°•♡•°

Cain and the two remaining Faye siblings stood around the mansion that was being constructed as a hybrid wheeled in the last coffin. There were four in the room. Pan was wrapped in Cain’s arms, standing with his back against his chest. Seb was standing beside the couple with crossed arms and an annoyed look.

The hybrid, Daniel, looked to his master, Klaus, standing at the opposite end of the room from the other three supernatural beings, attempting to avoid their judgmental looks.

“You've got your family back. Are you going to open them?” Daniel asked.

Klaus looked at the coffins as he spoke “Not quite yet. I still have some unfinished business to take care of.”

Seb let out a short laugh. “Oh a young vampire, how scary..” He trailed off.

Pan held back his smile, leaning his face into Cain’s shoulder to hide it. Cain openly laughed at Seb’s commentary. Klaus glared at the siblings, grinding his teeth together, preventing him from sparking an argument with them. Klaus exited the room as Daniel turned around to follow.

“What business?” As the words left Daniel’s mouth, he began to sputter and squirm. All eyes watched as from behind him, someone had shoved his hand through the hybrid’s ribcage, tearing out the heart.

Elijah Mikaelson stood before them, hand dripping with blood and a fresh heart in hand, as he stood in front of his brother.

“So Niklaus, what did I miss?” Elijah asked coldly.

Cain’s arm tightened around Pan, lightly shoving him behind himself as a form of protection for his fiance. Seb stood there with a grin on his face, seeing the elder original brother.

Seb began lightly laughing, “Shit just got interesting. Pan, you should have brought popcorn.”

Pan rolled his eyes at his brother's behavior, but his lips were twitching as if he was holding back a smile. Though, he did look shaken from seeing the dead hybrid gore in front of him.

Elijah, who was wiping the blood off his hands, turned his attention to the voices. He froze momentarily as his eyes landed on the remaining Faye siblings.

“Geb? Pan?” Elijah asked, almost not believing that he was seeing them.

Seb took a few steps forward, waving his arm at him, “It’s Seb now, and hello there Elijah” He laughed, raising an eyebrow at him.

Elijah’s eyes furrowed in confusion at why the two male siblings were there with no Cybele in sight. Elijah turned and stared at Cain, who was using his body to block his sight on Pan.

“And he is?” Elijah trailed off, looking him up and down with a guarded expression.

As he spoke, the small head of Pan popped out from behind Cain’s shoulder. “Hi ‘Lijah! This is my fiance, Cain!”

Elijah gave a short and respectful nod to Cain. He then greeted Pan with another respective nod of the head. He turned back to the matter at hand, still very confused about the circumstances.

“You look surprised to see me. So it wasn't you that removed the dagger from my chest? Neither Pan nor Seb?” Elijah asked, his voice returning to a calm but underlying tone with anger behind it.

Klaus took a short step backward, with a nervous look on his face. He tried masking it with false confidence but was failing. “You look like you could do with a drink. And we have a lot to discuss, so shall we?” He offered with a small raise of his hand towards various selections of alcohol.

Elijah raised his eyebrow before taking a step forward and jumping in the air, sending a brutal punch straight at Klaus’s jaw. This led to the two of them speeding around the room, trying to get punches off one another. After a few split seconds, Klaus was sent through a glass door, shattering it and sending glass shards flying.

Klaus from the ground let out a frustrated growl, “Easy! I just finished renovating.” 

The two tackled each other, sending them both to a wooden table, in the room with the other bystanders. The table splintered upon impact, sending the two brothers on the floor, still throwing punches and even some kicks at one another.

Seb was laughing and nearly giggling the entire time watching the fight. Cain sighed before grabbing Seb by the scruff of the neck, pulling him into a far corner of the room next to his brother, and putting himself in front of them both in a protective stance.

“You know you have every right to be mad at me. But I kept my word, I reunited you with our family!” Klaus yelled out. Elijah didn’t seem to like this comment as he then threw himself at Klaus, the both of them tumbling into a coffin. In a split second, the lid of the coffin was open, and Klaus was holding his older brother by the throat in one hand and a dagger in another.

“Don't make me do this to you again, Elijah!”

“Come on, use it. I dare you. You'll have Kol to deal with.” Elijah stops his struggle against the hold, with a challenging look.

Seb raises an eyebrow, “Kol would help you with your little Salvatore problem. But you're too scared of a 100-year-old vampire without humanity. I also dare you to let Kol out, I'd love to see his reaction to the mess you have caused.”

Klaus sends Seb a dangerous look before lowering the dagger. “Mikael is dead,” he blurts.

Elijah freezes, “What did you say?”

“I killed him with his own weapon. He's gone, Elijah. Forever,” Klaus stares, walking over to an urn-looking vase and slowly opening it.

“Is that all the news you have?” Seb prompts. Klaus’s face instantly fell. Elijah tilts his head in the shapeshifter's direction. After several tense silent moments of Klaus twirling the dagger in white oak, Seb sighs. “Cybele is dead.”

Elijah’s face also fell, but it was more with a quizzical look. “What?”

Seb stepped out from behind Cain, and Cain wrapped his arms around Pan, hugging him. Those two were rarely seen not touching.

“Mikael teamed up with the Salvatores and that doppelganger bitch. They had Mikael kidnap Cybele from New Orleans, and kill her in front of Klaus’s face, along with Katherine who was posing as Elena. So they had the decency to disguise the doppelganger, but they killed Cybele. Mikael cut her arms draining her of blood before shoving his fist through her chest.” Seb said with destain and sadness etching his features.

The house was eerily quiet as Klaus slowly went to Kol’s coffin, and shoved the dagger back into his heart. “This is why I must keep them daggered, brother. Because of Stefan Salvatore. There are things that you do not know about our past, Elijah. Things I never wanted you to know but I'm ready to tell you now. I only ask that you remember the oath of loyalty you once swore to me.” He gently shuts the lid on the coffin, sealing it. “Always and forever. I need you to stand by my side and be my brother. Help me destroy Stefan and I promise you our family will be whole again”

Elijah stood there in silence, jaw clenched as he mulled over the facts he was just given. Cybele’s death, his family still daggered, the looming betrayal of his own daggering, and the shapeshifter siblings quietly in the corner.

He then finally meets his brother's gaze and gives a curt nod.

°•♡•°

It was around nighttime when Elijah forced Pan and Seb to come to this so-called “meeting” that was set up with the Salvatore siblings. It took several hours of yelling and threatening but the remaining triplites agreed they wouldn’t kill them on the spot.

Elijah even tried to force Cain to leave, claiming it was a family matter, but it was quickly shot down when Cain almost attacked the Original, nearly causing a brawl. They eventually came to terms with the fact that Pan would only come if his lover accompanied him. Seb’s condition was that he got to keep his bat “Set” in the room, as well as be shifted into his most comfortable form.

That led to a yellow and white boa constrictor, happily wrapped in Pan’s arms as he sat at the small table, with Cain sitting by his side. They were in front of the fireplace, Pan watching as his brother slithered around his shoulders and arms, trying to get comfortable when Elijah walked in.

“Niklaus, our guests have arrived,” He announced walking into the room. He was slowly tailed by Stefan and Damon. A low hiss echoed throughout the room, coming from the snake.

Klaus quickly stood and approached the trio standing, “Damon. Stefan. Elijah tells me, you seek an audience. Very bold. Let's discuss the terms of our agreement like civilized men, shall we?”

Klaus raises his arms to showcase the table where the shapeshifters and vampires were sitting. Behind them were two girls, compelled, standing quietly and patiently for orders.

“Very bold indeed,” Cain said looking over the younger vampires with a clenched jaw.

“I didn't come here to eat, Klaus. In fact, I didn't want to come here at all but I was told I had to because you would hear us out. And who are you?” Stefan glared at Klaus, before refocusing on the man sitting next to Pan.

Cain tilted his head, “The man who nearly killed you,” he politely smiled.

“Cain,” Elijah warned with a look. Cain simply ignored him, leaning back into his chair, smirking at the memory of pinning Stefan to the wall. Elijah sighs and then gestures to the table. “Cain is Pan’s lover. Next to him is Pan, and the snake is Seb, the Faye triplets.”

Stefan focussed his attention on the large snake that was wrapped around Pan’s shoulders and down his arms. For such a large snake it was a miracle that Pan looked unphased by it. Stefan slowly gave a nod, as if he understood.

Damon's eyes were focused on Cain, trying to find out why he looked so damn familiar, but he couldn’t pinpoint why.

Klaus sat at the head of the table, gesturing to the remaining empty seats, “Well, we can settle, sit and eat… or I can reach down your throats and pull out your insides. The choice is yours” He had a small smirk that nearly mirrored Cain’s.

Slowly everyone eventually sat down in their respective chairs, and Seb slithered from Pan’s shoulders to Cain’s. Resting comfortably around his neck. Everyone sat silently in very thick tension, drinking and eating. All except Stefan.

As Damon thanks the compelled servant checking out her ass, Klaus eyes Stefan, “You lost your appetite.”

Damon looks at his brother, who simply wears a cocky and bored expression. Damon raised his eyebrow. “Eat. I thought we agreed that we would leave the grumpy Stefan at home,” He trails off with sarcasm and a smile.

Stefan looks down at his food, before slowly grabbing his fork and shoving a piece of whatever meat was in front of him, into his mouth.

“That's the spirit. Isn't it nice? Six of us dining together?” There was a low hiss, “Sorry, seven. This is such a treat. Is this what you had in mind when you pulled the dagger from my brother?” Klaus questions looking at Damon.

Damon gave a fake smile back, “Well, I know how he felt about you, so I figured the more, the merrier” He then sends a playful wink toward Elijah, who simply looks down at his plate before taking a long drink of blood.

“Well, Elijah and I have had our share of quarrels over the century. But we always make it through”

Stefan decides to speak up this time, “Kind of like you and Rebekah, right? Where is she, by the way? Last I checked she was still daggered because you were afraid to face her.”

At this point, it was clear Pan was getting antsy. His leg began to slowly bounce up and down under the table. Out of the triplets, Pan was always the one to steer clear of fights and tense situations. He had a lot of anxieties, and being in such a tense and unwelcoming situation was slowly getting to him.

Seeing this, Cain slowly put his hand over Pan’s thigh, resting it there before giving it a reassurance squeeze. Seb then transferred back over to Pan’s arms, slowly coiling around them, in his way of trying to comfort his brother.

“If you're referring to the fact that Rebekah knows I killed our mother, I've already come clean to Elijah” Klaus shrugged.

Pan sent a look over to Cain at the new information being revealed. He then frowned as his leg began to bounce more. His mind slowly drifted to his sister. Has Cybele known Klaus killed his mother?

Pan’s eyes traveled over to Stefan, unable to help but glare at him. Why were they here? He should shift and leap over the table and tear out his jugular. Why was he here trying to play nice with the enemy?

Pan's eyes then trailed to Klaus. Why wasn’t he showing that he cared about his sister being murdered?

The conversations were happening before him, but it seemed to be a mute sound, or that all around him was simply buzzing. He couldn’t understand what the people at the table were talking about and their images were starting to get a little blurred.

He finally became grounded by a tight pressure on his upper thigh, looking down he saw Cain’s hand squeezing tightly. When he came back to hear the conversation the first words out of Elijah’s mouth were, “What do you say? Should we tell them about Tatia?”

Pan froze, eyes snapping to Elijah. “Why would you talk about your long-dead lover at this moment with your current company?”

Everyone seemed to freeze at the sudden outburst from the youngest of the Faye triplets. Klaus slowly looked at Pan, nodding, “Now why should we discuss matters long since resolved?”

Elijah shrugged, “Well, given their shared affection for both Elena and Katerina, I think our guests might be curious to learn about the originator of the Petrova line.”

“Why must we talk about her?” Klaus asked in a tight voice. It was clear to Seb, who was a snake and couldn't even comment on the situation, that Klaus’s mask of being put together was slipping. Klaus at the mention of the word lover he was shoving food into his mouth, focusing his gaze on the plate.

Seb was probably the only one who saw that the all-mighty Klaus was simply ignoring and in a state of denial over Cybele’s death. To outsiders and others, it appeared as if he didn’t care. But they were wrong.

Seb was close with Klaus in New Orleans, he could pick apart his cues. The way his hand was currently under the table, tapping his thigh in a methodical pattern. His other hand clenched around his fork as he hated it. All Seb could do is slowly slither down Pan's shoulder, and slowly across the floor towards Klaus’s chair.

Abruptly Pan stood from the table, before storming out of the room, leaving Cain to send one glare towards Elijah, before running after his finance. The yellow and white snake began wrapping around Klaus’s ankle.

Damon cleared his throat awkwardly, “Well, we're not going anywhere Elijah. Please, do tell.” He said slowly, taking a large gulp of wine.

“When our family first settled here, there was a girl named Tatia. She was an exquisite beauty. Every boy of age desired to be her suitor, even though she'd had a child with another man. And none loved her more than Niklaus” As Elijah began to trail off telling the story of the past Klaus froze as he felt something touching his leg.

Glancing down he watched as the boa constrictor wrapped and weaved around his one leg, looking as if he was having trouble scaling up his leg because of the fabric of his pants. Klaus, who didn’t want to hear about Talia as he was hanging on by a thread, reached his left arm down.

Seb happily began to slither and cling to his arm, trailing upwards around his arm. He let out a small hiss of happiness. He then securely wrapped tightly around Klaus’s arm as Elijah stopped his story.

“But in the end, we realized the sacred bond of family,” Elijah prompts.

Klaus quickly slipped back the mask of fake arrogance, “Family above all.”

“Family above all.”

Klaus raised his free arm in the air, toasting toward Elijah. The two of them clinked their drinks together before drinking it down, in Klaus’s case chugging the entire thing.

“So, why don't we move this evening along and discuss the terms of this proposal?” Elijah says, looking at Damon.

Klaus quickly catches the sudden shift in the air and waves one of the servants over. Leaning down he whispered in her ear, “Go fetch that baseball bat as well as a spare set of jeans. Won't you?” Mutely the girl exited the room to get what was requested. Klaus felt the snake tighten around his arm, hearing the conversation.

“That's very simple. Klaus gets his coffin back, and in exchange, he and the Original extended family leave Mystic Falls forever. Me, Stefan, and Elena live happily ever after. No grudges.” Damon swiftly replies.

Elijah glances over, “The deal sounds fair, brother.”

Klaus lets out an amused laugh, “I don't think you understand. Elena's doppelgänger blood ensures that I will always have more hybrids to fight those that oppose me. I will never leave her behind. And have we not forgotten the bigger elephant in the room? Cybele. Now love?” The servant that was sent for pants and a bat returned to his side, “Take him to change, won't you?” He says handing over the snake, who accepts the transfer as she walks away.

The last thing Seb heard was Klaus’s chair screeching as he stood before beginning a monologue. The woman, who wasn't weirded out by the massive snake, takes him to the bathroom, sets him on the ground along with a bat and clothes, and shuts the door.

Seb groaned as he forced his bones to snap and rebreak. The disturbing and unsettling noise echoed throughout the bathroom as he shifted back to his human form. He took a few deep breaths out, in pain, before changing into the pair of jeans. Klaus hadn't given him a shirt, that bastard. Seb grabbed his bat, “Set” off the ground, and swung the door open, heading to the living room.

Seb walked into the room with only Klaus and Stefan inside, Klaus was holding Stefan's right hand over the flames, burning them to a crisp.

“It’s kinda rude you started without me,” Seb sighed, slinging the metal baseball bat over his shoulder and walking over to the two. He crouched down in front of Stefan, forcing him to look him in the eyes. “You know, I’ve waited for this. And now that the hybrid jackass is done with his dick-measuring contest, I can finally get to do what I want.”

Klaus yanked Stefan's hand out of the fire, letting him go in front of the kneeling Seb. Seb made sure that he kept full eye contact before with full force, swinging and smashing the baseball bat onto Stefan's head.

Stefan groaned, crumbling to the floor at Seb’s feet. “This is for Cybele,” Seb stated and began to wail the baseball bat repeatedly against the younger vampire's body.

Klaus chuckled at the sight of his former brother-in-law, beating the shit out of the youngest Salvatore. “You really have given up, haven't you? Where's the fight? Where's the ripper?”

Seb had a very glazed-over look in his eye as if he wasn't even paying attention, just brutally and angrily, bashing any body part of Stefan he could find with his bat. It got to a point the bat swung on his leg and it opened a large gash, spraying blood on his bare chest and jeans. The sounds of cracking and snapping filled the room after every swing.

That was when there were sounds of footsteps behind him, entering the room. He didn't even flinch or stop his assault. Until hands were on him, attempting to stop him. Blindly, he transferred the swing meant for Stefan's gut over to whoever was touching him. The bat swung and made contact with Damon Salvatore's neck, also sending him to the ground.

The look in Seb’s eyes was one of pure anguish and fury mixed into one. His normal brown eyes glowed blue. None of the Mikaelson brothers or Salvatores have seen it before. Breathing heavily Seb simply glared at Damon, who tried to touch him, on the floor groaning.

“Elijah... Why haven't you left?” Klaus asked warily, staring at his brother. Damon helps Stefan onto his feet standing beside Elijah. Seb glared at the two, breathing heavily as he tried to regain his composure.

Beside Elijah, a girl with a tray walks out, and there was a thin sheet over the tray. “Where are your manners, brother? We forgot dessert.” As he ripped the sheet off, two familiar silver daggers were laid on it.

Seb, still coming down from whatever murderous trance he was in, began to lowly chuckle seeing the situation beginning to form.

“What have you done?”

Elijah slightly tilted his head to the side while outstretching his arms, “What have you done? You see, I've learned not to trust your vulgar promises, Klaus. We're doing this on my terms now.”

A curly brunette slowly enters the room, with a cocky smirk on his face as he begins to advance toward Klaus. 

Klaus’s face paled, as he took several steps back “Kol-”

Simply advancing towards him, he chuckled, “Long time, brother.”

Seb watched as amusement filled Stefan's face, seeing Klaus the almighty scary hybrid feel fear. This seemed to flick a switch in Seb’s brain as the blue glow returned to his eyes. He took a step forward ready to swing his bat again at Stefan's head but a large form came out from nowhere, grabbing the bat.

Seb almost swung at the figure until his eyes landed on the familiar sight of Cain. “Let it go, there's a plan,” He whispered to him. Seb let the bat fall gently on his shoulder, but his glowing eyes were focused on Stefan.

In the blink of an eye, another person sped into the room, plucking a dagger from the tray, and driving it straight into Klaus’s palm. Finn smiled as he drove the dagger deeper before abruptly ripping it out, causing the hybrid to groan in pain, clutching the wounded hand.

Klaus took a few steps back before attempting to speed out of the room but was met with the angry expression of Rebekah at the top of the stares, twirling her dagger in her hands.

“This is for our mother,” she leaned down and whispered in his ear, before ramming it straight into his gut, making sure to tilt it upwards slightly to hit a lung. Klaus let out a small gasp in pain before falling backward into the waiting arms of Kol. Who tightly held him in place.

Elijah smiles looking at his family being whole again before turning his attention to the two younger vampires, “You're free to go. This is family business.”

The two vampires quickly and quietly leave the room, both avoiding the stare of the shapeshifter glaring at them.

Cain, seeing they left, takes a step away from Seb before whispering, “There is a plan,” he reassures before speeding out of the room. Making Seb feel incredibly out of place in the current situation.

Kol lets Klaus out of his hold, shoving him at a table. Klaus simply leans on the edge of the table, silently, looking down at the floor in shame. Kol then grabs a glass of blood, taking one for himself and then offering another drink to Finn, who hesitates but accepts.

Seb, seeing as he is the third party in this, and having a sudden wave of sadness seeing the siblings quietly begins to exit the room.

“And where do you think you're going?” The British accented voice of Kol asks. Seb paused, staring at his former best friend.

“This is a family matter, I’m not family.” Seb states.

Kol quirks an eyebrow, “Your practically family, I mean with Nik and Cybele and whatnot, I’d consider you family.”

Hearing this Seb freezes as he realizes they don’t know. Kol had been daggered in New Orleans several decades ago. Finn on the other hand, he had never met physically. And Rebekah… why was Rebekah daggered? Klaus who was staring at the floor, his head begins to hang lower in shame and sadness. Eljiah’s jaw clenches as regret fills his eyes.

“Speaking of, seeing as she isn’t infected with that spell of yours still where is Cybele?” Rebekah asks Klaus, roaming around the room, looking at the decor.

Seb cleared his throat, “Cybele’s dead.”

The immediate silence that filled the room was abrupt and quick. Rebekah’s eyes filled with tears, as she gasped.

Kol’s face fell, “What?”

“When trying to kill Klaus, Elena, the Salvatores, and their little crew kidnapped and set up Cybele as bait. Mikael used her to try and lure Klaus out. Klaus didn’t take the bait and Mikael killed her.” Seb explained for the second time that day. His voice was laced with anguish, but it appeared he was putting on a mask of indifference, trying to not let his former family see his true emotions.

“That’s impossible, you all have regeneration,” Kol pointed out.

“Apparently some things are too broken for regeneration.” Seb gritted out. “Or whatever fake gods out there are fucking us.”

The sound of glass echoed through the room as Rebekah threw a vase at the wall. She had tears rolling down her face, she was on the brink of sobbing. She then began to find any little pieces of decor and just smash them against the walls.

The room was filled with only the angry sobbed unintelligible shouts of Rebekah as she smashed everything in sight for the next several minutes.

“I wanted it to be for all of us. A place we could all call home. A place we could all be a family. None of us would ever have to be alone again,” Klaus’s broken voice strained out.

Seb clenched his jaw, casting his look at the floor, focusing in on a purple glass shard from one of the many broken things that had been thrown.

“Well you're right, none of us will be alone,” Elijah replied.

“We're leaving you, Nik! Right after I kill that doppelgänger wench! Then I’m murdering her little Salvatore lovers next! Then you will be alone! Always and forever!” Rebekah shouted, her voice wavered as the combination of angry and sad tears streamed down her face. She turned and grabbed Kol’s wine glass, chucking it near the wall next to Klaus’s head.

Klaus stood up finally facing the group, “If you run, I will hunt all of you down.” His tone of voice didn't sound convincing.

Elijah took a forward step in front of him, his face completely stone-cold, “Then you'll become everything you hate. Our father.”

“I'm the hybrid! I can't be killed! I have nothing to fear from any of you!”

“You will when we have that coffin.”

Seb watched the entire thing, quietly from the far side of the room. He shouldn’t be here, he should have left. Why did he stay?

He watched Klaus carefully, once again reading his cues. Klaus was behaving in the way of a trapped and scared animal. Today was the most Cybele had been spoken about since her death and it was clear Klaus was not handling it well. Seb could tell from the dinner, and from now. The fact Klaus was still reeling from her death followed by Eljiah basically cornering him with his entire family all at once was just the tipping point. Klaus was just reacting on the defensive. Seb thought about how if he could bet, he would bet Klaus wasn’t even meaning the words he was saying. It was all just him trying to cope and react.

Suddenly there was the creaking of the front door slowly opening. Everyone's heads turned around.

There were mixed emotions but the one on everyone's faces was pure shock. Eyes were wide, jaws were either opened or slacked. Everyone was frozen.

Rebekah, who was still basically sobbing over the news of Cybele, sniffled out one soft and broken word.

“Mother?”

°•°•°•°♡°•°•°•°

NOTES: reminder kol is recast as daniel sharman, hence different descriptors for his appearance.
btw this is (i think) the longest chapter with 4875 words.
also hi there, who is missing cybele?
because i miss her.
maybe we will be seeing her soon ;)

reminder to vote/comment if you want more <3