Chapter Text
Freya woke with a startled gasp. Bonnie and her grams stood over her, their hands held together, channeling their power into the spell that woke the slumbering witch.
Elijah stood beside them. He watched their every move and listened to their every word. He didn't not trust the Bennett witches, but given the current predicament, better safe than sorry. The first moment his eyes left the witches', it was to observe his now conscious sister. Freya was beautiful, even in her current, panicked state. She looks like mother. He thought, the heartbreaking sentiment weighing heavy on his heart.
Finn stood to Elijah's left, Sage's comforting hand in one of his own, the other pressed against his slow beating heart. Freya was alive. His Freya was alive. From the moment El told him of the situation, he prayed and hoped they could wake her. That he wouldn't be forced to wait years for her to wake on her own.
He had remembered being in the coffin. He had felt the way his desiccated veins attempted their job painfully underneath his skin. He had heard things around him, usually quiet or sarcastic apologies from his siblings. And he had dreamt. Of killing, of Sage, his human life, but mostly of Freya. Sometimes the memories mixed with the horrors he'd inflicted. Sometimes his oxygen deprived brain would conjure images of what she would've looked like had he not lost her. And sometimes, if he was lucky, he would dream of the two of them as children. Playing in the water as they bathed, the little tricks they played on Mother and Father, and holding each other during a storm. It was the only thing that kept his mind from rotting, that kept him sane.
As dear has he held those dreams to his heart. Nothing in the world would ever compare to the feeling of having her back. Hearing her breathe. Seeing her eyes for the first time in a millennium. The ability to reach out and hold her hand.
Rebekah squeezed Caroline's hand almost painfully at the sight before them. Her sister was awake. Her sister was alive. She had never had a sister. Her mother, before they had lost Henrik, would braid her hair, but only after gently brushing out the tangles with a soft brush made of horsehair, and while telling stories of her eldest sibling. She would tell her how beautiful her sister was. How much she looked like her with her unruly, golden mane. And how much she didn't, with her crystal blue eyes. She would ask her mother to describe Freya's eyes. She wanted to know the color, but her mother only described how they would brighten at the sight of her favorite treat, how they were filled with love, and how they sparkled in every light. Rebekah didn't understand how she could feel so much love for a stranger, but she didn't question it as she threw herself at the witch.
"Freya!" Rebekah cheers, her voice cracking with emotion. She wraps her arms around Freya, squeezing tightly, letting go when she doesn't feel her response. She pulls away with tears in her eyes.
Freya's eyes run frantically across the younger woman's face. She pauses for a moment, head moving to take in the room and the people in it. Her eyes return to Rebekah, love and confusion filling them.
"Rebekah?" She questions quietly in disbelief before her eyes catch something over her shoulder. "Elijah? Finn?" her voice fully breaks with tears as she begins to shake. "Am I dreaming?" Her words not sad, only grateful before they are cut off, Finn crashes into her, embracing her tightly as she cries into his chest. He pulls back, his hands cupping her cheeks, wiping away the tears with his thumbs, a soft smile and tearful eyes looking into hers.
"Oh sister, I'm asking myself the very same thing," he whispers before pulling her into another hug.
Bonnie and Grams quietly step away, joining Caroline away from the reunion. Bonnie smiles at her friend as the blonde barely contains her sobs, holding a hand over her mouth.
Enzo approaches, lightly patting Bonnie's shoulder, "Are you alright? Did the magic take much out of you?" His accented voice bringing an involuntary smile, she shakes her head slightly as Enzo looks to the blonde. "Are you alright, sunshine?" he asks, amusement coating his tone. Caroline shakes her head.
"It's just so tragic. And beautiful. It's tragically beautiful," she cries, covering her mouth again, eyes never leaving the scene before them. Bonnie and Enzo smile at each other, a laugh at the girl's state silently shared between them.
Grams pats Bonnie's arm with a smile. "I'm gonna head home, Dear. I'm an old woman, I need my rest," concern in her eyes, Bonnie looks to her. Grams only smiles and shakes her head. "I'm fine, just a long day. Would you like to come with me?" Bonnie starts to respond before Enzo speaks up.
"Actually I was hoping to speak with Bonnie," He looks between the Bennett women, "If that's alright," he says to both of them. Grams eyes narrow suspiciously before looking between the vampire and her granddaughter. Her protest dies on her tongue at Bonnie's timid smile, she sighs.
"Bonnie can make her own decisions," Enzo and Grams look to the young witch, matching questioning expressions. She nods, standing up straighter.
"Uh, yeah. Yes. We can talk," she laughs as she stumbles over her words briefly.
Grams smiles at her granddaughter. "Then I'll just be on my way," she starts to collect her things as Enzo steps closer to her.
"Let me walk you out," his easy smile hiding nothing from the experienced witch. She nods.
Once the tears dried, Freya began asking questions. How did they find her? How did they wake her? Where are their other siblings? What year is it? The answer, A young doppelganger. And 2010.
"Forgive me, I do not understand," Her confusion causing a small smile to spread across the Mikaelsons' faces. they each send her a look, hoping to convey that they themselves don't really understand either.
She asks about their lives. Do they share it with anyone? Finn tightens his one-armed hold on Sage with a nod as Rebekah sends a quick, involuntary glance to Caroline. The cheerleader's cheeks gain a pink tinge as she looks down.
Elijah clear's his throat, stepping closer towards Freya. "There will be answers to all your questions whenever you want them, but I assume you would like to freshen up. We prepared a room for a you with an en suite washroom-"
"A room?" Freya's hesitant tone draws a laugh from her younger sister.
"Obviously." She rolls her eyes as Freya's nose tingles painfully and her eyes begin to water. "You've just returned from a very long sleep, sister and as admittedly captivating as Zillow is, it's a bit much." Rebekah takes Freya's hand in her own to guide her to her room. The witch stops briefly, taking a deep breath, she looks between her siblings.
"Thank you," Wonder filling her expression and voice. "This is all I ever dreamed of. Hoped for," her voice cracks once more. She shakes her head, calming herself before looking back to the group. "But before I can settle, I need to find Elena." Surprise fills the room at the statement before the front door slamming against the wall startles them out of their confusion.
"Honey, we're home," Damon's voice carries through the mansion as a small group, now joined by Enzo, make their way into the living room.
Bonnie is the first to notice Elena's blood covered attire, "Oh my God, El! What happened, are you okay?" She rushes out, attempting to keep up with Elena as the doppelganger stomps through the home. Caroline takes notice, following behind with the same question.
"Sorry, Gorgeous. No time for questions," Elena rushes up the stairs while speaking, "I've got a sociopath to hunt down and murder," She stops briefly sending a vicious grin towards her friends, her eyes landing on a new face. "Oh, Freya, good to see you've returned to the land of the conscious." She doesn't say anything more before running up the rest of the stairs, two at a time.
"What the hell?" Caroline exclaims with confusion looking to Bonnie, concern mirrored on their faces. Damon approaches, a relaxed and easy smile permanently etched on his face.
"That freak betrayed us," He explains meeting Bonnie's eyes. "Don't worry, I've got it handled." Bonnie raises a brow at his hesitance. "Kinda, I mean, you know Ellie." Bonnie smiles, nodding her head. A brief moment of awkward silence passes before they both speak up. "So, how was-"
"What happened-" They both stopped, sharing a laugh and a smile. The ease that usually accompanies their time together settling between them.
"What happened in the prison world?" Bonnie asks after taking a calming breath.
"Nothing too interesting," He shrugs, a bag filled with stolen contraband slipping off his shoulder slightly. He turns his head, meeting Enzo's watchful eyes for a second. Enzo grins, turning away as Damon clears his throat. "How did waking sleeping beauty go?" The Mikaelsons collectively glare at him.
"Good. It wasn't that difficult," Bonnie shrugs, feigning an arrogant attitude, drawing a laugh from the vampire.
"Was it like a true love's kiss situation or…" He trails off at the sound of Bonnie's bell like laughter. He smiled down at her, he had been in the prison world way too long.
Across the room as Kol re-introduces himself to his sister and Klaus silently watches his siblings, Stefan joins Caroline and Rebekah.
"Kai stabbed her," He confesses unprompted, the two women immediately looking at him with worry. He puts his hands out slightly. "She's fine, Klaus healed her. But she's pretty upset."
"I should bloody hope so!" Rebekah exclaims in anger,"We're gonna make that magic sucker pay!" Her seething tone, oddly, paints a tint on Caroline's cheeks. Stefan quirks a brow at Caroline looking between the two with understanding. So that's what El meant.
"But she's okay?" Caroline asks, her voice soft with care. Stefan nods, sending her a comforting smile.
"Yeah, I'm sure she'll calm down soon."
"One, two, three…" Elena counts out another pile of ten 40mm hollow point bullets. Loading the last backup magazine, Elena breathes in the scent of bullets and revenge. Once finished, she tucks her favorite 22 in her waistband as she browses the many weapons she stores at the Mikaelson's mansion. Klaus did give her a room after all.
Guns, stakes, and crossbows hang on the wall, hand grenades sitting in a case definitely not secure enough.
Her katana sits on its display, Elena lightly grazes it with her finger tips. She grins with admiration, "Oh yeah," she whispers to herself, stepping around to collect the saya, she accidentally kicks something. She looks down at the object. One of her boxes of Gemini research. She swallows, leaning down. She pauses momentarily before she opens it. She stills as she reaches into the box. The first notebook she ever made for Kai lay inside. She quickly flips through the crayon covered pages before scoffing and tossing the book across the room.
She looks down at her stomach, phantom pain or the memory of it burns within her. She removes her bloodied shirt and holds it up, she pokes her finger through the hole. She examines her markless middle silently for a moment before throwing the shirt into the trash and retrieving something of Kol's to wear.
Elena rushes down the stairs, a leather holster strapped to one thigh sheathing a karambit, a glock tucked into the waistband of her dark, bloodstained jeans, and her katana slung across her body, resting on her back. She looks up, meeting the eyes of quite a few concerned (and some turned on) faces.
She ignores their silent questions, instead bee lining towards the newly awakened witch. "Hey, I thought I should probably introduce myself, I'm-" Freya cuts her off, grabbing her wrist in a tight hold.
"I know you are," Freya states quickly before she realizes the uncomfortable hold she has on the doppelganger and releases her, sending a small apologetic smile. "They spoke of you," She whispers in a grave tone. Elena quirks a brow before grinning and looking to the others.
"Aww, Eli, Bex, Finale, you talked about me? That's adorable."
"Not them," Freya corrects her with urgency. "The witches."
"Oh, fuck. You're gonna try to kill me aren't you?" Elena whines, backing away and placing a hand on the katana's handle. Freya shakes her head quickly as the others move towards them.
"No. I would never. I do not believe what they believe." Freya responds, the weight of her words felt across the room. Klaus steps towards them.
"What do they believe?" He questions, a demand in his tone.
"Let me guess," Elena cuts in with an exacerbated tone,"I'm an abomination, an affront to nature, a blah, blah, blah." She rolls her eyes. Freya's brows furrow in confusion at her words.
"I do not understand-"
"The witches aren't as in control as they would like. They're not into it," Elena shrugs. At Freya's frightful expression she sighs. "Look, plenty of people want me dead and just as many want me alive. So, as far as I'm concerned, the cosmic balance remains unchanged. No need to worry about little ole me, just go relax or something." Elena waves a dismissive hand with a small smile aimed at the witch. It takes a few seconds for the nervousness to drain from Freya's face. But when it does she sighs and smiles a small smile.
"I am very much looking forward to a bath," she admits, making Elena laugh slightly in surprise before grinning.
"Oh to experience the miracle of jacuzzi jets for the first time," she sighs wistfully. "Oh and a tip, Rebekah keeps all the best bath oils in her restroom," Elena winks as Freya smiles wide.
"Stop stealing my things!" Rebekah demands loudly as Elena makes her way towards the door, pointedly ignoring her.
"I'll be back later with Kai's head," She salutes the room before turning to leave.
"Wait!" Kol calls out, speeding over to her. "I'll come with, it'll be so fun," he tries to persuade her but she only sends him a regretful look.
"Sorry, but this is a solo mission." He nods reluctantly and kisses her head, stepping away when Damon approaches them.
"Anything I can do?" He asks and she nods.
"Actually, yes. Can I borrow your jacket? Mine's covered in my blood," She slings the katana off her back by the strap as Damon takes off his leather jacket, handing it to her. She sends a thankful smile, handing him the blade as she slips the jacket on.
"Anything else?" He hand's her back the sword, she shakes her head as she secures the katana on her back once again. "No? Okay. Just please be careful."
"When am I not careful?" She asks rhetorically. Stefan opens his mouth but she's gone before he can respond.
"Are you in a tunnel? Why do you sound like that?" Jeremy asks on the other side of the phone, Elena grins and speeds up, pulling up on the handlebars and riding on one wheel.
"I'm on a motorcycle," she responds into her bluetooth helmet, revving the bike once more before setting down the front tire.
"Oh, well okay. So, you're home now?" He tries to recap as she sighs with a smile.
"Let's save some time. Yes, I'm home. Yes, I'm fine. Yes, I'm gonna seek vengeance." Jeremy silent on his end for a moment.
"Okay, cool. Glad you're okay. Just be careful," Her brows raise in surprise underneath her helmet.
"That's it?"
"I mean, he wronged you. You have a right to revenge." Her mouth opens and shuts a few times before she groans.
"Aw, shit. I think I might've been a terrible influence." She grins at his laugh. Silence lingers between the two for a second.
"I really miss you, Ellie," Jeremy admits, the softest smile since returning from the prison world forms on her lips.
"I miss you more, kiddo," She laughs suddenly. "Oh, also, you owe me 40 bucks."
"What? No I don't! Why?" He whines.
"Damon's not going for Bonnie or Enzo," She says.
"Okay? So I owe you nothing." Elena laughs an evil little laugh.
"No, he's going for Bonnie and Enzo," Her laugh deepens at his groan and something being thrown in anger on the other end.
"God dammit! What is with this guy?" That's the last thing she heard before he hung up. He bet on Katherine and Rose Marie.
Elena hasn't fully pulled into the driveway of her parent's lakehouse when she spots Jo standing outside, her arms crossed and worry stressing her beautiful features. Elena parks and turns off her bike, climbing off while removing her helmet. She sends Jo a weak smile as she walks towards her.
"Hey, Doc. Look something-" Elena's cut off as she's pulled into an abrupt hug by the Gemini.
"Are you okay?" Jo asks, pulling away, her eyes scanning the younger woman. Elena narrows her eyes in suspicion.
"I"m fine. Who told you?" Jo looks at her, clearly silently debating whether or not to lie.
"Enzo," she chooses honestly, making Elena laugh a small laugh.
"Of course, you didn't let him charm you did you?" Elena guides Jo towards the house, "'Cause I'm serious, that guy's full of shit." Jo laughs and rolls her eyes.
"Of course not, plus he's like totally in love with Damon-"
"Yes!" Elena cheers in agreement, looking at Jo softly, "Jo, you're my favorite person in the world." Jo laughs some more, shaking her head as they sit together on the couch.
"Thank you for letting me stay here, this property is beautiful," Elena tilts her head, chewing her lip slightly.
"That is an incredibly polite way of explaining how I uprooted your entire life and put you in danger," Jo sends her a disapproving look.
"That's not what happened."
"Isn't it?" Elena argues weakly. "You were good, you probably would've had to deal with any of this if I hadn't meddled."
"I gave you the ascendant-"
"I manipulated you-"
"I'm an adult, Elena. I'm a doctor and a witch. I knew what I was doing," Jo says with conviction.
"Well did you know I was gonna royally fuck everything up?" Elena laughs a pitiful laugh and leans her head back against the couch. "I'm so sorry, Jo," she apologies, remorse filling her chest.
"You have nothing to be sorry for," Elena sends her a look, she obviously doesn't believe her.
"No, I do. Because you were right. I underestimated him. I didn't plan well enough-"
"Elena, you have been planning this for 17 years-"
"And it wasn't enough," Elena raises her voice, breathing in a heavy sigh. "I can't believe I was stupid enough to trust him." Jo studies the girl for a moment before speaking up.
"I don't intend this in the way I think you'll take it," Elena looks at her with her brow raised, "But after everything he's done, why would you trust him?" Jo words hang around them for a moment as Elena digests them.
"I'm so sorry for what he did to you. And to your family," Jo's eyes begin to water at the heartfelt apology. "The problem with my very specific brand of clairvoyance is that I can see how it happened. Why it happened. And I can see all the things that would have prevented it. And I… just thought that he deserved a chance," Elena sniffles once before sending Jo a humorless smile.
"You don't anymore?" Jo asks. Elena stills, thinking about the question for a few seconds.
"I don't know. But what I do know is I'm sorry for dragging you into this. And you have my word, I will make this right," Elena stands suddenly, grabbing her katana, slinging it over her shoulder as she walks away. Jo stands to stop her with a grip on her arm.
"I don't know what you saw. About Kai and our childhood. His childhood," She corrects, knowing they lived two very different lives. "But I wasn't a very good sister. I believed my family when they said he was an abomination," Elena grits her teeth at the word as tears fall from Jo's eyes. "In med school, during psych rotation, we learned the effects that limited physical contact has on developing children," Elena reaches for Jo's hand as the woman cries a little harder. "I never touched him," She admits, shaking her head. "I never hugged him and never held his hand," They squeezed each others hands tightly. "I can't change the past Elena, but I think… if he had someone like you…" She trails off meeting Elena's eye. Elena drops her hand and nods.
"I'm gonna fix it, Jo," Elena says, leaving the house, tears in her eyes.
Elena sits on her bike outside the lakehouse as she scrolls through the contacts on her phone, selecting one and pressing to call. She puts the phone to her ear as the phone rings.
"Ghostbusters. Who ya gonna call?" Slated answers with a stupid quip, Elena rolls her eyes fondly, she misses the nerd.
"Those get worse as I get older," She responds and he laughs.
"No way, you're just getting lame. I miss when you were 10," Elena scrunches her nose. "Context is kinda important with that one," Slater admits as Elena scoffs a laugh.
"Whatever, you feel like playing detective?"
"Oh hell yeah, things have gotten really boring without you." Elena orders him to find any dead or missing people in the area. Once he does he finds reports of 3 missing people. One woman. Two men. and only one of them a white brunette.
"Ugh, I don't know if I feel worse he was killed or that his name was Daniel Jenkins," Elena says into the phone, Slater hums in agreement as he searches hotels in the area.
"The Jefferson Motel on Dakota Ave had a Jenkins check in roughly 2 hours ago. Boom! I'm amazing!" Elena grins, shaking her head.
"Yeah you really are, Slater. Thank you, talk to you later-"
"Ellie?" He cuts her off suddenly, hesitation in his voice.
"Yeah?"
"This guy, you think he killed Jenkins and stole his ID," Elena hums a response. "And you're going after him?"
"Yes," Elena responds shortly, ready for this to be over.
"Did he do something to you or-"
"What's this about, Slater?" She cut him, unable to hide her annoyance.
"Is he the reason you aren't acting like yourself?" Elena is silent for a moment, swallowing as she thinks.
"Yeah. He is." She admits softly.
"Are you… okay?" He asks, not very comfortable with the emotional turn this conversation has taken.
"I don't know. It's just… do you think we can fix the past?" Elena second guesses her vulnerability at his lack of response. "Never-"
"Yes and no," She sighs.
"Well good thing we cleared that up," Slater breathes a laugh.
"No, because we can't change the things that have happened. The past is as set in stone as the future is. And, yes, because everyday I wake up I'm a little bit different. Every day, every person we meet, every book we read changes how we see the world. So, no, I don't think we can change the past but I do think we change how it affects us."
"Holy fuck, dude." Elena exclaims, a new world view taking hold in her soul. "Maybe college isn't a scam," He snorts in surprise, making her laugh. "Later, Slater," She hangs up with a strange look on her face.
Elena leaned against her bike, legs stretched out in front of her with her arms crossed over her chest. She glared at the people who sent her looks. A girl with a katana and motorcycle is the least sketch thing happening at this motel.
She stands outside in front of the motel for a good half hour waiting to get his attention.
Speaking of, Elena pretends to stretch her legs before quickly lunging at the air, knocking the invisible figure to the ground, her karambit already pressed against his neck as he reveals himself with a chuckle, his puts his hands up in a weak surrender before he lets them fall to the pavement by his shoulders.
"Wow, that was…" he struggles to breathe a little, a grin stays on his face as she adjusts her position on top of him, one knee supporting herself next to his body, the other digging painfully into his stomach. "Super hot," He finishes his sentence, tugging on his lip with his teeth and wiggling a brow. Her glare deepens, the blade digging into his skin. She watches his Adam's apple as he gulps, his breath quickening. "Long time no see, how you been?" He quips with another laugh turned groan as she presses harder into his stomach with her knee. she grins down at him.
"Not too bad. You know, besides that pesky little stomach wound," He smiles, attempting apologetic, but all he manages is a grimace. She pulls the blade from his neck, letting it trail his throat as she does, trying her hardest to not be distracted by the way he seems to move to follow it. God, they could've been great together, she thinks mournfully.
"Well, you seem all healed up. So, no hard feelings?" Elena scoffs, pushing herself up off his body with more force than necessary, he groans with a glare sent her way.
"Oh, yeah. We're totally cool. Wanna go grab a slice or something?" She responds sarcastically as she distances herself from him as he stands, wiping the gravel off his pants with a regretful expression.
"Look-" Elena holds up a hand, stopping him.
"I don't care." She shrugs, he tilts his head.
"Okay, I get it-"
"No. Seriously, I really don't care, Kai," She stares, emotionless as he studies her. His eyes trailing over her body, taking in her sword, dagger, and gun.
"If you don't care, why are you here?" She rolls her eyes a little, slightly tilting her head back.
"I came here to kill you," She reaches behind her back, unsheathing the katana a few inches before putting it back. He takes an unconscious step back and she sends him a mocking look. "Clearly, I've changed my mind."
"Why?" Genuine surprise coats his voice. She stares silently for a few moments. She shrugs.
"You're not worth it," she admits, moving to straddle her bike. He clicks his tongue.
"So, that's it?" He raises a brow as she looks away from him, putting on her helmet. He narrows his eyes at her. "You don't want even a little revenge? A spleen?" He smirks as she starts up the motorcycle.
"I mean this with complete offense and zero respect due, being you is punishment enough," She grins at the deadly look he sends her, awe, she struck a nerve.
"Really?" He argues, she kicked up the kickstand. "I plan to take over my coven through murder and torture and you don't care? Mayhem will bleed through the streets." Elena chuckles sarcastically, finally looking back at him.
"Good luck with that, Kai," She flips down her face guard before riding away.
"Are you serious?" He shouts as she turns a corner.
She flips him the bird as she revs the bike, speeding away from him.