chapter forty-three

dog house

・❥・

"SORRY, I MUST'VE misheard you. Caroline is pregnant with twins? Caroline Forbes . . . " Jordanna trailed off, dumbfounded as she bounced Sebastian up and down on her hip as he played with her hair. " . . . Is pregnant? With twins . . . Plural. "

Stefan sighed absentmindedly from the other side of the phone, rubbing a hand across his forehead as he went over the situation, "I'm not going over this again, JJ. Yeah, Care's pregnant with twins. Plural."

Jordanna was in a state of shock, so shocked in fact, she couldn't even bring herself to roll her eyes at Stefan's remark. "And . . . Ric's the dad?"

"Yeah."

"Alaric Saltzman?" She repeated slowly, saying the name as if it was unknown to her; a weird feeling lingered.

"Uh huh."

Her face scrunched up before she snapped out of the startled daze. "Ew! What the fuck? Okay, first of all why the Hell did no one tell me? Second of all, ew! Alaric and Caroline? That is like . . . ew! I can't even—ew! That's like fucking your dad, oh my god! This isn't some weird daddy kink is it? Because I swear before I went bye-bye, you and Care had some freaky tension that I wouldn't mind getting in between of—"

"Jordanna!" Stefan cut her off, rubbing a hand across his forehead. "Can I explain it without you butting in every two seconds? Can I do that?"

Jordanna rolled her eyes, mumbling an irritated okay under her breath.

"We didn't tell you because you haven't even been awake a month yet, JJ, we didn't wanna just spring this on you all of a sudden, and second of all, Caroline and Alaric haven't . . . slept together, after Jo died her dad kinda did this spell and transferred the babies over to Caroline . . . I don't know."

"That is so disgustingly confusing to me," Jordanna deadpanned.

"Caroline's pregnant. They're Alaric's. No, they didn't have sex. That's all you need to know," Stefan sighed as he dumbed it down for the Jones—his patience running thin.

"Okay snappy. What crawled up your ass and died?" Jordanna grumbled as she placed Sebastian in his highchair.

Stefan exhaled deeply, rubbing a hand across his jaw, "Sorry. I haven't gotten any sleep or fed in a while 'cause I've been with Caroline and dealing with her hormones, I'm not a fan of pregnant women."

"You were fine with me," Jordanna protested.

"I saw you like once when you were pregnant and you was still a bitch, not much changed," the Salvatore shrugged.

"Ouch," Jordanna whistled mockingly as she reached up on her tip toes, free hand trying to grasp the food at the very top of the shelf for Sebastian.

She regretted taking her shoes off now. She was back in the Compound, she wasn't staying, no, merely dropping Sebastian off. And as there was basically no sign of life, she thought she'd feed him—so, she removed her heels from her feet, because who the Hell wants to cook in five inch heels?

A small, childlike giggle was heard from behind her and she turned, narrowing her eyes at her son as he sat in his highchair, laughing away at his mother's incapability's.

"Oh, you think this is funny do you?" She rose her brows, a teasing tone to her voice which only elicited in him to laugh more. The Jones rolled her eyes and flipped him the bird, as one does.

Sebastian brought Jordanna a solace. He cleared her mind, forcing her to forget what she endured during the past six months, but there would be them odd moments where she would look at him and flashes of those God awful days would flicker through her mind. Sometimes she felt like he was watching her, calculating her—of course he wasn't, she was just paranoid, but that paranoia made her skin crawl.

Footfalls echoed through the kitchen floor, reverberating through the walls causing her to tense up—she didn't turn, she didn't glance back for even a second, she just stood so utterly still.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but did you just flip our son off?" A voice asked, his voice asked. It was well and truly a bittersweet moment. His voice flowed like honey, silky smooth, so natural, familiar.

". . . No?"

His lips twitched. Even the shortest, most terse answer he could get from her made him smile, it made him happy simply hearing her voice. It cured his woeful mood, reminding him of all that was right in his life. For Jordanna, it felt like Hell and utter bliss mixed together. She longed to be near him, while at the same time she was terrified. The nagging thoughts at the back of her head taunting her as she asked herself, is this a game, or is it real?

She wouldn't be able to tell you how many times 'mind Klaus' would play this game on her. Convince her that it was her Nik and that he was there to help her, get her out. She fell for it the first few times, the gentle voice, the caring eyes, the rough yet soft hand that grasped her own and pulled her up only for his grip to tighten, caring eyes turning devil like, voice dripping with hostility as he taunted her. It messed with her head.

So damn much.

So, no, she didn't turn, she didn't sneak a glance at him, she concentrated on attempting to grab ingredients so she could feed her son, who was surely fed up of eating whatever swamp water Jackson cooked up for him.

Short, hesitant, foot steps echoed behind her as Klaus approached. "Let me help," he sighed, coming to a stand behind her.

"Nope, I'm fine," she brushed his offer of help off, pursing her lips.

Klaus rolled his eyes at her decline of help but nonetheless moved forward, nearing her. Naturally his hand settled on her waist as he leaned forward, towering over her as a lean arm reached up and grabbed the jar she was reaching for.

Lord Almighty. A warmth enveloped her, his familiar scent filled her nose as she watched his hand move down from the shelf—she was internally screaming like a school girl at the proximity, get a goddamn grip.

A loud clearing of the throat echoed through the room as Stefan Salvatore sat at the Boarding House, rolling his eyes at the tense silence as he had seemed to be forgotten. "JJ, you good?" He asked, a small teasing tone laced his voice, eyebrows raised expectantly.

Jordanna now was the one to clear her throat as Klaus took a step away from her, heading towards the chair situated besides Ares. "Yeah, I'm fine," she swallowed roughly. Turning to face him for the first time, she gestured to the jar in her hand and murmured a, "Thanks."

Klaus crossed his arms over his chest, a slight smile on his lips, "It's alright, sweetheart."

Yet again, Stefan's eyes rolled to the back of his head as he became nauseous from the thick tension that seemed to seep its way through the phone and all the way into his living room. "Okay, good," Stefan responded to Jordanna's comment gruffly. "I have a list for you."

"A list?" Jordanna deadpanned in question.

"Uh huh," Stefan nodded absentmindedly to himself. "So, first of all: baby shopping. Clothes, toys et cetera." Jordanna groaned in dismay. "I know it's your favourite thing to do so-"

"-Don't rub it in," she complained. "What else?"

"You have to plan her a shower."

"You're kidding," Jordanna huffed in irritation.

"I am not kidding," Stefan drawled unenthusiastically.

"What the fuck," she cursed. "Why?"

"Because she planned you one, JJ, and it'd be nice of you to return the favour," he pointed out obviously, Klaus watched on from his seat besides Sebastian with an amused glint in his eyes as he watched the Jones' face scrunch up.

"I didn't get one."

"Because you died two days before . . . "

Jordanna tilted her head. "Fair enough. What else?"

A chuckle fell from Stefan's lips before he opened his mouth. "I don't think you're gonna like this, but Care wants me, you and Bon to take Sebastian, and the babies to a farm, she wants to take-"

"Absolutely not."

"Ew, no."

Stefan tutted, "You can't keep Sebastian from having fun just 'cause you don't like animals, Jords."

"No, I can," Jordanna shook her head. "It's not like he'd remember, anyway."

"Jordanna-"

"They stink, Stef. Bad. Why would I put his poor, innocent soul through that?"

"Because you're his mom, and mom's make their kids do shit they don't wanna do."

"How would you know? Mommy died before you hit puberty," she teased.

"Back at you, J."

・❥・

It was a little while later and Klaus and Elijah had ridded themselves from the Compound and busied themselves elsewhere—sorting 'business' as Elijah had put it.

Jordanna didn't care for their pursuits, she didn't care for an up and coming problem, she only cared that her son and her family were okay, other than that? She made no effort to do anything while Klaus and Elijah rushed around.

Jordanna sauntered out of Sebastian's nursery after settling him down upon hearing the voices that belonged to the Mikaelson brothers. "So, my first sired wants to kill you. Yours wants to kill me. Makes you regret turning vampires in the first place," Klaus huffed, irritation laced his tone as he rolled his eyes.

"Well, the division of labour seems crystal clear—two of them, two of-"

Elijah cut himself off just as Jordanna reached the balcony, her eyes, as did the Mikaelson brothers', widened at the sight before her. She poked her inner cheek with her tongue, it was too goddamn early for this. The Jones sauntered down the staircase as Klaus and Elijah stopped in their tracks.

In the middle of the Compound, there laid a woman in a bed of lavender springs, both wrists slashed as she presumably bled out, her blood washing down the floor like a crimson river.

"What in the fuck . . . ?" Jordanna trailed off, face scrunched up at the scent of blood. Great, she was hungry now.

Klaus' head snapped up in her direction upon hearing her voice and the click of the heels she had soon put back on. "Are you alright?" He asked hurriedly.

Jordanna nodded in answer, "Yeah, I'm good. I'm good."

Somewhat satisfied with her answer, Klaus made his way towards the dead girl, examining the body only to find a letter placed in her dainty, dead cold hand. He picked it up and skimmed over the words hurriedly.

Jordanna watched silently from besides Elijah as Klaus handed his brother the letter. "Roses are red, lavender is blue. Come find me before I find you."

Jordanna pursed her lips, diverting her attention from Klaus as he tried to desperately meet her eye. Instead, she focused on the dead woman on the floor, prodding her body with the end of her heel to ensure that she was dead.

"I remember her a better poet," Klaus scowled, grumbling to his brother, pulling his eyes from the Jones.

"Oh, I wouldn't say that this is lacking in poetry," Elijah offered bitterly with a sigh as he handed the letter off to Jordanna, but she made no attempt to read it, rather she screwed it up into a ball and threw it across the Compound.

Elijah turned back and gave her an unenthusiastic look. "What? I don't want it," she shrugged, crossing her arms over her chest.

Klaus ignored the two in the background as they began to bicker over the importance of the letter before he spoke. "She wants us to find her."

Jordanna lifted her head, meeting his gaze as she swallowed roughly. "Aurora?" She asked, though she knew the answer.

Klaus looked to her, an expression written in his eyes and he nodded. "Yes. It seems as though she is back."

Jordanna's lips pursed, "Oh, I know. Just checking."

"What is it that you mean 'you know'?" Elijah asked, turning to face her with a perplexed complexion on his face.

"What do you think I mean?" She snapped, rolling her eyes. "I mean, I know. I saw her."

"You saw her and you didn't think to say anything?" Klaus asked, brows furrowed as he took a step towards her.

"Was I supposed to?"

Klaus' jaw clenched as he rubbed a hand over his mouth, "Yes, Jordanna, you were."

"Oh."

Elijah sauntered over to her, eyes flickering over her as though he was checking her for injuries, "Tell me, what did she say to you? She did not harm you, did she?"

"Harm me?" She scoffed a laugh. "No. She stalked me. Tried to call me crazy when she's the one stalking me. Gotta say, she's not exactly good at that whole thing . . . I could feel her tailing me like a fly to shit."

Klaus ran his tongue along his teeth. He didn't need this, not now. He didn't need Aurora showing up now, he didn't need her popping up out of nowhere after so long, especially since he and Jordanna weren't in the best place. "She wants us to find her," he repeated. "So let's," he clasped a hand on Elijah's shoulder, heading towards the door.

"Are you so eager, Niklaus? Last time you even said her name was a thousand years ago when you told me to never speak it again in your presence," Elijah called out to his brother, stopping Klaus in place.

"So am I supposed to wait as she leaves her little calling cards over my home while Jordanna and Sebastian are here?" He retorted, turning back to Elijah in sudden annoyance.

Jordanna let out a sigh and went to move past the brothers, heading for the exit when Klaus grasped her forearm in passing. "Where are you going? We may need your help in finding her," he offered lamely, he didn't need her help he merely wanted her there with him—her presence alone would calm him, make him feel more at ease.

A bitter smile surpassed her lips. "Not really in the mood to go see your ex, so I'll pass," she shrugged, turning to look at him. "Have fun."

"Jordanna-"

But before he could even begin to form some sort of sentence, she was gone and her arm slipped through his grip. It felt as though they were almost strangers, but sometimes they'd have the rare moments, like that very morning, where it felt normal, where they felt normal. The brush of her arm being pulled away hurt more than it should, but that most simple of touch brought him a solace that was enough to get him through the day, while they were so close yet so far, there was just enough to give him hope.

・❥・

Jordanna rolled her eyes from besides Hayley and Jackson—grumbling about being a third wheel under her breath.

Hayley shot her a look, "You don't get to complain, I used to third wheel you and Klaus all the time."

"Used to," Jordanna scowled as she watched several witches fuss over Davina's hair and outfit. "Not anymore, Hales. Karma's got me now. Now I'm the depressed lonely one."

"Okay," Davina spoke up, holding two different coloured ribbons in her hands. "I have to pick one—orange or purple?"

Jackson narrowed his eyes. "Did you seriously call us here to play Fashion Police?" He asked incredulously at the same time Jordanna spoke up.

"Neither, they're both ugly. But if you have to, purple," Jordanna groaned dramatically, watching along as the other witches fussed over her, holding a round incense ball which hung from a chain, allowing the smoke to waft towards her. "But, like, do your minions have to be here right now? They're kinda' distracting, D."

Davina sighed, clearly irritated as she directed her attention to those in front of her, "I know this is sacred oil, but can we please not do that right now?"

The witches shared a look and scattered from the mausoleum, heads down as they ignored the distant 'thank you' Davina sent their way. The Claire witch turned her attention back to Hayley, Jackson and Jordanna ( who was just there ) and cleared her throat as she tied the purple ribbon around her neck.

"Sorry," she huffed. "Thank you for coming."

Hayley rolled her eyes in retaliation, "Like we had a choice, Davina. Either we do your bidding, or you blow out that candle of yours and turn us back into wolves. So, we're pretty much your slaves."

At her words Jordanna huffed a laugh, turning to the Marshall-Kenner werewolf, "Don't you think it's funny how an eighteen year old has you wrapped around her little finger? One small fuck up from either of you and it's back to the dog house you go."

Hayley slapped the side of her arm and Jordanna flashed her a dazzling, teasing smile while Jackson rubbed his hand across his eyes in exasperation. "The Bayou, Jordanna. I don't know how many times I gotta tell you, the Bayou ain't a dog house," he sighed.

"Might as well be," she grumbled. It was true, after all, there was actually dog like things running around there.

Jackson ignored her murmurs and turned to the Claire witch who was trying to fight off the small smile that granted her lips at the Jones' teasing.

"What do you want?" He asked Davina, raising his eyebrows.

Davina's face fell as she suddenly fought this nervous feeling that brewed in her stomach, "This is my first Cadeau as Regent. Since I represent the city, the covens have to pay tribute to me, and I throw them a party. I need them to respect me, but this is the first public event since . . . "

" . . . Since you had me kill those witches in the ninth ward?" Hayley finished off her sentence for her.

Davina nodded, visibly becoming uncomfortable, "I have a feeling it might not go so well, especially since Van Nguyen blames me for what happened to his mom. He vowed he would get back at me. Actually, he said he would erase me. I mean, who even talks like that, besides JJ, anyway?"

A proud, smug, smirk etched onto the Jones' face as she tilted her head in agreement, "Thanks. I have a way with words, don't I?"

"Yes, such a way with words," Hayley spoke sarcastically. "Especially that time when you told me you'd basically break my legs because you thought I slept with Tyler Lockwood."

Jordanna shrugged, "It wasn't like you was convincing me otherwise. Besides, I was watching out for Caroline. Protecting her honour and shit."

Hayley rolled her eyes once again, turning back to Davina as she got back on topic, "So, what? You want us to be your bodyguards?"

Davina sighed, standing to her feet as she fiddled with the necklace that Jordanna had bought her. "Look, I know that you're not exactly thrilled with me right now, but if I die, that candle's magic dies, too. And then there's nothing stopping you from changing back into wolves."

Jackson let out a sigh, side-eyeing Hayley who seemed irritated with the whole situation. "Well, why don't you two stay with Davina, I'll check out the crowd?"

Without letting anyone answer, or argue against his orders, he left, leaving the three women alone. Davina looked at Hayley expectantly, a pleading expression splayed across her face.

Hayley huffed. "I'll keep you alive," she lifted a shoulder, wrinkling her nose as she assessed Davina's outfit before crossing her arms, moving across the mausoleum.

Davina sighed in relief and Jordanna made her way over to her, she bumped her shoulder with her own and lowered her voice, "So . . . if the disgustingly happy couple over there are your bodyguards, what does that make me then? As much as I love you D, what am I doing here? I had plans today."

Davina gave her a look. "If you wanna call wallowing in self-pity plans, sure," Davina's lips finally graced into a smile for the first time that afternoon. "You're here to make sure that Hayley won't strangle me if I piss her off, besides, we haven't hung out in a while, I thought it'd be fun."

Jordanna smiled, a real smile, not that fake one she had been holding onto for the past few weeks, a genuine smile laced her face as she threw her arm over the Claire's shoulder. "You don't need me to protect you at all, you could take her. But whatever, I'll stay if you're so desperate to be near me."

Davina shoved Jordanna's arm off of her with a teasing glint. "I never said I was desperate. Just missed you, that's all."

Jordanna grinned as she looked down at her. "Missed you too, sweet cheeks," she mocked, mushing her face in her hands before Davina slapped her away.

"Every time I see you, you make me regret missing you," Davina grumbled, pouting like the broody teen that she is.

"Ouch."

・❥・

All the witches of the nine different covens gathered in front of the Lycee, each holding an animal to offer Davina. Jordanna watched from besides Hayley, nursing a beer, much to her dismay, but the only goddamn thing they had to drink was piss water, also known as beer.

"Another goat. How lovely," Davina bit back an eyeroll and smiled through her displeasure as a man brought a goat up to Davina with a leash.

As she met the eyes of Hayley and Jordanna, the former sending her a small smile while the latter chuckled into the Marshall's shoulder at what must've been the tenth goat, she addressed the rest of the witches, "I'd like to thank the Gentily Coven for their generous gift on this day of Fête de Cadeau."

Just as she opened her mouth to continue speaking the sound of the animals waiting reverberated through her mind, overwhelming her. "I apologize. I need a minute," she rushed out, hurriedly walking away, hiding behind a row of tombs.

After a moment, Jordanna and Hayley were at her side and took the seats either side of her.

"Not a fan of goats, huh?" Hayley offered sheepishly, smiling weakly in her direction.

Davina shook her head, exhaustion coaxed her face, "I love goats-"

"-Really?" Jordanna rose a brow. "They smell really, really bad, D. I'm talking Matt Donovan bad-"

"Who the Hell is Matt Donovan?" Davina questioned, brows furrowing.

"The most goddamn immortal human in the world. Me, Bex and Caroline—you know Caroline, right? Blonde, perky." At no response from Davina, Jordanna shrugged and absentmindedly carried on with her rambling. "I told you about her," she waved a hand. "Anyway, we basically drove him off a bridge and he still survived-"

"What exactly are you getting at?" Hayley interrupted with a frown.

Jordanna opened her mouth only to close it a second later, " . . . That Matt Donovan smells as bad as a goat?"

"Lovely," Davina clasped her hands together. "The boy who won't die smells like goats. Thank you for sharing Jordanna, I needed that, really. Do you know how many of them I've had to sacrifice? Just once, I'd like to get a gift card. I mean, I know this is all tradition, but it's just not me. And do you know what I really hate?"

A chuckle fell from Hayley's lips as she looked down at Davina, "That choker-scarf?"

"This choker-scarf!" Davina exclaimed, pulling it from her neck.

"Well, I did tell you it was ugly . . ." Jordanna trailed off under her breath, covering her mouth with the beer bottle as she brought it up to her lips when Hayley sent her a pointed stare.

Davina didn't bother comment on Jordanna's input, rather she focused her stare on the ground, "I only wore it because Josephine did, and I thought that maybe, if I were more like her, then . . . then maybe they would respect me."

Hayley and Jordanna shared a look as the Marshall handed her beer over to the younger girl, "Here. You need this more than I do."

Davina took it with a thankful smile while Jordanna nudged her shoulder. "Respect is a fickle thing, D. It all depends on who you are . . . how you go about it. If you were anyone else, I'd tell you to stand on their neck, ram your heel into their throat until they beg you to stop and then they listen to you, I mean it works for me, but you? You're nice, you know? You listen to people, people listen to you. This show you're putting on," she took the choker-scarf in hand and wiggled it, "Isn't you. Wearing old lady clothes is gonna get you old lady goats. So, there's two ways you can go about this, my way; fear them into respecting you, though it's not really respect is it? Or the way that is more you; showing them who you really are."

Hayley watched as a small smile fixated on Davina's face and she decided to speak, "What JJ is saying, in a really long unnecessary way is, don't be like her, be you. No one is gonna respect you until you show them who you really are."

・❥・

Jordanna and Jackson sauntered around the Cemetery together, arguing about what movie they were gonna watch when they got in—Jackson insisted on Top Gun while Jordanna ventured for Big Daddy.

"Jordanna, you and Hayley made me watch that the other-"

"Shh," she hissed, elbowing him in the ribs before pointing in the direction of the tombs, Jackson followed her eyeline and found Van Nguyen and other witches holding a poppet in one hand and a large knife in the other.

The two shared a look before storming over there as Van held up the poppet, knife readied as he prepared to stab it. "Hey, asshole!" Jordanna announced their presence as Jackson dramatically threw a punch at one of the witches as his way of a greeting.

Jordanna rolled her eyes at the action, but nonetheless, turned, elbowing the other boy in the face, easily knocking him to the ground, instinctively her hand shot out in the way of Van and he was pinned up against the wall with an invisible force. The boy on the floor tried to scramble away when she pressed her heel down onto his neck and rose her brows, "Going somewhere?"

The boy grasped at her foot and tried to shrug it off but she merely pressed down harder and turned to Jackson, "If I killed him, you'd be mad, right?"

"Yes, Jordanna, I would," Jackson retorted snappily.

A sly smile pulled at her face. "Okay," she shrugged and pushed her heel through the guys neck.

"Hey! What the hell?" Jackson exclaimed.

"I am not watching Top Gun again, as hot as Tom Cruise is, I'm getting bored," she shrugged, lamely defending her actions before she pulled her now bloodied heel from his neck and sauntered over to Van who looked horrified. "My foot slipped," she smiled innocently before snatching the doll from his hand that was pinned against the wall, and throwing it behind her, Jackson caught it.

"You're a little old to be playing with dolls," Jackson stated as he looked down at the voodoo doll in hand.

Van ignored the comment and looked between them expectantly. "You gonna finish me like you did him?" He asked, talking to Jordanna as he gestured down to the dead witch on the floor before his eyes flitted over to Jackson. "Or are you gonna finish me like your people finished my mom?"

Jordanna pouted mockingly, "Aw, mommy's dead. Get over it."

Her hand grasped his arm and she roughly pulled him from the wall, he stumbled to a stand before her hand wrapped around the back of his neck as she began pushing him towards the mausoleum where Hayley and Davina resided.

They avoided the other witches in passing, Jackson rolling his eyes as Jordanna taunted the young witch in her grasp. "Isn't this funny? You being dragged around by a girl while you're crying for your mommy?" She chuckled. "It's cute."

"Go to hell," he snapped as the mausoleum became in sight.

"Already been," she pulled a face, hiding the sullen look in her eyes with a mocking smirk. "Didn't agree with me." She turned to Jackson who walked beside her, his calculating eyes swiftly patrolling around the area. "We're watching Big Daddy, no argument. Hayley will agree with me, she loves it."

"No, just because-"

"How can you people sleep at night?" Van scoffed, butting in. "Knowing what you do? What you are?"

Jordanna rolled her eyes, bringing her face close to his ear as she continued to shove him towards the building. "In silk sheets, rolling around naked in the blood of those I killed to get what I want," she hummed, satisfaction in her voice as she roughly pushed him inside, shocking Hayley and Davina who spun around at the noise. "Delivery!" She raised her arms in greeting, a joyful, yet sinful, smile on her face.

Van hastily pushed himself to his feet as he glared at the Claire witch who was clearly annoyed. "You've already taken everything away from me, so go ahead! Kill me! Get it over with!"

Jordanna raised a hand, "I'll do it if you want D, that way you don't get the blame."

Davina gave her a look that screamed shut up. She turned her attention to Van, face calm, "You tried to murder a regent, by which law you should be hanged."

Van scoffed, "Murder? Is that the first place your mind goes? Do you even know what I was using to attack you?"

Jackson, who still held the poppet in hand, walked over to Davina, handing her the doll, Davina's face fell. "This isn't to kill me," she muttered.

Jackson shot his head in Jordanna's direction, narrowing his eyes at her. She shrugged innocently, brushing it off as a simple mistake, but she knew what it was. But that didn't make a difference, if Van had completed his attack it'd be Davina's ass they'd have—it made no change to her, either way she did it for Davina, so consequences be damned.

"It's a figure veritas. Stab it in the heart, and the victim must confess their darkest truths," Van explained, shaking his head in disgust.

Jordanna pursed her lips, she wondered what her darkest truth would be.

A sad expression etched onto Davina's pale complexion, "You wanted me to admit what I did to your mom so I'd be shunned."

Van shrugged, "Maybe I'd rather see you dead, but at least that would be justice."

The Claire witch sighed, taking a hesitant step towards him, "Look, she's the one who attacked me. She wanted a mutiny, and if that happens, what's next? An all-out witch war to decide the next Regent? How many people will die then?"

"So you think the covens are better off with you?" Van scoffed in disbelief.

Davina nodded, confidence splayed across her. "I do. I've seen things done the old way. I've done things the old way. And it doesn't work. If you don't want peace, then fine. Go. You're free. But, I'm asking you . . . please stay. We can work together. We can change things."

But without a word, or any hesitation Van turned, leaving the tomb. Davina looked to the floor in disappointment as a silence enveloped the room.

"Shoulda' killed him," Jordanna muttered, picking at her cuticles, lifting her head she found looks of disbelief being shot her way. "What? He's gonna cause shit now, that could easily be avoided with a quick snap of the neck."

"So chivalrous, JJ, as usual," Hayley mumbled.

・❥・

Jordanna made her way over to Rousseau's when she saw Naomi hurriedly leaving, bags and bags of food in hand, clearly struggling.

Jordanna made no move to help but raised an amused brow as Naomi's face lit up at the sight of her. "Jordanna! Good, hi, I need your help."

"Er—why?"

"I'm gonna need you to lock up for me," she told her, handing her the keys for the bar, waiting for no answer. "Cami is ill, so I gotta go over and check on her and the other waitresses got the early shift. Please."

Jordanna crossed her arms over her chest, deadpanned expression on her face, "Why on earth would I do anything for Ms. Perky Tits?"

"Think of the free drinks," Naomi pleaded.

"I don't pay for them anyway, Nai, this is doing nothing for me," she pursed her lips.

"Okayyy," Naomi drawled, thoughts running wild until she snapped her fingers. "Think of the unlimited drinks."

She stayed silent for a moment. "Fine. But if I bleed the place dry, don't blame me."

A grin laced Naomi's face and she dropped her bags to the floor in glee. "You're a life saver Jordanna Jones," she cupped her face in her hands and pressed a happy, brisk kiss to her lips before scooping up the bags and speeding off.

"O-kay then," Jordanna nodded to herself and pushed the bar doors open.

Roughly half an hour later Jordanna had gotten bored of the waiting around and decided to lock up early, kicking everyone out so that she'd have the place to herself. She sat atop one of the bar stools and reached over the bar, grasping a bottle in her hands.

She pulled it up and smiled at her unknown choice, Tequila, always a pleasure. She screwed the speed pourer off the top, throwing it somewhere behind the bar before taking a sip.

She sighed, staring ahead of her, boredly drumming her fingers across the bar surface. She wanted to call him, so fucking badly. Just to hear his voice, even to hear his voicemail, she just wanted to be near him, but she couldn't, not properly, because if she ran back to him ( which she so badly wanted to ) she'd just ruin it because she wasn't a hundred percent yet.

Sure, she was getting better, she was slowly becoming like her old self but she wasn't there just yet. She didn't wanna freak on him one day and scare him off, or worse, she didn't want to scare herself, because that? That she wasn't sure she'd be able to come back from.

But all day her mind hadn't stopped the thoughts of him and it worried her. What if something happened between him and Aurora? Yes, they made a promise that they wouldn't let one another go, but Aurora was a centuries old love, his first love. Yes, there was Tatia, but that was more an infatuation, he wanted her because he couldn't have her, but Aurora? Aurora he loved.

What if what they had back then was more than what she could give him?

Her eyes snapped up from the bar surface as she felt a presence behind her, pulling her from her thoughts. She didn't turn, she didn't run, she didn't move, she merely lifted the bottle to her lips, a smirk gracing her lips.

She knew it was coming, sooner or later.

"Hello Damon, long time no see."

qotd
klaus with his curly hair or tvd hair??

*UNEDITED as per🤪*