a/n: There were a lot of really nice comments at the end of the last chapter and I just wanna say thank you.
The Red-Riding convo made me v happy so love that other people liked it too. I kinda hate chapters atm (minus Klaus and MJ) so seeing the feedback made me feel really gooey inside.
I'm gonna try and post 3 chapters through the next 24 hours as a thank you.
I've pre-written a lot, my posting schedule is for last minute editing 😂
Remember to comment and vote if you want this to happen more xx - Bea

~***~

MJ woke up the following morning, nice and early, running through a collection of yoga positions to keep her flexibility up, strengthen her core, and put her in a good mindset for the day – because she was sure that it was going to be a long one.

Her zen vibe was ruined by Rebekah stomping past her room to head downstairs for breakfast.

MJ knew Klaus was already down there. She knew the siblings were angry with each other. And MJ knew she was not in the mood to deal with it, packing up her things and sneaking out of the window to avoid being pulled into the fight.

She had a full enough day without their problems.

...MJ technically had her first day of work.

The low in-office hours were tied to important meetings or feedback sessions, and MJ was assigned a collection of photos to add alt-text to before they were formatted into articles on the website. Then she had a list of emails to scan from freelancers, meant to pick pictures to buy. It wasn't exactly art, but that made sense; she'd need to work her way up – and she loved that.

Her beaming face completed the tasks pretty quickly, the over-achieving gene running wild, then, once she was done, she could focus on Sam.

MJ was meeting with him for lunch, and she needed to be prepared, which was her brain's way of telling her to 'hunter up.' She'd been through enough transformations; she knew there was a high chance the day would turn murderous. She couldn't let it. Especially since MJ knew just how strong Sam might be if he got emotional after all her time with Ty.

Tyler.

Another reason MJ had been able to wake up early?

She hadn't really slept.

Having your best friend go off the deep end, supposedly make it out alive, then not answer your calls or texts didn't help you get a good night's sleep.

She wanted to wear Ty's jersey.

It usually brought MJ comfort when she didn't know where he was, and it fit over any weapons she'd put on her arms because he was so much bigger than her. But it felt too soon. Especially if it turned out that he'd gotten mortally wounded or locked up somewhere.

That morning, she'd searched through her own things. MJ still hadn't unpacked, not properly, and there was a question in her head about whether she even should.

If she was going to be staying in New Orleans, could she really just live with Klaus?

She liked having her own space, and getting somewhere else would give her an automatic out of morning Mikaelson arguments.

And it would be a way of putting down roots, cementing her choice to be in New Orleans.

Plus, did she really want to live in a house that had been the location of someone's trauma? Someone she was going to be interacting with a lot?

It was September, and they were in the south, so it was warm, and as much as part of MJ wanted to dress for a workout, she wanted Sam to feel normal. Everyday clothes; shorts, a t-shirt, and then finally, a baggy faded white overshirt she didn't button up, sleeves rolled down to cover the weaponry. She wasn't really a jacket owning person until the Christmas season, so the options for clothes that covered her gear were limited.

- Ty's jersey.
- An old jacket of Ric's.
- The shirt she was wearing.

A shirt that MJ was trying not to think about the owner of, having acquired it after he'd ripped hers off quite spectacularly, focusing on how soft it was.

When lunchtime finally came, MJ phoned Sam, staying on the call with him for his entire walk from the hotel to Clover Grill.

She thought it would be a good idea to get him back in a public place, where one of his friends worked, so she could show him that he could be around his friends again.

He was dressed like a man in desperate need of a drug fix.

"Sunglasses?" MJ's first comment, hanging up as he cautiously approached her.

His head kept turning, scanning every face that passed them, "I need them."

"Need them?"

Sam took a step back, hunched his head, and let them slide down his nose.

MJ saw what he meant.

Black veins coming in and out over the top of his cheeks, reaching his eyes, turning the edges of them red, then retreating as he desperately tried to stay in control.

"...You haven't eaten," MJ realised.

"I couldn't."

"I left you blood bags."

"I can't just drink blood," He hissed, gripping her arm as he checked no one was listening, "I went to, but I gagged at the thought of it, and I couldn't follow through."

"Well," MJ kept her voice stern, "That's something you're gonna have to get over."

"Or maybe I should just stop, say my goodbyes, and – and – "

"You want to do that?" She softened her tone, "You really want to just die?"

No response.

"What about your family?"

"They're all I can think about!"

As his grip on her arm tightened, his breaths got louder. Shallower.

"I can help you, Sam, but you have to be willing to try."

He closed his eyes, shoving the sunglasses back up.

MJ took that as a yes, taking his hand and forcing it off her arm.

Given the dryness of his skin, MJ led him away from the diner. If Sam hadn't eaten, they couldn't go in, not with all the noise, smells, and pressure. First, he needed to feed.

"Now," She changed their position, looping her arm with his, "You're going to have to drink from the vein."

"If I couldn't do a blood bag, how am I gonna bite someone?"

"Let your instincts take over."

"You do know I'm a werewolf right," His voice was tight, irritation at the surface, "I've spent the past two years of my life mastering not letting that happen."

"Which is a good thing," MJ brushed into him, "If you can control that werewolf temper, you can control bloodlust."

He bit his lip as they passed more people.

"If you want..." MJ forced herself to speak, "You can try on me first."

He froze, "What?"

"I'm not defenceless; you go too far? I'll be fine."

"Have you...Have you been bitten before?"

"I have."

"Does it hurt?"

"...Depends on the situation," MJ tilted her head, neck pressing into the collar of the shirt.

"Which means?"

"Well," She nudged him to start walking again, going into an alley, "A friend of mine was compelled to turn his humanity off. Him tearing into my throat wasn't fun."

"Oh my god."

"But then," She paused now they were out of sight, slowly pulling his sunglasses off so he could really see her, "There's this other thing – usually between two vampires, but some people extend it to everyone."

"What thing?"

"Blood-sharing."

"That sounds weird," He took the sunglasses back, holding them, eyes still coming in and out with hunger.

"I don't know," MJ shrugged, "There's some kind of fuss about a rush vampires get when feeding on each other in an intimate way."

He managed a smile, "So it's a sex thing?"

"Not just a sex thing, but yes, it can refer to sex," MJ knew from Stefan's reaction to Elena drinking from Damon that it didn't have to happen during sex to be considered intimate, "It can also just be a nice gesture. A show of faith."

"So," He pulled a judge-y face, "Feeding off someone only feels good for vampires?"

"Like I said," She gave him a look, "Some treat it as a thing outside of just vampires. I know vampires who never give people their blood."

"Why not?"

"One, in case something happens and they accidentally turn someone, and two, because it means something."

"People can enjoy being fed off?"

"There are set-ups in some places where people volunteer for it."

"No way."

"If a vampire knows how to feed off someone, it doesn't have to hurt that much."

"I don't wanna hurt anyone."

"Which is exactly why you need to learn how to do it right."

Obviously, MJ knew it would be nearly impossible for Sam to get through his new status without hurting someone, but she could at least try and ease him into it.

"You need to learn to feed quickly, and from different people. And when you do, use those heightened senses to read them; their heartbeat, their breathing – sweat. How tense they are."

"How do you know all this?"

"Almost all my friends are vampires," She lifted her wrist, "Now feed."

"Are you sure?"

"Warning, I've been told my blood isn't as salty as human blood," She put it closer to his face, "It's because I'm a Floare Witch. Magic in my veins not my bones."

He slowly nodded, taking her word for it.

"Drink."

MJ watched as he inhaled, eyes turning entirely red before he grabbed the skin and shoved it into his mouth.

"Listen to my heartbeat," She instructed, wincing but not wanting him to panic and think she was in pain, "Pay attention to whether you still need to be drinking or whether you just want to be drinking."

After a moment longer, Sam let go, panting, blood spilling down his chin, but okay.

"See," MJ smiled, activating the healing rune on the back of her wrist, "Easy."

"You're okay?"

"I'm okay," She'd redrawn all her old runes that morning.

Sam wiped his mouth, looking at the blood on the back of his hand, then back at her apologetically. His eyes were stable and human now, the starvation vanishing from his olive skin tone.

"Thank you."

"Ready to try again?"

"Is that a good idea," He glanced nervously back to the street, "Shouldn't I wait a bit. So I don't go overboard?"

"Do one more person," MJ suggested, "Try out compulsion - then we go regular food. Then we do two more after."

"And you're sure that's not too much?"

"You need to get into a rhythm; otherwise, you'll build-up feeding in your head, attach it going well to me, or a certain spot, and then if you ever have to do it anywhere else, or on your own, you'll lose control."

"And compulsion?" He checked, "Do I have to do that?"

"Unless you want someone walking around screaming 'Demon on Bourbon Street?'"

He grimaced.

"Yes."

"But isn't mind control super invasive and unethical?"

"Yes," MJ exhaled, "But it's useful."

Over the past two years, she'd somehow grown into someone who understood the importance of it despite her hate.

"Never compel emotions. Never take traumatic memories outside of feeding away. Never force anyone to do something they don't want to do, other than letting you feed – well, no, those are my no's. You make your own choices."

"Couldn't I just try without it?"

"Sam," MJ needed him to try, "I get that you want to be a good fanged friend, but if you don't understand your powers, you'll never be able to control them."

The story of her existence.

"You can't live the rest of your life hating everything about yourself because, reminder, your life now lasts forever."

Both of his hands rubbed the back of his head, pinching at the short black-brown tufts, "Kinda terrifying to think about."

"A little, sure," MJ nodded, "But if you can adapt and enjoy it, it can be that good kind of terrifying. That rollercoaster-ride kind of terrifying."

He smiled at the phrasing, and she pulled him back onto the street. Rollercoaster kind of terrifying was Pri's life motto, and out of all her friends, Pri was someone MJ should give way more weight to in her head.

"Now make a pick."

Sam fiddled with the sunglasses, "What should I look for?"

"Depends. You want someone douche-y you won't mind hurting or just a stranger to get it over with?"

"...Stranger."

"Spot a tourist in the crowd."

Looking around, MJ saw the witch, Sabine, leading a ghost tour of the city, a few noisy children running ahead of her while they crossed the road. Two older teenagers were on their phones, next to a few couples on the tour too. All of them seemed like they were with someone. Not ideal

"There," She pointed.

"Why him?" Sam stared at the guy with headphones she'd picked, standing in a queue for coffee.

"Stamp on his hand is for a club."

Not Marcel's one though.

"Those are soundproof headphones, and he had his phone out. No music on the lock screen, meaning he's just blocking noise."

They were close enough to be nosy but not close enough to be heard.

"Sunglasses and a list of coffee orders."

In his other hand.

"My money says he's on the hangover coffee run for a group of people here for the weekend. Long order means no one will suspect anything if he takes time to get back, plus he's already a little out of it."

"Damn," Sam gave her a look, "You're good at this."

"Let's see if I'm right."

They waited near the corner, spotting a group of twenty something's all lounging on a bench, groaning about the light, ambushing the guy before he got in their eye-line, tugging him behind a bin.

"Hey, what," He flinched out of MJ's arms, "This is a weak mugging."

MJ smiled and looked to Sam, "Look him dead in the eye, put power into your words, and tell him not to scream. To stand still and forget about everything."

"Power into my words?"

MJ momentarily forgot she wasn't teaching a witch.

"Like, confidence," She shrugged, "You have to believe it, or it won't work."

MJ didn't actually know that much about learning compulsion, but she had to think it was like spell-casting since it was literally mind magic.

"What's going on?" The guy tried to shove past Sam.

He grabbed his shoulder, held him still, and tried it, "You don't know me, and you won't remember my friend or me. You're going to stand perfectly still and not scream."

The guy blinked, body freezing.

"And then I just..." Sam looked at her, "Bite him?"

"Pretty much."

Something was endearing about watching him try it out. First inspecting the neck, baring fangs, stepping close enough to bite, then shoving back, shaking his head with an upset puppy look on his face.

"Sam," MJ gave him a reassuring nod, "I'll heal him right back up."

"I just feel really weird getting up in his personal space like that."

"Then use his wrist. Like you did with Hayley and me."

He gently raised the guy's arm up to his mouth, gave her one last cautious look, then let himself bite.

Everything was a lot smoother, like rehearsed steps rather than reluctantly caving to hunger.

Yay!

MJ counted how long Sam took in her head, prepared to have to fight him off. To her surprise, once again, he stopped himself, wiped his mouth, then looked at the open wound. No signs like he was about to dive back in beyond a slight shaking of his hand.

Tyler had never had a control problem when it came to feeding, so maybe it was a hybrid thing. Part of them was still tied to nature, their werewolf side, making them more violent sure, but also making bloodlust less of a problem?

They had to deal with doubly bad tempers, but part of them would be telling them to preserve life?

Klaus should've been the case study, but Klaus had had that part of his soul somewhat beat out of him by both Mikael and himself over the centuries.

...Tyler as a case study...

Tyler should've been there.

A hybrid should be helping Sam, explaining that type of stuff, because even if MJ could guide him, she didn't actually know what he was feeling. But she couldn't just release Klaus on Sam, could she?

Not while he was in a mood.

"Now," Sam motioned to the blood dripping onto the street from the bite, "What do I do?"

"Start carrying plasters with you if you don't wanna hand out vampire blood."

Option One.

"Or, force yourself to feed on the neck and only pick people who wear scarves," MJ waved her hand to heal the guy up, "Tell him to leave."

"Uh," Sam looked in his eyes again, "Go back to your friends and say the line was long."

There was a pause.

MJ letting the new hybrid stand off from the main street and really process the fact he'd drunk from two different people. Both had made it out, not just alive, but okay.

"I thought being a vampire meant burying bodies in the wood..."

"You're a predator, sure, not a killer."

"Aren't they the same thing?"

"Humans are technically predators."

"Huh," He smiled, "I guess you're right."

"Wanna try human food now?"

"Will it taste the same?"

"I have no idea," She wasn't a vampire, "But I know eating helps with cravings, and so does alcohol, so?"

"I don't drink," He said awkwardly, "Don't wanna start unless I have to..."

She thought back to the story of how he triggered his curse, "Of course you don't – sorry."

New plan.

"Um, okay, we need to find you your cravings food. A friend called Stefan, his is ice cream covered in toppings. His brother? Mini muffins. My bestie Caroline uses a constant supply of coffee, as well as salty popcorn."

MJ could only eat sweet; Caroline ate salty; both dubbed the other as incorrect.

"I could go for salt popcorn right about now."

MJ grinned, "We can do that."

"After actual lunch," Sam took the step back into the main road, "I need to know I can still eat burgers and fries, and all that stuff."

"Then back to Clover Grill we go."

"No way. Renee's working today."

"Exactly. You've eaten, you're with me, a friend, and you'll see your other friend, and you'll be fine."

He looked ready to bolt but kept his feet moving towards the diner.

"I promise that you'll be okay."

"I'm holding you to that."

Inside, every step was a little slower than normal. With a slight spin as Sam counted the number of people sitting at the tables, ordering for takeaway, and then finding a spot he liked at the long bar. They could sit on the red swivel stools and pretend to be human.

Again, MJ didn't say anything until he did, letting Sam adapt to hearing every heartbeat, the sizzles in the kitchen, swinging of the bathroom door, and the click of the jukebox in the corner.

Renee greeting them seemed to wake him up, and the first genuine moment of old!Sam happened when he fist-bumped her and ordered his lunch like it was second-nature.

Again, Renee managed to spend a few minutes chatting to them, talking to MJ about how she liked her bag, exchanging brief stories about where they're from within the city and how they know Sam before she got pulled away. MJ opted for the 'ran into him on the street and hit it off story' over the 'my best friend potentially ruined his life, and now I'm trying to fix it' one.

"Can I asked what happened to me in that shack?" Sam whispered as he tried fries, chewing extra hard to make sure the flavour kick in the same way, "I remember what happened, but like, why...?"

"Why to which part?"

"Who was that other hybrid?"

"Ummm," MJ fiddled with her milkshake straw, "I told you about my werewolf best friend?"

"How he triggered it," He nodded.

"That was him."

"Oh," Sam tapped the plate, "You said wolf, not hybrid."

"I didn't want you to freak out...and werewolves who learn about hybrids tend to freak."

"I mean," He took another bite, "You're the witch you broke the hybrid curse, and I've been threatened by an Original. I was kinda already freaking out."

"Well, Klaus...I broke the curse on him. Then, he used my best friend as a test subject for hybrid creation to get me and another friend to figure out how to make one."

Why were all her friendships so goddamn complicated?

"I managed to do it, so Tyler got to wake up, and it was good for about five minutes. Now..."

"Now he runs around kidnapping people," Sam huffed, "Using them like science experiments."

"...He's not usually like that..."

Sam looked out the window, "It must suck. I'll give him that."

MJ raised an eyebrow.

"You said people were compelled to make him kill them?"

Why oh why, Katerina.

"I triggered my curse because I was dumb. He had it forced on him."

Hence MJ's unlimited support of him.

"Then the Original Hybrid rocks up and kills him to find a way to make an army...That? That sucks."

"The past two years of his life haven't exactly been a cake walk."

Understating it.

"And Klaus is a huge part of that...He wants revenge, and you were a casualty of that...and that sucks too...And just because I love him doesn't mean you have to be nice about it."

Sam stared at his place.

"Be as bitter and hateful as you want."

"No."

MJ blinked, confused, "No?"

"Just," Sam made himself face her, "If I let myself be those things, I will only get worse."

He'd told her that he'd had his werewolf nature under control.

"This best friend of yours? Screw him. I - I did nothing but take a walk, and he killed me...but...he did nothing more than be your friend, and someone else killed him..."

It seemed like a vicious cycle.

"If I'm gonna live, I can't focus on that."

MJ's phone beeped, eyes glancing at it, half expecting feedback from work, surprised to see it was Rebekah.

- Your mutt is conspiring at The Abbatoir. Do you want to be the one to handle him, or should I?

She felt her teeth grit.

"You okay?" Sam watched her gobble down the rest of her food, searching her gear stocked bag for cash.

"Would you mind going back to the hotel or taking a walk? I need to do something."

"MJ," He tensed, "What's going on? Is it something to do with Hayley?"

They were gonna have to deal with the sire bond

"My best friend is an idiot with a death wish."

"Do you want me to come?"

"I'm walking into a vampire den, so no."

Sam didn't like the sound of that, "You shouldn't just go into one on your own."

"Trust me," She smiled wickedly, "I'm very well prepared for a confrontation. You just need to keep getting back into the real world."

"Am I safe to just be out and about?"

"If you feel about to lose it, call me and head back to the hotel," She put the cash down, "I'll meet you there."

Only once he'd nodded, fiddling with the cash she'd left for the food, managing a smile at Renee, she left.

Heading into The Compound?

The place was pretty empty, noise coming from a side room, set out like a bar, and MJ couldn't see Rebekah anywhere.

What she could see?

Marcel and Tyler at the front of the room, surrounded by Marcel's gaggle, all holding some kind of drink in their hands – alcoholic, to non, to blood.

"I'll keep this simple," Marcel addressed them, "This kid is an old enemy of your favourite person...Klaus."

That got a reaction from the group, all shifting to look him up and down.

"And he's got plenty to say about what that traitorous son-of-a-bitch has been up to behind my back."

MJ tried not to laugh – Klaus was, in fact, the son of a bitch (in her opinion).

"Now, for those of you faint of heart, there's the door!"

Dramatic ass vampires.

"Because those who stick around?" He turned to see who would meet his eyes, "You're signing up for battle."

Wonderful, Marcel was playing warlord and had Rebekah helping him.

No one left the room.

No one had noticed her loitering outside of the doorway either, trying to work out what stance she needed to take to get Tyler to wake up. MJ's silencing rune was a saviour she'd missed immensely.

Marcel gestured for him to talk as everyone sat down, Tyler included, picking a black leather chair at the head of the situation.

"You all know that Klaus wasn't always a hybrid," He started, "He broke a curse that kept his werewolf side dormant, and because he broke it, certain parts of him were able to trump his vampire side."

His nether regions - which MJ didn't want to think about.

"Like the ability to pass on the werewolf gene."

People started to murmur, trying to work out exactly what that meant.

"That's where the werewolf girl he's been hiding from you comes in."

MJ felt herself growling.

"She rode through my town, pretended to be my friend, and then end up hooking up with him. Now, she's pregnant with his kid."

Diego scoffed, "What the hell is this?"

"Just," Marcel was tense, "Listen."

"When Klaus became the hybrid, he figured out a way to turn full-bred werewolves into creatures like him," He raised his hand, "You're looking at one of them."

MJ narrowed her eyes.

"On the plus side, hybrids have all the perks of vampirism. We're stronger, faster, and the toxins in our bites still kill vampires. On the downside, we're loyal to him. Like, supernaturally loyal."

"Right," Diego wasn't on board, "And that's why you're here, spilling all his secrets?"

"That's the point, Diego," Marcel shut him down, "He figured out a way to break free of it."

"And I helped the rest of them too. Then Klaus killed them for their betrayal. "

"No," MJ stepped into the room, "Klaus killed them because a cult freak wanted twelve 'demons' to die, and they were the stupidest-easiest bunch."

The room went still.

"Now," She crossed her arms, "Am I gonna have to dog-tie you up to get you out of this city, Tyler, or are you gonna stop acting like a dumbass?"

"MJ," He sighed, "You've gotta realise there's no way this'll end well."

"Did you just demeaningly sigh at me?"

Tyler opened his mouth, paused, "No?"

She gave him a look.

"I love you and I'm sorry?"

"Hm."

"But you're condemning that baby to him."

"I'm staring at your face thinking through all the different ways I could punch it."

"She's his witch," One of the vampires stood up, "She's gonna snitch that we know."

MJ waved her hand, and the vampire collapsed, raising basically everyone else in the room to their feet.

"I'm not Klaus's witch," She snapped, "My priority is the hybrid over here. You can all continue planning your failure of a revolution once he's no longer a part of it."

"We're taking him down, M." Tyler stepped up to face her, "Get on board or get out of the way."

"Get outside. Now."

"No."

"Outside." MJ was holding in all her emotions, and everyone could feel the room's temperature go up.

"You planned his first takedown - and it almost worked! If you help us, it'll work."

"Tyler," She forced a smile, "You have five seconds to get out of that door before I beat your ass."

"You're not gonna hurt me."

"Oh, so you want an audience!" She clapped, "Great."

MJ punched him in the chest, the ejector going straight into his stomach. A stake long enough to come out the other side drove through his body, Tyler lurching forward, coughing up blood in instinct as she shoved him off her and to the floor.

"And I'm having deja-vu!" Rebekah finally arrived, letting bright light fill up the room from the outside doorway, "Last time I saw you two together, you were beating him up."

MJ sighed, "Last time you forced him to fight me, actually. Was incredibly traumatic. My voice didn't work properly for twelve hours."

Rebekah looked down guiltily.

"MJ," Marcel crossed his arms, "You need to stay out of this."

"Ha!" She clicked her teeth, "The only way you'll beat Klaus is by getting me on your side! And that's not gonna happen as long as Tyler's involved."

She yanked the stake out so he could heal, tossing it in her hand.

"You didn't need to do that," He growled, rubbing the spot.

"Then get outside!"

"MJ - "

A flick of the wrist and he was chucked through the side door and into the main area of The Compound.

With a second one, the door slammed to stop him from getting back in.

Then, MJ brushed herself down, put on a smile, and turned to the vampires, all eyeing her up.

"Let me make myself incredibly clear," Her voice cut through the air like a knife, "That's my best friend. I'm allowed to kick his ass when he's acting like one. You guys?"

The smile evaporated.

"Any of you touch a hair on his head? I will rip yours off."

"Your boy came to me," Marcel put his hands up, "And you know the rules. You kill a vampire, I'm gonna have to kill you."

MJ snorted, "You know damn well you can't."

She wasn't about to be caught in any war they were planning.

"Or do you need me to remind you what it's like to have your body controlled by a witch?"

Rebekah was by his side, watching her carefully.

"Do you want me to show your little foot soldiers what you look like as your own hand takes your heart out?"

Marcel took the attitude, "You're in a mood."

"Maybe," She nodded, "My tolerance for stupidity is low when it comes to getting people killed."

She gestured to all their onlookers.

"That's what your little speech was about earlier, right?" Her mini-lecture was meant for Rebekah too, "The pair of you want Klaus gone so you can be together. But, Klaus isn't gonna kill either of you, which means your sending all of these guys to the slaughter."

And they all seemed willing to die.

"I thought you said you cared about your people Marcel?"

He'd said he'd cared about her mum.

He'd said he'd killed her because it was the only option - and for her to believe that, she needed to see that version of him.

"You don't have to take Klaus's side, MJ," Rebekah reasoned, "You're not the only one in that apartment with him anymore. We can defeat him."

"I was never the only one in the apartment with him."

She'd had Katherine.

Having to rely on other people was actually the reason Klaus was still alive given the Damon and Elijah of the Hybrid Curse situation.

"Like she'd help," Someone called out.

"Wonder how confident he'd be if we took out his witch?"

"He'd still be pretty damn confident," MJ tried to process why everyone seemed to want to die that day, "Plus, you couldn't take me down."

"Who do you think you are?" Diego challenged too, "Coming in here, acting friendly, then revealing you're actually one of the witches? And you're with a guy trying to wipe us out?"

"Actually," MJ put up a hand, "Klaus isn't trying to wipe you out unless you try to kill him."

Which they'd be stupid to do.

"Or lock him up, or whatever you're planning."

There was nothing they could say to make her interested in it.

"And, I am friendly. I just want peace in the city. Hence - I will be staying out of it now the doggie outside isn't involved – though..."

She smiled, mood-lifting a little at the amount of attention she held.

"I was waiting for someone to ask that whole 'who do you think you are' question."

It was like Diego wanted her to respond with some Mikaelson dramatic flair.

"I thought you'd all be a lot more curious about who you were dealing with, considering I keep popping up," She knew she sounded smug, "And I'm clearly strong enough to avoid Marcel's little magic sensor...Any guesses?"

Enough people had already put two and two together that MJ didn't really need to keep it on the down-low anymore. Not now she had the Floare Grimoire back.

"I'd say it's pretty obvious."

She focused on Marcel.

He'd literally told her about herself.

"I'm a witch," MJ took a step towards him with each statement, "I arrived with the Originals."

Sam had figured it out pretty quick.

"My best friend is a hybrid."

And Sam had even less information than them.

"And my name is Mira Jung Floare-Ruiz."

Katherine's words were in her head. Telling her to use her full name.

"..MJFR..."

To not stumble over her identity.

"...M...R..."

And it clicked.

"MiMi Pasare," Marcel's shoulders dropped, "You broke the curse – you're the one who did it!"

"Gold star!" She clapped sarcastically, "You might genuinely be the last to know!"

He actually laughed for a second, realising how obvious it was, and that he'd been getting all his advice on how to take vervain from her the past few months.

Diego just looked between her and his boss, "What do you mean she broke the curse?"

"It means Klaus locked me in a room for three days."

A story she was a little bored of telling.

"I sacrificed three people, broke an a-thousand-year-old curse, bought my friend back to life."

A pretty decent flex.

"Then – that guy I just kicked out the room? He had his neck snapped because Klaus wanted me to figure out how to make more hybrids, and, well, you know, I figured it out."

The innocent smile on her face was a little scary. All of them had tensed, exchanging nervous looks as they realised just who they were dealing with.

"I broke the curse," MJ lost the pep, drifting into crazy eyes territory, "I made the first hybrid. I figured out that sire-lines were a thing. And, in case any of you were still doubting that I could rip you to pieces if you hurt anyone I care about?"

Her list of credentials was pretty epic.

"My guardian for the past two years was a vampire hunter," She waved the bloody weapon in the air again, revealing the ejector on her arm, "I don't want to fight."

Not if she didn't have to.

"I'm kinda sick of seeing the dead bodies of innocent pawns, and I'm kinda bored with people claiming that they 'care' about others while expecting them to go to battle for them."

Her words became targeted at Marcel.

"We know Klaus will win. He always does. How many people, who you claim to love, are you willing to watch die in the process?"

"At least we'll go out fighting, rather than living with those strings on your hands."

"But you won't go out!" MJ had seen Klaus's reaction to her announcing she'd almost killed Marcel, "Klaus won't kill you, he'll kill everyone around you."

"Your mum would be so disappointed in you."

MJ's expression turned murderous.

"She'd never let a vampire tell her what to do - she'd hate to see you controlled by someone like Klaus."

"Don't you dare think you can ever mention her as a way to control me."

The lights around the room flickered, Rebekah's eyebrows creased.

"I'm a living weapon against an Original."

Siphoning wasn't a curse.

"Klaus doesn't control me. You don't get to control me either."

The drinks started to bubble.

"You can't even control your own goddamn city, Marcel," She looked around the room, "New Orleans is falling apart because all of you are so desperate to be at war."

And everyone around them ended up dead.

"You wanna know why it was so easy for me to come in and beat you?"

Marcel didn't like where the conversation was going.

"Because you rule through fear."

Ana had used that to try and control her kids too.

"You write stories about how great you are, how you defeated all the villains – you drove out the wolves! Oh, wait, no, you got a witch to curse them."

Looking at her, Marcel shifted.

"You defeated the evil siphoner and got seven years of witchy peace! Oh, wait, no, a witch organised that too! My mother wanted peace."

Not only did MJ sound like her mother, but she sounded like the grief-filled fifteen-year-old Ryos verbally tearing him apart, and Marcel knew how Ana's story had ended.

"You fixed the town after the Originals fled! You built it! I mean, I guess I can give you that one? But it's not like they ran from you. They ran from Mikael."

"You're point?"

"I came in overestimating you, meaning the only thing you could do was look weak."

And, during it, he'd even stopped fighting.

MJ paused at that realisation.

...He'd stopped fighting when he'd found out she'd been there. He'd been willing to let her kill him after finding out she'd seen it happen.

MJ packed her anger in a little bit, "The point, Marcel?"

She didn't want to just yell.

"Help is the way forward. All of us together. A community. Not a kingdom ruled by one."

There was a baby tribrid on the way. All factions in one person.

"Don't let him kill people he doesn't have to when you can just help your home grow. Prove to me that a single thing you've said about how you treat people you care for is true."

She turned and went to the door.

"You know," Rebekah called out to her, "You can't protect Tyler from him forever."

"I can. And I will."

"And what if Tyler doesn't leave? What if he goes for Hayley again?"

"Then I'll stop him."

"What if you can't?"

"You know I can."

"What if I want to make sure he can't."

MJ turned to glare at her, "You really wanna go through me, Bex?"

The glow of orange in her eyes had the air turning static again.

MJ wasn't intentionally siphoning anything, but power was being pulled into her body, arms flickering with colour too. New Orleans had magic in everything thanks to the ancestral plane after all.

"You wanna start that fight?"

Rebekah wasn't about to break the staredown, and her point had been proven, so MJ did. Rebekah not ripping her spine out for speaking out against her was an answer enough on its own.

It was time to focus back on hybrids.

As she left, Marcel's eyes narrowed, and he looked to Rebekah.

"She's a walking weapon against an Original?"

That declaration had caught everyone's attention.

"She's a siphoner," Rebekah repeated something he already knew, with a slight clarification, "Her touch can drain a body of magic. No magic means no vampirism."

"Her touch can kill us..."

And Marcel realised why all the people had been freaking out back in the days right after Ana's death.

"How big of a problem is she gonna be?"

He didn't want MJ to be a problem.

He owed it to Ana to make sure her sacrifice was worth it. That her daughter got to live.

"She doesn't exactly go round just doing it," Rebekah shrugged, "She's not a 'throw the first punch' type of girl. She's a 'finish the fight' one...she's an 'outsmart' one actually."

"And just how loyal is she to Klaus?"

"I have no idea," Rebekah was very aware of the crowd of people they had ready to fight, "But she wasn't kidding about not wanting to be involved. As long as Tyler's in town, he'll be her focus."

"So we don't need to worry about her?" Marcel liked that for their odds.

"Exactly," Rebekah took the centre of the room, "Now, what Tyler was about to tell you was that my brother can use his baby's blood to sire more hybrids. What you will all figure out is that vampires don't stand a chance."

She began to explain the situation and how no one was touching that baby.

Outside, in the courtyard, MJ had to face Tyler again.

"MJ - "

"Ooohhhhh, don't even," MJ sucked in sharply, "Give me a minute."

She was shaking with rage, pacing forward, clenching her fists until he vamp sped in her way, forcing her to stop.

"I cannot believe you right now."

"Why can't you support me on this?" He crossed his arms, "I thought you said you'd always have my back. You'd always be on my side."

"I am on your side!"

Beat.

MJ shoved past him to scream.

Magic rippled out, pushing every object in the courtyard back, shaking the walls, locking and unlocking every door until she was ready to let it stop.

MJ stilled.

Better.

She turned to face him again, "You're being ridiculous!"

"He ruined my life."

"I know," She dropped her arms down, "And I hate him for it."

Carol would always be a 'do not discuss' topic.

"If you're really this miserable, I am miserable too – but I'm sick and tired of the cycle of trying to beat Klaus, when the rest of the world keeps spinning, and I don't think a baby deserves to die because of it!"

Silence.

"You spent the summer telling me you found your place," She wanted to cry, "That helping wolves gave you peace of mind. It made you see the good – were you just lying to me?"

After Ryos, MJ couldn't deal with family lying.

"MJ..."

"You had the chance to leave, you didn't," Her voice was harsh, "So, I don't trust you right now – were you lying to me?"

"No!"

"Then why does this matter!"

"He killed my mum, ruined my relationship, and controls what I can do with my life!"

"And why didn't you tell me finding answers elsewhere wasn't enough."

"Because you've clearly drunk his Kool-Aid!"

"If you want to take him down, then we do it together!"

The rage popping meant MJ didn't even care that all the vampires planning Klaus's takedown could hear them.

"You do not go on a death quest without me. No. I don't care what you think about Klaus and me. You are my priority. You always have been, and you always will be – so when things like this happen? When you hate living – when you hear prophecies of evil, and you want revenge? You come to me!"

MJ needed him to wake up.

"When you make choices like this one – when you feel all the dark and bad things, you don't go off and make it all worse on your own – you go home. You go to your family."

"Klaus killed my family."

"I AM YOUR FAMILY."

She was pretty sure her eyes were watering, feeling the corners sting.

"I am your family, and there isn't a moment I won't fight for you, remember."

His hand was forced up by magic, placed on the same spot he'd dug down.

"You fight for me. I fight for you."

Tyler tried to pull through, but her hold was stronger.

"Look me in the eye and tell me you want to kill Hayley."

He went still.

"Both parents want that kid, so it is being born - you want to end that baby's life before it's even begun? Look me in the eye, and say it, and I will let you."

Tyler stared at his hand on her neck.

"But you've gotta look me in the eye and say it."

"I can't back out."

"You can."

"Caroline already gave me this choice."

"Her or revenge?" She gagged, "That's not what I'm doing."

Her hand rested on top of his, tightening the grip, forcing him to feel her skin, a steady heartbeat beneath it.

"I don't work off ultimatums or conditional love."

Maybe she should start.

Maybe then she wouldn't get constantly used by people.

"There is nothing you can do that'll make you lose me."

"Then why does it matter if I do this?"

"Because you won't lose me," MJ's voice quietened, "You'll lose us."

Tyler tried to step away again, but she didn't let him, determined to be the only thing in his eye line.

"If you do this? If you let yourself cross lines – step into that place of less humanity, I will still be there, but you won't care anymore."

Mason had found peace, thinking Tyler would be okay.

"You will never lose me. But I will lose you. You will lose you."

Tyler had been a douche at the start, but he'd changed for the better, and she refused to let him regress.

"I promised Mason I wouldn't let that happen, and I owe it to your mum not to let that happen."

It wasn't just about them, though.

"The selfish part?" MJ swallowed hard, "In a month and six days, it's gonna be a year since Ric died."

Her calendar was filled with death dates.

"I need you, Ty."

She was shaking her head, blinking firmly as a tear rolled down her face.

"Tell me what I did to make you think I wouldn't do anything and everything for you?"

He didn't say anything.

"To make you think ignoring my texts and sneaking around behind my back with plots was the only option?"

Still nothing.

"Look me in the eyes, Tyler," She gritted her teeth.

He did.

"Say it. Say you wanna do this. Tell me, this is who you wanna be."

He couldn't.

"When you first triggered it, you told me you didn't wanna hurt anyone – you never wanted to kill anyway ever again. So, I'm not going to let you touch a baby."

His stature stood down.

"Thank you."

Her entire body exhaled.

"You killed a guy yesterday."

Silence.

She wiped the tears away, aching at every joint and keeping herself upright. Only people like tired were allowed to see her looking that weak, taking deep breaths and muttering cooling spells to un-puff her face.

Once it looked like she was fine, she let herself talk.

"...Come with me."

Sam had texted to say he'd taken a walk, then gone back to the hotel, so that was where MJ led Tyler.

It was odd.

Making small talk, pointing out places she liked, as if he was just a friend visiting for a few hours.

It was only when they reached the outside of the hotel that she forced herself to face reality.

"This is where the hybrid you created is staying until he feels safe enough to be around his family."

Tyler's face dropped.

"You are gonna go up there, and you're gonna talk to him."

"MJ, he's gonna hate me."

"Maybe, but you kinda deserve it."

Tyler closed his eyes, "I thought I was doing the right thing."

"Doesn't mean you can't apologise," MJ took his hand to squeeze it, "And you can't exactly take it back."

Apologies and thank you's we're her incredibly low standards.

"What you can do is go up there and try to help him."

"How?"

"Talk to him about turning. The good of controlling the shift - rebuilding your connection with the wild," MJ leant into his side, "I'm trying to coach him, but at the end of the day, I'm not a vampire or a hybrid."

"You're always clearing up my messes," His voice was barely a whisper.

"Yeah, but it's you, so I'm okay with it," She made sure her voice was light, "Plus, he may be your mess, but hybrids, in general, are mine."

"How are hybrids your mess?"

"None of you would exist if I'd..." She didn't want to just say it, so she rephrased, "If I hadn't broken the curse."

"If you hadn't broken the curse, Klaus would've killed you."

"And a good witch would've died."

"And witches are officially ridiculous."

"And yet you based this entire scheme off a nightmare vision from one of them."

"I'm officially ridiculous."

She laughed, "Glad you've seen the light."

Tyler pulled on the door and headed up the stairs to get to Sam's room, knocking cautiously and waiting for the response of 'come inside'. Sam was pacing around the room, tidying it up, and MJ felt an odd and familiar warmth fill her chest.

He was stress cleaning.

The only other person she knew who did that was herself and Caroline, and MJ could use a Caroline hug or convo after the emotionally draining day she'd had.

"Oh," Sam stepped back at the sight of Tyler, "You're still around."

"I came to apologise," Tyler didn't need to be prompted again.

MJ stayed by the door to let it play out.

"An apology will never be enough, I – I had no right to just do that to you...I should've known better, and I know you're heads probably all over the place right now...and I want to help."

"Help?"

"Your bloodlust won't behalf as bad regular vampires," Tyler looked around the room, "As long as you have a supply of blood and don't try and starve yourself? You're one hundred per cent safe to see your family."

He spotted the blood bag supply MJ had summoned from the Mikaelson House to give to him.

"But if you're really worried about that stuff, I've been you. I know the tricks. I know how to find that tug the world again."

Sam looked at MJ, and she nodded, "Your connection isn't gone; it's just nulled. And you can get it back."

"There's the spiritual voodoo witch way," Tyler gave her a familiar smile, "Or there's the painful way."

"And why'd I want to go the painful way?"

"Because it'll also free you from your sire bond. You want to feel the world again? You need to turn."

"Sire bond?" Sam didn't know about it yet.

"Um," MJ put a hand up, "If you're okay with this, Sam, I think it'll be a good idea for the two of you to talk for a little bit."

"You mean, like...alone with him?"

"I'll come back in like forty-five minutes top with take-out."

"..."

"You can say no, and I'll stay."

He looked between the pair, dark veins appearing around his eyes, rage at seeing his murder tried to get the better of him.

"Whatever you want, Sam?"

He forced his eyes shut, took a breath, and seemed to go through a series of steps in his head.

Grounding techniques.

MJ had to assume he'd learnt them for anger management.

His eyes opened, fully human.

"Tyler can answer your questions better than I can. And you don't need to worry about hurting him either."

"Okay," Sam decided, "I can do this."

Tyler seemed surprised.

"I just want my life back...If talking to you will help me do that, then let's do it."

"Forty-five minutes," MJ smiled, "What food do you want me to get?"

"Tai," Sam answered instantly, "And I'm still thinking about popcorn?"

"I will be back with both. Text me an order."

She knew they both needed her out of the room. Having her there just gave Sam something to worry about; he'd overthink about control if she was there, human. And Tyler needed a chance to actually be himself. To help people again.

Not just because MJ was looking over his shoulder, but because he was good at it.

He needed to feel like MJ trusted him, especially when she'd literally said she didn't earlier.

That declaration wasn't actually that about him.

It was about the fact she let Ryos get away with everything.

They needed time, and MJ needed to do something else to make her day just a little bit better.

She hailed a taxi and got them to take her to the Bayou, her bag on her shoulder, witch supplies for if her plan didn't work.

With her third trip there, MJ was starting to get in the rhythm of walking through the Bayou, spotting the more trodden paths leading to the water's edge. Oddly enough, she had to admit that it was nice to know there was a place she could feel completely surrounded by nature so close to the city. What wasn't nice was the tatters the encampments were in.

It was clear some community lived out there, but if it was the werewolves, where were they?

Where were all the people?

She knocked cautiously on the shack door.

Hayley opened it cautiously, "Oh...it's you..."

"Sorry?" MJ stepped inside, properly getting to inspect the place now she wasn't solely focused on Tyler, "I come to help."

Elijah was on the bed, pale and sweaty, his shirt slightly open, scratch marks across the top of his chest, hand raking back and forth. There was a cold cloth over his forehead, a bucket by the side of his bed, which MJ assumed Hayley had done for him.

"Aren't you on Klaus's side?"

"I'm gonna tell you the exact same thing I told him," MJ dumped her bag down, "There aren't sides when a baby's involved; there's only the baby."

She approached the bed.

"And I think Elijah's suffered enough."

"Celeste," Elijah cried out, "Forgive me."

He was shaking his head as his breathing picked up.

"I'm sorry."

"So the hallucinations have set in," MJ thought back to when Caroline had been bitten.

Both times, she was such a young vampire that she would've died before hitting that stage, while Elijah could just power through his misery of a past until he got Klaus's blood.

"Did you manage to get blood off of Klaus?"

"Brother!" Elijah was shivering, "Please."

"I have a stash of Klaus's blood," MJ took a seat on the bed next to him, "Have for a while now."

"You do!" Hayley's eyes lit up, "Where?"

"I'm trying something else first."

"Do you want to bring our father upon us?" He mumbled.

"Trying something?"

"Relax," MJ put her hand on Elijah's face, the message for both of them, "This will hurt, but it'll help."

"MJ..."

"Celeste is one of those," He flinched out of her grip, "Celeste."

MJ placed her hand over the bite on his neck, preparing for the worst.

She had to have faith. She was so much better at controlling her gifts now, and she'd been so close to getting it right with Caroline.

Hands turned red, jolting Elijah awake with a scream.

The rip of magic flooding MJ's senses was initially muddled. Ice and wind making her giddy with power, but slowly, it became smoother as she latched onto the right thing — poison in his system. Elijah's cries didn't ease up, though, since it would just feel like magic leaving to him. Like he was dying.

"Stop!" Hayley yelled.

MJ didn't listen.

"Niklaus!" Elijah's hand rose up, slamming them into a wall of the shack, eyes turning black, "I'll kill you, you bastard."

MJ hadn't let go.

She was powering through and getting it right, even if she had to fight Elijah to do it.

"Elijah?" Hayley tried to pull him back, only to have his rage turn on her.

He jumped from MJ, pinning Hayley to the floor, her desperate chokes spine chilling.

MJ rushed forward, deciding to risk speeding up her leeching a little by properly pulling the magic from his neck, watching as Elijah's body turned weak, collapsing down, unable to stop her.

Hayley shoved him off her and shuffled to the left, panting.

"I – I – " And Elijah's eyes rolled back, and MJ let go.

She breathed out, "He's okay."

"He's okay?" Hayley didn't understand how any of that meant okay.

MJ pulled Elijah up a little, so Hayley could see the clear neck.

"You siphoned the bite," She realised.

"I siphoned the bite," MJ grinned.

After over a year since she'd first theorised she'd could - she'd finally got it right.

The pair of them picked Elijah up, MJ gripping his shoulders while Hayley moved his legs, dumping him back onto the bed to rest.

"He'll wake up perfectly fine. His body's just tired," MJ explained, "Siphoning hurts like a bitch, and he was already weak."

"You've never done that before?"

"Nope," MJ admitted, "But the best people to test things on are the durable ones - and I actually had full control...I'm willing to say I could probably do it on regular vampires too."

"And I thought I was gonna have to fight an Original," A woman was standing in the doorway, messy white-blonde hair in a side braid, holding a stake.

MJ tried for a smile, "And you are?"

"She's a wolf," Hayley straightened up.

"Not exactly," She shook her head, "I'm not triggered. I'm not cursed."

Hayley grabbed a book, "You left this!"

"Cursed..." MJ clapped her hands, "Oh my god, Hayley, I forgot to tell you!"

"What?"

"Sam – Sam found out Marcel got a witch to put some curse on the werewolves of the area to keep them out of town!"

The woman nodded, "I'm Eve, by the way."

"MJ," She nodded, picking up her bag, "I will leave you to family history. I have food to buy for a freshly turned hybrid."

Hayley blinked, voice gentle, "How is he?"

"He's gonna be okay."

~***~

MJ returned to the hotel to find Sam and Tyler actually chatting, actually smiling. They were discussing turning, Tyler listening to Sam talk about having to do it for two years. Now he could now do it as a way to be free instead of a way to be cursed.

MJ happily unpacked the Tai food, enjoying the moment of peace in the night. Tyler was genuinely doing something to feel good instead of just feeling useless.

"So, how'd your mum trigger it?" Tyler asked.

Sam continued eating.

"Sorry," He backtracked, "I probably shouldn't just ask that."

"No," Sam took a moment, "MJ already knows – it's just, she killed my dad."

MJ put her fork down, sending him a reassuring smile.

"It was self-defence."

It was clear he didn't like sharing the story, and wanted that to be the main takaway point, which MJ could respect.

"He would get drunk and...just...you know."

Tyler did know, "Yeah."

"She fought back, he hit his head on the counter, cracked it open."

Tyler and MJ shared a look.

"He went out to these weekly poker games, people knew he was supposed to be there, and since she didn't wanna go to jail, given the kid of the situation," He gestured to himself, "One of her friends helped her dump the body in the river."

"That's friendship," MJ had tidied up bodies.

Klaus had tidied up hers.

"When it got dredged up," Sam smiled at her lack of negative reaction to the story, "None of the people he played with came forward about him never showing because they were shady guys. It got ruled a drunk accident."

"Wow."

"Yeah."

There was a knock on the door.

"Expecting anyone?" MJ looked to Sam since she hadn't exactly been telling people there was a new hybrid in town, and Tyler hadn't known where she'd been keeping him to tell any of the vampires either.

"No."

That made them all nervous.

She opened the door, Tyler and Sam both standing up when Klaus was on the other side.

"You're still using my bank account," He murmured, explaining how he'd found her, eyeing up the two hybrids behind her.

There was blood across his face, but any injury that might've caused it had healed up.

"I assume you've just won the war?" She doubted Klaus would run from Marcel.

"I have," He grinned and stepped inside, "And I would like to talk to my new hybrid now."

He'd kept his word.

"I gave you the day."

Tyler seemed to be contemplating backing away, then crossed his arms and kept Klaus's gaze.

"And you're still here."

"He's leaving tonight," MJ declared.

"I no longer care," Klaus walked right up to Sam's face, "You are sired to my child. That means your instincts are to protect her, and that makes you useful. You'll be unwaveringly loyal."

"Klaus," MJ put her foot down, "We know the sire bond is literal. Unless he puts himself around Hayley, he doesn't have to do this. You can't just tell him too."

Klaus grabbed his shirt to pull him in even closer, "If he knows what's good for him, he will realise getting himself a purpose in my city is the right choice to make."

Tyler rushed forward, shoving Klaus back.

"Is losing once not enough?" Klaus swung Tyler over his shoulder, smashing him into the desk in the room, "You dare intervene?"

"I'm not – " Tyler punched him off him, "Letting you do this - "

Another punch.

"To anyone else."

Klaus kicked him into the room TV.

Before either could make another move, MJ twirled her wrists up, both crying out, falling to their knees with their heads in their hands.

She let the spell drop pretty quickly, not actually trying to hurt either of them, just wanting them to stop.

"I'll do it!" Sam has focused on her, "You want me to play supernatural babysitter? Fine."

Tyler shook his head rapidly.

"Sam..." MJ hoped he realised what he was signing up to.

"I see how this works," Sam put it simply, "I have a purpose. I get to live. I'm in!"

Because he did want to live.

"But," He wasn't looking up at Klaus, but he was bitterly turning towards him, "I'm not tied to you. Remember that."

Klaus growled.

"His priority is the baby, Nik," MJ moved to put a calming hand on his shoulder, "That's better."

"Fine," He put his hands up and backed towards to door, "My rule begins tomorrow."

A fun declaration.

"He'll be needed at The Compound."

MJ wasn't sure what that meant, but she hoped it was just that Sam would be made to guard Hayley. If that was the case, the pair could focus on investigating the curse and whatever else Hayley had learnt from the Eve person.

It didn't have to be the hell on earth.

"Now," Klaus pointed to MJ, "I need to talk to you – alone."

"MJ – "

"Ty," She shot him a look, "Be back in a sec."

"He's got blood – "

They were out of the door, it sealing behind them, silenced for no eavesdropping.

"I am finally moving home," Klaus rubbed his hands together, "A room will be waiting for you."

She nodded, not accepting nor rejecting.

"Hayley shall be there. Rebekah and Elijah will be getting punished for their betrayal."

"You're so dramatic."

"And you have my daggers."

"I do."

"All but the one I placed in Elijah."

"Which I assume you've stolen back?"

"You would be correct."

"Have fun with that," She sighed, "But remember, you were the one who told me to stop backing down from witches because it only hurt me. Proving them right only hurts you."

"Hm."

"Is that all you needed to say?" MJ raised an eyebrow, "That hardly seems like – "

"You said you spoke to Kol."

"...I did."

He was scanning her face.

She faltered, "Are you okay?"

"Your ghost connection..."

Every word was careful.

"You've grown up seeing them."

"I did."

"Is he here?"

"No."

Klaus bobbed his head.

"Niklaus. Spit it out."

"Nothing, Mira," His body was incredibly tense, "If you do see him again, please let me know."

"Why?"

"He's my brother. Should I not know?"

Something about the request just felt off in MJ's gut, but he did have a point. Why else would Klaus want to know if she was summoning Kol?

"I presume you were reaching out for him?"

"Bit of both," MJ glanced back at the door, "He thought the idea of you having a child was hilarious."

Klaus rolled his eyes, "I love the show of confidence."

"Is it not hilarious?"

His thin-lipped unamused expression had her putting her hands up.

"I take it back."

"I'm sure," Klaus had clearly gotten whatever information he wanted out of her, "Get back to your pet dogs."

"You say as if your not one of them."

"If I can't call you my witch, you can't call me your dog."

"But you do call me your witch!" She had a though, "Can I get a pet for The Compound."

"Why do you need a pet?"

She shrugged, "Emotional support animal?"

"You already have an emotional support ghost. You don't need a dog too."

"The emotional support ghost requires so much less work than you," MJ sighed contently, "So much less."

He rolled his eyes again, "Tomorrow, Mira. You'll be at The Abattoir."

"We'll see."

"Get the failure out of the city before I change my mind."

"You won't."