{"id":167,"date":"2024-08-13T14:45:27","date_gmt":"2024-08-13T14:45:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=167"},"modified":"2024-08-13T15:06:54","modified_gmt":"2024-08-13T15:06:54","slug":"chapter-02","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=167","title":{"rendered":"Chapter 02"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Chapter 02<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

[Vienna, Austria. June 26th, 2015. 12:00 pm.]<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella loved being able to take things slowly while exploring the world. She and Kol had nothing to tie them down, they didn\u2019t have to worry about money, they could do anything they wanted and she loved it. They had been in Vienna for about a week, exploring the beautiful gardens of Schloss Sch\u00f6nbrunn, for example, along with the palace itself. Sure, it was very touristy, but without time constraints, they could really enjoy themselves and get lost in the beauty for a while.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They\u2019d also gone to a Formula One race that was being held on June 21st, only a few hours away from Vienna. Mostly to satisfy their curiosity as they heard people speak of the sport on their travels. Bella absolutely loved it, the sound of the cars and the whole atmosphere at the circuit was simply a great experience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She had never been to a car race before, neither had Kol, and she loved it that they could both experience something new, together. It wasn\u2019t a boring race either as in the first round, two riders collided with each other and ended on top of each other. Luckily, they were both okay, but for a moment, the onlookers were quiet and after both men had been clearly alright, they clapped for them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And today, they were at Hofburg, the former imperial palace of Austria and its rich history. Kol thought it was cute how Bella had a weak spot for historical sites, how she appreciated the stories and the way everything looked. That was another reason he loved her so much; she liked hearing him talk about the past.  He knew that it was important that he looked to the future too; a future with his Bella. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He had to admit he was a tiny bit nervous when they went to the imperial apartments of the Palace, the imposing Emperor\u2019s Staircase being just that; imposing. And it was the perfect spot for what he was about to do. Halfway up the staircase he stopped Bella from going up even further and softly kissed her. \u201cAre you having fun?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d she smiled up at him. \u201cMaybe a little bit too much fun than is actually legal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t ever have too much fun,\u201d he kissed her again and caressed her hair. \u201cLife\u2019s too short for that. And it\u2019s too short to wait for anything else. But I do want to spend the rest of my life with you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGood, so do I,\u201d she smiled and softly kissed him before tugging on his arm. \u201cCome on, we\u2019re missing the tour.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m trying to ask you to marry me, Cuddles,\u201d he laughed. \u201cWe have all the time in the world, could I at least finish attempting to propose to you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella stopped in her tracks and looked at his hopeful face before letting out a sigh. She softly caressed his cheek as she smiled at him. \u201cI\u2019m not ready for that yet, can\u2019t we just enjoy ourselves?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo, I can ask you again?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, when I\u2019m ready, you can ask me again, and I\u2019ll have an answer for you,\u201d she smiled at him, kissing him briefly before pulling her with him. \u201cI won\u2019t let you down.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo that\u2019s a yes, isn\u2019t it?\u201d He grinned, the weight he had felt had fallen off his shoulders. \u201cBecause you do want to marry me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cKol!\u201d She whined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[St. Basil\u2019s Cathedral, Moscow, Russia. September 13th, 2015. 3:50 pm.]<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella was taking pictures of the Cathedral to send off to Charlie, show him what they were doing on her birthday. Charlie thought that them traveling through Europe was a great thing, to gain some experience before getting back into the real world and lead normal lives. Kol always had to laugh when Charlie mentioned them leading a normal life because there was no such thing as normal when you were a Mikaelson. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She wanted to go inside the building, and he happily obliged as he\u2019d have an excellent view of her ass when they\u2019d climb the spiral staircase to the center of the Cathedral. \u201cSo, if we ever get married, what would you like it to be? Small? Big?\u201d He pointed around them. \u201cIn a gorgeous church?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella merely eyed him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re not discussing this.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDo you have a thing against marriage?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhy do you want to get married so bad?\u201d She sighed exasperatedly. \u201cDo you really wish to rub the noses of your siblings into the fact that you have a normal, human life? Rebekah wants what you have and can\u2019t have it, she\u2019ll be devastated.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor a moment, yes, but she loves you to bits and would want to help out with the preparations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe\u2019ll turn into a bridezilla and I\u2019ll get the blame.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He wanted to say something witty in return but decided against it. One of these days he was going to figure out why she was against marriage. He could understand she wasn\u2019t ready for it, and he\u2019d be patient, not ask her again for a long time, but she was holding something back, and that was exciting. A puzzle to be made and figured out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

[<\/strong>T\u00e2rgu Jiu<\/strong>, Romania. February 14th, 2016. 11:44 am.]<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

They had been spending a couple of weeks with some Romani witches, learning from them and teaching them things. Bella hadn\u2019t liked the cold very much. There was too much snow, and she hated it. There wasn\u2019t a day where she wouldn\u2019t curse him for taking her to Romania when it was cold. She\u2019d rather have been somewhere a little warmer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The plus side was that a lot of sex was going on between the two of them. Secretly, this had been Kol\u2019s intention all along. Just to step back, relax, hang out with other witches and sex. But, it didn\u2019t come as a surprise to him that her Valentine\u2019s Day gift was two plane tickets back to America. She missed her mother, and she wanted to check up on Charlie and surely, Kol wanted to see if his siblings were doing alright? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She promised him that once the temperatures would rise in Romania, they\u2019d return. She liked the witches they had been staying at, but the frost dampened her spirits too much. He hadn\u2019t fancied traveling 100 miles to Bucharest on the day to celebrate love, but why not? He loved her; she wanted to go home for a while, why not?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While they were packing, he decided to ask her again. \u201cWhy are you against marriage? Didn\u2019t you want to marry Edward?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, but that was because I had an ulterior motive,\u201d she replied as she slammed her case shut. She still didn\u2019t like to talk about Edward or hear his name. He could understand that, but the asshole was a part of her history. A part of her. She needed to come to terms with that. \u201cI wanted to become a vampire and he\u2019d make me one if I\u2019d marry him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s stupid.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEspecially considering he was a douche.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI know,\u201d she said furiously. \u201cCan you drop it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She didn\u2019t speak to him on their long trip to Bucharest, but once they were on the airplane she sighed and apologized to him. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, I\u2019m just\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI understand,\u201d he replied as he softly kissed her. \u201cI won\u2019t ask you again.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, don\u2019t you dare ask my parents,\u201d she threatened. \u201cI\u2019ll chop off your foot and feed it to you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[Accessing current feeds]<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

[Mystic Falls, VA. Former Salvatore Boarding House. January 19th, 2311. 4:15 pm.] <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It had been impossible, no, not impossible, more along the lines of unsafe for her to contain the vampires to the house for longer than three days. They had drank through the entire alcohol supply in the house and had started to get antsy; even Stefan, who was usually the stable one. It hadn\u2019t been her intention to keep them locked up for that long anyway. It was unfair towards the Salvatore brothers. According to Sameen they had actually stepped up to the plate and tried to do as much damage control as they could; before Klaus and Kol decided to use them as puppets. It had been unfair to Sameen as well, and Bella truly felt sorry about it. She never wanted them to starve; she wanted to make sure that she was well enough to be dealing with the mess.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But she had been selfish by locking up the vampires and after apologizing and some negotiating, she let them out. The terms were these; she was going to venture into town to restock and get some food. She needed to cook because ordering in was getting a bore (she found out that Daisy\u2019s stomach couldn\u2019t handle certain spices very well). And they were allowed to feed. To make it interesting for them, she allowed them to go after the Bennett witches in Mystic Falls. And only them, this to send those in New Orleans a message. And, strangely enough, they agreed. Stefan could go after their pets and, of course, the wildlife if he didn’t have enough. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She had let them out yesterday and still hadn\u2019t returned. She hadn\u2019t heard a word from them, and she feared for the worst. That the witches had done something for Sam and that Klaus and Kol had gone into a rage. As her body still didn\u2019t get its temperature under control, she dressed in several layers of clothing that she had previously found in one of the closets – she suspected it was Stefan\u2019s. The moment she set foot outside, the vampires came running back to the boarding house, laughing. Covered in blood, but in a much better mood than when they had left. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhere the hell have you been?\u201d Bella demanded as she closed the door again and walked after them. Like bees to honey, they had found the new supply of alcohol that she had brought back. It felt like a little bit overkill, for them to have fed so much and then going straight to the booze.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe took care of the Bennett witches,\u201d Damon said with an incredulous look on his face as he poured himself a drink. \u201cYou told us to, remember?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, but\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, but you forget about the part that it wasn\u2019t just one or two witches,\u201d Klaus smirked. \u201cGo on, tell her the good part.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe had fun chasing at least twenty witches around,\u201d Kol grinned as he flopped onto the couch in his bloodied clothes. \u201cWe drained a few as we started off, then it was a matter of chasing them around and catching them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTheir spells hurt like a bitch though,\u201d Damon said with a smirk on his lips. \u201cIt was awesome.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019d forgotten how good it feels to actually kill for a good reason,\u201d Kol smiled widely at Bella and then cocked his head. \u201cWhy are you dressed up like an Eskimo?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI was going to look for you! You had me worried sick when you didn\u2019t come home last night!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAw, that\u2019s cute,\u201d Damon said mockingly and made his way over to Bella to unwrap her. \u201cUsing Stefan\u2019s clothes too.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHands off,\u201d she bit at him and punched him in his chest before regretting doing so. Within a blink, Kol was at her side, shoved Damon away from her by force and then started to inspect her hand for damage. \u201cHey! You didn\u2019t need to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cStop mothering me, Cuddles,\u201d Kol said after making sure she still had full use of her hand. \u201cStop mothering us, we\u2019ve been doing fine before you came back and we will be okay while you\u2019re here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sam huffed. \u201cThis is the calmest I\u2019ve seen you boys be in years.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t ask for your opinion,\u201d he shot at Sam and then looked at his brother who snarled in return.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh for the love of everything,\u201d Bella said as she started to unwrap herself from the clothes she had put on and looked at the siblings. \u201cPlay nice. You\u2019ve had your fun with the witches, now play nice, I\u2019m going to cook us some dinner that will agree with me.\u201d She walked off to the spacious kitchen and started to look for pots and pans. When she looked up, she saw that both Kol and Klaus, accompanied by Sam, were sitting on chairs, watching her. \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cForgive us, love,\u201d Klaus smiled at her. \u201cBut Kol and I have missed watching you cook and this will be Sameen\u2019s first time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s me, merely preparing a meal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cExactly, Cuddles. Please do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Huffing, she opened the fridge and got the ingredients out to start prepping. \u201cDo you have any idea how hard it was for me to find proper food, not the engineered kind or powder form?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cVery hard,\u201d Sam replied evenly as she watched the girl use her knife with finesse and precision as she chopped the vegetables. \u201c150 years ago we had a massive food shortage after some idiot accidentally released a disease that targeted most crops. There wasn\u2019t a cure for it, and the wind took it across the world. They had to resort to other means to get food for the humans and engineered it. Like the uhm\u2026 3-D printer that started to pop up in 2013.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow is that healthy?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey add the vitamins to it, all the food has become more nutritious and healthy than it used to be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, but it\u2019s artificial. Please tell me that there are more people out there trying to grow their own crops?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere are,\u201d Sam replied simply with a shrug of her shoulder. \u201cYou\u2019d call these people hipsters or hippies. They\u2019re all for being 100 percent organic, no technological body enhancements or implants or whatever.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella shuddered as she had thought of the person she bought the vegetables from. He was definitely not a hipster, more a homeless person trying to get more money from his homegrown crops. Having found a colander, she put her already cut vegetables in it to make room for more on the chopping board. She was going to rinse the greens well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUnbelievable,\u201d Klaus said in awe as he reclined on his chair while he kept watching Bella. \u201cIt\u2019s like Kol all over again. I see a different body, but what it\u2019s protecting is clearly our girl, look at the way she uses that knife. It\u2019s identical.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh good,\u201d Kol replied as he looked at his brother. \u201cBecause if that hadn\u2019t been Bella, she\u2019d have been the biggest imposter ever, and she\u2019d have fooled us for days.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m just saying, brother.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella looked up from her work and sighed. \u201cCould you three please change into something that hasn\u2019t been covered by blood?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWill you stop cutting vegetables while we do? I want to watch the whole process,\u201d Kol replied as he rose to his feet, eager to oblige. \u201cI want to smell everything.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She put down the knife and took a step back with her hands raised. \u201cGo ahead.\u201d She watched Kol and Klaus run off as if they were little children on drugs, leaving a stunned Sam. \u201cIt\u2019s just a phase,\u201d she said with a shrug. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo, I don\u2019t think it is,\u201d Sam replied eventually. \u201cYou\u2019re bringing back a sense of normalcy in their lives, reminding them, and me, what it\u2019s like to be human.\u201d She then nodded like she agreed with herself before walking out of the kitchen to get changed. \u201cChange is good.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When they returned, Bella had poured them a glass of wine and had turned on the oven. Not that she was going to need it, but it felt good. This old house certainly could do with some better insulation, even the compound in New Orleans was always warm in the winters. \u201cSo, how many vampires do you have in your army, Klaus?\u201d she asked as she resumed her prep work for their meal tonight. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEnough, why?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, get this, Cuddles, he even has some relatives in his army.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe were not going to tell her that,\u201d Klaus hissed at his brother. It was bad enough that he knew, although Kol didn\u2019t seem to particularly care, but Bella, on the other hand, she would be furious. He managed to catch the knife that Bella had thrown at him and looked at her. \u201cI swear, I did not turn them all.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She grabbed another knife from the drawer. \u201cTell me what you did.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, I turned KJ when he was 20,\u201d he said casually. \u201cHe was the last you experienced the birth of and I thought it\u2019d be nice to have him around as a reminder. Luckily, despite his dumb actions that echo his father\u2019s stupidity, he\u2019s still alive.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She remembered KJ. Kol Jasper Mikaelson, son of her great great grandchild, a descendant of her daughter Nina. \u201cDidn\u2019t Becky and Joel move away after his birth like most of them had?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOf course,\u201d Klaus replied. \u201cThey moved to Los Angeles, but at some point KJ was curious to his roots and came to New Orleans, and I showed him his heritage. Then, of course, was his brother Chuck, who was dying of cancer, and Rebekah happened to be in Los Angeles working as a nurse. Chuck didn\u2019t make it for very long; he had a good ten years though.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sighing, she turned her back and started to rinse the vegetables. She knew she shouldn\u2019t be angry with Klaus for doing what he did best; annoying people, hurting them. This was the reason she was glad that most of her children moved away from New Orleans. Not that she didn\u2019t want them to stick around for Klaus, but because eventually, he\u2019d destroy the entire family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, and the only surviving line is the one of your first born. As you know, Sophia was in a car accident with her small children while on holiday in the mountains and your son Oliver was gay. It took me a while to track down Eliana\u2019s descendants, but I got them all eventually.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re lucky I was dead.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOf course, I would never do anything to hurt you while you were still alive, but I could not have that many of your descendants walk the earth with the power they had. It would have been catastrophic. The example would be the Bennett witches who are currently taking over New Orleans. Over the years, they’ve kept growing in numbers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She nodded slowly. She understood his reasons, but that didn\u2019t mean she had to be happy about it. At least her children had had a great life, and she had loved watching them grow up and get children of their own. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThen there\u2019s Duke. Angry little fellow,\u201d Klaus mused as he leaned back in his chair. \u201cEven stronger as a vampire.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn all fairness, I killed Duke a hundred years later,\u201d Sam remarked sharply. \u201cHe wanted to go after James.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah and you should have let him. Because if you had, we wouldn\u2019t be in the mess of not being able to enter New Orleans,\u201d Klaus grumbled and crossed his hands over his chest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSonny had my blood in his system when Damon killed him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat? Damon?\u201d For some reason, the knowledge of knowing that someone other than a Mikaelson killing her family made her blood boil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou rang?\u201d Damon smirked as he leaned against the doorpost. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella opened the drawer of knives, and they shot out towards Damon, some hitting him right in the chest but missing his heart, others hitting the wall or simply the ground. \u201cDamnit. My aim used to be better than that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOw!\u201d Damon whined as he started to pull out the knives. \u201cWhy did you do that for?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSonny,\u201d Klaus grinned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m a vampire, I kill people, that\u2019s what I do! Besides, he\u2019s so far removed from you that you shouldn\u2019t even care, Bella.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She lifted the knives off the floor again and threw them at him again. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Damon growled as he angrily got the other knives out of him as his blood dripped on the ground. \u201cI made another one a vampire when he came to visit us in Mystic Falls.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019d better stop talking if you want to keep on breathing,\u201d Kol said as he looked at Damon with a smile on his face. \u201cOnce she\u2019s out for blood, she will get it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once Damon had pulled all the knives out of his body, she shot them at him again. \u201cStop, please,\u201d Damon groaned as he leaned against the wall to steady himself and pleadingly looked at Bella. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, okay? But the best way to annoy Klaus is to go after his family.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy family,\u201d Bella said angrily. \u201cYou went after my family.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou were dead, you didn\u2019t know,\u201d He huffed as he rolled his eyes at her. \u201cI didn\u2019t do anything that would affect you, you know,\u201d he groaned again when he started to pull knives out of himself again. \u201cDid you have your revenge? Can you stop?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh shut up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou should be glad that she doesn\u2019t pin you to the wall and keep using you for target practice,\u201d Kol grinned as he took a sip of his wine. \u201cShe\u2019s a lot like our sister in that way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut it wasn\u2019t something I did to her, was it?\u201d Damon spat, throwing the last knife on the ground and stomped off to clean himself up and get drunk. Bella had always been a little crazy, but this was not amusing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019s one called Xander. At least ten generations removed from you. He\u2019s still around. Rebekah took pity on Elijah Kol, Xander\u2019s nephew, because the poor sod was ill. You see, Rebekah had a habit of coming back to town for a couple of weeks before disappearing again.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHer visits became more scarce after Marcel got killed during one of the first attempts of the Bennett witches trying to establish a foothold in New Orleans,\u201d Sam added. \u201cBut when she did come, and could mean something to the family, she\u2019d help out. Such as turning someone into a vampire – if they wanted to.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMarcel\u2019s dead?\u201d Bella asked with a big smile on her face. She had never liked him because he had a thing against Kol, amongst other things, and to hear of his death was simply music to her ears. She set a pot of water on the stove and used her magic to get the water boiling so she could add pasta to it before resuming making dinner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, you don\u2019t have to act all happy about it!\u201d Klaus said with a pout. \u201cHe might have been somewhat conniving, but he eventually learned what loyalty was.\u201d He then looked at her and cocked his head. \u201cWhy do you want to know about the size of my army?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBecause you\u2019re going to need one if you want to take back what\u2019s yours,\u201d she simply stated before starting to brown the spiced minced meat. \u201cI\u2019m going to drop the barrier when I find out what spell they used for it and then you and your army can rush back in and secure the compound, your home.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She huffed. \u201cWe\u2019ll take the train right to the last stop before New Orleans where we get off. I drop the barrier, and you use the train to get into the city, that way, you don\u2019t have to run across town and risk losing more of your vampires.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou make it sound so easy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBecause it is. I\u2019m going to drop the barrier, and you\u2019re going to take back what\u2019s yours. That\u2019s step one of getting your city back. I\u2019ll put up protection spells around the compound when you\u2019ve got it back, of course.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella shrugged. \u201cI was thinking to venture into New Orleans by myself tomorrow, talk to the witches who brought me back and see if they know anything. I\u2019m pretty sure they\u2019ve lifted the spell that allowed Sam to get in.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not going by yourself,\u201d Kol said, shaking his head. \u201cAbsolutely not.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhy not? You can\u2019t come with me, remember? And I\u2019ll be okay. I\u2019ll be careful.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow about we break the spell that keeps us out and then you can go to your witches?\u201d Klaus offered, earning him a slap on the head from Sam. \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou know as well as I do that she needs to know what spell it is, and then figure a way around it because she didn\u2019t cast it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella smiled at that as she tossed the pasta in the boiling water and added the vegetables to the meat in the pan. \u201cI\u2019ll be fine, I promise.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI still don\u2019t like it,\u201d Klaus and Kol chorused and at the same time took a sip of their wine. \u201cYou\u2019ve only gotten your strength back and—\u201d Kol added but was interrupted by Bella. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOkay, fine.\u201d She shrugged. \u201cHow long do you want to wait? A week? A month? A year? I mean, you could either be back in New Orleans before the week is over or not. It\u2019s fine to me. Whatever you want. But you know, I\u2019d rather have it sooner or later so that Kol and I can spend some proper time on our own without everyone else listening in. Or you know, me having to be one step ahead of you to make sure you don\u2019t end up killing me by accident. So whatever you want. I just want to go home.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[Waikiki Beach, Oahu, Hawaii. December 25th, 2017. 11:30 am.]<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

He was caught in a tourist trap, but he didn\u2019t mind. After how she responded to him in Romania when it was all snowy and cold and beautiful, he didn\u2019t mind going somewhere warm for the winter; anywhere but New Orleans, to be honest. When they had returned from Romania, Klaus found ways for them to use their witch powers for his personal gain, so after a month, they upped and left to visit Rene\u00e9, Bella\u2019s mother. And then Charlie before returning to Europe. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella had fallen ill somewhere in September when they were somewhere in France. He had planned for her to spend her birthday in Paris again, but this time without the bungee jumping – and she\u2019d been in the hospital for a week before she was released. He felt like he owed her to go somewhere unique and uplifting and had taken her to Hawaii, and she had loved it. They had spent some time on the Big Island and on Maui, and now they were in an even bigger tourist trap. But that was fine. His Bella was smiling and enjoying the sunshine and the beach, and he loved seeing her in her bikini. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo, remember I got sick a few months ago?\u201d Bella asked as they were lying on the beach, soaking up the sun. She had curled herself up against him as they were lying underneath a big umbrella. They didn\u2019t do Christmas presents, they agreed. Mostly because they wanted to travel light, but also because every day was a gift and an adventure. It was an incredibly cheesy pact they had made, but it was theirs, and it worked. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDon\u2019t remind me, that was terrible because you wanted conventional medicine to get you through it,\u201d Kol sighed as he ran a finger over her back. \u201cWhile if you had Klaus or Rebekah overnight a vial of their blood, you would have been healed immediately. You\u2019re so human sometimes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She snorted as she hit him on his chest. \u201cAnd you need to stop wanting to use magic for everything, it\u2019s not a solution to all of the problems.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, it so is.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnyway,\u201d she said after a moment of silence. \u201cIn our excitement we forgot one important thing since I got sick\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhich is?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, since we\u2019re traveling a lot, I stepped off getting my Depo shot on a regular basis and switched to pills\u2026\u201d She said slowly, looking up at him to see if he knew what was going on, but then again, he probably didn\u2019t have a clue. \u201cThey don\u2019t work when you vomit all the time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOkay?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI should have made you wear a condom.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHuh?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSeriously, are you deliberately being stupid right now?\u201d She sat up to look at him, seeing the confused look on his face. \u201cI knew you were ancient, but seriously?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella sighed as she turned around to get something out of her bag and put it on his chest for him to look at. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s that?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s one of five pregnancy tests I took.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, okay,\u201d he said, picking it up and looking at it. \u201cI don\u2019t know what I\u2019m supposed to see. Are you saying you\u2019re pregnant?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo,\u201d she shook her head angrily. \u201cI\u2019m definitely not saying I\u2019m pregnant. I\u2019m saying that we\u2019re having a baby. WE. Not me. We<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis isn\u2019t funny, Cuddles.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDo I look like I\u2019m joking?\u201d She got to her feet and dusted herself off. \u201cMerry Christmas, asshole,\u201d she said before walking off. Bella was fuming, how could he think she was joking about this? She would never joke about being pregnant because that was stupid and mean. Very mean. She wouldn\u2019t like it to happen to her, so why would she do that for him? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As she walked back to the hotel, she decided to call Rebekah for advice. Or to rant against, because she wouldn\u2019t want to be a bother to Elijah and Klaus wouldn\u2019t even know what to say. The hybrid would simply let her ramble on and on without there being a solution. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBella! How wonderful of you to call, are you having fun?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHey Rebekah, Merry Christmas to you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou should see the tree that Nik had put up. It\u2019s enormous. We got you presents, but I know you two aren\u2019t coming back for a long time. But it\u2019s the thought, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/em> Rebekah sounded slightly disappointed. \u201cIt\u2019s so quiet around here without you two around.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, you could come to Hawaii? The weather is absolutely fantastic, I\u2019m walking around in my bikini and shorts for most of the time, and it\u2019s just gorgeous here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou know, I think I just might after New Year.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGreat!\u201d Bella decided not to go back to the hotel but to get something to drink from one of the concession stands. \u201cI have a question.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh dear, you sound serious.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBecause it sort is, and I was serious with Kol about it and he thinks it\u2019s a joke,\u201d Bella huffed. She sat down to enjoy her drink, or at least make an attempt to do so as she could feel tears sting behind her eyes. \u201cIt\u2019s not fair. Why are men so stupid?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBecause they\u2019re men, darling. Are you alright?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d she said softly as she rubbed her eyes. She was not going to cry over this. Kol was Kol, and she should have handled it differently. \u201cI should have conveyed the message a different way, I suppose.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re having me worried now, Bella. Are you ill again?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Huffing again, she took a sip of her drink before she spoke again. \u201cNo, if only it were that easy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was quiet on the other end of the phone for quite a while before Rebekah excitedly gasped. \u201cAre you pregnant?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFive pee sticks and a missed period or two say that Kol and I are going to have a baby, yes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because of the deafening scream of joy on the other end of the phone, she put the phone on speaker and the table until it had finished. \u201cI\u2019m definitely coming over. Tomorrow. I\u2019ll be there tomorrow, and then we\u2019re going to find you an obstetrician to confirm, how\u2019s that?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella let out a sigh of relief and nodded, temporarily forgetting that Rebekah couldn\u2019t actually see her. \u201cThat would be great, thanks, Rebekah.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd tell Kol again. He\u2019ll get the message eventually. He\u2019s simply dimwitted. He\u2019ll be happy. I\u2019m happy. I\u2019m going to be an Auntie!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

[Espoo, Finland. July 7th, 2018. 1:32 am.]<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

While they were traveling through Scandinavia, they had met the loveliest witch at Suomenlinna, a sea fortress in Helsinki that was supposedly haunted. Paula Grimm was on a tour with some of her coven members as some \u2018sister\u2019s day out\u2019 and accidentally overheard Bella and Kol have a discussion about her giving birth. Bella had been putting her foot down on going to the hospital for the birth of their child. Kol kept insisting that it was a bad idea in case there\u2019d be a magical occurrence while she birthed their daughter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paula introduced herself as firstly, a midwife. Secondly, a druid in a coven that sounded a lot like the coven Bella and Kol had encountered in The Netherlands, but at least Paula dressed normally and had an actual job. Always willing to help out other magical beings, she offered that they\u2019d come to her home for the birth where she\u2019d be able to ensure a safe delivery. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So here they were, a week later, in Paula\u2019s home. Bella was pacing around like a caged animal as she was trying to walk off the pain in between contractions. Kol had offered to take some of her pain away, but as always, she refused. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cStop being so bullheaded!\u201d Kol remarked from his spot on the couch, his eyes never leaving her as she kept walking around. \u201cI can\u2019t stand seeing you in pain.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou should have thought about that when we both decided to keep this baby, Kol,\u201d she shot at him as she rubbed her lower back. \u201cI\u2019m afraid that if you do take the pain away, I can\u2019t feel if something goes wrong or something.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDon\u2019t be ridiculous.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPlease stop irritating the soon to be mother,\u201d Paula spoke gently as she looked at Kol. \u201cAllow her to do this the way she wants it to go.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He let out a huff. \u201cIf I\u2019d do that, we\u2019d be in the car right now to the nearest hospital.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOkay, apart from that then. Be supportive. Offer to massage her feet or back.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBella, would you like\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDon\u2019t touch me,\u201d she said as she swatted his hands away as she sank back onto the couch before putting her head on his shoulder and sighed. \u201cCould you rub my back?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[Espoo, Finland. July 7th, 2018. 4:13 am.]<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI know you are tired, Bella, but you need to keep pushing when you feel the need for it,\u201d Paula spoke gently as she reassuringly caressed her leg. Bella had been pushing for about two hours now, and she looked exhausted. \u201cIt is critical that you find the strength to keep pushing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kol used a wet cloth to wipe Bella\u2019s forehead, trying to cool her down some before the next contraction came. It was difficult to stay an active participant in this, helpful, as the experience was fascinating to him. She was going to push a baby out of a tiny hole. His baby. Their baby. He already knew that the human body was able to tolerate a lot of pain and discomfort, but his Bella was Superwoman. She was doing so well. \u201cI\u2019m so proud of you,\u201d he said as he helped her sit up again when the next contraction washed over her. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShut up,\u201d she groaned as she tried to push as hard as she could. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m serious, Cuddles,\u201d he said encouragingly. \u201cI couldn\u2019t do what you\u2019re doing right now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo, your cock has not enough space to do this shit,\u201d she cried out as she pushed again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMarry me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She waited until the contraction had passed for a moment before realizing what he had said. \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPlease, marry me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She blinked up at him; he had a serious look on his face and this time, he seemed to mean it. She had waited for this. Bella had waited for him to find the right reasons within himself to marry her and now that moment had come but at the worst possible timing. Sitting up again because the next contraction already came, she took a deep breath. \u201cI\u2019m pooping out our child and you think now is the time to ask me again?\u201d she blurted out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou asshole!\u201d she cried out as she felt how their daughter\u2019s head finally popped out of her. She fell back on the bed, breathing heavily and trying to find the rest of her strength for the final push or two. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, what?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWill you marry me, Isabella Marie Swan?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[Accessing current feeds]<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

[Marcel\u2019s old apartment across the river, Algiers, New Orleans. January 20th, 2311. 2:14 pm.] <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella knocked on the door before sliding it open, finding a dozen or so young witches stare at her with their mouths open. \u201cClose those mouths before you catch something,\u201d she remarked as she slid the door closed behind her. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve returned!\u201d If Bella remembered correctly, that was Vanja, first born daughter of the current regent. Older sister of the body Bella was inhabiting. The brunette jumped up from her chair to warmly greet Bella, but she took a step back to make sure there was a distance between them. She was not Daisy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It had been strange to be back in New Orleans. She hadn\u2019t paid much attention to it when Sam took her to the train to get to Mystic Falls, but on her way over she had taken a good look around, and it had changed. The atmosphere had changed. What used to feel like home had now turned into feeling cold and emotionless, yet also overflowing with energy and not the right kind. Bella realized that a lot needed to be done for it to feel like home again. \u201cAre you all Mikaelson witches?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, apart from Mandy. She\u2019s a Claire,\u201d Vanja responded, making another attempt of hugging Bella, who took another step back towards the door.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you insist on keep on trying to hug me, you will keep on being disappointed. I am not your sister,\u201d she said coolly before walking around Vanja and had herself introduced to the teenagers present. They were all from her line, cousins from each other and in Mandy\u2019s case, a distant relative. \u201cWhere are the adults?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI am an adult,\u201d Vanja said hurt. \u201cSo is Malin and Derek.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella hummed as she walked towards the window to look out over the city. So much had changed, it hurt to realize that a lot had changed and even though progress was good, it felt as if the shifted balance had set everything back. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAre you here to help us, Mrs. Mikaelson?\u201d Mandy asked as she stood next to Bella. Bella liked the girl\u2019s energy; it felt a lot better than the energy coming off of her descendants. She seemed to be a bright cookie and not afraid to step on people\u2019s toes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI will help,\u201d Bella smiled sweetly at Mandy before turning around to the other witches. \u201cBut first, I\u2019m going to need your help.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When they didn\u2019t show any respect by unanimously huffing, Bella realized why they had chosen Daisy\u2019s body for her. Daisy obviously didn\u2019t look like much, and she had probably been teased relentlessly for looking like she was twelve. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella had grown accustomed to being respected as a witch ever since she and Kol permanently returned from their travels with their two children and becoming co-regents for the witches. She thought that these girls would have extended that respect towards her since they had resurrected her, but clearly they needed some education. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella flicked her hand, sending the group flying across the apartment before she crossed her arms over her chest and quietly looked at them. She was Bella freaking Mikaelson; she was the reason they even existed, what the hell was going on? Something was off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t have time to help you. You need to help us, and then we\u2019ll see if we can help you,\u201d Vanja said as she got up from the floor and rubbed her ass. \u201cWe brought you back for a reason and you\u2019re going to do as we say.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think not,\u201d Bella huffed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cForget it, Vanja. Mandy was wrong, as always. We\u2019ll find a different way to deal with our coven.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDerek, was it?\u201d Bella said as she walked up towards the boy and helped him up from the floor. She found it amusing that Mandy was following her like an eager puppy. Yep, she really liked Mandy. \u201cWould you care to inform me about when you kids learned not to respect your elders?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t need to respect you, we raised you from the dead to help us, you\u2019re going to help us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou have to forgive them, Mrs. Mikaelson,\u201d Mandy said as she eyed her coven, clearly fearing for their lives. \u201cThey have been through a lot, and their parents haven\u2019t always given the best examples. They don\u2019t understand that kindness goes a long way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella resisted the urge to pet the young witch on her head and tell her that she was a good little puppy. Instead, she kept focused on the Mikaelson witches. \u201cYou\u2019ve given me new life; this does not mean that I am your puppet or yours to be controlled. I\u2019m quite agreeable to have around, but thinking me as of your property is not done, have I made myself clear?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The impish looks on the faces before her made her blood boil. Idiots. \u201cI am Bella Mikaelson, former regent of the New Orleans witches and your ancestor, treat me like any less and I will certainly not cooperate, how\u2019s that? Do you understand now?\u201d Yeah, she had the right to demand respect like an Original. Definitely. When all heads nodded, she motioned for everyone to sit down again and joined them in their circle. \u201cI\u2019d like to see the documentation you have on the spell cast around New Orleans that keeps the vampires out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhy?\u201d Malin asked as the blood drained from her face. \u201cOur problems don\u2019t concern the vampires.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn a way, they do,\u201d Bella said kindly. \u201cNew Orleans is a crucial city as for centuries the supernatural community has been in perfect balance with the human population. Neither faction held too much power, too much control even if they all fought about it. This is silly, I know. But without that balance, the power shifts. Who are in control now? The werewolves and those Bennett witches, yes? How many humans get killed on a daily basis and how many wolves are being born every year?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cToo many.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe vampires are predators, a necessary evil if you like. Their hunting kept the werewolf and witch population under control, and thus the balance in New Orleans. By doing so, they made it the perfect city for tourists to come and revel, to eat Po-boys in the street listening to Jazz music, stroll around feeling safe and warm in the arms of the city.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn just fifty years after your great-grandfather kicked out the vampires, the balance shifted like a snap of the fingers. The Bennett witches moved in, they left their home of Mystic Falls and moved in to work with the werewolves. I\u2019ve been told that werewolves from all over are now in the city, not just the Crescent wolves. The Bennett\u2019s took away your home and your sanctuary. This would not have happened if James hadn\u2019t cast that spell.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou want to bring the vampires back to New Orleans? How does that solve our problem?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt won\u2019t directly solve your problem, but it\u2019s the first step in the right direction.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI knew this was a bad idea,\u201d Kol, son of Ulf, said as he got to his feet and started to pace around. \u201cShe\u2019s in league with the vampires; she\u2019s not on our side. The whole story about balance is bull. We need to simply drive out all the foreign elements and then everything will return to normal. Her power was supposed to help us with that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo that\u2019s what you\u2019re interested in? Power?\u201d Bella looked around the circle and almost every one of them nodded. \u201cWhy? Your line is incredibly powerful already, what do you need with more power?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe need to stop the regent from going on with the Harvest,\u201d Malin said quietly. \u201cWe don\u2019t have the juice to stop her.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou do. Every single one of you has the power, especially if you work together. What is it with you guys? Have you gotten lazy?\u201d She now noticed the clear absence of Grimoires and books. \u201cWhere are your books?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe moment the technology was there, they started to use it, it was easier,\u201d Mandy explained. \u201cBack in your day you probably had people who were anti-technology or anti-vaxxers, these days we have anti-chippers. You see, a family can choose whether or not they want a chip implanted in themselves, and their offspring, that contains all they need to know. My family thinks it\u2019s a form of mind control, to keep the population in check and from rioting. Sometimes we think it even prevents them from creating an original thought because they won\u2019t read real books.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a bit overdramatic,\u201d Vanja huffed and Malin concurred. \u201cThis saves us time to do other things.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLike what?\u201d Mandy shot at her cousin. \u201cSeriously, what do you do with your time? You do your spells, your rituals, but don\u2019t learn anything new, how is that not lazy?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNow, don\u2019t fight,\u201d Bella said soothingly and looked at Mandy. \u201cDid Daisy have the implant?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mandy nodded. \u201cBut I smuggled in a tiny EM-pulse generator to shut it off for you. It\u2019s impossible to turn it back on. I didn\u2019t want your mind to be affected by their laziness and contain your knowledge and memories.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd that\u2019s where you went wrong,\u201d Derek grumbled. \u201cIf you hadn\u2019t, she would have helped us without having her own agenda.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey were afraid to resurrect you,\u201d Mandy said, ignoring Derek. \u201cThere must have been a reason you’ve been excluded from the Mikaelson history in their updates. They knew about Kol and know that they should fear him, but there was barely a word about you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella nodded. This she could understand. She had overheard Klaus and Sameen talk that evening when she was trying to get warm in front of the fire, even though she was talking to Kol. He had arranged it so that she wouldn\u2019t be on those chips to protect her. \u201cBut you know.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mandy smiled widely and nodded. \u201cI snuck into the Lyc\u00e9e to grab a few old books. I know you don\u2019t mean any harm unless you\u2019re threatened. They just fear you, unsure of what you\u2019d do without any means of control. I would never have suggested they should resurrect you if I thought you were malevolent.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She understood a lot better now and sighed. She had never experienced this side of the coin, and it didn\u2019t feel all too good to be on that side either. Bella was still missing something, but she was certain she was going to find out soon. \u201cI take it that James didn\u2019t keep written records?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSadly no,\u201d Mandy shook her head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella smirked as she conjured up notebooks and pens and handed it to the Mikaelson witches. \u201cStart writing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the witches wrote, Bella decided to take Mandy outside for a walk in the safe zone and grab a bite to eat. Mandy was able to tell her more about the history of New Orleans and how bad the situation was with the witches. Bella realized that it hadn\u2019t been a recent problem. Even long before the vampires were rudely evicted from the city, the witches had started to become complacent, thinking that everything was going to be alright simply because they carried the Mikaelson name. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She understood Klaus a little better now too, with him killing so many of her descendants, and now she was wondering if it had been a good idea, at all, to have children with Kol. She felt indirectly responsible for the mess, but she wondered if it was better to take a step back; surely the only thing remaining of her and Kol\u2019s family was a diluted bloodline and the name. Which, technically, wasn\u2019t even theirs to have. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With a cloaking spell, she dared Mandy to cross the river with her to the cemetery where Bella wanted, no, needed, to retrieve something from the tomb that only she or Kol could open. It had been his old hang out, and they had spelled it shut from everyone else ever entering. There were so many things in there that could do so much harm they didn\u2019t want to see inflicted upon New Orleans. But she also stored their most valuable treasures in there, and she needed to pick up just one item. A small box.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It didn\u2019t come as a shock to her to see that some of the tombs and graves had been destroyed. Likely by the unwelcome witches and that they even made an attempt of cracking open the vault. Having Mandy as the invisible lookout, she got into the tomb and found the box she had been looking for with ease, the layout of the room still in her blood, still familiar. \u201cDon\u2019t worry,\u201d she whispered as she caressed the wall as she shut it again. \u201cWe\u2019ll see you soon. The both of us will.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat was brilliant!\u201d Mandy squealed once they were back in relative safety across the river and walked up the stairs to the apartment. \u201cI was so afraid they\u2019d sense the magic and would come running.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPerhaps they did, but it\u2019s called a cloaking spell for a reason. I made sure it scattered the magic so they couldn\u2019t pinpoint where it came from.\u201d Sliding open the door, she was satisfied to see that the witches had finished writing and handed her the notebooks. \u201cThank you. We shall see each other again soon and hopefully by then I will have secured you a haven in the French Quarter.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGood luck with that,\u201d Derek huffed. \u201cIt\u2019s werewolf central over there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella just smiled as she put the notebooks in her bag and went home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Chapter 02 [Vienna, Austria. June 26th, 2015. 12:00 pm.] Bella loved being able to take things slowly while exploring the world. She and Kol had nothing to tie them down, they didn\u2019t have to worry about money, they could do anything they wanted and she loved it. They had been…<\/p>\n

Continue reading<\/i><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":160,"parent":159,"menu_order":1,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-167","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nChapter 02 - MeekoBuggy<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Chapter 02 - MeekoBuggy\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Chapter 02 [Vienna, Austria. June 26th, 2015. 12:00 pm.] Bella loved being able to take things slowly while exploring the world. She and Kol had nothing to tie them down, they didn\u2019t have to worry about money, they could do anything they wanted and she loved it. 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