It was the middle of the night. The inside of the Abbatoir was quiet as was the world right outside the building. The building was fortified to protect Maeve from the world. While the world remained quiet, blissfully kept in dark about a silent yet destructive storm that was encroaching toward a particular person.

Elijah stood on the balcony looking at the world around. His hands rested firmly on the railing──strong enough grip that turned his knuckles white.

Truth be told no one had slept even a blink since Maeve first woke up and then was put into a coma──for her own good.

After a while, around two o'clock, everyone curled up in the room somewhere and slowly dozed off to sleep. Amara slept by herself on a chair closest to the monitors and Maeve, snuggled into a blanket. Ezekiel and Maverick sat at the round table, their heads uncomfortably set down on them. Kol was on the floor by himself snoring softly with his legs sprawled out. The corner closest to the bed, on the other side of Amara, Klaus and Caroline slept close to each other. Caroline's head rested on his shoulder while a single blanket was pulled over them.

Two days had passed since Maeve was put into coma. The news of Maeve's condition spread across the quarter inviting all eyes on them. The reaction was different in different people's eyes. Most of all, the news was received with celebratory enthusiasm. After all, when had the french covenant ever been known for being considerate of anyone? Elijah got the first experience of it on that day.

"Good morning...what can I hel──" the witch's words trailed off when her eyes settled on Elijah. "What does the original want?"

Elijah stepped forward and closer to the counter and pulled out a list. "All of this."

The witch eyed Elijah begrudgingly before she dismissed him bluntly, "absolutely not. You can go."

"And why may I ask?" inquired Elijah, with a surprisingly maintained calm posture as opposed to expected.

"This is a list of everything you need to make a healing potion. Something tells me this is particularly for the resident she-devil in your house." she flicked the list away on the counter top. "Take it somewhere else."

"Whoever you are, you are threading on a very thin line. I suggest you give me what I want because I know you have everything that I want or I might just take it upon myself to check off that list. Irrespective of the bloody floor of this fine workshop you've built for the tourists and to help your coven."

The witch smiled unfazed by his threat. "You cannot do anything to me Elijah. I know the she-devil doesn't have her magic anymore. She's just minutes away from withering away. We're just going to be watching and waiting for her to die."

Before Elijah to get another word in, someone sped into the workshop and snapped the witch's neck──killing her instantly. Elijah stepped away from the counter and turned his head to his left.

"Was that really necessary?" he asked.

Kol gave him a confused stare, "what? She didn't want to help and we don't have time."

"But killing her?"

"She's lucky I did it quickly." Elijah sighed defeatedly. He picked up the list and occupied himself by searching the wide and long shelves.

Kol followed his brother around the room still slightly confused about his reaction. "I don't understand. You killed so many because they weren't useful. I did it once and suddenly I'm the bad guy?"

"I never said you were a bad guy, Kol. Sometimes it is better to negotiate, threaten first and then take extreme measures."

"What I'm hearing is...had it not been me──you would have done it?" Elijah stared at Kol for a few seconds before he resumed his work. "I didn't hear a no. So I'll take that as a yes."

The next morning, everyone got up, still half asleep, and went to the dining area. No one were in the mood to eat or talk. Everyone was still in the daze of what had happened. They didn't know what to do or what to say. All they did was pray for Maeve's recovery.

"Isn't there anything else?" asked Kol. He glanced at Maverick, "We tried the blood transfusion and healing spells. She should be out of Coma. Why isn't she waking up?"

Maverick sighed. He looked at Kol helplessly. He didn't have an answer. "I don't know. I asked the elders but they say it should have worked. Maybe Maeve just doesn't want to wake up."

Caroline practically sprinted into the dining room clutching a thick book in hand. "what if we try something different? Like seriously different?"

"Anything at this point Caroline." said Amara. "What have you got?"

"Positive affirmations." Caroline denoted. "Think about it──Maeve is trusting a lot of things Lily said to her. What if we affirm her that, that's a lie. Reaffirm to her that she's our Maeve. The fighter, good Maeve."

"Buttload of good that'll do." every single person in the dining area gasped and stood up on their feet in response to that voice.

Still battered and bruised badly, Maeve stood staring into the room half leaning on the wall to her left. "There's no need to reaffirm anything Caroline because you'll be just telling lies. I am a killer. I am death."

Everyone looked at one another, no one spoke. The only sounds in the room were the ones of the ever growing silence.

"Mae..." Maeve cut off Caroline, who was trying to speak.

"No Care. You have seen it with your own eyes, I have killed so many. Those werewolves, those hybrids, witches, and humans. I killed my own parents and pack members." Maeve limped her way to the chair closest to her and sat down. She then cradled her head in her hands. "I killed so many. Those people don't even know why they died, they just died. All because of me." Maeve's voice was filled with a wrench of sadness and pain. Her chest heaved up and down and her eyes were filled with tears.

"You are right. You did kill those werewolves." said Caroline. Every eye in the room shifted in the direction of the vampire. Caroline walked close to Maeve, her eyes never leaving Maeve's eyes.

"I remember that day. Both of us were trapped inside that stingy RV. That werewolf, Brady was torturing me. You made a decision to save me. It wasn't easy. You risked everything you had to save me. You risked your life. I'm sorry I flinched when you reached out to me after everything that happened." Caroline pushed Maeve's chair, so she could face her. Caroline knelt down in front of Maeve,

"I was so afraid when that werewolf attacked you. Then you opened your eyes, these bright red eyes, I had never seen anything like them in my life. I thought I was dreaming. Then you started attacking those werewolves with your bare hands. I mean...claws and fangs. You were strong, I had never seen anyone that strong. I feared what would happen to those werewolves. You protected me, Stefan and Damon from those werewolves. Risked it all for us. That is Maeve. The brave idiot who will burn herself for the world."

Maeve sniffled softly. Slowly, she opened her eyes and gazed at Caroline. "I am an..."

"Abomination. Yes, I've heard you say that before." said Klaus. He looked at everyone one by one, a silent message in his eyes. "You truly are the Abomination. The stupid powerful one, who always wants to be the center of attention, by constantly resorting to violence and finding solutions for everyone else's problems."

Elijah stepped forward, his eyes nervously set upon Maeve. "The one who gave away her powers because she could not risk hurting those whom she loves. The one who sacrificed her life to save everyone else. The one who was willing to make a risky deal in order to save her friends. You are that Abomination."

"Elijah...you are right." said Kol. "Who in their right mind would willingly see some humanity and goodness in one of the most ruthless creatures in the world? Clearly you are the Abomination."

Ezekiel rolled his eyes and sighed. "You are the one who is the reason I got to meet my dad after so many years. You are the one who made it possible for us to have our first father-son bonding. How can I not be proud of you? You are the idiot that decided it would be for the better to give up the title of Alpha because she didn't think that she was worthy of it. Clearly Abomination means an idiot. Who gives away the title of Alpha, and for what? Because you have some witchcraft to you? Its not like you have both both Uncle Jared and Auntie Gem in you, something this pack already had back then. What gives?" he scoffed at the idea.

One by one Maeve looked at everyone in the room. She stood up on her feet again. "Are you sure you can trust me?"

She was hesitant. She didn't know if she should believe them or not. If they were saying it for the sake of saying it or was there any truth to any of the words.

"Yes. I trust you completely. We trust you with our lives." Everyone nodded their heads as Amara told her confidently.

"I don't believe any of you. You're lying!" suddenly Maeve shouted growing angrier.

Elijah stepped forward and stood directly in front of her. "Then we will spend however long it takes to convince you otherwise."

Maeve cowered down. She slumped her shoulders. She felt the weight of the world on her shoulders. The world had turned into a dark and scary place. "It will be a long time before you convince me." she responded to Elijah with tears in her eyes. "It all is so dark." She muttered under her breath.

Elijah placed a hand on her shoulder, she looked up at him. "You mean a lot to me, Maeve. To everyone who stands in this room and to those who haven't slept properly ever since Kol and I found you."

"Really? People don't pity me?" her meek voice broke everyone's heart. "Nobody sees me as a murderer? or...or or a dangerous person?"

"You are Seline and Hecate's favourite child." said Amara. She took three long strides and went up to her niece. she stood next to her, shoulder to shoulder and continued, "You are your mother and your father's pride. You are your grandfather's joy. You are our legacy."

"Uh....what am I?" asked Ezekiel attempting to lighten the mood. Maeve rubbed her nose with the sleeve of her jacket and looked at her brother.

"Next door neighbour. Auntie bought you in exchange for walnuts." Ezekiel frowned at Maeve,

"Send her back in the coma. She was better that way." everyone let out a chuckle including Maeve.

"There's my Alpha." Amara softly said. "Group hug!" she shouted and wrapped her arms around Maeve. Ezekiel didn't waste another second and hopped in as well. He had his arms around both of them. Caroline chuckled at the sight as she wiped away a tear.

"Do you all need an invitation?" came Maeve's muffled voice. Taking their cue, Klaus, Kol, Caroline, Elijah and Maverick went in for the hug as well.

Everyone cocooned Maeve. A safety net. They were the shield that was protecting her. Maeve, still not believing any of them, for a moment, gave in to them. She gave in to their smile, she gave in to the adore in their eyes. She gave in to their relief. Because whatever was coming next──what Maeve knew was always hers, would never reach them.

"Alright that's enough." Klaus was the first who stepped away, wiping away the smile from his face. After all, the mystery still remained.

Why was he so affected by everything that happened to Maeve?

Even though everyone pulled away, Elijah remained in place. His hand still rested gently on her arm. He wouldn't have pulled away anyway. Maeve was holding onto him.

"Cou...could you stay with me in my room?" Maeve asked hesitantly. Her fingers played with the sleeve of Elijah's suit. "Just talk? Anything."

"Am I hearing...what I'm thinking about?" Amara asked out loud with a little dramatic flare.

"What do you know...like son like mother." kol commented. Ezekiel flung an arm around Amara's shoulder, eyeing the original sharply.

"You wished your mother was this cool. Don't be jealous of me, Kol."

"Come on. Blankets, junk food and beer. Who's bringing what?"

"I'll order pizza, nachos and fries with peri peri sauce and extra cheese." Caroline announced raising her hand in the air.

"I'll get the beer." said Kol. "Besides I'm the only one here with a good taste in alcohol."

"I'll beg to differ." spoke up Maverick for the first time. "Have you ever seen my bar?"

"No." said Kol nonchalantly.

"That's why."

Everyone stepped out of the dining room. Just as the crowd reached the compound, Onyx's voice caught their attention.

"People! Look who I found." He strolled in in a predatorish manner. Florence was on his tail holding someone in her tight claw grip. Midas and Gideon walked in as well right behind them. Five of them stood just by the entrance facing all of them.

Maeve's heart sped seeing not just everyone else but the prisoner whom they brought in. Her entire body trembled. Every nerve in her body remembered almost instantly the pain. A phantom ache spread around her body. Her grip on Elijah's hand tightened to the point her knuckles turned white. Maeve hung her head low and slowly stepped further close to Elijah. She took a step back and hid herself behind Elijah.

Not a single person present in the compound except for the prisoner expected to see the sight of Maeve purposefully hide behind someone.

It was loud enough action for everyone to immediately know who Florence and Onyx had dragged inside.

Elijah watched the fierce girl he had come to love hide away and quiver in fear. It was almost as if she attempted to relieve herself of some of the fear.

"Meet Lilly. Agnes's almost adopted child and favourite disciple." said Midas.

"You're alive?" Lilly glared at Maeve. "Look at that. Still hiding behind them. You really are pathetic."

Amara tilted her head to a side. Florence sent a strong blow to Lilly's neck. Her knees wobbled and gave out. Lilly dropped to her knees immediately.

"Hit me all you want. It doesn't take away the truth." shouted Lilly. She looked upward and straight at Maeve who avoided looking back at her.

"Tell them yourself why don't you, Maeve." Lilly's voice turned slightly low and almost manipulatively calm. "They would love to hear it."

Maeve peered her head just enough for Lilly to catch a glimpse. "I killed everyone. I'm a burden. Abomination."

Eyes turned yellow and red and veins appeared beneath them for the rest. A mystic glow of purple cascaded down like smoke from his hand. Lilly was threading on very thin ice.

"That's right. Deceiving packs for your personal gain. That's who you are. Selfish. Killer. Murderer." everyone pranced on her immediately but it was Elijah who grabbed her by her neck and slammed her with force on the wall just behind her.

"That's enough out of you." he said coldly.

"Kill me. Kill me if you are naive enough to have feelings for death."

Elijah let out a dark chuckle. "It's quite amusing that you think I will spare you with something as simple as death after what you did to her.

Maverick stepped closer to Maeve to whisper, "maybe we should go upstairs. Neither of us are in a mindset to stomach what's about to happen." Maeve nodded tiredly.

Maverick looked at Ezekiel for a moment and then helped Maeve up the stairs.

"What to do with you?" Ezekiel quizzed, tutting his tongue. "Any suggestions fellas?" he asked around the room.

"Bury her in the garden just like Marcel used to." said Elijah, still holding a death grip on Lilly but lose enough for her to keep breathing. He let go suddenly making Lilly fall to the stoned floor with a grunt of pain.

"Just enough window for air to reach her but close enough for her to be in complete and total darkness. Kill the lamps in there. Let darkness be her only companion. No food, no water. When she reaches the point of dying of starvation or dehydration, we'll feed her just enough blood for her to survive." Elijah decreed.

Kol leaned closer to Caroline and whispered. "He really is the madman in love, huh?"

"Yes, I don't think I have ever seen this side of Elijah." she whispered back.

"Neither have I." Klaus joined the conversation.

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Hey guys!

How are you liking the story? Loving it, hating it? I could do better.

Please guys sincerest request please comment. I love to read your comments.

Take care everyone and a happy new year

Raven :)