chapter thirty

bittersweet memories

・❥・

      JORDANNA HAD REALISED that she never allowed herself to cry in front of people. Not unless she could help it. She thought it to be embarrassing. That they would see her as weak if she let that part of herself show for even just a second.

When Anastasia was born, yeah, she cried. She cried because that was different. Not because it was her mind, or her body making her sad. Not because of the thoughts consuming her brain, no. She cried because of the loss, the pain.

      Even today, she wouldn't allow herself to cry. Even though it had hit the mark of nine years, nine years since her mother had left the world. Jordanna hoped that she was somewhere better for her, that she was in peace— with Anastasia and that they had one another.

      A day like that, you never ever forget. And trust me, Jordanna tried. That's why throughout her youth she turned to drinking, drugs and being flat out reckless. Because she was young, you know? She thought it'd be okay in the long run. That it wouldn't hurt. She was merely having fun and battling the obstacle that was her mother's death.

       But the longer it went on the more it sprouted that seed of hate for her father, and over the years it grew. Until it got larger and larger, before it died out, as did he. Every single time she saw him, she'd remember. Whether it be the cries and screams that left her mother's lips ringing through her ears. Or the crimson blood that splattered along the walls and carpet of the ten year old's bedroom that flashed through her mind in images.

      It didn't matter. She still remembered. She still saw it.

      Her father ruined her. He fucked her up in the many way's a parent could. And he had finally pushed her over the edge. Jordanna remembered the night she met Katherine, the first time she killed. "Pretty girl's don't cry," she told her. And after all these years the Jones still tried to go by the Petrova's words.

      But she failed. No matter how much of a front she'd put up, no matter how unbothered she tried to act with the things that happened around her; how she'd cover up how crappy her father made her feel with fake confidence . . . she still cried.

      After she and Howard would come to some sort of altercation, she cried. She'd sit on the floor, arms tightly wrapped around her legs as she kept her knees firmly against her chest and sob. She'd sob until she could no longer shed a tear.

      She'd secretly wallow in self-pity, wondering what she did to deserve it. Everything that happened wasn't her fault. The actions that followed along after? Maybe. But everything that led up to it wasn't her fault. She didn't deserve it. At least that's what she told herself.

      But then . . . eventually? She gave up. She'd only cry for a loss now, not for something as little as her pathetic insecurities. So she stared down at the tattered picture between her neatly manicured nails nonchalantly; Mary stood around age twenty-four with a young Jordanna held in her grip, a large smile on the young girl's face as her mother gripped her sides, she too, held a wide, toothy smile on her lips as her wavy, wild hair flailed about. A swing set was placed behind Mary as a litter of children and their parents were splayed out near it.

      It was her fifth birthday. She remembered her mother had thrown her a party. All of her kindergarten friends had come and she'd never been happier. It was like a dream come true for the five year old, like she had gone to candy land, or whatever five year olds fantasised about. But now? It was nothing but a mere memory.

      She placed the picture down on the side and ran a hand through her dishevelled hair. Her eyes fluttered shut as she leant back in the chair, sitting at the desk in Klaus' study. Pretty girl's don't cry. All she had to do was plaster that charming, enticing smile on her lips, mutter endlessly about her shoes and bring up the occasional urge to hurt someone and no one would suspect a thing.

      Maybe, just maybe later on she'd get a minute. A minute to just stop what she was doing and cry for her mother in peace. Without having to worry about what the people around her thought of her.

       So she pushed her hair from her face, straightened out the necklaces around her neck—touch lingering on the silver that once belonged to her mother before she rose from the cushioned chair and strode into Elijah's bedroom, moving toward the blond as he spoke, looking down at his brother.

"Let me help end whatever torment she has forced upon you," Klaus whispered down to his brother. Elijah laid still in his bed, chest heaving up and down erratically, a thin sheen of sweat glistened on his face while his muscles sat tense.

The crease between his eyes pulled in his lulled state, he almost looked frightened. Frightened of whatever torment Esther had put him under.

Klaus placed a hand on his brother's chest when suddenly crimson spilled down his nose, the dirty blond groaned in pain, yet continued trying to break through.

Jordanna pushed herself up from the doorway when Klaus' body tensed. The Jones approached him, firmly grabbing his arm in her clutch and pulled him off of Elijah in worry.

She frowned at him. "What're you doing, Nik?" Her eyes darted over his face, brows crinkled as the crimson red that tainted his skin caught her eye.

Klaus let out a heavy, long breath as he wiped the blood from above his lip. "I'm trying to enter Elijah's thoughts to wake him," Klaus told her, as though it was obvious. "Esther's locked me out."

Jordanna watched his face closely in concern. He had yet to breathe a word about what happened in the cemetery, about Ansel. She didn't want to bring it up because, A. He'd brush it aside, telling her she was not to worry, safely keeping his pride intact and B. When he wanted to talk about it, he would. There was no point in her pushing him to speak if he desired not to.

The raven-haired vampire made her way over to the other Mikaelson brother, she stared down at his face before her eyes caught sight of a flower petal shaped burn on the side of his neck. "Why do I recognise this?" She questioned the Mikaelson, turning slightly to catch his gaze.

Klaus furrowed his brows in confusion as to what she meant before he moved forward, getting a closer look.

"I haven't seen this since I was a child. Mikael would return home from battle, more blindly temperamental than usual, and our mother would use the petals of a rare merlock orchid to put him to sleep. She would mend his mind with a spell, and then wake him with the roots of the same plant," Klaus explained as he looked down to face the vampire. "If she has access to it now, then maybe it also grows in the Bayou. You stay here, help Hayley with her wolves and mind the fort."

Jordanna narrowed her eyes at him. "Okay, that's not happening. How about this, I come with and we grab your mother. You grab an arm, I grab an arm and we just pull," Jordanna offered with a sly smirk pulling at her lips.

"Stay clear of her," Klaus told her, an unamused look on his face. A sigh fell from his lips at the look she gave him, one hand reached out, resting at the side of her neck as his thumb swiped over her jawline. "I mean it, Jordanna. She's already gotten' to you too many times before. I don't want to arrive back here to find you victim of her madness, okay?"

Jordanna stared at him for a moment, running her tongue along her teeth before she got an idea. "Fine. Whatever. I won't go after your mom," she shrugged. Klaus stared down at her, sceptical before he smiled all of a sudden. Placing a quick kiss to her forehead he made his exit.

A sly, cunning yet sweet smile pulled at Jordanna's lips as she watched his retreating figure. She spun on her heels, the corner of her lip tugged upwards as she grabbed a damp cloth from the small bedside table and dabbed it on Elijah's head.

The Jones brushed his hair back from his forehead, before she pulled the rag away. "You know, I've learnt a lot over the past few years," Jordanna told the sleeping Original, voice low, yet still as devious. "You don't go after the person you want. No, not just yet. First . . . you go after every-single-fucking-thing they love."

・❥・

Jordanna had found Hayley soon after she had left Elijah's room and informed the brunette of her plan to take down Finn. It was no surprise when the Marshall jumped at the chance to help her, Hayley was extremely pissed about the state Elijah was in.

But with that being said, she was also sad. After Klaus had given up on trying to bring his brother back to reality the night before, Hayley had snuck in and sat on the edge of his bed. She talked to him for hours, albeit he couldn't respond, but she had hope that he could hear her, that he knew she wasn't going to leave him to deal with it alone.

After the pair had left the Compound they had split up, Hayley went down to the Bayou to visit Jackson, seeing as it was Oliver's funeral whilst Jordanna took a trip down to Marcel's Loft.

As the pair waited on Naomi, Hayley and Aiden to arrive they talked about Mary. Sharing a few drinks as Marcel told his deceased, best friend's daughter about all the trouble they'd get into before she fell pregnant. After they talked and talked, Marcel noted a look in Jordanna's eyes. A distant look, so, naturally, he asked if she was okay.

But she merely gave him that charming smile, a nod of her head and he was sold.

1). Enticing smile ✔

It wasn't too long after when Naomi, Hayley and Aiden made their way into Marcel's Loft. Marcel lifted his eyes up to Hayley's as he rose a brow, "Where's your Alpha?"

Hayley released a sigh as she took a seat on the armrest of the small, cushioned chair Jordanna was sat on, "Unavailable."

"So, you brought Junior Varsity?" Marcel nodded his head in Aiden's direction, eliciting in a snort to spill from Naomi. "You know, I'm getting a little tired of you using my place as a den for wayward wolves."

"Junior Varsity is here because we need him to help take down Finn Mikaelson," Jordanna told the bald man with a sly smirk pulling at her glossy lips. "I could only assume that you'd want in . . . but if not," she trailed off.

Marcel sat forward in his seat, clearly interested, "no, no, no, I'm listening."

Aiden nodded, taking a seat on the couch across from him, beside Naomi, "Well," the werewolf cleared his throat. "It's not gonna' be easy. He's surrounded by a pack of juiced-up wolves. He doesn't have a weakness."

"He does, actually!" Marcel announced with a grin, pulling his phone from his pocket. "And I have her on speed dial."

Aiden and Hayley sat, looking at him in confusion as Jordanna raised her brows, waiting for him to continue. Her eyes flickered between Marcel's and Naomi's, noticing the light scowl on the latter's face.

"He's got a thing for Cami," Marcel explained, lifting a shoulder.

Jordanna watched Naomi closely, her fingers drummed against the couch in frustration, "We're not getting her involved in this, Marcel."

Marcel's eyes fell onto his long-time friend, he raised his brows, "C'mon, Nai. You know how Cami is," he sent her a look before his eyes turned to the other three people that sat in the room. "She's got this thing about people telling her what she can and can't do."

Naomi huffed, leaning further back into her seat as she twirled a long, dark strand of hair around her finger in annoyance. Marcel dialled the blonde's number, holding his phone up to his ear as his eyes flickered between the three women, "I trust you all understand that."

・❥・

      Jordanna sat on the floor in Marcel's Loft, back rested against the couch that the Gerard was sitting on, her legs laid out in front of her. A blood-bag held in her grip as she sipped on it, watching the others formulate a plan.

      "Cami said Vincent wants to meet at Preservation Hall. But, he won't be unprotected." Aiden spoke before he began pointing at different places on the map, "There will be wolves here and here."

      Jordanna's eyes flickered between Josh and Aiden. Her eyes narrowed for a moment before a small smirk pulled at the corners of her lip as she quietly sucked on her blood-bag.

      Josh looked down at her, squinting his eyes at the look on her face. He rose a brow in question. She merely flashed a look at Aiden before meeting the vampire's eye again, sending him a suggestive glance. Josh pursed his lips to hide the small smile before he shrugged.

      Marcel's hand reached out toward the map, he pointed to a different location on the sheet of paper, "Can we keep this alley open?"

      Aiden nodded in answer.

      A sly, artful smile pulled at Hayley's lips at the werewolf's confirmation, "Alright, I'll wait there and rip Vincent's head off."

      "He'll body-jump, Hales," Jordanna told her with a small shake of her head.

      "Vincent's head stays on," Cami told the group as she entered the Loft with a file box held tightly in her hands. "He'll have a hard time answering questions without it."

      At the sound of the blonde's voice Jordanna internally groaned. But the word's be nice, be nice, be nice, echoed through her mind. After all, Naomi was head-over-heals for Blondie, so as her friend she would try. Emphasis on try.

      "Wow, Cami! You look so pretty I hardly recognised you," Jordanna grinned in the blonde's direction. Naomi inhaled deeply, smacking a hand on her forehead.

      "Nice to see you too, Jordanna," Cami released a sigh, smiling lightly in the Jones' direction as she placed the large box down on the table in the middle of the small group.

      "Sweet, it's a big box of dusty, old junk. We're saved!" Josh exclaimed sarcastically as Cami removed the lid from the box. A small smile slipped past Aiden's lips while Marcel rolled his eyes.

      Jordanna smacked the vampire upside the head as she leant forward to get a better look at the objects that resided inside the box, "It's not junk, dumbass. They're dark objects."

      Cami nodded in agreement as Jordanna picked up a box which held a small poppet, a shudder ran through the Jones' body. She felt the power within it, the dark magic. Her fingers itched against it, feeling tingly.

      Though she was snapped out of her trance as Cami spoke up, "My uncle left them for me. I've been cataloguing them according to Kieran's notes. As far as I can tell, most of these can be used against witches specifically."

      Marcel pulled out a pair of shackles, that attached to a chain, out of the box, also what Jordanna liked to call 'Magical Handcuffs'. She hated them damn things.

      "Kinky," Hayley rose a brow as her eyes fell upon them.

      The Gerard laughed, "Ah, I remember these! A hundred years ago, the Human Faction waged a ward against the Voodoo Queens. They had a traitor spell these manacles. Slap 'em on a witch, they can't do magic as long as they're-"

      Though before the Gerard could finish his sentence the shackles went flying across the room and out of his hands, all eyes turned to a scowling Jordanna, "I fucking hate those things."

      Josh let out a deep sigh. "Alright, we're not gonna' get the 'Handcuffs of Doom' on him while he's surrounded by a werewolf entourage," Josh retorted with his usual speck of attitude.

      "We can just lure him away. I can do that," Aiden pitched in.

      Jordanna nodded lightly turning to face Cami with pursed lips. "If we do this, you're the bait Blondie, you get that right? The maggot on a fishing pole . . . " Jordanna trailed off, slowly becoming confused with her words. "Or whatever it's called."

      "Are you sure you're okay with that?" Hayley asked in concern as her eyes met the blonde's.

      Cami inhaled deeply, nibbling on her lip, causing Naomi to speak up. "You don't have to do it, Cami. Surely we can find another way," the Tate vampire spoke up in worry. Jordanna watched the woman closely. She knew how much she cared for Cami it was damn obvious.

      During those four months Jordanna had her humanity off Naomi found comfort in Camille, and one thing lead to another and she caught feelings.

      It was like that first love you get, so pure ( excluding all the supernatural stuff, that is ). Like young love. How it was so blatantly obvious that the second Cami walked in a room Naomi lit up brighter than New York at New Years, how her smile would extraordinarily widen to the point she'd look like a Cheshire Cat, only less traumatising, rather warm instead.

      And how it was so obvious that the second Cami's eyes fell on Naomi she would become visibly nervous. She'd use anything she could to get the heat of Naomi's stare from her mind, she'd fiddle with her fingers, play with the hem of her cardigan or excessively touch her hair; even though, as usual, it'd look perfect.

      For Cami it was scary. She'd never experienced an actual relationship with a girl, not that she and Naomi were together, because they weren't, but they were something. And that something? Hell it was scary. Sure, in College she'd made out with a few of her friends when they were drunk, or for 'practise', but it was never anything beyond that.

      And while Jordanna wasn't Camille's biggest fan. She thought it to be somewhat cute.

      Cami dragged her eyes from Naomi before she looked back down at Jordanna, the nervous look in her eye didn't die down, no matter how hard she tried to cover it. "Make it look convincing. The guy's really smart."

      Jordanna's head cocked aside lightly at the hesitation in Cami's voice, but shrugged it off nonetheless.

・❥・

So far, hard on the so far, the plan had moved along perfectly. Cami had met Finn ( Vincent ), and then drew him out into the alley where they wanted him. Letting him idly along watch as Camille was 'viciously attacked by a werewolf'.

Which brought the group of six to where they were now. St. Anne's Church. Jordanna and Hayley sat on the floor, opposite Cami and Naomi, watching as the latter bit into her wrist, letting her blood flow smoothly into a golden cup; which was used for communion.

"Well, he bought it. His locator spell will bring him here without the bodyguards," Aiden informed the five as he made his way down the aisle toward them after his phone call with Finn.

Cami watched Naomi fill the cup as her mind spun. Her head was heavy after Hayley had bitten her, blood still ran down her neck, staining her dress. Jordanna, however, sat bored. Her pointer finger swung around aimlessly as she moved around random objects with her finger, whether it be the shutters on the window ( causing them to open and close ), or the light that hung low, letting it swing about rapidly; echoing an eerie squeaking noise around the Church.

"Here," Naomi handed the cup to Cami, voice gentle. "You should heal fast." The Tate told her before her eyes found Jordanna's as Hayley rested her head against the youngest Vampire's shoulder. "JJ, do you mind-" She gestured up toward the lights.

"Oh—Right," the Jones looked back up and stared up at the lights, within a second they were turned off, leaving the six in the illuminating glow of the candles.

As Aiden moved to blow the candles out, Josh trailed behind him. It was quite content, how they were. The most unlikely group. Though that comfortable-ness was destroyed as Jordanna continued to play with her magic, accidently tipping the golden cup in Cami's hand all down her front as she lifted it to her lips.

Jordanna blinked. "Sorry," she grimaced after receiving a kick in the shin from Naomi, with a sheepish smile she took the gold cup from Cami's hand and sat up straighter, holding her hands out causing Cami to freeze.

"What- What are you doing?" Cami asked nervously as Naomi searched in her bag for some tissues after ignoring the 'lick it off', from Jordanna.

"Relax, Blondie," Jordanna rolled her eyes. "Don't you trust me?"

"Not really, no," Cami answered truthfully.

"Fair enough," Jordanna pulled a face of agreement before an amused smirk pulled at her lips. "Don't worry I'm not gonna' turn you into a toad or anything. I'm just gonna'-"

Though her words died off as the pointer finger on her right hand drew a line across the air, quiet chanting slipped passed her lips as her eyes flickered that dreaded, creepy white once again. Her hand turned towards herself lightly, smoothly. Her finger still drawing along in a line as the blood from Camille's chest and dress left her body.

Leaving her without a speck of crimson as the dark liquid floated in the air before finding its rightful place in the cup again.

"Aren't I amazing or what?" Jordanna grinned, crossing her arms over her chest as she leant back, back against the first row pew.

"Whatever you say, Jords," Hayley sighed tiredly, resting her head on Jordanna's shoulders once again.

"Damn right, Hales," the vampire smiled giddily. "Whatever I fucking say."

"Jesus Christ," Naomi mumbled, receiving a smack on the knee from Cami, the blonde gestured to the stained glass windows at the back of the Church, specifically at the artful gaze of Jesus himself.

"Okay, tell me the plan one more time," Cami sighed out, making sure she knew her part well; basically, so she knew how not to fuck up.

"Aiden's gonna' get Vincent to the alter, and I'm gonna' jump him," Hayley explained to the blonde.

Jordanna nodded, pulling a necklace from around her neck before she wrapped it around her palm. "Then I'm gonna' try a few things on him," Jordanna smirked, twirling the beads of the necklace around, between her fingers. The necklace was instructed for her to get by her mother, when Mary had explained all of this to her. It was supposedly to help her stay intact. "Can't get control if I don't practise, can I?"

2). Urge to hurt somebody ✔

・❥・

Jordanna waited, peeking between the small space of the door as she awaited for the right time to show up. Hayley was doing a helluva' good job fighting Finn on her own, perhaps she didn't need Jordanna's help.

Until she flew down the aisle, her hand clutched her chest as she began spitting up blood—nope! Never mind, she needs help.

Jordanna slipped passed the small space between the door and quietly made her way down the aisle, clutching the necklace tightly in her palm.

Channelling all that rage, pain and hurt from this wretched, tainted day, Jordanna's chanting began. Her hand jolted out, causing the Mikaelson to fall to his knees, releasing Hayley from his hold.

Finn groaned out in pain, holding a hand to his head. "Hey Finny. You missed me?" Jordanna greeted, eliciting in the ( for now ) witch to turn around. "Cause I sure as Hell missed you."

Finn staggered, turning around to face her, a groan, only not from pain, slipped passed him. "For God's sake," Finn cursed.

Jordanna merely chuckled at his dampened mood and swiped her hand right, sending him flying into the pews. Finn screamed out in towering rage, he pushed himself up with the wooden pew, going to run at the vampire.

Though, he ran through nothing. Jordanna let out a surprised whistle, "Oh, cool. I didn't know I could do that."

Finn turned around in anger, finding the raven-haired woman stood behind him. The Jones brought her palm up to her mouth and blew on it, watching as the eldest original brother flew back, his back crashed against the wall with a violent thud.

She then brought up her pointer finger and middle finger on both hands and swiped outwards, watching idly along as Finn screamed out in pain, crimson tainted his shit as two large, deep gashes ran up his chest.

Before Finn could do anything, Cami ran up to him and slammed shut the shackles on his wrists. The Mikaelson let out an audible gasp, betrayal ran through his veins. He began to fight against her, attempting to use his magic but it was no use.

When the Mikaelson tried to reach for the blonde once more Naomi sped out, slamming a heeled foot down onto his hand.

Finn gritted his teeth out in pain, ignoring the smug smile Naomi sent him as Cami's voice rang through his ears. "You would have done the same thing to me, Finn."

Hayley made her way over to Jordanna who, after all that, had taken a seat down onto one of the pews. Mindlessly staring into the space before her, "You alright?"

Jordanna snapped out of her daze, turning her head in Hayley's direction as she tried to focus her eyes on her face before a playful pout formed on her lips. "No, I scuffed my fucking shoes."

3). Mention her damned shoes ✔

She should've gone into acting, seriously.

"Don't bullshit me, Jords," Hayley muttered, leaning back in her seat. "You wanna' talk about it?"

Maybe acting wasn't for her . . .

A small smile tugged at her lips. "No, I'm good. We've gotta' get home, see how 'Lijah's doing."

"Jordanna," Hayley grabbed the Jones' wrist, pulling her back down into her seat as she attempted to move. "I don't give a damn how Elijah's doing right now, we're talking about you, not him."

Jordanna released a sigh and stared forward as she ignored the others around herself and Hayley as they tended to the mess that they had made. "I'm fine," she told her, Hayley gave her an unconvinced look. "I promise you . . . it's just-"

"What?"

Jordanna shook it off. "It doesn't matter. Come on, we gotta' get back soon."

Hayley sighed, watching as Jordanna sauntered off.

・❥・

Jordanna sat laid back on hers and Klaus' bed, staring into space as she twirled one of her rings around her fingers when the Mikaelson had come back after she, Hayley and Marcel had decided to show him the little 'present's' they had left for himself and Elijah, who was up and running again.

Jordanna's eyes followed him as he walked in the room and shut the door behind himself. The original reached behind him and pulled his shirt over his head, he disregarded it on the floor, eliciting in an eyeroll from Jordanna.

He made his way over to the cabinet and gripped onto it tightly, his muscles straining. "What's wrong?" Jordanna questioned him with a furrowed brow.

Klaus opened his mouth and shut it again. "I spent the day with my father. My real father," he told her, turning to face her completely.

"Oh?" Jordanna sat forward, watching him closely.

He nodded, before he moved toward her and took a seat on the edge of the bed. His back to her. Jordanna made her way over to him, hesitantly placing her hand on his shoulder as she sat behind him. Her fingers mindlessly traced over the tattoo on the top of his back as he began speaking once again.

"The thought of what I could be, had I been raised by him. Had I been nurtured-"

And it went on, Jordanna listened and he talked. She held him while he told her of how he killed his father. She comforted him and he let her.

But eventually? . . . She got her moment. That moment she had waited for, to cry.

In the dark room that swallowed her whole as Klaus slept, an arm wrapped around her as his face nestled into her chest.

As Klaus slept, she got her moment.

author's note.
in a few chapters you'll get what has been dragged out for a while now......jj v elena xxx

also if anyone has any ideas on how they would like that to go please note here, (keep in mind that it'll most likely be at alaric's wedding, also keep in mind JJ LIKES alaric, so jords will not be the one to ruin his wedding - that job's for my bby kai)