*Sorry for updating so late but it's a long one soo... enjoy*

"Damon Salvatore you open this damn door right now!" Claire shouted slamming her fist onto the boarding house multiple times in a row. Eventually, the dark haired vampire open the door with an expression somewhere between smug and annoyance.

"What can I do for you, Shortcake?" Damon asked raising his eyebrows. He smirked, crossed his arms and leaned against the threshold.

"Where is Elijah?" She growled glaring at him.

"Elijah who?" Damon asked feigning confusion. "Oh, right, that Elijah" Damon snaps as if just now remembering who she was asking about.

"Where is he, Damon?" She spat. He shrug innocently.

"I don't know." He told her. "And pray tell, why would I know? I'm not his girlfriend" The smug smirk came back to his face. Claire frowns her eyebrows slightly. "Little bird dropped the worm." He wiggled his eyebrows at her.

"First off, nobody says that. Secondly, tell Elena that she can fuck off, she had no right telling you about us. Thirdly, where the fuck is he, Damon?" She snapped. "I know he was here last night and I know he was supposed to come see me afterwards, only he didn't."

"So" Damon shrugged.

"So" She grumbled. "What. Did. You. Do?" 

"I didn't do anything" He tells her shaking his head. "Maybe you just weren't making him happy enough. Maybe he'd rather sleep somewhere without a screaming baby. Maybe he wanted a girlfriend who has her shit together. Take your pick, Shortcake, I don't care."

"You think I'm stupid don't you?" Claire asked tilting her head, resting her hands on her hips.

"Well, I don't exactly see Ivy League schools in your future" He whispered as if it were a secret. Claire glared at him.

"Maybe not but I can sense a barrier spell" She said. Damon took a step further into the house, Claire's glare intensified. "Let me guess, you have Elijah somewhere in that house. You had Bonnie put a spell on it so I can't get inside." Now it was Claire wearing the smug smirk but the anger was still in her eyes. "Give me Elijah." She demanded.

"No can do, Shortcake" He said shaking his head. "Don't worry, Elijah is safe but I can't have him running around with him still planning on kill Elena. You remember her? Your best friend? Yeah, he wants to kill her."

"Did you ask him?" She questioned crossing her arms, popping her hip out. "Or did you just take the word of Bonnie who got that information from a mediocre warlock?" She asked him.

"I trust Bonnie a hell of a lot more than I trust Elijah." Damon told her.

"I'm not saying that the witch Bonnie questioned wasn't telling the truth but I'm saying that there might be more. Do you honestly think Elijah is the type of man to tell anybody everything?" Claire asked raising her eyebrows. "Maybe the witch was right but I don't think Elijah's endgame is Elena dead."

"I can't take that chance, Shortcake." Damon shook his head with a hint of remorse in his expression. 

"Damon, there isn't a thing I wouldn't do for my friends. Elena is my best friend and I am not going to let her die." Claire stressed. "But I need Elijah" She told him desperately. "I need him with me. I can get him to give us truthful and complete answers. I can prove that he isn't trying to get Elena killed, you have to trust me." She begs. Damon inches towards her but stays inside the house.

"I'm sorry. Look, I'm not letting him go. I can promise you that he will be safe here." Damon reassured him.

"I don't want him here, Damon" Claire whispered getting as close as the barrier could let her. "I want him... I need him with me. Please don't keep him from me. I promise you, Damon. He isn't trying to kill Elena because he knows it would hurt me, he would never hurt me."

"You don't know that" Damon shook his head.

"I do" She stressed.

"Look, Shortcake, you've known him for maybe two weeks now. You don't know who he is, who he really is." Damon told her.

"That may be true" Claire whispered. She knew there were so many things about Elijah that she didn't know, so much she still had to learn. "But I know who he is to me. I know who I am to him."

"Listen, we can stand here all day and talk about this but I'm not letting him go." Damon shrugs. "So why don't you go change Madelyn's diaper or something" He said going to close the door but she spoke up before he could.

"You think you know everything don't you?" She asked laughing. He frowns his eyebrows slightly offended. "Have you ever heard of Soulmates?" She asked tilting her head. He looks even more confused. "That's what Elijah and I are, do your research cause I'm not explaining it to you but I will tell you this." She says her voice dropping slightly. "Me coming here asking for Elijah was me being polite. You don't want to see me desperate, so you better give Elijah to me sooner rather than later." She warns before walking away.

Damon watches her leave for a moment before closing the door. Claire stops outside of her car and releases a small sigh. She knew Elijah was in that house but she couldn't get in. She hated being so close to Elijah, knowing he needed her and her unable to do anything.

She looks at the house one more time before climbing in the car. She drove to the Mystic Grill, Madelyn making baby noises in the back. When she arrived to the Grill she grinned seeing Elena was there. She parked the car, put her daughter in the carrier and went inside.

"Take a hike, Bigfoot" Claire tells Jeremy. He was having lunch with Elena but Claire needed to talk to Elena alone.

"Can't you see I'm eating?" Jeremy asked motioning to his food. Claire smiles at him setting Madelyn down.

"And I bet those fries taste just as good at the empty table over there" Claire said. The two stared at each other, Claire's stare growing more intense by the second until Jeremy cracked.

"Fine, fine, just stop staring at me" Jeremy grumbled. Claire smirked victoriously as he stood up.

"Thanks, Bigfoot" Claire said patting his back.

"Yeah, yeah" Jeremy muttered. Elena smiled and laughed shaking her head. Once Jeremy was gone, Claire took her seat.

"Hey, what's-"

"What happened to Elijah?" Claire asked not beating around the bush. Elena looked at her slightly shocked by the forwardness. "I know Damon has him at the boarding house, I know Bonnie put a spell that won't let me in to get Elijah and I know this all involves you somehow." She told her. "What happened to him, Elena?"

"We can't trust him, Claire" Elena tried to reason.

"Don't say we" Claire snapped. "I trust Elijah with my life."

"What about mine?" Elena asked trying to get Claire to see things her way.

"Why won't anybody listen to me" Claire rubbed her face. "I don't think Elijah wants you dead."

"He may not want me dead but he isn't going to try and keep me alive." Elena told her.

"If you let me talk to him he will." Claire couldn't help but to snap. "Elijah would do anything for me, I know he will. You just have to give me the chance to talk to him."

"I'm sorry, Claire" Elena smiles at her.

"Are you?" Claire asked her. "Do you know what you're doing to me? Keeping him away from me like this?"

"I wish there was another way" Elena said.

"If you trusted me then you would give me Elijah but obviously you don't" Claire spat standing up.

"Claire" Elena sighed but Claire wasn't hearing anything of it.

"I've known you our entire lives" Claire reminded her. "And you've known the Salvatore's for how long? And you're willing to trust their judgement over mine? Fuck you, Elena" Claire spat grabbing Madelyn and leaving the Mystic Grill.

Claire strapped Madelyn in her car seat and drove over to Bonnie's praying she'd be able to convince her. Bonnie was her last chance. If she could just get Bonnie to lower the spell she'd be able to get into the house and get Elijah.

"Wish me luck, Madelyn." Claire muttered getting out of the car. She left if running knowing she wouldn't be long and wanted to keep Madelyn at a comfortable temperature. "Bonnie! Bonnie, open up!"

"Hi, Claire" Bonnie said reluctantly opening the door. Bonnie knew why she was here and dreaded the conversation she was about to have.

"Why are you doing this, Bonnie?" Claire asked her.

"I'm trying to keep Elena safe." Bonnie told her.

"By keeping me from Elijah?" Claire asked raising her eyebrows.

"This isn't forever, Claire... just until we can figure out a way to keep Elena safe for good."

"I'm starting to doubt that will ever happen, especially with two vampires wrapped around her fingers. Isn't it strange that the only reason we have all these problems is because the Salvatore's came to town?" Claire asked.

"I know but we can't help that now." Bonnie told her. "Like I said, this isn't forever. We'll release Elijah soon enough."

"Soon enough isn't good enough" Claire snapped. "I want Elijah now" She growled.

"Well you're not getting him now" Bonnie snapped back. "He's dangerous, Claire."

"You don't know him like I do! Why won't anybody trust me?" Claire cried out on the verge of tears. "I love him and he loves me. He would never do anything to hurt me. He knows killing Elena would hurt me, he wouldn't do that."

"We have information that says other wise." Bonnie told her gently.

"So everyone's just going to trust the word of some guy you barely know over me?" Claire snapped.

"Isn't that the same thing you're doing?" Bonnie asked.

"That's different" Claire snapped.

"How?" Bonnie snipped.

"We're fucking soulmates, Bonnie! I think that means I can trust his word over some stupid warlock" Claire growled.

"That stupid warlock had no choice but to tell the truth so yes, I trust his word over Elijah" Bonnie said. Claire shakes her head, a tear slipping down her face. "Claire" Bonnie whispered gentler.

"All of you can just fuck right off" Claire snapped walking towards the car.

"Claire!" Bonnie shouted but Claire just flicked her off and got in the car. Madelyn cooed but Claire ignored her. She backed out of the drive way and drove down the street. Claire didn't realize where she was driving until she arrived.

"What are you doing here, Claire?" Claire muttered to herself as she looked at the entrance to the cemetery. Madelyn cries in the backseat gaining Claire's attention. She sighs and gets out of the car, grabbing Madelyn. "It's alright baby, we're not going to be here long" Claire promises. She closes the car door and walks into the cemetery.

Claire walks along the path. Her eyes searching past various headstones. When she found the one she was looking for she came to a stop. A few tears slipped down her face as she stared at the head stone.

"I wish I got to meet you" Claire whispered. She sniffles and wipes the tears off her face. "I don't even know what to say... or if you can hear me" She muttered looking at the ground. She takes in a deep, shaky breath. "I brought... I brought your granddaughter" Claire's voice cracks. She slowly sits on the ground and starts to cry.

She pulls her legs to her chest, crying in her knees. All she could think about is Elijah. How much she already misses him. How she yearns for his touch, his scent, his everything. She felt... empty, alone without him and she hated it. She hated how much she needed Elijah but loved it at the same time.

"Ummm... Excuse me" A hesitant accented voice calls out. Claire jumps not expecting anybody else to be in the cemetery. She quickly stands up and wipes her eyes. 

Claire looks at the woman. She's taller than Claire by at least a head. She seems to have a natural tan. Her eyes are a deep green and her hair is long. Her hair is also a dark brunette, almost black.

"Sorry" Claire mutters nervously.

"It's alright" The woman said gently. Claire figures out the accent as Australian. "Did you know him?" She asked curiously. The both of them looked at the headstone that read Noah South.

"I wish" Claire muttered picking Madelyn in her carrier. The woman looks at her curiously. "Did you know him?" She asked.

"He was my husband" She said. Claire's eyes widened. "We were together since high school."

"Oh" Claire muttered shifting Madelyn to her other arm nervously. "I'll just go" She mumbled going to walk away. She got a few feet before the woman called out to her.

"Claire?" She froze and slowly turned towards her. "You're her... aren't you?" She asked slowly. "You're his daughter" She realized.

"I should go" Claire muttered again.

"Please, don't" The woman said taking a few quick steps towards Claire. "My names Hanna" She introduced. "I've always wanted to meet you." She said holding out her hand. Claire glanced at her hand. She shifted Madelyn to her other arm and reached out to shake it. The second their hands touched, Claire knew she was a witch. "You look like him... You have his eyes... and his nose" Hanna said smiling gently at her. "And who is this?" She asked looking at the carrier.

"My daughter... Madelyn." Claire said shifting her so Hanna could see easier.

"She's beautiful" Hanna muttered. Claire smiled, thanking her quietly. "So...What brings you here?" Hanna asked.

"I don't know" Claire told her honestly. "I've been having... a difficult day."

"Want to talk about it?" Hanna suggested.

"You wouldn't understand." Claire muttered.

"I've been around a long time, I think I might know a thing or two." Hanna said smiling at her.

"I doubt you'd be able to help me with this" Claire said shrugging.

"Alright" Hanna nodded not pressing her. "How about some lunch?" She suggested. "I'd really love to talk to you, I'm sure you have questions and I'd love to answer them."

"I don't really want to impose, I'm sure you have plans." Claire said.

"Like talking to my dead husband?" Hanna asked raising her eyebrows with a kind smile on her face. "Come on, I know a place." She said walking over to Claire.

"Alright" Claire nodded. "I'll follow you?" Hanna nodded and the two of them got into their cars. "Wow, some place other than the Grill" Claire muttered.

"This is one of my favorite places, I hope you like it" Hanna said once they got out of their cars.

"I'm sure it'll be fine" Claire nodded. The two of them plus Madelyn went inside and got a seat. They ordered and sat in an awkward silence. "Are you from Australia?" Claire asked hoping to break the ice a little bit. Hanna smiles and nods.

"I did. I lived there until I was around 10 and moved here with my parents. I don't know why they choose here but they did. I'm glad they did because I met Noah here" Hanna smiled. "My parents always had a thick accent and mine never went away."

"How did you know who I was?" Claire asked her.

"Your mother sent us pictures" Hanna told her.

"So he knew about me? And he didn't do anything?" Claire whispered.

"He knew about you" Hanna nodded. "But he didn't do nothing." She said. "Your father was one of the strongest witches I have ever met." She said. "And I know you've tapped into your magic."

"I'm a Siphoner" Hanna raised her eyebrows.

"Interesting" Hanna muttered. "Your father had a lot of enemies. He came from a coven that focused on dark magic but he got out of it. However, they wouldn't let him go easily and they constantly came for him. You're his first born meaning you inherited the most magic."

"But I'm a Siphoner, I can't make my own magic." Claire told her.

"But when you siphon you probably can do more with little." Hanna said. Claire thought about all the times she's brought Henrik back from the other side, even if it was only temporary. She knew a normal witch wouldn't be able to do that, Bonnie couldn't even do that. "Being his first born automatically put you in danger. It was better that nobody knew you were his. That's why he didn't get involved with you, he was trying to protect you from his old coven."

"And what happened to that coven?" Claire asked.

"It took a lot of power but we were able to defeat them." Hanna told her.

"Who's we?" Claire asked.

"Me, your father, my brother and sister, and my parents." Hanna told her. Claire slowly nodded.

"So, why didn't he get involved when you defeated the coven?" Claire asked.

"He died before he had the chance." Hanna said. Claire frowned her eyebrows. "They covered his death up as a bar fight but it wasn't just a simple bar fight. It was his brother. Noah was trying to talk some sense into him, trying to get him to stop doing dark magic but once it has it's grip on you it's almost impossible to let go. Noah got bested."

Claire slowly nodded as she takes a few minutes to process everything. While they sat in silence, their food was brought to them. They then ate in silence before Claire spoke up.

"What was he like?" She asked. Hanna smiled.

"He was very kind. He didn't always make the right choices but he owned up to his mistakes. He was also very protective of those he cared about."

"Sounds familiar" Claire said and Hanna grins at her. "You were together when he... slept with my mom?"

"We were and we split up for a little bit but I went back to him and he stayed true to me ever since. I knew he needed me. I knew he needed me more than I needed him, so I stayed. I loved him, I still do. I'd do anything for him.  I didn't make it easy on him, I gave him hell but we made it." Hanna told her. "It hurt to know that a child came out of it but the way he handled it, it made me love him more."

"Now that doesn't sound familiar" Claire grumbled glancing at Madelyn.

"Bad father?" Hanna asked. Claire scoffs.

"Understatement of the year." She grumbles. Hanna gives her a sympathetic smile. "But I don't need him" Claire shakes her head. "I have my twin sister, my mom and a kick ass baby sitter. Then I found this... amazing guy. He's everything I've ever dreamed about." Literally, she thought.

"Sounds pretty amazing" Hanna said.

"He is" Claire whispered.

"What happened?" Hanna asked.

"He was taken from me" Claire growled. She forces herself to take a deep breath. "Don't worry, I'll get him back." Claire reassured herself.

"He wouldn't happen to be a Mikaelson, would he?" Hanna asked. Claire frowns her eyebrows not knowing Elijah's last name was Mikaelson. "You know, the Original Vampires?"

"How do you know about them?" Claire whispers.

"You're father dabbled in fortune telling." Hanna said. "He saw you with them. He saw you heartbroken and in pain, so much pain." She whispered. "It drove him crazy."

"What did he do?" Claire asked slowly. Hanna sighed not wanting to tell her but knowing she had every right to know.

"Your father was a very powerful witch-"

"Yeah, we covered that, what did he do?" Claire asked her patience wearing very thin by this point in her 'spectacular' day.

"You know how you dreamed about them growing up?" Hanna said knowing a thing or two about soulmates. After Noah had found out about Claire being their soulmate, the pair of them did as much research on them as possible.

"Yeah" Claire dragged out slowly.

"Well, he did a spell to keep them from dreaming about you. He wanted to delay the inevitable for as long as possible because he knew the danger that followed the Mikaelson's and he wanted to protect you." Hanna said speaking faster when she saw Claire's anger rising.

"Well, this is just the cherry on top to my fucking day" Claire spat standing up.

"Claire" Hanna sighed.

"I've heard enough of everyone's back stabbing bullshit" She snapped.

"He did it to protect you." Hanna told her sternly.

"And if he hadn't they would have found me sooner! They would have saved me from a whole lot of fucking pain! Everything could have been different! I could be with Elijah and Henrik and everyone else by now instead of trying to get Elijah back from people I thought were my friends!" She shouted ignoring the looks she was getting.

"I know what he did was wrong, I tried to stop him but once he had his mind set on something there was no stopping him." Hanna told her. "I can lift the spell" Hanna told her when Claire went to grab Madelyn and leave. Claire looked at her. "I can lift it." Claire slowly sat down.

"Why did you want to talk to me?" Claire asked. "Why are you wanting to help me?" 

"The moment that you were born, Noah spent damn near every waking second working to protect you. Now he's gone and I picked up where he started but it will be so much easier to do that if we could have a relationship, a friendship." Hanna said. "I want to be apart of your life because you're apart of Noah and Noah is apart of you. I know you don't know me but I love you. I've grown to love you and Noah is a big part of that. The Mikaelson's are dangerous but I know I can't keep them from you, something Noah couldn't comprehend. If I can't keep them from you then I want to help protect you and Madelyn."

"How can I trust you?" Claire asked softly.

"I plan on earning it. I will do what I have to do. Like, lifting the spell that's keeping the mates you have yet to meet oblivious of your existence." Hanna told her.

"Why didn't you come to me when he died?" Claire asked.

"It took me a long time to get back on my feet after he died. You're not Noah's only child, we have other children. I had to look after them, help them get back on their feet. Then I had to wait until you were ready, until you knew about Noah. When I found you by the grave, I knew it was time." Hanna said.

"Other children?" Claire asked sitting back in her seat. "I have more siblings?" Claire whispers. Hanna smiles and nods.

"You have a pair of twin brothers and a little sister. Archie and Asher 16, Penelope or Penny is 14." Hanna told her as she took out her phone. She showed pictures and pointed them out. "We live in the next town over, they don't go to your high school." Hanna continued to scroll through her pictures until she stopped at Noah. "This is your father."

Hanna took the phone and looked at it. She could see the resemblance between her and him. She wished she could have met him, gotten to know him. She wished he could have met Madelyn.

"You're family Claire. You're a South just as much as you're a Forbes" Hanna reassured.

"Can I meet my siblings?" Claire asked looking up at her.

"Of course... And you should know, Archie is a Siphoner just like you." Claire smiled instantly. 

"Do they know about me?" Claire asked and she nodded.

"They know everything I've told you. They've pestered me about meeting you and now I can finally shut them up. We're big on family. Witches desire covens and ours isn't complete without you. With Noah gone, the coven is supposed to go to you but I'm leading it right now."

"Wow... but I barely know anything about Magic." Claire told her.

"I'll teach you." Hanna offered. Claire smiled again. "You have no idea how happy I am to finally bring you into our family."

"Thank you." Claire said. Hanna nodded. "Here's my number, please tell me when I can meet them and when you've lifted the spell."

"You'll be the first to know" Hanna reassured. "and about the whole, someone has Elijah dilemma... is there anything I can do to help?" Hanna asked. Claire stood up grabbing Madelyn.

"Tell me when you've got that spell lifted, I can handle Elijah." Hanna nodded.

"Claire" Hanna said standing up before Claire could leave. "I meant what I said... You're family. We protect our own." She promises.

"I only just found out the man who raised me isn't my true father. That was just when I was being thrown into the world of the supernatural. Then I meet one of my mates and then you and you tell me all of this... I have a twin sister I have to look after, a daughter I have to protect. Those two will always come first." Claire tells her. "Too many people who I thought were friends and family have hurt me and my sister. If you truly believe I'm family you're going to have to prove it because I'm done listening to everybody's words."

"I understand" Hanna nodded. "I promise you, I will gain your trust and you won't regret it."

"I hope not" Claire whispered. "I'm glad I met you. Thank you for the lunch, thank you for telling me all this."

"You deserved to know." Claire smiled giving her a nod before walking away.