Chapter Text
Bonnie didn't believe the woman who stood with her sea of soldiers and gratefully neither did Agnes as she stood boldly next to her, "You ain't gettin' shit."
"Agnes..."
"Don't talk to me like ya know me," Agnes snapped. "You can't march in here and demand things!"
"We are part of the United States government..."
"This may be America but you're in New Orleans and you play by our rules," Agnes growled as her fellow supernaturals agreed. Putting aside their differences, they glared at the foreigners daring to invade their home.
"C'mon why have bled shed? Haven't you guys had enough," the woman waved to the various bodies littering the ground.
"She ain't goin' nowhere with you. You heard," Agnes said sternly as others nodded to agree.
"Fine, have it your way then," the woman nodded and waved. "Ready, steady," she shouted as the front row dropped to one knee lifting their weapons to point into their direction. "Fire," she shouted and suddenly shots were ringing out and splatters of metal hit into the invisible shield that Bonnie held up. "Fire," the woman shouted again and more bullets collided into the shield and rippling off.
Though Agnes had told Bonnie that they were looking for an escape, there seemed not to be one. "I don't think I can hold it for very much longer," Bonnie shouted. "Once this barrier drops in order to make it out of this, we need to stick together."
"New Orleans," Agnes shouted.
"New Orleans," Sabine growled and soon enough everyone of them were chanting.
"New Orleans!" The barrier shattered moments later and another command from the soldiers were said.
"Gas!" Tear gas was thrown into the group and filled the air. The witches of New Orleans masked themselves and attempted to shield those near them.
"Forward," another command was shouted and the two armies collided.
Klaus awoke to the ringing in his ears. Groaning, he felt like he’d been impaled onto a stake. Fighting through the throbbing pain in his body he opened his eyes and found himself tangled into the limbs of a tree with one branch is has speared straight through his abdomen. Breaking the branch he goes tumbling to the ground and slams into the dirt. Groaning at the harsh impact, he coughed as he pushed himself to sit up. Taking in his surroundings, he realized he was in a swamp. A swamp that was softly thrumming on his arrival as a small raft floated and stopped right before him.
Coughing and whimpering sounded behind him and he looked to see Matt and Elena was unconscious in a car that was flipped upside down. But his attention was pulled by little fire flies that buzzed by and drifted towards the raft. Klaus knew there was witch craft afoot, but what kind, he couldn't tell as he followed the fire flies and stepped on the wooden raft. Catching his balance as the raft pulled away, he did his best to stay alert for any surprises as he floated down the swampy waters. His attention was pulled in the direction of where the fire flies moved.
A little ways ahead, he noticed a large tree that glowed. It oozed magic and caused the hairs on the back of his neck to stand. Whoever was there was a powerful witch, a witch that must've years under their belt. "Klaus," he heard his name being sung in a feminine sing song tune.
The voice was familiar. He had heard it before, he thought as the raft floated to the rickety wooden deck. "Show yourself," he demanded as he stayed his ground on the raft. "Come out of hiding witch."
"Hiding? Ain't no one hidin' here," the feminine voice lightly said as the tree glowed so bright that Klaus nearly had to squint. Moments later an old African American woman dressed in white with gold jewels walked up on the deck. "This is my home that I'm invitin' ya to." Tilting his head, he curiously stared at the old woman trying to see her face with the oversized black shades atop her nose. Noticing his hesitation, she chuckled as she removed her glasses for him to take a better look at her. "Terrorizin' the city still I hear."
"Odette," he breathed as he stared into her familiar brown eyes that lit upon hearing her name.
She chuckled again as she nodded, "Whoa, haven't heard my given name in a while. I go by Mama Odie now."
"Mama Odie," he muttered more so to himself as he tried to recollect his memories of her. "Such an odd name to go by, when you were the Queen of the South at one point in time."
She waved him off, "Don't remind me. I was full of myself back then." Turning around she nodded for him to follow, "Come now, we got lots to talk bout before the new Queen is crowned."
Elijah stood from afar watching his sister as she wept and held onto Marcel's lifeless body. He wanted to do more to help his sister mourn but the skies were turning gray and the ground was rumbling. Something was happening and he had a hunch that things were still going down in New Orleans. He knew he had to check things out but his responsibility was to Rebekah first. She was in mourning and he was going to be there if she needed him. "Let me grieve in peace," Bekah muttered through her tears. "I don't need you to watch me like a hawk."
"Sister I only stand here to offer you my support," he countered solemnly.
"Support me by leaving me alone," she shouted hysterically before she continued to sob.
Feeling for his sister, he respected her wishes, "I will leave you for a little while."
Flashing away, he made his way into their home to hear tension building. Making his way over to all the commotion, he was surprised by Hayley arguing with Freya. "What is the meaning of this?"
"Something is wrong," Hayley told him.
"What do you mean? That is very vague," Elijah eyes her suspiciously.
She knows she doesn't fully have his trust after how many times she has attempted to run away, but she is sure of it. It's in her gut. "Ever since you brought Klaus and Kol home Hope has not been the same. She has become restless and screaming her head off."
"Maybe she is under distress with all the craziness happening around here," he offered.
But she shook her head. "Something isn't right. You shouldn't have brought them here like that."
"What do you suggest I do," Elijah asked her. "Take my brothers elsewhere?"
Hayley considered options, but as if on cue, her daughter screamed. Elijah is quick to flash upstairs and is halted by the barrier that keeps him out of Hope's room. Slightly irritated, he awaited Hayley who appears moments later. "Bring her to me. Let me see her."
Hayley knew that Elijah needs proof of what she's saying and reluctantly brings Hope out. Placing the child into his arms, he notices the poor little girl has rosy red cheeks. Flustered from all the crying. Brushing a stray hair from her face, he gently rocked her in his arms and watches as her blue teary eyes look up to him. They held an aura about them, that had him faltering in his resolve. Yet the conflict didn't show on his face as he turned to place the child back into Hayley's arms. "We have other safe houses we can take our brothers to," he simply said with his eyes trained on Hope. "I will try to get them relocated as soon as I can."
"Elijah come quick, Kol is stirring," Freya called up to him.
"Please for now, remain with Hope until I can situate things," he nodded before flashing away, leaving an uneasy Hayley trying to calm her small child down.
Bonnie had never really thought of accepting death as her fate, yet in the moment she wanted to humor it. Ever fiber in her being felt as though they were about to short circuit. "Agnes," Bonnie softly muttered as she felt drained.
Agnes was quick to catch Bonnie and let her lean onto her, "I gotcha baby. I will get you outta here if it's the last thing I do."
"Watch out," Bonnie said as one of the soldiers blasted a stream of magic their way. Taking hold of Bonnie's hip, she maneuvered Bonnie to move behind her and blocked the opposing magic. Meanwhile another witch was able to counter and take out the soldier. Nodding to her fellow witch, Agnes looked around and found a little nook where she tucked Bonnie and placed a shield around her before attempting to return to the fight. "Agnes please don't leave me!"
"I must, I gotta get you outta here remember," Agnes gave her a reassuring smile as she turned to rejoin the fight.
Stunned at the chaos that she found herself in the middle of, she felt helpless as she leaned against the building. "Klaus where are you?"
Klaus followed Odette into her living quarters. She had become everything opposite of what he thought she would be. Settling onto a chair he expressed his sentiments and found out that Odette was thinking the same about him. Confused, he looked at her like she didn't know what she was talking about.
"I neva thought I'd see the day when you'd tie yourself down to someone, double bonded at that too." Klaus was quiet as he too couldn't agree more. At first he tried to hide behind his natural instincts but to bond with Bonnie through his vampirism. That bond is purely out of choice. "And I neva seen the day that a cat got ya tongue," Mama Odie chuckled.
"I guess we both have become people our old selves probably would not recognize."
"It ain't such a bad thang. It is part of growin up. Something you get to experience now from what I hear."
He nodded in understanding, "I am mortal now."
"Cuz you chose to be, for someone other than ya self too." The memories of Bonnie and her emerald green eyed flooded his mind. "She holds your future ya know, two of em."
"What do you mean," he asked as he stared at her curiously. Klaus straightened as he heard Bonnie. She was calling for him. She needed him and the urgency to get to her was ringing alarm bells within. "She needs me," he breathed as he was standing on his feet in high alert.
"She's in the middle of a war in New Orleans," Mama Odie added, causing him to look over at her working on some kind of potion in her large black cauldron.
"Then I need to go to her," he stated in a matter of fact tone. "My mate needs me."
"She needs you alive and well. Not rushing there, gettin' ambushed and killed!"
"You mean I'll die if I intervene in that fight," he asked as she nodded, giving him a moment to think. "Then so be it. She needs me."
"That's enough lover boy. I'm almost done," she waved him off. "In the mean time, you can connect with her through your bond."
"Through my bond," he nodded as he situated himself onto a nearby chair. Gazing out the tree house, he focused his attention on seeking out her voice. The voice that had called out to him, that needed him. And soon after, he was closing his eyes and muttering her name in hopes that he could reach her.
Kol's eyes flashed open as he abruptly sat up pissed, "I'm going to kill all of them."
"Brother please settle down and drink this. You're safe now," Freya encouraged him as she put the cup up to him.
Accepting the gesture, he drank down the contents of the tea and realized he was back home. "When was I brought back?"
"A day or so," Elijah responded as he came into view. "Klaus still hasn't awoken."
"Well I'm in need of some fresh blood," Kol huffed as his fangs elongated.
"There's trouble in the Quarter," Hayley came rushing over. "I think Bonnie is in trouble."
"Great, I volunteer in retrieving her," Kol blurted out before he flashed off, taking the fastest car.
Elijah frowned at Hayley, "You timed that didn't you?" Not waiting for her answer, Elijah was flashing off to follow after his youngest brother and see what all the fuss was about.
Bonnie sat with a heavy heart. There were so many bodies dropping to the ground, she had lost count. Luckily Agnes wasn't numbered among them and in fact she was in the midst of holding the line against the soldiers with her fellow New Orleans community. Weakly grinning, Bonnie couldn't believe that the witches and vampires of the city were able to actually see past their differences and fight alongside one another.
But that thought was interrupted as she spotted the very man she shamelessly needed at that moment. "Klaus," she softly breathed as he gave her a knowing grin and approached her.
"What is it love," he asked as he knelt down beside her.
Feeling her eyes water with tears, she began to cry. "Where are you? I need you. We need you," she confessed as she placed her hand onto her belly in a protective manner.
"Bonnie are you saying what I think you're saying," he asked curiously.
Blinking away the tears, she was startled as the building shook from a blast of magic hitting against it. "It's exactly what I'm saying you dumb ass!"
Kneeling down in front of her, he looked her straight in the eyes and gave her a reassuring smile, "You don't know how happy that makes me."
"As happy as you seem, maybe we can save the celebration for later and you can get me the fuck out of here," she snapped at him with some renewed energy.
"Hold on just a little while longer love. I'm coming to you," he breathed before disappearing altogether, leaving Bonnie crying as she demanded for him to come back.
"I must go," Klaus rose to his feet before he was suddenly ambushed by a powdery substance that was blown in his face. It caused him to go numb and suddenly he had inharmoniously fallen back into the chair. Angrily, he glared over to Odette.
"Didn't I tell ya that you would die if ya marched in their with your pants on the ground? I told ya, to wait," she chuckled as she went back to working on her potion.
Meanwhile Klaus attempted and failed time and time again to fight against the poison that held his body bound.
Odette smiled to herself as the wind chimes picked up, “Sounds like your friends have finally arrived."
"Hello," Matt called out with Elena trailing in after him.
"In here," Odette called over her shoulder sweetly. But Klaus was no fool, her sweet old lady look didn't fool him. Keeping his eyes persistent on the woman who continue to mix her concoction in the caldron. "Don't worry Klaus, I won't hurt them. They're your ride back to New Orleans after all."
Kol smiled darkly as he couldn't believe his eyes. It was as if the Gods were smiling down upon him as he flashed onto the scene to spot the very uniformed men who had held him captive. "Time to feast," Kol breathed as he rushed to take hold of the nearest soldier. Kol took hold of the soldier with little to no effort and tore into his neck. Enjoying the blood curdling screams, which mixed in with all the commotion surrounding him.
"Six o'clock," a soldier shouted as he and a few of his fellow soldiers turned to spray bullets at him.
Glaring at the vervain dipped bullets that irritated his skin, Kol growled as he tossed the now lifeless body and charged at the group. His speed being slightly faster than the bullets had allowed him to devour the group with ease. "Who wants some," Kol chuckled darkly as he swiftly moved among the soldiers.
Meanwhile Elijah stood in awe at the chaos happening in the heart of the French Quarter. It wasn't what he was expecting to find when Hayley had told them about the trouble. And it piqued his interest as he watched his brother fighting off the soldiers whom he recognized wore the same uniform from the facility he had just transported his brothers from. "Odd," he observed as he moved to seek higher ground to get a better look at all that was happening.
Bonnie had no strength left in her to do anything as the tears fell from her eyes freely. Shamelessly she let her head fall back on the brick building she sat leaning against. Every inch of her body ached and to add to it she felt a headache coming on. All of that aside, she was surprised as she noticed a vampire ripping through the sea of soldiers. Curious to know who it was, her vision was suddenly blocked by a large wolf. "Tyler," she muttered recognizing those big brown eyes. He tried to move towards her and sadly couldn't. "Agnes placed a shield around me. Will you please help her," she nodded up ahead to where Agnes fought fiercely with Sabine at her side. Grateful as Tyler turned to join the fight, she realized that other New Orleans super naturals began to join in. Not questioning what had happened to them, they joined arms with their fellow supernatural brothers and sisters.
"Bonnie," Vincent breathed as he knelt down beside her. "What's happening? One moment we are fighting Marcel and the next there's this army..."
"Yeah they came in guns a blazing for me," Bonnie breathed weakly.
Vincent nodded as he glanced around the ongoing battle, "We need to get you outta here. You don't look so good."
"Bonnie Bennett," her name was called and they both looked to see it was none other than Elijah.
Vincent readied his magic as he held a hand out, "Stay back."
Elijah in turn raised his hands in defense, "I mean no harm. I just came to offer her some blood." He paused to look Bonnie in her eyes, "Hayley told me you were in trouble."
Bonnie made a mental note to thank her later on as she nodded, "Where is Klaus?"
"He is at home resting," Elijah said as he inched closer to her. Keeping his hands up, he slowly knelt down to come eye level with her, "Shall I take you to him?"
"She's not going anywhere with you," Vincent said sternly.
Elijah unfazed by his words, looked to Bonnie for her response. "I... can't leave." Nodding in understanding, Elijah rolled up his cufflinks and bit into his wrist and held it out to her. Vincent in turn looked to Bonnie with worry filled eyes, but still breeched the shield and helped Bonnie lean forward. Parting her lips, she suctioned onto his wrist and let the sweet metallic flavor of Elijah's blood fill her. Within seconds her heart felt like it was pounding in her ears and she was greedily drinking from him before he withdrew his arm from her. Panting as she licked up the remnants of his blood, she was grateful for the new found strength that in turn helped her stand on her feet. "Thanks," she breathed with a small smile. "Now let's finish this," she said determined as she marched in to rejoin the fight with Vincent at her side and Elijah trailing behind.
Reaching her hand out, she blasted the soldiers away from Agnes and Sabine. Grinning, she nodded to them both before turning to hold her hand out and slow the oncoming bullets being sent her way. Slightly shifting the course of said bullets, she then waved her hand and allowed the bullets to continue flying into nearby soldiers who crumbled to the ground. "Bonnie," Vincent shouted in the nick of time before she could be tackled by a nearby soldier.
This in turn had Elijah swiftly disarming the said soldier and snapping his neck. "He tried to take a cheap shot at you," he said unimpressed.
"Thanks," Bonnie nodded as she continued to fight.
Odette became giddy as the two humans entered, the one female gasping as she noticed Klaus was frozen in place, "Oh don't worry about him dearie he has a death sentence."
"Yeah you can say that again," Matt muttered.
"As for you two, you both are either very lucky or stupid to be here," Odette said sweetly as she clapped her hands. "It is almost done." Turning to a stunned Matt and Elena, she waved for them to have a seat next to where Klaus' frozen body sat. "So, welcome to the bayou my name is Mama Odie. What are your names?"
"My name is Matt and this is Elena," he said pointing between them.
"Nice to meet you both. Now tell me have you ever been on an airboat before," Odette looked to the humans who shook their head no. "Great, because that's how we're gonna get to New Orleans. Let me pack this lovely potion up and you both will help bring Klaus on the boat."
"Alright, umm sure," Matt said, not seeing any other option.
"Do we have to go to New Orleans," Elena couldn't help to ask. "I am trying to get away from the Mikealson family not go towards them."
"Yes you do dear, this time you actually have to put your best foot forward for someone else. I know it may be hard but it's possible," Mama Odie said sweetly like she didn't just insult her. Confused, Elena shrugged as Matt asked when they would be leaving. "Very soon," Mama Odie smiled brightly at the pair.
Bonnie struck the ground, causing it to quake beneath everyone. Glaring at the soldiers who banded together to shoot, she shot out her palms and shouted. Throwing up a shield, the bullets ricocheted and thudded harshly as she moved closer. Noticing the bullets were starting to affect them, they began to retreat back. But that didn’t deter Bonnie from moving forward. “You want me, you gotta come and get me,” she said through gritted teeth.
“Careful you’re going to wear yourself out,” Elijah warned flatly.
“I’ll be fine,” she panted as she bent down and picked up one of the fallen soldier’s guns. Nodding to him, she was grateful for the quick lesson on how to use the gun. “Thanks,” she breathed as she pulled the trigger on the oncoming soldiers.
Kol was drenched in blood as he came to stand by his brother. Letting out an exasperated sigh, he grinned, “I feel a lot better.”
“I bet you do,” Elijah said with a look of disdain for his brother’s state.
Knowing very well that Elijah was ready and willing to scold him, he pointed out to Bonnie. “Oh look there she is. We should probably bring her with us. Klaus will have our heads if we don’t.”
“Why do you think I am following her,” Elijah said smartly. “I am allowing her to take care of business.”
Bonnie on the other hand was too preoccupied with shooting the gun to really pay attention to the two brothers who were casually having a conversation like there wasn't a war taking place around them. Instead she was shooting to the best of her ability until she ran out of ammunition. Gripping the gun tightly, she bull rushed into the nearest soldier and whacked him hard. Tossing the gun she exhaled a spell causing fire to spread wildly around her. Huffing out of frustration, she looked around finding it hard to decipher between the blurs of supernaturals fighting. Until her eyes connected with the very woman who started it all across the way from her. Gritting her teeth, Bonnie inhaled deeply before blowing out. Her simple motion sent the wild fire blowing into the direction of the woman.
"Impressive," Kol breathed, realizing that the fire was accompanied by a shield to prevent anyone else from getting in her way.
Elijah on the other hand straightened up upon seeing who the target was for Bonnie. "It's the doctor from the facility." Quickly placing a hand onto Kol to stay him, he knew his brother better than anyone. "Allow her to finish."
"If not, I will kill her myself," Kol growled as his sights were set on the doctor.
Bonnie held her head high, though she felt slightly light headed. Pushing aside such aches and pains of her body, she narrowed her gaze at the woman who called her out. Once she had made her way to the woman, she enclosed the circle of flames between herself and the woman. "Did you really think you could scare me with the mention of my mate," Bonnie scoffed. "What do you want?"
"Maybe we should have started with introductions..."
"Maybe you shouldn't have shown up with an army to detain me," Bonnie spat right back. "Now what do you want?!"
"Rumor has it that you broke through Expression. You would be the first witch ever to have done so," the woman said.
Bonnie sighed, "Rumors? You come to bring me in over rumors? I think you're mistaken..."
"Are you not Klaus' mate? Aren't you carrying his children," the woman smirked as Bonnie's eyes widened in surprise. "I told you we're from the government, we know a lot."
"Why would you say you had to bring me in for Klaus? Is he in some sort of trouble," Bonnie asked, changing the course of the conversation.
The woman sighed as she looked about at the flames that rose higher, seeming as if they were both about to be consumed by it. "You both will be in trouble if you don't cooperate."
Bonnie looked around and noticed that the soldiers were nearly being overran. Tilting her head in confusion, Bonnie pursed her lips, "It seems that you don't have any leverage for cooperation." Dropping the shield of flames, Bonnie revealed what she was seeing to the woman. But that was until Kol had flashed in and gripped the woman tightly by the neck.
He was enraged to see the very woman who deceived him. The nerve of her to show up in their home territory, he thought as he easily lifted her off the ground. "Missed me?"
"Kol," the doctor choked out as she tried and failed to pry his hand off of her neck. "Please..."
"Please what? Please don't trick you into a chemically induced coma," he growled angrily as his eyes grew dark.
Meanwhile Bonnie stumbled back and was luckily caught by Elijah. Watching in amazement as Kol whispered angrily before crushing the woman's neck and letting her crumble to the ground. At his actions, soldiers were calling out to retreat. A retreat that was going to be celebrated as Bonnie searched the crowd and spotted Agnes who stood wide eyed like she had seen a ghost. Not understanding such look, Bonnie's lips parted in disbelief as Agnes crumbled down onto her knees clutching her midsection as Sabine slaughtered the soldier who was able to shoot her aunt. "Agnes," Bonnie screamed out as tears filled her eyes. In a flash, Elijah had brought Bonnie to Agnes who was letting out short gasps as she clutched her stomach. "Agnes let me heal you," Bonnie muttered through her tears as she tried to focus in on her magic.
"No," Agnes gasped as she took hold of Bonnie's hands to stop her. "Don't."
Not understanding why she was not wanting to be saved, she blinked away her tears to take a better look at her. "Please Agnes, you're bleeding out."
"Let me go Bonnie. I wanna join my ancestors now that I have saved my people," Agnes said with a weak smile as her niece caught hold of her. "Please Bonnie take care of my baby Sabine."
"What? Aunt Agnes," Sabine panted as she tried to figure out what was happening. "Why haven't you tried to heal her?"
But her words were silenced when Agnes muttered, "I wanna meet my maker and the rest of our family baby."
"No," Sabine angrily spat through her tears. "They don't need you like I do!"
Bonnie's heart ached for Agnes as she cried. Holding her hand as Sabine rocked her aunt in her arms. She couldn't stop the tears as she saw the light in Agnes' eyes leave. Feeling her stiffen in her grasp, Bonnie bent down to kiss her cold hand as she sobbed. The victory was short lived as death hung thick in the air. Cries of mourning and despair filling the air all around. The endless tears only increasing as Sabine screamed out angrily. "Bonnie," Vincent breathed as she turned and embraced him tightly. Sobbing into his shoulder, she was a mixed bag of emotions of relief and grief from all that entailed over the past forty-eight hours.
"What is that," Matt asked curiously as Mama Odie had pulled a tar like substance out of what seemed like a random jar.
"Open his shirt for me with ya," Mama Odie nodded to Klaus. Matt was quick to act as Elena joined in to help him removed Klaus' shirt. Once they had revealed the open flesh wound in his midsection, Elena nearly puked seeing how gnarly it was. "Don't worry, this'll help him." Slapping the tar like substance onto Klaus' wound, she caked it onto every inch of the wound until it was completely covered. "Nice. Very nice," Mama Odie said proudly examining her work. Freezing at the breeze that swiftly came rushing by, she paused in a moment of silence before humming. "It seems we need to get goin'. C'mon." Mama Odie waved for them to take hold of Klaus' body and follow after her.
As she walked away, Elena softly whispered over to Matt, "Are you sure about this?"
"No, but do we have a choice? I have a feeling that if we get on her bad side things could get worse for us," Matt warned her.
Understanding his haunch, Elena pushed her worries aside as she helped lift Klaus, "Okay..."
"Hey..." Matt breathed as he took the brunt of lifting Klaus. "... I got you. Don't worry, I'll get us out of this." Elena forced a small smile as she nodded before they walked in the direction that Mama Odie went.
Hayley was relieved as she could feel Tyler's connection once more. He had reassured her that they were able to overturn things and Bonnie had been accompanied by Elijah and Kol. Grateful for his report back to her, she had another worry as she tried to calm her uneasy feelings of Klaus. Though he was resting, like she was assured by Elijah and Freya a couple times, something was off about him. He didn't seem right, even in his sleeping form. And she knew that her baby being fussy about it was nothing short of a sign. A sign that made her chest tighten as she heard stirring from down below.
Though she didn't want to admit it out loud, Hayley worried for Freya. Keeping Hope upstairs, she ventured out of the room to call after her, "Freya? Freya are you alright?"
"Yes, everything is alright," Freya called up to her. "There's...goodness..." Hayley was darting down the stairs at panic in Freya's voice. Standing nearby, she watched as Klaus stirred and slowly opened his eyes. "Klaus," Freya breathed as she approached him, while Hayley reframed from reaching out to stop her.
"Klaus... he's awake," Freya smiled down at her brother who blinked his heavy eyes as he tried to take in all that he was seeing.