The next morning Rusty woke up late, groaning as he sat up his back stiff.  Rusty stretched, wincing at the loud crack that came from his back, it was his least favorite part of the ritual.  If there was something big he had to see his body usually bent in unnatural ways, leaving him sore the next day and with a friend like Klaus there was usually something big to see.  A nasty side effect from it is that it also leaves him drained for sometimes days, it depends on how big the news is.  Rusty quickly forgot about his sore muscles when he remembered what he saw last night, he shot up shouting out in pain at the fire that seemed to burn up his back.

He shook it off and ran out of the ritual room, lunging for his phone that he knew was in his jacket pocket.  "You fucker!"  Rusty yelled at the dead phone, he grabbed it and quickly left his house running to his car.  He slid inside his car and plugged in his phone, driving to Klaus's house.  Once the battery was charged enough, Rusty grabbed the phone without taking his eyes off the road and turned it on.  He pressed a button on his car, causing it to ask for his demand.

"Call Santa Klaus," Rusty said and the car repeated it back to him before the familiar ringing came through the speakers.

"Ah, Rusty what can I do for you?" Klaus said, he sounded amused but Rusty was in no mood for niceties.

"Where are you, Niklaus?" Rusty said, imagining the serious look that would come over Nik's face at being called Niklaus, Rusty only ever did it when it was serious.

"The grill with Kol, why?"  Klaus asked, his voice dead serious.  Rusty made a U turn, ignoring the honking cars as he drove like a bat out of hell to his friend.

"Because you my friend are in serious danger, I did the ritual last night and you are not gonna believe what I found out.  Stay with Kol, I'm almost there and by no means are you to go off with Caroline when the Scooby gang has her walk in there to distract you," Rusty said, speaking fast as he made a sharp turn onto the right road to get to the grill.

"Rusty what is going on?" Klaus asked urgently, concern in his tone.

"Let's just say we were right to not trust your mother, she linked you and your siblings together and is planning to kill you all.  Tonight.  She's gonna use Finn.  Ready to put another parent in the ground?" Rusty asked as he pulled into the Grill's parking lot.  Klaus was already out of the door to the Grill and walking over to Rusty, his pace fast and his face angry.

"What do you mean she linked up together?" Klaus asked angrily.

"Exactly that, the wine you drank last night, it had doppelganger blood essance in it and she used a spell with Finn's blood to connect you all," Rusty explained and Klaus clenched his jaw.

"Then undo it!"  Klaus exclaimed, angry though not at Rusty which the warlock knew.  

"Klaus I can't.  I would need blood from all of your siblings and even then it would have to be Esther or a Bennett witch, Esther drew from the Bennett line to complete the spell so only they can do it," Rusty explained quickly. 

Klaus sighed, running a hand through his hair and looking around, trying to collect his thoughts.  "So what are we-," Klaus was cut off by his own groan, leaning forward and grabbing his chest in pain.  Rusty rushed forward, placing a hand on Klaus's shoulder and helping his stay standing.  

"Who?" Rusty asked, his normal joking attitude gone.

"Kol," Klaus gasped and grabbed his best friend before speeding them to where Kol lay daggered.  Rusty yanked out the dagger while Klaus attacked Alaric and Stefan, standing across from Damon.  "I should have killed you months ago," Klaus said and Rusty smiled sarcastically at Damon.

"Hey, no time better than the present," Rusty said, wanting to see Damon dead more than he liked to admit.  

"Do it, it's not gonna stop Esther from killing you," Damon said, expecting a surprised look from Klaus but not receiving one.

"And what do you know of my Mother's plans?" Klaus asked, walking closer to Damon.

"You didn't know I was friends with you mummy?" Damon asked mockingly.  "Yeah we have a lot in common, she hates you as much as I do." Klaus lunged forward in anger while Rusty let out a whoop, happy to see Damon get his dues when Elijah spoke up, appearing on the scene.

"Leave him," Klaus turned to look at his brother who stood on the top steps of the staircase leading to the back of grill where they all were.  "We still need him, Niklaus," Elijah said and Rusty glared, stepping to stand next to Klaus.

"Do we really need him?  I'm sure Stefan can find the Bennett witches on his own," Rusty said and Elijah sighed walking down the stairs towards them.

"We are not killing him.  You tell me where the witches are or I'll have my sister kill Elena right now," Elijah said and Damon looked up at the clock tower, checking the time.

"You told me we had until after 9," Damon said Rusty glared at him.

"Then you went and daggered them," Rusty said and Elijah continued.

"I'm sure Rebekah will be more than happy to start her work early," Elijah said, done with the Salvatores' bullshit.  Damon gave them the location just as Kol started to wake up, the youngest Mikaelson growled and went to lunge at Damon but Rusty stood in front of the dark haired vampire, causing Kol to stop.  Elijah and Klaus's eyebrows rose in surprise to their younger brother's actions, not expecting the pissed off vampire to stop for the dark haired boy.

"Not yet, gorgeous," Rusty said teasingly, pushing Kol back by his shoulders.  With Kol now subdued, Rusty turned around and without a second thought, right hooked Damon in the cheek.  The vampire groaned at the unexpected hit, getting knocked into the wall by Rusty's unexpected strength.  Rusty lunged forward and grabbed Damon's hair, pulling back his head.

"Know this, if the originals die today, I will rain this town with blood and I will force Elena to watch everyone she had ever known die in front of her before killing her in front of you two, letting you sit there and watch as she begs for help," Rusty hissed, pissed off at the person who put the only true friend he's ever had in danger.

Rusty let Damon's head drop and walked to a corner with Klaus who spoke up, "You can come with us you know?"

Rusty smiled softly at his friend, placing a hand on his shoulder, "I know Nikki, but this is family business.  We are family Nik, but I think this is something you have to do with your blood family.  If you need me afterwards, you know my door is always open to you."  Klaus smiled at his friend who pulled him in to a quick hug, knowing he needed it even though the hybrid would never admit it.  "Do not die on me, you bastard," Rusty told him as they pulled apart and Klaus laughed lightly, though there was sadness in it.

"I'll see you later tonight," Klaus said, it was his own way of saying he needed Rusty without appearing weak, and Rusty understood, smiling with a nod.

"Damn right, cause you are surviving.  I'll see you later," Rusty said, before turning away and walking out of the alley.  He understood more than anyone that there were just somethings you had to do on your own.

It was later that night, Rusty was sat on his couch, in front of the fireplace in sleep pants and shirtless when the doorbell rang.  Rusty shot up and opened the door, unsurprisingly it was Klaus on the other side.  There were tears in his eyes that he refused to let fall but when Rusty pulled him inside, closing the door and hugging him the hybrid broke down.  He sobbed, he had truly hoped that his mother came to make them a family again, something Klaus had always wanted.

Rusty lowered them to the floor, keeping his arms tight around his friend.  Rusty knew that if he wasn't there Klaus never would have done this, not even alone.  He was always scared to appear weak, but Rusty never saw him as that and that made a world of difference.