sees Rebekah gagging.

"We will?" Finn asks, giving Luna a roguish smirk, looking expectantly at his mate.

"We will." Luna repeats, winking at Finn. Luna giggles as she sees Niklaus's annoyed expression.

"You will what?" Kol groans as he sits upright. He frowns as he tries to reach the sore spot on his back where he had been staked.

• • •

"They are definitely not linked." Stefan announces as soon as both Damon and Caroline had regained consciousness. "And they have our only weapon against them." Stefan deadpans, glaring annoyedly at his brother.

Stefan and Alaric had dragged Caroline, Matt, and Damon to Elena's house. Bonnie was with Elena that night to keep her busy. She knew nothing about the plan, only that she had to distract her friend. Bonnie had been surprised when the three unconscious bodies were dragged inside, wondering what kind of trouble they had caused this time.

"How are they not linked? They drank all drank the champagne. Esther assured me that would link them." Elena wonders, glancing between Stefan and Damon, hoping they would know the answer. She was relieved to learn that Elijah wouldn't die if they killed Niklaus, but was angry that she wasn't involved in this plan.

"I don't know Elena! If I knew I wouldn't have attempted to ambush four freaking Originals!" Damon shouts, still grouchy from his neck-snap-nap.

"Don't be an ass, Damon." Caroline snaps.

"Shut it, blondie. You were of no use." Damon retaliates, glaring at the blonde, who had spent the totality of the fight on her ass.

"How come they didn't just kill you guys?" Bonnie interjects, looking quite unimpressed with the entirety of their plan. She was glad she wasn't involved in this, she had risked her own life often enough going against Niklaus.

"Good question Bon Bon, but what I want to know is where those other two Originals came from? We could have handled two of them for sure. How the hell did they know what we were up to?" Damon asks, arms flailing around in frustration.

"Maybe they've acquired themselves a little good luck charm..." Stefan comments, raking his brain for possible answers.

"Are you talking about Luna?" Damon asks, vividly remembering the new girl from the dance that was paraded extensively by the Originals.

"The girl with the bat?" Alaric asks while stomping Damon for leaving him in the dark about this newcomer.

"Ow." Damon groans, rubbing his arm and shooting Alaric an annoyed look.

He gets up to rummage through Elena's cabinets, clearly searching for something to soothe his bruised ego.

"Wait, she was there?" Elena asks, looking from Caroline to Stefan.

"She was in the Grill earlier, she could have warned them?" Caroline offers, glancing at Alaric for confirmation.

Alaric, however, only frowns trying to make sense of the events of this evening.

"How could she have possibly known of our plan?" Damon sighs exasperatedly, close to smashing the glass he was holding. He didn't know what was going on with the Mikaelsons and Luna, but one way or another he would unravel this mystery.

Chapter Text

"Do you like it, love?" Niklaus asks. He steps closer to Luna, who had been standing motionless in front of one of the paintings for fifteen minutes.

Luna turns slowly towards Niklaus. Niklaus swallows when he sees tears in Luna's eyes.

"I love it." Luna replies, blinking away the tears that threatened to spill out of her eyes. It was surreal for her to stand in front of the famous painting, without being in a museum.

Niklaus remembers how offended Luna had been when Rebekah threw a vase at this painting in the show. "We can hang it in your bedroom if you want." Niklaus offers shyly, not liking to see his mate cry, even if they were happy tears. He grasps Luna's hand, hoping to offer some form of comfort.

Luna looks at their entwined fingers and shakes her head. "No thank you, this painting looks beautiful here." Luna leans against Niklaus while she continues to admire the painting. She wonders if she could ever be this casual towards things like world-famous paintings. 'Living as long as Niklaus had, your perception of value would surely change' she reasons.

Niklaus simply nods and wraps his arm around Luna, pulling her closer. He pushes his face in the crook of her neck, nose nudging against her throat. He rumbles contentedly, enjoying his mate's scent.

Luna tilts her head automatically, appreciating his gentle nosing.

"Nik, stop inhaling your mate!" Rebekah snaps.

She had watched the gooey spectacle, seen the loving glances and gentle touches. She kind of thought it was cute, not that she would ever admit that.

Luna turns around in Niklaus's hold to gaze over his shoulder at the blonde. "What's wrong Bekah? Can't handle seeing me with another man?" Luna teases, untangling herself from Niklaus's hold, ignoring his protest.

"Yes, the sight of you with another person pains me deeply." Rebekah deadpans. "Now give me your phone number."

"You plan on sending me dirty pictures?" Luna asks, smirking at the blonde, wagging her eyebrows suggestively.

"Of course, we can make a scrapbook of our favorites and give it to our grandchildren, to scar them for life." Rebekah jokes, grinning at her friend.

"Bekah! Did you just..flirt back?" Luna asks, dramatically placing a hand on her chest. "You naughty girl, I'm taken." Luna winks at the blonde to let her know she would happily date the blonde if the Mikaelson men were to suddenly disappear one day.

"I'm right here!" Niklaus growls, looking incredulous at his mate and his sister.

"Hush Nik, I've been waiting on this for days." Luna slaps her hand in front of Niklaus' mouth to stop further protests.

Niklaus turns his gaze to Elijah while making big hand gestures, non-verbally communicating his indignation towards the situation.

Elijah simply shrugs, already used to Luna's flirtatious behavior towards his sister.

Luna suddenly frowns, remembering that her smartphone didn't work in this universe. "I don't have a phone anymore."

As soon as Luna said that, Elijah reaches inside his pocket, retrieving a brand new phone. He hands it to his sister, who immediately starts to push various buttons.

Luna walks over to the couch opposite the blonde, taking a seat beside Elijah. "Are you like...maffia?" Luna asks carefully while eyeing Elijah's suit as if expecting ten more phones to appear along with a few guns.

"No, I picked it up for you this afternoon." Elijah explains, grinning delightedly at Luna's intrigued expression.

"Here you go. All of our numbers are in there." Rebekah hands the phone Luna.

"Thanks"

"This way you can call me when you are left, alone, in an alley, by my moronic brothers." Rebekah snarks, glaring at Kol and Elijah. As soon as Luna had gone to bed she would give her brothers the sermon of her life. What did they think, putting Luna in such danger? Luna could have easily been abducted from the alley and none of her brothers would have even noticed. For men who claimed to always protect their mate, they were pretty inadequate at it.

Elijah scowls at his sister's snark. He was also not happy with how the evening had turned out. If they weren't in such a hurry, he would have dropped Luna off at home first.

Kol pouts and fidgets with the bloodstain on his sweater, he did not want to admit that he might have indeed endangered his mate.

"I forgot how much phones suck in 2010." Luna complains, cringing at the outdated model. She didn't pay any attention to the men who just had their egos bruised, too enraptured in the poor technology their current universe offered.

While Luna is tapping away, trying to make sense of the device, Niklaus walks in, laying his collection of silver daggers on the table, lastly placing the little jar of white oak ash beside them.

A tense silence falls over them.

Finn looks at the daggers with a distressed look. These weapons, in combination with his brother, were the reason for his long imprisonment. He winces slightly at the thought of his casket, which was still residing in his house. The fear that Niklaus might change his mind and dagger him again looms over Finn.

Rebekah also pales slightly at the sight of the daggers. Although Niklaus would never put her away as long as Finn or Kol, it remained an unpleasant experience.

Kol looks suspiciously at Niklaus, afraid that Niklaus would suddenly jump up to stab them all. He wouldn't put it above his brother to do such a thing, 'That way he could have Luna to himself' Kol thought bitterly.

Elijah coughs uncomfortably as he takes off his tie. Guilt washes over him, he had contributed often enough to the suffering of his siblings. Like his brother, he had used the daggers as an easy way to restrain them.

"Nik, this is the last white oak you have, right?" Luna asks, breaking the silence. Luna grabs the little jar and looks interestedly at the contents. The ash inside it held enough power to make four grown-ups wince.

"Yes, love." Niklaus replies, voice hoarse. He hated the sight of the daggers, the weapons he had used against his siblings. He resented the fact that he had depended on these weapons just because he didn't want to trust his siblings.

"So besides the ashes Damon has, these are the last ashes in the world that can be used to put an Original to sleep?" Luna asks.

"Yes."

Luna nods in understanding before standing up, making her way towards the kitchen, still holding the jar.

"Where are you going, my love?" Finna asks, eyeing his mate apprehensively.

"Just getting some water." Luna turns around to give the Mikaelsons an innocent smile.

Kol stares at Luna for a moment before also standing up, curiously following his mate. He is swiftly followed by his other siblings, all of them huddled around the kitchen island, looking interestedly at Luna.

Luna grabs a glass from one of the cupboards, the little jar placed close to the sink. "Oh, whoops." Luna deadpans as she drops the opened jar in the sink.

"Elskan?" Elijah asks, not sure what Luna was playing at. He glances briefly at Niklaus, wanting to gauge his reaction to the potential loss of the ashes.

Niklaus only stares, one eyebrow lifted. Waiting with bated breath to see what his mate would do next.

Luna proceeds to turn the tap on, not even bothering to hold her glass under it.

"Jeez-Dang it. My hand shot out." Luna clears her throat as she sees the ashes disappearing in the drain, hand still resting on the faucet.

Luna makes a disapproving noise, shaking her head. "I'm just so clumsy." She admits, smirking at the Mikaelsons who were staring dumbfounded at her.

Rebekah chuckles and shakes her head, this was also a way to get rid of the troublesome ash.

Finn grins amusedly, relief flooding through him.

"What do we do now?" Kol asks, watching his mate rummaging through the cupboards.

"I propose we hold a little bonfire, do some therapeutic casket burning, and move on." Luna suggests, turning around, holding a bottle of bourbon and a bag of marshmallows.

• • •

"So long! Bitch-ass coffin!" Kol shouts, followed by a sound that was supposed to resemble a primal cry.

"Two fires in one day!" Rebekah cheers, throwing random pieces of her wrecked casket in the fire

Finn and Elijah don't scream as much as their younger siblings but seem overjoyed anyway.

The burning of their caskets was liberating, the beginning of a new chapter.

Niklaus had simply watched his siblings go about their work with the caskets in an exuberant and cheerful manner. He had rolled his eyes good-naturedly at Kol's eccentric use of the English language.

"Yeah, you're stuck with them now." Luna teases, hugging Niklaus from behind. She knew this wasn't easy for him.

"The Salvatores still have some white oak, there's still hope." Niklaus jokes, reaching behind him to tickle his mate.

"Don't worry, we'll get it soon enough." Luna promises, gazing lovingly at the elated Mikaelson siblings.

• • •

"You look grumpy, you should get laid," Luna offers after watching Rebekah pace like a caged animal for the past ten minutes. "That's what usually helps in the show." She shrugs, lobbing one of the pillows at her friend, trying to gain her attention.

"No, I do not need to 'get laid'. I need to have some fun." Rebekah hisses annoyed.

"I am fun!" Luna defends, narrowing her eyes at the blonde. "And you just burned your casket, that was fun! Right?"

"You're not fun, you're reading. We should go out! Celebrating the fact Nik can never put me in a timeout again!" Rebekah cheers, already disappearing into Luna's closet.

"I'm not sure if your brothers will agree with us going out." Luna comments, wincing as she sees Rebekah tossing the contents of her closet on the floor with newfound purpose.

"Who says they need to know?" Rebekah pops her head out of the closet, grinning mischievously at her friend.

• • •

"Where are you girls going?" Niklaus asks, seeing his sister and his mate walking towards the front door. He takes in their appearances with narrowed eyes. They were both in relatively short dresses, glitter clearly visible on their faces.

Luna freezes in her movements and turns slowly towards Niklaus, an innocent smile on her bright red lips. "Beks and I are going to... get some milk." Luna replies, trying to control her voice so it wouldn't go into a weird pitch like it normally did when she lied.

"Milk?" Niklaus looks at his mate in disbelief and folds his arms over his chest.

At the sound of the conversation, the other three brothers also join the hallway.

"Yes, I was going to make cookies and there's absolutely no milk."

At this Finn speeds away, reappearing a second later. "Are you sure about that, my love?" Finn asks, looking quite unimpressed while holding up two cartons of milk.

Luna hears Rebekah snicker from beside her. "Did I say milk? I meant-flour?" Luna tries, looking at her friend for help.

"You were trying to sneak out!" Kol accuses, narrowing his eyes at the girls.

"Yes, we're going out." Rebekah admits, tired of Luna's terrible performance.

"Dressed like that? Absolutely not! Go change Luna." Niklaus orders, pointing at the staircase.

"This again?! But...Bekah wears the same!" Luna pouts.

"Rebekah is a thousand-year-old vampire who can protect herself." Elijah comments.

Rebekah smiles smugly at Luna, happy that her brothers were less controlling over her now that they had a mate to fuss over.

"So can I..." Luna mumbles, glancing briefly at the baseball bat which was still on the carpet where she had dropped it earlier.

Niklaus follows Luna's gaze. "You will not bring a bat!"

"Tsk, I wasn't even going to suggest that." Luna grumbles. She scoffs in a dramatic manner to let them know that was definitely not her plan. "Judgy" She mutters.

• • •

"Lighten up Nik, you're the one who wanted to chaperone us!" Rebekah shouts over the blaring music. "Even Finn is enjoying himself!"

Luna turns around to see Kol doing some ridiculous dance move in the middle of the room, waving his arms around like a windmill. Luna is relieved that he hadn't jumped on top of the bar.

Beside him is Finn, who is awkwardly shuffling his feet to the beat while fumbling with the pink parasol in his cocktail.

Elijah is seated at one of the bar stools, looking disturbed at the colorful contents of his glass. Luna had advised him not to wear a ten thousand dollar suit in a nightclub, but he had dismissed that advice. He was dangerously confident in the hygiene of said nightclub.

Niklaus had been grumpily hovering around Luna, glowering menacingly at any man who would even dare to look his mate.

"Try this!" Luna shouts, handing Niklaus a shot glass filled with a colorful liquid. She had no idea what was in it, but it was pink and tasted like peaches. She was sure the hybrid would have more fun in the club if he got a little tipsy.

Niklaus reluctantly grabs the glass from her hold and tips it back, grimacing at the sourness of it.

Luna walks over to Elijah, tugging him at his tie to get him on the dancefloor.

He reluctantly obliges, grabbing hold of Luna's waist, while moving from one foot to the other.

"Are you seriously trying to slow dance with me?" Luna deadpans, giggling at his stiff attitude.

"I do not 'twerk', Elskan." Elijah rumbles in her ear. He nips teasingly at her jaw. Luna chuckles at the mere thought of Elijah going crazy on the dancefloor.

"I do!" Rebekah shouts. She then proceeds to make multiple awkward movements with her body, which didn't even come close to the dance move she had in mind.

In Luna's universe, Luna had shown the dance move to Rebekah after Rebekah saw it on TV. Unfortunately, they were caught in the middle of a tutorial video by the Mikaelson men, who then made fun of them for their terrible dancing skills.

Luna is about to grab her phone to capture this moment for future progeny when she sees a random guy approaching Rebekah.

Rebekah doesn't care about the man until he suddenly touches her. Rebekah whirls around and punches him in the face. This act of violence is then followed by a whole string of curse words Luna had never even heard of.

"Please, marry me!" Luna laughs loudly, watching the man retreat looking thoroughly embarrassed.

Niklaus scoffs, his mate called his timing bad when he proposed to her, but she thinks proposing in a nightclub is appropriate? Okay, he hadn't asked her, it was more of a statement, but still.

"No?" Rebekah asks, making her way towards the bar with Luna and Elijah.

"Why not?" Luna asks, sincerely curious for Rebekah's answer.

"You're already dating my brothers." Rebekah points out, rolling her eyes at Elijah's scowl.

"Is that your only objection?" Luna asks. "Because, they're just my soulmates, no biggie. They will understand" She teases, followed by a groan as Niklaus pinches her waist in a warning manner.

"You're such a disaster." Rebekah deadpans, handing Luna another shot.

"And you like it." Luna giggles before downing the drink.

• • •

"Guys, let's go home." Rebekah calls after three more hours of dancing and drinking. Her feet were killing her and she was getting tired of insulting random guys who couldn't keep their hands to themselves.

"Kol sweetie... are you coming-" Luna starts, approaching the two youngest brothers who were seated at the bar. She gently places her hand on Kol's shoulder trying to gain his attention.

"Hey hey! No-lady! I am taken! Shoo. Back off!" Kol shouts, slapping Luna's hand away.

Luna blinks dumbfounded at her mate, not sure how to react to this, Kol clearly didn't recognize her in his drunken state.

"What the...Nik what did you guys drink?" Luna asks, tapping Niklaus' shoulder while looking worriedly at Kol, who was busy playing with a box of matches, already distracted.

"No-no! Hands off! You shan't seduce me, you evil temptress..." Niklaus lisps, pushing Luna's hand away.

'Shan't... really?' Luna thinks, rolling her eyes "Nik, honey..." Luna cups his cheek, hoping that Niklaus would recognize her eventually

"No! I am loyal to my mate, shoo!" Niklaus exclaims, turning away from Luna.

Luna narrows her eyes at the hybrid, feeling somewhat insulted to have been rejected twice this evening by her own soulmates. She thought vampires couldn't get drunk as easily, but then again, she hadn't exactly kept an eye on their alcohol intake.

"Mm-would never betray Loenaa!" Niklaus mumbles, downing the last of his drink.

"Pathetic." Rebekah mutters while facepalming for the umpteenth time that evening.

"Alright... Thank you for letting me know." Luna offers, looking around for Elijah. If they weren't going to listen to her, perhaps a nice little scolding from Elijah would sober the men up.

"You're welcome." Kol mutters, having listened in on Niklaus's conversation with the lady while nodding approvingly at his brother's words.

"Luna! Where are you? Someone is trying to seduce us!" Kol shouts, not bothering to look around the club for his mate, assuming she could hear him perfectly and would come to him.

"Kol, I'm right here..." Luna deadpans. She was losing her patience and was close to strangling her mate. Rebekah had made fun of Luna for being a chaotic drunk, but her brothers could be just as bad, if not worse.

"Angel! Oh, thank god!" Kol exclaims happily, turning around and throwing his arms around Luna's neck.

Luna curses as she almost collapses under Kol's weight. Luna swore she could hear Kol mutter "Stupid temptress.".

Kol, still hanging on his mate, was sniffing Luna's neck extensively. Luna's eyes shot open as she felt his fangs grazing her throat. She hoped Kol could control himself in his drunken state.

"You smell nice." Kol mumbles, taking another whiff.

"Finn, 'Lijah?" Luna calls, hoping someone would intervene soon seeing as her knees were getting wobbly under Kol's weight. She glares at Rebekah over Kol's shoulder, who was too busy filming the spectacle while clutching her stomach in laughter.

Luna sighs in relief as she feels Kol's weight being lifted off of her.

"Hmm-no! Luna has to-" Kol whines, trying to slap Finn's arms away.

"Luna is busy." Finn snaps. He curses as Kol kicks his shin.

"Hmm okay-alright, fine you get to carry me." Kol agrees reluctantly, going entirely limp in Finn's arms.

"I'm honored." Finn deadpans, rolling his eyes at his brother's juvenile ways. Finn huffs, he had to deal with Kol's unconscious body earlier this evening, and let's just say he didn't exactly get lighter in the past few hours.

• • •

"Let's get you into bed hmm?" Luna coaxes, walking up the stairs behind Finn and Kol.

Finn and Luna were the only ones sober and awake enough to get the others home safe. Elijah had dumped Niklaus' body on the couch, before collapsing himself, both were exhausted.

Rebekah had claimed the most comfortable chair in the living room as her new bed, too tired to walk the stairs.

Kol nods, drooling a little on Finn's shoulder. He had taken a hold of Luna's hand, reluctant to let go, which meant Luna was joining the duo up the stairs.

"M-night Loen, love you." Kol mumbles as Luna tucks him into bed.

Luna blinks, stunned by his comment. She quickly kisses his cheek before leaving his room.

In the hall, she almost bumps into Finn, who was waiting for her.

"Are you alright, my dear?" He asks, seeing her affected expression.

"Yes, I'm fine. They're even bigger idiots when they're drunk." Luna jokes, grabbing Finn's hand.

"Are you really surprised?" Finn asks, smirking at his mate. He squeezes her hand affectionately before leading her to his room.

"No, not really. At least we know now that they won't cheat on me when drunk." Luna laughs, kicking her shoes off as soon as she enters Finn's room.

The room was bright in color. Two of the walls were covered with bookcases and plants were placed here and there. Although Finn was indeed a reader, she suspected that this was the work of Rebekah or Niklaus. On the wall hung a work that looked suspiciously like a Monet painting. In the center of the room was a large bed, made in the same colors as the walls, a soft beige.

Luna dives into Finn's closet to steal a shirt. Once she had changed into something more comfortable she slips under the covers, snuggling herself into Finn's side. Finn puts his arm around her and pulls her closer to his chest.

Luna closes her eyes, hearing Kol's drunk confession repeat itself in her head.

• • •

"Kol?" Luna asks quietly as she suddenly feels someone hug her from behind.

"Mmm?" Kol hums, burying his face in the crook of Luna's neck.

"What are you doing here?" Luna whispers, trying not to wake Finn.

"Sleeping."

"Yeah I got that but-" Luna turns around to face the intruder.

"I was lonely! I've been in a box for a very long time and it was very dark and very lonely in my room." Kol defends, tightening his arms around Luna, pushing Finn's limbs away in the process.

"Fine." Luna gives in, too tired to oppose the vampire further.

• • •

"You've got to be kidding me..." Luna groans as she hears the bedroom door open.

Luna looks up as she feels the bed dip, seeing Elijah. "It's not a slumber party!" Luna complains, sitting up, wriggling herself free from Kol and Finn's arms.

Elijah only grins apologetically, before eyeing the door for a moment.

The door was still opened and Luna swore she could hear some sort of grumbling coming from the hallway.

"Nik! I know you're lurking in the hallway! Just get in loser." Luna snaps tiredly. She now understood Rebekah's rude behavior whenever she visited her at night. "And close the damn door behind you."

"I'm not sleeping at the foot of the bed!" Niklaus grumbles, glaring at Elijah who was grinning triumphantly as he was hugging Luna to his chest.

"You could also, you know, go to your own room." Luna deadpans, closing her eyes again.

"Fine." Niklaus mutters after a moment of silence.

Niklaus is finally settled on the bed when another pair of footsteps can be heard from outside the door.

"I swear to god. If that's you Rebekah I will drive over to the Salvatore house right now to get those ashes." Luna grumbles annoyed.

Luna hears the footsteps retreating after a moment's hesitation, accompanied by some grumbling from the blonde.

Chapter Text

"This is my bed! Why am I the one getting pushed out of it?!" Finn looks indignantly up at Elijah's smug face, which was pressed in the crook of Luna's neck.

"Shut up, you'll wake Luna!" Kol replies, glaring at his older brother, not at all worrying about the volume of his voice.

"You shut up, Kol!" Finn retorts, glaring at his youngest brother. This was supposed to be his night with his mate, but of course, his little brothers had to come in and ruin their alone time.

"Both of you shut up!" Niklaus grumbles, throwing a stray pillow in Kol's face.

In response to this, Kol kicks Niklaus off the bed. Niklaus lands with a thud on the floor, ungracefully faceplanting the rug.

Elijah snickers at Niklaus's sputtering while pushing his nose further against Luna's throat. His arms tightened a little around his mate, a gesture of pure possessiveness.

"What did I do to deserve that?" Niklaus groans, rubbing his nose.

"I don't know, Nikkie. Maybe locking us in boxes has something to do with it?" Kol replies, grinning at his brother.

"Honestly, how long are you going to use that against me?" Niklaus rolls his eyes, propping himself up on his elbows.

"As long as you have kept me daggered, so another 300 years or so." Kol fires back.

"Try 900." Finn deadpans, scrambling back to his feet.

Luna blinks her eyes open. She stares at the ceiling for a moment before lifting her head to see the source of the commotion.

"Nik? What are you doing on the floor?" Luna asks, looking confusedly at the hybrid.

"Ask Elijah and Kol." Niklaus grumbles, looking thoroughly annoyed.

Luna turns to face Elijah, lifting one eyebrow in question.

Elijah in return gives Luna an innocent grin. "Goodmorning, Elskan." Elijah places a kiss on Luna's temple, nuzzling lazily.

"Morning, Angel." Kol chirps, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

"Goodmorning" Luna replies simply. She relaxes in Elijah's hold, willingly enduring his nosing.

"Tonight someone else can sleep at the foot of the bed." Niklaus decides, getting up from the floor and stretching his back with a groan.

"I still can't you believe you did that, but you were drunk... so I guess that-wait what?" Luna looks at Niklaus, hoping she misheard him. "No, no people sleeping on bed ends. This was a one-time thing." Luna says, waving her hand around to emphasize the bizarreness of the situation. The bed was way too small. If they insisted on having a sleepover, they would do so in the living room, like normal teenage girls.

"What-why?" Kol asks, looking a little put out at this mate's objection.

"Wow, those abandonment issues are really shining through." Luna mutters while shaking her head. "You're big boys, you can sleep in your own beds."

"I forgot how mean you can be before your coffee." Kol pouts.

• • •

"Morning, Bekah." Luna greets cheerfully upon seeing the blonde almost inhaling the stack of pancakes before her.

All of the Mikaelsons were seated at the dinner table. After Luna had kicked all of the Mikaelson men out of Finn's room, even Finn, she had taken her sweet time to get ready. Luna had bathed extensively and used several bath oils, presumably left behind by Finn. After half an hour of digging through her closet for something casual to wear, she finally made her way down, feeling energized and ready to tackle the day.

Finn immediately speeds up to Luna, handing her a cup of coffee. "Thank you, Finn." Luna says, pressing a kiss to Finn's lips before making her way to the table.

Elijah immediately nudges her plate closer to her, as if he was worried she wouldn't notice the plate.

"What is it?" Luna asks, halting her eating upon seeing Niklaus's eager expression.

"Hurry up, love. I want to show you something." Niklaus says, looking ready to bounce out of his seat.

"Is he... still drunk?" Luna asks carefully looking at Rebekah for an answer.

"No, just excited... like a little puppy." Rebekah replies, shooting Niklaus a toothy grin upon seeing his scowl.

Having finally finished her breakfast, which took forever according to Niklaus, she and Niklaus made their way to the front door.

"So, you wanted to show me your car?" Luna asks, looking a little unimpressed at the hybrid. Had he seriously rushed her for this? So she could stroke his male ego by complimenting him on his choice of vehicle.

"No, I'm showing you your new car." Niklaus points out matter-of-factly, looking eagerly at his mate for her approval and excitement.

"My... new car?" Luna asks slowly, turning red at the thought that Niklaus would have gone through so much trouble for her.

"The other day in the Grill you thanked me for your new car, so here it is!" Niklaus offers proudly, quite impressed with his capability to buy a car so swiftly. Sure he might have had yelled a lot through the phone to the dealer, but it had worked out perfectly. The man had been so thoroughly intimidated he even gave Niklaus the newest software update for free.

"Feel free to express your gratitude again, preferably in the form of kisses." Niklaus bows his head a little juts his chin forward, and puckers his lips slightly, waiting for a kiss.

"I don't think I can accept this. I mean, I was just making something up last night. I never intended for you to feel obliged to-" Luna says, ignoring Niklaus's waiting lips. She felt a bit guilty about receiving a car, especially if Niklaus only did it because of what she said in the Grill the previous night.

"Now, how am I supposed to spoil you when you won't accept my gifts?" Niklaus hums, stroking her hand affectionately. "Just accept it, love." He encourages, pressing a kiss to her temple.

Before Luna can further object, Elijah interjects. "Now that Niklaus has managed to embarrass our mate, Luna, is there anything special that should be on the grocery list?" Elijah had made his way to the hallway, joining the duo.

"Thank you, Nik." Luna says, pressing a kiss to his lips before turning around to face Elijah. "Are we going on a shopping trip?"

"Yes, we need to do some grocery shopping and we can get you the sweatpants you have been asking for." Elijah replies, holding his hand out for Luna to take.

• • •

"Put the alcohol back!" Luna demands, looking irritatedly at Niklaus who was once again holding a dozen of bottles.

They have been at the store for about an hour now and Luna was exhausted with keeping track of all the Mikaelson siblings. Of course, they all ran off again, except for the eldest two. Kol and Rebekah had already been scolded twice by the same employee, who looked close to giving them a beating.

"No." Niklaus objects, trying not to squirm under Luna's glare. "It's at a discount."

"You're rich, you just bought me a car, you don't need to buy at discount." Luna sighs in exasperation. Before Luna can continue listing her objections she hears a loud cry coming from her right.

"Kol! Stop terrorizing that baby!" Luna strides forward, pulling Kol away from the infant. Luna looks up at the lady, who looked quite disturbed at Kol's behavior towards her child.

"I'm so sorry, he has accidentally... inhaled paint...yeah-his brain is... like very fragile right now." Luan explains, smiling awkwardly at the woman, ignoring the indignant noises coming from Kol in the background.

"Inhaling paint? Really?!" Kol asks, as soon as she returned to his side.

Luna shrugs not sure what kind of response would make him feel better. Kol lets out a low rumble, poking her between the ribs in retaliation.

"I'm sorry, just stay by the cart, please?" Luna begs, pouting at Kol while swatting his hand away.

• • •

"Nik, why are you shopping in the baby aisle?! We don't have babies!" Luna was close to snapping some necks. It was now half an hour later and Luna was in dire need of a nap or a nanny. She resolved to go shopping alone from now on, or only with the eldest two, as they could still hold back a bit.

"Not yet, but we can certainly try for some." Niklaus smirks when he sees Luna's cheeks reddening.

"You're disgusting, Nik!" Rebekah calls from another aisle.

• • •

"Finn, honey, for the last time, you can't open the product and put it back." Luna sighs, taking the crisp packet from his hands and putting it in the cart, along with all the products he had previously opened.

"But how will I know if it tastes good." Finn frowns, wrapping his arms around his mate. She seemed irritated and tired, his inner animal told him it would be best to hold his mate close until she was feeling better.

"You don't, you just have to take a risk." Luna replies, leaning back in Finn's chest and relaxing in his arms. In the distance, they hear a racket, which is most likely caused by one of the Mikaelsons.

Luna smiles briefly at two passing shoppers, who were looking curiously in their direction. It must have looked a little silly, two people hugging next to a shopping cart that was filled to the brim.

A low growl can be heard from behind her and she sees the two shoppers hurrying away, looking disturbed by the sudden animal noise.

"Finn, sweetie you can't growl at everyone who looks at me." Luna warns softly, poking his hand.

"I can certainly try." Finn murmurs, pushing his nose against Luna's jugular.

"Of course you can." Luna mutters, not bothering to object any further. Knowing her mates, they would probably always be territorial and petty.

• • •

"15 dollars?! For a piece of stale bread? Have they gone mad?!" Niklaus looks scandalized at the product he was reviewing. He turns his head to the person behind the counter. "Where's your manager?!" Niklaus barks, making the poor girl flinch before hurriedly scurrying away, to find her boss.

Kol, who was bored out of his mind bumps his cart into Elijah, who was patiently waiting for Luna to hand him the products so he could place them in the cart.

"Will you stop that?" Elijah asks, glaring at his brother.

"Would you prefer it if I tripped you instead?" Kol shrugs, looking more than willing to annoy his brother further.

Elijah takes a threatening step forward, ready to do some damage if Kol kept this troublesome attitude up.

"Alright, knock it off you two." Luna warns, handing Elijah the last products.

"You guys can go to the checkout, I need to grab one last thing. "

"I'm coming!" Kol calls, shoving the cart in Elijah's direction.

"No, Kol. It's fine I'm pretty sure I won't get ambushed at the pasta aisle." Luna deadpans.

"You could. Besides that, we don't even need pasta!" Kol retorts.

"Yes, we do."

"No, he's right. I checked the cupboard yesterday and there was a whole box" Finn offers.

"I might have used the last macaroni to make a necklace." Luna mutters, looking down embarrassed.

"Excuse me?" Elijah blinks, not sure if making uncooked pasta necklaces was a regular occurrence for humans.

"I was feeling creative, jeez." Luna defends, walking away from the group towards the pasta aisle.

Luna rolls her eyes, how could this shopping trip be possibly more tiring than the last? While walking she scans the shelves and she accidentally bumps into someone. Looking up a small gasp escapes her.

"Damon..."

• • •

"Remember how you wanted to find out who this girl was at the ball?" Stefan's voice can be heard over the speaker of Damon's phone.

"I looked into it and apparently there are no records on a twenty-one-year-old Luna Mason."

"Funny you should mention this...she is currently passed out on my backseat." Damon says, looking in his review mirror to make sure she was still unconscious.

"You kidnapped the human? Why?" Stefan asks, voice now sounding a little frantic.

"Well, we wanted to find out who she is and what she is to the Mikaelsons, what better way than hearing it from her? Besides that, she might know how to kill an Original." Damon shrugs, although Stefan can't see it. In his opinion this plan was brilliant, they'd wait a few hours, compel everything they needed out of the girl, and they could finally end the terror that was the Mikaelson family.

"Damon..." Stefan warns, not liking this plan one bit. It could work, but if it didn't...he had seen Niklaus's terror first hand and had seen the way it made someone like Katherine run for more than 500 years, it wasn't a lifestyle he was looking forward to.

"Don't worry, saint Stefano, when we have the information she can run along. Promise. Now, where are you? I'm picking you up."

• • •

"Hey, guys? How long does it take for humans to choose pasta?" Finn asks carefully, craning his neck to see if Luna was approaching them. His gut was telling him something was off, his mate had been gone for a good ten minutes now.

• • •

"Goodmorning sunshine." Damon hums as he sees Luna moving.

He pulls up to the Salvatore boarding house, honking once to let his brother know he was there.

"Oh no, Kol is never going to let me live this down." Luna groans, sitting up straight.

Luna is about to give Damon a lecture on kidnapping humans when she sees Stefan exiting the house and making his way towards the car.

"A road trip with both Salvatores? Elena is not going to like this." Luna laughs, knowing the doppelganger would probably boil at the thought of being left out.

"I couldn't care less about what Elena likes or not." Stefan replies flatly, glancing briefly at Damon.

"Liar." Luna accuses before bursting into laughter.

"Why are you laughing?" Damon asks, not expecting this kind of reaction to being kidnapped, maybe the girl was insane? Shaking his head he starts the car, hoping to put a good distance between himself and the Mikaelsons, who were surely already looking for Luna.

"You're in so much trouble. You don't want to know how many times your limbs and organs have been offered to me." Luna giggles.

"I'm flattered." Stefan sighs, already regretting going along with Damon's plan.

"You're kidnapped by two vampires, shouldn't you be scared or something? Begging for your life?" Damon asks, looking a little insulted. In his days he had kidnapped a lot of people and Luna's reaction was quite anticlimactic.

"You wish. Stefan eats bunnies and Damon falls for whiny teenagers who wear the face of his ex...I think I'm good." Luna sasses, leaning her head back in the seat. Her wrists had been cuffed, the metal dug in her flesh and it was overall quite uncomfortable.

"Wow, you're awake three minutes and you've already bruised his ego. Nice." Stefan deadpans, turning around to smirk at the girl.

"How's that male ego doing?" Luna asks Damon after a few minutes of silence.

"It might need some stroking." Damon admits, still scowling a little.

"Yeah... I'm not stroking anything. Go ask Elena." Luna suggests, shooting Damon an extra friendly smile in the review mirror.

Damon grumbles incoherently.

"Does he always grumble like this?" Luna asks, poking Stefan's shoulder. She was used to the rumbling, grumbling, and growling of her mates but she thought Damon had been less whiny on the show.

"Yeah, pretty much." Stefan shrugs. He must admit, he could get used to criticizing Damon with Luna.

"Hmm... alarming." Luna sighs, wondering if she could bear another few hours with the grumpy man-child. He would probably get on well with Kol in that area.

• • •

"What do you mean you can't find her?!" Niklaus growls, punching the nearest wall in frustration.

Rebekah winces at the hole in the wall, knowing that wouldn't be the last one if Luna didn't turn up soon. After searching the entire supermarket, they had requested security images, or demanded. After discovering that Damon had kidnapped her, Elijah had called all the witches he knew. Let's just say that any witch who failed to trace his mate faced certain death.

Kol had raced through Mystic Falls to personally ask each annoying friend of the Salavatores for the location of his mate. None of them proved useful in providing information. It was a good thing that Elijah went with him, otherwise, Mystic Falls would have had a frantic drop in resident figures.

Finn merely paced the living room, stepping over the bodies of dead witches. He didn't say much and grunted or growled something incoherent every now and then. His inner animal was frantic and screaming at him to kill everyone who got in his way of finding his mate. Rebekah however apprehensively advised him it might be better to wait for word of the witches.

Rebekah had her hands full with managing her almost hysterical brothers. She herself did not like that her friend had been kidnapped either, but she could at least still act reasonably. She knew the Salvatores were idiots, but she was also pretty sure they wouldn't kill Luna. They couldn't be that dumb.

• • •

"Okay..but be honest, did you use these in the bedroom? You know...during freaky time?" Luna pesters, dangling the handcuffs on one finger beside Damon's face.

Damon scoffs, keeping his eyes on the road.

"Guess that's a yes. To be honest, I took you for more of a furry handcuff guy, but nothing wrong with the classics." Luna shrugs, patting Damon's shoulder in a comforting manner.

"Wait... how the hell did you get out of your handcuffs?" Damon asks, eyes going wide, he turns around to give Luna an incredulous expression.

"Eyes on the road!" Stefan scolds, grabbing the steering wheel so they wouldn't swerve.

"Let's just say that a previous Tinder hookup went bad... well at least I got to keep them." Luna smiles, gazing out of the window, she hoped she could find out her current location. She knew she couldn't possibly escape two vampires, but she didn't like staying in the dark either.

"You kept them?!" Stefan asks, looking incredibly unimpressed and a little grossed out.

"Don't judge me, free stuff!" Luna defends. "And I'm sure the Mikaelsons wouldn't mind, seeing as they have their own extensive collection of chains and cuffs in their torture chamber."

"I did not need to know that." Damon complains, grimacing at the thought of ever being introduced to that torture chamber.

• • •

The Mikaelson mansion now looked like it was being remodeled. Rebekah was right to think that the hole Niklaus punched in the wall wouldn't be the only hole. In reality, that wall was no longer standing.

Rebekah had watched with concern as the four Mikaelson men went and wrecked their house. Only the paintings were carefully avoided, knowing that if their mate ever returned she would be very upset about damaged masterpieces.

They were now pretty sure the Salvatores had used some sort of cloaking spell, Rebekah only wished they'd reached that conclusion before the fourteen witches were killed.

Besides witches, there are also several human victims in the living room and hall, all hung up or dropped in awkward positions. Even Rebekah thought it looked rather macabre.

• • •

"Stop there." Luna calls, pointing at the sign of a nearby cafe.

"You don't get to make demands... that's not how kidnapping works." Damon grumbles, he was more than annoyed with both Luna and Stefan. Both had done everything in their power to annoy Damon for the last forty minutes.

"Uhh yes, I do. Because If I don't get my coffee I'm going to become a whole lot more annoying than I am right now." Luna warns, narrowing her eyes at Damon through the rearview mirror.

"No. No way." Damons declares, demonstratively pressing down on the gas pedal.

Luna glares at the back of his head, reaching over she pinches his arm, hard.

"Ow, ow ow! Okay-okay stop pinching me! Fine! We can get coffee!" Damon shouts, trying to slap Luna's hand away with his free hand.

Luna beams brightly and lets go of Damon's arm.

"Mean human." Damon mutters, rubbing his arm annoyedly.

"Dumb vampire." Luna retorts.

"Is it on the brake?" Luna asks after Damon parks in front of the diner.

"Yes?" Damon asks, not sure why Luna was doubting his driving skills.

"Good." Luna mutters before bringing her hand up and slamming Damon's face against the steering wheel. "Moron."

Stefan snickers, trying his best not to burst into laughter at Damon's insulted expression.

"What was that for?!" Damon shouts incredulously, looking at Luna with a furious expression.

"You kidnapped me." Luna shrugs.

"Just-just get out." Damon sighs, he was starting to regret kidnapping this rude, aggressive, and weird human girl.

"Yeah, I might need this arm later on, so I'd appreciate it if you didn't tear it off!" Luna snarks as Damon tugs her towards a booth in the corner of the diner.

"What will you have, dearies?" A friendly waitress asks, looking questioningly at the three customers. She frowns slightly as she looks from one grumpy face to the other two exuberant faces.

"I will have... one pot of coffee please and-How is the burger here?"

"It's very nice, if I were you I'd ask for extra bacon." The waitress replies, whispering the last part in a conspiring sort of tone.

Luna nods happily. "Yes please."

The waitress then looks at Damon, eyebrow raised and waiting for his order.

Luna narrows his eyes at the sulking vampire. She gives him a kick under the table, tilting her head in the direction of the waitress. If there was one thing that Luna hated, it was when people were rude to catering staff.

"I will also have the burger." Damon finally mutters. "Please." He adds after receiving another kick from Luna. 

Chapter Text

"Was everything alright?" The waitress asks as she grabs the empty plates.

"Vivian, you were so right. The extra bacon was perfect. And your service was splendid!" Luna compliments, beaming up at the waitress. "Damon, be sure to leave the nice lady a generous tip." Luna urges.

"You're such a sweetheart. Let me get you some pie, on the house." The waitress winks at Luna before returning to the kitchen.

"Sweetheart? You slammed my face against the steering wheel." Damon hisses, glaring at Luna.

"Did you just flirt yourself a piece of pie?" Stefan asks simultaneously.

Luna merely shrugs, not knowing if they really wanted an answer.

"Why am I here?" Damon groans.

"You're the one who kidnapped me... remember?" Luna asks, not sure if Damon could really be this dense.

"Yes, and I regret it immensely..."

"Aww, look at you showing remorse. That's what I call character growth." Luna deadpans.

"Alright, you've had your coffee and you've been fed." Damons starts, lifting himself out of his seat and taking a seat in the booth beside Luna, blocking her only exit. "Tell me, why are you so important to a bunch of immortals?"

Luna shuffles towards the wall, trying to create some distance between her and Damon.

"I could, but I'm more interested in hearing your theories." Luna replies.

"I think you're some sort of girlfriend. I've seen the way they treat you, like they actually care." Damon replies, sounding a little accusing. The time he had spent with the Mikaelsons they were anything but sustainable towards human lives, especially Niklaus.

"You noticed that? How impressive." Luna retorts, rolling her eyes. With all the snuffling and cuddling of the Mikaelsons men, she didn't think it was strange if half of Mystic Falls realized they were dating by now. Except at the party, the Mikaelsons hadn't exactly held back with their displays of affection.

"Well? Don't keep me waiting." Damon says, leaning forward, making Luna press herself against the wall, looking uncomfortable with being this close to the vampire.

"Please go and brush your fangs." Luna snaps as she slaps her hand onto Damon's face, pushing him back with her palm. Luna was perfectly fine with her mates being up in her face or even Rebekah, but Damon hadn't exactly earned that privilege.

"You're interrogation skills are a bit rusty, Damon." Stefan remarks looking amused at his brother's displeased face.

"Here you go, dearie." The waitress places a big slice of pie in front of Luna, while suspiciously eyeing Damon.

Damon gave the waitress a friendly smile, but she seemed as impressed as Luna had been.

"Thank you so much." Luna smiles at the woman, immediately digging in. Dealing with two Salvatores made her hungry.

"Okay, if you're not going to tell me, we'll just wait for the vervain to be out of your system." Damon shrugs. "Ooh, I've come up with another theory in the meantime. You're not dating any of them, no you are the booty call. The hybrids chew toy for when he gets bored." Damon snaps his fingers, this movement contributed to his act. He knew this woman was anything but a booty call, but angering her might prompt some useful information out of her.

Luna glares at Damon. Only she or one of the other Mikaelsons were allowed to make such remarks about Niklaus. With a swift movement, she kicks Damon out of the booth, making him land half on his face.

"What was that for?"

"Whoops, my hand shot out." Luna replies, shooting Damon an innocent smile.

"You kicked him..." Stefan comments, looking a little confused at Luna's comment.

"Tomato potato." Luna shrugs.

"Real mature." Damon groans as he gets back in the booth, keeping a safe distance this time.

"I'm only 21, what's your excuse."

• • •

"I must say, I'm surprised you haven't been caught yet." Luna hums, as she gets out of the car. The Salvatores had stopped at a motel, apparently, Damon doesn't like to interrogate a crowd. Luna was pretty sure it was performance issues but thought it best not to bruise his ego too much in one hour. "Let me guess, you involved Bonnie... again."

"Yes for the next twenty-four hours we're off the radar." Damon replies, grabbing a bag from the trunk.

Luna wasn't going to ask what was in there, she was pretty sure she would find out soon enough.

"I can't believe you keep using Bonnie for all your dumb plans, that girl has suffered so much because of you already." Luna shook her head in irritation. When the Salvatores got caught, which would surely happen, the Mikaelsons would probably see Bonnie as an accomplice.

Luna would never allow her mates to punish the witch, but the fact that the Salvatores didn't seem to care for Bonnie's safety one bit infuriated her.

"Tell me, what do you know of her suffering?" Damon asks, grabbing Luna's hand and tugging her towards the entrance.

"God, you're such a condescending ass. I want to stab you." Luna mutters, trying to get free of his grip.

"I can't tell if you're flirting or..." Damon whispers, winking at Luna.

"No, definitely not flirting."

"That's too bad. It would have made this whole ordeal a lot more pleasant." Damon shrugs. "Hello, I would like one room please." Damon says, smiling at the woman at the desk.

"One bed?" The woman asks, looking mildly interested at the three people. She had weirder groups passing through in the past.

"That would be perfect." Damon replies cheerily. He follows the woman's gaze, she was looking at Luna. "Oh don't worry, she charges extra for threesomes." Damon assures, quickly grabbing the key the woman was holding out for him and escorting Luna towards the elevator before she could protest.

Once in the elevator, Luna pinches Damon's arm. "What the fuck?! Why would you say that? Now she thinks I'm a hooker. She thinks we're going to have sex! Oh god, I can never show my face here again! What if Elijah ever wants to take me to a sketchy motel? It can't be this one!" Luna rambles, looking horrified at possible scenarios.

"To be honest, I think most women would die for a night with two handsome studs like us." Damon grins, throwing his arm over Stefan's shoulder.

Stefan was shaking his head while pinching the bridge of his nose, hoping this would be over soon.

"You did not just call yourself a stud." Luna groans.

• • •

"Feel free to take a seat, Luna." Stefan offers, patting the spot next to him on the bed.

"Yeah, no thanks," Luna replies, grimacing a little. "You can rent these rooms per hour. I'd rather not get accidentally pregnant by sitting on the bed." She explains upon seeing Stefan's questioning expression.

Stefan immediately wipes his hand on his pants, looking deeply disturbed.

"Well, we can do other things than sitting." Damon suggests, wagging his eyebrows. This remark earned him a bible to his face. "Use it, you need it!" Luna deadpans.

• • •

"I just cleaned that!" Rebekah shouts, gawking at the fresh bloodstains on the wall. A loud growl can be heard followed by the sound of breaking glass. "Nevermind."

Rebekah was about to pull her hair out of her head. This temper tantrum of her brothers had been going on for several hours now and she was surprised the house was still standing.

Rebekah was happy she had managed to keep the Mikaelson men in the house as much as possible.

Because they couldn't exactly go on a murdering spree, the brothers indulged in the interior of the house. Several columns have been smashed and the living room was torn to shreds. Besides that, several of their cars had been destroyed and blood covered most of the walls. Luna had made a joke in the past about them being animals and she couldn't be more right.

Only Luna's room, the studio, and the reading room remained untouched. Rebekah chose exactly those rooms to store the many paintings, knowing that her brothers didn't want to upset Luna by destroying her favorite spaces or works.

The only reason Rebekah endured all this so calmly was that she was looking forward to the lecture Luna would give her brothers.

• • •

"So, you're waiting until the vervain is gone, and then what?"

"Then we can find out what useful information you keep in that pretty little head of yours. Who knows there might be a weapon against the Mikaelsons in there." Damon replies, flipping through the bible.

"Alright, this has been going on way too long. I'll tell you." Luna starts, stretching her back. She had been sitting on the desk for the past 30 minutes, bored out of her mind.

"The Mikaelson brothers are...my soulmates." Luna confesses, looking at Stefan and Damon. Luna frowns a little, this was the first time she had said it out loud to someone besides the Mikaelsons.

Stefan blinks and looks at Luna in astonishment. This was the last thing he would have assumed. Soulmate, a sacred concept among the supernatural. For the longest time, he had thought that might be what he had with Elena.

His face clouded, he'd kidnapped the soulmate of the four most dangerous and ancient vampires in the world, well Damon had, but that wouldn't make any difference to the Mikaelsons.

Luna looks concerned at Stefan who was turning extremely pale. She rushes towards him when she sees him falling forward.

Luna had wondered if the brothers had even heard of the term soulmates, judging by Stefan's response, it was a yes.

• • •

"Please, do continue your lover's quarrel, it's not like I'm right here." Luna deadpans.

The brothers had been shouting at each other for the past ten minutes. Stefan had recovered and immediately flew Damon.

"Can you please stop enjoying our impending doom?" Stefan asks, turning around to face Luna.

"Nope." Luna replies, smiling at Stefan. "Ah relax Stefano, I'm not going to let you guys die, not now anyway. I mean, you're kind of entertaining." Luna laughs, while rummaging through the duffel bag Damon had brought. She found the contents quite disappointing, a teenage romance novel, some blood bags, rope, and a bottle of booze

"We're going to take her word? Why would she help us? She's sleeping with the enemy!" Damon asks, looking incredulous at the mere thought of his abductee helping him.

"She can hear you and I'm trying to save your lives here...so might want to tone down the attitude blue-eyes."

• • •

"I need you to shut up." Luna snaps at Damon who was currently calling with Elena, who had demanded to get an update on what was going on. Damon had responded something vague about brother bonding time or something like that.

"Why are you so mean?" Damon asks annoyed after he hung up on Elena.

"You kidnapped me and I'm trying to save your life... I get to be mean." Luna retorts, rolling her eyes at Damon. She presses the call button of her phone, waiting anxiously for someone to pick up.

"Hey, Nik." Luna greets timidly.

"Luna? Is that you?" Niklaus asks, voice sounding a little frantic. "Where are you love?"

"It's okay, I'm alright." Luna replies, smiling softly upon hearing Niklaus' voice.

"Is that Luna?!"

"Kol shut up!"

"Ow!"

"Do I need to tackle you again?!"

"Bekah!"

"Is this going well?" Stefan whispers, looking up at Luna for confirmation.

Luna winces as she hears something break in the background and nods hesitantly, not sure herself. She didn't want to know in what kind of state she would find the mansion upon her return.

"Are the Salvatores with you, love?" Niklaus asks, voice suspiciously calm and sweet.

"Yes, and you're on speaker." Luna nods, although Niklaus couldn't see it.

"Good, good." Niklaus hums.

"Salvatores, I will kill you and everyone you've ever met!" Niklaus shouts.

Luna groans at the volume of his voice and pulls her head back slightly.

"Nik, sweetie, when you threaten someone... at least make it achievable." Luna suggests. "Gutting someone? Great! Inverting a ribcage? Fantastic! Killing everyone someone has ever met? Very difficult and way too much effort!" Luna deadpans.

Stefan's face pales visibly at Luna's words. He looks extremely disturbed and glances briefly at Damon, who also looked uncomfortable with that mental image. He was now even more grateful for Luna's help. Having your ribcage inverted sounded quite unpleasant.

"This is not the time to be adorable, little love." Niklaus replies, sighing.

Damon gags silently at the pet name. Luna glares at him while making a rude gesture.

"Hey-no! This is my phone!" Niklaus shouts suddenly.

"I also want to threaten them-" Rebekah's voice can be heard clearly over the sudden commotion.

"Niklaus! Put the damn phone on speaker!"

"Angel?!"

"Yes, Kol. I'm here."

"Kol! Get back here!"

"Are you alright?! Did those asshol-"

"Rude." Damon grumbles.

"I'm alright, Kol. Thank you for asking. Are you guys okay?" Luna asks carefully, certain that there had been some bickering amongst the siblings.

"Yes!"

"Ow!"

"Fuck off, Nikkie!"

"Great, please put the phone on speaker, honey." Luna coaxes, waiting a minute to make sure all the Mikaelsons settled down.

"Okay, Damon and Stefan have not harmed me. They know I'm your mate and also know they would be very dumb to try anything." Luna shoots both Salvatores a pointed look. "But they regret the kidnapping immensely and have offered to bring me back home. So I need you guys to stay put, alright?" Luna explains, sounding a bit like a mother talking to her toddler.

She was all too familiar with the emotional side of the Mikaelsons. She needed to be sure they weren't going to do stupid things like slaughter an entire town, if they hadn't already done so.

"There will be retaliation for this heinous crime." Niklaus promises after a moment of silence.

"Of course, honey." Luna rolls her eyes, 'heinous crime' Niklaus does have a thing for dramatics.

• • •

"What are you doing?" Stefan asks, looking curiously at Luna, who had been scribbling on pages from the novel Damon had brought.

"Writing your apology speech." Luna hums, not looking up from her writing.

"Apology-I'm not holding a speech." Damon protests, glaring at Luna in the review mirror. He scowls at the memory of having to apologize to Elijah before, that was horrible as it was and not worth repeating.

"Yeah, you are. The Mikaelsons love being dramatic and if you don't come with something good, they will kill you, no matter what I say." Luna retorts, only looking up from her work long enough to glare back at Damon.

"And you're writing it for us, because?" Stefan asks carefully, not sure if he wants to piss Luna off while holding a wooden pencil.

"I don't think you guys know what they want to hear."

"And you do?" Damon asks, looking skeptically at the human.

• • •

"Easy, Finn. No! Finn! Put him down! Now." Luna tries to coax Finn into letting Damon go. The moment Luna got out of the car she was sped into the house by Elijah.

Finn had almost torn a car door off before grabbing Damon's collar, slamming him into the wall of the mansion. Damon's feet were dangling and Finn had a tight grip on his heart. Luna winced as she saw the huge indent in the wall.

Niklaus held Stefan in a similar position, both Mikaelsons were simply holding the two Salvatores in that position, as if waiting for permission to kill them.

Luna wriggles herself free from Elijah's arms and tries to run out of the door, but gets dragged back by another set of arms, Kol's.

"Don't kill them, please! They have not hurt me!" Luna shouts, finally relaxing in Kol's hold as she sees Finn retracting his hand from Damon's chest, without a heart.

Stefan looks up at Luna, silently asking for help. He knew it wasn't going to be a warm welcome, but he hadn't exactly expected this either.

Kol growls at Stefan, possessively tightening his hold on Luna and baring his fangs at the Salvatore.

Kol would have liked to drag Luna inside right away. He would have wrapped her safely in a heap of blankets and never let her go, but his instinct told him to get rid of the threat first.

"Nik, Finn! Get back inside please." Luna begs.

The men reluctantly let go of the Salvatores and join their mate. Finn briefly touches her hand in passing, Niklaus follows his example. There would be plenty of time to greet their mate properly after dealing with this annoyance.

"As mentioned on the phone, Stefan and Damon are very remorseful towards their actions." Luna starts, looking expectantly at the Salvatores, who only nod a little, still reeling from the sudden attack. "They've been very stupid...right?"

Damon clears his throat before opening the crumpled-up note from his pocket.

"Yes, we've been extremely dumb..and a pair of... douche?" Damon pauses for a second, trying to decipher the poorly legible handwriting. "Douchebags. And you can stab us twenty time-hold up twenty?! You said ten!" Damon looks up at Luna, waving his note around in indignation.

"Stick to the script." Luna snaps, not in the mood for another argument. Yes, they had agreed to ten, but she changed her mind when she thought back to how Niklaus had easily slain twelve hybrids, ten times stabbing would barely cover it.

Niklaus cracks his knuckles behind Luna's back in warning, glaring menacingly at Damon.

"Also, we will deliver you guys the last white oak ashe-wait what? No, we won't that's our only wea-" Damon's protest is cut short as he sees Luna's icy glare.

"Yes we will, we'll even gift wrap it." Stefan offers, smiling uncomfortably at the glaring Mikaelsons.

"Great, thank you guys. That means a lot." Luna says, clapping her hands together. "You guys can bring it to dinner tomorrow." Luna adds this last bit hastily, already turning around, ready to run off.

"Dinner?!" Damon and Niklaus ask at the same time.

"Yes, we can maybe work on a truce between the two... sides. This way we can live in peace in Mystic Falls." Luna offers, widening her eyes slightly at Niklaus to give him that last little push.

Niklaus only groans in defeat. He grabs onto Luna's waist, immediately pressing his nose in her neck, sniffing deeply.

"Great you've reclaimed your property." Luna deadpans, not even trying to get free from Niklaus' grip, she knew he would let her go when his inner animal had settled enough to let her go.

Niklaus nips lightly at Luna's throat.

Finn growls at the Salvatores, not liking the way they were gawking at his mate and brother.

"If that was all... we will see you tomorrow?" Stefan asks, looking questioningly at Luna. He was certain there was no way Damon and he could skip out on this. This was probably one of Luna's conditions for saving their lives. The last dinner party hadn't gone great, but he would be happy to live in peace in Mystic Falls again.

Luna nods slightly. "I will text you the details." She replies. She gives them a small smile, encouraging them to take their leave. She wanted to be with her family now.

Chapter Text

"Quick question, why is there a dead guy on the coat rack?" Luna hums, blinking up at the mutilated corpse. She was sure this image would haunt her for years.

"I mean, it sure brings a whole new dimension to 'hanging around'.'" Luna laughs nervously before clearing her throat, she had tried to avoid looking at the dead bodies but seeing as they were everywhere that proved to be quite difficult.

"We might have taken your absence badly..." Elijah admits, wrapping his arms around Luna's waist. He nuzzles his face in the crook of Luna's neck. Exultantly familiarizing himself with her scent again. Although it had only been a few hours, it had felt like an eternity. Being separated from his mate like that was a horrible experience, one he didn't want to repeat anytime soon.

Luna strokes Elijah's hand with one hand and lets the other run through his hair. It seemed that her mates were in more need of reassurance than her, although she was the one who had been kidnapped. She tried her best to ignore the dried-up blood on Elijah's hands and face, she knew perfectly well that her mates were still vampires with anger issues.

"You think?!" Rebekah shouts, tripping over a dead body when she is pushed aside by Finn who was impatiently waiting his turn to also properly greet his mate.

Now that Luna was back home safely and her brothers could use their brains again, Rebekah could finally lash out at her brothers. Those morons had destroyed just about the whole house just because their mate was gone for four hours. Yes, Rebekah had also been concerned, but her worry did not result in the destruction of their properties.

"It's alright. I'm here." Luna whispers in a comforting tone of voice.

"Don't leave me again, Elskan." Elijah rumbles, fingers pressing firmly in her hips, as if she could slip away at any moment.

"I won't." Luna promises, hopefully reassuring Elijah enough to loosen his grip a little. She couldn't exactly control when she would get kidnapped or not, but she did hope it was a one-time occurrence. The Salvatores hadn't been unpleasant but she wasn't so sure about other foes of the Mikaelsons.

Elijah finally lets go of Luna, taking a step back and straightening his cuffs, which was futile seeing as his entire shirt was creased and covered in dried-up blood.

Before Luna gets a chance to blink she's already in the next set of arms. Kol had shoved Finn out of the way to get to his mate first. Contentedly purring he snuggled up to his mate, affectionately snuffing and nipping at her throat.

Luna endures Kol's sniffing willingly while letting her eyes roam the foyer, grimacing at the multitude of bodies that had been staked to the walls and adorned the staircase.

"I have only been gone for four hours.... how?... Why?" Luna trails off, not sure how to comprehend the horrors she was seeing.

"We were...upset." Niklaus says, clearing his throat.

"Upset wouldn't even cover it! You were being downright hysterical! You weren't even this upset after we got ambushed in New Orleans by Mikael!" Rebekah shrieks, flailing her arms.

"So these were all unfortunate passerby's?" Luna asks, subtly changing the subject upon seeing the Mikaelson men wince at the mention of their father.

Rebekah's remark reminded Luna that she had to convince Rebekah to confess to her actions from the past and to inform them that Marcel was still alive and running their town.

"No some of these were witches." Elijah admits, awkwardly rubbing his hands together. He had been guilty of ripping out multiple hearts and decapitating some of their victims in his frustration and anger.

"You guys killed multiple witches?" Luna frees herself from Kol's grip to look at him.

"None of the fourteen proved to be serviceable." Finn explains, rubbing his neck. Although he did not enjoy bloodshed or killing innocent people as much as his brothers, he too had participated in the gruesome activities.

Finn's frustration and sadness overtook his morals and he had relished in destroying those who kept his mate away from them, even if they didn't do it on purpose. He would easily go on a rampage and slaughter a few towns if it were for his mate.

"You killed fourteen witches in your search for me... that's kind of sweet." Luna giggles, quickly pressing a kiss to Finn's lips.

"Jesus, I can see why you're their mate." Rebekah groans as she watches her brother kiss her friend, it was a sight she still wasn't used to. "Only you could find that romantic or sweet."

Luna merely smirks at the blonde. "Alright, but, if the foyer looks like this..." Luna trails off, waiting for an answer, hoping that this would be the only room they had defiled.

"I'm not sure if you want to see the rest of the mansion, love." Niklaus adds, looking a little bashful. He had taken so much pride in his beautiful mansion only to have it destroyed by his brothers and himself.

"You mean to tell me that all the rooms are like this?"

"No, love. Your bedroom, the study, and the studio have been spared." Niklaus replies, embracing Luna from behind. "But I wouldn't mind ravishing you and involuntarily your bedroom." Niklaus purrs while playfully nipping at Luna's jaw.

Rebekah gags silently at Niklaus's attempt to seduce Luna and Elijah rolls with his eyes.

"Nik, I think you've done enough 'ravishing' for one night," Luna complains, freeing herself from Niklaus' grip. The man had some nerve thinking she would sleep with him when their house was engulfed in corpses. "Heathens." Luna grumbles.

"As much as I enjoy watching Luna reject Niklaus's disgusting propositions, shall we continue the tour?"

• • •

"Is that... the mailman?!" Luna gawks at the familiar man who was hung upside down in the living room. "Oh no. Bill had just gotten that promotion!."

"How do you know that?" Niklaus asks, wondering when his mate had learned the mailman's name. He suddenly felt a lot less guilty about killing the guy.

"He was bragging." Luna shrugs. The man had been rambling on about how he deserved that promotion and how his rival, Hank, had done nothing but bother him. Luna had patiently listened to his story, too uncomfortable to send him off. She was pretty sure that Hank and Bill were in love, but she kept that little secret to herself.

"Why did you kill the mailman?" Luna asks, turning her head to face Niklaus.

"What are you looking at me for, love?" Niklaus asks, indignation clear in his voice. "Fine, it was me." Niklaus admits upon seeing his mate's skeptical look.

"Bad doggie." Kol pesters, pushing the mailman's body, so it would swing a little.

"Don't provoke him, Kol. I don't think this house survives another temper tantrum." Luna deadpans, taking a step back to avoid getting hit by the corpse.

• • •

"Remember how we said your bedroom was the only one... left unharmed?" Elijah asks carefully, entering Luna's bedroom.

Luna walks out of her closet and halts in her step when she sees the other Mikaelsons entering her bedroom, holding various blankets and pillows, which apparently did survive the turmoil.

"Oh, jesus-no! One night of cramming us in one bed was enough for me." Luna decides, shaking her head. Niklaus, Kol, and Elijah had all been a bit more agile because of their drunken state, this ensured that elbows and knees regularly came to places where they shouldn't be. The bed had been a bit of a warzone and adding Rebekah to the mix was asking for problems.

"How about we grab the surviving mattresses? Then we can have another sleepover." Luna offers, rolling her eyes at the pouting vampires. How is it possible that they were the thousand-year-olds?

"In the living room?" Niklaus asks.

"No, if I have to sleep in that room I will be forever traumatized." Luna deadpans, grimacing at the mere thought of sleeping in the room which was still covered in blood and spare limbs. It would be like sleeping in a horror house.

"But we got rid of the bodies..." Kol comments, looking confused at his mate's objection.

• • •

"Bekah...that's my bed..." Luna pouts as she sees Rebekah draped on her bed, arms and legs spread like a starfish, clearly indicating that she wasn't going to share.

"I haven't forgotten how you abused me the first night, I'm not taking any risks." Rebekah replies, her voice slightly muffles because she was faceplanted in the pillows.

"Come on, Angel! We can snuggle!" Kol whines impatiently. He was already on one of the mattresses and spreading his arms wide.

• • •

"Angel?" Kol asks, blinking his eyes open. He frowns as he notices the empty spot beside him.

"Nik!" Kol shouts, pushing Niklaus's shoulder. Kol receives only a low groan from Niklaus in response.

"Useless mongrel." Kol mutters bitterly. He sprints to the door to turn the light switch on, kicking Elijah in the process.

"Angel?!" Kol shouts, looking a little more frantic. He proceeds to drops himself to the floor to look under the bed.

"Kol! What the fuck?!" Rebekah shouts, looking furious and ready to snap his neck. At lack of response, she lobs a pillow at him.

"What are you doing, Kol?" Finn groans groggily while pushing Kol's foot out of his face.

"My Angel! Luna! She's gone!" Kol shouts, looking visibly disconcerted.

Rebekah groans, she thought her brothers could finally use their brains again, but no. Rebekah had forgotten that they were idiots no matter the situation. She had set herself up for failure.

"What if she's kidnapped?!" Niklaus suggests, now wide-awake, also looking worried.

Kol nods his head frantically, pointing to Niklaus as a backer of that idea.

"Fucking idiots." Rebekah mutters, which earns her a menacing glare from Kol and Niklaus.

"She hasn't let anyone in, besides us. Which also almost didn't happen. She's probably just baking or doing some other ridiculous activity at this ungodly hour." Rebekah reassures while stifling a yawn, before turning around, face planting her pillow again.

"This is a team effort, Bekah!" Kol grumbles, dragging Rebekah out of the bed by her ankle. There was no way his sister would get away with contributing so little to this crisis.

Rebekah shrieks and lands face-first on the mattress-covered floor.

• • •

"I hate my life." Rebekah huffs, walking downstairs with her brothers.

"Elskan?" Elijah calls, rubbing his face tiredly. How he let Kol convince them all to join this quest was a mystery to him, perhaps it had to do something with his constant yelling.

"Nik! Sniff her out or something." Kol urges, pushing Niklaus's shoulder.

"You're a vampire, do it yourself!" Niklaus hisses, glaring in disdain at his little brother.

"Where are you guys going? Can I join?" Luna asks, walking into the foyer, looking interestedly at the group of people on the stairs.

"Angel!" Kol shouts, barreling down the stairs, almost propelling Rebekah over the banister.

Luna groans as she is engulfed in an almost bone-crushing embrace.

With the limited space she has she uncomfortably pats Kol's back.

"Where were you, love?" Niklaus grumbles, nearly slumping on the stairs in relief or exhaustion. You could hardly call him a morning person, especially when his morning starts at 4 am after being rudely awoken by his little brother.

"I was visiting the restroom downstairs. The one next to my room has a... decapitated girl in it." Luna deadpans, grimacing slightly at the memory of that awful surprise.

All heads turn to Elijah, who shoots Luna an apologetic look. He had been responsible for gathering the bodies on the first floor.

"Great, mystery solved. Goodnight, idiots!" Rebekah shouts, making her way upstairs. Followed by Niklaus, Finn, and Elijah.

"I was worried." Kol starts, realizing he might have been a bit hasty in his panic. He loosens his grip on Luna and lets his hands rest on her hips.

"I know, it's alright. I think it's sweet." Luna reassures, cupping his cheek.

She raises herself on her tippytoes, frowning as she still can't reach Kol's face.

Kol was merely looking at her, not sure what to do.

'No help, whatsoever' Luna thought. With a huff she pulls Kol's head down, pressing a gentle kiss to his lips.

Kol stills under Luna's kiss, waiting patiently for her to break the kiss when she wanted. He was careful not to react too quickly or too eagerly, afraid that this kiss would be his last if he did. It felt like electricity was flowing into his veins, along with a strange but pleasant sense of belonging.

They break apart and Luna giggles at his dreamy look. She boops his nose before running towards the staircase.

Kol runs after her, lifting her in the air when he caught up with her, chuckling at her startled shriek.

Kol carries Luna's giggling form back to her bedroom, peppering kisses on her face the whole way back.

• • •

"You do know she has two perfectly functioning legs, right?" Rebekah asks as she sees Niklaus walking into the kitchen with Luna on his back.

Luna was happily surprised to see the Mikaelson mansion cleaned up.

The moment they woke up, Finn and Elijah had hired, better said, compelled, people to clean up the mess they had made. Except for the broken wall and dented columns, the place back to its original state.

"Shut up, Bekah." Niklaus retorts. He was enjoying the proximity he had to his mate and wasn't going to let Bekah ruin it.

Luna had willingly undergone all the doting of the Mikaelson men. Since getting back she had barely had a moment alone, none of the men were comfortable with leaving Luna alone for too long. Luna didn't mind much, as long as they didn't tear each other's throats out, or those of innocent civilians, she was fine with it.

"Be nice, honey." Luna whispers, lips brushing past Niklaus's ear. He involuntarily shudders at the intimate sensation and goosebumps become visible on his arms.

Swallowing he nods. "I apologize. Yes, Rebekah, I am aware of the presence of Luna's perfect legs." Niklaus says to his sister.

Luna giggles at Niklaus's remark, pressing a kiss to Niklaus's jaw.

"That's not what I meant-Wait, what? Wow, Luna, you actually got him to apologize to me...You do realize you can never leave again right?" Rebekah taunts, ignoring Niklaus's half-hearted glare.

"As if they'd let me." Luna hums, kissing the crown of Niklaus' head.

"You got that right, little Angel." Kol hums, poking Luna's side when walking past them in the kitchen.

Niklaus places Luna carefully on one of the bar stools, taking the seat to her left.

Elijah immediately presents her with a cup of coffee and Finn places a plate in front of her. They were both very eager to show their sufficiency in providing and taking care of their mate, especially after the kidnapping situation.

"Thank you, Elijah, Finn." Luna mumbles shyly. She was still amazed by their constant attentiveness.

"What are the plans for today?" Niklaus asks, stealing a strawberry from Luna's plate.

"I want to go to the Grill." Luna announces, while holding a raspberry in front of Elijah's mouth.

Elijah accepts the berry and nuzzles fondly at Luna's temple. These slow mornings were something he cherished.

"What for?" Finn asks, looking unsurely at the breakfast he had prepared for his mate, insecurity creeping in, wondering if his cooking didn't live up to his mate's expectations.

Luna follows Finn's gaze and smiles. "Your cooking is fantastic, Finn. It's just that I would like to apologize to Matt, for knocking him out. Although he kind of deserved it, I could have done it differently."

• • •

"Hey, Luna!" Bonnie greets, waving Luna over as she enters the Grill, swiftly followed by Kol, Finn, and Rebekah.

Luna sees Caroline, Bonnie, and Elena tense up slightly at the sudden presence of the Originals. "One second, please." Luna says.

A soft protesting growling can be heard. Luna rolls her eyes playfully. "Go wait by the bar, please. You're close enough to intervene if anything happens."

Reluctantly the Mikaelsons make their way to the bar.

"Hello." Luna greets, smiling at Bonnie.

"Hi, Luna. Do you want to join us?" Caroline asks cheerily, already shuffling in the booth to make some space.

Luna gazes in the direction of the Mikaelsons. They were looking in her direction, scowling and obviously listening in.

"Oh sorry, I'm a little busy today, maybe another time?" Luna offers, smiling sincerely at the blonde.

"Tomorrow!" Caroline prompts. She was eager to learn more about the newcomer.

"Uhh, I'm not sure..." Luna replies, awkwardly looking at Elena's annoyed expression.

Caroline kicks Elena under the table.

"Yeah, you should come. It will be fun." Elena sighs, shooting Caroline a glare before smiling up at Luna.

"Umm sure. I have to go now, I will see you guys tomorrow." Luna says, before walking quickly to the bar.

Standing at the bar, Kol immediately wraps his arms around Luna, possessively nosing at her jugular.

"You've got to be kidding me? A lunch date? With those bitch-" Rebekah starts, glaring at the girls in the booth. If Caroline thought she could steal her best friend, she was dead wrong, and Rebekah wouldn't mind getting violent to get the message across.

"They can hear you, and I'm pretty sure you know that." Luna cuts of, giving Rebekah a pointed look.

Luna looks up to see Matt approaching them, he looks a little unsure if he should approach them further or not. Luna understood his apprehensiveness, the last time they had seen each other he had tried to attack the Mikaelsons, and they didn't take kindly to such matters.

"Hi, Matt." Luna calls, smiling at the bartender.

Kol gives a warning growl, to make sure the bartender wouldn't act like a jerk to his mate. One unkind word and he would drag Matt across the bar to crush his legs.

"Hey." Matt greets, looking a little shifty under the glare of multiple Mikaelsons.

"I just wanted to apologize for the other night. I shouldn't have knocked you out."

"It's alright." Matt assures. He appreciated the apology, it was more than he usually gets from his friends when his life is yet again endangered by them. Besides that, it's not like he would dare to react otherwise, with Kol still glaring menacingly at him.

"Umm, I'm sorry for trying to kill you." Matt says, shifting his gaze to Finn.

Finn simply nods, not impressed with the teenager but not in the mood for another fight either.

Kol grows possessively and nudges his nose against Luna's throat as he sees Matt looking a little too long at his mate.

"Kol, we're still in public." Luna whispers, softly pushing his face away.

Luna shoots Matt an apologetic smile and is about to ask him about his day when she sees Elijah and Niklaus approaching them.

"Luna, love, are you done talking to commoners." Niklaus shoots Matt a contemptuous look before stroking Luna's cheek affectionately.

Niklaus and Elijah had taken a stroll on the square, or that's what they were supposed to do. Luna thought the presence of five originals might be a bit too intimidating while apologizing to Matt. In reality, the two men had been lurking near the door, peeking through the window of the Grill. They had ignored the disturbed glances some of the customers had shot at them.

"Yes, our little Angel has apologized to the quarterback." Kol replies smoothly. "So the quarterback can go back to minding his own business!" Kol snaps, glaring a last time at Matt.

• • •

"Where are you going Bekah?" Luna asks head tilted curiously as she sees Rebekah's sudden angry expression.

"I'm just going to make sure Finn's ex doesn't get her hopes up. She needs to know that Finn belongs to you." Rebekah snaps, before angrily stomping away and out of the Grill. She had always hated Sage. The woman must be insane if she thought she had a chance with Finn. Rebekah had no problem threatening the doppelganger, much less cheap bitches trying to steal her brothers away from Luna.

"Sage is here?" Finn asks, frowning slightly. Wondering how the woman he had dated 900 years ago was here. It couldn't be a coincidence.

He immediately worries that his mate might think he still had feelings for this woman, she had mentioned Sage earlier to him, almost encouraged him to be with the woman

"I do not wish to date Sage, my love. It is only you who has my heart." Finn mutters, cupping Luna's cheek, hoping to convince her.

"It's alright, Finn. I know." Luna smiles up at him, she takes his hand and entwines their fingers. She could never be angry at him for his past lovers. Besides that, she trusted her mates to never hurt her like that.

"I love you. I love only you." Finn whispers, finally confessing the thought that had been playing around in his head for the past few days. He didn't expect his mate to return his sentiment, but he needed to tell her, to assure her he only wanted to be hers, forever.

Luna just looks at him, she couldn't say it, not yet. It was not even a week and a half that she embarked on this adventure. She understood that her mates felt everything deeper because of their vampire nature, but she couldn't do it, not yet. Instead, she pressed her lips to his. In a silent promise, that one day she would say it back.

• • •

"What are you doing here Sage?" Rebekah snaps up as she walks up to Sage and Damon.

"Rebekah. What a happy surprise." Sage says, holding back an eye-roll.

"I heard Finn was finally freed from that casket your rageaholic brother Klaus carted him around in."

Damon is about to throw in a sarcastic remark but Rebekah is already ahead of him.

"That's great, but Finn is even less interested in seeing you than I am and that's saying something." Rebekah snaps, throwing Sage a dirty look.

"I don't think so, he loves me."

At this Rebekah burst into laughter. "Hate to break it to you, but you couldn't be more wrong."

"How would you-" Sage stops mid-sentence when she sees Finn getting kissed by a girl. Sage feels a jealous twinge and anger flares up inside of her.

Sage steps towards the bar, ready to rip the girl to pieces. She had waited 900 years for this day, she wasn't going to have her dreams crushed by some little girl.

Rebekah halts her in her step, roughly pushing her back. "I don't think so, back off harlot!" Rebekah warns, before turning around to enter the Grill. Already looking forward to complaining to Luna about the stupid vampire.

Chapter Text

"What is she doing here?" Elena asks upon seeing Sage enter the Salvatore boarding house.

"She-" Damon starts before getting cut off.

"I want Finn." Sage says, rolling her eyes at Elena, not in the mood for small talk. Seeing that girl with Finn had soured Sage's mood wholly and she was rather impatient to get him back.

"But he has a girl-" Stefan comments, looking a little confused. He still didn't fully understand who this woman was and why she was in his house.

"No, that girl is probably another cruel trick from Niklaus, a plaything to keep Finn docile." Sage retorts fiercely, glaring at Stefan.

Stefan shifts his gaze to Damon, who merely shrugs at him, also not sure how to deal with the unyielding vampire. "That 'girl' is his mate... I don't think it works like-" Stefan tries carefully.

"No, she's not his mate. She's delusional or compelled and Finn's family has obviously talked in on him, tormented him until he believed their vicious lies." Sage snaps. "As soon as he sees me, everything will be back to normal, he will remember our connection." Sage declares, obviously putting an end to their argument.

• • •

"My dear Elskan, do you have to hang that godawful picture on the mantle?" Elijah asks, scowling a little at the framed photograph that now adorned their living room.

"Yes, I told you it would serve as a reminder for you guys to not act like idiots." Luna replies, smiling sweetly at her grumpy mate.

"Just wait until you see the picture I took of you guys last night."

After the extensive tour to see all the damage the Mikaelson men had done, Luna had made them pose in the living room, encouraging them to look as remorseful as possible as she took the picture.

Elijah huffs, knowing he wouldn't win this, if he were to move the frame one inch, he would face the wrath of his mate and most likely spend the next fifty years sleeping on the floor instead of next to her.

"I think I will call it 'the Idiot Gallery'." Luna hums, kissing Elijah's cheek before running off to gloat with Rebekah.

• • •

"What does a 'mate' entail?" Alaric asks, looking as confused as the rest of the gang.

"Soulmates." Sage grits, tightly clutching her glass. She ignores the small cracks that were starting to appear in it.

"Soulmates." Bonnie repeats, raising her eyebrows in surprise. "What is that exactly?"

"I'm not sure about human and vampire soulmates, but soulmates supposedly have an instant connection, they complete each other. Soulmates are meant to love, cherish and protect each other till the end of their lives." Stefan explains while pacing a little in the room as if giving a presentation.

Sage scoffs.

"It sounds like marriage." Caroline comments, looking a little dreamily at the idea of having a soulmate.

"This runs way deeper. You don't divorce or break up, you are inseparable. The bond is sacred and it transcends anything you've ever experienced before. It is giving everything of yourself to the other, without expecting anything in return." Stefan rambles, reciting the information he had read in one of the many books from their collection.

"You've been hitting the books, Stef." Damon comments.

Stefan rolls his eyes, after Luna's revelation he had been researching everything he could on soulmates. He must confess that he had looked up ways to break the bond, maybe find a way to spare Luna heartache if Damon did end up killing one of her mates.

"So, it's meant to be?" Elena asks, gaze flashing over to Damon for a second.

"Yes, the chances of meeting your soulmate is very unlikely, but not impossible." Stefan replies, ignoring the sympathetic look Caroline shot him.

"And Finn is Luna's soulmate?" Matt asks warily, awkwardly eyeing Sage who was snarling at the mere suggestion.

"Here's the punchline, they're all her mates." Damon replies, chuckling humorlessly.

"All?" Elena asks, hoping she misheard Damon.

"Finn, Elijah, Klaus, and Kol." Stefan defines.

"No way." Elena says, indignation and judgment clear in her voice and expression. A human girl couldn't have all four Originals as a soulmate, she just couldn't. That would mean she held power over the four most powerful vampires, Elena didn't want to believe that.

"That can't be real! Soulmates are supposed to be two people!" Sage snaps, not able to control her anger anymore. She hadn't believed in soulmates, but she thought what she and Finn had come close to it. The thought that the girl who did not only bewitch her Finn also had the other Mikaelsons wrapped around her fingers infuriated her. Sage hadn't forgotten Rebekah's snide warning, even Rebekah, the elitist bitch, seemed to like her.

"I'm pretty sure you would change your mind if you had seen the damage they did to their own home in her absence." Damon comments, fixing himself a drink. He ignores the dark look Sage threw him, although Sage was a lot stronger than him, she was outnumbered right now and would probably refrain herself from doing anything rash.

"Was it that bad?" Bonnie asks, not sure what to imagine. Thinking of the mansion, she could only imagine the house the way she had seen it at the ball.

"There were people staked to the walls. Cars were flipped and columns destroyed." Damon replies calmly. "Need I remind you, she had been gone for only four hours?"

"About that, so you kidnapped the soulmate from four Originals?" Alaric deadpans, he was about to throw Damon out of the nearest window. How could Damon, with all his bad plans, survive all these years was a mystery to him. "Idiots, both of you."

"They should have killed you." Caroline mutters, not as a threat but as a statement. It would have been the most logical thing in her eyes. If her one person who was meant to be with her was kidnapped she would have instantly killed the culprits. this didn't sound like the Niklaus she knew, he would have probably killed their entire town.

Caroline didn't understand that Damon and Stean were still alive. She guessed it must have something to do with Luna.

• • •

"Did you just hit me with a frying pan?!" Niklaus exclaims, rubbing his cheek, where the burn mark was already healing. He had snuck up on his mate, hugging her from behind. Luna had been busy preparing tonight's dinner with Finn, and Niklaus was in dire need of some love and attention.

"You startled me!" Luna accuses, turning around to face Niklaus, still holding the frying pan up.

"Put it down- Put the pan down!" Niklaus shouts, pointing at the stove. Getting hit once with a piece of cooking equipment was enough for him.

"Why are you still shouting?!" Luna replies, not sure why she was shouting herself. 'Probably the adrenaline' she reasons.

"Please tell me you weren't going to serve that, love?" Niklaus asks, looking in disgust at the white stuff that was now scattered on the floor.

"Are you seriously judging my choice of food, Dracula?" Luna replies, giving Niklaus a disbelieving look.

"Why would you eat tofu when you can eat steak, it's like me drinking a Bambi instead of an Amber."

"We also have steak. Maybe you should try it sometimes, Stefan didn't mind the bunny diet." Luna teases, knowing full well Niklaus would never go for the vegetarian lifestyle.

"Ugh, do not mention him." Niklaus rolls his eyes, lifting Luna up and placing her on an empty spot on the counter.

"You're going to have to see him tonight." Luna reminds him gently, placing her hands on his shoulders to steady herself.

"Hmm, twenty times, right?" Niklaus asks, referring to the promise the Salvatores had made, at the suggestion from his mate.

Niklaus takes one of the cookies that were placed on a drying rack, eager to try one of the sweets his mate had been preparing all afternoon.

"Down boy, those are for tonight." Luna warns, bopping Niklaus's nose, before taking the treat from his hand.

In reply, Niklaus growls playfully, tugging lightly at Luna's earlobe with his teeth.

• • •

"Let's get back on track. So, a dinner? In the lion's den?" Alaric asks. Frowning, he thinks back to the last dinner he had with an Original. The dinner ended with Elijah holding a dagger in his heart, which unfortunately was of little use as they had pulled the damn thing out.

"Yes, Luna seemed rather insistent on it. She wants to create some kind of peace." Stefan replies.

Elena scoffs, Niklaus had caused her tremendous suffering and now he wanted peace? Because his soulmate asked him to? She didn't buy it. "What if it's an ambush?" Elena asks.

"It could be a genuine offer. I mean she seemed nice." Bonnie offers.

"Nice? She did hit Matt knockout with a baseball bat." Elena replies narrowing her eyes slightly at Bonnie, not understanding why Bonnie would defend a girl she barely knew.

"She apologized for that, and I did try to kill her mate... so I guess it was a natural reaction?" Matt comments, shrugging.

Elena huffs moodily in response.

"So we're all going?" Tyler asks, not liking the idea of having to play Niklaus's lapdog again. His sire bond was gone but Niklaus wouldn't know that.

"Yep, we can see what this whole 'peace' thing entails. If things get out of hand we can always use Wolf boy and Bonnie the Teenage Witch."

"Are we even invited?" Bonnie asks, scowling at the nickname and the way Damon said 'use'.

"Of course you are. Now, no more questions. Time to put on your fancy shoes." Damon replies, wagging his eyebrows.

• • •

"Why didn't you let us kill them, again?" Kol asks, from his seat at the dining table. He was busy folding napkins on Luna's orders, Niklaus had wanted to help him, but Kol had growled at him. If Niklaus wanted to help, he could find his own chore.

"Because you would be bored out of your mind." Luna replies while checking the oven for the correct temperature. "Besides that, I think once those guys get their heads out of their asses they could be quite useful allies. Maybe even friends." Luna suggests lightly.

"So, does this dinner require for me to be polite?" Kol asks, frowning a little at the prospect of having to make polite conversation with the men that kidnapped his Luna.

"Preferably...yes." Luna deadpans.

"Thank you, Finn." Luna presses a kiss to Finn's cheek after placing the tray, with the buns he had made, in the oven.

"I also helped..." Kol remarks, looking expectantly at his mate.

"Of course you did, sweetie. Thank you." Luna presses a kiss to the crown of his head. Luna wasn't going to mention how Kol almost dropped the batter twice and let the bread burn beyond saving. He tried, which was what counted.

• • •

"Elijah! What's the password for your laptop?!" Rebekah shouts, entering the living room.

"What do you need my laptop for, sister?" Elijah asks while flipping through his newspaper.

"I need to look something up, a new hairstyle for tonight." Rebekah replies. Although she could care less about the Salvatores, she still wanted to look her best.

"Use your own."

"Elijah! Unless you have porn on there I see no reason why you can't let me use it." Rebekah retaliates, quirking a brow.

Loud laughter could be heard from the kitchen, probably coming from Kol or Niklaus.

"Fine." Elijah grumbles, taking the laptop from his sister's hands. Elijah bent over the laptop, hopefully shielding the screen from his sister's sharp gaze, and he tried to enter his password as quickly as possible.

"Your password is 'Luna'?! Pathetic!" Rebekah laughs loudly, before taking the device from Elijah, leaving him in the living room, accompanied by several roars of laughter from his siblings.

• • •

"Finn, can you please zip me up?" Luna asks. Luna had seen him stop in the hall, peeking inside.

"It would be my pleasure." Finn replies, blushing slightly at being caught.

Finn walks up to Luna and smiles shyly at her in the mirror. His fingers trace the bare skin of her back. Bending forward, he places a kiss on her shoulder blade. "I apologize for intruding." Finn murmurs against her skin.

"I think you're mostly remorseful for getting caught." Luna replies, smirking.

"Certainly, but now I do get to help you out, which feels more like a reward." Finn replies, placing a kiss on her shoulder, slowly making his way towards her neck. He suddenly remembers what he came for and tugged lightly on the fabric of her dress. Slowly he pulls the zipper up, making sure to caress every bit of skin along the way. "You're absolutely stunning." Finn whispers against her neck in between kisses.

"Finn?" Luna asks, her voice in a slightly higher pitch than usual.

"Yes, my love?" Finn rumbles, obviously pleased with their current position.

"I advise you to halt your activities unless you want me to reschedule tonight's dinner." Luna hums, biting her lip.

"I would wish nothing more, but I shall restrain myself, for now." Finn replies, before reluctantly disentangling himself from his mate and stepping back. His self-control was limited and his mate looked way too tempting at the moment, but he also knew this dinner was important to her.

• • •

"Don't you look...spruce." Luna comments mildly, taking in Kol's very flashy shoes.

"A bloody idiot is what he looks like." Rebekah replies, grinning upon seeing Kol's annoyed expression.

"Fits his personality rather well, hmm?" Niklaus hums, nipping at Luna's jaw.

Kol sulks a little before flashing back upstairs to find some more appropriate footwear.

"They're here!" Luna exclaims excitedly upon hearing the doorbell ring. She was looking forward to moving past the feud between the Mikelsons and the Salvatores. Luna frees herself from Niklaus's grip, straightening her dress a little.

"Are you sure, Elskan?" Elijah asks, cupping Luna's cheek to look into her eyes

"I'm sure, 'Lijah. I just want there to be peace of some sort. Besides that, if anything were to go wrong, I have four very handsome and strong protectors." Luna replies, leaning into Elijah's touch.

Rebekah clears her throat.

"And the most incredible and gorgeous best friend in the whole world, who I would definitely hook up with, if necessary." Luna adds, grinning at the blonde.

"Thank you." Rebekah answers, smirking triumphantly at Elijah.

Elijah growls a little before pressing a possessive kiss to Luna's lips, making sure his mate knew that hooking up with Rebekah was out of the question.

"Well well well, look who came to their enemy's door, bearing gifts." Niklaus comments as he opens the door and sees Damon and Stefan, the latter holding a gift bag.

"Nik, stop flirting with our guests." Luna complains, walking up to the door.

"I wasn't-"

"Hmm, we all know you and Stefan were very friendly in the '20s." Luna teases, pushing past Niklaus and stepping over the threshold.

Stefan blinks, not sure how to respond to this allegation, so he decides to just keep his mouth shut.

"It's great to be here." Damon says, smiling a little. The last time he had been here his heart was almost ripped out, so he wasn't feeling too comfortable right now.

"Did Stefan tell you to say that?" Luna asks, smirking a little at Damon's faltering smile.

"Maybe, but you look very lovely, Luna. As always." Damon compliments, smirking at Luna and pressing a kiss to her hand.

Low growling can be heard from the Mikaelson men behind Luna and Damon quickly drops Luna's hand. Damon also takes a step back, as a precaution.

"Is that for us?" Luna asks, looking interestedly at the bag Stefan was holding.

"Naturally," Stefan replies smoothly, handing Luna the bag.

Luna opens the bag curiously, finding a little glass jar with some powder in it. Stefan had kept his promise, he had wrapped the bottle with various colorful ribbons. Besides the jar, there was a small box.

Luna takes the box out of the bag, looking questioningly at Stefan.

Stefan smiles encouragingly, which made Luna open the box, to reveal the silver necklace that had belonged to Rebekah and before that the Original witch.

Luna smiles gratefully at Stefan, before handing the box to Rebekah, who seemed immensely pleased to have her necklace back.

"Alright, that's enough." Niklaus complains, pulling Luna back inside. His mate had smiled a little too much at the Salvatore for his liking.

"Alright, Salvatores, two ground rules. You don't look at my mate and you don't touch her, got it?" Niklaus asks while puffing his chest out a little. He had spared them, he wouldn't be so kind next time they tried anything.

"How can we not look at her?" Stefan asks apprehensively, not sure how that would work.

"I know that she's gorgeous, but you will do your best." Niklaus replies, narrowing his eyes at Stefan.

"Not what I mean... but alright."

"Are you done proving you're the alpha male?" Luna deadpans, rolling her eyes playfully at Niklaus's demands.

"I don't have to prove anything, love. I am the alpha male." Niklaus smirks, nipping lightly at Luna's jaw before peppering a few kisses down her throat in apology, he knew she was tense and his territorial instincts didn't always make things easier.

"Please, tone it down on the PDA." Damon remarks, rolling his eyes at the lovey-dovey stuff.

"Tone it down on... your face!" Finn retaliates, narrowing his eyes at Damon while making a rude gesture. Yes, he too would rather not see Niklaus nipping at his mate, seeing as he should be the one doing that, but that didn't mean he would let Damon be rude towards his family.

"Nice one, Finn. You tell him!" Kol encourages, patting Finn on his shoulder. Alright, the insult hadn't been great, but Finn got points for his convincing delivery. The middle finger was also a nice touch, something Kol had proudly taught Finn after seeing someone do it in the streets.

"Children." Luna mutters under her breath.

"What are they doing on our property?" Rebekah snaps, her eyes landing on an approaching group.

"I'm sorry, I don't remember inviting the kids to this conversation?" Luna deadpans when she recognizes Elena, Caroline, Bonnie, Tyler, and Matt.

Luna glances briefly at Tyler, who is already staring at her. This was the first time she saw him in this universe. He looked tense, which worried her slightly.

Alaric throws his hands up in an exasperated gesture, he didn't like to be included under the term 'kids' by someone half his age.

Finn's jaw clenches as he lays eyes upon Sage. He wraps an arm around Luna's waist, pulling her closer. His territorial instinct was kicking in and his inner vampire was basically shouting at him to get his mate away from the door and away from the intruders.

Sage in turn looks at Finn, smiling lovingly at him until she sees that he wasn't looking at her at all, but at the girl from the bar. She would love to run up to him, beg him to wake up from this delusional dream, but she holds back, knowing that the evening is still young and she can't ruin it until she's invited in. Damon explained that Luna decided who came in, so for now Sage should play her part and be polite to this bitch and Finn's awful family.

Rebekah holds her tongue but looks suspiciously at Sage, ready to rip her head off when she is given permission.

"You're a kid yourself!" Elena retorts indignantly, to which she receives an elbow to the ribs from Bonnie, who had urged her to be polite.

"No, I'm 21. An adult." Luna deadpans. She was anything but happy to see the Mystic Falls gang at her door. Of course, Damon had to change the plans and she worried about what he had been plotting.

"Don't be impolite." Damon teases, smirking at Luna's irritated expression.

"Impolite? You're impolite. You bring six people, unannounced! You know what that is? Poor manners!" Luna replies

"No, but seriously, I don't think the cake I made is big enough... Damnit! Why are you people like this? Do we even have enough plates?!" Luna rambles heatedly before storming back into the house, looking thoroughly annoyed. She had wanted this dinner to be perfect and she had worked out all the details, and because of Damon she now looked unprepared.

"You have some nerve, upsetting our mate like that." Kol glowers menacingly at the Salvatores.

"We're so sorry, Damon told us we were all invited." Caroline offers, smiling apologetically at the Mikaelons, who were all looking unamused at their guests.

"Luna, love. Please come back!" Niklaus shouts whilst still glaring at Damon.

"No! I have to search for more dessert!" Luna's shout is distant and the slamming of several cupboard doors can be heard.

"Elskan, you need to come back. We can not invite them in." Elijah replies, grimacing a little upon hearing Luna's disheartened tone.

The clacking of heels on marble becomes louder as Luna reappears, holding a big empty basket.

"Weapons." Luna states, putting the basket on the doorstep, looking pointedly at Damon, who was first in line to enter.

Rolling his eyes, Damon procures several stakes from his suit pockets.

"Seriously?" Kol asks when he sees Damon pulling out a tiny stake from his front pocket.

"That's it." Damon declares, smiling innocently at Luna.

Luna raises her eyebrows, to which Damon sighs before retrieving another two stakes from the back of his pants.

"It's a dinner, not war." Rebekah deadpans, looking unimpressed at Damon and then disgusted at the two stakes.

"Same thing." Damon mutters.

"Come in, Damon." Luna says, stepping aside.

Elijah halts Damon momentarily upon entering.

"My mate seems to believe you possess some redeeming qualities. That's the only reason you're still walking and talking, Salvatore. I suggest you don't disappoint her." Elijah warns.

"Lijah, remember what we talked about. Don't threaten our guests before appetizers." Luna sighs, briefly brushing her fingers over the lapels of his jacket.

"She's really got the four of you on a leash." Damon comments, smiling innocently at Niklaus.

"Damon, sweetie." Luna starts, holding back a sigh.

Kol growls upon hearing Luna use his pet name for the stupid Salvatore.

"I can't keep saving your ass from my mates. So I suggest you keep your little remarks to yourself." Luna smiles sarcastically at him before turning her attention back to Stefan, waiting patiently for him to empty his pockets.

Luna smiles gratefully at Stefan when he takes off his jacket to show her he was clean from any further weapons.

• • •

"You really went all out, Safari Sam." Niklaus comments dryly, looking a little disturbed at the number of weapons Alaric had been carrying around.

"Can never be too sure." Alaric shrugs, waiting patiently for Luna to invite him in. Although he didn't need an invite it was good manners, which he did possess, unlike some other people.

"Please come in, Alaric." Luna smiles.

Chapter Text

"You guys cleaned the place up nicely." Damon comments, narrowing his eyes at a spot on the wall where a man was staked last night.

Damon was surprised that the Mikaelsons and Luna would agree to let them all in, but Luna was being an excellent host, just like he'd hoped.

"We wouldn't have to clean up if you hadn't kidnapped our dear Luna." Elijah replies smoothly, as he leads the guests into the living room.

Caroline shares a disturbed look with Bonnie, they had both seen the remains of a broken wall and wondered what the place looked like before the 'clean-up'.

Alaric looks around in amazement, he and Sage were the only ones who had not yet been in the mansion. He admired the chandelier and the many paintings, some of which he recognized from the art books he had studied in the past.

Sage seems less impressed, she was familiar with the status of the Mikaelsons and expected nothing else.

"Nik, Finn, could you please get an extra table and some chairs?" Luna asks. Both men nod at her before swiftly taking their leave.

"Umm, please take a seat, relax, and mingle." Luna starts, feeling a little uncomfortable with addressing the group of family and foes. "I need to do some last-minute adjustments for tonight's meal. Stefan, Damon, let's go."

Stefan nods as if he was already expecting this.

"Me? I'm not going to-" Damon protests.

"You didn't warn us, so you get to make yourself useful." Luna cuts off, snapping her finger while pointing at the door that led to the kitchen. She was wearing an expression that told Damon not to test her patience further.

"Fine." Damon grumbles, reluctantly making his way to the kitchen, following Stefan.

Luna smiles bashfully at the Mystic Falls gang, who were all staring stunned at the fact that Damon and Stefan had just taken orders from a 21-year-old girl they supposedly hate.

Luna glances briefly at Sage before also leaving the room. Luna hadn't exactly wanted to leave Sage outside, especially because Damon was taunting her for being rude, but she also didn't want Finn to be uncomfortable.

Finn had promised Luna that he could manage for an evening. He knew he had to confront Sage at one point and he'd rather it be sooner than later. Finn had promised both Luna and Sage that if the latter were to trying anything to hurt his mate or family, she would not leave the mansion alive.

"Did that seriously just happen?" Caroline asks before bursting out in giggles.

• • •

"I'm not wearing an apron!" Damon objects, looking contemptuously at the flower pattern apron Luna was holding out.

"Is your masculinity really that fragile?" Luna deadpans. "Fine, suit yourself. Don't come crying to me when you stain your fancy clothes."

"Luna? Do you want the tomatoes in cubes or slices?" Stefan interrupts, looking quizzically at his cutting board. He was already wearing his own apron, eager to help out. Stefan quite enjoyed cooking and the large kitchen from the Mikaelsons was drool-worthy to him.

Damon reluctantly rips the apron from Luna's hands while muttering something inappropriate under his breath.

• • •

"I suggest you put that back where you found it, Mr. Lockwood. My mate is quite fond of it." Niklaus warns, narrowing his eyes at Tyler who was playing around with a small figurine.

Niklaus might have stolen that figurine from an important royal family member. He had stored it in the attic and his mate came across it while searching for a replacement vase. She had seen the figurine and fell in love with it. Since then it had its own little spot next to the TV.

"Of course, my apologies Klaus." Tyler replies, nodding his head obediently at Klaus, carefully placing the figurine back to its original spot.

"You can stop that, Tyler. We all know you broke the sire bond." Niklaus replies, rolling his eyes at Tyler's mediocre performance.

"How?" Tyler asks, taken aback at his secret being discovered.

"My little mate told me all about it, how you have struggled, broken each bone over and over again." Niklaus taunts, grinning at Tyler's shocked expression.

"Yeah? And how is that Klaus?" Tyler counters, overcoming his shock. "Having a mate? Is she also to play you little bitch? Like your hybrids." Tyler sneers, glaring menacingly at the Original hybrid. He was so focused on being angry with Niklaus that he didn't wonder how Luna could have known this about him.

Niklaus growls ferociously, he was already on edge with another hybrid near his mat. Implying that he would use his mate, make her suffer under his hand, was enough for Niklaus to rip the boy's head off.

Elijah lays a warning hand on Niklaus' shoulders, stopping him from doing something that might upset Luna.

"I would appreciate it if you would refrain from talking about my mate in such a manner." Niklaus grits with a clenched jaw. Luna had encouraged Niklaus to be a bit more friendly to people, even if they had wronged him in the past. Niklaus had promised to try, but it wasn't always easy.

• • •

"Please tell me there are more of these." Bonnie laughs, looking amusedly at the picture on the mantle. She looks interestedly at the poses the men were in. She had seen sibling fights between Jeremy and Elena before, but this seemed a bit more intense.

Bonnie wonders what the Mikaelsons were fighting about when the photo was taken. It must have been a good reason, this didn't seem like the fight for the last cookie.

"Unfortunately, there are." Elijah replies, also gazing at the photo. He looks a little abashed at the visual reminder of yet another childish dispute he had been included in.

"Now I need to see those." Caroline prompts, turning her head, searching for more photographs.

But to the Mikaelsons regret, there weren't any other family photos, besides a few static portraits. Luna had promised that the walls would soon be filled with family photos. There was however a framed selfie that Luna had made in her home in her universe. Kol, Luna, and Rebekah were all smiling broadly, and Elijah and Finn smiled modestly into the camera. At the time the photo was taken, Kol had made an inappropriate dog joke, which resulted in a scowling Niklaus.

"I'm sure Luna would love to show you someday." Elijah replies, smiling a little at the two girls before leaving the two girls to themselves.

• • •

Finn looks briefly in Sage's direction, which he immediately regrets. Sage had been staring at him constantly, which made Finn deeply uncomfortable. He was grateful that his brothers had occupied the seats on the couch next to him. Finn quickly rises from his seat and strides over to the kitchen. He was eager to see his mate and he also wanted to check in if the Salvatores were behaving as befits them.

"How are things in there?" Luna asks, worriedly, glancing briefly at Stefan who was carefully slicing bread, and Damon who was shaking salt into the soup as if his life depended on it.

"All is well, my love." Finn replies softly, cupping Luna's cheek with one hand and holding onto her waist with the other.

"Are you?" Luna asks, looking up at Finn, concern evident on her face.

"I will be overjoyed when this evening is over, but I'm alright, my dearest. Do not worry for me." Finn replies, smiling softly at Luna.

"I always worry for you." Luna admits, voice barely above a whisper.

"How cute! Luna, when you're done with... that, I need some assistance." Damon interrupts, smiling innocently while waving a cucumber in the air.

Finn snarls a little, ready to maul the Salvatore for his intrusive behavior.

Luna rolls her eyes at Damon before placing a calming hand on Finn's chest. "It's alright, I will see you in a few." Luna soothes.

Finn nuzzles at Luna's temple for a moment and presses a kiss to her lips before taking his leave again.

"You're an ass." Luna scolds, slapping Damon's arm with an oven mitt. "Now tell me, why did you invite Sage? You know she's only going to get her heart broken, or ripped out." Luna asks as she cuts bell peppers into small pieces.

"She invited herself, wanted to see Finn, trip down memory lane, you know?" Damon shrugs, washing the cucumber.

"Hmm, something tells me she didn't want to just see him. Does she know that-"

"She knows and she doesn't believe it." Damon replies softly. He had found it an amusing idea to taunt Luna with Sage. Now, however, he felt a sense of guilt gnawing at him. He had hoped Luna would be angry and annoyed to see Sage, but instead, she was worried for the vampire, something he hadn't expected.

"You told her." Luna remarks, more a statement than a question.

"I did." Stefan comments, he leans forward slightly so that his head came out from behind Damon's. He gives Luna an apologetic smile, not sure if it was up to him to tell Sage.

"Why would she not believe it? I thought soulmates are a sacred thing in the supernatural world." Luna asks.

"Too in love with Finnick I suppose." Damon comments airily, making a dismissal hand gesture in the direction of the living room. He clears his throat uncomfortably.

Before Luna can reply, Rebekah storms into the kitchen. "Luna! I know you wanted a nice dinner, so you better do something about that bitch before I will!"

"Bekah, love of my life, almost everyone in this house has supernatural hearing, bear that in mind. Now, who are you talking about? Elena? Sage?"

"That red-haired strumpet. She is drooling all over your mate! You need to show her who Finn belongs to! And yes, also Elena, because she makes me want to break something, preferably her face!"

Luna glances briefly in the direction of the Salvatores who looked amused at the idea of Rebekah going after Elena, again.

"You can't break her face, Bekah." Luna warns. "Break an arm if you must, but no face breaking." Luna jokes, smiling at her disgruntled friend.

"No-fuck, come back! That was a joke!" Luna shouts as Rebekah turns back around, excited at the chance of injuring Elena. "Please don't do that, we'll never hear the end of it."

"Then what am I supposed to do? Watch Caroline make googly eyes at Nik all night?" Rebekah replies, annoyance clear in her voice.

"I did not!" A loud indignant voice can be heard from the living room.

"Or watch Elena whine and sulk at the lack of male attention she's receiving?" Rebekah continues, ignoring the several snorts of the vampires in the living room and kitchen.

"Be... polite." Luna offers. Before Rebekah can protest she continues. "It's only one evening, you can break something later."

With a huff, Rebekah stomps away, back to the living room to surely taunt Elena further.

"You certainly have a lot to deal wi-" Stefan remarks, but he is cut off by Kol, who barges into the kitchen next, looking thoroughly displeased over something.

"Angel! The furry mutt keeps touching your stuff!" Kol shouts, running up to his mate, waiting impatiently for his mate to give him the attention he deserved, and to chastise the Lockwood boy.

"Kol, once again... supernatural hearing." Luna warns. She affectionately brushes her fingers through Kol's hair, hoping to calm him a little. "Furry mutt... do you mean Tyler or Nik?" Luna asks, narrowing her eyes a little. It wouldn't be the worst nickname Kol had used for his brother.

"Honestly." Niklaus groans from the living room.

"Tyler." Kol grumbles, looking disgusted at having to utter the name. He leans happily into his mate's touch before pressing his face against hers, nuzzling contently. "Please, tell him to leave." Kol whines.

"Tyler can hear us and I'm sure he won't do it again." Luna says the last bit a little louder, making sure Tyler would hear her. "Now, go back in there. And don't provoke him, please." Luna sighs, softly pushing Kol back.

"But-" Kol tries, looking disheartened at having to leave his mate in the company of the Salvatores.

"For me?" Luna coaxes, widening her eyes a little, hoping her puppy eyes would still work on her mates.

Kol sighs, slumps his shoulders and nods reluctantly before making his way back to the living room. He looked as if he was being sent to the front line or was making a huge sacrifice by retreating.

"Are you sure you're not their mother instead of their mate?" Damon taunts, throwing Luna a smirk while tossing some garnish on the dishes.

"Shut up." Luna grumbles.

• • •

"This is nice..." Luna comments, breaking the silence before taking another sip of her wine.

Everyone was sitting at the extended table. There was an uncomfortable silence interrupted only by the noise of cutlery scraping over plates. Luna had tried to start a light conversation, but with all the mutual vendettas those conversations did not last long. She hadn't considered that she would have to intermediate between so many rivals.

Alaric, Bonnie, Stefan, and Luna were the only ones who weren't busy glaring at someone else. These four occasionally exchanged uncomfortable smiles with each other.

"The, umm, bread is great?" Alaric compliments, not sure if it was wise for him to speak up at a table with eight uptight vampires and two temperamental hybrids.

"I'm so glad you enjoy it. I tried a new recipe." Luna replies, happy that someone else finally spoke up. "Stefan, could you please hand me the salt shaker?" Luna asks, smiling at the Salvatore.

"Don't flirt with my mate!" Kol growls, tightening his grip on his knife.

"Kol, he was just handing her the salt." Rebekah deadpans, fixing him with an exasperated look. Hopefully, if there was a fight tonight, it wouldn't be because of a damn salt shaker.

"He didn't have to touch her hand." Kol grumbles, stabbing his steak with his fork as if it were Stefan's head.

Stefan, who was now looking a tad disturbed, quickly averts his eyes, ignoring Elena's looks, and staring interestedly at his plate.

Elena had been busy glaring at Stefan, upset that he had given her necklace away. In addition, she was very irritated by the fact that Stefan was being more friendly to Luna than her. At a lack of response from Stefan, Elena shifts her gaze to Damon, who hadn't looked in her direction all evening, even after she had kicked his foot lightly

Noticing that neither Salvatores were going to pay her any attention she glances briefly at Elijah, wondering why her former ally had suddenly become so indifferent towards her. She and Elijah had always gotten along in some way, but tonight he hadn't even bothered to make small talk with her

Rebekah narrows her eyes when she sees who Elena is staring at. She waits until Elena eventually glances at her. When Elena does, Rebekah subtly rubs her right eye while looking straight into Elena's eyes. lifting one eyebrow.

Elena swallows and pales visibly, remembering Rebekah's earlier threat.

Rebekah smiles smugly when she sees the doppelganger dropping her gaze to her plate, not daring to look up again.

Next to Elena was Caroline, who kept throwing scathing glances at Niklaus and Luna, who were seated next to each other. She was not yet used to seeing Niklaus act so calm, almost like a normal human being. "Luna, this dinner was a bit of a last-minute decision, but I do hope we're still on for lunch tomorrow." Caroline eventually says, smile slightly faltering when she sees Kol glaring at her.

Kol chucks a piece of bread at Niklaus's head when he sees Niklaus gazing at Caroline, making sure Niklaus wouldn't forget that he had a mate to look at instead of the blonde.

Niklaus rolls his eyes, refraining himself from throwing a wine bottle at Kol's face in retribution.

"Of course." Luna answers, smiling at Caroline, not noticing Kol and Niklaus' interaction.

"Great-oh and Tyler is throwing a Halloween party, you should definitely come!" Caroline says enthusiastically while nudging Tyler in the ribs.

"We would love to." Luna replies before any of the Mikaelsons can protest.

Niklaus give Luna an exasperated look, he didn't look forward to hanging out with teenagers who liked to dress up.

"I have to ask, did you guys have anything to do with the burning down of the Wickery bridge?" Alaric asks apprehensively, curiosity taking over.

"How presumptuous of you to blame the new family in town for such a disastrous accident. Do I look like an arsonist?" Rebekah gasps while placing a hand over her chest, looking incredibly offended.

Luna snorts while rolling her eyes at Rebekah's dramatics. She remembers quite vividly how Rebekah had cheered while setting her casket on fire.

"Arsonist, psychotic bitch, it both suits you." Sage snarks, narrowing her eyes at Rebekah

"That's rich coming from you. At least I didn't spend 900 years pining after a guy who is clearly not interested, harlot." Rebekah retaliates, snarling viciously at Sage. If Rebekah got Sage to sell her the first blow, she could easily attack Sage in the guise of self-defense.

"So funny, how you keep talking for Finn, like you actually care for him, while you are also to blame for his long imprisonment." Sage replies.

"I see it as a favor. It would have been such a pity if he had spent 900 years in a dreadful relationship with you, only for you to be pushed aside when he finally finds his mate."

Finn clears his throat awkwardly, not comfortable with discussing his past with Sage in front of his mate and all these guests. Looking for comfort he places his hand on Luna's leg while keeping a stoic facial expression. He hoped his mate had not forgotten his earlier promise that he only loved her.

Luna blinks, startled by the sudden touch. Blushing slightly, she puts her hand on his and squeezes it reassuringly. She picks up her fork and continues to eat with one hand, softly brushing her thumb over Finn's hand.

"What an incorrigible scoundrel you are." Niklaus growls at Damon. "You only invited Sage to make both Finn and Luna uncomfortable! After all her attempts to save your life, you just couldn't help yourself!" Niklaus accuses, glaring heatedly at the oldest Salvatore.

"If Damon is an incorrigible scoundrel for making Luna uncomfortable then what the hell do you call yourself? The man who killed dozens of werewolves for his own importance!" Tyler snaps, rising abruptly from his seat.

"Ty, knock it off!" Matt warns, pulling at Tyler's arm to get him to sit back down.

"Don't forget that he also tried to steal your girlfriend." Damon suggests, happily fueling Tyler's rage.

"Damon, do you want me to slam your face into another steering wheel? Because I'd be happy to do it. Pick a car." Luna deadpans, giving Damon a warning look.

"You slammed his head... into a steering wheel." Caroline repeats, amusement clear on her face as she looks surprised at Luna.

"Yeah, she did. It was hilarious." Stefan laughs. "One of my fondest memories."

As soon as the tension came, it was gone again. Only Niklaus was still standing, that was until he was gently pulled on his sleeve by his mate.

"You didn't tell us about that, Elskan." Elijah frowns, looking worriedly at his mate. "Please tell me that Mr. Salvatore wasn't driving at the time?"

"No, we just pulled into a diner after Luna whined about wanting coffee." Damon grumbles

"To her credit, she did ask him if the car was on the brakes." Stefan shrugs. "Remind me, Luna, was this before or after you got yourself out of those handcuffs?" Stefan asks, grinning at Luna.

Bonnie snorts and Alaric chokes on his drink.

"Handcuffs? Handcuffs?!" Kol growls, looking ready to launch himself at Stefan and Damon.

"You're even more repulsive than I imagined." Elijah snaps, fixing both Salvatores with a dark look.

"Thank you, Stefan." Luna deadpans, knowing she would get quite the lecture once the guests were gone. She had not told her mates all the details of the kidnapping for exactly this reason.

Luna jolts a little as she feels Finn tightening his hold on her thigh. She gives Finn a warning look, which he returns with an unamused look and a slight baring of his teeth, telling her not to test him now. Blushing, Luna adverts her gaze back to the table, waiting for the explosion that was bound to happen.

"You put my mate in handcuffs?!" Niklaus shouts while placing a possessive hand on Luna's shoulder. "Only I can put her in handcuffs!"

Caroline and Bonnie share a look before bursting into laughter. Even Elena looked amused at Niklaus's remark.

Luna coughs, reddening even further. She quickly grabs her glass, hoping the chilled wine would cool her face a little. Her mates were apparently all very good at making inappropriate comments and gestures at unsuitable times

"Nik! No one wants to hear that!" Rebekah complains, groaning in disgust at her ridiculous brothers.

"I bet Luna does." Niklaus retaliates, smirking at Luna, who was so embarrassed that she wanted the ground to swallow her whole.

"Great, were there any more suggestive comments regarding my sex life? Or can we move on?" Luna groans, facepalming.

"Well, there was this thing you told me about you and-" Rebekah starts, smirking at Luna.

"Don't you dare! I told you that in confidence!" Luna shouts, throwing a grape towards Rebekah, hitting her in the eye.

"Ow, what the fuck!" Rebekah shrieks, glaring at Luna with one eye while rubbing the other.

Caroline blinks, not sure if Luna hurling fruit at the female Original was a regular occurrence.

"Wait, how did you get out of those handcuffs, Elskan?" Elijah asks, eyeing his mate suspiciously.

Luna freezes in place, staring wide-eyed at her plate, not daring to look up. She had also not told them about that event. "I think something's burning in the kitchen, I should-"

"I don't think so, love." Niklaus cuts off.

• • •

"It's so good to see you, finally free. You look well." Sage compliments, glancing briefly at Niklaus in disgust. After an awkward explanation, Luna had hastily fled to the kitchen to grab dessert. The second Luna left, Sage had urged Finn to speak to her in private. Finn wanted to refuse but thought she at least deserved the illusion of privacy before getting rejected.

"Yes, I am quite glad to be among the living again." Finn replies coolly, not bothering to look up from his glass.

"I missed you so dearly." Sage admits, gently touching Finn's chin to get him to look at her. She had longed to gaze into his eyes again.

"Sage, you must stop." Finn replies, pushing Sage's hand away. "I have found my mate. You know this."

"No, she's not. I am your true love, and you're mine." Sage replies, desperation clear in her voice.

"Sage. I only want Luna. I only love her." Finn replies firmly, looking blankly at Sage, who was starting to pace furiously.

"No! They are all lying to you! That-that little bitch is not your mate, I am! We were always destined for each other!"

"How dare you speak of my mate like that!" Finn growls, glaring menacingly at Sage while striding towards her.

Sage halts her pacing and looks taken aback, she had never seen Finn act this hostile, especially not against her.

"I will help you get rid of her! We can be toget-" Sage pleas before halting, she stares in shock at Finn before falling over.

"Apologies, am I... interrupting?" Elijah offers, smirking at Finn while carelessly throwing Sage's heart next to her body. There was no way he would let Sage talk about his mate like that, threaten her in her own home.

Finn shakes his head. "Not at all, brother."

• • •

Luna places the various sweets on the etagere, making sure to pick the prettiest to present to her guests. She must admit that the whole evening went better than she thought. Nobody had been murdered and Niklaus and Kol were... kind of well-mannered towards the guests.

Luna was just starting to wonder if she had been concerned for nothing when she hears several screams and a loud crash, followed by the clinking of breaking glass.

"Oh no." Luna sighs, she should have known. There was another loud noise and it sounded suspiciously like they were doing some unplanned reconstruction work.

"I swear to god, if you broke another wall I will put all of you up for adoption! I don't care if you're not even a member of this household!" Luna shouts as she storms into the dining room.

Chapter Text

Sexual content warning

"I swear to god, if you broke another wall I will put all of you up for adoption! I don't care if you're not even a member of this household!" Luna shouts as she storms into the dining room.

"Yes! Even you, Alaric! I'm sure someone would be happy to adopt a history teacher!" Still shouting Luna almost falls face-first onto the floor, she had tripped over the dining table, or what used to be the dining table.

Luna was quickly caught around her waist by Stefan, who swiftly put her back to her feet.

"Thank you, Stefan." Luna steadies herself before taking in the entire scene.

As soon as Luna had rushed out of the kitchen, everyone was frozen in place, as if hoping that Luna couldn't see them if they didn't move. The whole looked like a dramatic renaissance painting.

Rebekah stood with one hand around Elena's neck, the other holding one of her stilettos. Both girls' hair was messed up and Elena had a tight grip on Rebekah's necklace, which the blonde had put on earlier.

Finn sat on top of Damon, keeping him in place while hitting him with what looked like the gravy spoon.

Elijah held a fork to Alaric's neck, which had clearly already landed in his flesh, several times. Judging by Elijah's nosebleed, Luna could assume that Alaric had also dealt a few hits. She wonders how those two, the most adult ones of the group, could have possibly gotten in a row.

Caroline lays unconscious on the floor with Kol sitting triumphantly on her back, carefully inspecting a fresh bite mark on his arm. Luna shouldn't even be surprised by this, Kol had been glaring at Caroline the entire dinner.

Niklaus and Tyler were both chest to chest, glaring and hissing at each other, like two angry cats. Matt was standing behind Niklaus, holding a chair leg up, looking ready to strike.

Then there was Bonnie, who sat calmly in the only unbroken chair, a bottle of wine in her hand as she watched the rest.

"What the hell happened?! I was gone two minutes!" Luna shouts, arms flailing around like a madwoman.

"He started it." Finn mutters with a culpable look, pointing accusingly at Damon while quickly dropping the gravy spoon, making gravy fly up and onto Damon's face.

Damon quickly wipes his face, scowling at the brown substance that was now on his sleeve. He glares up at Finn for ratting him out and shoves the Original off his stomach and onto the floor. Finn growls before quickly getting back to his feet.

Luna turns to Stefan, the only one besides Bonnie, who obviously didn't participate in the fight. She raises her eyebrows expectantly, waiting for his testimony.

"He did." Stefan replies simply, shooting Damon an apologetic look. Stefan tried his best not to look guilty. He hadn't helped his brother and friends but he hadn't stopped them either.

Luna groans in annoyance when her eyes shift back to Kol's arm. She walks up to him, taking Rebekah's shoe out of her hand in passing.

"Tyler bit you?" Luna asks, carefully inspecting the wound.

"It was Nikkie." Kol replies, instantly putting on a sad face so his mate would forget her anger towards him.

"You bit your own brother?" Luna shouts incredulously, head snapping up to look at Niklaus.

"He got in the way." Niklaus grumbles, slapping Matt's chair leg away from his face.

"What-heal him, now." Luna orders, narrowing her eyes at the Hybrid. She didn't understand how he could have just bitten his brother as if his bite wasn't lethal to regular vampires.

"Of course. I apologize for my despicable behavior, love. Let me buy you a new car." Niklaus offers, looking remorsefully up at his mate while carelessly shoving his bloody wrist in Kol's face, not caring if he hit his mouth or nose.

"Nik, you can't offer to buy me a car every time you piss me off." Luna replies, shaking her head a little. True her car had been wrecked during 'the great Mikaelson rampage' yesterday, but she didn't really need a car.

"Watch me." Niklaus mutters, already making a mental note to call the car guy from last time. Perhaps if he shouted a bit more he could get some nice seat warmers for his little mate.

"Might want to look for a family car while you're at it, Klaus." Damon suggests while dusting himself off.

"What?" Niklaus asks, looking annoyed at the fact that Damon was even speaking right now.

"Assuming of course that Luna will pop out a few kids for you." Damon offers, smiling innocently at Luna before looking pointedly at her stomach.

"You told him I can have children?" Niklaus asks, looking interestedly at his mate.

"I spent over two hours in a car with them, we had to talk about something." Luna rolls her eyes, not knowing why Damon kept taunting the Originals, 'the guy probably has a death wish' she thinks.

"And I'm not going to 'pop a few kids' out, I will at most-hold up. You're distracting me." Luna accuses, glaring at Niklaus and Damon before taking a step back so she could get eyes on all the troublemakers.

"I can't believe you guys, I asked for a nice dinner. A dinner where we could put out differences aside and start working on peace, but of course you couldn't help yourselves, children all of you." Luna scolds, glaring furiously at her guests and family. "Bringing thirty stakes to a dinner party for vampires who can't be killed by them, honestly! The idiocy in this room is astounding!"

Alaric scratches the nape of his neck in embarrassment, he hadn't really considered the uselessness of the stakes they had packed so abundantly.

"Bonnie could you maybe uhh trap them in the living room for a little time-out?" Luna asks, hoping the witch was willing to help her.

"Wait-No!"

"But Damon-"

"I didn't-

"Do not argue with me." Luna snaps. She then turns to look at the witch, who was still sipping her wine, looking amused at the scene in front of her. "Bonnie?"

"Sure." Bonnie shrugs, putting her bottle down. This bickering and arguing had been entertaining for a little but it had lasted a bit too long for her too. Yes, she had hated the Originals as much as her friends when they tried to sacrifice Elena, but since the ball, they haven't terrorized Mystic Falls or her and her friends which meant they couldn't exactly complain.

"Bonnie?! What the hell?" Elena shouts, looking indignantly at her friend.

"Shut up, Elena." Rebekah snaps, finally letting go of Elena's throat. A time-out didn't sound appealing to the blonde, but it had worked last time, so why wouldn't they try it.

"Wait, where's Sage?" Luna asks, suddenly realizing they were missing a certain redhead.

"Taking a nap... forever." Damon replies dryly, narrowing his eyes at Elijah and Finn.

Luna frowns, her eyes flicker over to Finn's face, who was now hovering near her. He didn't look particularly sad or upset, which was good. Not that Luna would have minded if he wanted to mourn the woman.

"Ha, good riddance, trashy streetwalker." Rebekah laughs, not looking remorseful in the slightest.

"You killed her?" Elena asks, looking alarmed at this news. Damon had assured her that there wouldn't be any casualties this night. Not that she had known or liked Sage, but still.

"Keep up, Doppelganger Wench. It isn't rocket science." Rebekah taunts.

"You are such a bitch. How come you are even friends with Luna, you don't seem capable of loving anyone but yourself." Elena snaps, narrowing her eyes at the blonde.

"You're wrong, as usual. I love luna dearly." Rebekah replies, not bothering to show glare at Elena, her icy tone already proofed her annoyance.

"Aww, Bekah. You do love me." Luna smirks at the blonde.

Rebekah continues, ignoring the suggestive looks Luna was throwing her way. "Although she is a bit of a nutcase, who's constantly flirting with me. She has also harmed me repeatedly, even broken my nose."

Elena snorts a little at the thought of someone breaking Rebekah's nose.

"I said I was sorry!" Luna shouts, narrowing her eyes at her friend.

"And god is so bad at human interaction it makes me want to cry." Rebekah disregards Luna's indignant huffs as she continues on. "But I would kill anyone who dares to hurt her." Rebekah threatens, glaring at Elena to make sure she got the message. Rebekah was as serious about this threat as the eyeball-threat she had made at the ball.

"I can feel the love." Luna grumbles.

• • •

"This is just... lovely." Luna sighs contently while glancing at her mates, and the Mystic Falls gang, all trapped in the living room.

The Mikaelsons were trapped on one side of the living room and Damon, Alaric, Matt, Tyler, Elena, and Caroline on the other. Both sides had protested the timeout, the Mikaelsons a little less as they were all too familiar with Luna's fury. They finally complied after Luna threatened that she would have Bonnie transform their bone density in that of cooked pasta. This warning especially hit home when Bonnie raised her hand threateningly. Niklaus wasn't sure how much progress the witch had made with her power, since lifting his hybrid curse, and he wasn't eager to find out either.

"Angel, can I please get out?" Kol whines, dragging the word 'please' out until Niklaus hits him with a pillow. Kol had been bumping up against the barrier for a good three minutes, hoping it would break at some point. He had eventually given up when his shoulder started to hurt.

"Hmm, no, you all act like children, so you get treated as such."

"What now? We just wait? And for how long?" Tyler asks, impatiently tapping the barrier.

"No." Niklaus replies, scowling at the Lockwood boy. "She's done this before, she's going to make us talk it out." Niklaus groans in a manner that indicates that this was the worst form of torture.

"You bet your sweet ass I am." Luna interjects, smiling extra friendly at her mate.

"Ugh, I do not need to hear of Klaus's ass, no matter how 'sweet' it might be." Damon groans before gagging silently.

"I don't understand why I am in here?" Elena huffs, looking insulted to have been included in this forced time-out.

"Because you provoked Bekah and Bekah would probably kill me later if I wouldn't trap you."

Rebekah nods, Luna had guessed correctly. If the doppelganger got to walk on free foot while she was trapped, she would break another wall, just out of spite.

"Now you see what I have to deal with on a daily basis." Luna says, looking exasperatedly at Bonnie and Stefan.

Several indignant noises could be heard from the Mikaelson side of the room. Sure, they could be a handful, but they also had a lot of endearing qualities.

"Wine?" Bonnie offers, holding her bottle up.

"Sure, god knows I can use it." Luna grabs the bottle. "Now, I am going to show Bonnie and Stefan around the house. You guys can overthink what you've done and we will talk later." Luna says, before turning around, heading back towards the foyer.

Bonnie giggles a little at the protests of her friends and the Mikaelsons as she turns around to follow Luna.

• • •

"Don't breathe on that, it's expensive." Niklaus snaps as he sees Matt almost pushing his face in a very valuable painting. Had he been in a better mood, Niklaus might have recommended the boy to get some glasses.

Tyler shoots Niklaus a pestering smile before letting his hand inch towards the painting.

Niklaus narrows his eyes at the boy, the thought of killing Mayor Lockwood to retaliate sounding more tempting by the minute.

"Back off, Tween wolf." Damon comments, pulling Tyler away from the painting. If Damon saw correctly, this was one of the paintings Luna couldn't shut up about on their 'road trip'. The last thing he wanted was to make the human angrier than she already was. Who knows when they would be freed if that happened.

• • •

"And this is the studio." Luna proudly presents her and Niklaus's workplace.

With all the events that had happened, she hadn't had much time to paint but she had started on a Leo Gestel inspired landscape.

"Do you think they will kill each other?" Stefan asks, interestedly looking at one of Niklaus's works. It was a dark painting, a single woman distinguishable in the shadows.

"Who knows, the evening is still young." Luna shrugs. "Can I ask you something, Bonnie?" Luna turns to Bonnie.

"Umm, of course." Bonnie replies, a little taken aback by Luna's serious tone and expression.

"Why do you keep sacrificing yourself and your happiness for Elena?"

• • •

"What are you-hey!" Damon lets out a startled yelp as he sees something nearing his head from the corner of his eye. Looking down he sees a coaster on the floor, it had evidently bounced off the barrier. "Will you stop that?!" Damon groans, shooting Kol an annoying glare when another coaster hits the barrier on the height of his face

"No, this is all your fault. If I don't get to kill you, this is the least." Kol replies while hurling a lampshade at Damon.

Damon flinches involuntarily before scowling. "How is this all my fault?"

"You kidnapped Luna!" Kol growls, rising from his spot on the couch to stride towards Damon.

"We're past that, I apologized!" Damon shouts, slamming the barrier with his palms.

Caroline looks amusedly at the two men. She was pretty sure that if Bonnie lifted the barrier now, the two would tumble into each other, which she kind of wanted to see now.

"You didn't apologize, you recited our mate's words. Which you did very poorly if I may say so." Niklaus interjects, .glowering at Damon.

"You accepted it." Damon retorts.

"We only accepted it because Luna can be scary!" Niklaus shouts.

"I know!" Damon shouts, remembering vividly how she had names torture techniques like they were pasta dishes.

"Good!" Kol growls.

"Good!" Damon repeats.

"Good!" Niklaus sniffs haughtily before stomping back to the couch, plopping down with his arms crossed, glaring at the dreadful people across the room.

"Feeling better?" Rebekah pesters, looking thoroughly unimpressed with her brothers. Maybe it would be better if she didn't tell Luna about this event. She would completely misuse the information, although that could be useful when her brothers are being insufferable. Rebekah resolves to apply this knowledge when it was most convenient.

"Shut up, Bekah." Niklaus grumbles.

"Are you three done? I already have to deal with enough childish disputes, let's not add to that." Elijah comments dryly, fixing Damon and his little brothers with a stern look.

"Look who's talking, you stabbed me with a fork! How is that not childish?" Alaric retaliates, narrowing his eyes at the suited Original.

"Hush, you mentally deficient hunter. If I remember correctly you stabbed me during our last dinner party. I just... settled the score." Elijah replies, a slight arrogance in his voice as he fixes his cufflinks, not even bothering to look at the hunter as he berates him.

"I hope my psychotic alter ego haunts you."' Alaric grumbles, regretting not snatching the bottle of bourbon before the barrier was raised

• • •

"Do you want me to write you another apology speech to recite? I warn you now, it will be a lot more embarrassing than the last." Luna snaps, raising her brow skeptically. She was sure she could come up with something even better. Damon hadn't even read half of what she had written, which might have been good things, seeing as it wouldn't have bode well for him and Stefan.

"No, we're good. We're... friend...ly"

"So you are all done with attacking each other?" Luna asks, narrowing her eyes at the group.

"Yes."

Luna nods at Bonnie, allowing her to remove the barrier. She watches with bated breath, to her surprise they don't fly at each other's necks.

"Now, let's talk about Damon's dumb plan." Luna announces when she plops herself down onto Finn's lap.

"Which one?" Rebekah and Stefan mutter simultaneously.

• • •

"No, love, this is..." Niklaus pulls back and gently halts Luna's movements.

Their guests had left a few hours ago and the Mikaelsons and Luna had retired to their rooms. Luna was secretly relieved that everyone had their own bed again. She enjoyed their sleepovers, but the occasional alone time with one of her mates was nice too.

So when the opportunity arose, she grabbed it with both hands. As soon as the door closed, she climbed onto Niklaus's lap to kiss him. She'd been amazed that she'd lasted this long without jumping any of her mates.

"Nik? Are you alright, honey? I'm sorry, we don't have to..." Luna blushes, worried that she had been too premature, or that Niklaus didn't physically want her.

"I want to, believe me, I do." Niklaus promises, seeing Luna's uncertain expression. He presses a kiss to the palm of her hand to affirm his statement. The last thing he wanted was for his mate to think that he didn't find her desirable.

"But I-maybe I should have prepared something... special...umm-a date." Niklaus offers, now also looking bashful.

"A date?" Luna looks surprised at Niklaus.

"Yes, we're about to complete our soulmate bond and we need a date." Niklaus nods, he thought it would be the polite thing to do. He had always believed it to be proper to dine a woman before bedding her. Although he could bed any girl with his compulsion trick, he found the traditional sentiment more appealing. He didn't understand some vampires, he only enjoyed taking willing women to his bed.

"Nik, I'm not a woman you have to court or-" Luna start, smiling a little at Niklaus' decorum.

"Please." Niklaus asks, looking up at Luna, softly caressing her cheek. He wanted his mate to be happy, to be sure.

"Fine, let's go." Luna promptly climbs off the bed and straightens Niklaus's shirt, which she might have stolen, trying to look a bit more presentable for their date.

"I'm sorry?" Niklaus looks puzzled at his mate, not sure where she would find a fancy restaurant at this hour. He forces himself not to glance at her bare legs for too long, they could make him renounce his previous request.

"There are a few tubs of ice cream in the freezer if Kol hasn't touched them. We can have an ice cream date in the kitchen." Luna explains, wagging her eyebrows at Niklaus, relishing in his confused expression, he looked adorable. "We can light some candles, play some music. It will be very romantic." Luna coaxes, pulling Niklaus's arm.

"That's not exactly what I had in mind," Niklaus trails off, then he realizes that his mate was probably just as happy to have ice cream with him in the kitchen as an extravagant dinner in some restaurant. "Put those heels back on and you've got yourself a deal."

• • •

"Nothing quite like ice cream to get a girl in the mood." Luna teases before stuffing another spoonful in her mouth. She moans softly when the sugary goodness hits her tastebuds. Ice cream at night somehow tasted better.

Niklaus narrows his eyes at his mate, not sure if she was doing this on purpose or not. Luna had been moaning while eating this whole time, and this was the last straw. Niklaus lifts his mate on top of the kitchen counter. Greedily pressing himself against her. Luna grabs hold of his shoulders to steady herself, slightly startled by the suddenness.

"You do like our kitchen island, hmm?" Luna teases, biting back a moan when Niklaus starts sucking on her throat, unmistakably leaving a mark. She gently pushes the ice cream away, suddenly more interested in other things.

"Of course, love. I chose the marble." Niklaus murmurs, hands running over her sides, his fingers disappearing under her shirt.

"Bekah is going to kill us." Luna warns lightly but not stopping Niklaus' actions.

"I do not want to hear you utter the name of any of my siblings right now." Niklaus grumbles possessively, nipping sharply at her jaw.

"I apologize Mr. Mikaelson." Luna giggles at Niklaus's jealous tone.

"Already using titles in the bedroom?" Niklaus rumbles amusedly, not at all opposed by the idea.

"Well, we're not exactly in the bedroom, are we?" Luna retaliates.

"Hmm, I can do something about that." Niklaus replies before picking her up and speeding her upstairs.

Luna giggles lightly as Niklaus slams the door shut before pressing Luna up against it. Luna quickly takes her shirt off and tosses it to the side.

Niklaus glances down, examining the way her flush chest moves up and down with every eager breath she took. Niklaus gently caresses the newly exposed skin before experimentally grinding himself against Luna.

Niklaus laughs softly when he feels Luna bucking her hips slightly. Already anticipating this reaction he had placed his hands on her hips to halt her movements. He found it amusing to deny his mate something for once, especially when she seemed particularly needy for it.

Luna groans softly in frustration while glaring at the hybrid. She needed more friction and Niklaus wasn't providing.

"Don't worry, love. I will never leave you unsatisfied." Niklaus promises before recapturing her lips.

"You better keep to that promise." Luna mumbles, as Niklaus sets her down on the bed.

For a moment Niklaus stands still at the foot of the bed, admiring his mate, appreciating the way he had marked Luna's throat.

Luna inhales sharply, she was becoming restless under Niklaus's piercing gaze. The way he looked at her made her feel even more naked than she already was.

She lets out an involuntarily loud moan when she finally feels Niklaus's mouth where she needed him most. Her hands fly up to her face, embarrassed by her own noisiness. Past lovers hadn't always enjoyed hearing her moans or groans.

"No need to be embarrassed, little love." Niklaus soothes while rubbing small circles on her hips, distracting her from any feelings of embarrassment. He wanted to offer his mate the security she needed to let go, to experience pleasure without feeling the need to hold back or hide. Niklaus smiles lovingly up at his mate when she removes her hands from her face.

Luna swallows when she sees his tender look. He radiated pure love and warmth to her. She felt safe and loved. She thinks back to how Finn made her a declaration of love. She had wanted to say it back, but something had held her back, a sense of fear that as soon as she said the words he would leave her, that they all would. Now that she saw Niklaus being so sincere and thoughtful, she doesn't understand what she was so afraid of. He is her soulmate, they all are. As Rebekah said, 'This is meant to be'.

"I love you." Luna whispers, looking at Niklaus, awaiting his response with bated breath. She knew it was weird to say it now with him lying between her legs, but she had to tell him. She needed Niklaus to know that she truly loved him, that she wouldn't just leave him.

Niklaus halts his actions and looks up at Luna, not sure if he heard her correctly. Slowly he gets up and crawls over the bed until his body cages his mate, faces mere inches apart.

"You love me?" Niklaus asks, his voice suddenly hoarse and barely over a whisper.

Luna nods meekly, focusing on Niklaus's lips, not daring to look into his eyes. She sees how his lips curl up into a smile before they are pressed against hers. Luna could taste herself on his lips, something that turned her on more than she would like to admit.

"I love you, Luna." Niklaus declares when they pull apart.

"I love you Nik." Luna replies, smiling up at him.

"I will always love you." Niklaus presses his forehead against Luna's. With closed eyes he rolls his hips forward, slowly pressing himself into his mate, growling slightly upon feeling her clenching down on him.

With a swift snap of his hips, he is fully buried within his mate. Niklaus halts his movements, quietly savoring the closeness he had to his mate while waiting for her approval.

Luna pants softly, trying to relax her muscles. She could feel him nudging against her cervix, a strange yet pleasurable experience. When she manages to relax she nods at Niklaus as if reading his mind.

Niklaus slowly pulls back, before pushing back in. It takes him a few thrusts to find a steady rhythm. Niklaus takes this moment in, unhurriedly. He was thoroughly enjoying the sight of his blushing mate, in this moment he had her all to himself.

Luna let her hands run over Niklaus's shoulders and arms in an almost feverish manner, looking for leverage, something to ground her. There was a slight tugging sensation in the pit of her stomach and Luna wasn't sure if it was because of the sex or because of the soulmate bond they were establishing. There isn't much time to ponder as Niklaus's thrusts snap her out of her daze and she moans loudly at a particular sharp thrust.

"Making such pretty sounds for me." Niklaus praises while cupping Luna's face. He lets his thumb run over her bottom lip. He felt certain greed and a sense of territoriality taking hold of him. This is his mate, his soulmate. Niklaus angles his thrusts, pulling a whole string of moans and cries of pleasure from his mate.

Leaning down, Niklaus nudges Luna's jaw with his nose, urging her to tilt her head for him. Luna complies, eagerly presenting her neck to the hybrid, she didn't know anything about bonding or sex with hybrids, but her instincts told her to follow his lead, to trust him.

Niklaus grazes his teeth over his mate's throat, fangs elongating. He rumbles a little, hesitating to bite down. His inner animal is rejoicing with the idea of finally claiming his mate, but Niklaus tries to restrain himself, if Luna didn't want this he could wait. They could complete their bond another time.

"It's alright, Nik." Luna reassures, brushing her fingers through his hair. "I trust you."

This was all the encouragement he needed. With a sharp snap of hips, Niklaus bites down, leisurely feeding from his mate while still thrusting at a steady pace. Somewhere in the back of his consciousness, he realizes that he was only too happy that his mate hadn't taken vervain after the kidnapping. He moans and purrs in satisfaction, the sweet taste of his mate combined with the heavenly feeling of being buried inside of her was almost too much to bear.

Luna groans in pleasure and pain as she feels his fangs pierce her skin. The throbbing ache contributed to the pressure that was building up inside of her and the whole sensation made her feel deliciously lightheaded. Luna hadn't really experimented with pain in the bedroom before but she could get used to this. Luna arches her back, pressing herself up closer against Niklaus.

Niklaus withdrawals for a moment, licking away the small droplets of blood welted up at the surface of the wound, before looking proudly at the mark he had left on his mate.

The sight of his Luna, marked with his bitemark and several hickeys, made something snap inside of Niklaus. Within seconds he bit down again, this time near her collarbone.

Luna pants, relishing in the slight stinging sensation, while tilting her hips slightly, to which

Niklaus reacts with an enthusiastic snap of his hips. Thrusting harder, Niklaus sets a firm pace, a stark contrast to the beginning of their lovemaking session.

Luna moans loudly, delighted with the change of pace, each one of his thrusts bringing her closer to the edge. She grips Niklaus's shoulder with one hand, the other tightly gripping the hairs on the back of his head, trying to steady herself, find some grounding in the sea of pleasure.

"Nik, I-." Luna whimpers, feeling herself near her climax.

"I know, love. It's alright, let go." Niklaus rumbles, nosing pleased at one of his bite marks. To encourage his mate, he slips one of his hands between their sweaty bodies. His fingers find what they are looking for, with a hard thrust and firm stroking of his fingers, he feels Luna momentarily stiffen before she comes undone.

"Nik!" Luna cries as she feels herself being flooded with a sense of utter rapture. Her body spasms slightly and she involuntarily clamps down on Niklaus, making him groan in response.

With another firm thrust, Niklaus floods his mate, joining her in her state of complete ecstasy. Niklaus trusts a few more times into Luna, easing both himself and his mate off their highs. Instinctively he bites down again, while drinking he rumbles in satisfaction.

Sleepily, she raises her hand to stroke Niklaus's cheek. She wants to give him a kiss but lifting her head felt like a big undertaking now. Niklaus seems to be able to read her thoughts and leans forward.

A few minutes later Niklaus pulls himself out of his mate, smirking a little at her soft whine. He presses a sweet kiss to her forehead before climbing off the bed.

"Nik?" Luna asks softly, frowning a little when she feels his body heat disappearing.

"Shh, it's alright, love. Just getting a washcloth." Niklaus reassures her and strokes her cheek before heading towards the bathroom.

Luna looks on as Niklaus disappears into the bathroom. She hears the sound of the tap. Luna blinks a few times, trying to stay awake.

"I'm here. You can rest, little mate." Niklaus soothes, already back on the bed.

"Love you, Nik." Luna murmurs sleepily before closing her eyes.

"I love you, Luna." Niklaus hums while tenderly cleaning his mate before crawling under the duvet, holding his mate tightly to his chest.

Chapter Text

"Good morning, Nik." Luna murmurs when she feels Niklaus shift around her. Luna still had her eyes closed, enjoying the warm sunlight that shone into their room and onto her skin. Niklaus was curled up behind her, arm around her waist. She wasn't used to the skin-to-skin contact but it felt nice, intimate.

"Goodmorning, little love." Niklaus whispers, fondly pressing a kiss to her shoulder blade, enjoying the warm feeling of her skin beneath his fingers and lips. Images of last night flash through his mind, the way he had touched, kissed and explored every inch of skin he could find. The euphoric feeling that came with their completed bond still sparked in his veins.

"How are you feeling?" Niklaus asks, suddenly feeling apprehensive. He had thoroughly enjoyed last night but now worried that he might have taken his mate for granted, that he was too busy chasing his own pleasure and satisfaction that he hadn't paid as much attention to her as he should have.

"I feel fantastic." Luna replies, turning around to face Niklaus, entwining their legs together. Luna felt perfectly happy. An unfamiliar but pleasant sense of belonging had settled itself in her stomach and she felt completely at home for the first time in a long time. Worries of being abandoned, forgotten, or hurt had completely vanished and she experienced a blissful warmth coming from within.

"That's probably because of the soulmate bond." Niklaus mumbles, frowning a little at this new aspect of their relationship.

Luna feels the blissful daze wear off a little when she sees Niklaus's expression. "Why do you not sound overjoyed with that?" Luna looks confused at Niklaus, not understanding. She thought that completing the soulmate bond gave him something he had longed for, the promise of everlasting love, the promise of no more loneliness. Luna thought this was similar to the 'Always and forever' vow they had made, something that tied them together.

"Because I want to know how you really feel about last night. You probably perceive a need to reassure me, to lie about feeling well to spare my feelings." Niklaus answers, looking almost resentful towards the entire happening.

Luna's face softens and she looks affectionately at Niklaus, who, despite his many years on this earth, still resembled the insecure boy he had once been. She gently runs her fingers across his jaw before resting her palm on his face, gently stroking his face with her thumb.

"No, Niklaus. I wouldn't lie about that to make you feel better." Luna assures, pressing a kiss to his collarbone.

"Luna, I've bitten you... multiple times"

"Nik, it was wonderful and I... actually liked the biting." Luna admits, blushing heavily. She looks at Niklaus, who was still frowning a little.

"Pity..." Luna sighs, smiling innocently up at Niklaus.

"What is?" Niklaus asks, narrowing his eyes a little upon seeing the devious grin that was now playing at his mate's lips. He had seen that look before and was sure she was up to something.

"I was going to offer you morning sex, but seeing as you're not in the mo-" Luna lets out a shriek of laughter when Niklaus rolls them over, pinning her to the mattress.

"Believe me, love, I am definitely in the mood." Niklaus purrs, slanting his hips against Luna's. "Now, what were you saying about the biting?"

• • •

Niklaus hums in approval as he noses contently at the bitemarks and hickeys that littered Luna's skin, he had added a few new ones this morning.

"You butchered me." Luna scolds in a playful manner, smirking at Niklaus's reflection in the bathroom mirror. She was very pleased with herself. She had successfully lifted Niklaus out of his slump with another very pleasant lovemaking session.

"You didn't seem to mind, love." Niklaus teases, gently kissing the mark he had left while bonding with her last night.

"Too bad I can't mark you as mine." Luna sighs. She might not be as territorial or possessive as her mates were, but that didn't mean she was fond of the idea of other women goggling at them.

"No need to pout, little love. We only belong to you, always and forever." Niklaus promises, smiling fondly at Luna in the mirror.

• • •

"What the-Kol! Why is there ice cream in the sink?!" Rebekah screams, waving the molten tub of ice cream in the air, accidentally spilling it over the kitchen countertop. "Just because we're rich doesn't mean we have to waste food like that!

"What are you shouting about this time?!" Kol shouts while speeding into the kitchen. "Ow, fuck!" Kol curses as he trips over a heel. He gets back on his feet, holding the heel up while glaring at it as if it had personally offended him.

Rolling her eyes, Rebekah throws the container she was still holding in the trashcan before heading to the living room.

"Goodmor-oh that's where my shoes went." Luna chirps happily, finally entering the kitchen after an extensive bath.

Niklaus enters behind her, chest puffed up slightly. He was feeling immensely proud and smug about his nighttime and morning activities and he was more than ready to rub it in the faces of his siblings.

"Good morning, Angel!" Kol greets and runs up to Luna, halting when he sees Niklaus's menacing glare.

Kol's proximity to Luna made Niklaus's territorial instincts flare up. He had only just claimed his mate, marked her. Niklaus clearly didn't like having other men, even his brothers, near his mate right now. He growls in warning at Kol, telling him to stay away from his mate.

Luna rolls her eyes at Niklaus' growling and steps forward, engulfing Kol in a tight hug.

Kol happily accepts her embrace and brushes her hair away to get better access to her neck. He freezes for a moment when he sees the bruised skin before glaring up at Niklaus, who was still growling at Kol.

Kol apprehensively leans forward, eyes still on Niklaus, as he carefully sniffs at Luna's neck. Envy bubbled up in Kol which resulted in him tightening his hold on Luna.

"Kol?" Luna asks, wriggling a little in his grip.

"I can smell it." Kol replies, pressing his nose closer to Luna's skin.

"What?" Luna asks, confusion clear in her voice.

"The bond. Between you and Niklaus." Kol grunts, thoroughly displeased with this development.

Luna's soft whine at his tight grip makes Kol snap out of his daze and he quickly releases her, pressing an apologetic kiss on her jaw.

"You can smell the..." Luna starts, trailing off as she thinks about this new development. "Nik." Luna protests softly as Niklaus wraps his arms around her and pulls her into his chest, away from Kol.

"She's mine" Niklaus rumbles, glaring menacingly at Kol, who was starting to look quite insulted at his brother's behavior.

"Don't tell me you're even more territorial now..." Luna groans, which earns her a sharp nip at her jaw.

"It's his instincts, you're bonded to him, so you're like his- Wait! You slept with Nik!" Rebekah comments while reentering the kitchen, wanting to see the drama between her brothers unfolding from up close.

"Yes?" Luna replies, looking unsurely at Rebekah, she thought that much was clear.

"Son of a bitch!" Rebekah exclaims, looking even more displeased at the news than Kol had been.

"What? I expected this reaction from Kol, not from-" Luna states, looking unimpressed at the blonde.

"That bastard!" Rebekah continues to shout while aggressively slamming a cupboard door closed.

"Nik?" Luna asks, which earned her another nip from the disgruntled hybrid.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Rebekah tirades on, ignoring the worried and disturbed looks her family was giving her. "I lost! I fucking lost!"

"Wait, what did you lose?" Kol asks, narrowing his eyes at the blonde. 'If anyone in this room lost, it was me' Kol thought bitterly.

"Damon and I made a bet." Rebekah explains while furiously typing on her phone.

"You made a bet? With Damon?! Since when do you talk to Damon?" Luna retorts, still looking confused.

Luna feels Niklaus's fangs graze over her skin, maybe she shouldn't have told Niklaus that she enjoyed his biting because he was starting to be a bit abundant with it.

"Ew, I do not talk to Damon, I text." Rebekah replies, not looking up from her phone.

"How is that different?" Kol asks.

"I don't have to see his face."

"Oh... so the bet?" Luna asks, getting a little distracted by Niklaus.

"Yes I was like 90% sure you would sleep with Finn first, because of your bias-Jesus Nik, can you stop mauling your mate for five seconds?!" Rebekah shouts, looking disgusted with Niklaus's pursuit.

"Bekah! Why are you texting with Damon about my sex life?!" Luna shouts, looking incredibly disturbed and offended. It was bad enough she could hardly have privacy in a house with five vampires, the last thing she needed was two Salvatores who kept tabs on their lives as well.

"Stefan is also in the group chat..." Rebekah mutters, looking a little ashamed at her actions.

"It's a group chat?! Why am I not in it-wait I'm getting distracted. Why would you make a bet of that?"

"Good fun?"

"Did you bet on anything else?" Kol asks, curiously wondering if he too could join the group chat.

"No." Rebekah replies quickly, looking up she sees Luna's disbelieving expression. "We might have made a bet for all the... Mikaelsons"

"All Mikaelsons...as in you too?" Luna asks, not sure whether to laugh or cry at this revelation.

"Well, you do flirt with me, a lot."

"Where are you on that list?" Luna asks, smirking a little at the blonde who was turning pink.

"Number three, we thought you might grow tired of men halfway through it." Rebekah explains.

Luna burst out in giggles, somewhat agreeing with the blonde, this only increased when she saw Kol's offended expressions.

"Where am I on that list?" Kol asks, eagerly.

"I had you as number two and Damon and Stefan thought number five."

"What?! I don't want to be number five-Angel! Don't you dare put me last!"

"Kol, I'm not planning this." Luna scoffs, looking a little offended at the idea of having to make a schedule for the man-children. She wasn't going to make this a chore, just to please their male egos. "So, how long does...this take?" Luna asks, pointing at Niklaus, who was still occupied with her throat.

"Probably until you've...with all of them." Rebekah clears her throat awkwardly.

"Great, so until then I'm stuck with this?"

"Better hurry along then." Kol grins, wagging his eyebrows suggestively at Luna.

"Oh yeah sure let me just fuck all of you today." Luna deadpans.

Rebekah chokes, and Niklaus tightens his grip on Luna.

"Really?" Kol asks, looking a little too hopeful.

"No! No way, the last thing I need right now is four over territorials and possessive alpha males." Luna snaps as she finally frees herself from Niklaus's grip.

"Nik! if you want to have a real reason for the sour face you're pulling, there is a shit ton of dishes in the sink with your name on it!" Rebekah calls upon seeing Niklaus's disgruntled expression.

"And let's not forget about the mess you guys made in the living room." Luna adds, looking pointedly at the three Mikaelsons. "Wait, where are Finn and 'Lijah?" Luna asks.

"Buying new furniture." Rebekah replies. "They should be home soon."

"Shit, can I wash it off?" Luna asks, looking a little panicked "The scent? Is it something you can wash off?"

"Why would you want to wash it off?" Niklaus asks, looking deeply offended that his mate wanted to wash his scent off.

• • •

"Where's Luna?" Finn looks around questioningly at his siblings, his mate nowhere to be seen.

"She's..." Niklaus starts but trails off, not sure how to proceed. Niklaus was working on a sketch of Luna that morning, bathed in sunlight. Kol was busy peeking over his shoulder, showing real interest in Niklaus's work for the first time.

"Hiding upstairs, thinking you two will freak out." Rebekah blurts out in a bored tone while flipping through her book.

"Why would we freak out?" Elijah asks, now looking quite concerned, worried his mate had hurt herself.

"Nikkie completed the soulmate bond with Luna!" Kol shouts, pointing accusingly at Niklaus. "And he mutilated her throat!"

Niklaus throws his hands up in exasperation, accidentally flinging his pencil across the room. "Really, Kol?"

Finn narrows his eyes at the hybrid, contemplating whether to snap his neck or break his limbs.

Niklaus rises from his spot on the couch, carefully backing away from his brothers, who were looking more than ready to attack him.

"Don't even think about it!" Luna shouts, running down the stairs, almost tripping over her own feet. She had clearly heard Kol's shout from her room and knew what would follow.

Elijah glances at his mate, she was flushed from the exertion and stood before him panting, hair wild and her neck was a clear indication of what had happened that night.

'Lijah!" Luna shrieks in surprise as Elijah speeds up to her, lifts her, and speeds them to the nearest private room.

Elijah pushes Luna up against the wall, hands firmly holding her up under her thighs.

"Elijah?" Luna asks carefully while wrapping her legs around his waist, arms on his shoulders. She steadies herself, not expecting this kind of reaction from the noble Original.

Elijah only rumbles in response while digging his nose into Luna's neck, sniffing agitated at her jugular. He annoyedly examines Niklaus's marks, jealousy, and territorial senses flaring up. Luna groans softly when he touches a particularly sensitive spot.

Elijah feels his fangs elongate and he grazes them over a piece of skin that had been spared.

"It's alright, 'Lijah. It's okay." Luna soothes. She didn't know much about soulmates but did understand that this was a rather challenging situation for her mates. She didn't want to complete another bond today, but she was willing to let Elijah do whatever he needed to ease himself.

Another low rumble and Elijah carefully bites down in Luna's neck. Luna groans softly at the familiar stinging while running her hands through his hair, hoping to comfort him and settle his inner vampire.

After a few greedy gulps, Elijah pulls his teeth back, licking gently over the bite. He places a sweet kiss on Luna's jaw before pulling back to look at her. Although Elijah hadn't been able to complete the bond, he did feel a little bit better about the whole situation, now that he too had marked his mate in some way.

"Forgive me, Elskan." Elijah whispers, leaning his forehead, the same way Niklaus had the previous night.

"It's alright, sweetie. I know this must be difficult for you." Luna soothes, wiping his lip with her thumb, getting rid of a drop of blood.

Elijah merely nods, before carefully lowering her back to the ground.

Luna presses a kiss to Elijah's lips before taking his hand, leading him back to the living room.

Niklaus narrows his eyes at Elijah. "You just had to, didn't you."

"Nik, can you please be a bit more understanding?" Luna asks softly, stroking his hair in passing. She lets go of Elijah's hand, and walks up to Finn, finally greeting him.

"Of course, love. Sorry." Niklaus mutters before glaring at Elijah when Luna looks away.

• • •

"Alright guys, I've rescheduled my lunch date so we can go costume shopping!" Luna announces as she enters the living room. She halts in her movement. "Nik...where did you get that dog?" Luna looks questioningly at Niklaus, who was lazily petting the dog that laid on his lap.

"...It came to me."

"Nik honey, I know you want a pack... but that doesn't mean you can just take someone's dog! Their owners are probably searching for them." Luna sighs. This conversation reminded her of a conversation she once had with her parents when she was little.

"Can we keep it?" Kol asks, also petting the dog, who was happily wagging his tail at all the attention it was receiving.

"No, as I said, the owner is probably looking for it." Luna replies. She takes a seat next to Niklaus and pets the dog, smiling as its tail wagging increases.

Niklaus narrows his eyes a little at the dog. "You're right, lets get rid of it." Niklaus decides, promptly rising from the couch, pulling the dog away from Luna.

• • •

"That's a pretty knife." Luna comments, touching the sharp side of the knife curiously.

"I think it's real, dearest." Elijah remarks, carefully taking the knife from his mate's grasp, holding Luna's hand to stop her from poking it.

"So?" Luna asks, trying to grab it from Elijah.

"So, I don't think you need it for Halloween." Elijah replies a little firmer, placing the knife back on the counter.

"But-" Luna tries, looking longingly at another knife that had rainbow colors on the handle.

"Come, Elskan. Let us get you some less dangerous props, hmm?" Elijah coaxes, dragging Luna away from the counter and the chuckling man behind it.

"Hey, Nik!" Rebekah calls before slapping Niklaus in the face with an ax made out of foam.

"Rebekah, that hurt." Niklaus grits, glaring at his little sister who was already raising her arm, ready to strike again.

"So do silver daggers, Nik! Tomato potato!" Rebekah replies before striking him again.

Annoyed Niklaus slaps the ax away before grumpily taking a seat on one of the couches.

"Hey... psst, Kol?" Luna whispers, poking Kol's side while hiding behind a clothing rack, steering clear from Elijah. Kol had been strolling through the monster section, looking curiously at the werewolf suit and wondering if he should offer it to Niklaus.

"Oh, that's a pretty knife." Kol comments, looking at the big knife Luna was waving in front of his face.

"I know." Luna whispers back, grinning up at him with a dangerous glint in her eyes. "I think my bat needs a little friend."

Kol nods eagerly, more than willing to see his mate handling a dangerous weapon, preferably to stab one of those Salvatores.

"Elskan! Stop touching the pretty knives!" Elijah's voice can be heard from the other side of the store.

"How does he know?" Luna whispers indignantly, pouting a little at the knife. She really wanted it, maybe she could come back another day, or buy it when Elijah wasn't looking.

"Now." Elijah adds.

"Spoilsport." Luna grumbles, demonstratively dropping the knife back where she had found it.

• • •

"Is this necessary?" Niklaus rumbles, looking severely put out at his mate's insistence.

"Yes, otherwise my outfit wouldn't make sense." Luna hums, kissing his nose after fixing the hairband with dog ears on Niklaus's head. Luna had claimed they werewolf ears, but Niklaus was certain the package said 'dog ears'. Niklaus had agreed to the ears, only if he didn't have to wear the tail.

Niklaus lets out a low growl, biting teasingly in Luna's neck. He had to admit that she looked delightful in her Red Riding Hood Costume.

"I am Count Dracula or... Drakola." Kol giggles, flashing into the living room while flaunting his cape. Kol makes another turn, enjoying the way the cape follows his movements.

"Did you get the joke? Angel?!" Kol calls, turning around to capture his mate's attention. He tugs impatiently at Luna's elbow.

"Yes. A very good joke, Kol." Luna nods her head in agreement, smiling brightly up at Kol. His fake fangs were almost falling out of his mouth. Kol had wanted to use real blood, but Luna told him he wouldn't receive any kisses if his mouth was covered in real blood. Reluctantly Kol had given in.

Rebekah walks out next, she had decided on going as a sexy nurse. She had wanted to go as a vampire too, but the idea that people would think she matched with her brother on purpose was appalling to her.

Finn follows Rebekah, dressed as a hunter with a big fake ax slung over his shoulder. Finn hadn't been sure what he wanted to wear so Luna suggested that he could be the hunter from Little Red Riding Hood. When asking Luna for advice on his outfit she told him 'The more flannel, the better'. Finn had taken this advice pretty seriously considering he currently wore four flannels.

"Oh look, it's Elijah...as Elijah." Rebekah deadpans, looking unimpressed as the last Mikaelson enters the foyer.

Elijah was wearing yet another one of his crisp suits, he was a bit disgruntled with the idea of a Halloween party, but had agreed because his mate desired it. "I'm a lawyer." Elijah corrects, holding up his briefcase.

• • •

"What's in your basket, Little Red?" Kol asks, curiously lifting one of the lids to peek inside.

"Bloodbags." Luna chirps happily, swinging her arm and involuntarily Finn's. She was feeling giddy, this was her first time trick or treating since she was six and she was looking forward to it. Elijah and Niklaus had protested the idea of going trick or treating but Luna had flashed them her puppy eyes, which shut the men up.

"You've brought blood bags?" Niklaus asks, blinking in surprise at his mate.

"Yes, in case you guys get hungry from all the excitement. Don't worry I also brought peanuts." Luna grins, showing them the purple bag.

"Can I?" Kol asks while pointing at the doorbell, clearly as excited as Luna.

Luna nods, smiling encouragingly at him.

The door opens and an elderly lady steps onto the porch, gazing interestedly at the group. "What do we have here? A vampire, a... nurse" Her eyes narrow a little at Rebekah's very short skirt before continuing. "A dog, a hunter, Little Red Riding Hood, and a... businessman?"

"Lawyer." Elijah corrects grumpily.

"Wolf." Niklaus grumbles softly at the same time.

Chapter Text

"Do you have to keep talking in that stupid accent," Rebekah complains, looking annoyedly at Kol.

The Mikaelsons and Luna had been trick or treating for about an hour and were now making their way over to the Lockwood mansion.

"I do not know what you are talking about, Count Drakola does not have an accent." Kol replies haughtily in a thick accent, before slapping Rebekah with the end of his cape. "Especially not a stupid one!"

"You put vampires to shame!" Rebekah deadpans before shoving Kol in retribution, making him almost trip over his cape.

"This is so much fun!" Luna cheers, she had been happily munching on candy all evening. Elijah had eyed her concernedly, he was sure his mate was going to be nauseous soon, but Luna kept at it, claiming that getting sick was part of the experience.

Niklaus only grumbles a little, still not happy with the number of times he had been called a dog that night. The only reason he hadn't snapped and murdered a bunch of old ladies was that he had been able to hold Luna's hand all night.

Finn had self-righteously claimed Luna's other side after pushing Elijah away, under the guise that there were no lawyers in Little Red Riding Hood. He had been happily carrying Luna's basket in one hand while holding onto her waist with the other. He rather enjoyed seeing his mate in her costume, that didn't mean other males also got to enjoy it.

"How long do we have to stay at that dreadful party?" Niklaus asks before pressing a kiss to Luna's hand, hoping for her to be merciful on his soul. Perhaps he could persuade her to forget about the party altogether with the promise of another love-making session.

Niklaus looks longingly at Luna's neck, she had made him heal her. She didn't want to go into public with her neck resembling a crime scene, which he found a bit insulting, but he had complied. Only the mark he had left while bonding to her had remained, now white-colored, like an aged scar. Niklaus was sure he could reconstruct his masterpiece from this morning later on.

"A few hours. Who knows you might end up having a good time." Luna teases, smiling fondly at the hybrid.

"Let me guess, no killing?" Kol asks, turning around to face his mate.

"What do you think?" Luna deadpans.

• • •

"Thank you for inviting us Tyler." Luna offers, smiling gently at the boy.

"I didn't-" Tyler grumbles before getting elbowed in the ribs by Caroline. "Of course, my pleasure." Tyler comments, sniffing haughtily. Tyler freezes momentarily and his eyes flash gold. His eyes narrow as he sniffs the air again before promptly taking a step towards Luna.

Luna is immediately pulled back by Elijah, who growls in warning at the Lockwood boy.

Niklaus steps in front of Luna, shielding her from Tyler while baring his fangs at the boy. There was no concern for weird looks seeing as almost everyone at the party was wearing fangs. Kol promptly joins Niklaus's side, snarling at both Tyler and Caroline.

Tyler shifts his gaze to Niklaus, suddenly understanding. Caroline looks questioningly at Tyler before also noticing it. Veins appear under Caroline's eyes and her eyes darken, whatever was happening, it made her instincts flare up.

Rebekah steps forward, ready to pounce the blonde if she dared to take a step towards Luna. Sure, it would be a pity to have to kill all the partygoers, but it would be nothing compared to the murder sprees the Mikaelsons had undertaken in the past.

"What's going on 'Lijah?" Luna asks apprehensively, snuggling herself closer to Elijah's chest. She wasn't sure why the two teenagers were acting the way they were, but Tyler's sudden approach made her feel wary.

Finn grabs Luna's hand, rubbing it in the hopes to comfort his distressed mate.

"It is alright, Elskan. We won't let them harm you. They too can smell the soulmate bond you and Niklaus have established." Elijah murmurs, pressing his lips to his mate's temple, before proceeding to nuzzle at her neck.

Luna blushes, she hadn't considered the fact that every supernatural being could smell her new status as a bonded soulmate, until now. "Then why are they getting all..." Luna trails off, not sure how to call their behavior.

"It makes them... restless." Finn adds, not sure if this knowledge would comfort his mate in the slightest.

"There you guys are!" Damon calls cheerily, strutting towards the Mikaelsons as if they were his closest friends. Stefan follows behind him, looking a bit more earnest in his cheerful expression than his brother. They both halt when they see the defensive stances of the Mikaelsons.

"Well, I believe congratulations are in order." Damon comments after regaining his composure. He too noticed the scent that was rolling off the human girl. "Tell me, when can we expect your first litter of pups?"

Luna's eyes widen comically and her cheeks turn bright red, she had forgotten that Damon had already been informed by Rebekah.

Elijah narrows his eyes at Damon while possessively tightening his grip around Luna.

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that comment." Luna mutters, clearing her throat awkwardly.

"Come, Tyler. Let's get your guests something to drink." Caroline offers nervously after recovering from the initial shock. She swiftly tugs Tyler away. The angry looks of the Mikaelsons were reason enough for her to want to flee the situation.

With Tyler and Caroline gone, the Mikaelsons relax a little, now all turning their attention to Stefan and Damon.

"Nice costume, Luna. Very appropriate." Damon comments.

Luna raises her eyebrow, not sure if she wanted to hear what came next.

"Innocent human girl who gets devoured by the big bad wolf." Damon teases, grin broadening when he sees Niklaus's scowl. "Pardon me, hybrid."

"You should have gotten me that knife." Luna mumbles to Elijah.

• • •

"This is your emergency?!" Rebekah groans as she sees Luna sprawled out on one of the couches in the sitting room upstairs.

"Yeah, I was starting to get sober... a real problem." Luna stretches her arm, taking the bottle from the blonde. Luna unscrews the cap, taking a big gulp.

"You texted me 'Beks bring bourbon, emergency' with five exclamation marks. Your soberness is not an emergency!" Rebekah snaps, trying to grab the bottle from Luna, not trusting her with even more alcohol. The brunette had already danced on top of a table and slid down the banister while singing an ABBA song.

"Hey, you wanted to be friends! This is your fault!" Luna retorts, possessively hugging the bottle. She now understood why the vampires of the show were fond of the drink.

"Where the hell did my moronic brothers go?" Rebekah asks in an exasperated manner, she didn't understand how she ended up babysitting her friend and her brothers.

Luna frowns for a moment, trying to remember what had happened, one moment she was dancing with Niklaus, the next she was on the couch, feeling lonesome.

"I don't know...please send Kol when you find him. I want cuddles." Luna hums before getting up from the couch.

Rebekah looks unimpressed at her friend. "Sure, anything else, your majesty?" Rebekah deadpans.

"Yes, please ask Finn to bake those little cakes again, thank you Bekah. You're the best!" Luna shouts over her shoulder, already making her way towards the stairs before tripping.

"Will you stop groping him?" Elena snarls as she sees Luna clasping onto Stefan on the stairs.

"She isn't groping me, I caught her. Stop whatever you think you're doing, Elena. I can stand up for myself." Stefan snaps impatiently while lifting Luna off the staircase.

Although Stefan was not exactly appointed as the girl's bodyguard, he knew the Mikaelsons would kill him if their mate got hurt in his presence. Besides that, he genuinely cared for her, she had pretty much saved his life from her murderous soulmates and he was more than happy to protect her in return.

"Yikes, I'm embarrassed for you." Luna laughs loudly at the doppelganger, before slumping against the Salvatore, not wanting to see the annoying girl anymore. Elena might be a human, like her, but she had been nothing but judgemental and insincere to Luna, so Luna couldn't feel too bad about being rude to her anymore.

Elena's scoff can be heard but neither Luna nor Stefan pay much attention to that.

"Do you know where my mates are?" Luna whispers shyly.

"I'm sure we can find them." Stefan assures while gently escorting Luna towards a quieter area of the party.

"Is it terrible?" Luna asks softly, suddenly feeling a sense of melancholy taking over. "The scent."

"It's... intimidating, but I'm sure we will get used to it." Stefan reassures, smiling kindly at Luna, who looked quite worn down.

"Elskan?" Elijah calls, striding toward the duo.

"'Lijah!" Luna smiles brightly upon seeing her mate, she quickly untangles herself from Stefan and hurries over to him.

Elijah gives Stefan a grateful nod, he still wasn't happy with the man, but he had at least looked out for his mate.

Stefan steps away, leaving to find Damon.

"I missed you." Luna murmurs while clinging tightly to Elijah. "Where did you go?"

"You went to the bathroom, Elskan." Elijah replies gently, escorting Luna to one of the couches. "I waited down here for you, like you requested."

Elijah lifts Luna onto his lap, who contently cuddles herself into his chest, fingers playing with his tie.

"Oh, sorry." Luna mumbles, turning red.

"It's alright, my darling. Now, what have you got there?" Elijah asks, trying to get a closer look at what Luna was clutching.

"Bourbon, do you want some?" Luna asks, shooting Elijah an innocent smile.

Elijah shakes his head while laughing softly, of course, she had somehow acquired one of the best bottles in the house.

"Angel! I have found the most amazing thing!" Kol runs over to Luna and Elijah with a tray in his hands.

"What is it?" Luna asks, narrowing her eyes a little to focus on Kol, who was practically bouncing around, he too had consumed a vast amount of alcohol.

"Alcohol! In a gelatinous form!" Kol shouts elatedly before handing both Luna and Elijah a little plastic cup. "It's like edible alcohol. A treat and a drink in one! The best invention since sliced bread!" Kol rambles on while poking Luna's arm, urging her to take the shot.

"Kol, settle down." Elijah grumbles, irritated by Kol's intrusion on his alone time with Luna.

Kol pouts for a moment before plopping down on the couch, resting his head on Luna's legs. "Do you like it? They have all sorts of flavors and colors. I like the purple one, it tastes like purple." He continues, looking eagerly at his mate. Kol had picked up a wide variety of cups from the table, ready to offer any color his mate might desire. "Do you want a purple one?"

"It's very good." Luna nods happily, softly petting Kol's hair. There wasn't much left of his costume. Kol's fangs had fallen out a while ago and he had somehow burned his cape.

Luna sighs happily as she feels Elijah's nose at her neck. It must look a little silly, the three of them unwinding on the couch amid a party, but she enjoyed these little moments immensely. "Have you seen Finn or Nik?" Luna asks no one in particular.

"I'm sure we can go a few minutes without them." Elijah rumbles possessively, not feeling like sharing Luna's attention with any more of his brothers right now.

• • •

"Little Red Riding Hood, having an affair with a mere merchant, how scandalous." Niklaus comments dryly, finally having found his mate.

"Lawyer." Elijah growls while gripping Luna tighter to him. He was still feeling a bit petty towards Niklaus for being the first to claim his mate.

Luna didn't pay too much attention to the rumbling and growling, she was busy munching on some cereal that Kol had obtained for her. She and Kol had been busy tossing pieces of cornflakes into each other's mouths. Kol's aim was, even in his inebriated state, perfect. Luna's not so much, which resulted in a very dirty couch. Luna had somehow managed to get cereal in Elijah's hair.

Niklaus walks over to the couch to press a kiss to Luna's forehead before settling himself on one of the nearby chairs. He had spent the evening keeping an eye on Damon, making sure the Salvatore didn't grow too confident in their fragile truce and do something stupid.

"Nikkie! Do you want gelatinous alcohol?" Kol offers, pointing at the now half-empty tray.

"No thank you, I prefer my alcohol in a liquid form." Niklaus declines, looking disgusted at the bright blue shot that was nearest to him.

"How are you enjoying yourself, love?" Niklaus asks, after tapping Luna's shoulder to get her attention.

"Very good, I think Finn will make me those cakes again." Luna smiles brightly at this prospect.

"Hmm, he is spoiling you, sweetheart." Niklaus teases, stroking Luna's cheek.

"All of you do." Luna replies, snuggling herself closer to Elijah. They did spoil her, if it weren't with food or jewelry it was with love and affection, which was the one thing she couldn't get enough of. "And I am very grateful for your affections." Luna murmurs.

"We are happy to give it." Elijah rumbles, gently nipping at her jaw. He indeed liked to spoil his mate, he would honestly give anything for her joy, there were no limits when it came to proving his love to her.

"Hey guys-are you eating my-" Tyler exclaims looking annoyed at the girl who was making her way through the box. Niklaus and Kol glare intently at Tyler as if daring him to insult or upset their mate by taking the box away from her. "Nevermind, enjoy. I can get you another box." Tyler offers promptly, before backing away slowly.

"Thank you!" Luna shouts, before smiling up at Elijah, offering him a stale marshmallow, which he reluctantly accepts.

• • •

"Finn!" Luna exclaims happily, immediately trying to wriggle herself off Elijah's lap. Luna almost falls face-first onto the ground but is caught by Elijah.

"You're drunk, Elskan. Stay seated." Elijah orders, repositioning his mate on his lap. Luna pouts a little but lets herself melt into Elijah, too tired to protest.

Finn walks up to Luna, pressing a kiss to her temple. "Rebekah told me you desired cake." Finn offers, handing a plate with cupcakes to Luna before taking a seat in front of the couch.

"You are the best!" Luna gasps, almost drooling at the sight of the cakes.

"I thought I was the best?" Rebekah enters the room and takes the seat next to Kol after slapping his legs away.

"You are. You are both the best! Out of all the vampires who supply me with booze and cake, you are the bestest." Luna rambles before stuffing a cupcake in her mouth, moaning obscenely at the flavor of the sugary treat.

Rebekah rolls her eyes. "Please stop moaning before my brothers get antsy."

"Fuck you." Luna mutters. The last thing she needed reminding of was her own sex drive or that of her mates.

"If you insist." Rebekah offers, not looking up from her phone.

Luna is about to make an inappropriate comment when Tyler reenters the room.

"You used my kitchen?!" Tyler asks exasperatedly, upon seeing the freshly baked cupcakes. He was holding a new box of cereal, which he now carefully tosses onto the carpet, landing it in front of Luna, not daring to go near her again.

"Judging by the vast amount of packaging in your trashcan, you clearly didn't." Finn retorts, looking at Tyler in a bored manner. He would never serve guests store bought appetizers.

"This is my house." Tyler grumbles while walking off to find someone to complain to, preferably Caroline.

"Look, Nik isn't the only grumpy hybrid anymore!" Luna giggles, while leaning over the couch to poke Niklaus's cheek.

• • •

"It was very kind of Tyler to give us that cereal box, look he even put a little bow on it." Luna pokes the bow fondly, she was going to keep it.

Luna was currently on Finn's back, being carried back to their home, seeing as her feet hurt. The Mikalsons had finally left the party, all of them exhausted by their night's activities. They could have sped home, but they did enjoy the evening stroll.

Finn hums in agreement, turning his head a little to look at his mate. Luna looks back at him, before pressing a few kisses on his cheek.

"I'm pretty sure he would have given you the entirety of his cupboard contents if you had asked." Rebekah comments dryly, knowing full well that Tyler was terrified enough to comply with every last one of Luna's wishes.

Niklaus and Elijah smirk at each other, feeling quite accomplished with their ability to terrorize and threaten pesky teenagers into docility.

"Really?" Luna asks, wondering if she should have also asked for the brownie batter she had seen.

• • •

"Psst... Kol?"

"Kol? Psst... are you awake?"

Luna pokes Kol's cheek repeatedly.

"Wha-what's wrong? Are you hurt Angel?" Kol whispers groggily, slapping the wall to find the light switch. He hisses a little as the bright light fills the room.

"No, I'm not hurt... I just need to know if you're frustrated in any way." Luna admits, blushing a little.

"About what?" Kol asks, pulling Luna closer to his chest.

"Us not completing the bond tonight." Luna replies softly. She was glad she could hide her face in Kol's chest. "I know you're all-"

"I'm not frustrated or disappointed, in any way." Kol cuts Luna off, tugging a little at Luna's chin to get her to look at him. "Luna, I would never ask you to do something you're not comfortable with. I can wait, we all can." Kol assures, pressing a kiss to Luna's cheek.

"I love you." Luna whispers softly while fidgeting with the hem of Kol's shirt.

"And I love you." Kol smiles at Luna, pressing a kiss to her lips, before turning the light off and hugging his mate to his chest.

Chapter Text

"Try and I will set your studio on fire."

"You wouldn't dare! It is also Luna's studio!"

"Fine! I will shave your eyebrows off!"

"Do that and I will shave your head!"

"Luna happens to like my hair!"

"So?!"

"So you can't do that!"

"You're shouting... again." Luna sighs, as she sees yet another pair of Mikaelsons screaming into each other's faces. "What happened this time?" Luna turns to face Finn, who had been silently watching his siblings squabble.

"Nothing of great importance, my love. Come, I made you breakfast." Finn coaxes, pressing a kiss to Luna's jaw before steering Luna towards the new dining table where an extensive breakfast was waiting on her.

"Thank you, Finn." Luna smiles.

Finn strokes Luna's cheek affectionately as a reply.

"Goodmorning Elskan." Elijah greets, smiling up at his mate. He had been seated at the table, making his way through the newspaper while ignoring the shouting from his other siblings.

"Goodmorning, 'Lijah." Luna replies, kissing him before taking the seat next to him.

"Any plans for today?" Elijah asks after folding the newspaper closed.

"Not much, but tomorrow we're going on a little road trip to Whitmore college." Luna mentions lightly while cutting her pancake into bite-sized pieces.

"Whitmore? There must be better colleges, your education is very importa-" Elijah starts before getting cut off.

"You want to apply? We can move there, there's no way we would allow you to sleep in a dorm of course, and we will have to do a background check on... well, everyone." Niklaus rambles, joining his mate and brothers in the dining room, soon followed by Kol and Rebekah. Niklaus glares briefly at Elijah, if his mate wanted to go to Whitmore she would go to Whitmore. Elijah could be such a snob sometimes.

Luna tilts her head expectantly and receives a kiss on both cheeks from Niklaus and Kol. All the siblings now look exceptionally calm and well behaved, which made Luna wonder what the fight had been about exactly.

"No, college isn't my thing anymore." Luna begins as the last three Mikaelsons also take a seat. She remembers the horrors from the art school she had attended in her own universe. She felt no need for a repeat of that. She was sure that Niklaus could teach her more about art than an entire facility. "There is a vampire friend from Damon-" Luna reveals before getting cut off by multiple Mikaelson siblings.

"Damon? No, absolutely not."

"Damon has friends?"

"You're not going near another vampire, Elskan. The Salvatores and Miss. Forbes are more than enough."

"Damon went to college?"

"If it makes you feel better he hates Damon right now." Luna comments timidly, a little taken aback by the outburst from the Mikaelsons

"Yes, that does make me feel better."

"He? It's a man? No. Not happening."

"I agree with Kol."

"That's a first."

"Shut your face!"

"I still think you're lying about Damon having a friend."

"As I was saying, there is a vampire friend at Whitmore college. He is being used for experiments by some sicko doctor, I suggest we save him." Luna says while waving her arms a little, trying to get the conversation back on the rails.

"How 'sicko' are we talking? Nazi doctor Mengele sicko?"

"Save him? Do we look like a bloody vampire rescue squad?"

"A male vampire and a 'sicko' doctor?! No."

"Do you think we could get that friend to stab Damon?"

"Niklaus, you're asking the wrong kind of questions."

"Shut up, you also want to know this."

"Where does this vampire go after we free him?" Finn asks, already dreading the answer.

"Well... we do have a lot of spare-" Luna suggests softly before being cut off.

"No, definitely not! We are not taking in strays!" Niklaus grumbles.

"Says the man who was willing to take in a dog yesterday." Luna retorts.

"You might remember that I changed my mind, love." Niklaus retorts. He did not enjoy the thought of having to share Luna's affections with even more people besides his own family. The fact that she was on somewhat good terms with the Salvatores already irritated him.

"Admit it, Nik. You were jealous of the dog." Rebekah snickers.

"Was not."

"How do you know of this vampire in the first place?" Elijah asks, wondering if Luna had been in Mystic Falls long enough to befriend the entirety of the vampier population.

"The show." Luna shrugs.

"Why do you want to save him? Is he a future ally of ours in the show?" Finn asks while nudging Luna's plate closer to her, making sure she wouldn't let her breakfast get cold because of all the excitement. He had almost forgotten that they were a TV show in Luna's original universe. He had already grown accustomed to Luna and having her here that it hadn't crossed his mind since arriving back here.

"No, but he could be and he was very... charismatic." Luna admits, biting back a smile. She didn't include the fact that she just wanted to see Bonnie and Enzo together again.

"Nope, not saving him. Absolutely not." Kol rumbles. The last thing he needed was a charismatic male vampire near his Luna.

"Wait. There's another reason we have to go." Luna sighs, deciding she might as well tell everything. "Silas." Luna says while looking up at Kol to gauge his reaction.

"You want to wake Silas?" Kol asks, looking horrified at his mate.

"No, I want to make sure he doesn't wake." Luna reassures, squeezing Kol's hand. "If Silas is raised he will want to destroy the other side, which means that if one of you dies, there is no way I can get you guys back." The other side was the only loophole she had if one of them died and she wasn't willing to jeopardize it.

"He's real." Elijah mumbles, still processing this tidbit of information. He had always written Silas off as a myth, a bedtime story. The stories about Silas always seemed far-fetched and made up to him.

"Yes. In the TV show Elena gets turned into a vampire, which is something I'd rather prevent. Elena hates being a vampire and is bad at it as well. And when I say bad, I mean super bad. But anyway they go look for a cure, to make her human again." Luna elaborates.

"A vampire cure?" Rebekah gasps, already thinking of the possibilities she would have if she were to take it.

Niklaus narrows his eyes at his impulsive little sister, not liking the excited look on her face one bit.

"No, Rebekah. Not like you think. It's an immortality cure, not a vampirism cure. You become mortal." Luna replies before taking another bite.

"That sounds pretty good?" Rebekah comments hesitantly, not understanding the difference.

"Sorry, let me rephrase it. If I were to become a vampire today and take the cure, everything would be back to normal, except for the fact that I can't drink vampire blood anymore. I would have the cure in my system, forever. If someone were to extract it from me even the tiniest amount, I would still be the same, still mortal. If that were to happen to Rebekah and someone sucked the cure out of her, she would age rapidly. Her body will deteriorate in mere weeks, because she is over a thousand years old, eventually leading to her... death." Luna pauses briefly to look at Rebekah.

"Having the cure may sound great, but you will be hunted by a great part of the supernatural community for the blood that flows through your veins. I'm sorry, Rebekah." Luna looks apologetic at her friend, feeling bad for giving her even the smallest spark of hope for human existence.

"It's alright, Luna. I understand. Besides that, life as an Original isn't so bad anymore." Rebekah assures, thinking back to how Niklaus couldn't dagger her anymore, how Finn wasn't set on killing them anymore, and how the rivalry between the Salvatores and them had finally come to an end.

"So, what does Silas have to do with Whitmore college?" Rebekah asks

"At Whitmore college is a professor who wants to raise Silas to get his deceased family back. He goes as far as teaching Bonnie Expression. He has to die." Luna decides, swallowing nervously. She didn't like the idea of executing humans who were merely acting out of grief, but Atticus Shane was too much of a loose cannon to keep alive.

"Just point him out, love. We will do the rest." Niklaus promises.

• • •

"Luna!" Kol's voice is slightly whiny when he struts into the reading room, dramatically leaning against one of the bookshelves. "I'm bored!"

Finn looks up from the book that he held on top of Luna's stomach to glare up at Kol. He had been reading to her for the past half hour, enjoying the closeness to his mate, he didn't need Kol to disturb the peace, again.

"Hmm, Finn is reading to me, sweetie. Maybe your sister wants to hang out?" Luna tries, lifting her head from Finn's chest to look at Kol. She had been comfortably snuggled up on Finn's lap, blanket and all.

"No, she wants to shop." Kol sighs as if that was the most tedious way to pass time.

"So?"

"I hate it." Kol grumbles, now leaning over the back of the couch to press a kiss to Luna's forehead.

"Really? Last week you told me you enjoyed it." Luna hums, cupping Kol's cheek. "Called it your new hobby."

Finn rumbles a little, not enjoying the intrusion from his little brother. In a possessive gesture, he tightens his arms around Luna as if to pull her even closer to him.

"Because it was with you." Kol admits, narrowing his eyes a little at Finn's inability to share Luna. Sure, Kol wasn't great at it either, but Finn was older, he should know better.

"Oh, that's what your opinions are based on?" Luna asks, smiling amusedly up at Kol.

"Perhaps."

"What about your other brothers?" Luna tries.

"Nikkie is painting and Eli is doing his taxes or something stupid like that." Kol complains, slumping himself over his mate, much to Finn's displeasure

"And you call me the dull one." Finn sniffs haughtily before pushing Kol's head away from Luna's neck.

• • •

"I'm sure I can survive a few hours without you growling at them." Luna comments dryly, trying to pry Finn's arms off her waist. Both Kol and Finn had been making her departure unnecessarily difficult.

"You do not need to go. We have lunch here." Finn tries, frowning down at his mate. He could usually bribe his mate with his cooking, but she seemed insistent on abandoning him, a concept he wasn't fond of. "I can make you those little cakes again." Finn offers as a last resort.

"Oh...that does sound good." Luna hesitates, halting in her movements before shaking her head. "No, I agreed to go. It will be good, who knows, maybe I can charm the Bennett witch into becoming friends."

"Charm? You're not going to charm anyone, besides us." Niklaus grumbles, he had been grumpily watching in the foyer, arms crossed and scowl present on his face. The fact that his mate had to flirt with his sister was up to that point, he didn't need even more competition.

"Nik." Luna rolls her eyes. "I appreciate that you guys are concerned but, I'm sure it will be fine."

"But that's what you said last time and then you got kidnapped." Kol points out, looking accusingly at his mate, trying his best not to fall for her puppy eyes. Luna's kidnapping was not something worth repeating.

"That was hardly my fault and I don't think they're going to try that again." Luna replies.

"Kol is right, you could get hurt. We have plenty of enemies who would want to harm you." Elijah urges, narrowing his eyes at the mere idea.

"Wow, you do know how to make the whole 'mate to four Originals' deal sound alluring, don't you?" Luna deadpans.

"I'll take her." Rebekah offers, rolling her eyes at her brothers' protectiveness.

"No-" Elijah protests but he is cut off by Luna.

"Great, thank you, Bekah." Luna smiles broadly at her friend.

"But-"

"Rebekah is perfectly capable of protecting me." Luna decides.

"Fine..." Niklaus reluctantly agrees, hanging his head in defeat.

Luna kisses each of her mates on the cheek before quickly walking out of the door, afraid her mates would change their minds.

"Where are you going Kol?" Finn asks as he sees Kol putting on his shoes.

"Following her, duh." Kol replies matter of factly before opening the front door. "No way she can go a few hours without our growling." Kol mutters self-righteously.

• • •

"I still can't wrap my head around the fact you date four Originals." Caroline admits bashfully.

The girls were seated in one of the booths in the Grill, each sipping on their respective drinks, waiting for their order. Elena had scowled upon seeing Rebekah but had wisely kept her mouth shut.

"Why not?" Luna asks, sincere curiosity clear in her voice.

"They're ancient psychopaths and they have killed thousands of people." Elena answers instead.

Rebekah is about to throw out an insult at the doppelganger but Luna is quicker.

"Calm down, judgy. Your ex-boyfriends have also killed a lot of people." Luna replies, shooting Elena an unimpressed look. That girl sure did like to point fingers at anyone but herself.

"Elena, what did we talk about?" Caroline urges while shooting her friend a pointed look.

Elena huffs a little but stays silent, shooting Luna a somewhat apologetic smile.

"Well, I-what are you looking at?" Luna asks as she sees Caroline and Bonnie throwing furtive glances over Luna's head.

Bonnie quickly types something on her phone before showing it to Luna. Luna rolls her eyes. "Of course."

"Oh, they're in trouble now." Caroline whispers in a conspiring tone, immediately remembering the scolding she and her friends had gotten from the girl.

Rebekah snorts at this comment, impatient to see what would happen next.

Luna slowly turns her head, glancing unimpressed at the Mikaelsons who were trying their best to look casual, emphasize 'trying'. Their skills at subtlety hadn't exactly improved since the Mikaelson ball. All were holding up newspapers, Kol's was upside down.

Luna was not the only one to notice this, Niklaus slaps Kol's head and growls that Kol could at least hold the newspaper properly.

"Pitiful." Rebekah mutters, rolling her eyes.

"Yes Bonnie, I would love to have coitus with you." Luna comments, loud enough for the vampires to hear.

Bonnie turns bright red and Caroline chokes on her drink.

"Excuse you?!" Kol jumps up, ready to tackle the witch for the mere idea. "You are not having sex with Bonnie! Not before-ow." Kol gets pulled back in his seat by Niklaus and quickly lifts his newspaper again.

Luna rolls her eyes good naturedly before getting up from her seat, swiftly followed by Rebekah.

"Do you think she saw us?" Finn asks softly, looking nervously at his brothers.

"Oh, she saw you!" Luna replies, striding over to the Mikaelsons and ripping the newspapers away.

The Mikaelsons and Luna were being thrown sideways glances from other customers, but she didn't care. Surely stranger things must have happened at the bar in all those years.

"Oh-hello, my love! We didn't know you were here." Finn greets, smiling innocently up at his mate. He wonders why he had let Kol persuade him to join in on this plan.

Elijah glares at Finn to let him know he was being anything but helpful.

"Dumbasses." Rebekah groans whilst facepalming.

"For vampires, you guys sure do suck at the whole stealth thing." Luna comments dryly.

"We do..." Kol agrees, resolving to look up some spy movies later. He had been convinced that newspapers would be the least conspicuous, perhaps he had been wrong.

"Go home, please." Luna requests.

"I will drive with them, keep an eye on them." Rebekah offers, not in the mood to further socialize with the teenage girls who were watching the Mikaelsons interestedly.

"Thank you, Bekah." Luna strokes Niklaus's cheek briefly. "I will see you at home." Luna turns around to return to Caroline, Bonnie, and Elena.

"They're such idiots, no offense." Bonnie deadpans, looking amused at the Mikaelson party, trailing out of the Grill. Bonnie snorts as she sees Kol tripping Elijah on the way to the car.

"I know, but they're my idiots." Luna grins, shaking her head fondly.

"Even Rebekah?" Elena asks while trying her hardest not to scowl at merely mentioning the name.

"Bekah is my bonus idiot." Luna declares proudly. "You might think her off her as mean, but have you given her much reason to be nice to you?" Luna asks softly, not a trace of accusation in her voice, just curiosity.

• • •

"What have you done?" Luna asks as soon as she is greeted at the door by Niklaus. Niklaus had practically bounced into the foyer when he heard his mate's car pull up.

Besides the unexpected Mikaelson intrusion, the lunch date had been successful. She had gotten to know Caroline, Bonnie, and even Elena better and had an overall good time with them. It was nice to have some girl talk without the constant intrusion of one of her mates for once. Don't get her wrong, she loved her mates dearly, but they could be a bit of a handful from time to time.

"What? Can't I greet my beautiful mate at the door?" Niklaus feigns innocence, quickly placing a kiss on Luna's mouth to distract her.

"Cute, but not with that smirk." Luna replies as she pulls away from him.

"I didn't do anything, love. I'm somewhat offended that you think I did anything bad." Niklaus replies indignantly, losing a little of his bravado as he hears a loud thud coming from within the mansion.

"So if I ask Finn or 'Lijah they will say the same thing?" Luna asks, lifting an eyebrow at the hybrid.

"...Yes."

"Alright"

"Alright?" Niklaus narrows his eyes a little, not sure if Luna was really letting him off the hook this easily.

"Let's go ask them." Luna chirps, already striding towards the living room.

"Wait what?" Niklaus runs up to her, blocking her path.

"You just said, you did nothing, I just want confirmation from a more reliable source." Luna deadpans while walking around Niklaus.

"Or- hear me out! We could go to the bedroom. Doesn't that sound more enjoyable?" Niklaus tries to coax as he spins Luna around, his hands on her hips to stop her from walking away. "We can try those new-"

"Nikkie! You're missing out on the fun!" Kol's shouting can be heard from somewhere in the mansion.

Luna shoots Niklaus an unimpressed look before running off to the source of the noise, fearing the worst. She runs into the dining room, which seemed to be remodeled, again.

Luna's eyes land on Damon, who was strung up by his wrists, in the cuffs she had admired during the house tour. She makes a mental note to not use those in the near future.

Luna's eyes shift to Kol, who quickly drops the knife he had been holding. Kol shoots his mate an innocent smile while kicking the knife away from view.

"Seriously? We had a whole dinner thing to avoid this." Luna looks unimpressed at Niklaus, who had quietly followed her and now stood timidly in the doorpost.

"You said I couldn't kill them, you said nothing about kidnapping and torturing." Niklaus counters, looking innocently at his mate.

Luna sighs. Hearing a clicking noise she turns around. "Rebekah, sweetie, maybe don't take selfies on a potential crime scene yeah? Ok."

Reluctantly Rebekah lowers her phone. She gives Damon's unconscious body a little push, making him sway, before retreating.

"Are you mad?" Kol asks, carefully. "You look mad." Kol walks up to Luna, pushing his face in the crook of her neck in a way of greeting and also in the hope it would lessen his mate's anger.

Luna sighs, calmly undergoing Kol's nosing.

"Oh god, you're mad." Kol pouts as he pulls away and sees Luna's surprisingly calm expression.

"I'm not mad." Luna finally says while running her hands through Kol's hair.

"Are you sure? Because you look mad." Kol asks.

"He is right, you do look a little mad, love." Niklaus interjects.

"I'm not- I'm just a little...disappointed?" Luna frowns a little, not sure how to feel about this entire situation. Damon was promised retaliation by Niklaus on the phone call, so she knew something would happen eventually, but she also felt a little bad for Damon.

"Oh god, that's so much worse." Niklaus groans, already racking his mind for ways to make up to his mate. She had already gotten a new car, so maybe a private plane? A shopping trip in Paris could also be nice, that usually worked on Rebekah.

Ignoring Niklaus, Luna walks up to Damon, inspecting the knocked-out vampire from up close. "He's bleeding on my carpet." Luna grimaces. Sure Niklaus had paid for it, but she had chosen it online and she was quite fond of it. Luna hoped for Niklaus's sake that the stain would come out of it.

Luna pats Damon's cheek a few times, hoping to make him regain consciousness. "How are you holding up, honey?" Luna asks carefully as soon as Damon blinks awake.

"Not too good." Damon grunts, glaring annoyed at Niklaus and Kol who were standing behind Luna, glaring at him in return. Yes, they had tortured Damon, but that didn't mean that Luna had to be kind to the vampire, or comfort him. Or most important of all, pay him the attention that was meant for them. It was already difficult enough for the Mikaelsons to share Luna's attention, let alone if there was a Salvatore thrown in the mix.

"I can see that. You look like you could use a vegetable." Luna nods her head wondering if she should offer the vampire some leftover salad from last night. Finn had forced her to eat it after she had consumed all the sugar at the Halloween party.

"I don't think eating a carrot is going to solve that, Elskan." Elijah remarks dryly as he steps into the dining room. He immediately gravitates to Luna, pressing a kiss to her temple before nosing gently, not at all disturbed by the sight of the Salvatore.

Elijah narrows his eyes slightly upon seeing the scar on her throat. He still wasn't too pleased with his brother's bite mark permanently on her skin, but he forced himself to be patient, knowing Luna would be quite upset if he were to attack the hybrid out of nowhere.

"Please, get him down." Luna asks no one in particular.

Damon grumbles a little as he is dropped to the floor by Kol, who was scowling profoundly while releasing Damon from his handiwork. He had been quite proud of his littel installation, he had found a way to succesfully hang Damon without damaging the walls or ceiling, knowing Niklaus would kill him or worse, Luna would put him up for adoption.

Damon pats the nonexistent dust from his pants before looking expectantly at Luna.

"Kol, Nik. Perhaps you should apologize." Luna suggests in a tone that made it clear they wouldn't have much choice in the matter.

Damon smirks at the Mikaelsons, relishing the fact that the Mikaelsons were the ones who were forced to apologize by Luna, instead of him.

"Fine, sorry... you suck." Kol huffs, pointedly looking the other way.

"Kol." Luna stifles a snicker and does her best to look reprimanding at Kol.

"Fine... sorry for kidnapping you. And torturing you. And telling you your hair was stupid... And for slashing your tires." Kol mutters, managing to pull a semi convincing mournful expression for his mate. It occurred to him that the sooner he apologized, the sooner the Salvatore would disappear and he would have Luna to himself. That thought was what got him through this horrible moment.

"Wait, what? When did you-" Damon stammers, looking appalled at Kol.

"Thank you, Kol." Luna cuts Damon off, afraid this would turn into yet another squabble.

"You stabbed me and my tires?!" Damon exclaims, looking ready to launch himself at the Mikaelsons. The Originals had touched his car, harmed it profoundly. Damon scowls, he had just bought new tires as well.

"Pft. It wasn't stabbing, more like, softly poking you with the pointy side of my knife." Kol shrugs, wondering how his mate had called both him and Niklaus dramatic when he wasn't half as bad as Damon.

"That's stabbing!"

"To be fair you did agree to get stabbed twenty times." Elijah points out in an exasperated tone, tired of entertaining the Salvatore longer than necessary.

"I didn't agree to that, Luna tricked me. And it was 32! You stabbed me 32 times!" Damon shouts, looking thoroughly displeased with Elijah's attitude.

"Wow, I didn't know you could count that high. Good job." Rebekah taunts as she walks back into the room, not wanting to miss out on the action.

"Don't be dramatic Damon, Ceasar would have been jealous." Niklaus laughs.

"Alright, go clean up you two, and be sure not to leave a trail!" Luna orders. "Oh and Damon? Take a blood bag and a multivitamin." Luna wasn't sure if the multivitamin would help the vampire much, but it had helped her in the past and there was no harm in trying.

• • •

"Damon? Stefan is here-" Luna walks into Kol's bedroom, halting midsentence as she sees Kol and Damon, both shirtless with Kol holding a measuring tape.

"Hey, Angel." Kol greets, smiling broadly at his mate.

"Hey you-what's up?" Damon stammers, voice suspiciously high while awkwardly leaning against the nearest wall.

Luna's eyes were still rested on the measuring tape and Damon quickly snatches it from Kol, tossing it behind him.

"What are-you know, never mind. I will leave you to it." Luna clears her throat before turning around, quickly walking away.

"No, wait it's not what it looks like!" Damon tries.

"I don't need to know!" Luna shouts over her shoulder.

"Nice going, now she thinks we're weird." Kol grumbles before picking the tape up from the floor. "Alright, show me your fangs again."

Chapter Text

Sexual content warning

"Elena, seriously what is your problem? Our feud with the Mikaelsons is over, we can all live in peace and even Jeremy can come back home, yet here you are making problems where there aren't any!" Bonnie snaps impatiently, turning away from the dresser to shoot Elena an annoyed look. The doppelganger had been complaining to her and Caroline for the past half hours.

At lunch, Elena had tried her best to stay civil, only to not get mauled by Rebekah, but now she was able to ramble away and she expected full support from her friends. Elena couldn't grasp the idea that the Mikaelsons could find love or even deserved it at all.

"Is it really over? How long until they change their mind and just kill us?" Elena asks in an indignant tone, getting up from the bed to pace in front of it. This subject made her fidgety. The idea that the Mikaelsons could burst through the door (not literally seeing as they haven't been invited in) at any given moment was terrifying. "What if Luna decides we're not worth keeping alive anymore? You do realize she could have us all killed, right? They are all doing her bidding, it's ridiculous!" Elena exclaims, crossing her arms. In her eyes, Luna was the entire problem in this situation. Elena shifts her gaze to Caroline, who had been silently painting her nails.

During the last few days, they often argued, especially Bonnie and Elena. This was usually due to something Elena said that Bonnie disagreed with. Caroline had often agreed with Bonnie, but she didn't want to hurt Elena by taking sides.

"Elena, stop talking about her like that! And 'worth keeping alive' they don't want anything from us, besides us not attacking them." Caroline comments, while shooting Elena a semi apologetic look. She didn't want to hurt Elena, but she also wanted to make clear that she needed to drop the subject.

"And you really believe that, Care? You're forgetting about the part where Klaus still needs my blood for his hybrids." Elena points out, looking expectantly at her friend.

"He does need your blood, which is all the more reason for him to not kill you. You agreed to make a blood donation once a month and in exchange he lets you live in peace and doesn't kill any of your loved ones. That sounds like a fair deal." Bonnie shrugs. Her demeanor was a lot calmer than she was feeling. She didn't see the problem, Niklaus could have done far worse to Elena, like what had happened to Katherine. Elena had done far worse than Katherine, she had plotted, betrayed, and deceived the Mikaelsons, yet she is offered her freedom.

"So I get to be a blood bag for the rest of my life and rely on Luna's charitable mood?" Elena hisses, this had not been the support she had hoped for.

"Yes, you do. That's the food chain, we can't change it, Elena. You get to live, be grateful." Bonnie retorts, not understanding Elena's inability to accept the cards she had been dealt. Bonnie had endured plenty of crappy events these past few years, most of it at the hands of her friends.

Bonnie thinks back to the conversation she had with Luna and Stefan during the dinner party. She had admitted that although she hated to see her friends suffer, she sometimes went too far to aid them. How she had hurt herself in favor of them, how she had let them use her magic for purposes that didn't even benefit herself. These facts only fuel Bonnie's anger and without another word, she storms out, leaving the other girls in stunned silence.

• • •

"Did you have to invite them for supper?" Niklaus grumbles in Luna's neck while hugging her from behind. He had announced his arrival this time, preferring not to get a knife between his ribs or another red-hot frying pan in his face. As soon as Luna had greeted him, he'd put his arms around her, unwilling to let go of her no matter how much she complained she couldn't cook like that. He had grunted slightly and said she was perfectly able to stir a pan while he hugged her. With a sigh, Luna had given in.

Luna had been busy preparing dinner together with Finn, both enjoying each other's company. They worked together like a well-oiled machine with Luna handing Finn different spices for the soup while Finn took it on him to occasionally stir Luna's vegetable stir-fry, that was until Niklaus' interruption.

Finn frowns at the sight of his mate and his younger brother. Although he'd long since accepted that he would have to share Luna, it wasn't easy. Especially when he had to endure the loving exchanges between her and one of his brothers almost every minute of the day. Niklaus's demanding behavior did not improve Finn's mood in the slightest. Only when Niklaus was busy himself could Finn get alone time with Luna, which was often also disturbed by one of his younger brothers like earlier that afternoon.

"It seemed like the polite thing to do seeing as you kidnapped and tortured one of them." Luna points out while seasoning the soup. She was trying not to get distracted by Niklaus's nipping and sniffling. Since bonding with him he had been hovering more than usual.

"Niklaus I would appreciate it if you would let us get back to cooking." Finn comments in a firm voice while staring Niklaus down. "I'm sure your guests need entertainment."

With a faint grunt and a baring of his teeth, Niklaus lets go of Luna and makes his way to the exit, making sure to bump Finn's shoulder in the process.

• • •

"I have to ask... what were you two giggling about upstairs?" Rebekah asks, looking interestedly at Kol and Damon, who had been throwing annoyed glances at each other the entire time they were seated at the dinner table. These glances were often combined with slight huffs and an occasional eye-roll.

"We were comparing sizes." Kol replies before chugging the rest of his drink. He felt no need to elaborate, expecting his siblings to understand what he was referring to.

"What?" Rebekah chokes out almost spilling her drink over the table.

"Kol! You do not take your pants off in front of our guests!" Elijah reprimands, narrowing his eyes at Kol before shifting his glare to the Salvatore. "And I highly suggest that you keep your clothes on when you are near my mate, Mr. Salvatore." he continues on in a cold voice, not appreciating the thought of his mate accidentally walking in on a naked Salvatore.

"No, not like that." Damon quickly replies, shifting a little uncomfortably under Elijah's glare. He did not dare mention that Luna had already seen him without his shirt on, Damon did not think that piece of information would be appreciated by Elijah.

"Then what were you comparing?" Rebekah asks apprehensively, not sure if she really wanted an answer to this.

"Fangs..." Kol mumbles, not wanting to look his sister in the eye.

"Come again?"

"Fangs." Kol repeats, demonstratively look up at the ceiling.

"Seriously?" Stefan asks, looking thoroughly underwhelmed at his brother. He didn't want to know how the two even came up with the idea to measure and compare those features.

"So, who's were bigger?" Rebekah asks, raising an eyebrow. She hadn't thought about it before but was now also curious about the length of her own fangs. She wonders if there was a difference in fang length between those of Original vampires and regular vampires.

"Rebekah." Elijah warns, not in the mood to indulge in such conversation matters. It was bad enough that he had to entertain the Salvatores again, no need to dive into awkward or loaded topics.

"Tsk, mine of course." Kol puffs looking smugly at his sister.

"Liar." Damon scowls.

"You want to ask Luna?" Kol retorts, shooting the Salvatore a challenging look. He was fairly certain his mate would choose his side.

"Ask me what?" Luna asks upon entering the dining room, holding three plates. She was swiftly followed by Finn, who thanks to his supernatural hearing was able to hear the entire conversation.

"Nothing." Damon replies, smiling innocently at Luna.

Luna looks suspiciously at Damon for a moment while placing a plate in front of him. "Is this about what you two did upstairs? Because I already told you that I don't need to know. I'm not too fond of the idea of you two... doing whatever you're doing, but I guess it's better than you trying to kill each other?" Luna clears her throat.

Damon pulls a disgusted face and Kol lets out an indignant noise.

"Wait-what do you think they did, love?" Niklaus asks, looking interestedly at his mate, who was now blushing slightly.

• • •

"Nice wine." Stefan comments after taking a long sip from his glass, enjoying the supple taste of the drink.

"It's a Chateau Margaux 1787." Niklaus replies cooly. He'd been angrily gawking at Damon since his mate revealed that she'd seen the Salvatore half naked. He knew that Luna would never betray him, but he didn't trust the vampire at all. Niklaus had hoped Luna's new scent would have been sufficient enough to scare the Salvatores off, but of course, disappointment was inevitable.

"I'm impressed with your taste in wine, Klaus." Damon compliments, before smirking at the hybrid. "You sure got a nose for it." Damon wonders briefly how many more dog jokes he could make before getting staked, but so far things were going well and he still had a good supply of jokes to make.

With supernatural speed Niklaus throws the expensive wine bottle, which was just complimented, into Damon's face, making sure to hit him square in the jaw.

"Ow! That! Was totally uncalled for!" Damon shouts, rubbing his face with one hand while holding the bottle with the other. Seeing as Niklaus threw it at him, he was going to make sure to finish the bottle all by himself, just out of spite.

"I do hope your manners will improve over time." Niklaus replies simply, not above throwing another object at the Salvatore's face.

"Do you ever think before opening that mouth?" Rebekah remarks, rolling her eyes. Although Rebekah harbored less malicious feelings towards the Salvatores than her brothers, she wasn't exactly fond of them. They had been a hindrance to her brother's plans, and they had also kidnapped Luna, which had been an ill-conceived plan all around. She didn't know why she was still amazed at their idiocy. Rebekah had a hard time deciding who were bigger idiots, the Salvatores or her brothers. 

"Depends, what did you want to put in it?" Damon asks, wagging his brows at the blonde.

"Another bible." Luna deadpans while fixing Damon with an unimpressed look. She wasn't sure about Damon's opinion of Rebekah, but the last thing she wanted was an awkward hook-up between the two, seeing as all of them would have to endure the aftermath.

"I am wondering why you even wanted to stay for supper." Niklaus starts, trying to get Damon to pay attention to something other than his mate.

"You have both made your opinions on us very clear during our previous encounters." Elijah adds, looking sharply at Stefan. Niklaus and Elijah had come to a silent agreement to keep their eyes on the Salvatores at all times. The previous dinner had gone well enough for them to create a truce, but that didn't mean they trust them enough to not do something stupid that could harm Luna.

"Ah yes, we're trying something new, right Stef? It is called self-preservation." Damon deadpans, smiling sarcastically at Niklaus while patting Stefan on the shoulder, who merely rolls his eyes.

"Something you must have picked up recently seeing your past... transgressions." Elijah retorts.

• • •

"Stop it, Luna. You're making me blush." Rebekah comments dryly after yet another one of Luna's inappropriate comments.

"That was my plan all along." Luna winks at the blonde before taking another sip of wine.

"So, your 'flirting' with ladies is a reoccurring thing? Nonetheless the sister of your mates?" Stefan asks carefully, vividly remembering Luna's flirtation with the lady from the diner. He was surprised that none of the brothers were strangling Rebekah or seeking another form of retaliation. Stefan also wasn't sure if he could call it flirting, seeing as it were mostly dirty remarks.

Luna is about to reply when she is startled by Damon, who bursts out in a coughing fit. Luna hears a noise that sounds suspiciously like a high five and she turns her head just in time to see Kol and Rebekah retracting their hands.

"Nailed it." Kol whispers, grinning broadly at his sister. Rebekah in reply only elbows Kol while pulling an innocent face.

"Kol, Rebekah, we do not poison our guests." Elijah scolds, rubbing his temples in a very human manner. "No matter how much we want to." He adds quietly.

• • •

"Finn?" Luna knocks on the door of the study before opening it. Her eyes search the room for her mate. Finn had withdrawn after the dinner under the pretense of needing some alone time and Luna wanted to check up on him.

"Yes, my love?" Finn replies, walking towards the door where his mate stood. He smiles softly at her, appreciating the sight of her in the dimmed lights of the study.

"You were a bit quiet tonight, I just wanted to make sure you were alright." Luna says softly while walking up to Finn and wrapping her arms around him.

Finn wraps his arms around Luna, one hand resting on her head. He ducks his head so he could nose at her neck. Although Niklaus's scent was rolling off of her, he could still smell her sweet scent underneath it. "That's very considerate of you." Finn murmurs against her skin.

"Is something wrong? Are you troubled by something?" Luna asks, pulling away to look at Finn's face. She places her hands on his face and worry fills her eyes. Like her mates, Luna did not like to see her partners in distress.

"I don't like you being close to those Salvatores." Finn admits, letting his hands rest on Luna's hips, squeezing softly.

"Finn-" Luna starts, hoping she could explain to him that they were only friends and that she would never betray him or his brothers.

"My brothers already demand a lot of your attention." Finn whispers while letting his hands roam over her body, longing to feel the skin beneath the fabric of Luna's dress. "Besides that, I also have to endure how they kiss and touch you in my presence. I have accepted this but I do not wish for other men to be added to that list."

"I'm sorry, Finn. I realize that it must be difficult for you, all of you." Luna stammers, trying not to get too distracted by Finn's hands. "I will try to be more mindful of this in the future."

"Hmm, thank you, my love." Finn hums approvingly before placing a few open-mouthed kisses on the skin of her throat.

Luna feels the vibrations from Finn's humming on her skin and it incited a pleasurable feeling in her core. Luna wants to bring her hips closer to Finn's, she was longing for closer contact, but Finn firmly grips her hips, holding her in place.

"There is one more matter to be discussed before we proceed, dearest." Finn says in an almost mocking voice. He knew Luna was getting a little restless with anticipation and he relished in the idea that he was in charge of his mate's pleasure. He would of course cave to her wish and provide her with what she wanted, but not before he got what he wanted. In an instant Finn turns Luna around in his arms, pressing himself against her backside.

"Finn, we can talk later. Sex now, please." Luna manages to say, trying her hardest not to let her mind cloud with scandalous visions of what they could be doing instead of talking.

Finn makes a disapproving noise at Luna's blunt request. He tilts her hips a little, making her jolt slightly at the sudden contact that she had craved only seconds ago.

Finn smirks smugly upon hearing his mate's small whines. He would go to any length for his mate's happiness but there were places where he drew the line, one was letting another male vampire he did not know or trust live under the same roof as his mate.

"I'm not particularly fond of the idea that the Augustine vampire will be living in our house. Sleeping and showering under the same roof as you." Finn purrs possessively in Luna's ear as he digs his fingers a little firmer in her hips to get the message across.

Luna groans softly. "He can live somewhere else? With the Salvatores?" Luna offers promptly, getting a little desperate at the idea of Finn holding a long speech while they could be doing other things.

"Smart girl." Finn praises, softly grinding himself against her once, before letting go of Luna and stepping back.

"Wha-" Luna turns around, ready to give Finn a piece of her mind if he really planned on cutting their intimate moment short. Before she could continue Finn presses his lips against hers, meeting her in a demanding and hungry kiss.

Luna quickly wraps her arms around Finn's neck, worried he might try to pull away again. She felt Finn's hands on her hips again, grasping and pushing. Luna blinks her eyes open and sees Finn sitting on the couch in front of her. Luna looks quizzically at Finn, not sure how to proceed, Niklaus had taken charge the previous times, she wasn't sure what Finn expected her to do.

Without saying a word, Finn began to caress Luna's leg, with his other hand he slowly lifts the hem of her dress, dawdling to find out what he would find beneath it. It had been a while since he'd been intimate and he wanted to enjoy it to the fullest.

Luna bites back a frustrated groan, she had never been one for patience when it came to bedroom matters.

A satisfied grin broke on Finn's face at the sight of the white lace that adorned Luna's hips. "This is what you've been hiding under your pretty dress?" Finn looks up to meet Luna's eye when he didn't receive a response. The notion that Luna had been wrapped in lace all evening added to Finn's eagerness. The thought that he and only he could peel the scandalous piece of clothing off was a huge stroke to his ego.

Luna nods shyly, not sure if she trusted her voice right now. Luna was shocked by the drawer with lingerie on her first night but was slowly getting used to it, the idea of surprising her mates with the provocative underwear certainly added to her confidence. But standing here like this, exhibited to Finn, who was looking at her with hungry eyes, she still felt flustered.

"What a pity it would have been if I hadn't discovered it, hmm?" Finn teases as he lets his finger run over the skimpy garment while listening carefully to Luna's increased heartbeat.

With a sudden burst of confidence, Luna places her hands on Finn's shoulders and pushes him back so she could climb onto his lap, straddling him.

Finn simply complies, curious to see how far his mate would take it, he was not one to let go of control but he would indulge his mate in this one transgression.

"Then it's a good thing you did." Luna replies. Looking Finn in the eye, she grinds down, pulling a string of profanities from the Original.

Finn's hands fly to her hips to hold her in place while fixing her with a stern expression. Luna innocently smiles up at him, daring him to say something about it, after all, he had done exactly the same to her.

"I think it's best if we move this into my room, as not to disturb my siblings." Finn offers, still not breaking the eye contact. To be honest, Finn could care less about his siblings, but he knew Luna probably wouldn't want the entire house to hear them.

After seeing Luna's nod he hoists her up and walks them to his room, Luna's legs firmly wrapped around his hips. Luna presses her face in Finn's neck, placing soft kisses, which earns her a low rumble.

Putting Luna down, Finn proceeds to unzip her dress, slowly sliding the straps off her shoulders and letting it drop to the floor. The dress is soon followed by Finn's shirt and pants.

Finn lifts Luna onto the bed, laying her gently on the pillows before climbing on top of her. He relishes in their size difference, his ability to cage her in completely.

Growing impatient, Luna pulls Finn towards her, connecting their lips in a dizzying kiss. A ripping noise can be heard and Luna lets out a soft protesting noise in his mouth. It had been one of her favorite garments.

"Do not worry, my love. I plan on buying you an abundance of those." Finn murmurs before expertly sliding his hand down, touching Luna in her most intimate place.

Luna lets out a soft whimper at his feathery strokes. She was afraid she was going to snap at Finn if he kept teasing her like this. Instinctively she widens her legs, giving Finn better access.

"So needy for me, little one." Finn rumbles in approval before retracting his hand, chuckling at Luna's irritated huff.

Finn lowers his gaze, he had admired female beauty before, but this wasn't just admiration it was worshipping. He wanted to discover and touch each curve and each plane of skin he could get his hands on. He felt the need to mark and claim her on every surface available. Finn shook the thought away, there would be plenty of time for that later.

"Finn, I swear to- God!" Luna's complaint is cut short when she feels Finn pressing into her. Her moans are answered with a low groan from Finn, who was doing his best to restrain himself in some form. As mentioned earlier, it had been a while since he'd been intimate, and this thrilling experience of bonding with his mate was reason enough for him to let his inner vampire snap.

Finn finally feels complete as he moves inside his mate. He greedily listened to Luna's labored breaths and little moans. She was here, exposed underneath him, for his eyes only. "You're finally mine." Finn murmurs possessively while contently sniffing at her jaw. He pulls his hips back in a languid manner. "All mine." Finn echoes before snapping his hips forward, making sure he was as close to his mate as physically possible.

"Yes, all yours." Luna chokes out at a singular sharp thrust. She was enjoying the dragging sensation of Finn's thrusts. Encouraged by his mate's moans Finn angles his hips, thrusting tightly into her.

In her delight, Luna digs her nails in Finn's arms, leaving red sickle-shaped cuts behind that heal immediately. Finn seems to appreciate this act and in turn, lets his fangs graze over Luna's throat.

Luna tilts her head, waiting almost impatiently for the familiar sting. Finn reacts immediately and bites down savoring the sweet taste of Luna's blood, something he had been curious about for a while.

Luna lazily runs her fingers through Finn's hair while he is feeding on her. She was savoring the combination of pleasure and pain that Finn was providing her with. She wiggles slightly under Finn, involuntarily clamping down on him which incited a growl from Finn. Luna whimpers slightly as Finn increases his pace.

Finn finally retracts his head from Luna's neck, contently licking his lips clean before gently nursing the wound by pressing soft kisses around it. He feels his fangs retracting and his inner vampire settle a little.

Luna pushes his head away from her throat to look at him. Finn obliges and stares into Luna's eyes, still rocking inside of her. He carefully scans her face for signs of discomfort or distress.

"I love you, Finn, so much. I'm sorry I didn't say it before." Luna says while cupping Finn's face, gently stroking his cheek. A slightly embarrassed expression now graced her features while she tried her best not to break their eye contact.

Halting his movements he looks at Luna. She looked beautifully rosy and slightly sweaty. Her pupils were dilated and her lips were pink and swollen from the kisses they shared. "No need for apologies, I understand it is a subject that should not be taken lightly, therefore it means all the more to me that you tell me now, now that you are sure of this." Finn reassures, eyes a lot calmer than a few seconds ago when he had been feeding on her.

"I love you." Finn promises before reconnecting their lips.

Chapter Text

"There are the love birds." Rebekah greets cheerily as Luna and Finn finally make their way downstairs. The blonde could easily deduce from the spots on Luna's neck what the two had been doing that morning.

Rebekah was glad to see her friend as she had been dealing with her irritating brothers all morning and was close to snapping their necks as a last resort. Niklaus in particular seemed pissed about the fact that he wasn't the only one with a certain claim on Luna anymore.

"Goodmorning." Luna murmurs sleepily, walking up to her mates to greet them. She blushes slightly, aware that despite the soundproof walls, everyone else knew all too well what they had done.

"Did you sleep alright, Elskan?" Elijah asks after pressing a kiss to her temple. Elijah had been cooking breakfast for his mate in Finn's absence. He had rumbled a little upon the sight of the bites marks that scattered her neck but decided to not comment on it. Patience was a virtue, one he had practiced many times. He would just have to ignore Finn's smug look for now.

"I did, thank you 'Lijah. How about you?" Luna asks as she hugs Elijah's side and steals a raspberry from the plate he had been preparing.

"I have slept-" Elijah replies before he is pushed out of the way by Niklaus.

"How nice, Elijah. Now move." Niklaus quickly whisks his mate away from his brother, hugging her tightly and peppering her face with kisses.

"Mature, Niklaus." Elijah mutters while rolling his eyes at his brother's antics.

"Goodmorning, little love." Niklaus rumbles happily, greedily drinking in his mate's giggles.

Kol, who had been watching his brother's assault of his mate with crossed arms, impatiently taps his foot. He looked close to mauling Niklaus if he kept going at this. In Kol's eyes, Niklaus already had his time with Luna, so he should do the right thing and back off. "Alright, that's enough, Nikkie." Kol growls five seconds later, losing his patience.

"Morons." Rebekah whispers as she sees Kol pulling Niklaus away from Luna, which results in yet another dispute amongst the brothers.

"Bekah, instead of going to Whitmore with us I need you to do some damage control." Luna says as she slips away from the arguing brothers. With a sigh, she drops herself on one of the empty bar stools, next to Finn.

Finn contently nuzzles at her temple, happy to have his mate at his side again. Finn now understood Niklaus's over-possessive behavior, he too didn't feel like losing Luna's from his sight, no matter how short. This was the reason for their morning activities in the bathroom, Luna's getting ready took a little too long for Finn's liking.

"Of course, who do I need to kill?" Rebekah asks.

"Not kill. There is a man, Pastor Young. His wife died and he is willing to kill twelve people to get her back-Oh, thank you, 'Lijah." Luna's story is interrupted with Elijah placing a bowl of porridge in front of Luna. Elijah leans down to press a kiss to her lips before stepping away, letting Luna continue her story.

"I need you to compel him to find peace with his wife's death, to not go looking for a way to get her back, and to be a good father to April. He is most likely wearing or ingesting vervain, so it could take a while." Luna continues while stirring her breakfast.

"It would be so much easier to just kill them both, but sure." Rebekah shrugs, enjoying the prospect of a short break from her idiotic brothers. Perhaps she could go to the spa after dealing with this pastor, god knows she deserved it.

• • •

"Stefan! Door!" Damon shouts from his position on the couch, not bothering to get up. He was in the middle of watching one of the cooking shows Finn had suggested to him. Damon had to admit it was quite interesting, he hadn't known there were so many ways to prepare an onion.

With a roll of his eyes, Stefan opens the door. As soon as he sees Elena on his doorstep he slams the door shut, not in the mood to talk with the doppelganger.

"Who was it?" Damon asks, finally looking away from the TV screen. Damon's question is answered with the sharp constant ringing of the bell. Apparently getting a door slammed in her face wasn't clear enough of a message for Elena.

"What is it, Elena?" Stefan asks in a bored tone as he reluctantly reopens the door.

"Can I come in?"

"I'd you rather didn't, but you're probably going to do it anyway." Stefan sighs, stepping back.

Elena looks a little taken aback by Stefan's words but steps in any way.

Her eyes flicker over to Damon, who was still seated on the couch and looking slightly annoyed. "What are you guys doing with those Originals?"

"Nothing special. Elijah and I have been planning our honeymoon and Klaus and Stefano have shared multiple breadsticks." Damon deadpans. Elena's indignant expression was already causing his head to throb, which was quite extraordinary, seeing as vampires usually didn't sport headaches.

"So you're all friends now? They have tried to kill me, Klaus has killed me!" Elena snaps, looking completely unimpressed with the two vampires. "Are you trying to punish me? For falling out of love?" This question was directed at Stefan, who was watching Elena's outburst with a blank expression.

"No, I really don't care." Stefan replies dryly, not understanding how she had to make his newfound 'friendship' with the Mikaelsons into a problem. Stefan shifts his gaze to Damon as if asking him for assistance, he wasn't sure how to make it clear that he could care less about Elena without being too harsh.

"You're acting out, this isn't you." Elena says, shaking her head slightly at Stefan. She didn't recognize the man she had fallen in love with two years ago.

"Sure it is, you just don't know what I look like when I'm not in love with you." Stefan replies, not bothering to hide the annoyance in his voice. He had tried to be civil but the insinuation that Elena would know him better than he did was setting him off.

"Did they compel you?"

"Why would you think that?" Damon asks while narrowing his eyes at the doppelganger. He was starting to understand Rebekah's despise towards the girl. The notion that Damon had to be compelled in order for him to make the right decision was downright insulting.

"Why else would you befriend them after everything they have done to us, to me?" Elena asks while waving her arms around in exasperation.

• • •

"This! This is why I wanted to drive." Luna complains from the backseat as Niklaus slams on the brakes while heavily cursing at the old lady in front of him. Luna was crammed in between Kol and Finn and was overall not having a good time.

Niklaus had been cursing and making violent hand gestures at almost every passing car. Luna hadn't been exaggerating when she said Niklaus had that severe case of road rage.

The only thing that distracted her slightly from Niklaus's grunting and growling was Finn's constant nipping and nosing, something he had been doing for the entirety of the ride, to Kol's great annoyance.

Luna had proposed that they would take two cars, but none of the Mikaelson men felt much for being parted from their mate for a few hours, which resulted in a hectic car ride with Niklaus's shouting, Kol's pouting, and Elijah's exasperated lectures. The trip to pastor Young with Rebekah suddenly sounded very alluring.

• • •

"Remember, we're not here to make friends, alright?" Elijah remarks as soon as everyone had climbed out of the car.

"What are you looking at me for? I lead this operation." Luna huffs, not missing the pointed look Elijah had shot her. As if she would jeopardize the plan by talking to some students. Her attention drifts slightly as she sees a student walking by with a big canvas.

Kol affectionately pets Luna's head, knowing full well that Luna would probably run off to socialize with some poor art student if she got the chance. She might not like socializing very much, but art had always been a topic of interest.

"Fine." Luna puffs as she sees Elijah's 'I told you so' look, before walking away. "Stupid vampire soulmate who is mostly right." she mutters under her breath, leaving the four men by the car.

Putting on a smile, Luna walks up to the desk of a young woman. "Hi, dear. I was wondering if you knew in what class Aaron Whitmore is now?" Luna asks in her politest tone. If being polite didn't work she could always resort to flirting.

• • •

"Elskan, who are these people?" Elijah looks at his mate, who was walking up to them, and the three men who were following behind her. If he remembered correctly she was only supposed to bring one man back, something he already wasn't too fond of.

"Oh, I've made some friends." Luna beams at her mates while offering them one of the cookies she had been offered by some girl with bright pink hair.

"Of course you did." Niklaus nods, not sure why he was even surprised. He however accepts the cookie and takes a big bite out of it, only to spit it out a second later, raisins.

"This is Aaron." Luna makes a not very subtle move with her head, indicating that this was their target. She had managed to lure Aaron under the guise that Dr. Maxfield had an emergency. "And these are Luka and Steve. Steve wanted to see my plants." Luna points to the tall man that was standing on her left and was looking at her in an interested manner.

"I might have been bragging." Luna adds in a conspiring tone while winking at Elijah. Elijah and she had been quite busy the past week rearranging their plants. Niklaus had complained a little about his mate turning his living room into a jungle but Luna had shot him a withering glare, which suddenly made Niklaus very open to the idea. He had even offered to water the ones Luna couldn't reach.

"I'm actually Josh, not Steve and... I wanted to see your pants, not plants."

The man clears his throat, clearly intimidated by the four glaring men in front of him.

"Oh, now I hear it, alright." Luna nods, realizing her mistake. "Yeah-no. No not happening. You should go, now." Luna stammers, indicating for the two boys to take their leave while smiling innocently up at her mates.

• • •

"Be careful, my love." Finn murmurs against Luna's neck. He had been hugging her for the past five minutes, not liking the idea of being parted from her, much less letting her near the 'psycho doctor' as she had called him.

Niklaus had successfully removed Aaron's watch, which contained vervain, and compelled him to remain calm and follow their instructions.

"I will. Everything will go according to plan. I love you, Finn." Luna whispers back in an assuring tone. She lovingly brushes her fingers through his hair.

"I love you, always and forever." Finn whispers back, pressing a kiss to her jaw before straightening his back.

"Yeah, yeah. Everyone loves each other, great. Let's go." Niklaus grumbles agitated. Finn had been able to snuggle with Luna the entire way here, he didn't see why Finn was demanding even more of her attention.

Luna shoots Niklaus an unimpressed look, remembering vividly how she had accepted his territorial behavior the first day after completing their bond.

"Please be swift when finishing him off. Don't give him time to get in your head, he's a bit of a smooth talker." Luna warns, looking at Elijah and Finn.

Both nod dutiful at their mate before walking off, heading towards the lecture hall.

• • •

"Dr. Wesley Maxfield." Luna greets upon intentionally bumping into the infamous sadist.

"I'm sorry, you're one of my students?" Dr. Maxfield asks, looking interestedly at the girl. The attire she wore wasn't exactly campus approved, not that he was complaining. He had students before who tried to get a higher grade or some private tutoring by dressing up, it hadn't worked of course, but he did appreciate the effort.

"My name is Elena Gilbert. I have read about the work my father had done here." Luna says softly, looking pointedly at the doctor, hoping desperately that Wesley hadn't seen a recent photo of Elena. Sure they were both brunettes with brown eyes, but that was where their similarities ended.

Dr. Maxfield's expression softens slightly. "Elena Gilbert. I am so sorry for your loss. I am a great admirer of your father's work."

'Oh, I know all about that, creep' Luna thought bitterly but proceeds to say something politer. "Thank you, that means a lot. Now that you mention it, I was wondering if you could show me some more of my dad's work. I am quite fond to learn more about it."

"You're aware?" Dr. Maxfield asks, searching Luna's face for a second. Hoping they were talking about the same thing.

"Let's just say my hometown is overrun by those monsters." Luna replies. There was no effort needed to make her voice resentful, simply being near the sadist worked like a charm. Referring to vampires as monsters left a bitter taste in her mouth and she hoped her mates wouldn't take it to heart.

Dr. Maxfield smiles softly at the girl. He was already looking forward to recruiting this girl, working with her, continuing her father's work. He considered it his duty to teach her everything there is about the Augustine society.

"They tend to spread like a plague." Dr. Maxfield jokes. He looks at his watch, he had a lunch date in twenty minutes, but he didn't want to let this opportunity pass by. "Would you like to see it? The lab?" He asks, carefully gauging Luna's reaction.

Luna puts on a bright smile, hoping it looked sincere. "To see the place my father worked? I would love nothing more."

• • •

"Professor Shane, I presume?" Elijah asks as he walks into the cleared-out lecture hall.

"Depends on who's asking. My friends call me Atticus. Are you a friend?" Atticus asks, looking questioningly at Elijah. His eyes flicker over to Finn, who was locking the door behind him.

"I don't suppose I am. Tell me, professor, still looking for Silas?" Elijah replies while carefully picking up one of the bright colored pencils from the desk. Twirling it in his fingers he looks back up at Atticus, who was already beginning to sweat.

Finn lets out a soft scoff, he wished Elijah would hurry up instead of playing this cat and mouse game with the professor.

"You're an Original aren't you? The Noble one." Atticus asks, eye gleaming with contained excitement, if he played his cards right he could get in contact with the Original hybrid.

"I see my reputation precedes me." Elijah simply says, looking a little smug, he did quite enjoy that title. But not as much as the prospect of ripping this man's heart out.

• • •

"Please." Dr. Maxfield says, opening the door for Luna to enter.

Luna looks around the room, besides Dr. Maxfield and her it was deserted. With a smile, she turns around to look up at the man. "This is great, but I would appreciate it if my vampire boyfriends could join us on the big tour."

"Elena?! You're dating... I'm not inviting them in!" Dr. Maxfield scoffs, looking unimpressed at the short girl who was looking up at him before letting his gaze flicker to Kol who was impatiently tapping the doorpost with his fingers. He was deeply disappointed in Grayson's daughter, he had such high hopes for the girl.

"Elena? Hmm, no. Luna actually." Luna grins broadly at the look of disgust on Dr. Maxfield's face. "And I know you won't invite them in. I guess it's a good thing that I have found Aaron Whitmore who happens to be able to invite them in for me."

At this Niklaus pulls Aaron into view, who was staring straight ahead, a blank expression on his face. Dr. Maxfield's eyes flicker to Aaron's wrist, which was empty.

Before Dr. Maxfield can protest, Niklaus and Kol already step inside. Dr. Maxfield backs away slowly, knowing full well he couldn't outrun two vampires.

Luna smiles brightly at her mates before grabbing the tray that was placed on the table near the door. With a big swing, she hits Dr. Maxfield in his face, making him stumble backward, against Niklaus, who is all too eager to knock the man out.

"Those Salvatores better gift us a very, very nice fruit basket for all the shit we're fixing." Luna grumbles as she tosses the tray on the ground.

• • •

"I do enjoy seeing men tied up." Luna muses as she looks at Dr. Maxfield, tied to the examination table Enzo himself had laid plenty of times.

Kol had tied the man up while Niklaus compelled Aaron. Niklaus had ordered Aaron to move on from his grief and to start living life to the fullest. Luna wanted the boy as far away from Whitmore, Augustine, and Mystic Falls as possible. Once home she would have a little talk with Damon about his Whitmore-related hobby.

"We know." Niklaus replies, pressing a kiss to Luna's cheek

"Aww, this makes me think of our first kill, in that alley. Remember, Angel? What a fond memory." Kol hums happily while using several syringes as darts. It goes without saying that Dr. Maxfield served as the target.

Luna rolls her eyes good-naturedly before turning away to open the cellar door.

"Here to torture me some more, doc?" Enzo's groggy voice can be heard from the cellar as soon as the door is opened.

"No, sweetheart. if I wanted to torture you I would have worn something less cute." Niklaus replies dryly, walking down the stairs to come eye to eye with the captive he was supposed to rescue. His eyes narrow a little, he was quite handsome, a fact that annoyed Niklaus deeply. Couldn't Luna find a less attractive shelter vampire for them to rescue?

"Niklaus don't flirt with the poor vampire before we have released him." Luna scolds also walking down the stairs. "Oh, hello there." Luna beams brightly at Enzo while giving him a small wave. Her eyes seemed a little sad at the terrible condition Enzo has been living in for all those years. It was more daunting than she had imagined and she was glad they hadn't put this plan off much longer.

Niklaus turns his head to Luna and swiftly pulls her hand down. Seeing as they were already saving Enzo there was no need to be extra nice to him.

"And who is this angelic creature?" Enzo asks as he takes in the newcomer. Although he felt terrible and weak he still put on his most charming smile. It had been a while since he had seen a pretty lady pass by his cell and he was set on enjoying every second of it. He had noticed the almost alarming scent that was rolling of the girls, it was almost like a warning sign for him to stay back but he decided to look past it for now. He could ask the meaning later.

"Oh well, this angelic creature is-" Luna starts, smirking broadly at the vampire before getting cut off by Kol.

"Taken, very taken. Back of you British crumpet." Kol snaps, he had also joined the others downstairs and was now glaring at the imprisoned vampire. Kof puffs his chest out slightly, trying to eye as menacing and dangerous as possible, which makes his mate erupt in giggles.

"Someone is a bit possessive... Let me know if you want to try a different option darlin-" Enzo offers, grinning at the girl who was now clutching her stomach, still laughing at Kol's territorial alpha male behavior.

"Enzo, I'm more than willing to leaving you right here!" Niklaus growls, looking unimpressed at the vampire, who had already managed to piss his brother and himself off.

• • •

"Nik, I don't mind voyeurism but we are not having sex in front of the creepy doctor." Luna stammers as she tries to push Niklaus's arms off.

Ever since freeing Enzo, he had been holding on to her, making sure to glare at Enzo every time he caught the vampire looking at his mate. She had been fine with Niklaus's hugging, but as soon as his hands started going south she put a stop to it. Niklaus grumbles softly before reluctantly loosening his grip on his mate.

"Are you sure you want to date that, love? I am also very available." Enzo offers, winking at Luna. He ducks just in time to avoid getting a glass beaker hurled into his face.

"Enzo! I swear to god, I will drag your ass back into that cell and operate you myself!" Kol growls, before huffily taking a seat on the nearest table. His mate had been insistent on letting Enzo having his revenge on the doctor, which meant they all had to wait until that whole deal was done.

Enzo holds his hands up in a surrendering gesture, grinning broadly as he sees the different syringes that were sticking out of Dr. Maxfield's face and body. Without another word, he grabs the nearest scalpel and starts working.

• • •

"Did everything go alright?" Luna asks, looking up at Elijah. Finn was getting rid of the body and Elijah had been patiently waiting by the car, looking forward to his mate's return.

"Professor Shane has abruptly quit his job and moved to Canada." Elijah replies, smiling adoringly at his mate while stroking her cheek.

"Funny, so did Dr. Maxfield, maybe they're moving in together." Luna grins cheekily at Elijah. Niklaus had ordered Maxfield to sign his resignation letter before Enzo decided to cut his fingers off.

"Really, what are the odds?" Elijah feigns surprise before opening Luna's car door for her. Giggling softly at their banter she crawls into the vehicle.

• • •

"Hey Damon." Luna greets as soon as Damon accepted the call. She, Enzo, and the Mikaelson men were all crammed into the car and on their way to the Salvatore boarding house. Luna had explained to Enzo what had happened to Damon and made him promise not to kill him. He could stab him if necessary, but no killing. Enzo had reluctantly agreed, already quite happy with his newfound freedom.

Enzo had asked Luna why he couldn't live with her and her weird boyfriends. He had even offered to share a shower with her but was soon shut up by Finn, who was close to strangling the Augustine vampire for the mere suggestion.

"Hello Luna, finally taking me up on my offer to elope together?" Damon teases.

"You offered her what?!" Niklaus shouts while making a grab for the phone, which results in the car swerving to the right, barely missing a cyclist.

Despite the many objections, mainly from Luna, Niklaus had taken up the role of chauffeur again. He didn't want Elijah messing the position of his chair up and he didn't want to endure a few hours of Kol on his lap. Enzo had been given the passenger seat, seeing as none of the Mikaelson men wanted Luna closer to the vampire than necessary. Kol had offered to throw either Enzo or Niklaus in the trunk, but both had protested that idea heavily.

Luna turns her body in Kol's lap, to keep Niklaus's hands away from her phone. She knew that this call would be ten times longer than necessary if Niklaus got his hands on it. She didn't feel much for another exchange of threats between the two short-tempered men.

"Funny, no." Luna replies, rolling her eyes. "Remember how we spared your lives?"

"Yes..." Damon replies in a flat voice, already fearing the worst.

"We're going to need you to do a favor. It's not much! Just letting someone live with you... indefinitely." Luna replies in a small voice.

"Who?" Damon asks after a short moment of silence. Luna could hear Stefan murmuring something in the background, which sounded suspiciously like 'be nice'.

"Great, we will be there in a few. Bye!" Luna says quickly before quickly ending the call. She was sure it wouldn't be a good idea to explain everything over the phone. Damon would just have to wait and see.

Chapter Text

"Elena I told you to- Oh Luna, my favorite Mikaelson." Damon swings the door open and smirks upon seeing Luna. His and Stefan's conversation with Elena didn't go too smoothly and she had rung the doorbell a few more times after being kicked out.

Damon casually leans against the door while shifting his gaze to look at the other Mikaelsons. "And her guard dogs, lovely."

Kol scoffs, not at all impressed by the shirtless vampire. He had just dealt with a few hours of Enzo's flirtations and now had to deal with another vampire making moves on his mate. Kol knew the vampire wasn't serious in his efforts, otherwise, he would have already been staked, but it still annoyed him.

"Hi, Damon." Luna greets while rummaging through her bag for her phone. Rebekah had called, she would have to call back soon otherwise the vampire might think something was amiss, for now, she sent a quick text.

"Perhaps a shirt, Damon?" Elijah suggests mildly, shooting Damon a look that was anything but friendly.

"No thanks, Wouldn't want to rob Luna of the wondrous view." Damon replies while gesturing down his body, a suggestive smile playing at his lips.

At this Luna's head shot up but she was quickly stopped by Niklaus's hand which was covering her eyes. Sighing, Luna pushes the hand away. She wonders briefly why the vampire was shirtless, again. Maybe he had a problem regulating body heat. "Hmm, wasn't exactly blown away the first time, not much has changed." This earned her an approving rumbling from Finn, who was standing next to her, a possessive hand on her lower back.

"Ouch, you wound me, Luna." Damon brings a hand to his chest while feigning a hurt expression "No Barbie Klaus today?" He asks as he notices the mean blonde girl missing from the Mikaelson entourage.

"Bekah has been busy." Luna replies vaguely while leaning into Finn's side. She was starting to feel a little lethargic from today's excitement.

"So have you. You certainly don't waste any time do you?" Damon comments dryly while wagging his eyebrows. As soon as he had opened the door he had noticed Luna's scent, which had once again changed.

Luna looks quizzically at Damon, wondering if he was already aware of the things they had done at Whitmore college. Luna follows Damon's gaze and suddenly realizes what he was referring to. She was starting to dislike the fact that other supernatural creatures could tell who she had slept with. "Are you planning on make this joke every time?" Luna sighs, looking unamused.

"Only two more times." Damon smiles innocently at Luna who in turn pouts. "Unless of course, you happen to have even more soulmates." At this comment Kol groans, the idea of sharing his mate with even more people was plain dreadful.

"Don't listen to him, love. I am perfectly appeased with keeping things the way they are now." Niklaus offers, pressing a kiss to Luna's temple.

"Of course you are." Kol grumbles, elbowing Niklaus in the ribs. He was still feeling a bit petty at the fact that already two of his brothers had the chance to bond with his Luna. The fact that Niklaus and Finn kept rubbing that fact in his face didn't help either.

Niklaus turns his head towards Kol in annoyance and gives him a shove. Kol wants to grab Niklaus by the neck but stops when he sees Stefan stepping up beside Damon.

"Luna, Mikaelsons. Good to see you." Stefan's smile grows a little awkward as he sees the annoyed expressions of various Mikaelons.

"Hi, Stefan. How are you?" Luna asks smiling back at Stefan, not wanting him to feel uncomfortable in his own home.

"I'm great. Damon put on a shirt." Stefan replies before hitting Damon's shoulder, his nonsense had gone on for too long. Stefan would rather not get killed because his brother liked to provoke the Mikaelsons a little too much. Rolling his eyes, Damon struts off, only to return a few seconds later, fully clothed.

"So who is this guest that will be staying with us." Damon asks, trying to hide his annoyance at the notion of having to play host for some mystery person. Well, he wasn't really going to play host. Stefan had been the one to agree, so Stefan could play housewife.

"Yes. Umm." Luna looks at Enzo, who had been waiting impatiently by the car, out of sight of the Salvatores. "You can come out now."

Enzo immediately speeds over to the front door, halting next to Luna. He had pushed Niklaus out of the way in the process which resulted in a growl from the hybrid.

"Enzo?" Damon asks after processing the fact he was seeing his old cellmate. He wasn't sure if he was hallucinating or that one of the Originals were playing a trick on him, as far as Damon knew, Enzo died in that fire so many years ago.

"Damon." Enzo greets coldly, glaring intently at his former friend. He understood why Damon had left him and that he thought he had died, but Enzo was pissed off nonetheless.

"How are-" Damon's question gets cut off with a punch in his face. A loud crack can be heard and Damon feels a searing pain in his face. Groaning loudly he grabs onto his nose while blinking the tears away. Vampire or not, getting your nose broken hurts.

"I hope it really hurts." Kol grins wickedly at Damon's now blood-covered face. He had hoped Enzo would have done a little more damage than just one punch, but you couldn't have everything in this life.

Even Elijah, who had been looking grumpy cracks a smile at the sight.

"Who is that? And why did he punch you? I mean, he probably had a good reason, I mean I often want to punch you-" Stefan rambles, looking stuck between confused and amused. He wasn't too concerned for his brother, Damon would heal soon enough.

"Not helping Stef!" Damon growls. Once recovered from the punch, Damon straightens his back and looks at Enzo, trying his best not to look angry

"Alright, I deserved that. How are you even here?"

"Luna." Enzo shrugs, not in the mood to elaborate.

Niklaus rolls his eyes. Of course, he and the rest would get no credit for their part in the rescue of Enzo. Perhaps Kol had been right and they should have left the vampire in the basement of Whitmore college. Luna would probably forgive them after a few hundred years.

"Of course." Damon rolls his eyes, before frowning. he had never even told Stefan about his time as an Augustine vampire, let alone the human. He wonders how much Luna knew exactly of him and Stefan and how she had possibly acquired this knowledge. He had noticed before that the girl seemed to know more about them than what they had told her.

Remembering that they were all still standing on the threshold Stefan pushes Damon towards the living room. "Come in, guys. Take a seat."

Luna smiles at Stefan, appreciating their newfound friendship. Luna steps towards the little alcohol station and without asking for permission starts pouring the amber-colored alcohol into glasses. She was pretty sure the whole reconciliation situation would go smoother if they all had some alcohol in their systems.

"Luna, that's the good stuff, don't-" Seeing both Luna and Stefan's unimpressed looks, Damon shuts up, holding his hands up in a surrendering gesture.

"Thank you, gorgeous." Enzo says as Luna hands him a glass. Luna smiles at the vampire. She truly hoped that the friendship between the two men could be mended, it had worked on the show so hopefully here as well.

Elijah glares at Enzo while pulling Luna to his side. Back at the dinner party, he had found Niklaus's 'no touching and no looking' rule ridiculous but he suddenly felt quite enthusiastic in reviving that rule.

"Tell me, Damon. How is it that I get saved by a human and a bunch of Original vampires whom I have never met instead of my so-called friend." Enzo asks, purposefully ignoring Elijah's glare.

"Come, they do not need us present while discussing these matters." Luna murmurs while pulling Elijah to the kitchen, the other Mikaelsons following swiftly. She knew the Mikaelsons would probably listen in with their vampire hearing, but the idea of privacy was the least they could provide the vampires with. Stefan had stayed put, interested to hear about this part of his brother's life.

Luna looks at the fridge for a moment, wanting to eat something but decides against it, she would wait until they were home, perhaps Finn could cook something for her.

Niklaus chuckles upon hearing a colorful insult that was being directed at Damon. "Do we have to stay much longer, love?" Niklaus asks. They had completed the task of rescuing the vampire. Their mate hadn't said anything about an extensive visit at the Salvatores. He was only too happy to dive back into the studio with his mate, or cuddle on the couch or visit their shared bedroom, anything really as long as it wasn't here.

"Just a little, Nik. We will leave as soon as we're sure those two won't kill each other." Luna replies, cupping Niklaus's cheek.

"You seem weary, Elskan. Perhaps we can ask the less aggravating Salvatore if you can take a nap in one of their spare bedrooms." Elijah offers, looking worriedly at his mate who seemed a little dazed as she leans on the kitchen counter. Luna merely nods a little, leaning into the hybrid's chest.

• • •

Sniffling a little, Luna presses herself closer to the warm body next to her. She wasn't sure in whose bed she had landed but she appreciated the fluffy duvet and personal body heater nonetheless. The body reacts by pulling her even closer until her head was lying on their chest. Moments after waking Luna always felt extra cuddly.

"Did you sleep alright, Angel?" Kol asks, pressing a kiss to Luna's temple. He hadn't slept but he had enjoyed snuggling with his mate the past hour. It was a pity Niklaus shared that sentiment but that hadn't stopped Kol from enjoying their quiet time together. Besides that, Luna had seemed to prefer to snuggle with him, which was a bit of an ego boost. Niklaus had spent the last twenty minutes scowling up at the ceiling because Luna had turned her back to him, which only amused Kol further.

Luna nods a little, not in the mood to talk right now. Reluctantly she blinks her eyes open and looks up to see Kol smiling down at her.

"Good evening, little love." Niklaus rumbles, pressing a kiss to Luna's forehead before climbing out of bed. Luna turns her head to smile sleepily at the hybrid who was making his way downstairs.

Luna took a few minutes to actually wake up before sitting straight up in bed. Luna wanted to climb out but Kol stopped her by pulling her onto his lap.

Seeing Luna's puzzled look he presses a kiss to her lips, before smiling adoringly at her. "I love you." He admits while brushing a few strands of hair behind her ear.

Giggling softly Luna takes Kol's hand in hers, playing with his fingers. "I love you too, Kol." She replies, before reconnecting their lips.

They stay like that for a few minutes, basking in their shared joy and love for one another before Luna urges Kol to let her move. She was sure the others were waiting downstairs.

Coming downstairs she sees the Mikaelsons, Enzo, and Salvatores on the couches, seemingly enraptured in a good-natured discussion about some vampire-related thing. It warmed her heart to see them all being civil with each other.

"Good to see you guys getting along." Luna teases while taking a seat on the armrest of one of the couches.

"I might stab Damon later on, but for now we're good." Niklaus replies lightly, smiling kindly at his mate while taking her hand in his.

"Luna, you look hungry!" Damon suddenly remarks, looking a little uncomfortable at Niklaus's comment. He might have made some more inappropriate dog jokes, which didn't quite hit the mark. "I'm going to make pancakes." Damon jumps up from the couch.

"Pancakes?" Luna echoes, blushing a little as her stomach rumbles. She intently looks at a spot on the rug, already expecting her mates to look unimpressed at her for not notifying them of her appetite.

"Didn't you know? Every ex Salvatore abductee gets complimentary pancakes." Damon deadpans.

"Let me guess, you're looking for a way out of the awkward situation." Stefan comments dryly while rolling his eyes good-naturedly.

"Perhaps, but let's be honest, no one can say no to my cute little pancakes. Girls love that stuff." Damon winks at Luna, who was still looking at the floor.

"What girls, Damon?" Niklaus asks while pulling Luna onto his lap. "Dead ones?" Niklaus hums, gently nuzzling her hair as she leans against his chest.

• • •

"Are you sure I can't strangle him, Angel?" Kol asks while glaring menacingly at Enzo. The vampire had made yet another inappropriate comment towards Luna, well not really inappropriate, but it was still a bit too friendly to Kol's liking.

"I'm sure, Kol." Luna replies before taking another big bite. The legendary 'vampire pancakes' were as amazing as they had looked in the show. Damon had looked a little too smug when Luna had moaned at the treat, this look had earned him several couch pillows in his face.

"I wouldn't mind you strangling me, darling." Enzo winks at Luna. He wasn't a big fan of kinky happenings, but he would let pretty girls get away with most things.

Luna grins at Enzo, remembering all too clearly how Kol had choked upon discovering her interest in erotic asphyxiation.

"Listen here, scone-face-" Kol starts, already looking around for a nice piece of wood to stab the Augustine vampire with.

"Are you going to keep naming me English food items?" Enzo interjects, looking unimpressed at Kol, who was close to fuming.

"Yes." Kol replies, taking a step forward before getting pulled back by the collar of his shirt by Elijah. "We should have left you there." Kol grumbles vindictively, plopping himself on the couch while folding his arms in front of his chest.

Luna affectionately strokes Kol's hair. "I am your mate, Kol. Nothing is going to change that." She assures him.

"Thank you, Angel." Kol fondly nuzzles his mate's neck for a moment before letting her continue eating. "You heard her." Kol snaps while looking at Enzo.

• • •

"Hey pretty girl." Luna says as Rebekah answers her call.

"Luna?" Rebekah asks while stifling a yawn, she had just spent an hour feeding the pastor and his daughter sloppy french fries. The pastor had refused and Rebekah had been close to breaking the man's jaw so she could stuff the fries in by force. Eventually, he started to understand that Rebekah could also let him starve, upon this discovery he quickly adjusted his attitude.

"Yes. Gosh, I miss you dearly." Luna admits while toying with one of the curtain strings. She had walked up the stairs and was wandering into different rooms, hoping for a little bit of privacy while calling her friend.

"Are my brothers driving you insane already?" Rebekah teases, knowing full well how bothersome her brothers could be from time to time.

"A little. They seem to be even more territorial lately-"

"No, we aren't!" Niklaus denies. His shout can be heard from downstairs. Luna rolls her eyes, she thought it was ironic that Niklaus was the one saying this, as he was being the most possessive lately.

"You saved the shelter vampire already?" Rebekah asks, concern clear in her voice. She was pretty sure it must have worked out since Luna worked out the plan with four Originals, but things could always go wrong.

"Yes, all went well. He and your brothers are really hitting it off." Luna deadpans while walking into Damon's bedroom, looking interestedly at the interior. She wasn't one to snoop much but his door was already opened, so she decided to have a quick peek. She didn't expect to see so many photographs covering his walls. Most of them were of him and Stefan, a few off him and the Mystic Falls gang, and even a selfie with Alaric, which made Luna smile.

"Let me guess, the rescued vampire is being 'charismatic' and it's pissing them off?" Rebekah giggles, already imagining Niklaus's annoyed expression. She remembers sharply how Niklaus had almost ripped a poor waiter's arms off for simply winking at Luna.

"Pretty much yes. How are things over there?"

"Good, few more hours and I will be able to compel them both. How did it go with the creepy professor?" Rebekah inquires while plopping herself down on the couch, bored out of her mind.

"Great. I mean he's dead, so that's not-He's dead."

"What's wrong? You don't sound relieved from stopping hell on earth." Rebekah tries to not sound too alarmed at Luna's disheartened tone.

"I feel a little bad for making you and your brothers hurt people. I mean I never thought I would-" Luna stammers, feeling a little silly for this afterthought. She knew what she had signed up for when joining the Mikaelsons in their world, it was just surreal that these characters were now people, with lives and emotions and their actions really did have consequences. If they, the Mikaelsons, made one mistake it could be fatal.

"It is for our survival and that of the supernatural world. No need to feel bad. And you and I both know that those idiots would be willing to wipe out an entire continent if you desire them to." Rebekah reassures, hoping to ease her friend's mind. "I am also one of those idiots. Luna, I will kill anyone necessary to ensure your safety." Rebekah adds in a serious tone.

"That piece of knowledge is dangerous for my ego." Luna replies softly, glad that Rebekah couldn't see her blush.

"And we all know how massive it already is..." Rebekah jokes, trying to lighten the mood.

"You know what's also massi-" Luna suggests, wagging her eyebrows.

"Alright, that's enough. Bye." Rebekah cuts Luna off, fearing the direction the conversation was heading towards.

"I was going to say my love for you, but sure." Luna replies, half offended as Rebekah had hung up.

"Love?" Niklaus asks as he also enters Damon's bedroom.

"Hi, sweetie." Luna turns around and walks up to Niklaus, hugging him in greeting before kissing him softly. "Are you alright? I noticed you seemed a bit... grumpy today." Luna asks as they pull apart, looking worriedly at Niklaus. She knew something was bothering him but didn't want to ask him while they were all crammed in the car.

"I don't fancy the fact that you and Finn..." Niklaus trails off awkwardly, not sure how to finish that sentence. He knew that she was also Finn's mate, but it was a hard pill to swallow. He couldn't help feeling jealous or feel the need to prove that he was just as sufficient in taking care of his mate like his brothers.

"Nik, I understand it must be difficult. But... I am also their mate and I also want to complete-" Luna starts, letting her fingers brush over Niklaus's jaw.

"I know, I just don't like sharing you. I liked how you were completely mine for a few days." Niklaus hums, stroking Luna's sides.

"I'm still yours." Luna promises.

"I know." Niklaus rumbles, pressing his nose against his mate's jugular.

"You guys should really learn how to share." Luna muses while letting her fingers brush through Niklaus's soft curls.

"Hmm, maybe." Niklaus murmurs against her skin, softly pushing Luna towards the bed. His hunger for her was playing up and he was eager to reestablish their bond, not at all caring about the location.

"Nik. We are not having sex in Damon's bed!" Luna hisses while trying to pull Niklaus's hands away from the hem of her shirt where he had been tugging. "Sweetie, people can hear us and-"

"You could have just told me you wanted a ménage à trois." Damon comments, leaning against the doorpost and looking amused at the hybrid and Luna, who both lookup. Luna looked flushed with embarrassment but the hybrid only looked annoyed at the intrusion.

• • •

"Little Gilbert." Damon greets upon opening the front door. He wonders briefly if he had missed someone's birthday with all the visits they were receiving today. "Alaric."

Both men had come to the boarding house for some peace and quiet. Jeremy had come home and let's just say it wasn't a happy homecoming. Elena had immediately started ranting about the evil Mikaelsons and their new pet. Alaric had tried to calm Elena down, not wanting her to cause a new war between the two parties but then Bonnie had shown up and the whole thing had only grown messier. Bonnie had originally come over to mend things but she got quite angry upon hearing Elena trying to convince Jeremy to help her get rid of the Mikaelsons. In short, it was best for Jeremy not to be near the doppelganger right now.

"Ah, the Impertinent punk and the Mentally deficient hunter are joining the party." Niklaus comments sarcastically. To his pity, they were still in the boarding house. Luna had been busy talking with Stefan about some new cookbook she had bought and she wanted Stefan's opinion on it. She thought he, Finn, and her could try some of the recipes for their next dinner party. Stefan was all too eager to further explore the extensive kitchen of the Mikaelsons.

Finn and Enzo were exchanging their experiences of the new developments of the world during their absences. Although Enzo's imprisonment had been shorter, he too had missed quite a bit. Finn had enthusiastically shown Enzo his phone and how to use the 'little smiley faces'.

Kol and Elijah had been busy bickering over an incident that had taken place during their human years. Kol still claimed Elijah had cheated on something, Elijah denied his allegations.

Alaric scowls a little at the nickname. The herbs Bonnie had been providing him with had helped immensely.

"Oh look, the Evil hybrid dick is here." Jeremy deadpans. "Along with what I assume is his creepy undead family." Jeremy looks past Damon to the four other men and the girl, who didn't look remotely like Rebekah.

Alaric gave Jeremy a little warning nudge in his back. Insulting the Mikaelsons directly upon returning didn't seem like a wise choice.

"Watch it, pal." Niklaus warns, narrowing his eyes at the male Gilbert. He had no problem poking the boy’s eyes out if he kept looking at his family like that.

"Nik." Luna warns before standing up to greet the two men. "Hello, Alaric. Hi, Jeremy. I'm-"

"Taken, back off Gilbert." Kol interjects, speeding up behind Luna and glaring at Jeremy over his mate's shoulder.

"Kol what did we talk about in the car?" Luna asks in an exasperated voice, looking over her shoulder at her mate.

"To not assume everyone is flirting." Kol replies, rolling his eyes a little.

"To be fair, love. I was definitely flirting." Enzo comments, raising his hand as if he were in school. Kol quickly turns his head to glare at the vampire in reply, a silent promise of death hanging in the air. Perhaps he could lure the vampire into their home under the guise of becoming friends before locking him in the torture room. Although Enzo had been tortured for many years, Kol was certain he could come up with a few new creative ways to make him suffer.

"Not helping, Enzo." Luna scolds before turning back to Jeremy who looked very confused, just like Alaric. "As I was saying. I'm Luna."

"Not a vampire?" Jeremy asks, Elena had told him about the girl or rather complained about her. This girl supposedly had both the Mikaelsons and the Salvatores wrapped around her finger, something that enraged his sister.

"Human." Luna shrugs.

"How did you get pulled into this mess?" Jeremy asks, looking interestedly at the human. If he had to go by Elena's description the girl would have horns and an evil greedy expression, none of which he was seeing right now.

"Soulmate to four Originals tends to complicate things. You?" Luna asks, curious to hear how Jeremy would describe his complicated life.

"Doppelganger sister who dates two vampires." Jeremy shrugs, looking pointedly at the Salvatores for a moment.

"Dated! Past tense." Damon corrects, holding up a condescending finger. He wanted it to be very clear that the whole doppelganger crush was over.

"That's something." Jeremy mutters, glad the whole Salvatore love triangle was over.

"Wow, somebody's grumpy." Damon comments raising his brow at Jeremy. He would have thought coming home would cheer him up at least a bit. Maybe the big ball of teen angst wasn't able to be anything but grouchy. The joys of puberty.

"I know you compelled me, dick." Jeremy replies, looking thoroughly underwhelmed at Damon, who was trying to play things cool like he always did when he was uncomfortable.

"I was trying to keep you alive, dumb ass." Damon retorts, he at least had the decency to look a little bashful.

"No, you were blindly following Elena's command, like always, with no regard for what I wanted." Jeremy snaps, rolling his eyes.

"Fine. Sorry." Damon offers reluctantly.

"So there also exists a thing as soulmates..." Jeremy trails off, looking curiously at the girl who was now whispering something to one of the Mikaelsons men, Jeremy couldn't tell which one.

"Yes." Stefan and Luna reply in unison.

"Never a dull moment in Mystic Falls." Jeremy mutters before entering the boarding house.

Chapter Text

"Great, I'm playing host to the youth of Mystic Falls... again." Damon groans when Bonnie and Caroline stride into the boarding house, not waiting for the vampire to invite them in. Grumbling incoherently Damon follows the girls, plopping himself down on one of the couches, crossing his arms, and looking expectantly at the intruders. If Tyler and Matt were showing up next he was going to move out.

"Thank god, the amount of testosterone in this room was getting overbearing." Luna jokes, which earns her a playful growl from Elijah. "Just kidding." Luna quickly adds, pressing a kiss to Elijah's jaw after shooting him an innocent smile.

It hadn't been a joke, although the male vampires got along pretty well, all it took was one wrong comment before the room was filled with growls and other 'manly noises'. Luna briefly wonders if this would happen if you put a bunch of human men in a room, but decided she didn't need to know. The only ones who had shown some restraint were Alaric, Jeremy, and Stefan, none of them had found it necessary to meddle in the battle of the egos.

Bonnie immediately took the spot next to Jeremy, and Caroline settles herself onto the couch next to Luna, which makes Kol, who just came back from the kitchen grumble a little seeing as it had been his spot. Reluctantly, Kol stays on his feet while glaring at the back of the blonde's head.

"Hi, Luna. I hope you are great." Caroline begins before rambling on, not giving Luna an actual chance to respond. Caroline would have politely awaited the brunette's answer if she wasn't feeling upset. "I'm not great. I can't believe all the stuff that is happening! Like, first Elena compels Jeremy and makes us lie to him, especially Bonnie." Caroline shoots Jeremy an apologetic smile, she was trying her best to be tactful but it was difficult while so high in her own emotions.

Jeremy gives her a simple nod, not minding the rant one bit. He himself wasn't too happy with his sister right now.

"And now that he's back she tries to get him to kill your Originals? It doesn't make sense. She sent him away for his 'safety' and now she's fine with risking his life as long as she gets rid of the Originals! What is even-" Caroline halts abruptly as her eyes land on Enzo. "Who's this?"

"Old friend?" Enzo offers awkwardly, waving a little at the rambling blonde who looked ready to bite someone's head off.

"Oh, alright." Caroline nods before shifting her gaze back to Luna to continue. "As I was saying, Elena has become delusional. She actually thinks Bon and I want to kill the Originals. We don't. Sure Rebekah hasn't been exactly pleasant and Klaus isn't our favorite person, but still. I just don't understand it. What the hell happened that made her act like this?!" Caroline gasps for breath at the end of her rant while looking indignantly at Luna, as if seeking her confirmation and approval.

Luna looks a little flabbergasted at the blonde, not having expected her to go on a full rant to her. She liked Caroline a lot, as a character and as a real-life person, but she had always thought her to be permanently loyal to Elena, they were best friends after all. Luna's eyes widen a little as she finally processes all the information that Caroline had just thrown at her.

"She wants to kill... the Originals?" Luna echoes, hoping dearly that she had misheard the blonde. Luna didn't understand how Elena wanted to kill them, seeing as there was no white oak left, at least not in Mystic Falls. But if things worked the same in this universe as they did on the TV show, the doppelganger would eventually find a way.

Caroline nods frantically while smiling up at Stefan who hands her a glass of blood. She had tried to be a good friend to Elena, she really did but the pile-up of disappointments and letdowns from her friend was becoming too much. So the next best thing was to warn Luna and the Mikaelsons.

"Thank you for sharing that Caroline. It must be difficult for you both to..." Luna trails off, not sure how to comfort the girls. "How are you feeling? Is there anything we can do for you?" Luna lets her eyes flicker over to the Bennett witch, who smiles softly at her. Luna felt the urge to bake some cookies, offer the girls something other than her hollow-sounding words.

"No, thank you-It's just that we've been friends for so long and now it feels like we don't know her anymore. It all started when Stefan and his homicidal brother came in the picture." Caroline scoffs, before sending Stefan a conciliatory smile. "No offense Stefan."

Stefan shrugs, knowing full well that a big amount of the problems started with him and Damon arriving in town. Katherine would have found Elena anyway, but the whole curse-breaking situation would have probably gone by a lot smoother without Damon and him trying to sabotage Niklaus at each and every turn.

"What about 'No offense Damon'?" Damon asks, looking more than a little vexed, to which Caroline sends him a glare.

"No. You deserved that one." Alaric sighs, patting Damon on the shoulder. He was well aware of all the crap Damon had pulled in his first year back in Mystic Falls. Damon might be his friend, but he couldn't deny the fact he had been a major dick.

"I am curious, how exactly does miss Gilbert think she can kill us?" Elijah muses while pulling his mate onto his lap. He didn't think the doppelganger would form a threat seeing as the truce with the Salvatores was still intact, but assumptions could be helpful.

Kol immediately fills the seat between Elijah and Caroline, purposefully serving as a buffer. His mate might be soft-hearted and trust the girl, that didn't mean Kol had to. Besides that, Rebekah had shown him enough chick flicks to know that ex-girlfriends usually didn't make the best friends.

"I don't know, she kept going on about finding a way. She even went as far to say she could contact Katherine." Bonnie replies while making a vague hand gesture and rolling her eyes. She was completely fed up with Elena's crap. Bonnie had sacrificed so much over the years for Elena and she couldn't even manage to overcome her dislike for the Originals for the sake of all her friends. "Whatever it is, I am done helping her." Bonnie assures. If Elena dared to call Katherine, after all the pain the vampire inflicted on Caroline and the others, Bonnie wouldn't hesitate to let one of the Salvatores compel Elena to move and never return.

Elijah scowls a little at the mention of the previous doppelganger. The last thing he wanted was to come face to face with his ex. He was worried about what Katherine might do if she found out about his mate. As far as he knew the vampire was still running from them and would use anything and anyone as leverage for her freedom, including his mate.

Luna nods a little, completely understanding where the witch was coming from. She didn't want Elena to lose her friends but she couldn't blame them, with the way Elena had been acting she fully understood their growing irritation. The doppelganger had behaved like a child, pouting and moping while the others were trying to make amends, to live in peace. Yes the Originals had hurt her and her family and for that Luna felt bad, but everyone had been hurt, not just her.

Luna thinks about what kind of damage the two doppelgangers could do together. Katherine was calculating, cunning, and merciless, but even Katherine wouldn't be so gullible as to try and take out the Mikaelsons, knowing she would face certain death. But Katherine did have witch contacts, there was a possibility for them to perform a desiccation spell. Luna lets out a frustrated sigh, she hadn't counted on Elena becoming a possible threat. As soon as she was home she would dig up her binder from her closet, needing to find a solution to this tricky situation.

Elijah notices his mate's frustration and buries his nose in Luna's neck, ostensibly to comfort her, but actually to soothe his own possessive needs. He had already been on edge because his mate was surrounded by other vampires, the thought of Katherine returning did not make him feel much better. "All will be well, Elskan." He mumbles in a soothing voice, smiling softly when he sees Luna nod a little.

"Oh, yeah they do that a lot." Damon remarks as he sees Jeremy looking quizzically at the intimate position of the Original and Luna. "I must say, Luna, I am surprised you're not showing yet."

Luna throws Damon an exasperated look. She hoped to live long enough to see him finding his soulmate, she would love to see him acting like a fool and then ridiculing him for it.

Kol sniffs haughtily at this comment and Finn throws him a dark look. They were both still a little sour about the fact that Niklaus would be the only one who could conceive children with their mate. Niklaus wisely keeps his mouth shut, not willing to endure another round of jealous and petty comments from his brothers.

"Of course I am not showing. If I were pregnant I wouldn't show until around twelve weeks." Luna sighs in exasperation, this wasn't twilight where Niklaus could make fast-growing magical babies. "Don't worry, if it happens you will be the first one to know." Luna deadpans, fixing Damon with the most sarcastic smile she could muster.

Luna wasn't even sure if Niklaus wanted children, she knew he could, but Hope had been an accident nonetheless. Perhaps he didn't want to burden himself with children. He had joked about children before but that was more about the making aspect of it. Luna wonders briefly how her other mates would feel about the idea of her having a baby.

"Even before the baby daddy. I feel flatterd." Damon smirks broadly at the human.

Luna swallows as she feels Elijah tightening his hold on her. "I'm sorry. We're getting off-topic." Luna clears her throat, wanting to move on from the loaded subject. She would have to discuss this some other time with them.

Niklaus looks at his mate with an attentive look before remembering what he was about to say. "Let me be very clear here. The only reason I haven't strung you lot up," Niklaus waves his finger around. "For the whole of Mystic Falls to see is because my mate likes you. The moment you fall out of grace with Luna or you betray us, I will paint a tapestry with your chopped-up non-vital organs."

Although Niklaus was now somewhat friendly with them that didn't mean they could forget who they were dealing with. In addition, there was always the possibility that they would betray them in favor of the doppelganger, which would be punished with a slow and painful death.

Finn lets out a long-suffering sigh, not at all surprised by Niklaus's need to remind these people of his vile methods.

Caroline swallows, nods, and shuffles a little further away from Kol who was grinning sharply at her, no doubt already looking forward to doing some damage.

Alaric clears his throat, not sure why he hadn't already moved far, far away from this town and its murderous inhabitants. "You are not a people person, are you?" Alaric comments dryly, quickly averting his gaze as he sees Niklaus's annoyed expression.

"He's a bit of a lone wolf." Luna replies, grinning cheekily up at her mate. Damon speeds over to Luna to high-five her. He had been testing his new dog jokes out all afternoon, a newly acquired hobby he had quite taken a liking to, and new additions to his collection were always welcome.

"Seriously, another dog joke?" Niklaus asks, scowling a little at his mate, who in turn looks away, suddenly very interested in the ancient-looking rug. Niklaus rolls his eyes good-naturedly at her while walking up to the couch, taking a seat on the armrest.

"Wolf joke." Luna mumbles.

"Wait, Katherine... as in Katerina? The girl who escaped Nik's hybrid ritual? Tatia 2.0?" Kol asks, frowning a little. "They are the same person?"

An irritated sigh can be heard from Niklaus. He didn't like being reminded of the fact that the vampire had eluded him so many years ago. He might not be actively looking for Katherine now, but he was still planning on getting his revenge.

"That occurs to you now?" Luna asks, looking curiously at Kol. She then remembers that he had probably never met the doppelganger in person. Kol could have been daggered back then and Katherine most likely would do anything to avoid the siblings of Niklaus and Elijah.

"He's a bit slow. Esther dropped him on his head when he was a child." Niklaus offers, reaching across his mate to pat his little brother on the head in a condescending manner.

"I will drop you on your head." Kol grumbles vindictively, throwing Niklaus an annoyed glare. He wasn't slow and his brain was perfectly normal thank you very much.

"Who is Elena? And why is she trying to kill you?" Enzo interjects, still looking puzzled by the original topic of this conversation.

"My sister," Jermey offers helpfully. "She is a doppelganger- sort of an exact twin of someone else and she had been used in a ritual to turn that Orginal vampire dick." Jeremy points to Niklaus who rolls his eyes in annoyance at the name he had been given. "Into an Original hybrid dick. Half werewolf half-vampire, complete ass." Jermy explains, with an indifferent expression on his face. From what he had learned so far, Niklaus was all bark and no bite. Besides that, Luna for some reason seemed to scold him whenever Niklaus directed a threat at him, so Jeremy wasn't too worried.

Luna manages to smother her giggles but Kol on the other hand lets out a loud laugh at Niklaus's expense.

Elijah only hums in agreement, he had to admit that the Gilbert's boy description was pretty accurate.

"Don't get too cocky, little Gilbert. It would be a pity to have those nice functioning vocal cords ripped out." Niklaus warns. He is immediately fixed with a threatening look from his mate.

Luna wouldn't allow Jeremy to be threatened by her mates. She would take Kol up on the offer to build a dog house for Niklaus if he tried to harm the Gilbert boy.

Niklaus quickly bends towards his mate to press a kiss on her cheek, murmuring a quick apology. "You're apologizing to the wrong person." Luna mumbles but accepting his affections anyway.

"That does not explain why she wants to kill them?" Enzo asks, eager to learn more of the 'Elena problem'. It had been quite a while since he had been able to enjoy some good gossip. Besides that, he also felt a certain loyalty towards the Mikaelsons and Luna, they did free him from his confinement.

"I can guess. I think it is because our Elena has recently suffered the loss of not one but two boyfriends." Kol mocks while grinning broadly at the Salvatores. If he wasn't insulting or threatening Enzo he could always take pleasure in taunting the Salvatores.

Damon groans a little. "Do you have to keep regurgitating that bit of information?" He had been reminded over three times already today, three times too many for his liking.

"Yes we do." Stefan replies dryly. "I might no longer be unsettled by it, but it was still a dick move on your behalf."

"So gals nowadays start killing people when they get their hearts broken?" Enzo laughs a little, hardly believing the many developments of the world. Men were now allowed to marry men, you could send little faces with your current feelings to your friends on telephones, and there were things like reality tv and dating shows.

"The joys of young love." Elijah mumbles, contently continuing his nosing. He was pretty certain that he and his brothers would go on a rampage if his mate were to 'break up' with them.

"Do you guys think we should be worried about whatever Elena is planning?" Luna asks.

Kol is about to speak up but is stopped when Luna promptly clasps a hand in front of his mouth. Luna knew her mates had plenty of opinions on the topic, but she thought the Mystic Falls gang might know Elena and her way of thinking a little better.

Kol looks a little offended at his mate before pulling her hand away from his face, holding it instead.

"Let me rephrase my mate's question. Would the doppelganger be willing to harm our Luna?" Finn asks, looking icily at the Mystic Falls gang who were exchanging doubtful looks.

Luna looks confused at Finn, she wasn't exactly worried for herself, as far as she had seen Elena had been quite bad at hurting humans. It was her mates and Rebekah whom she worried for, she was certain Elena wouldn't mind hurting Rebekah again.

"I don't think she would go so far as to hurt Luna? I mean she pretty much cried when she accidentally stepped on the paw of a dog once." Caroline offers, looking at Bonnie for support of her statement. She didn't think Elena had it in her to hurt a human, on the other hand, she also didn't believe herself to be capable of murder before turning into a vampire. It had become quite clear to Caroline that people could change, drastically.

"That dog didn't manage to steal her friends away." Damon deadpans, immediately dropping his grin as he sees Luna's disheartened expression.

Luna lets herself slump against Elijah. "I didn't mean to do-" Luna mumbles, suddenly feeling very guilty. She hadn't exactly stolen Elena's friends, but her coming to the universe had changed things drastically. Her doings had led to the termination of Bonnie and Caroline's friendship with the doppelganger, something she hadn't thought possible before.

"We know, love. You didn't do anything wrong." Niklaus murmurs, pressing a kiss to Luna's temple while glaring furiously at Damon.

Elijah whispers sweet nothings into Luna's ear to distract her from any upsetting thoughts or worries. The last thing he wanted was for his mate to suffer from self-deprecating thoughts

"You are making it so very difficult for me to tolerate your existence." Finn rumbles. He was more than willing to tear the offending vampire's tongue from his head.

• • •

"We called you because we need to talk about our favorite doppelganger." Niklaus says while squeezing his eyes closed, already expecting a tirade coming from his sister.

After successfully soothing their mate, the Mikaelsons and Luna had left the boarding house. Upon exiting, Kol had made quite a spectacle of threatening the Salvatore who had upset his mate. Damon, pale-faced and concerned for the preservation of his limbs, had offered Luna a multitude of apologies, something he usually avoided at every cost.

"Ugh, that's why you called me?! To talk about the doppelganger wench?!" Rebekah complains.

"We're not happy about it either." Kol grumbles. He was lying with his head on his mate's lap, enjoying the way her fingers played with his hair.

"Yes, we're in a bit of predicament, or I am. See, I never wanted Elena to die, no matter how annoying she might be, she is still human." Luna admits, smiling up at Finn who hands her a plate of risotto. According to Finn pancakes weren't appropriate dinner food, Luna needed vegetables. "Thank you, Finn."

"You are very welcome, my love." Finn hums, happy to once again prove his capabilities of caring for her.

Finn pats Kol's shoulder, urging him to let Luna eat in peace. Grumbling a little Kol gets up and throws Finn a glare before stomping off to do god knows what in the kitchen. Finn rolls his eyes at Kol's dramatics but gladly settles himself beside Luna.

"Besides that, her death would mean that Nik can't make any more hybrids." Luna adds as an afterthought while carefully gauging Niklaus's reaction

A scoff can be heard through the speaker of the phone. The last thing Rebekah worried about was Niklaus's hybrids. In her opinion, their family would always come first, even if she hadn't always felt that way in the past.

"If Elena becomes a liability I will kill her myself, love. Hybrids can be useful, but not at the cost of the safety of my mate." Niklaus promptly assures, looking intently at Luna to make sure she understood what he was saying.

"Nik," Luna starts shaking her head a little while turning her body to look at him properly. There had to be a way for him to have his hybrids, she wanted that for him, especially after he had struggled for so long with his own suppressed nature. "You have waited so long to-"

Niklaus cuts Luna off. "I wanted a hybrid family because I had been scared my own would forsake me, but I think we can safely say that won't happen." It was true that in the past he would have done anything to create his hybrids, but he was no longer looking for a spare family and he wanted to get that notion out of his mate's head as soon as possible.

Finn pats Niklaus's shoulder, silently communicating his support of that sentiment, there was no way they would forsake each other again.

"I don't know Nikkie, you have been kind of rude to me during dinner last week... Mallorca sounds awfully good right now." Kol comments dryly as he reenters the living room, holding a cup with juice for his mate and a blood bag for himself.

"Shut up, Kol." Niklaus grumbles.

"What a heartfelt moment." Rebekah comments dryly. "Does this mean I get to rip the wench's eyes out? Preferably accompanied by her heart?" She was already imagining different ways to make the girl suffer. Getting stabbed in the back wasn't something Rebekah took lightly to.

• • •

"Stop fretting Finn, Elena would be the last person we should worry about. I am sure there are plenty of other, more menacing, foes out there who would want to harm us." Niklaus scoffs, throwing Finn an overly irritated look.

The Mikaelson men had moved to the studio after Luna was put to bed by Elijah. Finn and Elijah still had their doubts about the whole thing with the doppelganger. Niklaus had rolled his eyes and agreed to listen to their concerns if only he could work on his painting at the same time, this way they wouldn't completely waste his time.

"Such consoling words, brother." Finn deadpans, looking unimpressed at Niklaus, who was busy with mixing some colors for his current painting, Finn couldn't tell what it was supposed to be, a meadow maybe.

"There's no point in sugar-coating it, Finn. We've made quite a few enemies over the years. Yes, most are afraid of us which is a good thing but there are plenty of fools who will try to attack us."

"Yet you still want to remain in this insignificant town that anyone can invade whenever they want." Elijah remarks while undoing his tie. "Besides your newly acquired hybrids, there is not much protection..."

"What are you suggesting Elijah? That I am inept at protecting our mate?" Niklaus turns away from his work to look at Elijah, one eyebrow raised.

"I am not suggesting anything, merely pointing out facts. There had been a time our ambitions were greater. Where we would rule cities instead of living in a small- " Elijah replies mildly not in the mood to endure another one of Niklaus's temper tantrums.

"This is great, talking about everyone's hopes and dreams but let's get to the point. We all agree the doppelganger has to die, right? The annoying chit got to enjoy 17 or 18 lovely years of life. We can go right now, snap her dainty little neck, and problem solved. Bit of pity that Rebekah couldn't enjoy it, but we can't all be winners." Kol suggests, grinning broadly at his brothers, if it was up to him he would have executed his idea a few hours ago already. It was ridiculous really to keep the useless girl alive. She was a threat and threats had to be eliminated. And as for Luna, he'd rather she be upset with him than be dead or injured. She would forgive him someday.

"Would you really upset Luna like that?"

"Yes," Kol scoffs, before frowning a little. At second thought, he'd rather avoid having his mate upset at all. He had seen her upset once and the sight had broken his heart. "No-maybe. Fine, what do you propose noble brother of mine?"

"We send some hybrids to keep an eye on miss Gilbert. As soon as they see anything strange, they report it to us and we can nip it in the bud." Elijah offers, smiling a little as he sees Niklaus's nod of approval of his plan.

"Are we certain that is the best course of action?" Finn asks thoughtfully, he wonders how capable those hybrids are. Surely they could miss certain hints or actions.

"Are you insinuating that I am careless when it comes to my mate's safety?" Elijah growls while taking a defensive stance, barely keeping himself from baring his teeth at his older brother. He didn't notice that his mate was standing on the doorstep of the studio, eyes half-closed and stuffed animal tucked under her arm.

"You should be sleeping, little love." Niklaus scolds softly upon discovering his mate, which didn't have much effect seeing as he was smiling adoringly at her.

"Finn, 'Lijah?" Luna asks carefully, clearly interrupting some sort of dispute among the brothers.

"What are you doing out of bed, dearest?" Elijah immediately strides towards his mate, ready to tote her back to bed.

"Was lonely." Luna mumbles drowsily while leaning into Elijah. One quality she'd developed since she knew the Mikaelsons was that she hated waking up alone. The beds in the house always felt too big when she lay in them alone.

"Come, Elskan." Elijah urges, gently guiding her back to their shared room. He turns around to look at his brothers. "We will continue this tomorrow." 

Chapter Text

Sexual content warning

"You're up early." Niklaus hums as he presses a kiss to Luna's cheek in greeting.

Luna smiles at him and puts her paintbrush down to wrap her arms around Niklaus. "Hi, honey." Luna leans in to kiss her mate. "I wanted to make use of the morning light." Luna nods her head to the easel. She and Kol had decorated it a few days ago, both thought the easel was in dire need of a splash of color. They had painted it with little flowers, stars, and other subjects of loveliness. Kol hadn't been satisfied with his misshaped flowers, which looked more like big blots, but Luna had assured him that she loved them, which she truly did.

The canvas showed the mansion's backyard. The work looked serene and true to nature. The line of trees seemed inviting, almost asking the onlooker to take a stroll through them. Soft sunbeams broke free from the gray clouds, softly illuminating the luscious grass.

"Our backyard?" Niklaus asks, trailing some kisses down her jaw while letting his hands rest on her hips. He thinks back to the works he had seen in his mate's universe, the subject would often have been more exciting or more imaginative but he could not deny that this work unmistakably appealed to him.

"I know we will one day move away from this town and I want to remember how living in this house had felt. How the many mornings with you in our studio felt." Luna looks at the window, which offered her a broad view of the garden. "I might have snooped through your stored works and got inspired." Luna admits bashfully as she sees Niklaus carefully studying her color palette and the technique she had used to make the blades of grass almost pop out of the canvas.

"It's beautiful." Niklaus compliments earnestly. Niklaus didn't have to guess what work she referred to. It was a painting he had made of New Orleans, at sunrise. He had painted it a few months ago, before finding his mate and waking his family. He had awoken with a melancholy feeling and longed for better times, times where he hadn't felt as lonely as he did then. Once he got back from his mate's universe he had stored the work away, not wanting to be reminded of his own sadness and desire to return to the place that had caused him so much pain. He had his mate, he didn't want to long for anything else.

"That's a big compliment, coming from you." Although Niklaus loved Luna very much he had always given her honest feedback on her paintings, something she preferred. He would help her see certain details, make her understand some technical errors she had made, or change her view on certain subjects or use of colors. He loved teaching her, helping her reach her full potential with her art and she loved their closeness, the time they spend together, and the passionate way he talked about art.

"It is deserved, truly." Niklaus replies.

"Elijah said something similar last night." Luna smiles, remembering how she had blushed at his abundance of compliments. Although Elijah wasn't an artist, he too had a keen eye and an appreciation for fine art and beauty, his approval was just as important to her as Niklaus's.

"Hmm, and where did you leave my dear brother?" It was rare for Niklaus to see his mate without one of his other brothers hovering around her, he admits that he too often participated in the hovering, but still. When Luna was in the studio without him, she would often be kept company by Kol who would talk to her about the adventurous life he had lived, or Finn who would read to her while she painted.

"I left 'Lijah to sleep in, he seemed peaceful. I didn't have it in me to disturb him." Luna replies. Both Elijah and Finn eyed younger and more relaxed when asleep. It was probably because of their vampire nature, but both always had a certain air of cautiousness to them, as if expecting an impending attack.

Niklaus grins lazily at his mate while letting hands roam to his mate's backside. "Hmm, so I have you all to myself?" He whispers, already knowing that Finn and Kol were still upstairs. Both did not care much for the sentiment of seizing the day.

Luna nods, a feeling of desire already settling in her stomach. She often called Niklaus or one of her other mates to a halt when they wanted to do inappropriate things at inappropriate times or locations, but that didn't mean that she didn't lust after them as much as they did her.

Without further thought, they connected their lips while feverishly pulling and tugging at each other's clothes. Luna was glad she was still wearing her pajama bottoms, the least sexy thing in her eyes was having to struggle to peel tight skinny jeans of her legs, potentially tripping in the process.

In a smooth movement, Niklaus lifts his mate and moves them both to the nearest wall. He traps his mate between his warm body and the wall, easily holding her up by the back of her thighs. Niklaus practically purrs at the sight of her scar, the teeth marks he had left upon her skin when they completed their soulmate bond. Niklaus was already feeling incredibly smug at that moment, even though he had barely touched his mate. He had been annoyed that Finn had also claimed her, but here she was now, in his arms instead of Finn's. She was wet for him, longing for him. He would make sure to not disappoint.

A shiver ran down Luna's back upon touching the cool wall. She giggles a little, remembering how Niklaus had held her up against the door of their bedroom during their first time.

During their first time, Niklaus had been somewhat uneasy and extensive in his affections, making sure he was careful with her. He didn't want to hurt her or do anything that would make her uncomfortable. After that first time he still checked in on how she was feeling, if she needed a break, but he also allowed himself to let go a little more. He had discovered that along with the biting, his mate could appreciate his rougher side. This didn't mean he went all out right away. They still had plenty of time to get to know each other intimately and he wanted to take his time.

Impatiently Luna wiggles in his hold, hoping to be able to ground onto him. She hoped Kol and Elijah were less testy when it came to her patience. She understood that delayed gratification could be enjoyable, but not when they had a limited amount of time.

Luna could feel the soft laugh that was bubbling up in Niklaus's chest. "Please, Nik, just-" Luna's voice nearly wobbled as she softly begged for him to enter her, to give her something.

"So impatient for me." Niklaus coos before lining himself up and sinking himself into her, filling her to the hilt while pressing his forehead to hers, fully enjoying their closeness.

Luna's eyelids flutter momentarily shut, savoring this feeling of fulness. Niklaus had halted his movements, letting her once again adjust. Although he could be taken over by his animalistic inhibitions, he always made sure his mate had plenty of time to adjust, to get comfortable, before proceeding.

Luna silently bucks her hips, indicating for Niklaus to move. So far her mates had been pretty much in control during intercourse. Luna had no problem with taking control from time to time, but she doubted any of her mates would let her. 'Perhaps in a few years' She muses.

Niklaus promptly pulls out before thrusting forward again, making sure his pelvis ground against Luna, stimulating her in all the right places. It took less than a minute for him to set an unrelenting pace which had Luna whimpering and moaning. Niklaus alternated between kissing her lips and nibbling on her jaw and neck. This while Luna kept a tight grip on his arms or his hair. The painful sensation of her tugging at his hair was adding to his own pleasure.

Niklaus was taking immense delight in hearing the pleasure-driven sounds his mate made. The fact that he could please his mate so adequately was a massive stroke to his ego. Chasing his own pleasure wasn't nearly as satisfying as watching his mate coming undone under his fingers or tongue, this he discovered the morning after their first time.

"Look at you, taking me so well." Niklaus mocks in a sweet tone while snapping his hips a little firmer, which resulted in a loud cry from his mate.

A smirk makes its way to Niklaus's face when he feels Luna clench down on him the moment the words had left his mouth. "You like that, love? Me telling you how well you are taking me? Telling you how good you are for me?"

Luna nods, not thinking she was able to form whole sentences in her current state, not while Niklaus was roughly driving his hips against hers. The only thing she could do was let out loud moans, sobs, and groans.

"Might want to quiet down, little love. Unless you wish to wake the entire house?" Niklaus scolds without bothering to slow his pace.

"Soundproof?" Luna manages to choke out while narrowing her eyes at the hybrid. She was nearing her orgasm and she was sure Niklaus also knew this.

"Soundproof rooms also have their limits, dearest." Niklaus teases, immediately regretting his words as Luna clenched down on him, hard.

In retaliation, he angled his hips slightly, thrusting hard while biting down in her shoulder.

The pain was enough to make Luna fall over the edge. Her body shook and trembled as her orgasm rippled through her. Luna's spasms and tremors were enough to trigger Niklaus's climax. With a final thrust, he sheaths himself tightly into his mate, unabashedly filling her. His grunts of completion were muffled as he was still biting down into his mate's shoulder, lazily feeding off her. He had originally wanted to bite down on his first bitemark but thought better off it. Who was he to ruin a masterpiece?

• • •

"What's wrong?" Luna asks Kol as she sees his slight pout.

"You didn't hug me like that when I came back from the hairdresser." Kol replies, slight accusation audible in his tone.

"That was one hour, Bekah was gone for more than a day." Luna replies dryly. The Mikaelsons were all seated at the dining table, all were provided with a late breakfast by Finn. Rebekah had come back home a few minutes ago and had promptly reclaimed her seat, pushing Elijah off her chair and stolen Niklaus's breakfast. She had endured enough whining in the past 24 hours to care much for Niklaus's affronted objections.

"...still." Kol grumbles, ignoring the exasperated look Rebekah was giving him.

"Really appreciating your warm welcome, Kol." Rebekah deadpans. She had been home for a good five minutes and had already rolled her eyes three times, a new record. "No shelter vampire?" She asks as she didn't see the additional vampire family member she expected.

Luna clears her throat awkwardly, not daring to look Finn in the eyes. "No-umm, they-" Finn coughs softly. "We thought it would be better if he stayed with the Salvatores." Luna explains, rolling her eyes at Finn's not-so-subtle interruption.

"That was to be expected." Rebekah replies, already able to guess the reason for this change in plans.

"He was insufferable, with his Britishness, his flirting with my Luna, and his dreamy eyes, and strong jaw and-" Kol mutters bitterly, stabbing one of his waffles with unnecessary aggression.

"Stop sulking, honey. I only want you." Luna promises, pressing a kiss to Kol's cheek. She wasn't going to comment on Kol's very flattering description of Enzo.

"M not sulking." Kol grumbles, leaning a little closer towards his mate while angrily chewing on a piece of waffle.

"Only Kol?" Niklaus asks, arching a brow and looking a little insulted at his mate's statement.

"You know what I mean." Luna replies simply. Luna knew by now that the Mikaelsons were looking for confirmation of her love for them quite often, and she tried to remind them of it as often as possible. Luna had been afraid that the Mikaelsons would eventually abandon her, but those worries had slowly faded away without her noticing. She hoped that her mates' separation anxiety would also subside at some point. Perhaps once she and the remaining Mikaelson men had established their soulmate bond as well.

"No, I don't."

"You want me to-" Luna looks unimpressed at her other three mates, all looking expectantly at her. "Fine, I only want the four of you... unless Bekah changes her mind, of course." Luna smirks at her friend.

"Are you ever going to stop flirting with me?" Rebekah asks with a raised eyebrow, before grinning back at Luna.

"Don't worry, I won't." Luna reassures, shooting her friend a wink.

"I wasn't worried" Rebekah sighs. "I'm more like what if my brothers..." Rebekah trails off awkwardly, she didn't think her brothers would be capable of flirting with other women but she was still curious about Luna's response. She remembers Luna's expression when Elijah came a little too close to the witch back in Luna's universe.

"Flirted with you? Bekah, we've been over this, this has already happened in my universe!" Luna replies, all too happy to remind her friend of that very fun bit of information.

Niklaus gags loudly, Finn chokes on his coffee, and Elijah scowls at the idea of flirting with any of his relatives. Kol merely shrugs, between murdering hundreds of people and incest he thought murder might be the greater evil.

"Ew, don't remind me! I mean what if they, you know... flirt with others."

"If Finn flirts with a cute guy, I won't stop him, because to be honest, I would love to see Fin embarrassing himself like that. If Finn flirts with a cute girl... I will make him sleep on the floor for the next seventy years." Luna replies simply before popping another piece of banana in her mouth while shooting Elijah a glare. She had not forgotten the way he had his hand wrapped around another girl's neck, sure he was choking her, and not in a romantic way, but still. If he wanted to wrap his hand around a neck, it would be hers and only hers.

Elijah looks unsurely at his mate, not sure how he was involved in this equation. As far as he knew, he barely flirted with anyone, let alone after he had found Luna.

"Seventy?" Finn asks, decidedly ignoring his mate's comment which permitted him to flirt with men.

"Yes I mean I don't think he really minds not sleeping next to me when I'm ninety." Luna giggles as little at the thought of Finn snuggling up with an elderly version of herself. She did not think he would find her very appealing like that, this made her frown slightly, the last thing she wanted was for her mates to be repulsed by her.

"Why wouldn't he want to sleep next to you, Elskan?" Elijah asks carefully.

"Because I will be all wrinkly and grey, and I am sure-"

"Why would you-No. You are turning into a vampire eventually, right?!" Kol asks, tripping over his words at the thought of Luna aging so quickly. Seventy years with his mate would be far too little. He needed at least a few centuries with her. He would have turned her today if that was what she desired, her continued existence was his main priority.

• • •

"I didn't imagine them to itch this much." Luna comments while trying to reach the middle of her back to scratch it. The gold sequins somehow managed to poke through the fabric of the dress and into her skin.

Luna had successfully asked the Mikaelsons to postpone the 'becoming a vampire' conversation. Frankly, Luna hadn't wanted to think about becoming a vampire yet. As usual, she had decided to ignore and avoid that subject. It scared her, the prospect of becoming somewhat immortal. She wasn't really worried about the murdering part, seeing as her mates were pretty much serial killers and she would be alright with it over time, she was worried about her feelings. She knew vampires had heightened senses and she was worried she wouldn't feel the same for her mates anymore.

Luna and Rebekah were currently getting ready for the 20's decade dance. Caroline and Bonnie had invited them and both had happily agreed, seizing any opportunity to dress up in one of the vintage dresses Niklaus kept in the attic. Rebekah still didn't completely trust the witch and vampire, but her faith in them did increase once Luna told them about what had happened last night. The thought of Elena losing her friends thoroughly pleased Rebekah.

Luna was currently wearing a black dress, slightly form fitted with gold-colored sequins, accompanied by black gloves and Rebekah was wearing the same but in white. Rebekah had been insistent on wearing a different dress than what she had woken up in when Niklaus had undaggered her. The association with the dress left a bad taste in her mouth.

"Even then, beauty was pain. Be happy they stopped wearing corsets around that era." Rebekah hums while adorning her curled hair with a very sparkly headband.

"I am suddenly very happy with my itchy dress." Luna replies promptly, putting on a broad smile at her reflection. She liked the way the threads at the hem of her dress danced around her legs and the gloves made her feel very fancy.

Luna had once worn a corset for an art project she had done for school, it was about women's fashion. She remembers strongly how the clothing item had squeezed her ribs and cut off her air supply, and although she didn't mind erotic asphyxiation, it had been anything but sexy. She entirely blamed her classmate who had kept tugging at the cords until there was no more room to pull.

"I am happy you're back." Luna says softly, smiling fondly at her best friend. Luna suddenly realizes that Rebekah was pretty much her sister-in-law as well as her best friend. They often said friends can feel like family but she got both. "Your brothers are amazing, but can be... a bit much sometimes."

"Yes I know, I am the glue that keeps the Mikaelsons together." Rebekah sniffs haughtily before taking another sip of her bourbon. She had insisted that she and Luna would be 'pre-gaming' in her room. Rebekah was aware of the whole no alcohol rule at school dances and wanted to make sure she and her friend were at least a little intoxicated.

"You wish!" Kol's shout can be heard from down the hall. It wasn't hard to guess what kind of expression the youngest Mikaelson male was pulling, probably something that went with the indignation in his voice.

"Kol?" Rebekah shouts, already fearing the worst. She had thought she and Luna were talking in private, without prying ears. Rebekah did not need her brothers to know about the scandalous things she had done in Copenhagen around the 1500s.

"Soundproof only works when you close the door, sister." Elijah replies stiffly, having heard more than he would have liked.

Chapter Text

"God you look so hot! We would make the best-looking babies in the world." Luna gushes as Rebekah does a spin in front of her, making the pearl necklaces around her throat rattle. Rebekah had adorned Luna in similar necklaces. She had lied to Luna that they were fake pearls when the human started sputtering, internally rolling her eyes. As if she would let herself, or her friend for that matter, wear fake pearls.

"Yeah, they would be super pretty." Rebekah agrees, grinning broadly. "Like, supermodel pretty."

"No one's making babies, Elskan!" Elijah calls from downstairs.

"Spoilsport." Luna mutters.

"I protest that statement!"

"Shut up, Nikkie!"

"Let's go, my brothers are getting impatient. Apparently being separated for three hours is a lot for them to handle!" Rebekah says loud enough for her brothers to hear.

Luna nods, swiftly following Rebekah out of the room. Luna smiles broadly when she sees her mates waiting in the foyer, all looking dressed their best for the dance.

Kol had grumbled a little at having to go to a high school dance, but Elijah had managed to sway his mood by telling him that the Salvatores would be there and that Kol surely would want to one-up them with his outfit. Kol indeed looked very handsome in his well-tailored suit.

All of the Mikaelson men wore a suit and were dressed like the upper class of the 1920s. Elijah had exchanged his usual solid black suit for one with a subtle stripe pattern, Finn wore a similar jacket but in dark grey tones. Luna noticed that Niklaus wore the same suit as in the TV series, which somehow looked even better in real life.

"You guys look very handsome." Luna compliments the moment she and Rebekah had reached the bottom of the stairs, Finn, promptly stepping forward to offer her his arms. "You look dazzling, my love." Finn murmurs, nuzzling her cheek briefly.

"Thank you, Angel! You look, well... like an angel! A very sparkly angel!" Kol replies while stepping forward to press a kiss to Luna's temple.

"Thank you, Kol, Finn." Luna blushes slightly. She did look sparkly, Rebekah had put three layers of shimmery eyeshadow on her lids and adorned her curls with a diamond clip, Luna didn't dare ask if those were real, already expecting the worst.

"I'm starting to suspect you like us better when we are wearing suits." Niklaus comments dryly, not missing the way his mate's eyes roam over himself and his brothers.

"Who knows." Luna grins cheekily at the hybrid. "It sure doesn't hurt."

• • •

"Hi, Luna." Stefan greets enthusiastically as the Mikaelsons and Luna walk up to the group that had gathered in front of the school.

"Hello Stefan, Damon." Luna replies, smiling cheerfully at the two brothers. To be honest she hadn't expected them to be there seeing as they usually went with Elena when something bad was happening, besides that Stefan used to say he didn't like to dance, but then again he was still enrolled as a student here, unlike her.

"I see you've bought your collection of househusbands." Damon comments dryly. The mess the Mikaelsons had left in his kitchen hadn't gone unnoticed, but neither did the stack of cupcakes, so Damon couldn't be too mad about the whole thing.

Niklaus scowls at the Salvatore but remains silent. He didn't want to spoil his mate's evening by starting a fight before even entering the building, but it wouldn't take much for him to provide Damon with a neck-snap-nap.

"What am I? Chopped liver?" Rebekah mutters. She exchanges a semi-awkward smile with Stefan, both thinking back to what had transpired between them during the 1920s in Chicago.

"Barbie Klaus, always a pleasure." Damon grins broadly as he sees Rebekah's annoyed expression.

"Jeremy, it's good to see you. How are you doing?" Luna ignores the squabble between Rebekah and Damon and turns to the teenager, smiling warmly at him.

"I am alright. It's nice to be back. It's also nice to not be threatened by Originals for once." Jeremy deadpans, looking pointedly at Niklaus who was promptly interested with a brightly colored banner that hung above them.

"Don't worry, the night is young. Plenty of time for threatening." Kol hums, feigning hurt as his mate slaps his chest as a warning.

"I'm glad you're doing well. If something's wrong please know our door is always open." Luna adds, looking seriously at Jeremy. Even though she's only recently met Jeremy, she's always felt for him. The boy did not exactly have a refuge when it came to hiding from trouble, trouble that was mainly caused by his sister being the doppelganger. If Jeremy didn't feel comfortable coming to the Mikaelson mansion, she was sure that with all the resources the Mikaelsons had at their disposal, the boy could be kept safe somewhere else.

Stefan clears his throat.

"As well as for the Salvatores." Luna adds as an afterthought, smiling gently at the Salvatore, who smiles appreciatively at her.

"No wa-"

"Thank you, Luna. I can't wait to try that waffle maker I saw the other day." Stefan grins broadly at Elijah who was glaring annoyedly at him. Yes, he was semi-friendly with the Salvatore, that didn't mean he wanted them to walk into their home whenever they pleased.

"We're getting off track, but let me just say that you guys look very dapper." Luna compliments taking in their outfits, to her surprise even Damon bothered to wear a suit for this. Kol clears his throat. "Not as dapper as Kol, but very dapper." Luna corrects, rolling her eyes playfully at Kol. Kol nods in approval, planting a kiss on Luna's temple.

"This old thing?" Damon makes a dismissive gesture with his hand. "Had it lying around." He says as he brushes lovingly over one of his lapels.

"He ordered three different outfits for this. Spend hours to pick one." Stefan mutters to Luna, throwing her a grin. His grin widens when Damon shoots him an annoyed look. Luna grins back, knowing full well Damon wasn't as humble and nonchalant as he liked to pretend to be.

"Had to look my best for Luna." Damon defends, throwing Niklaus a smirk. "I mean, you may never know when she gets tired of all the growling and barking..."

"What part of soulmate do you fail to understand, mr. Salvatore?" Elijah asks.

"Relax, buddy. I'm not going to steal your girl. I'm just here to spike the punch." Damon assures while holding his hands up, which in hindsight might not be the best move seeing as it would make it easier for the Mikaelsons to tear the limbs off.

"Such an inspiring role model to Jeremey." Rebekah scoffs.

"I don't intend on being an 'inspiring role model', I intend on being a fun role model. Luna's pups will call me Funcle, the fun uncle. And they can call Stefan, Bruncle, the broody, boring uncle." Damon smirks at Stefan's expression. "Look, he's already doing it. It's perfect!"

"Alright, I will see you guys inside." Jeremy calls awkwardly as he sees Niklaus snarling and Stefan scowling. Jeremy walks off, making his way over to Bonnie and Caroline, who had been listening in from a distance.

"You have a death wish." Luna sighs exasperatedly while pressing a hand on Niklaus's chest to calm him. "Where's Enzo?" She asks as she notices his absence.

"He will be here shortly, wanted to finish some dumb program." Damon replies, rolling his eyes.

"How is he adjusting?" Luna asks curiously. Although he hadn't been locked in a box for over 900 years, suddenly re-entering society must still be a cultural shock for him.

"He's doing great, spends most of his time on his phone." Damon shrugs.

"Doing what?"

"Do I look like a mom who checks her son's phone?" Damon deadpans. "Speak of the devil." Damon comments as he sees his friend approaching the group.

"Ah, my saviors are also attending this... party." Enzo smiles a little at the sight of the Mikaelsons and Luna. He hadn't looked forward to the dance but decided it was better than spending the evening alone.

"Enzo! This is my best friend, Rebekah." Luna prompts, pulling the blonde forward to meet the 'Shelter Vampire', as Rebekah referred to him.

Enzo looks interestedly at the blonde, smile faltering slightly as his eyes meet hers. He doesn't understand what is happening but a sense of belonging overcomes him. This vaguely reminded him of his feelings towards Maggie. "Pleasure to meet you, my name is Lorenzo St.John." Enzo says after recovering from the initial shock. He smoothly takes a hold of Rebekah's hand, pressing a kiss to her palm.

"Rebekah Mikaelson." Rebekah replies, narrowing her eyes a little in confusion. She doesn't retract her hand from his and they both simply stare at each other, trying to make sense of the multitude of emotions that were running through them.

"What is going on, Rebekah? Do you know this man?" Elijah asks concernedly, stepping forwards, ready to pull his sister away from the vampire if necessary. He knew the vampire wouldn't stand a chance against his sister in a fight, but his brotherly protectiveness flared up nonetheless.

"Yes-no. I mean. I think he's my soulmate?" Rebekah stammers, blush covering her face.

Enzo smiles a little at that term, soulmate. His perfect fit, his other half.

Niklaus takes a threatening step forward as if getting ready to pounce. "First, you flirt with my mate and now you try to date my sister?" Niklaus growls, his opinion on the Augustine vampire dipping even lower than it already was.

"It's not dating, Nik! You know this." Rebekah snaps, turning her head to glare at her brother. She had put up with their ridiculous soulmate behavior and here he was trivializing her soulmate situation.

"Crumpet boy is your mate? How in the world?!" Kol shouts, looking a little weirded out at this revelation. Enzo simply rolls his eyes at the nickname.

"Kol, Nik, please be happy for your sister." Luna tries softly, hoping that neither of the hot-tempered Mikaelsons would do anything that would hurt their sister. The Mikaelson men might be her mate, but Rebekah was her best friend and she would do anything to spare her unnecessary suffering.

"He's not going to be living in our home!" Niklaus grumbles promptly, still keeping his eye on the Augustine vampire. Finn nods his head in agreement, still not fond of the vampire near his mate, even if Enzo was in a sense spoken for.

"You're one to talk, you've lived with your mate since day one!" Rebekah hisses. She suddenly understood her brother's possessive and territorial behavior, she would snap Niklaus's neck if he even attempted to keep Enzo away from her.

Rebekah stomps forwards, ready to settle this the old-fashioned way when Damon's voice interrupts. "Don't go hitting dogs, Rebekah." Damon hums, clearly enjoying this new source of drama. The whole soulmate thing still seemed a little odd to him but seeing Rebekah and Enzo's reaction was quite interesting.

"Why are you still here? Last time I checked your last name isn't Mikaelson!" Kol growls, jumping in on the opportunity. He didn't do it to defend Niklaus, seeing as he too often made dog jokes, but he was getting annoyed with the Salvatores sticking their noses in their business.

"Neither is mine." Luna mutters. If only Mikaelsons were allowed in the shouting match, maybe Stefan, Damon, Enzo, and she could leave and eat ice cream or something, anything would be more enjoyable really.

Back in her universe Luna had seen the Mikaelsons bickering quite a lot, but never like this. Yes, the men liked to throw punches and slurs around like confetti, but in her universe, they had never looked like they wanted to kill each other, only severely harm one another.

Especially Rebekah had a murderous glint in her eye. Luna knew all too well that she couldn't possibly hold her friend back from attacking one of the Mikaelson men, she probably wouldn't want to either. Their trivial attitude towards Rebekah and Enzo was plain insulting. Luna understood they were doubtful because of Rebekah's past infatuations but this was different.

"Not yet." Elijah corrects.

Luna's shoulders tense slightly before looking at Elijah. He smiles softly at her, knowing the effect his words have on her. Elijah hadn't been happy with Luna's evasive behavior, it reminded him of the day after he and his brothers told her she was their soulmate, and she'd reacted the same way. A positive difference was that Luna promised to come back to it. He should be patient, Luna deserved to contemplate such a life-changing choice, no matter how frustrating as it was for him and his brothers.

Luna still felt a bit uneasy about topics about their future such as marriage, babies, and her human status but musters a smile anyway. Her indecisiveness regarding certain topics didn't mean she loved any of her mates less.

"We had no other choice than to live with Luna!" Niklaus retorts, his stance was defensive and he was close to baring his teeth at his sister.

Stefan and Damon exchange a confused look. As far as they knew, Luna had moved in with the Mikaelsons, not the other way around.

"We were thrown into her backyard." Elijah points out matter of factly.

"There's such a thing as hotels! Just because our asses got dragged to her world didn't mean that you had to crawl in her bed. You don't get to lecture me on this, seeing as you did whatever you wanted with Luna since day one!" Rebekah shouts, pointing aggressively at Luna, who goes incredibly red at Rebekah's words.

"Way to make it sound like I was banging your brothers on day one." Luna mumbles, leaning into Finn to hide her face a little.

"They would have let you." Rebekah retorts, seeming to deflate a little at the sight of Luna and the Salvatores who all looked a little uncomfortable at the change of events. Kol and Niklaus nod, both agreeing fully with that statement. Elijah merely sighs and rolls his eyes to the dark sky as if pleading for patience.

"Wait? Her world?" Damon asks unsurely, wondering if the Mikaelsons were hinting at the concept of multiple worlds.

"Not world, universe." Kol corrects condescendingly. He puffs his chest out a little to express his superiority, which only holds for two seconds because Niklaus slaps him on his head. "Great job at keeping things secret, Kol." Niklaus grumbles.

"What are you guys talking about?" Stefan asks seriously, looking wholly confused.

"This isn't a conversation we should be having in front of a high school. We can explain it later." Luna replies as she raises her head from Finn's chest.

Finn looks down at his mate, he wasn't sure if the Salvatores could be trusted with that kind of information, but then again, Stefan did prove himself to be kind and Damon... was Damon. So he probably went with whatever was safe for Stefan.

Enzo blinks at the fast-paced argument that had played out in front of him. One moment everyone was shouting the next everyone looked semi-friendly again. Judging by the way everyone seemed to have cooled down, he concluded this was a somewhat regular happening with the Mikaelsons. He thought it was time to actually attend the party. He hesitantly offers Rebekah his arm which she gladly takes.

"Hey, keep those hands where I can see them! I will not have you-" Before Niklaus can finish his threat, he feels a tug at his sleeve. Momentarily forgetting his anger he looks at his mate with raised eyebrows, awaiting her question or request.

The Mikaelson men were right to want to protect Rebekah but Rebekah was over a thousand years old, Luna was sure Enzo and Rebekah could be trusted alone. She was sure the two wanted to get to know each other.

"Come on, I think it's time for you to teach me the charleston." Luna coaxes, pulling both Niklaus and Kol, who was still snarling slightly at Enzo, by their hands.

"No- we are not leaving Rebekah with Pretty face." Kol sputters, turning his head to send Enzo a threatening look.

"Thanks for the compliment, mate." Enzo replies dryly.

Luna rolls her eyes and continues to tug her mates to the entrance, Elijah, Finn, and the Salvatores following swiftly.

• • •

"I haven't been to a high school dance in years and I suddenly remember why." Luna mutters as she gets a whiff from the punch that was clearly spiked by some student seeing as Damon hadn't left their side since entering.

"I can get you something else?" Finn offers, looking unsurely at the table. He wasn't confident in his chances to find his mate anything better at this party, but he could always speed back home to get her some apple juice.

"It's fine, thank you. Part of the experience." Luna shrugs, holding her plastic cup up for Finn to bump his against it.

"Cheers." Finn says, before taking a sip, immediately grimacing at the taste. The drink was somehow both sweet and sour, not to mention the amount of alcohol that was thrown in it was troublesome.

"Couldn't have done it better myself." Damon mutters, emptying his cup in one go. The sweet stuff wasn't his usual, but seeing as it was the only booze in the room, it was satisfactory.

• • •

"Kol, what are you doing?" Luna asks as she returns from the toilet.

She left Finn to chat with Stefan on the menu they would put together for their planned dinner party. Elijah and Niklaus had run off to the history classroom, both eager to resolve a disagreement they had regarding some country that didn't exist anymore, and Rebekah and Enzo were enjoying themselves on the dancefloor. Both looked giddy with excitement and it warmed Luna's heart. She was glad Enzo didn't let himself get scared away by the Mikaelson men, but then again, he had been tortured daily for most of his life. Enzo wasn't a coward.

"Seducing my little Angel with my incredible dancing skills of course." Kol points out, dancing towards his mate with his hands raised in the air, waving them around in small circles.

"Alright," Luna replies, scratching her forehead in slight confusion. So far she had put both Kol and Rebekah down as the Miakelsons with the strangest dance moves in the family, shortly followed by Elijah who didn't seem to dance at all, besides formal dances of course.

"Is it working? Do you feel seduced?" As soon as he reaches his mate Kol presses a kiss to cheek before grabbing onto her waist, swaying her slightly to the music.

"Yes, I do. Very much." Luna nods, deciding to go along with Kol. She absolutely loved Kol's playful side, he could be serious when the situation requires it of course, but his youthful side made Luna feel better about her childish tendencies. "Completely and utterly seduced."

"Hmm, are you sure? Because there is not yet any kissing happening." Kol asks, feigning indignation.

• • •

"How am I related to that?" Rebekah asks sarcastically as she sees Kol's terrible attempt at seducing Luna, who astoundingly enough seems to fall for it. She and Enzo had made their way into the dance after spending some time outside, enjoying each other's company and getting to know each other a little.

"Are you alright, sweetheart?" Enzo asks softly, he was well aware of the many vampire ears listening in. He thought Rebekah looked a bit annoyed at something, this could of course also just be her character, seeing as he had just met her, but something told him that something else was bothering her.

"I am annoyed. My brothers are idiots for treating you like you've already done something wrong." Rebekah replies, gazing up at Enzo. He was a bit taller than her, which she liked.

"I'm glad they are protective of you." Enzo reassures, not at all insulted by their behavior. Sure, he'd rather not get murdered or tortured by one of the brothers, but he would let them do both if it meant Rebekah was safe.

"This is a lucky decade for me," Enzo continues, set on distracting Rebekah from her troubling thoughts. "Getting freed from my imprisonment and meeting my soulmate. You must forgive me, Rebekah, I don't know much about soulmates. I just know that I fell complete in a way when I laid eyes on you."

"I think that's half of it, that feeling. Another half is acting like a love-sick fool I think." Rebekah replies, appreciating Enzo's honesty more than anything else. In the short time, they had known each other Enzo had been quite open and honest about his past with her, more specifically his affections towards a woman named Maggie and Lily. He wanted to be honest with her upfront, not her finding out on her own. Rebekah was secretly glad that both women were out of the picture though. "At least, that's what I presume, judging by my brothers' behavior around Luna."

Enzo lets out a hearty laugh at that. He had seen their territorial and overly possessive behavior in person. He hoped he and Rebekah wouldn't be that intense, but it wouldn't repel him either. He wonders if the feelings he was experiencing would be different if his soulmate was also the soulmate to three other blokes. Enzo shakes his head slightly, not wanting to imagine having to share Rebekah.

• • •

"Nik, please stop staring at them." Luna whispers as she steps in front of him to block his view, which didn't do much seeing as he could easily look over her head.

Reluctantly Niklaus tears his gaze away from his smiling sister to look at his mate, who looked worriedly at him. Within an instant he had pulled Luna away from the dancefloor, coming to a halt in a less crowded corner of the party.

"Enzo and Rebekah, it seems to really bother you..." Luna lets the question hang in the air. Niklaus's scowl at Enzo's name did not go unnoticed by her.

"I don't want him to hurt her feelings." Niklaus admits, nuzzling Luna's temple after pulling her close to his chest.

"I think Rebekah would sooner hurt him than the other way around. She's strong." Luna replies, leaning into his chest, enjoying their embrace while watching high school students having fun on the dancefloor. She spots Caroline and Bonnie and gives them a small wave.

"You don't know that." Niklaus mutters, pressing his nose in the crook of her neck, soothing himself with her scent.

"Did you want to hurt me when you met me?"

"No, of course not, I was enraptured by you, still am. You were pretty much the only thing I wanted. My beautiful little mate." Niklaus confesses, no hint of embarrassment or doubt in his voice.

"Then please trust that Enzo feels the same way. If soulmates are like you and me, I don't think he has it in him to hurt her or abandon her." Luna replies gently, stroking one of Niklaus's hands which were resting on her stomach.

"You didn't Elskan, you went for the 'aggressively ignoring it until it goes away' approach." Elijah hums as he walks up to his mate and little brother. He had listened in on their conversation, also in need of some reassurance of Rebekah's safety.

"Thank you, 'Lijah for that lovely reminder." Luna deadpans, smiling up at Elijah.

"You're welcome, dearest." Elijah muses, leaning forward to steal a kiss.

"I'm human." Luna states after a moment of silence amongst the three. Niklaus freezes and Elijah's jaw clenches. Luna notices this and quickly continues.

"Upon meeting you, I didn't experience the same emotions as you guys, I liked you guys because of the TV show, but I didn't have that instant feeling of recognition or belonging as you did. I feel it now, after bonding with Niklaus and Finn. It adds to my already affectionate feelings for you guys. Seeing as Rebekah and Enzo are both vampires and can both feel the soulmate bond, there is no need for either of them to deny it. I'm sure it will work out between them." Luna rambles, feeling a little silly to think back to her own handling, but then again, it was quite a chunk of information to process.

"I still don't like it." Niklaus admits. He didn't want to disappoint his mate with his opinion of the vampire, but lying didn't seem like an option either seeing as she had a way of reading him.

"You don't have to, but can you try to be open-minded? For Bekah?" Luna offers, turning her head slightly to look at Niklaus.

"I will, love."

• • •

"Where's your man?" Luna teases as Rebekah walks up to her. Niklaus had finally managed to peel himself away from her and both he and Elijah went to get her some snacks. Luna had shaken her head and asked why they both left but apparently the task of providing her with food required two vampires. Luna was afraid they would return with an entire buffet but didn't have the heart to halt them in their efforts.

"No doubt terrorizing teenagers with one of yours." Rebekah replies, taking Luna's glass from her.

"Finn?" Luna asks, not really picturing Finn to cause mayhem. However, Finn did like Enzo enough to share his limited knowledge of this century with the vampire.

"Kol." Rebekah sighs, already worried about the bad influence her brother was going to be on her mate. The thought of Enzo killing and torturing people was less worrisome than the thought of Enzo being best friends with Kol, but she couldn't really judge seeing as she was best friends with Kol's mate.

"How are you feeling?"

"I feel... fantastic." Rebekah sighs contently before smiling brightly at her friend. "I feel perfectly happy, something I haven't felt for a thousand years. This is nothing compared to my previous crushes or relationships. He makes me feel alive, complete."

"I'm so happy for you Bekah. If there's someone who deserves it, it's you." Luna replies sincerely, tightly embracing her friend. Luna bites back a sob, this was all she had wanted for the blonde she had fallen in love with on the show, to find real love instead of being rejected by Matt on the show or getting her heartbroken by Stefan.

Rebekah pulls back from Luna. "You know... I could destroy him." Rebekah announces, looking a little smug at this notion. She had almost always been stronger than her love interests, she liked that. After getting ambushed by Alexander so many years ago, she needed to feel in control.

"I bet he's into that." Luna replies mirthfully. "I'm sure he can live at our place if that's what you two want." As soon as the words leave Luna's mouth she regrets them. Who was she to assume that Rebekah even wanted to live with them anymore, perhaps she wanted to move out, live with Enzo? This thought made Luna a little sad but she understood nonetheless.

To Luna's surprise, Rebekah only nods thoughtfully. "Are you sure? My brothers seemed pretty against-"

"They'r territorial idiots sometimes, but he's your mate. If they seriously try to keep him away from you I will give them the silent treatment." Luna promises, looking overjoyed at the idea of Rebekah staying.

"You think that will work?" Rebekah looks skeptical, she had tried to use the silent treatment on Elijah and Niklaus, but both seemed to rather enjoy it.

"If not, we can always try the no-sex treatment." Luna shrugs, grinning widely as she sees Niklaus and Kol's heads turning sharply at her words.

"Jesus, Luna!" Rebekah groans, not wanting more details than necessary. She knew all she needed to know by checking Luna's neck. Although Rebekah advocated for Luna and her to do best friend things like makeovers and sleepovers, boy talk was a big no. They had tried it once, though. Just to see if Rebekah could stand to hear Luna rambling on about Niklaus's pretty eyes and Elijah's strong jaw, but Rebekah felt like puking when she heard all the slimy nonsense her brothers were telling Luna on a daily basis.

"Don't worry, I didn't say anything about us not getting frisky. That's always an option." Luna smirks at her friend with suggestively waggling her eyebrows.

Chapter Text

"Where has our little mate run off to?" Niklaus asks looking interestedly at his siblings who have all gathered on the benches, away from the blaring music. Rebekah and Kol were bickering as usual and Finn and Elijah were discussing date ideas for Luna. They had discovered that none of them had taken Luna on a date yet unless you counted the Mikaelsons ball which would have been a terrible date seeing as their mother had tried to kill them.

Elijah simply tilts his head towards the dancefloor, where Luna was dancing exuberantly with Enzo and the Salvatores. Enzo and Luna seemed to do some sort of octopus imitation, Damon was doing a disco move that was totally misplaced at this party, and Stefan was stomping around while waving his limbs around like one of those inflatable tube men. All four of them were being incredibly silly but they seemed to have a good time.

"Hmm, perhaps we should offer them a dance class." Elijah hums while smiling fondly at his mate. Oddly enough Elijah wasn't feeling as jealous or possessive as he had thought. His mate was having a good time, which was all that he had wanted for her. He would of course still severely harm the vampires if they did something inappropriate or immoral, but he was alright with it for now.

Niklaus takes a seat beside Rebekah, who was looking adoringly at Enzo. "Are you happy?"

Rebekah tears her gaze away from her mate to look at Niklaus

"I am. Like I said earlier to Luna, which you surely heard, I am perfectly happy." Rebekah replies, smiling warmly at her brother, who seemed surprisingly concerned for her. In the past, he had often ridiculed her for her quest for love. She knew his remarks had come from a place of love, but they had hurt nonetheless.

"Good." Niklaus nods curtly. "Enzo can live with us." He offers reluctantly, knowing he couldn't really stop Rebekah, not while Luna was on Rebekah's side. Besides that, he rather enjoyed his rather rude sister in the same house as him, how could he possibly enjoy his morning tea without his sister's rambling and ranting. "But if he were to mistreat you, I will gladly tear his hamstrings out and make him eat them." Niklaus adds as an afterthought in his most casual tone which earns him an eye-roll from his sister.

"If he tries to hurt me, I will do it myself." Rebekah assures, hoping dearly it wouldn't come to that.

• • •

"It sounds a bit lame, but I could use your advice on something. Would you mind?" Luna starts unsurely. Besides with Rebekah, she wasn't very comfortable with girl talk, but she decided to push through anyway. Luna had walked up to Caroline after dancing with Elijah.

"Of course I don't mind, Luna. Come!" Caroline replies promptly, already grabbing onto Luna's hand to drag her away from the crowded room. She was glad to have found someone to talk to. Bonnie had been hanging out with Jeremy for most of the night and Elena wasn't here, not that she would have been interested in talking with her anyway.

"Alright, what's on your mind." Caroline asks as the girls have settled themselves in Alaric's classroom. The girls had taken a seat on Alaric's desk and Caroline had managed to snatch a bowl of crisps away from the snack table, which was now on Caroline's lap, already half empty.

Luna looks around the classroom, smiling softly at the familiarity of the room after having it seen so often on the TV show. "I accidentally slipped up earlier to my mates... I was joking around about me aging and being an elderly lady in seventy years and you can say it caused some tension."

"How come?" Caroline asks out of politeness, she could only imagine why this could cause tension. As a baby vampire, she did not yet suffer from a change in perception of time, but she suspected that for the Mikaelsons seventy years was hardly anything.

"I think they already assumed that I would turn into a vampire, without actually confirming it with me. We never really talked about it, our relationship is still fairly new." Luna shrugs to get rid of the tension in her shoulders. "I think they, as immortals, concluded that outcome right away while I was only focusing on maneuvering a relationship with four vampires and trying to stop people from killing them."

The latter was said without any accusation or resentment, yet Caroline still looked a little embarrassed. It hadn't been too long since she had helped the Salvatore's in their efforts to kill one of the Mikaelsons in that alley.

Caroline was sometimes surprised to think about how quickly everything had changed. A month ago the Salvatores had been willing to kill each one of the Mikaelsons and now they were bickering and teasing with each other like family.

"Do you want to become a vampire?" Caroline asks carefully, taking in Luna's uncomfortable demeanor, she was fidgeting with her hands and she kept swaying her legs. Although Caroline hadn't chosen this life for herself, she would fully understand if Luna wanted to become a vampire to stay with her mates.

"I don't know-I really don't know. Having an eternity with the people I love... it sounds so scary. I'm terrified that I'll outlive them, that they'll die and I will have to live on, alone, incomplete." Luna frowns, feeling close to tearing up again. This thought had been playing through her mind ever since meeting the Mikaelsons. Not the fear that she would outlive them, but the idea of being alone again.

"But you're okay with leaving them behind?" Caroline asks calmly. She was no stranger to loss and wonders what would be worse, experiencing the pain that came with losing a loved one or inflicting that kind of pain on someone else.

"No, no of course not. No-I would never want to hurt them like that." Luna quickly blinks her tears away while firmly shaking her head.

"Then what else is holding you back?" Caroline asks, placing the bowl on the desk and twisting her body a bit to face Luna.

"I am worried that I'm not strong enough to become a vampire, that I will spiral out of control, become a ripper or flip my switch. It all sounds petrifying." Luna admits while rubbing her temples. She wasn't sure why this was upsetting her as much as it was. Perhaps it had to do with the fact that between all that had happened she barely had time to rationalize, breathe and process it all.

"I don't think your mates would let you spiral, Luna." Caroline replies genuinely, before engulfing the girl in her arms, hugging her tightly.

Caroline's need to comfort the girl was stronger than her vampire sense which was telling her to stay away from Luna. She noticed that the scent became a bit more durable each time she saw the girl, which Caroline believed was a good thing. She smiled when she noticed Luna relaxing a little.

"How did you deal with your change in emotions and feelings?" Luna asks carefully, voice slightly muffled as her face was still pressed against Caroline's shoulder. She didn't want to say her other concerns out loud, afraid they would sound silly or weird.

Caroline pulls herself free so she was arm's length from Luna. "The first days are confusing, everything is amplified but you get used to it quickly enough. You love the Mikaelsons, right?" It wasn't too hard for Caroline to guess why Luna asked her that question.

Luna nods, butterflies were dancing in her belly at the mere mention of her mates.

"That love will only grow stronger once you're changed." Caroline promises. "Whatever you choose Luna, I'm sure the Mikaelsons won't abandon you for it." Judging by the love-sick glances of the Mikaelsons, she couldn't imagine a scenario where the Mikaelson men would hurt Luna on purpose.

"Thank you, Caroline. I needed to hear that." Luna says. She was incredibly thankful for the blonde's comforting words. Rebekah could have also told her these things, but it had been so long since Rebekah had changed into a vampire and she wasn't sure if Rebekah's opinion would have been tainted because of her own desire for Luna to change into a vampire.

"Apologies, would it be alright if I steal my mate for the last dance?" Finn pops his head into the classroom, pretending not to have caught the last bit of the conversation.

"Of course." Caroline giggles a little upon seeing Luna blush. She knew the vampire was waiting outside of the classroom, eavesdropping, but also knew he could probably use the reassurance. Unlike the vampires she had read about in her books, they couldn't mind read, there was no way for the Mikaelsons to guess what was exactly going on with Luna, so Caroline decided they could use all the help they could get.

"Thank you again" Luna says, pulling Caroline in for a last hug before jumping off the desk.

Finn and Luna make their way back to the party, immediately placing themselves amongst the dancing teenagers. Both Luna and Finn were too old for this party but that didn't stop them from enjoying themselves.

"Are you enjoying yourself, my love?" Finn asks as he nuzzles her cheek, gently swaying to the slower song that was put on.

"Very much so. I get to dance with my handsome mate." Luna replies, turning her head a little to kiss Finn. "How about you? Not too busy with chaperoning your younger siblings I hope?" Luna jokes, letting her thumb run over Finn's jaw for a moment.

"I am having a good time." Finn nods.

"You heard didn't you?" Luna hums, not at all looking bothered by this possibility. They were at a party filled with vampires, what else could she have expected? Sometimes the illusion of privacy was nice though.

"Yes," Finn admits bashfully. He hadn't wanted to invade her privacy and it was a genuine coincidence that he overheard the conversation, but he was glad he did, what he heard had comforted him. His Luna still loved them and that meant they would get through this, no matter the outcome of her decision. "I love you. As a human, as a vampire. The thought of... losing you hurts me more than anything in the world, but I would never force our way of living upon you." Finn promises as he softly strokes Luna's face

"I love you, Finn." Luna nods before gently pulling Finn's head down for a kiss. She remembers how Finn had loathed his vampire nature, he was willing to spare her that fate, which touched her deeply.

Finn sighs contently as Luna withdraws her head. He ducks his head and softly snuffles at her neck. He was happy to hear her heartbeat back to normal, the classroom had been quiet enough for him to hear her increased heartbeat, it had bothered him to hear his mate upset. He presses a kiss to the scar he had left near her collarbone before straightening back up.

"This dance is so different from the parties I know. The 20's must have been wild." Finn offers, trying to clear the air further. There would be plenty of time for heavy conversation later on.

"Perhaps one day you can show me how Viking men used to party." Luna suggests, grinning up at Finn. She and Finn had discussed the era he had been born before. He had told her all about their way of life, their myths and beliefs. She was however always curious to learn more about it. Finn had offered to buy her a book that described the Viking era quite extensively, but Luna had declined, wanting to hear of Finn's own experiences.

"I will. I am sure my siblings will appreciate the... umm-trip down memory lane." He wonders briefly if he could still best Elijah in a sword fight, only one way to find out. "Prepare yourself for two weeks of dancing, drinking, and inebriated sword fights."

"Inebriated sword fights? That sounds... dangerous." Luna smirks broadly, already picturing a duel between the Originals. Swords couldn't exactly kill them so she didn't feel too worried for them. She was interested to learn who was most skilled at sword-fighting if they could not use their Original speed and strength.

"You are the mate to four Originals, danger is nothing new to you." Finn teases, tickling her sides a little.

"Very true." Luna giggles.

• • •

"Elena." Damon greets, looking suspiciously at Elena, whom he had bumped into just a minute ago. Elena was looking remarkably cheerful, despite her recent loss of friends and allies, she also wasn't in costume, which was strange seeing as she usually went all out for these kinds of events.

"Damon, it's good to see you." Elena says, smiling softly at the Salvatore.

"I don't believe that for a second. The last time I saw you I practically threw you out." Damon sniffs haughtily, remembering vividly how she had trash-talked Luna and the Mikaelsons for a good five minutes before he demanded her to leave his house. Damon had appointed himself as the only person who got to trash talk the Originals.

"Don't worry, you're forgiven." Elena ignores Damon's scoff. "Things will be back to normal soon enough." Elena offers, placing a consoling hand on his arm. She knew he wasn't thinking rationally, but all would be well again by tomorrow.

Damon looks at the hand as if it had insulted him before looking back at the doppelganger's face. "What the hell did you do?" Damon hisses, glaring down hard at Elena. He refrains himself from firmly gripping her shoulders, not wanting to draw unwanted attention. Damon could hardly believe that he was being the reasonable one of the two for once.

"By tomorrow the Mikaelsons and Luna will finally be gone. We will all be free again. No need for any more pretend friendliness with them." Elena replies simply, looking quite content with herself. She had found a way to save her friends out of the claws of Luna and the Mikaelsons.

"It's not pretend friendliness, Elena. I like them, Stefan likes them, as well as Bonnie and Caroline. Hell, even Jeremy and Alaric seem to like them!" Damon snaps, hands flailing around in his frustration.

"Jeremy? So he stays with you for one day and he's already best buds with the people who killed Jenna?! I don't believe that." Elena retorts indignantly. She was close to shouting now, thoroughly annoyed and frustrated by her friends' leniency.

"Elena, stop using your aunt's death as an excuse to hate them. I killed Jeremy yet you still developed some sort of feelings for me." Damon whispers harshly. He started to understand why Jeremy had rebelled against his sister, Elena was being insufferable. He wonders if he would have fallen for her at all if she hadn't worn the face of his ex.

"Jeremy came back, Jenna didn't." Elena defends, folding her arms in front of her chest.

"That doesn't take away the fact that I snapped his neck. Tell me, what did you do exactly?" Damon hisses.

"It doesn't matter what I tell you, it's going to happen, Damon." Elena shrugs. She couldn't feel guilty about what she had done, it was for the greater good. Elena was certain her friends would forget about the Mikaelsons soon enough, there was no need to mourn for a family of psychopaths.

Damon lets out a frustrated sigh before firmly grabbing Elena's wrist, dragging her with him as he made his way back to the dance. Whatever was going on, he needed to warn the Mikaelsons and there was no way he would let Elena out of his sight.

• • •

"Finn? Can we go outside for a moment? I've gotten quite warm from the dancing and would like some fresh air." Luna asks, looking up at Finn. She and the rest of the people on the dance floor had danced lavishly to a song that was definitely not 1920s related. She felt warm and slightly stuffy between the sweaty bodies around her.

"Of course, my love." Finn replies promptly. With a graceful gesture, he indicated that she could go first. Luna grins at him and starts to make her way through the crowd.

Luna had already stepped outside before realizing that Finn was no longer following her. Confused, she turns back around, hoping to catch sight of her mate, which shouldn't be too difficult seeing as he towered over the many teenagers. Luna is about to step back inside when she sees Tyler approaching her.

"Tyler, hi." Luna smiles at the hybrid, glad to see a familiar face. She gazes over his shoulder, wondering why Finn would have left her without warning.

"Hello, Luna." Tyler replies in a somewhat uneven tone, he had to bite back a scoff, the girl had made it too easy for him. He had counted on having to talk her into leaving the party but she has done half of the work for him without even realizing it.

Luna shifts her gaze to Tyler, he wasn't dressed for the party and his body seemed tense, stressed. She quickly shakes off the sense of uneasiness that she got from the Lockwood boy, she shouldn't be making assumptions about him, he had agreed to the truce during the dinner party and he had been a decent host during the Halloween party. "Are you alright? Shouldn't you be dancing with Caroline?" Luna asks.

"I was wondering if I could talk with you." Tyler asks, ignoring Luna's two questions. The way Tyler said it sounded more like a demand than a request.

Luna looks at him, noticing how Tyler's gaze seemed to flicker to something behind her. Growing curious she turns her head. Luna inhales sharply as she sees a white line on the ground, it was similar to the one in the show. "I'm sorry, that will have to wait. I have to find Finn." Luna smiles stiffly at Tyler before stepping away from him, before she can walk away his hand wraps around her wrist in a bruising grip.

"I can't let you do that." Tyler replies coldly, looking interestedly at her neck as he pulls her back in front of him.

Luna looks at the offending hand and is about to punch some sense into Tyler for grabbing her so roughly when in a swift motion her necklace is ripped off her neck. Luna wants to grab the necklace but Tyler had already tossed it over his shoulder.

"Come with me, do not shout." Tyler orders while looking intently into Luna's eyes.

Luna frowns at the necklace that was now lying near the entrance. Niklaus had gotten it for her after completing their soulmate bond. Seeing as they had to bite her during the whole happening, they had decided it would be best not to consume the plant for a while, not until she had completed her bond with all of them seeing as vervain could kill the mood quite quickly.

The necklace had been a temporary solution until they had found some spell that allowed Luna to be resistant to compulsion without drinking vervain. Luna had protested the idea of a necklace, remembering how easy it had been for Elijah to rip Elena's necklace off, but they had assured her no one would try and take it from her because of the truce.

Luna didn't want to move, she wanted to grab her necklace but her feet start to move anyway, following Tyler who was still holding tightly onto her wrist. Luna looks back to the entrance of the dance, hoping to catch a glimpse of Finn.

Luna looks surprised as they both step over the line of salt. "The border spell, how come you can cross it?" Luna asks softly while blinking a few times, trying to get rid of the unpleasant fog in her head.

Tyler looks a little startled at Luna for knowing of the spell before scowling slightly, not in the mood to inform the human on anything. He gives a firm tug at her wrist, pulling her farther away from the school.

• • •

"Oh look, it's the fun brother." Niklaus comments dryly as he sees Damon striding towards him. He frowns a little as his eyes land on the doppelganger. "And the doppelganger? Damon, are you relapsing? I am a bit disappointed, to be honest." He smirks broadly as he sees Damon's scowl.

"Funny, no. Where are your siblings and where is Luna?" Damon asks seriously, ignoring the struggling girl he was still holding onto.

"What? No dog jokes?" Niklaus places a hand on his chest, feigning hurt.

"Don't worry there will be plenty of those later on. Now where are they?" Damon all but snaps, looking around the room, hoping to catch a glimpse of Luna.

"Kol and Rebekah are over there," Niklaus points to the duo who was busy chugging the spiked punch. At the mention of their names, Kol and Rebekah look up. Rebekah narrows her eyes as she sees Elena near her brother and quickly strides towards the trio, quickly followed by Kol.

"Elijah is approaching right now and Finn and Luna are dancing..." Niklaus trails off as he doesn't see either of them anymore. He had watched them dance from a distance and now they had disappeared. He hoped desperately they weren't off doing inappropriate things in the high school.

"What is happening, Niklaus?" Elijah asks seriously, while looking appraisingly at the doppelganger who was looking surprisingly content for someone whose wrist was starting to look purple.

"I don't know." Niklaus shoots Damon an annoyed look for not elaborating. "Have you seen Finn or Luna?" He asks at no one in particular.

"Wasn't she dancing?" Stefan asks, joining the gathered group along with Enzo. Enzo immediately gravitates towards Rebekah, grabbing hold of her hand.

"Do you see her dancing?!" Kol snaps while sarcastically gesturing to the dance floor. The concept of his mate missing sobered him up immediately and he would not tolerate imbecility in a moment like this.

Stefan shrugs before looking down at his shoes.

"Rebekah, Enzo, Kol, and Stefan, please go find them. Niklaus, Damon, and I are going to have a little chat with Miss. Gilbert." Elijah orders keeping his eyes locked on the treacherous girl. If she was to lie as she had done before, he would not hesitate to rip her tongue out.

• • •

"Have you seen Luna?" Stefan asks as he and Kol approach Caroline and Bonnie. He had taken up the role of talking seeing as Kol was frantically looking around the room and growling agitated at not finding any result.

"No, what's going on?" Bonnie asks, looking a bit worried at the sight of Kol who looked ready to snap at any second. Her eyes flicker across the room where Enzo and Rebekah were talking to Matt and Jeremy.

"We need to find Luna and Finn. Something bad is going to happen." Stefan replies cryptically already turning around. He wasn't sure what was happening himself, but if something really had happened to Luna or Finn then there was no time to spare.

"Can't we have one dance without any drama?" Caroline asks exasperatedly before slamming her glass down to follow the two vampires, who were already halfway across the dance floor, meeting up with the others.

"How do you know something bad is happening?" Bonnie asks, as she practically runs to keep up with the vampires.

"I'm not sure. Damon he-Elena knows something. Damon, Klaus, and Elijah are interrogating her now." Stefan replies, tripping slightly over his words.

"You've got to be kidding me." Bonnie sighs.

• • •

"Where the hell is she?!" Kol growls after inspecting the last classroom, so far this entire search had been fruitless and he was growing more agitated with each second he was without his Angel.

"Stefan, Kol!" Rebekah calls loudly, she was near the entrance of the school and had found Finn slumped against the coat rack, a dart sticking out from his back. Rebekah pulls it out and sniffs at it, scowling upon recognizing the herb, vervain. She angrily hurls the dart away, barely missing the head of an unsuspecting student who passed by.

"Perhaps Luna left? Ran away?" Matt asks unsurely, looking uncomfortable at the gathered group of worried vampires.

Kol lets out a warning growl at the Donovan boy, the mere suggestion of his mate running from them was insulting.

"How dare you accuse my best friend of abandoning us! She would never!" Rebekah snaps at the boy, ready to fling her fist in his face if he kept making dumb suggestions. Enzo grabs her arm, pulling her back a little. "Don't listen to him. She wouldn't leave." He assures her, pressing a kiss to her temple to calm her while glaring at Matt for upsetting Rebekah further.

Stefan glances outside in the hopes of finding a clue. "What is that?" He asks aloud when his eyes fall on the white line that wasn't there before.

"I think that's a salt boundary spell." Bonnie says, frowning. "Vampires can't cross it."

Stefan takes a step outside to inspect it further when he hears a small cracking sound under his shoe. He lifts his foot and sees a necklace, it is Luna's necklace. "Shit."

• • •

Luna blinks her eyes open. She winces a little when she feels the dull ache in her head. Tyler must have knocked her out during their travels seeing as she couldn't remember much after leaving the high school. Luna raises her head to take in her surroundings when her eyes land on the figure before her.

"Oh great, it's you." Luna groans. Her voice sounded a bit hoarse and she blinked again to get rid of the blurred vision. "The Mikaelson matriarch." Luna spits out sarcastically.

Chapter Text

"Oh great, it's you." Luna groans. Her voice sounded a bit hoarse and she blinked again to get rid of the blurred vision. "The Mikaelson matriarch." Luna spits out sarcastically.

"It is good to see you again, Luna." Esther smiles frugally as she sees Luna scrambling up into a seated position, somewhat satisfied to see the girl in discomfort.

"Is it? Because last time you knocked me out and now you seemed to have taken me on an involuntarily trip to the Lockwood caverns." Luna retorts sarcastically. Her eyes search the cave. The last time she had been here the coffin was still here, it was replaced with some sort of table or altar. The room was lit by torches which gave the room an eery sort of glow, 'Stupid witches and their stupid fire things' Luna thought grumpily.

"So you know of this place?" Esther asks, she wasn't exactly in the mood for small talk but Luna might be more cooperative and docile if Esther was kind to her. Unlike her children, she didn't receive pleasure from torturing and hurting humans, instead she opted for persuasion.

"You Mikaelsons sure love your chains, don't you?" Luna ignores Esther's question and tugs at the chain that was attached to her shackles, which looked alarmingly like the ones in the Mikaelson mansion. The chain didn't allow her to come near Esther for an attack, but it would allow her to stand up if she wanted to.

Luna brings her hands up to locate the source of the pain. Luna winces as she touches the spot on the side of her head and scowls further when she sees blood and dirt covering her fingers.

"Do not worry, I can get you healed later." Esther says while shooting Luna a smile that must have been consoling if it weren't for the cold expression in her eyes.

"Later? How much later are we talking? One hour, one week? Please let me know so I can clear out my agenda." Luna mutters grumpily. She knew she probably shouldn't piss the Original witch off, but she was tired, her head ached and she was kidnapped by Tyler of all people, stupid hybrid.

"That depends on you." Esther purses her lips, collecting her thoughts for a moment. "I must say, I can see why Finn likes you, you're-"

"Love. He loves me." Luna corrects.

"You really think any of them can love you?" Esther looks interestedly at Luna, the poor girl must have been brainwashed into thinking her children were actually capable of loving anything other than bloodshed and destruction. It would be even more pitiful if the girl loved them in return, that would make her a sympathizer, someone who would condone their heinous crimes.

"I know they love me." Luna grumbles, leaning back against the cool wall, trying to keep her breathing even. Esther already held all the power right now, she didn't want to let herself get upset by Esther's words or insinuations. "But I guess I am not here to defend my love for your children, so tell me, why am I here?"

"I know you're the soulmate to my sons."

Luna scowls, not liking the mock in Esther's voice. Just because Esther had a bad relationship experience didn't mean every relationship was doomed. "Ten points to the Orignal bitch."

"Perhaps you shouldn't taunt the person who holds your life in their hands, little girl." Esther reprimands, fixing Luna with the same stern gaze she used for her children during their human lives.

"Perhaps you shouldn't kidnap people." Luna replies in a bored tone. She wasn't exactly impressed by Esther's angry eyes, they were nothing compared to Niklaus's.

• • •

"I will ask you one more time, Elena. If you fail to provide me with a satisfactory answer, I will let Niklaus begin with breaking each and every last bone in your body, starting with the 27 bones in your right hand. What have you done and who are you working with?" Elijah asks, sounding surprisingly calm. Don't mistake his demeanor, he was going to flood the entirety of Mystic Falls with blood if his mate or siblings got hurt, but he intended on getting any useful information from the doppelganger before tearing her heart out.

Elijah, Niklaus, and Damon had dragged Elena into the nearest empty classroom. There was no need for them to tie the girl up seeing as there was no way she could outrun them. Niklaus had made it clear that he would break Elena's spine the moment she tried to run, which could be fatal for the girl seeing as neither of the brothers was planning on healing her. They remembered Luna's aversion for the vampire version of Elena and they'd rather not burden the world with that kind of atrocity.

Niklaus had been impatiently pacing the room waiting for either the sign to start hurting the annoying doppelganger or for the signal that his mate and Finn were safe and sound. Niklaus hoped for the latter of course, but hurting Elena could make the waiting process more enjoyable on his behalf.

Damon only glares at Elena from the other side of the classroom. The idea of Elena purposefully hurting Luna, who had secretly become quite important to him, made him disgusted with the doppelganger. He wanted to be here, to get the answers they were searching for, but he'd rather not be too close, afraid he might do something that he'd regret later on. For Jeremy's sake, he hoped that the damage Elena had done was reversible.

Before Elena can answer the door bursts open and the participants of the search party storm in. Jeremy and Enzo carry the unconscious Finn with them and place him in one of the chairs.

Jeremy's eyes flicker to Elena, who looked a bit pale, but uninjured. He was relieved she hadn't been harmed, but he also knew it wouldn't stay that way if Luna had been hurt and there was no way he could stop the Originals from seeking retribution.

Enzo holds his hand out for Rebekah, who stomps into the room, heels clicking loudly, and looking murderous. He and Rebekah had grown quite close, despite only just meeting one another this evening. They had instantly connected, felt their bond, and decided to not hold back on it. Enzo had lived long enough in captivity to learn that every moment should be lived and Rebekah had enough romances cut short because of Niklaus's disapproval. Both were desperate for affection and weren't afraid to act on it.

Rebekah gladly takes Enzo's hand, needing the comfort he was offering her. She was tense, anxious, and furious with what was happening. If it weren't for Enzo's soothing presence she would have already lunged herself at the doppelganger. She promised herself that as soon as Luna was safe, the doppelganger would die. Rebekah never forgot how her TV version had forgiven Elena for the death of her brothers. She would never tolerate such a thing happening in this universe. If her brothers were too weak-hearted to kill the wench, she would do it herself.

Kol strides in next, immediately taking a stand next to Elijah and Niklaus, glaring down hard at the doppelganger

Stefan, Bonnie, Caroline, and Matt also pile into the room.

"Luna's gone." Stefan states, holding the necklace up for the Mikaelson brothers to see. "Kidnapped most likely."

"What?!"

To everyone's surprise, it wasn't Niklaus or Elijah who shouted this, it was Damon. He looked beyond furious at this new piece of information. Noticing everyone's looks he quickly retook his seat, feigning nonchalance.

"What happened?!" Niklaus growls ferociously, looking at his sister for answers. He briefly glances at Finn, who thankfully didn't look grey, which means he wasn't staked by anyone.

"Someone knocked Finn out with vervain." Caroline replies instead, holding up the dart she had picked up after Rebekah had tossed it. If a chaperone or a student came across it there would surely be questions. Her gaze shifts momentarily to Elena, who looks at her with pleading eyes, but Caroline ignores her and looks back at Niklaus's face, which seemed contorted with rage.

As if on cue, Finn lets out a groan before blinking his eyes open. Within seconds he jolts up, panicked, and jumps off the chair, looking around frantically for his mate. "Luna, my love?!" Finn shouts, looking around at the faces in the classroom.

"Finn, how nice of you to join us." Elijah rumbles.

"Where is-"

"She got taken by someone." Caroline replies softly, not wanting to upset the other Mikaelsons further. She shoots Finn a sympathetic smile when she sees his face fall, sadness taking over his expression.

"Yes, you let her get taken. You had one responsibility, to keep her safe!" Niklaus growls, stalking towards Finn as if to attack him on the spot. It would be in his right, of course, seeing as it was Finn's fault that his mate was taken.

"Do you really think Finn would have let Luna get taken willingly?" Bonnie asks flatly, not at all impressed by Niklaus's harsh words while Finn was alre ady quite upset with this news.

Niklaus steps forward, ready to attack the witch for speaking out of turn when he is held back by Elijah. "Wait, Niklaus." Elijah holds his hand up while looking around the room. "Two players are missing in this dilemma. The Lockwood boy and the Mentally deficient hunter." Elijah turns around to Elena, awaiting her answer but is bested by Caroline.

"It was Tyler, I recognized his scent on the dart." Caroline chimes in, looking a little flustered at the fact she had sniffed the dart for clues, but no one looks weirdly at her, except for Elena, they all were happy with the information they could get.

"Hard to miss, furry mutt." Damon grumbles, which earns him a growl from Niklaus.

"You let yourself get ambushed by that flea-bag?" Rebekah asks Finn, looking incredibly indignant.

"Honestly." Niklaus mutters, still not fond of the many dog jokes that were being indirectly flung at him.

Finn bares his teeth a little at his sister. "I was stabbed in the back, sister." He snarls, taking a threatening step towards his sister, which earns him a growl from Enzo.

The conversations in the room are cut short by a loud wail of pain from the doppelganger. Elena was shouting in pain, tears streaming down her face as she tries to pry Elijah's hand off hers.

Elijah is unmoved by her cries of pain and the heated glare she threw his way. He had done this many times before and this was nothing compared to what was in store for her.

It wasn't until Elijah heard the satisfying sounds of bones breaking that he stopped squeezing. He could have gone straight for the windpipe, of course, but he was told by Rebekah that his mate wouldn't appreciate that method too much.

Elijah tugs at his sleeve, which had become slightly wrinkled as Elena grabbed it with her free hand, her attempt to stop him having obviously failed.

"I asked you a question, Elena. You have not yet provided me with an answer. I will allow you to do so now." Elijah hums politely, as if he hadn't just broken her hand.

Elena clutches her now crushed hand to her chest, sobbing softly while looking at Matt and Jeremy for help. Both Matt and Jeremy had looked away as they heard Elena's shouts, not ready to see that kind of pain being inflicted on their friend and sister.

Caroline had winced but made no move to help the doppelganger, knowing there was no way she could stop them, not that she wanted to. Caroline had made her choice and picked her side.

Bonnie had barely blinked, not as bothered by the sight as the two boys. She didn't approve of the Mikaelson method, but she knew a whole lot more people would die at the hands of the Mikaelsons if they did not find Luna. They needed answers and Elena was the only one who could provide them, which meant all was welcome, as long as Elena started chatting. Her gaze softens slightly when she sees Jeremy's uncomfortable expression.

"Come, Jer. Let's raid Alaric's weapon stash." Bonnie offers, grabbing Jeremy's hand and pulling him out of the classroom. He didn't need to see this. Matt followed the duo.

Elena stares in disbelief at her departing brother and former best friends, not understanding how they could just leave her like that. A sharp sting in her hand reminded her of Elijah's question. "I- I made a deal with your mother."

"She placed a salt boundary spell around the school." Caroline chimes in, remembering how Bonnie had called it earlier.

Niklaus lets out an irritated huff, not at all enjoying the prospect of having to face his mother again. The tricky witch always did enjoy her boundary spells.

"We killed Esther." Rebekah states, narrowing her eyes at Elena. "How did she come back?"

"I don't know, but she contacted me, knowing I helped her the previous time." Elena stammers, hoping Rebekah wouldn't take a more active role in the interrogation. Elena didn't know how far Elijah would go in hurting her in favor of information on Luna, but she chose him over Rebekah any day, knowing Rebekah didn't need a reason to hurt her.

"So you naturally jumped on the opportunity." Stefan scoffs, looking quite unimpressed with the information Elena had contributed so far.

"Of course I did Stefan! I did it for us, can't you see? Our happiness, the happiness of you, me, and all of our friends." Elena shouts, now getting a little desperate. Her hand was throbbing like crazy and no one has bothered to heal her so far.

"There is no us, Elena. We are on very different sides. I am perfectly safe and happy." Stefan snaps sharply, shutting the doppelganger up, who goes back to crying softly over her broken hand.

"Finish your ex-lovers' spat later. Keep explaining, doppelganger, or I will commence to executing loved ones, starting with the male Gilbert descendant." Niklaus growls. He would of course never kill the boy, seeing as his mate had been quite insistent on Jeremy's continued existence, but the Gilbert boy was the most usable leverage they had on Elena right now.

"Hurt him and I will never donate my blood again!" Elena snaps defensively.

"Let's set the record straight, sweetheart." Niklaus grits out in such a menacing tone it made Elena pale further. "You, getting to live your miserable human life while occasionally 'donating' was an act of goodwill, a gift." Niklaus corrects. "I can as easily lock you up in my basement and tap your blood whenever it is needed. I could of course also take some of your egg cells to make sure the Petrova-line continues, which assures me to have another doppelganger ready in 500 years. Even better, I can do both. Admittedly, I have plenty of options, Elena. Your doppelganger blood was never a bargaining chip of great significance."

"Besides that, do you really think your blood is more valuable to us than our mate?!" Finn growls, looking incredibly affronted and skeptical.

Kol on the other hand was close to bursting out in laughter at the delusional girl for thinking she could somehow be more important than his mate.

"It is to him!" Elena accuses, pointing a finger of her noninjured hand at Niklaus, who scowls.

"That's where you're wrong, Elena. I will kill you in a heartbeat for Luna. I would set an entire continent on fire for her. Your life, your aid in the creation of a species is trivial to me in comparison to Luna's safety." Niklaus made sure to put as much malice behind his words as he could, ensuring the doppelganger of her insignificance. "Continue your explanation." Niklaus growls, before grabbing onto Elena's uninjured hand.

"And it better be good." Kol adds, snarling.

Motivated by Niklaus's action Elena starts talking. "She contacted me, promised me she could get rid of you guys and Luna." Elena pauses, startled by Kol who lunged forward at the mention of Luna's name, luckily he was being held back by Enzo and Elijah.

In Kol's eyes, the doppelganger didn't even deserve to utter his mate's name.

Elijah quietly assures Kol that there would be plenty of time to inflict pain once they got Luna back. The youngest Mikaelson male bares his fangs at the doppelganger in warning, his chest puffing out slightly, but halting his struggle nonetheless.

"Continue!" Niklaus barks before snapping Elena's wrist, not in the mood to hold the doppelganger's hand anymore, it wasn't a damn date after all.

Elena cries out, slumping in her seat. "All I had to do was make sure to get Luna to her. You guys would be trapped in the school. And Esther had plenty of time to do her thing." Elena stammers after hearing Elijah's warning growl.

"And what exactly is that 'thing'?" Kol snaps, his patience had long run out. He should have smashed Elena's face against the nearest pavement the moment they suspected that she had been up to something. It would have saved them a lot of unnecessary crap.

"I don't know." Elena admits bashfully, sniffling a little as she looks at her battered and bruised hands that laid in her lap. She realizes she had been naive to not ask Esther for further explanation, that information could perhaps have saved her life.

"So, you are useless." Elijah concludes dryly while pinching the bridge of his nose in exasperation.

"What does this have to do with Tyler?!" Caroline sneers, she was very upset with Elena for endangering Tyler. It might have been that their relationship was rocky and there wasn't much love left, but that didn't mean that she wanted him to die for Esther's plan. "Why would you involve him?!"

"Esther needed some muscle and Tyler wanted revenge on Klaus." Elena shrugs, trying to keep her voice even. "Did you really think he would forgive Klaus that easily for killing him, putting his life on the line for his experiment, and trying to steal his girlfriend? He has always been known for his temper. It was almost too easy to persuade him."

Elena scoffs, suddenly looking a little smug. She was in a lot of pain but she was sure the Originals could drop dead at any moment, her adrenaline also added to her sudden burst of confidence.

"You just had to turn Tyler, didn't you?" Rebekah snarks while fixing Niklaus with a glare. She had never cared for Niklaus's creations, all beasty little creatures who were supposed to serve as his replacement family, it was quite insulting.

• • •

"Don't bother Luna, you won't be saved by any of them, I made sure of it." Esther comments as she sees Luna looking longingly at the entrance of the cave. Luna had heard footsteps and hoped it would be one of her Mikaelsons, hell she would cheer just as loud if she saw Damon walking in right now.

"The salt boundary spell. What are you channeling this time? I'm sure it's not the Bennett line seeing as Bonnie is at the high school." Luna asks. While she's here she might as well acquire some information from the witch, it was better than the awkward silence they had to endure the past five minutes.

"My sisters have seen me fail, they guaranteed me it wouldn't happen again." Esther replies while rummaging through a bag Luna hadn't noticed earlier.

"Alright, very cryptic. How nice." Luna deadpans rolling her eyes, immediately regretting this seeing as it made her headache worse.

"They will help me put a stop to my children's reign of terror." Esther adds, retrieving a bowl and a very sharp-looking knife.

"Well, they are a bunch of liars then." Luna mutters bitterly while still eyeing the opening of the cave, where Tyler walks in, holding a similar duffel bag to the one that was already in the cave.

Tyler looks at Luna, with little to no emotion. Clearly not caring for the human who was tied to the ground with a head wound. He had knocked Luna out halfway to the caverns, getting tired of her rambling. He could have of course compelled her to stay quiet, but his temper got the best of him which resulted in Tyler banging Luna's head against the nearest tree.

"Why are you helping her?" Luna asks as Tyler starts pulling another pair of shackles from the bag, attaching them to hooks in the wall.

"To get back to Klaus." Tyler grumbles as he clicks a different chain to the opposite side.

"Oh. You are also kinky, great." Luna groans as Tyler tugs hard on her cuffs, attaching them to the new chain, which allowed Luna a bit more movement if she wanted. "You know, I don't think we have established a safe word. I'm thinking of using the word Mutt."

"Funny. Don't worry you will run out of your insults soon enough." Tyler huffs, giving a final tug to test his handy work before stepping away. "Just wait until your precious Mikaelsons are gone." Tyler mocks, smiling menacingly at Luna.

Luna looks at Tyler uncomprehendingly before laughing loudly, ignoring the throb in her head. "She didn't tell you?" Luna hiccups, not believing Tyler to be this gullible. What was it with people making deals without reading the fine print?

"Told me what?" Tyler growls, starting to grow worried. So far Luna seemed pretty up to date on all that happened in Mystic Falls, he couldn't risk being kept in the dark by Esther, no matter their deal.

"Tyler, do not listen to the human." Esther sighs, she had hoped Tyler would have kept his nose out of things that did not concern him.

"Told me what?!" Tyler echoes, speeding up to the vexatious human. He pulls Luna up on her feet and slams her into the wall, staring angrily into her eyes.

Luna lets out a yelp as her already sore head hits the wall. "By killing an Original she also kills everyone in their sireline. Including hybrids." Luna replies.

"You're lying!" Tyler growls, baring his fangs. In his anger, he slams her against the wall again.

"You've basically helped her... with your own death, along with Care's." Luna whimpers, blinking to fight her blurred vision. Which only worsened when Tyler shoved her into the wall again.

"You're lying! Tell me your lying!" Tyle shouts, feeling a sense of dread creeping up to him. He had doomed his friends without knowing. Tyler shakes the girl in his hold for more answers but then realizes she has already gone limp. Tyler drops Luna and turns to face the witch. "You lied to me!"

"I never lied to you. I promised you to get rid of my children." Esther replies mildly, grimacing a little at the sight of Luna's unconscious form. She'd rather not have Luna be hurt so thoroughly that she couldn't get what she needed. This might require a healing spell later on.

"But you knew that I would die?!" Tyler snarls, stalking closer to the witch, as if she was his prey. "That my friends would die!"

Esther merely scoffs before knocking the boy out. She needed to prepare for things and that would go a lot smoother without his constant shouting.

Chapter Text

"Are they always this... emotional?" Enzo asks dryly as he sees Niklaus draining the ninth student that had unfortunately passed by the classroom they were in.

"This is nothing-" Stefan pauses for a moment upon hearing a loud cry from a boy who was getting his arms torn off by Kol, followed by another wail as Elijah stuck his hand in the boy's chest, ripping his heart out and tossing it carelessly on the growing pile of bodies, limbs, and organs. "compared to the destruction they wreaked when Damon and I kidnapped Luna."

"14 dead witches, along with a dozen of humans." Damon adds in, feeling a little smug about surviving that unfavorable event.

"Let's not forget the wall that was demolished along with almost every fucking room in the mansion!" Rebekah snaps, rolling her eyes as Niklaus breaks some poor kid's leg in response to their critique. Rebekah still planned to take revenge on the Salvatores for the needless stress they had caused her that day

"Good to know your family isn't boring." Enzo mumbles.

"And you two dicks somehow survived?" Jeremy asks interestedly as he, Matt, and Bonnie reenter the classroom, having caught the last bit of the conversation. Their arms are full of stakes, daggers, and other weapons. He purposefully ignores the corner of the classroom where Elena was lying, unconscious next to the pile of dead bodies, which was growing steadily.

Jeremy was upset with the fact that the Mikaelsons had hurt Elena but he was even more upset because of his sister's poor decisions. They had all been presented with the violent nature of the Mikaelsons and all knew what could happen if they worked against them, but Elena still did it. He wanted to shout at her, accuse her of a lot of things but he knew it would be useless. He wouldn't be able to talk sense into her, he never could.

Finn huffs indignantly at the sight of the vervain darts that Bonnie was holding before continuing his restless pacing. Unlike his brothers, he had refrained from killing high school students. However, he did break a few windows out of frustration.

"What can I say? We did some bonding during the motel stay. Long story short, she fell for my roguish good looks." This remark earned him a book to his head from Rebekah.

"Motel stay?" Jeremy asks, raising both of his brows.

"Bonding? I will happily remind you of the fact that she smashed your face into a steering wheel and kicked you out of a diner booth, which you fell out of face first. Oh, and don't forget about the bible she-" Stefan rambles, grinning smugly at Damon's scowl.

"That's enough, Stefan. We get it. She has anger issues." Damon huffs, cutting Stefan off. He wasn't in the mood for a retelling of all the times Luna had managed to harm him. "I mean, I have... issues. Which triggers people's justified rage." Damon quickly corrects as he sees Finn's glare.

"Motel stay?" Jeremy echoes, still looking confused.

• • •

Luna's eyes snap open and she inhales sharply. Ignoring the ongoing thrumming sensation in her head, she sits up and brings her hand to her throat. Heart pounding, she lets her eyes roam the room searching for Elijah. When Luna's eyes land on Esther she realizes it had been a dream, a terrible terrible dream.

Luna shivers, the cold floor reminding her that she was wearing her knee-length dress in November. Couldn't Esther kidnap her in the spring?

"You don't happen to have painkillers in that magical goodie bag of yours, do you?" Luna asks after clearing her dry throat.

"Did you sleep alright?" Esther asks, ignoring Luna's question.

"Fantastic, I feel... refreshed." Luna deadpans while rubbing her eyes tiredly. She thinks back to the dream she had, or a nightmare more like it. Flashes of violence, screams, and gore. The only part she remembers vividly was how Elijah had sped over to her and ripped her heart out, a very unsettling scenario to dream about your partner.

"Did you finally see it? What monsters they are? How they will hurt you?" Esther asks while walking up to the girl. She crouches down and proceeds to turn Luna's head forcibly, closely inspecting the wound Tyler had inflicted on her while knocking her out the second time.

Luna groans and wiggles away from the witch, the last thing she wanted was for the woman to touch her. Luna thinks of the TV shows and all the times the antagonist before her had made an appearance, then she remembers vaguely a thing with Elijah and a red door.

"It was you, you did some mind torture thing." Luna accuses, eyes brightening a little with anger. The witch had some nerve to mess with her like that. She wonders briefly if she would be quick enough to strangle the bitch with the chain but thought better of it.

"I was just showing you what is bound to happen, something that is inevitable. No matter how much they might 'love' you, they will be the reason for your demise, your suffering." Esther explains, shooting Luna a sincere look of sympathy. She hoped to somewhat sway Luna's opinion of the Mikaelson children.

"They do love me and they wouldn't hurt me." Luna defends, growing more and more annoyed. Her headache was already tiring and Esther's holier-than-thou act wasn't exactly helping. "Alright, enough banter. What is your master plan? And why do you need me for it?"

"You already know what goal I wish to achieve. At the ball, I wanted to link them, but-"

"But you got killed." Luna cuts off. "Got that part."

Esther usually praises herself on her patience, with raising seven children and all, but Luna was testing her. The girl kept unnecessarily interrupting her and being rude to her. "I have done the same thing tonight. As soon as I have linked my children-"

"How the hell are you linking them when you don't have their blood? And why do you need-"

"Let me finish explaining, child." Esther snaps.

Luna huffs annoyed. She might be a child compared to the dinosaur that is Esther Mikaelson, but she is still the soulmate of four Originals, thank you very much.

"I can link them through you. You are bonded to two of my children, I can use that connection to my advantage."

"Why take me at all and not one of your children?" Luna asks, partially out of curiosity and partially to buy herself some more time. She was certain her mates were looking for a way to save her and wanted to give them as much time as possible.

"You are easier to manage." Esther almost shrugs. It really was the most logical thing. She had been appalled upon learning that this girl was the soulmate to four of her children, but it did work to her advantage now.

"Great, I'm the easy option." Luna looks a little insulted at this notion. "Well, you have me here, what is stopping you from-ah." Luna lets out a laugh, despite her headache she was remarkably sharp, perhaps it had something to do with the adrenaline that is pumping through her body.

"You can't. That's why you try to set me up against your children." Luna looks amusedly up at the witch, feeling quite smug with herself for figuring it out.

"It is true, the blood must be given willingly seeing as you helping me would mean that you betray your soulmate or soulmates in your case." Esther admits reluctantly, not liking the way Luna seemed to be mocking and taunting her at every turn.

"Ha, not happening lady."

"They are abominations-"

"This. This is why I punched you last time." Luna grumbles while rattling her chain a little. If she weren't tied up and wasn't sporting a massive headache she might attempt to punch the witch again, just for the fun of it. Maybe the opportunity would arise once she was freed by her mates.

"Why are you so insistent on saving them? You are going to end up hurt."

Luna thinks back to her conversation with Caroline earlier. She was going to get hurt either way. Either by their hand, the doing of an enemy of the Mikaelsons, or old age if she decided to remain human. No, getting hurt was better than doing the hurting herself.

Esther looks carefully at Luna, who seemed to be deep in thought, surely thinking over the possibilities. "Imagine all the lives that can be saved when vampires no longer-" Esther tries, jumping on the opportunity to get Luna on her side.

Luna immediately snaps out of her pondering to glare up at Esther. "No, you want to commit genocide, that's no better."

Esther looks a little taken aback by Luna's sudden fierceness. "Think of your friends, Luna. Don't they deserve a safe and vampire-free environment? Bonnie, Elena-"

"Bonnie is a witch, she's strong. She can handle the occasional vampire and Elena can shove it where the sun doesn't shine." Luna replies sharply. She was completely done with the doppelganger, the child was just whining and complaining while the rest went on with their lives. That girl had a victim mentality and Luna was sick of it

"She said you would see it like that." Esther mumbles, loud enough for Luna to hear.

"You talked to Elena?! God, of course, it was Elena. Shit! Doppelganger blood for the spell... That fucking-" Luna rambles heatedly, slamming her hands down on the ground in frustration. She knew the doppelganger could be impulsive but she hadn't expected that she would actually do something like this. She remembers how the doppelganger in the TV show had felt at least a little bad for tricking Elijah, but those feelings of morals seemed to have abandoned the doppelganger completely.

"Don't be upset with the girl, she's thinking of the good of the world."

"No, she isn't." Luna scoffs. "She's thinking of turning things back to how they used to be. With Bonnie and the Salvatores doing her bidding, blindly following her every move, which means... that she doesn't know."

"I might have skipped that tidbit of information while making the deal" Esther shrugs, she had never liked Elena much. Elena was a means to a goal, nothing more.

"God, as soon as you're dead, I'm going to rub the fact that she almost killed Caroline and the Salvatores in her face." Luna remarks. "Oh, and do continue with your plan of convincing me to help you kill my mates and best friend."

"I shouldn't have to convince you, Luna." Esther shakes her head, as a disappointed parent might do. "You must have some sense of morality left, even after spending so much time getting brainwashed by my children. Do you know how many human lives can be spared? Your parents would have been alive now if it weren't for vampires."

• • •

"I feel like I should be filming this? Make some money off it. We can call the video 'Idiots bickering while the love of their life is in danger'." Jeremy deadpans, looking unimpressed at the two Mikaelson men who were chest to chest and snarling at each other.

Kol and Elijah got into a light squabble about responsibilities and who had been inadequate in protecting their mate since day one, this led to a growling match and the baring of teeth, which all seemed very odd to Jeremy and he was eagerly waiting to see who would throw the first punch. His money was on Kol.

"Already on it." Rebekah mumbles holding her phone up to get some nice shots for Luna. She was sure her best friend would love to see how moronic her mates had behaved in her absence, again. "This is certainly going into the Idiot Gallery."

Caroline, liking this idea, also grabs her phone and starts filming. She was sure that supporting footage was always welcome, everyone likes home videos.

"Alright, less chatting, more finding my mate, now!" Niklaus growls as he pulls Elijah and Kol apart. There was plenty of times to point out each other's flaws when Luna was back in his arms.

"Hmm, last time I checked I am not a witch." Damon deadpans.

"I wasn't talking about you, Salvatore." Niklaus rolls his eyes. He was putting up with a ridiculous amount of incompetence these past hours and was seriously contemplating snapping everyone's necks.

His eyes land on Bonnie, who was quietly talking to Jeremy, distracting him from the disturbing sight of his wounded sister. "Bennett, you've found weapons which we can't use right now, great! Now, let's get on with this spell."

"Oh, I can certainly use them..," Bonnie scoffs before taking a seat behind the desk that already held the map with some sand Matt had retrieved earlier.

"Who has the necklace?" Bonnie asks, looking up at the Mikaelson men.

With a roll of his eyes Kol hands her the necklace that he had worn around his neck, he had needed something of Luna's to stop him from completely losing it and this was the only thing he could get his hands on.

Bonnie rolls her eyes in response, growing tired of the aggravating behavior of the Mikaelsons. She sighs once before closing her eyes, hands clutched tightly on the necklace. "Phasmatos Tribum, Nas Ex Veras, Sequitas Sanguinem."

"Why is nothing happening?" Niklaus growls impatiently, looking unimpressed at the small pile of sand that remained on its spot. "What are you doing?"

"I'm trying my best, Klaus!" Bonnie snaps, eyes flying open to glare at the hybrid.

"Well, try harder witch!" Niklaus retorts, glaring back.

"Listen up hybrid, I care for Luna, alright? I'm trying all I can, I promise." Bonnie declares, still glaring up at Niklaus.

Niklaus, not liking the challenging attitude of the witch one bit, leans down with his palms on the desk, eyes glaring intently into those of the witch. "Let me rephrase that for you...Yes, Klaus. I'm going to work twice as hard to get your mate back because I know you will kill everyone in this room if not."

Bonnie's lip curls up in anger. It takes the utmost of her self-control to not give the man an aneurysm.

"Or perhaps the Bennett witch isn't as skilled as she likes to think." Kol taunts, he had heard quite a bit of bragging from Bennett witches in the past and so far he wasn't impressed with what he was seeing.

"Don't insult Bonnie." Caroline hisses, glaring fiercely at Kol.

"You're not helping either, Blondie!" Kol snaps at Caroline. His hands were itching to snap the blonde's neck or kill a few more partygoers, anything to keep his hands busy.

"Weren't you some magic expert, Kol? You kept bragging about it on the car ride from Whitmore college." Enzo suggests lightly, hoping to diffuse the situation.

Kol's head snaps up and he stamps towards Enzo, glowering down at him. "Are you suggesting that I would withhold information that stops us from finding my Angel?" Kol snarls, eyes obtaining a dangerous glint.

"Kol! Leave Enzo alone!" Rebekah growls, stepping in front of her mate. She understood that Kol was on edge, just like herself, but she wouldn't allow him to harm her mate.

"Leave him alone?! Mr. Shepherd's Pie over here-" Kol shouts before getting cut off by Alaric entering the classroom.

"Alright, I've sent everyone home." Alaric announces. He falters in his step when he sees the fresh pile of corpses that hadn't been there when he left the room. He grimaces when he recognizes some of his students. Alaric had been called by Damon to get his 'hunter-ass' over to the school seeing as there were some problems that might require his expertise.

"Fantastic, now my brothers can obliterate the rest of the school..." Rebekah comments dryly, relaxing a little as Kol steps away from her and Enzo.

Alaric takes a seat next to Damon and grabs the flask the vampire had been drinking out of. He takes a glance at Elena before taking a big swig. He had been close to stabbing the nearest Mikaelson upon seeing what they had done to Elena, but Damon had interfered just in time, knowing the Mikaelsons would have no problem killing the hunter in a way that he would remain dead.

Alaric felt like he had failed Elena and indirectly Jenna. He was supposed to protect Elena, yet here he was, powerless against the Originals. Alaric shakes his head at the thought of Elena and Tyler teaming up with the dangerous Original witch. "I still can't believe Tyler would-"

"I can. Rotten kid." Kol grumbles vindictively while kicking some dead girl's limb out of the way.

"He always lacked a backbone." Niklaus adds.

"And you know all about bones, wouldn't you?" Damon mutters under his breath, chuckling at his own cleverness.

"Your comedic timing is once again unparalleled." Elijah remarks dryly while picking up a stray limb and tossing it onto the pile.

• • •

"What?!" Luna snaps, eyes widen in surprise at the mention of her parents. She wasn't sure what the Original witch was playing at, but she didn't like it one bit.

"Survivors guilt is terrible Luna, I experienced it when my son died. I can help you get rid of it." Esther gives Luna a sympathetic look. She remembers the pain of losing her youngest like it had happened yesterday, that pain and guilt had never left her.

"What do you know of my parents? And what does it have to do with all of this?" Luna shakes her head a little, this was a cruel joke, even for Esther.

"Your parents, they got killed by a vamp-"

"No-it can't. It was a house fire-I, it was my fault. I killed them, I wanted tea-the stove, I killed-" Luna digs her nails into her upper thighs, trying to keep the feelings of guilt and pain she had suppressed for so long at bay. She had tried so hard to ignore it all and it had worked, but now all those emotions were coming back and threatening to spill out.

Luna bites hard on her lip, ignoring the taste of blood, she refused to break in front of Esther. She has contained these emotions for years, she should be able to hold on for a few more hours.

"That's what you were made to believe." Esther replies in a calm voice. She hoped dearly that the girl wouldn't have a full-blown panic attack in front of her.

"You mean to tell me-" Luna blinks trying to make sense of this new information.

"Didn't the coven in your universe tell you that vampires sometimes slip through?" Esther asks, already knowing the answer to this. She needed Luna to believe her, to see vampires as the monsters they are. "Every day that vampires live, other people's parents will be killed, other children will be murdered."

"No-shut up!"

"I can bring them back for you, Luna. Help me and I will raise your parents from the dead, send you back home where you belong. You can pretend this was all a bad dream." Esther promises, playing in on Luna's current vulnerability.

"You really think I will believe a word you say?" Luna looks incredulously at the woman. "You will say anything to get rid of your own guilt-ridden consciousness.

"This isn't about my consciousness. Luna, as their mother, it is my duty."

"You have birthed them, but you are not their mother, you stopped being their mother the minute you decided to kill them." Luna says. She looks sullenly across the cave, blinking her tears away. "Your only duty was to raise them, to love them."

• • •

"Bennett, focus." Niklaus snaps his fingers irritable. This whole ordeal was taking much too long, Luna could already be dead for all they knew. He wasn't sure what Esther was planning but he knew Esther would do anything to rid this earth of vampires so time was of the essence.

"Something's blocking me, Esther." Bonnie mumbles, brows furrowed and eyes clenched shut.

"Perhaps you can try to locate Esther instead of Luna?" Elijah suggests while wiping his hands clean. Killing teenagers did get rid of some of the anxiety he was experiencing. Like Finn, he had finally come to the conclusion that there was not much else they could do.

"Do you have-" Before Bonnie can finish her question Finn has already shoved his hand in front of her face. He would let the Bennett girl drain him dry if that meant they would find their mate.

"Thanks." Bonnie mutters, carefully making a small incision in Finn's palm with one of Alaric's knives before repeating the incantation.

Bonnie watches the blood with furrowed brows as it lays completely still. She is about to give up when she sees the blood slowly moving on the map.

"The Lockwood caverns?" Caroline asks, looking unsurely at the map, the blood had stopped moving.

"It is off-limits for vampires." Stefan remarks, nodding his head a little. He wonders briefly how Tyler was even able to enter it, but then again, he was able to cross the salt line as well.

"Hunter, Quarterback and Little Gilbert. It seems like the time has come for you to prove your usefulness."

Chapter Text

"Hunter, quarterback, and Little Gilbert. It seems like the time has come for you to prove your usefulness." Niklaus announces, slapping Matt hard on his shoulder, which makes the boy almost fall over.

Matt nods a little after refinding his footing, glad to not be one of Niklaus's victims, less glad however to be on the receiving side of the hybrid's 'affection'. He wonders briefly how Luna managed to be the full-time mate to four of them when he could barely handle being in a classroom with them for a few hours. He had seen things that would surely haunt him for years.

"What are you doing Bonnie?" Enzo asks interestedly as he sees Bonnie frantically writing something down on a piece of the map she had used for the locator spell.

"When Elena got kidnapped a few years back, I sent her a message to let her know help was coming. I am doing the same for Luna." Bonnie replies before crumpling the paper up and chanting softly under her breath, eyes closed.

"What did it say?" Kol asks promptly, frowning a little. If he hadn't been busy killing teenagers he too might have come up with that idea.

"That we are coming for her, to hold on just a little longer." Bonnie replies, trying her best not to look too smug at the slightly impressed look on Niklaus's face.

"Thank you, that's very thoughtful of you." Elijah says giving the Bennett witch a small sincere smile. Now that they were closer to getting Luna back the Original was apt to be a bit more polite again.

Kol gives a curt nod to the witch, not able to be anything but wound up with worry. He would be nice and grateful when his mate was in his arms and not a second before that.

"Yeah yeah, you guys can snog later, first save Luna." Niklaus grumbles as he catches Rebekah and Enzo getting a little too cozy for his liking.

Rebekah rolls her eyes but disentangles herself from Enzo's arms anyway. Niklaus was being dramatic, she wasn't snogging with Enzo, they were talking, but she also understood that seeing their closeness could be a thorn in Niklaus's eye.

"Alright, let's not postpone this whole rescue operation any longer." Niklaus announces, having wasted enough time in his opinion with chit-chat.

"What about me?" Elena asks in a hoarse voice, she had finally regained consciousness. Despite her throbbing hands she manages to sit up straight, looking expectantly at the group before her.

Jeremy looks away sullenly and quickly leaves the room, followed by Bonnie, Caroline, Matt, and Alaric.

"What about you? Suffering a shortage of attention again?" Rebekah taunts, lip curling up in disgust at the doppelganger's indignant expression.

Elena's expression darkens upon seeing her friends and brother turn their backs so easily on her. "No, this isn't about me not getting attention." Elena sneers at the blonde. "I have the right to know what's-"

"You have no rights, none at all. You are a foolish, selfish girl who can't grasp the fact that she messed up and must deal with the consequences." Rebekah snaps, glaring fiercely at Elena, who had the nerve to look shocked as if this was some big revelation to her.

"If you're going to kill me, just do it now! Klaus has already said that he would!" Elena shouts, eyes shooting to Stefan for a second, hoping to get some form of pity.

"No, you will have to await my mate's verdict. It is her life that's on the line, she decides over your fate." Elijah replies flatly, not at all impressed by the tantrum the girl was throwing. He thought parents taught their children that actions have consequences, but apparently, hers had skipped that lesson.

"I promise you this doppelganger," Niklaus steps forward, looking down on the girl with utter disgust. "If she dies because of your doing, I will make you suffer as only I can. Five hundred years of running will sound like a walk in the park compared to what awaits you. You shall wish for a rapid death." Niklaus growls menacingly before roughly grabbing Elena's arm, ignoring her petty protests and dragging her out of the classroom.

• • •

"How would you... kill them?" Luna asks carefully. "There is no white oak stake and-" Luna cuts herself off, suddenly remembering how there actually still was white oak, in the form of a small wooden knight, Niklaus had made it for Rebekah when they had been children. Luna curses internally, how could she have forgotten such a small yet significant detail? She hoped dearly Esther wasn't on the same track as her.

While in the cave, dealing with her lovely mother-in-law Luna had kicked her shoes off and was once again slumped against the wall, too tired and hurt to sit up straight or care about her posture. She was drained and she was starting to get more upset by the second. Esther pissed her off and the knowledge the witch possessed about her parents made her even angrier. Luna knew there that the witch could be lying about a vampire killing her parents, but the slim possibility that it was true had Luna anxious. To get her parents back, after being consumed by guilt and grief, would be the greatest gift she could imagine, but not at the cost of her mates and friends.

"There is no need for white oak, child." Esther ignores Luna's scoff. "Not when I have Tyler here." Esther waves flippantly at the corner where Tyler was lying, still unconscious, and slumped on the floor like a useless bag of sand.

Luna frowns. She ponders over what that could mean before getting distracted by something moving under her hand. Withstanding the impulse to retract her hand immediately she lowers her gaze. It was paper, a crumpled piece of paper that hadn't been there before. As soon as Esther turns around to rummage in her bag, she opens the piece of paper, making sure to rattle her chain a little. A small smile makes its way to Luna's face as she reads the message.

• • •

"The Salvatores and I will stay behind to clean up." Caroline offers, feeling somewhat responsible for the mess that had been created seeing as she was still part of the student council. The last thing they needed was for the clean-up crew of the next morning to stumble upon a pile of dead bodies that consisted of their classmates.

Damon was about to protest but wisely kept his mouth shut upon seeing Caroline's glare. He couldn't believe he was assigned as part of the clean-up crew. He was eager to know Luna was alright but also understood that her mates needed their time with her first.

Stefan nods, pats Niklaus on the shoulder, a silent show of support, and walks off, tugging Damon along by his jacket. He had no need to save the doppelganger, but he also rather not be present at her pending execution.

Caroline takes one last glance at Elena, knowing this could be the last time she saw the doppelganger, before turning on her heel, making her way inside. She felt no need for a big goodbye speech or a sentimental hug or confession. She and Elena had been estranged before tonight and Elena would simply become a memory of a past friendship.

Niklaus looks at the Salvatores and Caroline before turning to face the three humans that were going to be responsible for his mate's rescue. To be honest, he must have been insane to trust these three to successfully save his mate, but his options were limited. "Before you go, a small warning. If my mate ends up harmed because of your incompetence, expect your guts to be torn out and fed to you like the most repugnant pasta dish ever."

"Good to know." Alaric mutters dryly, wondering why he had even answered Damon's call in the first place. He could have been at home watching a bad cop movie instead of having to worry about the removal of his bowels.

Matt swallows nervously, grip tightening on his shotgun, before nodding awkwardly, not sure if Niklaus really wanted confirmation that he had heard him.

"I'm going with you guys." Bonnie decides on the spot. Niklaus was right to be worried, three humans against a powerful witch was a tricky situation. Bonnie would not win from Esther when it came down to it, but she could distract or immobilize Esther long enough for one of her friends to take the witch down.

Jeremy looks up from Elena to Bonnie, smiling gently at her. He did feel a bit more secure in his mission with her by his side.

Not awaiting further approval, Bonnie steps over the salt line, followed by the three humans, making their way over to Alaric's car, which had been parked haphazardly in front of the school.

"They will find her." Rebekah promises, squeezing Niklaus's shoulder. Niklaus was gazing solemnly in the direction that Alaric's car had taken off. She too was worried for Luna, but Niklaus's expression was so heartbreaking that it almost made her tear up.

"In what state?" Niklaus grits out, looking incredibly discouraged at the fact that his mate's life depended on three oafs of humans and a witch who wasn't nearly as strong as Esther was with her ancestral fan club.

"What if Esther has already harmed our Angel beyond repair and we will be too late?" Kol asks, biting back a sob. He wasn't one for crying, but the thought of losing Luna had quite the impact on him. He tightly held onto the pendant of Luna's necklace, which he had put back on after Bonnie failed to locate Luna. If Luna died, his mother could do whatever she wanted, he didn't care if that would mean that millions of vampires would die, all would be lost.

Finn places a hand on Kol's shoulder, not sure how else to comfort his little brother, seeing as he too was finding it difficult to deal with this situation. Unlike his calm exterior, his inner vampire was close to hysterics, the possible scenarios of his mate being injured worsening his panic. He fruitlessly pushes against the boundary with his other hand, waiting impatiently for it to drop.

"You would feel that, wouldn't you? If the soulmate bond got... destroyed?" Rebekah asks carefully, not believing that the death of a soulmate would pass by as an ordinary death. Rebekah discreetly grabs onto Enzo's hand, knowing that there was a possibility that they too would have to suffer such pain one day.

"I don't know."

• • •

"What do you want with Tyler?" Luna asks with some newfound energy. The message had given her hope, she would only have to hold on a little longer before she would see her mates again. She was planning on wasting enough of the witch's time for her mates to save her. Luna had no idea how they would save her but decided not to worry too much about the details, they were coming for her, which was all that mattered.

"Tyler will fix my... mistake. I was planning on using the hunter, but why go for second best?" Esther lets out a humorless laugh. "I have all I need to make Tyler into a stronger kind of creature than any of my children, even Niklaus. It's a bit poetic, really. Niklaus his creation will be his end."

Luna shook her head in confusion. She couldn't remember the exact events of The Originals but thought she could remember quite a bit of work involved in making something like an Upgraded Original vampire. She couldn't believe that Esther had found everything in the short time she was back, but Luna then realizes that the show wasn't completely reliable seeing as they also didn't have alternate universes and soulmates.

"Why do you need my help at all? You can just send Tyler to the school now, they are trapped." Luna bites back a scoff, not understanding why she was involved when Esther's plan sounded pretty solid.

"To create Tyler, I will have to tap into all of my magic, which means I can't also hold on to the Salt Boundary spell. Them being linked would make his work easier." Esther points out in a matter-of-fact tone, almost expecting Luna to have understood this.

"And what happens to Tyler after he has completed his task?" Luna asks, despite already being able to guess the answer.

"Seeing as he is still part of Niklaus's sireline, he will die as well. This is why it is important to have my children linked." Esther replies patiently, looking at Luna with a glimmer of hope, thinking Luna might see the importance of this task, or at least realizing that fighting against it was futile and it would be easier to play her part.

"Well that's nice, but none of that matters, because I won't help you."

"You helping was a nice benefit, a way to get the job done faster, if you do not help me Tyler will just have to kill my children one by one." Esther sighs, looking at the human who looked beyond exhausted. "Despite your beliefs of me, Luna, I did want you to be happy. You deserve a life without vampires, without my children ruining you. I can still send you-"

Luna gasps loudly as a stake suddenly protrudes from Esther's chest. She looks on in horror as Esther's eyes go wide and she collapses to the floor. Her eyes dart to the entrance of the cave, where Alaric stands, crossbow still raised. Alaric walks into the cave, followed swiftly by Bonnie, Jeremy, and Matt.

Blinking in disbelief, Luna sits up a little straighter. "How come I didn't hear-" Luna asks confused, surely she would have heard it if four people entered the cave.

"Cloaking and silencing spell." Bonnie replies, immediately walking over to Luna.

Matt runs over to Tyler, kneeling before slapping his friend's cheek to get him to regain consciousness, but also to relieve some of his anger towards Tyler. He had been an absolute reckless ass by agreeing to Elena's plan.

Jeremy kneels beside Luna, thrusting a vial into her hand. "Drink, it's Rebekah's blood." He still couldn't wrap his head around the fact that he was here, saving Luna, instead of trying to save his sister.

Jeremy had internally rolled his eyes at the bickering the Mikaelson men had done over who's blood should heal their mate. In the end, Rebekah had filled the vial, tired of her brother's useless arguing.

Luna looks at the blood for a moment before her gaze shifts back to Esther, who was thrashing lightly on the ground, clearly still alive.

Decidedly she pushes the vial back into Jeremy's hand. "Feed it to her and snap her neck." Jeremy looks a little hesitant but stands up anyway when he sees Luna's determined look. He was sure the Mikaelsons would do quite some shouting the moment they found out he had failed to heal their mate, but Luna was also scary when she wanted to be. He decided it would be best to follow her orders.

Jeremy kneels down beside Esther and empties the vial in her mouth. Alaric made sure the witch consumed the blood before bending down to break her neck, not wanting Jeremy to have to do it. Alaric proceeds to search the bag, looking for a key for Luna's shackles.

"Did the others get out?" Luna asks, looking up at Bonnie who was tugging at the chains.

"They should be on their way right about now." Bonnie replies, letting go of the chain as Alaric walks towards them, a rock in his hand. Needless to say, he hadn't found a key.

"Good." Luna sighs. She winces as Alaric begins to bang the mounting plate with the rock. The sound was thundering through her head and the pain was starting to make her nauseous.

After a few more hits the chain falls from the wall, allowing Luna to move away from the wall if she wished to. Alaric bends down, about to start working on the shackles but Luna stops him, not able to handle any more of the loud noise, besides that she'd rather not have Alaric miss the shackles and accidentally break her wrists.

Jeremy walks back to Luna and Bonnie, taking a seat beside the human.

"I'm so sorry Luna, I didn't know Elena-" Jeremy offers, he knew the chance was slim that Luna would let Elena get away with her attempt to kill her mates, but he had to try it. As a last brotherly act.

"I'm sorry Jeremy." Luna shakes her head solemnly. If her mates hadn't already killed Elena, she would make sure they would when she finally got out of this stupid cave. She was beyond furious with the doppelganger and would not be merciful this time. In the show the doppelganger seemed to get away with everything, even get a happy ending despite all of the people that had died for her, not this time.

"I knew she wouldn't... there is no way the Mikaelsons would-" Jeremy stammers, letting his shoulders slump. He wasn't feeling as crushed by this as he thought he would. These past few hours he had the time to let the reality sink in, his sister had made a terrible mistake, a very bad decision to go against the most powerful family on this planet and now she would have to face the consequences. There was no use in trying to go against the Mikaelsons and risk getting more of his friends hurt.

Luna looks at Jeremy with a pained expression, guilt was setting in but she couldn't allow the doppelganger to live, not after this. Hesitantly she leans towards Jeremy and embraces him, not sure what other comfort she could offer him, it was a bit of an awkward hug seeing as her hands were still bound together but it worked somehow.

To her surprise Jeremy doesn't pull back but instead embraces her tighter, a small sob can be heard in the silent cave. They stay like that for a few minutes.

"I am going back to the Salvatore Boarding house." Jeremy sniffs as he pulls back from the hug, giving Luna a small smile.

"Jeremy, I understand if you don't want to be near the Mikaelsons or me for a very long time, but please know you're always welcome." Luna echoes her earlier promise, smiling sadly at the boy.

"I know, thank you, Luna." Jeremy mumbles before scrambling back to his feet and walking off to the entrance of the cave.

"Can you please go with him, Matt? He shouldn't be alone right now, neither of you should." Luna asks, looking at the boy who was still kneeling beside Tyler.

Matt nods and shoots Luna an apologetic smile before following Jeremy. He knew Tyler would most likely face the same fate as Elena and was secretly glad he wouldn't have to stick around for it.

• • •

"Angel!" Kol shouts as he speeds through the woods, nearly tumbling into Jeremy and Matt who were just exiting the Lockwood cellar.

"She's safe." Jeremy says, seeing Kol's frantic look.

Kol nods, not sure what to say to the sad-looking boy, and pats his shoulder shortly, before speeding towards the entrance, swiftly followed by Niklaus. He couldn't be too worried for the Gilbert boy now that he was so close to seeing his mate again.

Finn, Rebekah, Enzo, and Elijah were slightly behind seeing as they were hauling the doppelganger with them, who kept whining and complaining. Only after Rebekah had threatened to tear her tongue out she shut up. The blonde rather had not brought the doppelganger along at all, but there was a slight chance the doppelganger might run off and they'd rather not have history repeating itself.

"Angel?!" Kol's shout echoes off the cavern walls as he hastily makes his way to the entrance of the cave where candlelight was flickering.

"Luna, love?" Niklaus also shouts, a little less frantic seeing as he now knew his Luna was still alive.

"Kol? Nik?" Luna's voice sounded distant which made Kol walk faster, almost running into one of the walls.

Kol almost slams himself into the invisible barrier. He snarls slightly, frustrated at not being able to get closer to his mate. These were the situations where he absolutely despised being a vampire. Kol was able to see the corner where his mate was seated. His elated expression dims as he sees her roughed-up state.

"Luna, love." Niklaus starts, looking worriedly at his mate. "Can you please come to us?"

Luna nods despite the increasing pounding of her head, the tension of finally being safe again made her adrenaline drop and her pain and exhaustion increase.

"Can you walk?" Bonnie asks, concern audible in her voice.

"I think so." Luna smiles briefly at Bonnie before carefully turning her body so she could come to her knees before slowly standing up. As soon as she was standing a wave of dizziness came over her which almost caused her to lose her balance.

Bonnie promptly grabs hold of Luna's arm and gathers the chains that were still attached to Luna's shackles in the other.

"Thank you, Bonnie." Luna murmurs.

Kol looks on as Luna and Bonnie make their way over to them at an almost achingly slow pace. As soon as Luna was close enough she steps forward and almost trips into Kol's awaiting arms.

Bonnie turns back around, offering them some sort of privacy while she and Alaric kept their eye on the hybrid and the Original witch, not wishing to be ambushed out of nowhere.

As soon as Luna reaches Kol a sob escapes her. Now that Esther was dead and she had her mates back she finally felt secure enough to let herself cry. Not able to hug Kol, because of her bound hands and their height difference, Luna leans into him while he tightly wraps his arms around her as if scared she would vanish if he let her go.

"It's okay, I'm here." Kol murmurs while familiarizing himself with Luna's scent again. His hands we tracing small patterns on her back, hoping to soothe his mate who was now full-on sobbing in his arms. "We're all safe again, little Angel." His mate's tears hurt him in a way he thought wasn't possible and he does his best to keep his own emotions at bay, wanting to be strong for his mate.

Kol glances worriedly at Niklaus who had been patiently waiting his turn to greet his mate. The hybrid was also upset by Luna's tears and sad little whimpers. Kol gently hands Luna over to Niklaus, who promptly slides down the wall, pulling Luna sideways onto his lap and bundling her close to his chest.

Luna leans her head against Niklaus's chest, purposefully ignoring the dark red stains that covered his light-colored suit.

Niklaus's brows furrow slightly upon noticing that his mate's sobs weren't subsiding. "Do you hear my heartbeat? Can you focus on that for me, love?" Niklaus asks, voice soft and gentle. He smiles as he feels Luna nodding slightly. He continues to whisper sweet nothings in her ear, waiting calmly for her to calm down.

"You've been so brave for us." Niklaus fondly brushes over the back of Luna's head which induced a soft whimper from Luna. Alarmedly he pulls his hand back and looks at Luna.

"Hurts." Luna moans, snuffling a little.

"You didn't drink the blood?" Kol asks, crouching down beside the couple to inspect the wound on the side of her head. It wasn't bleeding but it also wasn't healed. Kol's eyes go to her wrists, which were still in the shackles, purple spots circling her wrists. With a swift movement, he tears the shackles off, careful not to harm his mate in the process, and proceeds to throw them back into the cave, involuntarily startling Alaric.

"We will uh- take them outside?" Alaric offers awkwardly before starting to tug at the unconscious form of Tyler Lockwood. Bonnie follows his example and whispers a levitation incantation, lifting Esther out of the cave.

Niklaus nods his thanks to the hunter and witch before focussing his attention back on his mate.

"No, gave it to Esther. She's in transition." Luna mumbles, contently taking in Niklaus's comforting scent. She might have found their sniffing a bit odd in the beginning, but she now fully understood how comforting it could be to smell the familiar scent of your loved one again.

"Why?" Kol asks.

"She can't be a witch and vampire. This way she can't come back from the other side." Luna explains.

"Such a clever little mate we've got." Niklaus praises, pressing a kiss to Luna's forehead before biting in his wrist and offering it to her. He wanted to know exactly what had happened that had Luna this upset, besides the obvious reasons, but he first needed his mate to be healed and comfortable again. Talking could wait until tomorrow when she was well-rested.

Luna hums contently while drinking. She feels herself gaining some energy and focus now that the pounding in her head has finally stopped.

Kol belatedly notices that his mate was shivering and quickly pulls his jacket off, draping it over her shoulders while rubbing her legs, hoping to get some warmth in them.

Luna takes one last sip before gently pushing Niklaus's arm away. When she sees Niklaus looking at her with slightly darkened eyes she quickly wipes her mouth clean, blushing slightly.

"Elskan?" Elijah walks towards the trio, followed closely by Finn. The two of them had allowed their younger brothers a moment before intruding, also wanting to see their mate again. They had left Enzo and Rebekah outside to watch over the doppelganger.

"Finn, 'Lijah." Luna musters a smile, relief flooding through her now that all her mates were here. She knew Esther hadn't been able to harm them, not yet at least, but she had been worried nonetheless. With help from Niklaus, Luna climbs off his lap and into Finn's arms, hugging him tightly.

"Are you hurt, my love?" Finn asks while digging his nose into Luna's neck as if checking her scent for signs of injuries.

"No, Nik healed me." Luna replies, nuzzling her face into Finn's shirt once he was done nosing. Finn presses a kiss to Luna's temple before reluctantly letting go of her.

Before Luna can protest she is engulfed by Elijah's arms. "Missed you." Luna whispers, enjoying Elijah's body heat. Elijah chuckles at this and Luna can feel the vibrations in his chest.

"I also missed you." Elijah promises. "I was very worried for you, my dearest."

"Thank you for worrying for me."

"No need to thank us. That's one of our mately duties, worrying for you." Elijah hums.

"I love you." Luna whispers so softly that she wasn't sure if Elijah had heard her. She knew a cave wasn't exactly a romantic place to declare your love, but she would have felt terrible if something bad had happened to her or him without him knowing that he is loved by her, so very loved.

Elijah's heart felt like it could burst with joy, they had found their mate back and she had just told him that she loved him. "I love you." Elijah whispers, pulling back a little to connect their lips.

Chapter Text

"What are you doing?" Kol asks with a slightly alarmed look as Luna walks back into the cave.

"I think it's best if we don't let whatever Esther was brewing sitting out here." Luna replies, rubbing her eyes before sliding her arms into the sleeves of Kol's jacket that was still clinging to her shoulders. She quickly grabs the duffel bag and stuffs Esther's materials in it, not wanting to stay any longer in the cave than necessary.

Elijah lets out a small sigh of relief once Luna is back through the barrier. He takes the bag from her hold and grabs her hand in the other to guide her outside.

Despite the stressful evening, he felt overjoyed. His mate had told him she loves him. Elijah turns his head to look at Luna, who looks exhausted but content. He needed to hear her say it again, just once, to be sure. "I love you." Elijah whispers, still looking at Luna.

Luna turns her head and meets Elijah's eye. "I love you, Elijah." Luna whispers back, smiling affectionately up at him.

"I also love you!" Kol shouts from behind them, before sliding beside Luna to also claim some of her attention and affection. Yes, Elijah deserved some alone time with Luna, but so did he. Kol shoots a warning look behind him at Finn and Niklaus, he didn't want to hear a single complaint from them seeing as they had already bonded with his mate.

Luna bursts out in giggles, having caught the glare Kol wore, before turning her head to smile up at him. "And I love you Kol."

Kol smiles contently, taking Luna's other hand in his, happily swaying their joint hands back and forth. Kol would be lying if he didn't say he was relieved to see his Angel smile again. He did not mind comforting his mate at all, but he preferred to see her happy. In addition, comforting went a lot better when they weren't in a cold, damp cave.

"Just let me go! Your brother needs my blood!"

Luna frowns a little when she hears the doppelganger's angry shouts. She hadn't paid Elena any mind seeing as she was occupied with worrying about her Mikaelsons and her parents' possible cause of death. "Why did you bring Elena here?"

"We wanted to await your... decision." Finn replies, noticing the way Luna's shoulders tensed slightly at the last word.

"It's your call what happens to them. We know you're not a fan of unnecessary killing so we will understand if you don't want to... kill them." Niklaus adds through slightly gritted teeth.

Niklaus wasn't sure what his mate would do with the doppelganger, so far she had been able to forgive the Scooby gang for their past transgressions. But whatever she wanted to do, he would respect it. If his mate in some miraculous way decided for the doppelganger to live, he would let Elena live, not in a pleasant way of course, but she would live. Niklaus would dump her in one of their cells in the 'pain room' as Luna called it. He would probably need to install some drainage system as to not let her blood go to waste when he tortured her, but he was sure he could come up with something.

• • •

Elena and Tyler were seated on the forest ground near the entrance of the Lockwood cellar, watched closely by Rebekah and Enzo. Enzo was quite thrilled about tonight, he had found his mate, they had saved Luna and now he got to witness some grade A slaughtering of Mikaelson foes.

Tyler had finally regained consciousness and was looking down, mournfully. He knew nothing would save him now, not after deliberately harming Luna. Tyler had never meant for his friends to be harmed while cooperating with the witch and Elena. He wonders briefly if Elena was also aware of the fact she had almost killed her friends in her efforts to get rid of the Mikaelsons.

Elena had finally stopped shouting, partly because she knew she should save her pleading for Niklaus instead of his sister, but also because Rebekah had threatened to tear her tongue from her head if she kept screeching.

When Bonnie exited the cellar with Alaric, Esther and Tyler Elena had tried to catch her notice but the witch hadn't offered her a smidge of attention, she seemed careless towards Elena and her injuries. Alaric was the same, he kept his crossbow aimed at the passed-out witch, his back turned to Elena.

Elena's gaze flies to the entrance of the cellar when she hears a soft giggle. Luna walks up the stairs, hand in hand with Kol, who now looked a lot less frantic and frustrated.

"Luna!" Rebekah breathes, relief noticeable in every line of her body as she runs towards her best friend. She tightly embraces Luna, shaking the girl slightly, which drew a laugh from the brunette.

"Yes yes, your residential booty call is still alive." Luna jokes as she is back on her feet.

"Thank god, what would I have done without?" Rebekah deadpans before pressing a kiss to Luna's cheek. She was glad her brothers once again resembled the image of love-sick puppies instead of their homicidal versions she had seen earlier this evening.

"Booty call?" Finn and Enzo ask simultaneously, both looking confused at the term.

Luna lovingly pats Finn's chest. "Don't worry I will teach you all about that later." Then her eyes land on Tyler and Elena, who had been silent so far.

Elena swallows nervously when she sees Luna's smile drop. All warmth had disappeared from Luna's eyes as she looks down at Elena.

Luna takes in Elena's appearance and her gaze lingers on Elena's hands for a second, which was undoubtedly the work of one of her mates, her money was on Niklaus. "Bonnie, Alaric. You might not want to be here for this." Luna spoke eyes flickering over to the hunter and the witch.

Alaric nods his head and takes his leave, but Bonnie remains, determination clear on her face. Luna nods to herself, accepting their decision. Before she can speak her decision, Esther suddenly wakes with a sharp inhale of breath.

The former witch scrambles into a seated position, looking around disorientated before her eyes land on Luna and her children. Esther looks down at her chest, where the stake had been when she was shot earlier, and sees only a bloodstain on her shirt.

"Ah, right on time." Luna mutters before putting on a cheerful smile, which seemed so over the top that it made even Niklaus feel a bit apprehensive.

Kol grabs hold of Luna's hand again, ready to pull her behind him if Esther tried anything rash, she might not be a witch anymore, but she had a thousand years to get clever and was not one to be underestimated.

"Mommy in law, how good of you to join us." Luna continues before gesturing to Elena and Tyler, who were now both looking at Luna, slightly alarmed at Luna's forcefully bright tone. "Please, take a seat next to your accomplices."

When Esther doesn't immediately move, Luna narrows her eyes slightly and turns to Elijah. "Elijah, please help your dear mother to find her seat."

Elijah briskly steps forward, roughly pulling his mother by the arm and pushing her on her knees in front of Luna. He remains standing behind Esther, ready to restrain her if she attempted to attack Luna.

"Thank you. That's much better." Luna smiles again, looking down on the three people who wanted to hurt her family. She suddenly understood the joy the Mikaelsons seemed to have in administering violence. With all the anger she was feeling she was close to snapping their necks herself.

Luna walks over to where Elijah had dropped the duffel bag and retrieves the knife she had seen earlier. "Esther, seeing as you are such a fan of doppelganger blood, go ahead and take a sip."

Esther seems startled, not sure whether the girl was joking or not.

Elena's eyes widen in panic and she looks from Luna to Esther, this wasn't supposed to happen, she was supposed to be given a lecture or a warning, not be used as a vampire snack. Elena wants to back away but catches the warning look on Niklaus's face, who was standing a little behind Luna. Elena is about to speak up, to convince Niklaus this would be a waste of her doppelganger blood when Luna speaks up again.

"Here, I will even help you." Luna offers, taking a step towards Elena. Elena wants to cower away but Luna takes a tight hold of the girl's neck, grip unrelenting. Luna makes a small cut to the side of Elena's neck before stepping back.

"What the hell?!" Elena shrieks. Her first instinct is to cover her neck with a hand, but seeing as those both stung like crazy at the slightest movement, she could only glare up at Luna, who didn't look remorseful in the slightest. Elena's gaze shifts to the other Mikaelsons, who seemed to take immense pleasure in Elena's current predicament, especially Rebekah.

"Luna, listen to me. I was earnest in my attempt to help you, to save you. You don't have to do this, I can-" Esther tries to reason with Luna, hoping to speak to her sensitive side. She'd rather be killed now than be turned into the thing she despised most. But despite Esther's noble views, the smell of the blood that entered her nostrils smelled alluring. She couldn't stop herself from leaning in towards the doppelganger.

"I didn't ask for your help." Luna replies, looking disinterestedly at Esther. "Now, drink. " Luna hisses, taking a step back to view the spectacle from a little distance.

"If you don't do as our mate says, we will just compel you to do so." Kol chimes in, hoping to hurry this along. The witch was remarkably slow in understanding and it started to annoy him.

Understanding her current position, Esther swipes her index finger over Elena's cut, ignoring the way Elena tries to flinch away and reluctantly consumes the drop. Wincing as she feels her fangs dropping from her gums and an unquenchable thirst settling in her stomach.

Elijah had not bothered to look at his mother's struggle, instead, he had watched Luna carefully, making sure she wasn't just doing this to appease him and his siblings. He had to admit that he quite enjoyed seeing this fierce side of his mate, as long as it wasn't directed at him.

Elijah immediately catches the sawing motion Luna makes in front of her throat and snaps Esther's neck. In his opinion, it would be a nice punishment for the doppelganger to be drained dry by the women she had worked with, but he understood that his mate might have different plans for the selfish girl.

Luna smiles at Elijah, thankful for his assistance. She needed Esther to be a vampire, but that didn't mean she was treating the bitch to a free buffet.

"What do you want to us to do with her, love?" Niklaus asks, smiling kindly at his mate, while gently poking her side to get her attention. He was quite pleased with how things were going right now, perhaps his mate would let them kill the pesky teenagers after all.

"I want the bitch chained up in our basement. She owes me some answers." Luna decides, smiling back at the hybrid.

"God, I love you so much." Niklaus mutters. He was about to throw out another proposal but thought better of it. He was certain his success rates would be higher when his mate wasn't tormenting their wrongdoers, perhaps a nice trip to a European city would do the trick.

Luna shoots him a smug grin before turning back to face Elena and Tyler. "On to more interesting matters."

Luna looks at Tyler, contemplating what to do with the hybrid. He had been a tool for Esther and Elena, a means to an end. She could forgive him for his mistake, but on the other hand, he did try to kill her mates and Rebekah. The boy had been quite problematic throughout the TV series. She was sure part could be blamed on his wolf side, but she also knew not all hybrids and werewolves had acted like complete morons in the show, so that really wasn't an excuse. "Please kill Tyler. He might have been tricked by Elena or Esther, but he did choose to aid them, so he gets to suffer the consequences."

"How can you possibly decide something like that?! You are no better than the Mikaelsons! You can't just kill him for trying to help his friends!" Elena had found her courage back and looked defiantly up at Luna, who didn't even seem fazed at her outburst, which enraged Elena even further.

"Elena, I really need you to shut the fuck up. I never said I was better than the Mikaelsons. Unlike you, I have no desire to be above everyone else." Luna snaps. She wasn't even surprised that it was Elena who would object to her decision instead of Tyler. "You don't even know what kind of damage you would have done if your plan had succeeded. You were so willing to kill my mates but did you know, you would have killed every other vampire as well? Including the Salvatores and Caroline? And let's not forget all the vampire-werewolf hybrids as well."

"No, I didn't mean-" Elena stammers, paling a little at this revelation. Esther had never told her that this would kill all the vampires, but then again she also hadn't explicitly said she would only kill her children with this plan. Her gaze shifts briefly to Bonnie, who also looks stunned.

"Of course you didn't mean to. God, you are so full of shit!" Luna was so upset with the doppelganger that she had no trouble shouting at the already injured girl. "You have no problem with hurting your friends-"

"We aren't friends!" Elena snaps.

"I wasn't talking about me, you self-centered bitch! See this is your problem! Bonnie, Caroline, Jeremy, and plenty others have suffered for you! Everyone has to sacrifice their happiness for yours. There is finally peace between the Salvatores and the Mikaelsons but apparently, that's not good enough for you. Your friends' safety and happiness weren't good enough. You call Niklaus the paranoid one but maybe it's you. Or maybe it's that you couldn't handle not being the center of attention for once! Even now, this is about Tyler and here you are, throwing yourself in the middle of it." Luna rants heatedly, throwing her hands around, trying her best to refrain herself from punching Elena. She should show some restraint, there was no use in abusing the girl further.

"That's rich coming from you." Elena scoffs She knew there was no way she would live after this, or at least not in a humane way, so she might as well give Luna a piece of her mind.

"Excuse you?!"

"Seriously, four soulmates? Who is believing that? You can just say that you're desperate and I don't know what you've done to get my friends to turn against me-" Elena shouts, anger and desperation audible in her voice.

Luna contemplates the girl for a little while. Elena always had a problem with believing that she and the Mikaelsons could be in a relationship, which Luna thought was a bit hypocritical of her seeing as a polyamorous or polyandrous relationship seemed more acceptable in Luna's eyes than cheating on someone.

"Fuck it." Luna mutters, renouncing her earlier thoughts of showing restraint. She steps forwards and punches the ignorant girl in her face. It was a bit below her to strike someone who was already down, but it was also rude to try and kill someone's soulmates, so she couldn't feel too bad about the whole ordeal.

"Shit, I should have recorded that." Rebekah whispers, which earns her a chuckle from Enzo. So far his mate had already gathered quite some footage of the Mikaelson men being violent, but he had a feeling that the human had fewer whims about her than her mates, which made the few violent acts of the girl a bit rarer.

"I don't turn people against each other, that's all you. Your friends are allowed to make their own decisions, and they have chosen. Not that it matters now. You came for the Mikaelsons, my family." Luna hisses, glaring down hard at the doppelganger before looking up at Niklaus.

"You have until next Saturday to get as much blood out of her as possible." Luna decides, remembering the original idea Niklaus had before leaving Mystic Falls. She was sure that if Niklaus only used a small drop of Elena's blood per werewolf that he could last a few centuries with the amount of blood he could draw from her.

Niklaus nods dutifully, happily surprised by Luna's patience regarding the doppelganger's death. He appreciated the fact that Luna had thought of the creation of more hybrids.

"And I don't want her in our home." Luna adds as an afterthought. She could of course have made Elena a blood bag for all of her life, but that seemed a bit too cruel, besides that, it might make the doppelganger over-confident. One week would suffice in gathering enough blood for Niklaus and for the doppelganger to say her final goodbyes.

"Come, my love. Let's get you cleaned up, hmm? Get you in some nice warm pajamas." Finn suggests after taking Luna into his arms, effectively shielding her from the two teenagers. He didn't want Luna to witness the execution that was about to take place. She might have made the order, but the actual persecution of it might be a bit much for his already exhausted mate.

Luna nods while leaning into Finn. The adrenaline and anger that had flooded through her, while berating the three, was subsiding significantly.

Finn picks Luna up in his arms and speeds off, followed closely by Kol who preferred taking care of his mate over the bloodshed. There would be plenty of opportunities to kill teenagers later.

Knowing that Tyler's execution was coming up, Bonnie decides to speak up. "Let me know if you need anything, I don't have to see this part." Bonnie turns on her heel, not even caring to say goodbye to Tyler or Elena. He had almost killed Caroline, the Salvatores, and the Mikaelsons, Bonnie hoped he would have a miserable time on the other side.

"Niklaus was wrong." Elijah muses when Luna, Bonnie, and his brothers are out of sight. He steps closer to Tyler, who seemed to be trembling in fear now, something Elijah took great pleasure in.

"Nothing new there, but do elaborate." Rebekah snarks, looking curious at her brother while walking up to the doppelganger to make sure the girl wouldn't do something stupid like running off.

Niklaus rolls his eyes, wondering what he was going to be berated on now.

"Tyler here..." Elijah places a firm hand on Tyler's shoulder, making the hybrid bend down even further to the ground while sticking his other hand into the boy's back. "Does have a backbone" Elijah grins menacingly before ripping the boy's spine out through his back.

• • •

"Do you want something to eat or drink, Luna?" Finn asks as they enter the foyer. Finn had been insistent on carrying her into their home, afraid to let her go again. Luna hadn't complained.

"Some juice, please." Luna nods her head a little before resting it back on Finn's shoulder. Luna sighs contently as the warmth of the house surrounded her. Vampire speed might be handy, but the cold air wasn't exactly pleasant after already spending hours in the cold caverns.

"Coming right up, Angel." Kol replies dutifully before walking off to the kitchen.

"Alright, let's get you cleaned up before Kol claims your attention again." Finn teases, making his way upstairs.

"I heard that Finn!" Kol shouts, smiling to himself as he hears Luna's giggles.

Upon seeing the leftover pancakes from breakfast Kol decides to reheat those. His mate looked like she could use some food in her belly after the eventful night. He carefully stacks the pancakes, making sure the stack looked as pretty as possible. Finn might be the kitchen princess, but he wasn't too bad either seeing as Finn had given him some pointers. Since the dinner party with the Scooby gang he had never again burnt bread in the oven, an achievement he and Luna had been quite proud of.

• • •

"I don't regret my decision..." Luna mumbles.

Finn hums, patiently waiting for his mate to continue speaking while grabbing a washcloth and wetting it. He knew the grime on her arms and legs required a bath or shower, but he wanted to clean the blood from her face first, along with the dirtiest parts of her legs.

Finn and Luna had made their way to Luna's room, which was a bit odd to her, seeing as she normally slept in one of the rooms of the Mikaelson men, she only used the room for her clothes and to store items she had brought from her own universe, like her vase Susan and some of her smaller artworks that she couldn't part with.

"Does that make me a bad person?" Luna asks bashfully, dangling her legs a little from her position on the countertop and looking interestedly at Finn's hands which were wringing the washcloth to get rid of the access water.

"I don't think I can be the judge of good or bad, but I do think your decision came forth out of love. Your love for us, which I am very grateful for." Finn replies softly. He would have never thought he would approve of murder, but he also never thought he could accept his vampire nature or build a strong relationship with his siblings again, so things do change for the better sometimes. Besides that, he could never be upset with Luna for wanting to protect them, after all, that was all his brothers and his sister wanted for her as well, to be safe.

Finn takes a stance between Luna's legs, carefully brushing away the dried-up blood at her temple with the washcloth.

"Tickles." Luna complains half-heartedly, placing her hands on Finn's chest, tracing small patterns on his dress shirt. "Thank you, Finn. Love you." Luna murmurs after stifling a yawn.

Finn lets out a satisfied rumble, happy that he was able to care for his mate, and leans in to press a kiss on Luna's jaw. "I love you."

"Can I ask you something?" Luna asks meekly while eyeing the wide variety of bath salts and shower gels she hadn't noticed before.

"Always." Finn replies automatically, still nosing at Luna's throat, arms wrapping around her.

"How many people did you guys kill tonight?" Luna asks softly. This question had been at the tip of her tongue all evening seeing as the last time she had gone missing the Mikaelson men had taken it upon themselves to redecorate the mansion with thirty corpses.

"Some." Finn admits reluctantly, he had wanted to take his mate's mind away from death and pain. "Do not worry yourself, little one. It is being taken care of."

Finn plants a kiss on Luna's temple and leans back to look at Luna. When he sees that she nods, somewhat appeased with his answer, he turns around to turn on the faucet of the bathtub. Finn sticks his hand under the faucet, checking the temperature before pouring in some of Luna's lavender oil. Surely the calming scent would help his mate to fall asleep tonight.

"Room service!" Kol announces as he makes a dramatic entrance into the bathroom with a tray in his hand. He had even taken the effort to drape a tea towel over his arm.

Luna beams at Kol. "Look, it is the complimentary vampire again." Luna jokes, prodding Finn in his side to get his attention, who in turn hums and exits the bathroom to gather her sleepwear.

"Oui oui, complimentary vampire at your service, again," Kol replies in a somewhat convincing French accent. He places the tray on a chest of drawers and hands Luna the plate of pancakes before placing the glass next to her.

Kol might have gotten a little too enthusiastic with decorating Luna's plate, seeing as the pancakes were smothered with fruit, chocolate, honey, and butter. The total looked like a kid's dream dessert.

"Hmm, midnight pancakes, my favorite. Thank you, honey." Luna brushes her fingers against Kol's jaw before pressing a kiss to his cheek.

"You are very welcome, Angel." Kol replies.

Chapter Text

"Psst... Bekah."

"Bekah... are you awake?"

"What?" Rebekah groans, reluctantly opening her eyes. She had a very nice, Enzo-related dream and this person better had a very good reason to wake her. Rebekah supresses an eyeroll as she sees Luna. "Why are you sitting on my stomach again?"

"Because it is easier to talk to you this way." Luna shrugs, before smiling broadly at her friend, happy to see her awake. If Rebekah hadn't woken up she would have to take more drastic measures, which may or may not include a bucket of water.

"No, it isn't." Rebekah deadpans, letting out a long-suffering sigh before turning her bedside lamp on.

"Hmm it is for me. Besides that, you have to be nice to me because I got kidnapped." Luna nods, agreeing with her own statement.

Rebekah sighs in defeat, not even wanting to know what time it was. "Fine."

"Do you want some pasta?." Luna offers the blonde a spoonful of macaroni. She had been too lazy to make something fancy for herself.

"No thank you Luna." Rebekah gently pushes the spoon away, making sure not to spill anything on her satin sheets. She frowns, it had been a while since Luna had woken her up like this. "Why are you already up? Aren't you exhausted?"

"Yes, but I had a nightmare." Luna admits, looking down at her bowl, poking listlessly at the macaroni.

Images of her dream flash before Luna's eyes of how Kol had torn into her throat, the feeling of her blood spilling out of her neck, covering her in the warm sticky liquid. She vaguely remembers the sound of breaking bones, her bones. Luna blinks, trying to rid herself of the intrusive images, she knew the Mikaelsons wouldn't hurt her like that, it was just her brain playing tricks with her.

"And you decided to cook pasta and sit on top of me instead of waking one of my brothers?" Rebekah asks rhetorically while fixing Luna with a disbelieving look.

Luna shrugs. Finn and Kol had already taken care of her last night, smothering her in attention and affection and she felt guilty for asking even more attention just because she had a nightmare. "I didn't want to bother them and the pasta cheers me up." Luna mumbles, setting the pasta on Rebekah's nightstand, appetite gone.

Rebekah raises her eyebrows. So far Luna didn't exactly look cheered up by the food. "And you don't mind bothering me because?"

"Because we're best friends... and once again, you have to be nice to me." Luna looks expectantly at Rebekah, expecting a bit more support from her best friend. She had seen plenty of movies where best friends call each other in the middle of the night for emotional support.

Luna had contemplated calling Stefan but thought the vampire might not appreciate that, besides that, why would she call Stefan when she had a best friend living with her.

Rebekah sighs before nodding, her friend did seem in need of some comfort or at least some distraction. "Alright, do you want to talk about it?" Rebekah asks, sitting up straighter, pushing Luna off her stomach and into her lap.

"No thank you." Luna shakes her head, thinking for a moment about a different topic before smiling brightly at the blonde. "I just realized we haven't gossiped about the fact you have a soulmate."

Now that Rebekah also had her soulmate they could gossip and compare soulmate things. Maybe they could convince their mates to do yard work in tanktops and then Rebekah and she could look on from a distance with cocktails in their hands, like in those best friend movies.

"We did talk about it." Rebekah points out before realizing that Luna might have forgotten because of the excitement of last night's events. "During the dance." She clarifies.

"Yes but that wasn't gossiping. Your brothers were there." Luna replies in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Hmm alright. Let's gossip." Rebekah agrees, rubbing her eyes to get rid of the sleep.

"It's very exciting, isn't it? Now we can both boss around men." Luna smirks at Rebekah. She knew the Mikaelson brothers were less likely to cave to Rebekah's demands ever since they met Luna, but she was sure Enzo would happily follow the blonde's every command.

"Yes, that is indeed the most exciting part." Rebekah deadpans. She wonders if Enzo would be just as much of a love-sick puppy as Kol and Niklaus were, or if the man would be a bit more level-headed. She had enjoyed the way Enzo had silently supported her last night, comforting her when she needed it without asking him to.

"Do you like him?" Luna asks while grinning cheekily at her friend who had started to blush a little.

"Yes." Rebekah replies immediately.

"Do you love him?"

"I can't tell you that." Rebekah shakes her head, smiling at the absurdness of this conversation. She was all too familiar with Luna's terrible communication skills in the early mornings.

"Hmm, when can you tell me?" Luna hums, not at all bothered by the blonde's strange facial expressions.

"When I know."

"Alright. That's fair." Luna nods, agreeing. "When is he moving in?" She fully expected her and Enzo to become best friends as well, he was sort of going to be her brother-in-law after all. Perhaps they could all have a sleep-over downstairs.

"Enzo?"

"No Damon." Luna deadpans, poking Rebekah's stomach. "Yes Enzo."

Rebekah grabs hold of Luna's hand, halting her actions. "I don't know, unlike with you there is no real need for him to move in. I think we want to go on a few dates first."

"Aw, that's romantic." Luna sighs happily, already picturing a picnic in a Monet-like surrounding, perhaps even on a boat. "I also want to go on a date- hey maybe I can join you gu-"

"Angel?" Kol opens the bedroom door apprehensively. He had woken up to an empty bed and was about to shout the entire house awake in a frenzy when he heard his mate's voice coming from his sister's room. "You're here, sitting on my sister... again."

"Hi Kol, I made pasta, do you want some?" Luna turns her head to look at Kol, smiling brightly at the sight of her mate.

"No thank you, darling. Come, let's go back to bed. We can cuddle." Kol suggests, already walking up to the bed and lifting Luna from Rebekah's lap.

"Oh, I'd like that, bye Bekah!" Luna shouts as Kol is already carrying her through the door.

• • •

"Goodmorning, 'Lijah. Where are Finn and Nik?" Luna asks, walking up to Elijah who was preparing breakfast. She wanted to get the whole explanation of last night over with as soon as possible and she'd rather only do it once.

"Finn is in the study and Niklaus is dealing with some hybrid business." Elijah replies before pressing a kiss to Luna's temple. "He will be back soon."

"M'kay." Luna mumbles, leaning into Elijah and wrapping her arms around him.

It was obvious that Elijah was hinting at the Elena situation and Luna didn't want to think too much about the doppelganger. In a week the girl would be dead and Niklaus could make as many hybrids as his heart desired.

Luna's eyes widen slightly when she notices a pile of flour and glass shards on the floor near one of the cupboards. "What happened?"

"Kol happened. He wanted to... help." Elijah sighs, wrapping his arm around Luna. He had suffered Kol's hyperactive mood all morning.

Because Kol had successfully prepared Luna's midnight snack the previous night, he had felt the need to boast about his culinary skills to Elijah, which ended up with the vampire dropping the pot of flour and an annoyed Elijah.

"In my defense, Eli, you've left me unsupervised." Kol retorts, walking into the kitchen with a dustpan. He smiles upon seeing Luna. Kol had let his mate sleep in this morning, knowing she needed her sleep, especially after her early morning escapade.

"Of course." Elijah replies, rolling his eyes and guiding Luna to the couch, her breakfast in hand, leaving Kol to clean up his mess.

• • •

"Nik!" Luna complains as Niklaus keeps tickling her sides. She slaps Niklaus's chest with the sleeve of her sweater hoping to halt his torture, which earns her a nip to her throat from the hybrid.

"Perhaps next time you shouldn't tease me like that, then you can avoid this kind of retaliation in the future." Niklaus mocks, poking Luna's side and drawing more giggles from his mate. Niklaus was in a splendid mood after coming back from checking on the doppelganger. He had the doppelganger locked away in her own home, at Bonnie's sugesstion. He had first thought of securing her away in a dark, damp cellar but thought better of it and listened to Bonnie.

Bonnie had been serious in her offer of helping the Mikaelsons, she was willing to carry her weight when it came to maintaining the peace in Mystic Falls. Luna had urged Bonnie that she didn't want Bonnie to feel obliged to help them, but Bonnie didn't mind much. The sealing spell was easy enough and it eased her consciousness a little towards Jeremy.

This way Elena could spend the last few days in a semi-normal environment before Rebekah eventually rips her heart out. Niklaus and Rebekah had bickered a bit about who would get the honors, but Niklaus had eventually caved, quite content already with the blood supply.

As soon as Niklaus got home he had settled himself on the couch beside his mate, in need of some affection since he had not seen her since last night. Luna had been overjoyed to have him back home and immediately snuggled up with him. She was watching a movie which of course was about dogs. After the fourth dog joke Luna and Kol had cracked, Niklaus had turned the TV off and decided to seek a little retribution for Luna's cheek.

"I don't know I thought they were pretty spot on. But please, do fur-give me." Luna grins up at Niklaus, who lets out a playful growl before attacking her sides again.

Rebekah's fake gagging can be heard from the other side of the room but is ignored by the two on the couch. She couldn't really say much, fearing her brothers might use it against her when she and Enzo got comfortable with each other.

Luna and Niklaus's banter is interrupted by the sound of the bell.

"I'll get it." Kol rises from the couch and quickly makes his way to the front door, ready to shoo away the person who was intruding on their lazy morning.

Luna pokes her head up from Niklaus's embrace, curious to see who was visiting, but got distracted when Niklaus started to smother her face with kisses.

"Kol." Stefan greets as the door opens. He, Damon, and Caroline had successfully clean the school up last night and had even compelled all the parents of the deceased children. Stefan and Damon had managed to wait until now to visit the Mikaelsons, both eager to know how Luna was doing. Bonnie had already informed them of Tyler and Elena's fate.

"Salvatores." Kol replies in an even tone, trying to hide his annoyance at seeing the Salvatores this early in the day. Surely the two vampires could go a day without disturbing their peace.

"How is she?" Stefan asks, trying to peek past Kol to get a glimpse into the mansion.

"She's resting, go away." Kol says shortly, tapping his foot impatiently, waiting for the vampires to take their leave.

Damon looks unimpressed at Kol's outlandish behavior. Sure, Damon himself wasn't high on etiquette either but this was plain rude. "Is she-"

"I said go away. Your presence will not improve my mate's wellbeing." Kol grumbles, pushing the door closed only to be stopped by Damon's foot.

Kol glares at the intruding body part and slams the door even harder, which provokes a growl of pain from Damon. Sighing in resignation Kol opens the door again, fixing the Salvatores with an aggravated expression.

Damon makes a face, looking annoyed at Kol. Besides almost breaking his foot, he found it insulting for Kol to insinuate that his sparkling personality could not improve Luna's mood. He was sure a few inappropriate dog jokes from his side would work wonders. "We just-"

"Kol?" Luna asks as she walks up to the door. She was curious to see who Kol was arguing with and had successfully escaped Niklaus's embrace, despite his protests.

"Angel? You should be resting." Kol scolds, turning around to his mate, ready to herd her back to the couch after slamming the door closed in the faces of the Salvatores.

"Kol, I have rested all morning and I can't have you shouting at our friends" Luna reasons, patting Kol's chest. She was glad he wasn't growling yet.

"We wanted to check up on you." Stefan offers, smiling triumphantly at Kol.

"Your friends." Kol correct, shooting the younger Salvatore a scowl.

Luna rolls her eyes, remembering vividly that he and Damon had been close enough to get undressed together. Luna steps past Kol to the Salvatores, pulling Stefan into a tight embrace. She was grateful for them to check up on her. Finn had told her that the Salvatores had helped them last night. "Hi Stefan, how are you?"

Stefan freezes for a moment, looking hesitantly at Kol. He didn't mind hugging Luna, but he'd rather not get his head torn off for it. When he sees Kol huff and stomping off he wraps his arms around Luna.

"I'm fine now. I was so worried for you, we both were. Damon was close to a breakdown." Stefan whispers in Luna's ear which earns him a snicker from the girl.

"Was not." Damon grumbles, folding his arms in front of his chest, immediately dropping them when Luna turns to him for a hug.

"Don't ever do that again, dumbass." Damon warns, putting on a stern expression despite Luna not being able to see it.

"What, get kidnapped by my mother-in-law and one of your ex-girlfriends?" Luna sasses, raising a skeptical brow.

"You know what I mean." Damon replies, rolling his eyes good-naturedly.

"I do, thank you Damon." Luna replies, patting his back.

"Alright, that's enough hugging men that aren't your mates." Niklaus interrupts, swiftly scooping his mate back into his arms. He had walked up to the door after a grumbling Kol stomped into the living room, complaining about 'stupid Salvatores'. He wasn't too happy to see his mate in the arms of the Salvatore but he allowed it, for now, they had after all contributed to his mate's return.

Luna turns her head to press a kiss to Niklaus's jaw, appreciating that he hadn't threatened or killed the Salvatores. "No Enzo?"

"He has asked Jeremy to introduce him to the world of video games. They are probably stealing cars and blasting zombie brains out by now." Damon waves his hand flippantly.

"Good." Luna nods, happy that Enzo was keeping Jeremy occupied. "Come in, it's about time we let you in on my little secret."

Damon and Stefan share a look before entering the house.

• • •

"We're a TV show..." Stefan blinks, looking flabbergasted at Luna who had just come clean to the Salvatores. "Like... an actual TV show."

"That's what she said, yes." Kol huffs, still not happy that the Salvatores were intruding on their alone time.

"Be nice, honey." Luna whispers, taking Kol's hand in hers. Kol lets out a dramatic sigh before pulling Luna onto his lap. If he had to endure the presence of the Salvatores, he might as well make himself comfortable. He gently drapes the blanket Luna was previously under over her legs, keeping her nice and warm.

"So you've seen all that has happened in our lives?" Damon asks carefully, not exactly comfortable with Luna knowing every bad thing he had done in the past. The girl was already mothering Stefan in a way and he didn't feel like receiving a lecture on his past transgressions.

"Yes, well to a certain extent. I know about Ripper Stefan, Lexi, how you've both fallen for Katherine, and how Damon was an Augustine vampire, that's why I knew about Enzo." Luna decides not to mention that their mother is very much still alive in a prison world, along with a herd of crazy heretics that she had adopted.

"Is this why you were rude to me when we first met?" Damon asks curiously.

"Yes, I know how you hurt Caroline when you moved back here a few years ago. I didn't exactly have you in high regard because of that." Luna replies nonchalantly. "I was planning on stabbing you for it... but you've proven that you've changed."

"Glad I dodged that bullet." Damon mutters, cringing a little at the memory of how he had treated the blonde.

"Alright, now that the two intruders are successfully caught up, which in my opinion was completely unnecessary," Niklaus shoots Damon and Stefan an unimpressed look before settling himself beside Kol and Luna, smiling kindly at his mate. "Will you please tell us what happened last night, love?"

"Of course." Luna nods, giving Niklaus a nervous smile. "You already know the part of how Tyler compelled me and took me across the salt border. He halfway knocked me out and he got me into the Lockwood caverns, where I woke up."

"Mutt." Kol grumbles, digging his nose in the crook of Luna's neck.

"So not only did the Lockwood boy compel you he also had his filthy paws on you?" Niklaus growls lowly at the thought of Tyler touching his mate, he should have cut the boy's hands off before Elijah got his way with him.

"Filthy paws...look who's talking... get it?" Damon elbows Finn, who sends Damon a small smile before focussing back on his mate.

"You're a never-ending source of jokes, aren't you?" Niklaus lets out a suffering sigh.

"I should have extended the execution of the boy." Elijah mutters bitterly.

Rebekah grins. "But you did it with so much purpose, besides that, the joke was nice. I always appreciate humor and murdering."

"We're getting side-tracked," Luna mumbles, pulling on Niklaus's sleeve to get him to stop glowering at the wall. One broken wall per year was sufficient in her opinion.

"Apologies, love." Niklaus nods curtly, encouraging his mate to continue.

"I woke up and Esther started her routine of down talking her own family. Tyler found out that by killing the Mikaelsons all the vampires and werewolf-vampire hybrids would also die."

"What?!" Damon chokes on his drink, barely managing to keep the alcohol in his mouth.

"Oh shit, yes. Umm if one of them dies their entire sireline dies." Luna blushes a little for forgetting that tidbit of information in her earlier explanation. "Including you guys."

"Tyler, Elena, and Esther wanted to kill all vampires?" Stefan asks, frowning a little.

"No, Esther did. Tyler and Elena wanted the Mikaelsons dead, not knowing it would also mean your deaths." Luna corrects, ignoring Elijah's snarl and Niklaus's slight growl.

"Anyway, Tyler knocked me out again and Esther did some mind torture thing. I watched on as my mates murdered people... until my heart was ripped out by one of you." Luna says vaguely, not wanting to point fingers seeing as it would most likely lead to useless discussion.

It was however not necessary to name anyone seeing as everyone immediately turned to face Elijah.

Elijah scoffs a little at this. "As if I would ever hurt my Luna." Indignation was clear in his voice along with a little hurt. Did his brothers truly think he could harm their mate in such a way?

"What's important is that it wasn't real." Luna nods a little, trying to also convince herself of this fact. This night's nightmare had a similar theme to the first dream and it had unnerved her more than she would have liked, she would be sure to inform Esther about this later.

"Did you have a similar nightmare this morning?" Rebekah asks carefully. Her eyes narrow at Luna when she sees the brunette averting her gaze. She was certain this meant that Luna hadn't informed Kol or any of her other mates of this fact.

"You had a nightmare?" Kol asks, trying his best not to sound too insulted that his mate had kept this from him. He was certain he could have comforted her. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"It was just a bad dream. I'm sorry, I didn't want to bother you." Luna stammers, feeling a little flustered.

"You could never bother me." Kol promises. "Please tell me next time." Pleased to see his mate's agreement he presses a kiss to her jaw, ready for her to continue her story.

• • •

"How would she kill us? There is no more white oak." Rebekah asks, looking puzzled. "Right?"

"There is actually. I only remembered it last night." Luna swallows. "When you were children, Niklaus gave you a wooden knight. It was made of white oak."

"Don't even." Niklaus snaps, glaring at Rebekah, already expecting his sister to have an outburst. He had as much influence on this as he had on the turning of the earth.

"Idiot." Rebekah mutters under her breath before launching a pillow at Niklaus's head, not able to resist.

"Esther didn't plan on using white oak though. The first vampire you've turned, Lucien Castle, in the TV show he became what's known as an Upgraded Original. A vampire who can kill Originals with their bite." Luna's gaze involuntarily drifts to Finn while telling this.

"Lucien?! That little asshole!" Rebekah shouts while jumping up from the couch, ready to punch the non-present vampire.

Luna looks taken aback by Rebekah's furious expression but also understood that the blonde wanted any threat to Enzo and her family eliminated. "We can still stop that from happening." Luna assures.

Niklaus fixes Rebekah, who was still standing in a fight position, with an unimpressed look, and hurls a pillow right back in her face, urging her to retake her seat. There was no point in preparing for a fight that isn't taking place right now.

"The thing is, Esther wanted to make Tyler a similar creature, making his bite lethal to you guys." Luna continues after Rebekah had retaken her seat, still muttering bitterly.

"Why did she kidnap you, my love? My mother was never one for unnecessarily harming humans" Finn asks carefully, before realizing Esther might not be too fond of Luna after getting punched in the face by her.

"She wanted to link you guys like she had attempted to do at the ball, this way Tyler would only have to bite one of you. This time using my blood instead of one of yours."

"How would that work? You don't share our blood." Elijah muses wryly.

"The soulmate bond, it connects me in a way to the Mikaelsons and indirectly their blood? I'm not sure about the details. Esther thought it'd be easier to kidnap a human than an Original, but she couldn't take the blood for the spell from me by force, I had to give it willingly. Which is why... she tried to persuade me." Luna grabs hold of Kol's hand, deciding to fidget with his fingers instead of scratching at her own hands.

"With what did she try to persuade you, love?" Niklaus asks gently, noticing Luna's increased heartbeat. She seemed nervous and he wonders if she was nervous about whatever it was Esther had on her, or because she was anxious for their reactions.

"My parents died a few years ago." Luna leans back against Kol, who starts to hug her even tighter while nuzzling at her neck.

"I'm sorry for your loss." Stefan whispers, feeling the need to offer his condolences.

"Thank you, Stefan. It was a house fire, caused by me. I left the kettle on the fire-" Luna swallows, blinking away the tears. She didn't want to cry again so she decides to skip over the details for now. "Yesterday Esther hinted that it was a vampire who killed my parents, not me."

"But in your universe..." Damon asks, stopping his sentence halfway when he sees Kol's glare, obviously not happy that Damon interrupted Luna.

"There aren't supposed to be any vampires in my universe, but they apparently slip through sometimes" Luna frowns a little while gathering her thoughts. "So, umm, she said a vampire killed them, which I think was meant for me to turn on you guys, to hate vampires all of a sudden."

Finn let out an irritated guttural, unimpressed by his mother's attempt to turn his mate against them. Seeing as Luna had accepted his vampire nature before him, he didn't deem it possible that Luna would turn against them so easily.

"Esther promised me that she would bring my parents back to life if I helped her. She would even send me back to my original universe with them." Luna doesn't look anyone in the eye, not wanting to see their reaction to this news.

"Did you-would you have..." Niklaus looks at Luna, not sure how to exactly word his thoughts. He would fully understand if Luna wanted her family back, but the thought of possibly being betrayed by his mate like that stung nonetheless.

"No, no. I wouldn't have." Luna shakes her head, quickly grabbing hold of Niklaus's hands. "I would love to see my parents again, but I would never bargain your lives. I love you too much for that."

Luna looks down at their clasped hands before looking back up into Niklaus's eyes. She knew Niklaus was sensitive in that regard, fearing betrayal of the ones he held closest to his heart.

Niklaus looks up as his mate uses his full name. He squeezes her hands softly, wanting to kick himself for the worried expression he had put on his mate's face.

Kol glares overLuna's head at Niklaus, not appreciating the fact that Niklaus had given Luna the feeling she wasn't trustworthy to them. This glare was answered with an irritated snarl from the hybrid.

"I believe and trust you entirely." Niklaus promises, pressing a kiss to Luna's knuckles, glad to see Luna relax a little at his words.

"What a lovely circle of trust." Damon interjects, grinning brightly upon seeing Niklaus's expression changing from heartfelt to annoyed. "When you are done holding hands and speaking affirmations, do continue with the story, Luna."

Chapter Text

"Matt." Elena frowns a little as she opens the door.

"Elena." Matt greets, sending Elena an awkward half-smile. "How are you?" He felt like hitting himself for his tactlessness but there was no use now the words had already left his mouth.

"What do you think?" Elena snaps, folding her arms in front of her chest. She couldn't believe the nerve of Matt to ask her how she was doing, she was being used as a blood bag with her expiration date already determined. Unless any of her former friends came with an escape plan they were of little use to her.

Bonnie hadn't exchanged a single word with Elena when sealing her inside her home. Elena had tried to coax Bonnie into helping her instead of Niklaus by rambling about their past friendship but the witch had been indifferent, which amused Niklaus thoroughly.

Elena had hoped on a visit from one of the Salvatores but neither of them had shown their faces so far. It was pretty clear to Elena that they too had abandoned her.

"I'm sorry." Matt mutters. Recollecting himself he holds out the basket with various care items Caroline had composed. Despite choosing not to aid Elena, the blonde had wanted to make Elena's last days a bit more comfortable by treating her to her favorite bath and skin products. Unlike Matt, Caroline didn't want to visit Elena, not wanting to make things more difficult for herself. "Caroline got you this-"

"And where is Caroline? Not here. Just like Bonnie, Stefan, Damon! And you know why? Because of the Mikaelsons! The enemy you've all decided to side with! Just leave me alone!" Elena rambles heatedly before slamming the front door shut. It was time for yet another blood-draining session and she didn't want to talk to anyone unless they were trying to get her out of the hell that was her own home.

Matt blinks at the door that was just slammed in his face, not sure if he should try again. After a minute of contemplating he decides to take his loss and return the basket to Caroline, perhaps she knew what to do with it.

• • •

"Elskan." Elijah strides up to his mate who looked ready to head out.

"Oh hi, 'Lijah." Luna turns around to face him, smiling up at him while fumbling a little with her keys. She might have protested Niklaus's offer to buy her another car during the dinner party, but she did love the vehicle he got her, especially the seat warmers were appreciated during these colder months.

"Where were you going?" Elijah asks as calmly as he could, not wanting to make his concern audible. It had been less than 24 hours since his mate had been taken from him and he'd rather keep a close eye on her.

"I wanted to go to the grill Check in how everyone's doing after-" Luna replies before getting cut off by Elijah who started to gently tug at her arm to guide her away from the door.

"No need for that dearest." Elijah replies smoothly, taking Luna's keys from her hand as well as her shoulder bag. "They can come here, doesn't that sound better, hmm?" Elijah coaxes.

"I guess... but I think it's unnecessary to let everyone drive here." Luna replies while halting her walking, growing a little annoyed that Elijah already seemed to have decided for her instead of discussing it like two adults.

"I am certain they are more than willing to take the journey." Elijah promises, a slight tilt of impatience in his voice. If Luna kept throwing glances at the door he might have to throw her over his shoulder. He was confident he could persuade the teenagers to come over per Luna's request, if not, there was always the option of disembowelment.

"Alright." Luna agrees reluctantly.

"Come now, Elskan. Finn notified me that he would like to try that new recipe with you." Elijah hums, hoping to avoid further discussion. If his attempt to persuade Luna with the prospect of baking didn't work he could try the sex route, as Niklaus had done in the past.

"The madeleines?" Luna asks eagerly, her irritation instantly disappearing and a smile forming on her face. "The pan came in?" She had been eager to bake madeleines all week. She and Finn had looked up madeleine pans online and ordered three kinds, but the wait was killing her.

Elijah nods, smiling down at his mate who now looked like she wanted to speed walk towards the kitchen, plans of leaving long forgotten.

"Finn!" Luna calls, practically bouncing into the kitchen, a wide enthusiastic smile plastered on her face.

"Luna." Finn walks up to his mate and presses a kiss on her forehead in greeting. He exchanges a look with Elijah, both pleased with the outcome of the situation.

"A little birdie told me that we can make madeleines!" Luna cheers grinning up at Finn, who nods and points to the kitchen island where the pans were already stalled out, as well as the ingredients necessary for the treats.

"And what a dull bird it must be!" Niklaus calls, entering the kitchen. He pokes Luna's side as he walks up to the three, looking interestedly at the equipment.

Elijah merely rolls his eyes before taking a seat at the island, looking on as Finn and Luna put on their aprons and start to work on the batter.

• • •

"So, how does this make us prettier?" Kol asks, impatiently bouncing his leg as Luna smears some questionable-looking goo on his face. He wasn't exactly complaining seeing as his mate was straddling him, but the skincare experience was strange to him nonetheless. As a Viking, he never cared much for skincare and as a vampire, he had no skin troubles as other adolescents did.

"It calms your skin, hydrates it." Luna hums. She wonders briefly if vampires got acne in the first place, but decides not to ask Kol. She had too much fun with their pampering activity. She wonders briefly if they would let her polish their nails as well, Kol would be down for it if she told him it was the new trend, Niklaus not so much.

The madeleines she and Finn had made were cooling and Luna had wanted to do facemasks with Rebekah but she had run off to do some last-minute shopping, so after some begging and lots of kisses, Kol and Niklaus had reluctantly agreed to do the facemasks with her.

"See, already prettier." Luna gushes, softly pressing a kiss to Kol's closed eyes before placing two slices of cucumber on them. She proceeds to order him to stay still as she had done with Niklaus.

Niklaus, who was already covered in the green goo, was in dire need of some attention from his mate. Listening to his little brother and mate's giggling wasn't exactly his definition of a good time. Niklaus lets his hand wander in the direction of his mate, smirking when he finds her hip. His victory is however short-lived as Luna hops off the couch. He lets out a huff, not enjoying the prospect of having to sit still for the next fifteen minutes without his mate's affections.

Elijah snickers as he sees his youngest brothers getting bossed around by their mate. He knew all too well that he would have been in the same position if Luna hadn't had enough with Kol and Niklaus.

Walking up to Luna he wraps his arms around her, nuzzling contentedly at her neck. "They look remarkably... zen, perhaps we should take a picture of this memorable activity?" Elijah suggests, a lewd grin playing at his lips while stroking Luna's sides.

"Hmm, we can hang it next to the ones Rebekah took of you guys arguing at the decade dance." Luna teases. Rebekah had made quite the spectacle of showing Luna what idiots her brothers had been during Luna's absence. Rebekah had been insistent on using a beamer to really get her brothers' stupidity across.

Elijah lets out a low rumble, clearly disapproving of this idea. "Or, we can remove the entire Idiot gallery and hang something nicer there, like that Van Gogh painting Niklaus has recently... acquired." He did not particularly approve of Niklaus's hobby of stealing precious artworks, but he too enjoyed Luna's elated expression when she saw her favorite work of her favorite artist in their home.

"Nice try." Luna replies. Before she can listen to any more of Elijah's objections the doorbell rings. Luna frees herself from Elijah's hold and sprints to the front door.

"Damon, again?" Luna looks happily surprised at Damon, who had left their house only three hours ago. "Sweetie, I know we said our door was always open, but this..."

"Luna! You take him!" Damon tugs harshly at Enzo's arm and pushes him towards Luna, who stumbles backward, landing on her behind.

"Rude." Luna grumbles, glaring up at Damon, who hadn't bothered to check on her, instead, he rambles on.

"I'm getting sick of this love shit nonsense, he keeps wanting to talk about Rebekah's pretty eyes. Stupid vampire soulmate thing. Gosh, when did my life become this complicated?" Damon complains, making several annoyed and disgusted facial expressions.

"They are pretty." Luna mumbles.

"They are." Enzo agrees, nodding his head and picking Luna up from the floor.

"Thank you, Enzo." Luna smiles at Enzo before dusting her pants off and shooting Damon an irritated look.

"To be honest, I'd rather be dealing with another vampire-tracking device than this." Damon continues, leaning against the doorframe and letting out a suffering sigh. The overall return of his friend had been disappointing, the man preferred hanging out with Rebekah and Luna to him, which was a little insulting. Damon too enjoyed bothering the Mikaelsons, but he had hoped for some more 'bro-time'. Lucky him Alaric was always available for a drink.

"Hands off my mate, Bakewell tart!" Kol shouts from the couch, eyes still covered with cucumber slices. After all, his mate had ordered him to stay still and who was he to go against her. Kol waves his arm around threateningly, accidentally slapping Niklaus in his face.

"Ow, Kol! Watch it." Niklaus growls, slapping Kol in the chest.

In response to this Kol wipes his hand, which was now covered in the facemask, onto Niklaus's shirt.

"Bakewell tart... that's not very original." Enzo rolls his eyes good-naturedly. He was pretty sure the nicknames would be a reoccurring theme, so he might as well critique them.

"Shut your pretty face!" Kol shouts, flinging a remote into the foyer, actually hitting Damon in his face with dead accuracy.

"What the hell?!" Damon growls. He is about to throw the remote back but decides against it when he sees Luna's expression.

"Thanks pal." Enzo remarks dryly, ignoring Damon's whining and pouting. "Where is Rebekah?" Enzo asks, turning to Luna for an answer. He had hoped to catch a glimpse of the blonde by now.

"Bekah is shopping." Luna replies before narrowing her eyes slightly. Another part of the best friend movies she had seen was threatening their newly acquired boyfriends or girlfriends. "Just so you know, I had her first and if you hurt her I will make Augustine look like a walk in the park."

"That sounds fair." Enzo agrees. He wasn't entirely sure how Luna would do that but decides not to question it, the human would surely find a way.

"How are you? After last night?" Enzo asks, suddenly remembering the unfortunate happenings that played out last night.

"I'm alright, thank you. Please come in." Luna makes an airily gesture in the direction of the living room. She preferred to talk as little as possible about what had happened, it made her a bit uncomfortable. Despite their efforts to conceal it, Luna knew it also caused distress to her mates.

Luna understands she still has to talk to Esther, but that could wait a little longer. She made a mental note that she should also ask the ex-witch about her nightmares.

"Don't mind if I do." Damon calls, striding into the mansion for the second time that day, followed by Stefan who shoots Luna an apologetic smile. "Do I smell cake?!" Damon calls, already nearing the kitchen.

"Idiot." Jeremy scoffs, entering the mansion next. He had tagged along with the Salvatores and Enzo, in need of some distraction. Alaric had offered to test him on his history knowledge for an upcoming test, but he preferred to visit the chaotic Mikaelson household.

"Hi Jeremy." Luna greets shooting Jeremy a small smile.

"Hey Luna. I'm happy to see you all healed up again." Jeremy replies kindly. He didn't see the use in holding a grudge against the girl. If someone had kidnapped Bonnie to kill him he too would seek some form of retaliation.