•|•

Isabel -with Rose in her arms- stood in front of a painting admiring the postmodern snowflake. She liked to look at all the details that the hybrid added. It looked a little lonely surrounded by brown and black but it was like a bright light; the only thing that stood out in the darkness.

Isabel smiled as she pointed at the things that Rose seemed interested in and talked to her baby about it.

Eventually, the blonde werewolf couldn't stand the eyes watching her so she looked over to see Nik staring at her. He smiled at her and she turned to face him.

"Are you here to steal Tiny Tim's crutches?" She asked while adjusting Rose on her hip.

"Dickens was a dark man. You would have liked him," Klaus said, walking around the table towards her and in front of his painting.

"Nice snowflake, by the way." Isabel complimented before turning back to look at the snowflake. Rose laid her head on her mother's chest as she to stared at the snowflake again.

"Is my work really that literal?" Nik asked referring to earlier today when Stefan commented on his snowflake.

"I'm serious. There's something..." She paused trying to think of her next words. "Lonely about it. But there's a brightness to it."

"I'm gonna take that as a compliment. Can I offer you some champagne?" Klaus asked.

"Can't. If you haven't noticed I have Rose with me and there are too many adult prying eyes." Isabel turned around to face Klaus who had closed the gap between them. "Don't want to be another high school cautionary tale at the next town meeting," she said referring to drinking as a teen with her child present which he caught onto.

"Well, then it's a good thing the high school part is nearly over."

They stare at each other for a brief moment, studying each other.

"Well If you're not going to leave me alone for a while, then I will definitely need that glass of champagne. And you'll need to help me hide it."

Klaus smiled and walked closer towards her. "Is that our thing?"

"We do not have a 'thing.'" She disagreed.

"It's a thing." He mused. "Allow me." The hybrid smiled at her again and walked away to get them some champagne.

≪≫•≪≫•≪≫

"I wonder. Is this the first time anyone's ever seen you hold a baby?" Isabel asked watching as Rose giggled and grabbed at his hair.

The hybrid looked at the wolf with a raised brow, yet amusement shown in his eyes. "It would destroy my image, Bel. Can't let anyone know my soft spot for babies."

Isabel tried to contain a smile at his admission. "Oh no, the Big Bad Hybrid all soft with a baby. The horror."

Klaus grabbed Rose's hand and tickled her to distract her from his hair. "The problems that would come from caring about something so small and defenseless can be very dangerous." He informed her. "Especially for people like my family." He handed the baby back and Isabel rubbed the babies back.

The Wolf Queen ran her eyes over him with furrowed brows as she thought. "I wish that wasn't true. That you guys didn't have to live like that. But that's what happens when you make enemies out of everyone you cross." She looked at her baby for a moment before looking back at her parabatai. "A baby is truly a miracle. They are the best part of you and the most precious thing in your life. I'm sure you would have enjoyed it," she said thinking back to what he said during the Miss Mystic Pageant.

≪≫•≪≫•≪≫

After Carol was informed of Tyler's body jumping plan she ran into Isabel. The older woman what she thought about it and asked her to try and stop Tyler. Isabel acted like she knew what she was talking about but by the end, she dialed Tyler's number over and over again trying to get the hybrid bastard to answer.

Tyler I swear to god if I don't get to you on time I'm gonna skin your ass.

Isabel stopped by Mystic Grill which just so happened to contain the person she was looking for. "Tyler!" She fumed marching over to him and Hayley. Once she could reach him she used her free hand to grab him by the ear and drag him into the girls bathroom. "What do you two think you are doing?!" She asked, her eyes holding rage as whisps of blue swirled in. She let go of his ear and allowed him to stand straight.

Tyler shook his head once. "I'm not going to fight with you, Iz."

"You can't kill him, Ty. It's a suicide mission. Think of Rose." She pleaded with him.

"I am thinking of Rose!" He yelled as she glared at him. Rose stared up at him her lower lip jutting out as she started to cry. Isabel shushed her baby and tried to get her to stop. "I'm sorry Rosie." He apologized to his daughter. He took a step forward and stroked her back. When she calmed down he looked into Isabel's eyes, his voice softer. "Without Klaus she is safe. And I will be safe. I can be here with both of you without having to worry about Klaus."

"You don't understand." She stressed as Tyler retracted his hand. "If you'd just leave him alone then maybe-"

"No. I can't risk anything on a maybe. We are doing this, Iz."

"If you'd just lis-"

"Isabella listen. You don't have to be involved. You don't have to do anything. But we are going through with this plan."

"Fine." She gave in, pursing her lips. "Get killed. I can raise Rose just fine on my own." The blonde quickly turned and walked away holding her baby close.

≪≫•≪≫•≪≫

"Tyler, honey, you're supposed to be my sober cab. I think I drank half the party." Carol hung up her phone and sat down on the edge of a stone fountain. She placed her champagne glass down next to her and took her shawl off.

Klaus approached her, his clothes and face blood-spattered from his hybrid slaughter and his previous visit to a certain family. "Good evening, Carol. You're looking for Tyler. I'd like to have a word with him myself." Klaus stated clutching the bottle of champagne in his hands.

Carol looked up at him, terrified. "Klaus, please, don't hurt him. He's my son. He's the closest thing to his father that I have."

"And you're one of the things closest to his father he has. There's a beautiful symmetry to that, don't you think?"

Klaus quickly grabbed Carol by the back of the neck causing her to scream, hoping someone would hear her, but Klaus quickly dunked her head into the water surrounding the fountain. The human struggled to fight Klaus off but he continued to hold her head under.

Finally, Carol took her last breath with the life leaving her eyes. Klaus took his hand off her neck and walked away, leaving Carol's body in the fountain left for anyone who passes to see.

Klaus took his phone from his pocket and pressed the call button.

"Hello?" The girl called out sounding slightly sleepy.

"I did something bad." He told her, his eyes still dark from the rage. "And I just might kill your little boyfriend."

"What'd he do?" Isabel asked feeling more awake than before. "What'd you do?"