24 | LOOKS OF FONDNESS

Khalia Mikaelson stared at the church with distaste in her eyes. A bunch of humans, who are fake for the most part, and a priest that is aware of the supernatural life in New Orleans is not exactly her cup of tea. Grabbing a box with canned food, she followed Hayley and Klaus - grumbling all the way. The immortal girl made sure to keep her eye on Hayley, not wanting the pregnant girl to carry a box that was to heavy for her and would throw her off balance.

"Oh, come on, Khalia, it's not that bad." The werewolf said, slowing down and falling into step with the female Mikaelson. Hayley gave her a smile, hoping to sooth her.

"I did not say it is bad. I'm just saying, I don't understand why we have to do charity work when the city could go down." Khalia huffed, looking at her Hybrid brother walking infront of them. "Nik, why are we delivering these ourselves? Why not compel a human?"

"Just stop talking, Khalia. For once, just keep quiet." The male Mikaelson muttered without any real bite and the brunette vampire eyed her brother, but obliged to his request - even if she didn't understand it. Entering the church, they find Father Kieran talking talking to someone and handing out food. He sees Klaus, Hayley and Khalia and hurries over to them. Meanwhile, a large crowd of people are milling about inside.

"We still haven't gone through all that you've already provided, Klaus." The priest says and this was news to the Mikaelson sister and it had Khalia's eyebrows climbing up to her hairline. Much like all of the Originals, her brother wasn't exactly the giving type. It also made her curiousity grow.

The Hybrid smiles and looks at Hayley. "Well, this newest bit isn't from me."

"Oh? That's very kind of you...?" Kieran trailed off, clearly not knowing who the pregnant girl is and why Khalia Mikealson was watching him with narrowed eyes.

"Hayley." She introduced, catching on. The werewolf looked around once more. "And these people are?"

"I asked Father Kieran to give them shelter. He suffers from an incessant desire to do good. But now, I need you to be useful. Marcel and Davina have disappeared." The Hybrid speaks in one go. Khalia notices the stunned look on Kieran's face and decided that he didn't help the two supernaturals. This time. "I assume from the stupefied look on your face they haven't sought refuge in your attic."

"No. Those days are gone." The priest confirmed what Klaus said.

"Then energize your resources. I don't need to remind you how important it is they be found." The Hybrid told him, and Khalia took a step closer to Hayley and put a glare on her face when she noticed some of the people looking at the werewolf and pointing to her.

"Yes." Kieran leaves to make some calls. Both Hayley and Khalia is looking around in confusion at all of the people congregated inside. This made no sense to the female vampire whatsoever.

"I have a question." Khalia said, looking at her brother and raising her hand for effect. "Why are you helping humans all of a sudden?"

"These people, they're werewolves..." Hayley corrected for the sake of the female vampire. Said vampire had to bite her tongue to keep her from saying anything. "And the priest, he said that you donated the food."She looks at him in disbelief while Khalia just looked annoyed. "You're helping them?"

"You brought me to a doggie party?" The immortal girl asked, not being able to hold her tongue any longer, annoyance and distaste on her face evident as she scrunched her nose up. Hayley smiled at the look on her face but frowned at the way she described werewolves.

"Oh, knock it off, Khalia." The Hybrid rolled his eyes and turned to the pregnant girl. "They're not your werewolves. They're my clan. From very far back. They've fallen upon hard times, and their plight has brought out the philanthropist in me. What can I say? Must be Elijah's influence."

"What do you mean, your clan?" Hayley asked what the immortal girl was thinking.

"The blood that runs in their veins runs in mine. And in our child's." The male explained for both of the girls.

"So, basically they are your long lost family?" Khalia questioned in her usual manner, looking slightly amused as she raised an eyebrow.

"Must you make a mockery out of everything, little sister? I brought you here because I wanted you to be the first one in our family to know about this." Klaus ranted, looking at his sister with a slight glare. He scoffed. "I should have known better."

And it suddenly hit Khalia. Why he looked so nervous. Why he told her to shut up earlier. Because of this. He wanted to show her something that he had done by himself. Something he accomplished without Elijah. Something new. Something good. She graced him with a rare look of absolute fondness, one that had Hayley's heart aching because, holy shit, she wants Khalia to look at her like that.

"A year ago, you would have slaughtered them all." Khalia said bluntly because words of emotions had never been her strong suit. She gave him and honest and open smile - once again making Hayley's heart ache. "This is progress and I'm proud of you, Niklaus."

And apparently, that was enough for the Hybrid because he grinned at his sister with childlike joy on his face, making Khalia chuckle. For a few moments, they stood in silence, watching the werewolves eat and talk amongst themselves. Now and again, a curious one would glance at the two Mikaelson's and the pregnant werewolf. No one dared to go near the trio though.

"This family gets more complicated by the second." Hayley noted, clearly overwhelmed with what she just learned about the Hybrid, seeing that he is not as evil and uncaring as he pretends to be.

"Listen, Hayley, word of advice when dealing with Elijah?" Klaus said, catching the werewolf's attention. "Don't do as I do or heaven forbid, as Khalia does on a daily basis. Just apologize. He's accomplished in many things, but he is a master of forgiveness."

And Khalia being Khalia, couldn't keep her mouth shut if her depended on it, so she spoke up. "Huh, and here I thought to get back into his good graces, one has to buy him a suit."

***

"Are you out of your fucking mind?" Khalia shouted at her brother, glaring harshly as she shot up from her seat on the couch, next to Klaus. The Hybrid pulled her back down and she fell onto the couch rather ungracefully. Elijah has gathered Khalia, Rebekah and Klaus to the living room to discuss his newest idea to finish the Harvest ritual. Suffice to say, the brunette female was not impressed with his plan. "This has got to be the most mental plan you've ever thought of."

"Have you got a better one?" He retorted and the Demon Mikaelson just huffed in response. Of course she didn't have a better idea. She didn't have any idea. But still, using the woman that tried to kill all of them? She had a feeling like this was going to come back and bite them in the arse.

Rebekah rolled her eyes. "It's taken one thousand years, but you've finally gone mad. Our own mother?"

"Yes, our beloved mother, who Niklaus has affectionately placed in a coffin in his basement - not daggered, but quite dead." The dark haired Mikaelson male explained to his three siblings and Khalia looked at him blankly - this is a horrible idea.

"Well, she did try to kill us all." The Hybrid defended.

"And then you killed her, which, by the way, I still have to get you a thank you gift for." Khalia quipped as she looked at her Hybrid brother sitting next to her, a slight frown on her face as she wondered what Klaus would like as a gift - maybe she could get him a stripper that would give him a lap dance and then he could eat her. She shrugged mentally.

"Well, I say we put her to use and put her to rest once and for all. Now if we bury our mother on land owned by one of her descendants, she becomes a New Orleans witch, and we, as her family, share in that ancestral magic." Elijah spoke up, pulling the female brunette from her thoughts. She put it aside for now, she could think some more about it later.

"We're vampires, Elijah. We can't practice magic. Or own property, for that matter." The blonde female pointed out the obvious.

"Yes. With regard to practicing magic, that's were Sophie Deveraux comes in. After we bury our mother, we can channel all of mother's power to her. Only problem is, as conduits of Esther's magic, they need to participate in the Harvest. And, as for owning property, not all of our mother's descendants are dead." The eldest Mikaelson continued to explain.

Klaus looked surprised, "The baby."

"The baby." Elijah nodded. "The parish Tax Assessor's office is just steps outside of the Quarter. Hayley now holds the title to the plantation. So, if we bury our mother there, and we consecrate those grounds, we can finish the Harvest ritual."

"You're a bit of a mad genius, Elijah. Count me in." The Hybrid agreed with a grin.

Khalia huffed. "Mad is putting it politely. Bat shit fucking crazy, is more accurate."

"Am I the only one thinking? Our mother was the most powerful witch in history. If we bury her, we hand that power to our enemies to use against us." Rebekah pointed out the obvious once again. She was also voicing Khalia's main concerns regarding their latest plan.

"I have to agree with Rebekah on this." Khalia finally spoke up and all three of her siblings look at her in shock. "Mother was powerful. The New Orleans witches would not think twice about using that power against us. Especially considering the fact that we are not exactly the most pleasant people."

"I understand your point, Khalia, but given our circumstances, I hardly see that we have a choice." Elijah looked at both of his sister's, hoping to sway them.

The blonde female sighs in frustration while Khalia just remained silent - she had already told them what she thought of the plan. "I don't know why I bother. You two will just do what you want anyway."

"No. Our decision must be unanimous." Elijah objected, looking at both of his sisters pleadingly.

"This is not a democracy." Klaus snapped, his voice slightly impatient.

"You're quite right. This is family." Khalia smiles slightly at her oldest brother's words. They stop talking when they hear the sound of a powerful rain storm that is pouring down on the house. "Water. The next sign's begun. Rebekah?"

"Kill a demon today, face the devil tomorrow. Count me in." Rebekah finally agree, making relief roll though the eldest Mikaelson.

"Khalia?" Elijah asked, his face and voice pleading.

"Are you deaf or stupid? I already told you what I think about your stupid plan." She told her brother, looking him straight in the eyes and then crossing her arms over her chest.

"Look at it this way, if something goes wrong then you get to say 'I told you so' to Elijah." Klaus reasoned with his sister, knowing she would never pass up that opportunity. Elijah rolled his eyes but stayed quiet - he wasn't going to undo what his brother had started with their sister.

"I'm in." The immortal brunette girl agreed with a gleeful smirk, nodding her head once. Then Khalia pouted. "I thought I was the only demon in town."

Her siblings chuckled fondly at her. Klaus smirked at his siblings. "Well, this is no family reunion without our mother. I'll fetch her."

"I'll help." Khalia volenteered, looking a little to cheery about digging up a grave. Elijah shook his head, even after a thousand years, he still doesn't understand his sister. He highly doubted that he ever would.

***

The rain was pouring. The Mikaelsons and Hayley have joined Sophie at the cemetery, where they're waiting for Marcel and Davina to arrive to complete the Harvest. Rebekah and Elijah were both standing under an umbrella while Klaus was standing with a hoodie. Hayley and Khalia was sharing an umbrella - the vampire's free hand was wrapped around Hayley's shoulders while the werewolf's arms were wrapped around the vampires waist. Suddenly, flames start to erupt near the entrance, startling everyone.

"Fire." Sophie commented and after a moment, Marcel appears, carrying Davina in his arms. As he walks toward them, flames follow them in a trail that licks at Marcel's heals. Once they get to the altar, Marcel sets her down, and Sophie holds the ceremonial athame over the flames before she heads toward Davina.

"Do you believe in the harvest?" The Deveraux witch asked and personally, Khalia thought that this might actually work. Sure, she wasn't happy that her mother's remains - and therefore her power - was used but she honestly thought it could work.

Davina nods nervously at the witch and the Demon Mikaelson felt sorry for her. Turns out, when she wasn't trying to kill her or her familly, Davina was actually a nice girl. "I believe."

Once she says the words, Sophie raises the blade and slits Davina's throat with it. Hayley and Rebekah winces and the werewolf burries her face in Khalia's neck while the vampire just stares at Davina, having done worse by herself. Davina gasps in shock and grabs at her throat before she falls back. Marcel catches her and lays her down on the ground. Just then, the rain stops and the Mikaelson's dropped their umbrella's to the ground. Davina's skin glows gold as the magic leaves her body and flows into the earth.

"After the Harvest comes the Reaping. Their sacrifices made and accepted. We call upon our Elders to resurrect your chosen ones." Nothing happens, and the rest of them look around at each other uneasily. Sophie begins again. "We call upon our Elders to resurrect your chosen ones..." Still, nothing happens. Sophie becomes flustered and is near tears. "Resurrect your chosen ones... Please? I beg..." When it becomes clear that something has gone wrong, Sophie falls to her knees and sobs. "No!" Sophie begins to sob even harder, and both Hayley and Rebekah start to cry. Khalia wraps her other hand around the werewolf as well - heart clenching when she felt Hayley's tears hitting the skin in her neck were the pregnant girl burried her face. Elijah and Klaus both look depressed, but not as much as Marcel, who shoots Klaus a look of hatred before vampire-speeding away. Khalia just looked at Davina with a sad look - she really did expect a different outcome.

The Mikaelson's then looked at each other, and all of them thought the same thing : the Harvest didn't work.

Khalia and Hayley were taking a late night stroll through the French Quater. It was silent on the street they were walking along, but with their supernatural hearing, they could hear the noises of the city. NOLA wasn't called the Big Easy for nothing - the night life here was almost as alive as New York City. Khalia grinned as she thought about the last time she was there - a lot of drinking and partying flashed across her mind.

"You know," Khalia started as she pushed her hands into her coat pockets. "For all my bluster about it being a terrible plan to use my mother's remains, I honestly thought that the Harvest was going to work. And I feel sorry for Marcel. I know what it feels like to lose someone you love."

"Yeah, I can't imagine going though that." Hayley cast a glance to an unknowing Khalia. She was already in love with her and the thought of losing her, was cripling. And then she thought about how the vampire felt when she lost her brother, the memory Khalia showed her coming back to the surface. A gust of cold wind swept past them and Hayley shivered. The Mikaelson girl wasn't bothered, vampires doesn't get cold.

"Cold, sweetheart?" Khalia asked, looking at the vampire sideways as she rose and eyebrow at the werewolf. Hayley gave her a small smile.

"Yeah." The werewolf nodded and Khalia gave her a soft smile.

"Come here." The immortal girl took her hand out of her pocket and when Hayley stepped closer to Khalia, the vampire wrapped and arm around the pregnant girl's shoulders - rubbing up and down the werewolf's arm in an effort to create some warmth. Hayley took a chance and wrapped her arms around Khalia's waist - just like back at the cemetary. When the vampire didn't say anything or shrugged out of her embrace, Hayley grinned as warmth spread through her chest and she was no longer cold.

With her pregnant stomach, it was a little uncomfortable to walk that way so she let one arm drop to her side but kept the other one around Khalia's waist. She rested her head on the vampire's shoulder, neither of them saying anything as they walked.

"I'm craving hot chocolate and toast with tuna and gurkins with tomato sauce. And strawberry ice cream with chilli beef jerky." Hayley said out of the blue and a small chuckle escaped Khalia. The werewolf blushed and she tried to look away from the vampire - obviously she hadn't meant to say it out loud.

"That is really spesific, sweetheart." Khalia noted, humor coloring her tone as she looked down at the werewolf with a look of fondness - if only Hayley didn't try to hide her face she would have seen it.

"Shut up, okay? No judging the pregnant werewolf." Hayley defended, still avoiding the vampire's eyes. It brough endless amusement to the immortal girl.

"I'm not judging you, I'm laughing at you." The vampire corrected, warmth flooding every fibre of her being as she and Hayley continued to bicker. Eventually Khalia steered Hayley to a resturant and the werewolf stopped in her tracks.

"What are we doing here?" Hayley asked with a frown, looking at the 24/7 diner that they were standing infront of.

"We are feeding the little monster." Khalia pointed to Hayley's bloated stomach with a grin - obviously teasing - as she opened the diner door and gestured for the werewolf to walk in first. The werewolf walked in and her frown changed to a goofy grin as the vampire followed her inside.

***

What do you think?

-Mixie