Dahlia wasn't very good at hiding.

"It's a trap," said Andra immediately, as they crouched down behind an alley dumpster, watching as Dahlia's mind-controlled minions filed into St. Anne's Church.

"Clearly," said Mikael. "By now, Niklaus ought to have acquired the witch to create the weapon we need."

She began to lead the way back to the bar and grill. "What are your plans, then, when Dahlia is vanquished?"

He didn't seem sure how to answer. "I wish to know my daughter. See Freya whenever I can."

"So, I'm guessing that means you'll be close by?"

"In the state, perhaps. Not in New Orleans. My children will not want me here, nor do I wish to settle in this pathetic city."

"Where in Louisiana? Eunice?"

"It suited my needs."

"That's close enough."

He raised a brow. "You believe the bastard will be displeased?"

"No. I want to visit you, obviously."

His lip curled upward. "I've had much time to think, while running my errand. Your father... he consumed you. That is why you disappeared."

"Yes. And immediately wiped me from the mind of everyone I knew."

"I recall when it happened. With the memories intact, of course, it makes some sense. I found one of your weapons. I could not recognize it as my own, had no idea where I procured it. There were other things... replicas of my own equipment but far smaller, even a piece of armor that I knew was designed for a woman. Objects that you used in your training that I no longer had a place for. I did not understand where they came from."

She half-smiled. "It's confusing. I've never been on the receiving end of having my memories wiped but I remember what it was like for those who helped Ryan and I along the way, trapping monsters. How disoriented they were, how panicked they became when they found traces of items that didn't fit into their lives anymore, without the knowledge of what it had been used for, or by whom."

He was silent for a moment, considering her words, perhaps running through his memories once more as he grimaced. "The weak would claim it is a mercy to forget. The strong know all experiences thicken the flesh."

"If you could have forgotten the pain of losing Freya and Henrik, would you have done it?"

"Never."

"Despite the damage it did?"

"My answer remains the same. I would have preferred to remember you and know you were trapped than to have forgotten I ever knew you. It was a disservice to the both of us."

"You're going to hate me for saying this," said Andra quietly, "but I missed you, Mikael."

He rolled his eyes, but it didn't escape her notice that he wasn't sneering. She still remembered how he'd teared up when his memories were first restored. Without saying it, he let her know he'd missed her, too.

"Malivore, he is not defeated?" he inquired.

"Not yet. Eventually. He can't hurt anyone right now." She wouldn't dare mention that Hope could be the key to defeating Malivore.

"If a vampire, werewolf, and witch made him, three of those creatures can unmake him. Perhaps when Dahlia is sent to a shallow grave, you and I could find the descendants of the three who originally created Malivore. I imagine any vampire will suffice if from the same sireline."

She grinned. "I would very much enjoy that."

Mikael lowered his voice, "Two beasts took my daughters from me once... I will not allow it to happen again."

"I have what may be an invasive question. What of your other children? Do you wish to mend your relationship with them? Everything is different now... Freya is alive. Is there a chance? You once told me you wished things weren't this way."

"I wouldn't know where to begin."

"You could do what you do with Freya and I. Just... a bit more respect, a gentle approach."

"Niklaus said it accurately in the café. Our daughters do not see us as the monsters we are. Freya knew me before our family was fractured. You required a teacher and a friend; you cared nothing about my past as long as I could teach you. My other children will never see me as anything else. Niklaus turned them against me."

"Maybe it's time to lay off Klaus. Let him be." He huffed, causing her to insist, "I know you don't seem to be the biggest fan of this idea, but think about everything put together... Freya being alive, Esther lying, her affair, Klaus being born through no fault of his own, the necklace your wife used to make him weak. I've spoken to you about many things since I met you. Surely an honorable man such as you can admit that he took it too far."

"I cannot forget what–"

"–and do you think he can forget how you treated him? Do you think his siblings can forget what they witnessed? No, nobody will forget it. You cannot change the past or the damage that's been done by any party but perhaps it is time to retire from hunting him down. Start with that, show your children you are no longer a threat to them. Let Klaus raise his daughter in peace while you get to know yours."

He contemplated it. "I cannot even fathom how to begin with Freya. The time we lost..."

"Will never be recovered, yes. But maybe just by starting with a recap of what you've each been through... could be a way to open a conversation. And discussing plans for the future. She will probably have a lot of things she wishes to do. Maybe she will need help to achieve it, maybe she will want to learn about the world and you could teach her. Just like you taught me."

"You became a great warrior. I am certain your smallest brother will follow in your footsteps. With the restoration of my memories, I recalled speaking to your elder brother. He is far stronger than you, but a much less skilled warrior."

"Ryan is much better with his words and with fabricating weapons. He's a skilled chemist. I learned everything on that end from him. The physical, and overcoming pain, I learned from you. I'm quite good at it now."

"You will require that skill when we face Dahlia. Prepare yourself."

They were quiet as they reached the alleyway where Klaus had Davina setting up for a spell.

"Hey," said Andra. "Surprised you agreed to help with this."

"If you're helping, so am I," said Davina, keeping quiet about the fact she agreed to it because she saw how worried Marcel had become when he learned Andra was working with Klaus and Mikael. "Besides, I'm the only one who can control him," she nodded to Mikael. "Kol would be here if he could do it." She gestured between the two vampires, "So are you two friends now?"

"Absolutely not!" said Klaus. "We merely aligned out of necessity for the purpose we both enjoy the most– glorious murder. In fact, you'll be helping."

"You said you needed a Binding Spell...?"

"And here, my lovely little witch, is what you will bind," said Mikael, holding out two full leather pouches and a bottle of blood. "Soil from Dahlia's homeland, that which links her to this mortal coil. Along with Viking ash, that of her oppressors, the source of her immense hatred. And finally, blood of her adopted child, my beloved daughter Freya, the closest thing to love that miserable witch has ever known."

Davina nodded, setting the ingredients out and making a circle of salt around them. "All the sources of her power bound together create a weakness. So, what do you want me to do?"

"Simple," said Klaus, "bind those ingredients to a weapon."

"No," said Andra. "Weapons, plural. Let's make a bomb and a few other–"

"You sound like a toddler," muttered Klaus. "You and your ridiculous bombs."

"They've never failed me and they are quite useful. Harry Potter was successful with like, one spell, and it was fine."

"We require a weapon now. We must attack."

"She's setting a trap, her and her minions are at St. Anne's Church. We can make many weapons and–"

"If she is setting a trap, we will come with a surprise of our own."

"No, we don't have to go right now, we could leave her there, it's not like she can do anything if we don't show up! We should take advantage of the fact we know where she is. The New Orleans witches agreed to help us. Let's get a group of them and lock her in St. Anne's with a Boundary Spell. Several covens channeling their Ancestors in a city where she can't access any magic but her own... it could give us buffer time to make multiple weapons so she doesn't know what to look out for. We could rush at her and attack in waves once we enter her cage, all taking a shot when we can. Hell, Ryan and I can sneak in and diffuse a lobelia flower bomb, then a bomb with these ingredients, and with our combined efforts we could weaken and kill her in one night. As soon as she's dead, it's over. Maybe the witches could use the energy of her death for something so they're compensated for their help, to keep debts settled."

"You were not invited to be part of this plan," said Klaus. "We have an opening and we will not waste it gathering witches who are not likely to help this family."

"You have an alliance you need to take advantage of! They're not being led by your mother anymore, and while they may not like you, they will be more likely to listen because they sure as hell don't want a dark witch coming to disrupt their lifestyle."

"We will bind a weapon and attack now," said Klaus. "Davina, you will–"

"What would I even bind?" said Davina flatly. "Am I supposed to go to the toy store and get a slingshot?"

Mikael rolled his eyes, frustrated with the sound of Klaus and Andra arguing. "Use this." He offered Davina a knife.

Klaus scoffed. "You just wouldn't be you if you didn't have a knife, would you?"

"Well, perhaps you can steal it later and dull its blade with your 'art.'"

"This is ridiculous!" said Andra. "You both are so eager to attack you're losing sight of the fact this is going to go poorly if she sees the one attack happening. She's lived as long as we all have and if we can see her trap coming a mile away, she will see our battle coming, too. We need to catch her off-guard..."

Davina seemed to be the only one willing to hear her out.

Klaus and Mikael left her behind as soon as the knife was made. Andra walked Davina home, then rushed to the Compound, disappointed to find Freya and Elijah were already gone. Marcel wasn't there, either, as he'd been asked to escort Hayley, Jackson, and Hope to a new safehouse made by the witches of New Orleans. Rebekah and Kol were the only one left to keep Andra company, and they seemed to expect things would go poorly, too.

Though everyone who fought came back alive, it didn't seem like Dahlia was dead. And now she was gone.

"Well, that sounds like a bloody fiasco," said Rebekah.

"She's done with us for the night," said Freya bitterly. "No doubt, she wants us to take some time to wallow in our defeat."

Klaus was already serving himself a scotch at the bar, apparently not bothered by their failure. "Defeat? I disagree. We saw her face, we took her measure. If that's the best she's got, quite frankly, I'm unimpressed."

Mikael scoffed. "Her aim was not to impress us. She wanted us to reveal our sole weapon, and like fools, we did."

Rebekah made a face, "Am I hearing things, or did our brother just exchange words with our father?"

The man smiled tightly. "Rebekah. I'd know that wicked tongue anywhere. What mischief have you gotten yourself into now? No doubt the bastard's doing."

"Uncalled for," said Andra, nodding to Ryan, who had just walked in, presumably having completed the rounds of tea deliveries and likely a supply run for the safe house, considering he was holding a bag with diapers, wipes, and canned food.

"Enough," Klaus growled. "My patience, like this farce of a reunion, is at an end."

"Agreed," said Elijah. "There only is one question here– what exactly are we doing?"

Freya huffed, "This was not my plan! You rushed it and made but a single weapon! Of course she took it from you. And now, we've lost what advantage we had and used up the very materials we needed to kill her."

"It's a bit histrionic," Klaus mused. "Your materials are easily found. Let's take stock, shall we? There's an ample supply of your blood, Norwegian soil is hardly scarce... what else? Ah, yes– the ashes of Dahlia's Viking oppressors."

Mikael sneered, "Only priceless relics gotten with great difficulty at a museum. Lost due to your worthless strategy!"

"Hey!" said Andra angrily. "The strategy was bullshit but you had a chance to speak up and you didn't. My plan was better, Freya's plan was better, but you both were so hell-bent on stabbing her to death that you didn't think to step back and think like the enemy. If you knew it was worthless, Mikael, you should have said something. Both of you just refused to hear me out! Maybe my plan wasn't perfect, but it was a whole lot fucking better than that one-knife crap–"

"Perhaps it is time you close that vicious mouth before I ensure you lose the ability to speak permanently," threatened Klaus. "You interfered when it was not welcomed–"

"–Dahlia could have already been dead right fucking now if you'd just stopped to think–"

"–you are the one that will be dead now if you continue–"

"Stop!" yelled Ryan. "Seriously, this isn't helping anyone, and it sure as hell isn't doing Hope any good–"

Klaus lunged at him, stopped only when Andra swiped her knife up, stabbing into his wrist and causing him to drop the glass of scotch. Immediately, he removed the blade and cut across her cheek, hurling her across. The room. When she sat up, she saw Klaus had pinned Mikael to one of the pillars, the white oak stake pressed over his heart. She wasn't sure what had happened, but she assumed that maybe, just maybe, Mikael had jumped to her defense and incited Klaus's rage.

Elijah's first instinct was to hold Freya back, knowing she would attack Klaus and get herself hurt. Kol and Rebekah were both standing beside them, not moving a single muscle. Klaus snarled, "If I feel even the faintest touch of your magic, Freya, I will end him with a flick of my wrist!" He stared at Mikael. "You don't seem surprised."

The coldness in his gaze had returned. "Betrayal is in your nature, boy."

"No. I wasn't born like this. Them, you fight for, lovely Freya, the daughter you barely know, and Andra, the child you always wanted. But there was a time where you knew me as your son! A time before all the disappointments, the revelations of betrayal." His voice began to shake, tears filling his eyes, "There were moments where all you had to do was be my father! And even then, you despised me, didn't you? I want to know why."

Andra knew that Mikael could have said something substantial here. Maybe he couldn't muster up an apology yet, maybe he never would, but if there was ever a moment to be gentle and stop his ridiculous hunt, it was now.

"I don't know," said Mikael softly. "I just... did."

Maybe he could have learned how to ask for forgiveness with time.

"Say something!" said Andra, unable to believe he would want to leave it at that. "Mikael, speak! He– he wants to fix things! He does! He's going to try, he wants to– he... he..." she glared at Mikael, urging him to follow her train of thought. "Mikael... say something... tell them... tell them all your plans after Dahlia is gone... that there is a chance..."

But he remained silent.

"Then those will be your final words," said Klaus darkly.

"No!" yelled Andra. Ryan and Kol both reached for her arms, keeping them pinned behind her back before she could foolishly rush between them. "Klaus no, no please, Mikael, you have a chance, you have to–"

He stared at Freya over Klaus's shoulder. "Freya, I am so sorry. I love yo–"

Klaus plunged the stake into his heart.

Ryan closed his eyes, forcing himself to the ground and bringing Andra with him. There was a moment where he couldn't tell whose scream pierced his ears the most. Perhaps it was Mikael, burning from the inside out. Perhaps it was Freya, agonized yells doing nothing while Elijah and Rebekah kept her restrained. Andra didn't make a single sound, staring at Mikael as he staggered forward, reaching out to Klaus before falling over, body desiccating fully nad bursting into flames.

"NOOO!" sobbed Freya, thrashing in her siblings' arms.

Andra's lips twitched as she looked at Klaus, standing over the corpse with a triumphant look on his face, though it was clear to her that he didn't feel like celebrating. There was a flicker that made her believe he was upset. And she knew, in that moment, why he'd done it. If he couldn't have the affection Mikael demonstrated to her and Freya, no one could.

"Viking ash is indeed rare," said Klaus softly. "But all you really need is a burning Viking corpse."

He walked out, not even flinching when Freya tried to lash out at him. Andra wondered why her magic couldn't free her, why there wasn't enough strength in her grief to let her break free and transfer the white oak stake into her brother's heart.

"Malia," said Ryan, shaking her when he felt how rigid she was. "Malia, talk to me."

A single tear slid out from the corner of her left eye, wiped away before it reached her chin. "Take Landon home, please," she said quietly. "I need a minute. And some comfort food."

It was a lie and he knew it. But he didn't want to be on the other end of his sister's knife, which is surely what would happen if he denied her orders.

She didn't know where she was going, she only knew that her feet were moving, her body was being transported somewhere that wasn't the Compound, and that the water was drawing nearer. Her chest felt tight, her vision was blurring, and it was impossible to make any of it stop. She wasn't controlling it anymore, it controlled her, and it sent her crashing into one of the railings by the docks, the only thing that made reality sink in.

Mikael was dead. And this time, there was no coming back.

She whimpered, holding a hand over her heart, never having felt it beating so hard. Her hand shook furiously, her mouth felt dry, and within seconds she was overtaken by a nausea so severe, she had to stick her head out over the water, heaving and unable to throw up despite how badly she thought she needed to.

"It's okay," came a familiar voice, rubbing her back. She didn't look up, feeling him lacing his fingers with hers, thumb caressing the back of her hand. "I think you're having a panic attack. It's going to be alright, but I need you to do something for me, okay, Andra?"

She nodded, whimpering and wishing the pain would stop, wishing it would all just stop. "Good girl," said Marcel, massaging her shoulder. "Close your eyes. Good. Now breathe with me. Breathe in... pause and hold... there you go, now breathe out. Again. Breathe in... hold... breathe out. I want you to pull up an image in your mind."

He started to smooth his hand over her hair, "Think of a large football field. You're in the stands, and it's a sunny day. You honestly think you might get sunburned from it. Got that? Okay, and now there is a stage. And chairs. And kids... a whole lot of kids in caps and gowns. Who's that on the podium? Why, it's Landon. Look at him, all grown up. He looks a lot like Ryan, but those eyes are Seylah's eyes. His hair... it's super curly, but he knows how to take care of it, doesn't he, because you taught him well. He's got a shy smile, maybe a little tense, but he's giving a speech. He's his class's valedictorian and he just got a full-ride scholarship to Tulane. He wants to study... infectious diseases. Ryan shows up, he's holding flowers, he doesn't know if Landon will like petunias but it's all that was available. He's so proud of Landon, and so are you. And when you see Landon reach out for that diploma, you feel so happy."

He leaned over, seeing that she was trying to smile. "Breathe again for me, Andra, come on. There you go. Breathe in... hold... breathe out. You don't need to throw up, you told me how your organs aren't the same as humans, so you've got nothing to get rid of. It's okay. You're okay. I've got you. I'm going to guide your head out from the railing, so stay still..." he pulled her out gently, sitting her up. "Here." He held up a napkin and a water bottle, using the bottle to coat the napkin in water and pressing it to her neck before encouraging her to hydrate.

"I've got you," he said, his thumb brushing her temple. "You're safe."

"I can't do this anymore," croaked Andra. "I can't do this. I can't. I don't– I don't want to– it hurt so much to lose Mikael the first time, I just– I just came back and he was gone, he was dead, I didn't know how or why and I was miserable b-but I couldn't even afford to cry, I had a job to do and I had to figure out how the f-fuck I was going to survive and oh god, he didn't even give Klaus a chance so of course Klaus didn't give him a chance either. I don't blame him but I hate that Mikael didn't listen to me, I hate that he didn't show them the side of himself that he showed me, and I hate that he didn't even fight it, he just let himself be killed and he left me! He fucking left me and he left Freya and he gave up on his chance to fix anything..."

"Let it out," encouraged Marcel, putting an arm around her as she cried. "Just let it out, Andra. Nobody is going to bother you. Cry. You need to, and there's nothing wrong with that."

"I lose everyone," she whimpered. "It never stops, I can't go anywhere because it follows me, it never ends. No matter what I do, no matter how hard I try, what is the point of any of it..."

"Look at me." He tucked his hand under her chin, making her face him. "I am in this for the long run, okay? You're not going to lose me and I will do everything in my power to make sure you don't lose Ryan or Landon or Davina or anyone else you care about. I'm sorry I wasn't there today. I'm sorry nobody listened to you and I'm sorry that you were brought into a life of torment where your father repeatedly took advantage of you and forced you to undergo loss after loss... I don't know how you did it, I really don't. Every single day I admire how strong you are. I learn from you and so do other people, even if it doesn't seem like this. You are going to survive this, Andra, just like you've survived every bad thing that came your way."

She sniffled, covering her face and shaking her head. He pulled her into his chest, hugging her tightly and shielding her from the view of nearby pedestrians. In that moment, it was just them. They were all that mattered. She was all that mattered.

He walked her home as soon as she swore she could feel her legs again. Ryan was waiting with tea, which she gulped down before hugging Landon, the baby squirming and wondering why she was holding him tighter than usual.

"Thanks for going after her," said Ryan while Andra got dressed for bed. "I don't know how you knew, but..."

"Rebekah," said Marcel. "She told me what happened and I knew I had to look for her."

Ryan nodded slowly. "We grew so sick and tired of losing people after so many years. We didn't have our idea of turning Malivore into mud until it was finally enough. We'd lost every last friend and partner we ever loved and it... it became a lot to handle. I still remember the way she sat up, and whispered, 'Ashes to ashes, dust to dust,' before she told me what we should do. What we should have done long ago."

"I'll do anything to make sure she never loses anyone this way again," said Marcel. "I swear it."