CHAPTER ONE; THE ORIGINALS

❝ who knew that i would feel so differently about you now ❞

"AT THE SALVATORE SCHOOL," May began to tell the mothers she was leading, "For the young and gifted we are big on spirit. Education though is our main priority, we've sent students to ivy leagues, Silicon Valley. Though, if you're looking for a more...unique course of study I assure you we are unmatched." Looking between the mothers and their children May went on to say, "We believe in inclusive blending of the species here. So, outside the full moons, vampire, witches, and werewolves we all co-exist."

The Salvatore woman turned around to give them a chance to ask questions as they stood in what used to be the great room. Now it was the main lobby and hub of the Salvatore school. Ruining what was a perfect pitch, a voice asked, "And what about the hybrids? Hiding them in the root cellar, are we?"

Looking up May saw none other than Klaus Mikaelson, it had been years since they had last seen each other. May forced a kind but ultimately fake laugh, "No, but for you Mr. Mikaelson I am happy to allow you to try it out, see how it holds up against a hybrid?" Klaus laughed at the tribrid who told her group, "Excuse me, I have to deal with a student's father. Dr. Saltzman will meet you here in a few moments." 

Walking past him May grabbed his forearm pulling him down the hall to her office. As they reached the door, she used her magic to open the door and shut it behind them. "How many times do I have to tell you, you are not a selling point for this place. People don't exactly jump for joy when your name is mentioned Klaus."

"As if these kids have other options," countered Klaus much to May's dismay. The hybrid walked about her office noting all she had decorating her shelf; most were pictures of her daughters. Some were pictures of her family, but the ones on her desk were of Stefan and her.

Among all her photos were artifacts that other students had given her or ones she had found. Seeing Klaus' hand touching the photo of Stefan she turned the frame away from him, "I thought we had a deal about you showing up in Mystic Falls, meaning you don't without calling me first."

"That was a long time ago," he said referencing the agreement they made when Hope first enrolled.

Klaus would always be welcomed for Hope's sake, but he had to call ahead. And they would always try for nights there was a full moon, with half the class locked away to deal with the moon, and the vampires hiding? It was easy to monitor the witches and make sure none of them saw him. This was to keep her promise to Hayley that no one would know Hope was a Mikaelson.

The hybrids face become contorted with worry; worry she had never seen the likes of on Klaus. Suddenly he started to spill out, "I need your help, Maya. Hope is dying, she consumed the dark magic that was in all of us, and now it's consuming her. She won't survive the full moon."

May was frozen for a moment, "She triggered her curse," was the first thing she wanted to confirm.

"It was my fault," Klaus said regrettably.

"I thought crescent wolves could control their transformations," she countered confused as to why they couldn't force her to miss the full moon.

"Not the first one," he told her inching closer, "It's a rite of passage. Unavoidable."

Having no other ideas May returned crossing her arms as she leaned against the desk, "What do you need from me? My magic is strong enough to do something, but I need to know what I am doing."

This was the part he was regretting most, Klaus moved closer stopping a few feet in front of her. "I need a specific type of witch, one from the Gemini Coven."

May couldn't help but laugh at the request, "You want to use my children to suck out the most powerful and evil spirit that's got even you terrified and then give that power to you?"

"I need your daughters Maya; I wouldn't be here if I had any other way," he said once again calling her by her old name. She hated being called by it, but she allowed it given the circumstances.

The tribrid huffed angrily, "No, they're just kids, Klaus. Fourteen years old to be exact. Next thing you're going to ask is can Alex the eleven-year-old fix it." Needing it now more than ever she walked over to her magically hidden bar that appeared as a small bookshelf. She had kids running around that had superpower's, she couldn't just let them see where she kept her very old, and very expensive drinks.

She twirled her hand letting it be seen before preparing herself a glass. "They're siphoner witches, it's what they were born to do. Siphon magic and —"

May cut him off before he finished, "And put it in another. So, after my children, siphon the evil spirit of the witch that was capable of beating the shit out of your family, from Hope, what are they supposed to do with it? Last I checked I was out of Pokémon balls to stuff the hollow into."

The next words out of his mouth were the last she ever expected to fall out of Klaus Mikaelson's lips, "They'll put it in me."

May choked on the bourbon she had poured, recovering quickly she began, "So correct me if I get this wrong, but you want me to allow my 14-year olds to just give you this literal demon to plague you for eternity, goading you into violence; and you just want us to do what? Hold hands and sing a song and hope you don't murder your way through Europe, and the rest of the world, again?"

"Do you remember when you and your friends threatened to lock me up and drop me in the ocean," Klaus began but the look on her face clearly told him she remembered it vividly, "Well, when your daughters put the magic in me, I need you to make good on that threat. I won't fight you this time, little hunter."

May never thought hearing Klaus Mikaelson willing to suffer for eternity would bring her such sadness. "We were scared kids, we didn't realize how much alike we all were," said May admitting had they all been a little less willing to kill, things might've been different. Who knows, maybe they all would've been safer together then alone.

"I can't allow my daughter to die, but I promise you," Klaus replied placing his hands on her shoulders desperately begging, "I will not put your daughters in danger. I have no one else to ask, not anyone I can get to in enough time..."

Asking a fair question, he hadn't even thought of yet, "And how does your daughter look at mine and not feel utter rage for them helping take you away from her? She just lost Hayley; Hope is a teenager you can't expect her bare the weight of this."

May put down her glass warning him, "She already blames herself for Hayley, if you do this, she will blame herself for your death too. Is that what you want? A lifetime of her carrying your death on her shoulders. I outlived my parents in an accident that wasn't even my fault in the slightest and it nearly killed me. You and I both know she will think because she took the magic, that she got you killed." Klaus started to look away from her so May forced herself in front of him, "And what about Caroline? She finally, finally found her happy ending with you and now you expect me to take that from her. If this is what you want knowing all this, then fine, I can't stop you. But you need to know what you'd be doing."

Klaus thought for a while, she was right, he was opening up a whole new case of problems. But not as many as allowing his daughter to die would lead to. So, once more Klaus pleaded, "Help me save my daughter's life."

"Fine," she agreed before handing him the receiver end of her office phone, "But call Caroline, give her a chance to be with you or we do nothing."

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:

"So, what do we get out of it," Josie asked after hearing the whole pitch of what her mother was asking of her and her sister.

Klaus placed worriedly behind May as she offered, "You mean beside the good feeling of helping a friend in need?"

As if she had been waiting for this moment Lizzie said, "We have been needing new cellphones..."

Trumping her sisters request, the oldest, Josie began, "And permission to go to the summer solstice. And you and dad take the stupid skirt length rule out of the dress code. It's anti-feminist and oppressive."

Chiming in Lizzie added, "And not cute."

May absorbed all the information that had quickly been thrown at her answering their request with, "You guys just got new phone six months ago so nice try, but absolutely no. Maybe to the dance, I have to think on that for like a week. And yes, to getting rid of the skirt rule we are not in 1945 where we have to worry about the length. Do we have a deal?"

The twins shared a look silently debating her offer before Josie spoke up, "Deal."

"Thank you, girls," beginning to introduce him May turned gesturing to Klaus, "Alright, now, Klaus here is going to very kindly, and patiently explaining exactly what he needs you to do. Without losing his temper cause even if he does,mom is right here."

Klaus sent her a thankful look before telling the twins, "First of all, thank you." Suddenly, he screamed making all three of them jump as his body fell to the floor. Behind him May instantly wanted to scream out of anger seeing Alaric standing there with a bow in his hand.

Stepping over Klaus he said, "Whatever the question is the answer is, no!"

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:

"First of all, when you take my stuff," May began angrily as she and Alaric returned to the school's library to talk about Klaus. "Remember to close the giant case of weapons before a seven-year-old stabs themselves on a silver arrowhead!" Snatching her crossbow from him she put it back inside its case spelling it shut this time. "That will be the last time I tell you where I hide my things by the way."

Over the last few years Alaric and May had grown apart, all they had in common was the twins and they almost never agreed on how to handle things. Sometimes, if she were cruel enough, she would think of compelling him away from the school so she could have at least that peace. But the trains deserved a father, even if that was Alaric.

"That's fine, it was only meant for the schools protection since you're inviting Voldemort to campus," spat Alaric.

"Oh, please stop being so dramatic we have Voldemort's spawn walking the campus every day without incident. And let's not forget something, if you mess with one Mikaelson you get them all and I know Elijah is wandering town. And since you will be zero help if they decide to pay you back for attacking him, and it will inevitably become my problem to fix. So, if I wasn't already clear, don't do anything to them, ever," May groaned before elaborating as clear she possibly could be, "We started this school to protect these kids, I know you forget this from time to time, but Hope is one of them. Her mother is dead, she is about to be joining her what do you expect me to do?"

"Don't pretend you are doing this for any other reason than you unrelenting need to try and save everyone," Alaric said clearly referencing her husband and how his death came about. Since starting the school May poured everything into being a mother and headmistress. It was as if the more people she helped the less of a chance the memory of Stefan was able to fade. He was no fool, he knew she was doing this because she, in her own words, helped kill Stefan. Logically she understood she just aided the hellfire, but her heart knew that was exactly what caused his death.

May wanted to lose her cool, but there were student walking all around the building. So instead, she took a deep breath and told him, "I'm going to need to clarify what you mean. Quickly."

Furious she had even let Klaus near the girls Alaric argued, "Sure thing May, I am talking about the fact that you don't take breaks, you are always focusing on the girls or helping students because it stops you from thinking about Stefan. For Christ's sake you won't even let us use your real name for nearly eleven years. And I have let it go, I haven't said a word because it is your life, but now? Now you want to give, Klaus Mikaelson, the man who has created such darkness and evil it can never be stomped out, darkness that took Jenna, and you want to give him more evil power. What the hell is the matter with you?"

May resisted her urge to shout as he carried on, "May...you have a pure heart and I know all you want to do is help heal people, but why does it have to be them? Can't you do it, or another witch? Or even another teacher."

"If there were that simple of a solution Ric, don't you think he'd be out there getting it. You think Klaus Mikaelson wants to ask me of all people for help? You think he wants to sit in the ocean while his daughter grows never knowing her? I can't siphon magic no matter how much you want to think I will be able to. And when he is dead you can toast his demise all you want, as long as Hope lives and nothing you say is near her. You hate her father, but that is still her father."

"And how many times have we tried to sink him to the bottom of the ocean," countered Alaric.

May sighed knowing he did have a point, but she had a better one, "He will be a willing participant this time. I can assure you that is something we definitely never had before."

Alaric had to laugh at this notion, "Let's just pretend for just one insane second that you have reason enough to believe that is true now, what makes you think it will be true later? The whole ocean isn't bigger enough to drown him!"

Growing tired of the debate May snapped, "He is her father Alaric!" Alaric shrunk back as she attempted to lower her voice but not her rage, "I am not pretending he isn't the man who made Stefan run away and become a ripper, that he's not the man who killed Jenna. I can feel however I want about the man but that doesn't change the absolute fact that since having Hope, he has changed. He has changed enough for me to believe he would rather die than live in a world she doesn't exist in."

A loud clanging followed by the sound of something being smashed to pieces broke up the heated debate. May rolled her eyes knowing what that noise was as Alaric tried to go grab her bow. The tribrid grabbed a chunk of his shirt, "What did I just tell you about hurting Mikaelsons two second ago!?"

Not even a second later Klaus had sped up from the basement having the bloody stake freshly fished out if his chest in his hand. "Very impressive systems," he said examining the arrow, "Secure, I'm sure. If you're a baby werewolf navigating puberty. I'm a little passed that."

Hearing the arrow drop May warned, "Klaus."

Surprising her yet again today, Klaus didn't attack he simply said, "Alaric's right. The ocean won't hold me. But when I transferred the hollow magic out of Hope I don't intend to drown it."

Klaus reached inside his jacket pockets pulling out a stake, "What is that," May asked.

Stepping down from the top area of the library entering the pit where she stood Klaus told May, "This is the last bit of white oak that exist. You were also right May, I do not intend to live in a world where I may hurt Hope, or one where she is not breathing in. When the power is in me there is only one way to make sure it is gone for good. Someone needs to kill me."

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:

"The clothes are a bit dusty but they fit nice," Klaus said reentering the abandon Mill where May stood waiting.

After his bombshell she decided to get him out of the school, she didn't know when Hope would be there, and she didn't want her to accidently hear them. But as she stood there waiting for him May began to think about what Klaus would be doing. How he would be killing himself without so much as a goodbye for Hope.

"Well, the previous owner died over 11 years ago so," May said gripping the necklace she still wore all these years later. With a small scoff she added, "He too killed himself without telling me, worse is, he had a daughter too. One that his heroics never even let him know existed. Alex will never know him, not now, Hope will hardly ever know you beyond books on shelves written about you."

Klaus instantly tried, "May..."

Cutting him off she wondered, "Did you think I wouldn't let you go through with it? I mean that is mighty tempting given you haven't told any of your family what you're planning to do. I fought your siblings once I am not fighting all of them again because you played martyr and abandoned them."

"Perhaps I thought you might take your promise to watch Hope too serious and you would try and stop me," admitted the hybrid. He didn't think she would spare his life because she cared for him, no, she cared about Hope. May cared for her as if she were one of her one, she never broke her promise.

"I do take it seriously. Her, me, and Alex are the only tribrids to exist. All three of us were accidents certainly never meant to happen once let alone three times but it did. We are all that exist of our species, of course I worry about her. Which is how I know that if you do this, the weight of this will eventually make her crash."

"How do you mean," he wondered.

She released a heavy sigh, "I mean that until two days ago she was just a witch, now she will be part wolf. One day she will become the tribrid, and when that happens what is to stop her from shutting out all her grief. I promise you, controlling everything inside us plus carrying a lifetime of grief does not equal avoiding consequences. All it means is that someday down the line, maybe a hundred years or in just a few months, Hope will break. People need to break down in order to heal and there is only so much hurt a little girl can take. She may be a Mikaelson, but is still fifteen."

"I have to do this, if not, she will never make it to sixteen," Klaus urged knowing this plan was the only one they had time for.

May shook her head, she couldn't believe what he was planning. "Where did you even get one? Caroline said you guys went through literal hell to destroy the last pieces," May replied.

Somewhat shamefully Klaus answered, "It was decades ago I was gonna destroy it, but the weight of immortality was heavier then."

May could tell, Klaus didn't want to stop living, if anything he wanted to live even longer than he ever imagined, but he had to do this. "Maybe I can desiccate you, give you some time, give me some time to find a better solution to all this. Hope deserves a father," May tried pleading with him again.

But he refused her again, "The magic in Hope is rooted too deeply. Tonight, when she is trapped between her human and wolf form your daughters can take it from her."

"Are you sure there is no other way," she asked wanting to confirm it one last time.

"There's always another way," he said sadly, "Somewhere, written in some forgotten language, in some city lost in lava likely lies buried the secret to having everything I want all I want. But I am not going to find it today and today is all we have."

May wanted to tell him no, stop him from doing the same thing Stefan had but she saw the look in his eyes. It was the same look Stefan had when she last saw him in the high school, Klaus was already dead. "With or without Ric's permission, I will help you," May agreed much to his relief, "I wish it could be different." It was her turn to surprise Klaus with her words, "Truly, I don't think you deserve to lose more time with Hope. You've lost so much of that already, but hear me, I will keep my promise. From your last breath until mine, I will watch after Hope just like she was Alex, or one of the twins."

If Klaus were a softer man, he might've teared up at her promise. There she was, the woman destined to kill him, and she was filled but nothing but kindness toward him and regret over it. "Alaric was right," Klaus began, "You have a pure heart. Never let her forget how much I love her, or how strong she is. If she becomes lost in ways that rival mine..."

"I will help her," she said, "No matter what comes her way, I will stand by her. Even if she's done things that are unforgiveable, I will remind her she is always worth forgiving."

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:

"You can come out of hiding," May announced standing over the books she was putting on shelves for Dorian. She could hear his footsteps moving closer at her offer, "Never thought there would come a day you would linger in hiding instead of facing me."

She looked up to see the first original she ever met, Elijah, and is expensive suit and amazing hair. Part of her could hear Damon that very second saying something about it. The older vampire had a smile on his face as he walked down the small number of stairs. "And I never thought there would come a day you would be able to hear me linger," Elijah replied light heartedly.

May chuckled countering, "Are you saying that you used to linger Mr. Mikaelson?"

The original shook his head, "I had to sometimes, if I didn't Klaus was very much intended in freeing your head from your shoulders."

"And now he wants me to help him, how far we've come," she said reaching to put a book on one of the higher shelves. Seeing her on her tip toes Elijah gently took the book putting it up for her himself. "Thank you," she said lowering herself turning in towards him.

"Of course," he answered turning in towards her as well. Once he didn't May took notice of just how close they'd been standing. Clearing her throat, she stepped back walking towards the tables still littered with books. "These shelves have more books than I remember," Elijah said changing the subject.

Still looking at them May returned, "There's a lot more, most of which I found." When she looked back to him, she could tell he was silently asking when she'd found them. "After my wedding I found out I was pregnant, so I decided to use the first six months of it to go on my honeymoon. A trip around the world, and meeting so many different covens I never knew that many forms of magic existed. I curated most of this by the end of the trip, had to compel someone to take all the books back."

Elijah stayed silent a moment at the mention of her wedding, he'd never spoken to her about it. Mainly because for so many years Elijah didn't even know who she was, and by the time he remembered? Stefan had been gone far too long.

"I was sorry to hear about him," Elijah said making the brunette instantly become tense. "Stefan Salvatore was a good man, and he loved you," he told her knowing there wasn't anything he could say to make her feel any different about it.

"I was sorry too," was all May could find the words to say.

Hearing the pass tense in her sentence Elijah questioned, "And now?"

May nearly laughed at the thought of what she was feeling now about Stefan being gone. People always wanted to hear he was doing better, but she knew Elijah was far too old to suffer a fool's denial. "And now I am three little girls and an entire building of kids who need me. I don't really have time to think about him and I am pretty sure that is the only keeping me from shutting it all off."

"I suppose that is the burden of loving people, the damage their loss can leave," he said his eyes looking off a thousand miles away and it was only then it clicked for her.

He hadn't even known who Hayley was when she died, learning who she was and how he failed her nearly destroyed him. May wasn't even sure how he was still standing, had she forgotten Stefan, watched him die, only to then t remember how much she loved him? May wouldn't be standing right now, "I'm sorry about Hayley. She was really nice, beautiful, a good; she came by all the time to see Hope. She would always bring me a bottle of bourbon, she said to share it with Damon so he would stop calling her little backstabber every time she left the room."

May missed Hayley and she hardly knew her; she only became close with her when she enrolled Hope. "Damon does always have a way of affectionately nick naming someone," chuckled Elijah knowing how much Hayley had changed in the years since first meeting Damon. She was much more ruthless, less willing to act with malice without thinking of the people she would hurt.

"You should've heard the ones he called you and your siblings behind your backs," she chuckled knowing he had more than a fair point.

"Where is he," inquired Elijah making no note of his existence since entering. If he hadn't known better, it would look as if he never lived there at all.

Almost guilty about that very thing, May replied, "We switched houses. He and Elena finished rebuilding our house just last year and he signed the deed over to me after Stefan. He wanted me to be able to start the school, the school your family paid the bill for. Thank you for that by the way, we still haven't gone through all of it."

Leaning his back against the table Elijh said, "That was more Caroline championing for it, but the money came from us all the same."

"Gesture is meaningful all the same," she said with a small giggle collecting more of the books putting them on the cart at the edge of the table.

May had noticed that once again they had moved within close proximity to each other. "Mom," a small voice called out running down the hall not being able to see her mother yet. Entering the room Alex, who was now eleven and growing into a person, stopped dead in her tracks. 

In her hands was her notebook and her backpack half haphazardly laying on her arm. "Sorry, didn't know you were in a meeting," she said assuming that the man was a student's parent.

"We're not, this is an old friend, Elijah Mikaelson," May said putting her arm around her daughter's shoulder bringing her in close. Alex nervously looked up at the man, he seemed extremely serious. "Elijah, this is mine ad Stefan's daughter, Alex."

Elijah's serious face finally cracked as he beamed, "Hello Alex, it's lovely to meet you."

"Hi, mom never brings her friends that aren't my aunt around," Alex said possibly a little too honestly.

"She's kidding," May attempted to assure with a smile.

"I have every belief that she is," Elijah replied knowing Alex was indeed not lying.

May knew he was just humoring her, looking down at Alex she quickly changed the topic, "What did you need sweetie?"

"Oh yeah, I needed help with my algebra homework and Alaric practically started to twitch trying to figure it out.

Excusing herself she told the original, "Duty calls, I'll see you tonight." Elijah gave her s light nod as she led her daughter to the doorway. 

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:

"You haven't told him yet," May stated from the stop of the stairs seeing Klaus nearing the exit of the school. He looked up instantly releasing a heavy sigh knowing what she meant. "I spoke with Elijah. He's got no idea what you're planning to do. And I called Caroline, you told her but not him? He's your brother Klaus."

As she reached the bottom of the steps Klaus was left to argue, "He will never let me do it. There's no other way."

May shook her head telling him, "Stefan did the same thing, told me goodbye without telling me what kind of goodbye it was. He'll never forget that, and he'll never get over it."

"And if I don't, he will lose the brother he fought so hard to make me into. Please, allow me this," he begged with her.

"Fine," May agreed surprising him, "I'm going to check on Hope, she's locked up with the other wolves. Can't exactly let her run around the school of people who die from her bite. When I get back, I suggest you already be inside the circle with the twins because I will be telling him. I won't stop you from taking the power, but I won't let you leave without giving them a goodbye. Even if I have to fight you for it."

As she went to walk away, Klaus stopped her grabbing her forearm, "May I come with you? I don't want her to not see me before it happens."

"Come on," she demanded leading him down the hall to the familiar cellar. It was much larger than he ever expected it to be, but it still smelled the same.

Once they arrived she saw Hope already waiting with her chains outside the last open cell. Noticing May, Hope hugged her tightly. May was the only other person who understood how uncomfortable being both witch and wolf was on a person. How restless it could make someone; she had warned her of it for years. "You were right, it feels like something is alive underneath my skin," she said muffled into the older tribrids chest.

May placed her hand on the back of her head, "I know, but I told you somehting else do you remember?" Gently pulling them apart from their hug May looked for recognition but found nothing. "I told you that eventually, it quiets down. It never goes away but you learn to deal with it, so much so that it doesn't feel so wrong after a while."

Klaus watched taken back by how close they were, he never actually seen the two in the same room and he assumed she treat her like everyone else; but that wasn't what she was doing. She was taking care of her as if she was her own. The older tribrid had been taking care of her since she was seven for most of the year. Hope and Alex were the only others of her kind, it was hard not to feel motherly toward Hope as well.

"Come on, we gotta get you chained up," she said opening the cell door.

Klaus led his daughter to the corner beginning to tie her to the poles, "It's only pain, it's completely manageable. If you get scared, all you have to do is close your eyes and--"

His daughter already knew what he was going to say, "And sing? Yeah, I know it. I'll be okay. I'll see you after."

Her last words rattled both the adults, Klaus more than May. "I-I'll see you after," he said almost convincingly.

Distracting Hope from his hesitant nature May began, "I made you a siphon tonic, your father and I will go get it." She wanted him to come becuase she needed to make sure, this sacrifice was truly what he wanted.

"It's alright, I saw where you put it. I will go get it," he countered needed a moment to gather his thoughts. Sensning this May let him go without so much as a fuss.

As he vanished from their sight Hope said, "I always thought you two would be meaner to each other."

Nearing the newly triggered wolf she replied, "Oh give us five minutes in a locked room and you'll hear wrestle house mania from my office." hope laughed, even though Klaus had caused May pain, she never held that against Hope. Nor did she ever speak poorly about him, at least in ways that ever-hurt Hope. "And little secret he'd hate to admit, I'd totally kick his ass now."

"I think he definietly try and fight you on that," said the Mikaelson teen.

Disrupting May train of thought she heard the sound of crashing items in the foyer. "I'll be right back," she told Hope speeding out of the room coming to the source of the sound.

Upon her arrival she saw Klaus on the ground, Elijah with the white oak saying, "You tell the Saltzman's to put the power in me," he warned him ignoring the refusal that fell from his brothers' lips, "And you will take my life."

"I am guessing Caroline called him," confirmed May as Klaus came to his feet.

She could tell by the way they both were standing she very well might have to fight them both. Despite what she had said moments ago she wasn't looking forward to tow originals fighting her. "I've burdened you enough," refused Klaus knowing the pain he spent a 1,000 years causing him.

"Your daughter needs you, Niklaus," countered the older vampire still holding the stake firmly in his grasp.

"I'm not going to kill you," Klaus shouted in an instant he dashed at Elijah snatching the stake. Knowing she had to choose quickly, May sped overthrowing the hybrid away from his brother. Acting just as fast, she snapped Elijah's neck.

When she looked back at Klaus he was coming to his feet, "If we want to do this we have to go, now." Without a second word the two of them rushed downstairs leaving Elijah's body in the great room.

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:

May guarded the door as Klaus rushed into the cell breaking off Hope's chains. "Dad? May, what's going on," she asked as Klaus lifted her up to her feet.

"No time to explain," answered Klaus.

Pointing down the hall May directed, "Keep going straight, there's a door at the end that takes you outside." The two adults led the girl outside under the full moon pulling her so fast her feet could hardly keep up with the paste.

"Dad, what are you doing," Hope asked again becoming increasingly nervous the longer she went without answers.

"We shouldn't do this inside," he told her not once losing his speed, "Your mother would've wanted you to be out here, with nature, under moonlight." Coming to a paus Klaus reached into the bag he was holding handing Hope the tonic, "Here, drink this."

The second Hope drank it all, her ankle snapped underneath her. "It's almost time," May wared Klaus knowing they were running out of time. By the end of the night, he would be dead, if he wanted to say goodbye now was the chance.

Kneeling down Klaus rushed out faster than Hope could comprehend, "Hope. Listen to me. This is going to hurt, so you need to concentrate on the air in your lungs and the ground beneath your feet." Hope tried to grab his attention but between his need for clarity and speed along with her breaking bones it was pointless. "The first time can take hours," he tried.

"Hours," Hope interjected as another bone broke jerking her in another direction.

Also kneeling near her May answered, "Only if you fight it, and I promise you as someone who did that you don't want to fight it."

Adding on to her thoughts Klaus said, "The pain will make you want to delay because you think that is all you can take; but if you let it take you, if you let it swallow you whole, then it cannot break you."

It was the look in her fathers eyes that made her say, "I can do this."

"When you're done, run wild and free. I am so proud of you," he said rubbing the side of her head before he stood. Hope cried out as more of the bones broke but she didn't let it break her. She did as she was told and let it take her, and it did. Soon her face no longer looked human, and a blue light began glowing from within her.

They watched as Hope was jerked upwards towards the sky. She screamed so horribly loud as her flesh almost fell from her bones and the light vanished from around her. Once Hope came crashing back to the ground, she wasn't human. She was a wolf made of perfectly white fur, she stood tall and proud. "Run Hope, go now," May encouraged. Hope lingered a moment longer before she took off with great speed into the woods. 

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:

After leaving Hope, the two of the rushed to the other side of the woods where the mill was. When she arrived, she saw Alaric with the twins, but no Caroline anywhere in sight. "Caroline's not here," May confirmed thinking Klaus had told her to come.

Sadly, Klaus told her, "She was going to, but I could not ask her to watch me die. She and I have said our goodbyes." May knew whatever goodbye it was, it wasn't enough. "I suppose that leaves ours then," he said nervously looking between the death that was before him and May.

"You're a pain in the ass, I'll never say you weren't, but you were always wickedly fun. Goodbye Klaus," was all she knew to say.

Klaus chuckled telling her, "Goodbye little hunter. You were always fun to fight." May chuckled watching as he entered the circle with the twins.

The second he did, a blue light circled him in and much like Hope earlier, he was lifted from the ground. His pain filled screams filled May with guilt when Elijah sped directly into the barrier. It pushed him back not letting him enter even as Klaus fell to the floor. As the light disappeared the girls finished, "Solvo."

May took Lizzie by the hand while Alaric took Josies, "Get them out of here, I'll watch them," she warned sending Alaric on his way.

When she turned back around to see the heartbroken look upon Elijahs face May felt sick. "Niklaus," he said ever so softly as Klaus stood up. May stood by the original already seeing the wheels in Klaus' mind turning in ways he wished they didn't. Feeling it growing within him, Klaus pulled out the white oak. "Don't," Elijah protested timing how fast he could get there before Klaus could hurt himself.

But the look in Klaus' eyes was different, he was the same determination he wore the night he became the hybrid. "Put it down," Elijah pleaded.

May wasn't sure what to do, all that she knew what that the power of the hollow was in Klaus' hands now. "Go Elijah," snapped his brother.

Once more Elijah insisted stepping closer, "Put it down."

"It's time to end this chapter," Klaus began as may noticed a familiar figure exiting the mill.

"Klaus," she tried to stop him.

But he kept going, "Get rid of this darkness once and for all."

Stopping at the circle Hope questioned, "Dad? What's going on here?"

Looking to May he pleaded, "Get her out of here."

This time May refused him, "No, she deserves to know."

"Your death is not the answer," insisted Elijah.

Hope's eyes went wide hearing his words, "Death?" Looking between all the adult for an answer Hope demanded, "W-what are you talking about?" A light went on in Hope head, "They put it into you...you told me they put it somewhere safe and instead you used my first transition to trick me. So, what happens you kill yourself and the magic just goes away?" Pointing at May and Elijah she shouted at them both, "And you're just going to let him go through with it?"

"It's not my place to stop him, it's my place to make sure you live," May maintained.

Quickly Klaus interjected, "I don't need either of their permissions!"

"Come back with me to New Orleans, Niklaus."

"You should go back with them Klaus it's not too late to change your mind. We can find another way I have the power to do try and delay this as long as possible till there's a better way," said May surprised that at this point in her life she was advocating for Klaus Mikaelson's survival.

But all their voices just broke his heart more, Klaus persisted, "We both know that's not going to work." Looking back at Hope he quickly said, "I'm sorry Hope. I've made my decision."

Just as he readied himself Hope said, "And I've made mine." She raised her arm closing her fist and with her movements Klaus fell unconscious to the ground. Once he had, May rushed into the circle feeling his power radiating through his veins. "What do we do," Hope rushed out joining her father in the circle.

Elijah had no words, and May only had one idea. "I can channel it to Elijah, you can hold it for a time, but it will eventually consume him. I can only buy you guys a day, maybe two..."

"Do it," demanded Elijah without a moment's hesitation.

may's outfit next chapter

A/N

hey guys, I have a kinda wild idea, how would you guy feel if I kept Elijah alive? I never felt Elijah would abandon Hope when Klaus was going to die so how about I keep him alive and keep in legacies? The main reason I ask is because when I was writing these two years ago I kinda liked the idea of them being something. And with Stefan not in this story I want to play with dynamic of other romances for her.

Obviously, Dean is here for that reason as well, but I am not set on him being her endgame. Even if Elijah stays there is no guarantee he and May will be couple or if they are that they would be endgame.