"Kol, are you okay?" Rebekah shouted when she saw Kol arriving home. "I thought you might have died."
"Me? Die?" Kol made a strange doubtful face. "I'm immortal, little sister."
"But we felt it," Rebekah gasped, shocked as she remembered the strange pain she had felt.
"Yes, yes, it was horrible, truly horrible," Kol replied with his usual mocking tone. "What could have happened?"
"We don't know, but Mother might be involved," Rebekah said, then reconsidered. "She's absolutely involved."
"Wouldn't surprise me," Kol laughed with amusement as he started walking inside.
"KOL, where have you been?" Elijah called out, stepping in front of him. "We thought something had happened to you."
"Look, I'm right here," Kol replied, now irritated. "I just went to spend some quality time with my nephew."
"That's not fair," Rebekah snapped. "He was running from me like a rat from a cat, and you made friends with him? That's not fair."
Klaus arrived last and just stood there watching.
"Does he hate me?" Klaus asked, with surprising sincerity.
"Nik…" Rebekah started, but couldn't find the words.
She saw the humanity in her brother's eyes after so long.
"Besides you constantly trying to hit on his girlfriend… which he doesn't like," Kol said with an amused tone and laughed. "He didn't talk much about you… but he refers to you as 'father'… which is a good sign."
Klaus lit up slightly, but Kol immediately shut that down.
"Don't get excited, brother," Kol said provocatively. "Just because he recognizes you doesn't mean he likes you… maybe try not flirting with his girlfriend."
"Another thing I noticed," Kol continued, "he seems to be involved with the new doppelgänger and also protects Katherine, so don't try anything."
"Damn, I thought he was such a good boy, but he cheats on his girlfriend?" Rebekah growled, irritated.
"No, sister, from what little I heard, his girlfriend doesn't mind," Kol replied. "She actually seems to support it."
"Seriously, what is wrong with women in this town?" Rebekah growled, kicking the floor.
Klaus let out a low, almost incredulous laugh.
"She supports it?" he repeated, raising an eyebrow. "That's new even for Mystic Falls."
"I'm telling you," Kol said, crossing his arms with a grin. "The boy didn't just inherit your charm… apparently he got twice the luck."
"Or twice the problems," Elijah corrected seriously.
Rebekah scoffed, still irritated.
"That makes no sense. No sane woman would accept that."
Kol shrugged.
"Maybe she's not exactly… normal."
Rebekah rolled her eyes.
"Of course. Because that's exactly what this town needs. More strange people."
Klaus, however, was no longer paying attention.
He stood still, thinking.
"He protects Katherine?" he asked suddenly.
Kol tilted his head.
"He does. Quite a lot, actually. Almost… instinctively."
Klaus's jaw tightened slightly.
"Interesting."
Elijah noticed immediately.
"No," he said firmly. "Don't turn this into a game, Niklaus."
Klaus gave him a calm look.
"I don't play games, Elijah."
Kol let out a short laugh.
"Oh, of course not. You just destroy entire cities when you get bored."
Rebekah crossed her arms.
"I just want to understand how you managed to talk to him so easily."
Kol smiled, this time with a hint of pride.
"Simple. I wasn't you."
Rebekah narrowed her eyes.
"Explain."
"I didn't approach him trying to control, intimidate, or manipulate," Kol said, pacing slowly. "I just… talked."
"You?" Klaus mocked. "Talking like a normal person?"
"Shocking, I know," Kol replied. "But it works."
Elijah nodded slightly.
"Respect tends to generate… less resistance."
Klaus fell silent for a moment.
Rebekah watched him closely.
"You're going to talk to him, aren't you?"
Klaus didn't answer immediately.
But his eyes had already decided.
"He's my son."
The words came out simple. Direct.
No threat. No imposition.
Just… truth.
Kol watched with a small smile, as if witnessing something rare.
"Then maybe start acting like it."
Klaus's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Are you giving me advice now?"
"I'm preventing you from ruining everything in five minutes," Kol said lightly. "Which, let's be honest, is very likely."
Rebekah let out a small laugh.
"He's right."
Klaus sighed, running a hand over his face.
"I'm not… good at this."
The silence that followed was strange.
Because none of them expected to hear that.
Elijah softened his expression.
"Then learn."
Klaus looked at him.
Rebekah stepped closer.
"And please, Nik… no threats. No games. And no… seducing anyone this time."
Kol raised his hand.
"Especially the girlfriend."
Klaus rolled his eyes.
"You're really not going to let that go, are you?"
"No," the three of them said at the same time.
Kol smiled.
"But hey… look on the bright side."
Klaus raised an eyebrow.
"For the first time in a thousand years… you have a chance not to ruin something important."
Klaus fell silent.
But this time…
There was no arrogance in his eyes.
Only determination.
"Then I won't."
Rebekah looked at him, surprised… but hopeful.
Elijah simply nodded.
And Kol—
Kol smiled to himself.
Because for the first time in a long while…
This might actually work.
Or at the very least…
Be very interesting to watch.
I was sitting on the couch playing my game while Katherine sat on the floor beside it, watching me.
I glanced at my watch and then at my phone.
It was September 2011, and since my plans worked and my father actually slept with Hayley—and I had boosted her fertility with that spell—
She should be about two months pregnant with Hope by now.
Which means it might be time to go to New Orleans.
But I didn't want to leave.
Honestly, I like this town.
But I have to make sure Hope is born.
I still haven't talked to Caroline, and I don't know if Bonnie will want to leave.
Maybe it's better if she stays… and I give the city to her.
That way she'd have a territory to rule.
Create her own supernatural laws without my interference.
I know Amara will go wherever I go.
And Caroline will probably come with me too.
Katherine is basically a keychain—I'm taking her with me until she fully recovers.
Ding
The doorbell rang, and I heard Amara heading to the door—then a male scream of pain.
"Wait—"
I rushed over and saw who Amara was tormenting.
My father.
"Wow… you really never learn, do you?" I said.
"You could make her stop," my father said, trying to control his anger. Cute—he doesn't want to show his bad side in front of me.
"Amara, stop torturing the poor guy."
Katherine, who had followed me, immediately hid behind my back, eyes full of fear when she saw him, clinging to me.
"Amara, take Katherine out for a bit too."
"Yes," Amara nodded, taking her and leaving.
"What is she?" my father asked, curious. "I've never seen anything do what she does."
"Nothing special. Just the first vampire to ever exist," I said casually. "She's a thousand years older than you."
"What? But I'm an Original," he said, offended.
"Sure, sure. But vampire legends existed long before you, didn't they?"
I smirked at his expression.
It was almost funny.
The great Klaus Mikaelson—confused.
"Relax," I said, leaning against the doorway. "You're still special. Just not as unique as you think."
He narrowed his eyes.
"You're lying."
"I never lie," I replied immediately… then paused. "…when it's worth telling the truth."
He scoffed but didn't push further, instead looking around the house.
Analyzing.
Measuring.
Always calculating.
"You're… comfortable here," he noted.
I shrugged.
"I like it here."
And it was true.
Mystic Falls was chaos… but it was my chaos.
Routine, familiar people, that weird balance between normal and insane that worked for me.
New Orleans was different.
More dangerous.
More political.
More… family.
Which ironically made it worse.
Klaus looked back at me.
"Kol said you talked to him."
"I did."
"Without running."
"Without trying to kill me," I added.
A faint smile touched his lips.
"Progress."
"I'm reasonable," I said. "Unlike you."
He ignored that.
Of course he did.
"He also said you call me father."
I went quiet for a second.
Then sighed.
"I do."
Something in his eyes shifted.
Not much.
But I noticed.
"Why?" he asked.
Straight. No hesitation.
I scratched the back of my neck.
"Because that's what you are."
"That doesn't mean you have to—"
"But I want to," I cut him off.
Silence.
Heavy.
Honest.
I looked at him again.
"Don't get it twisted. Recognizing you doesn't mean I like you."
"Kol said something similar."
"He has his moments."
That almost made him smile.
Almost.
I sighed.
"Look… I know who you are. What you do. How you work."
He focused more.
"But I also know you didn't come here to kill me."
"Not today," he answered automatically.
I rolled my eyes.
"Exactly."
He exhaled softly.
And for the first time—
He seemed… less guarded.
"I didn't come here to fight you."
"Good. I'm busy."
I went back to the couch and picked up the controller.
Katherine still hadn't come back, which meant Amara was probably showing her the world like a field trip… with trauma potential.
Normal.
After a few seconds, I heard him move.
Of course he didn't leave.
"What is this?" he asked, looking at the screen.
"Call of Duty."
Silence.
"You're… fighting a fictional war?"
"Yes."
"For fun?"
"Yes."
More silence.
I paused the game and looked at him.
"You've killed thousands of people for real. Me playing this is what's weird to you?"
He considered that.
"When you put it that way…"
"Exactly."
He looked at the screen again.
Curious.
"How does it work?"
I stared at him for two seconds.
…then sighed.
"You want to learn?"
He hesitated.
Just a little.
"…maybe."
I tapped the couch beside me.
"Come here then, ancient hybrid. Practical lesson."
He looked at the couch like it was a trap.
Fair.
Still—
He sat.
Stiff. Suspicious.
I handed him the controller.
"This shoots. This aims. Don't shoot everything that moves—"
"That seems counterintuitive."
"Trust me."
He started.
And in less than ten seconds—
He died.
I burst out laughing.
Loud.
No restraint.
He looked at me, offended.
"That was ridiculous."
"You just got killed by a 12-year-old, probably."
"I'm going to kill him."
"You can't. It's online."
Silence.
"…this is frustrating."
I smiled.
"Welcome to the 21st century, dad."
And for the first time since he walked in—
The atmosphere wasn't tense.
Wasn't dangerous.
It was just…
Strangely normal.
After my father left—after losing several times and getting irritated with multiple 12-year-olds—
I gathered everyone.
They were all there.
"Guys, I want to announce that after we deal with Esther and the spirits, I'm going to move to New Orleans for a while," I said calmly. "You're all invited to come, but the city can't be left alone… so whoever wants to stay, take care of it as the new owner."
Silence hit immediately.
Not light silence.
Heavy silence.
Expected.
Bonnie spoke first.
"New Orleans?" she frowned. "Out of nowhere?"
"Not out of nowhere," I said calmly. "I just hadn't said it yet."
Jeremy leaned against the wall.
"This is about Klaus, isn't it?"
I gave a small smile.
"It always is, somehow."
Caroline looked at me.
Not angry.
Worse.
Thinking.
"How long?"
"I don't know. Months… maybe more."
Her jaw tightened slightly.
But she nodded.
Processing.
Amara stood quietly near the door.
"I'm going," she said simply.
Of course she was.
I didn't even look at her—just nodded.
Expected.
Jeremy sighed.
"I'll stay."
Bonnie turned to him.
"Jeremy—"
"Someone has to," he said. "You've said that yourself."
She fell silent.
She knew he was right.
I looked at her.
"Bonnie."
She met my eyes.
"I'm not going to ask you to come."
"I know."
Short silence.
"But if you stay… the city is yours."
Something shifted in her eyes.
Not surprise.
Weight.
Responsibility.
"Power comes with problems."
"I know. That's why I trust you."
She looked away briefly.
Thinking.
Katherine sat quietly, holding onto my shirt.
"I'm going with you," she murmured.
"I know."
Caroline exhaled.
"Of course you do."
She crossed her arms.
"Everyone here depends on you."
"Not everyone."
"Almost everyone."
I looked at her.
"You coming?"
She stayed quiet longer than the others.
Really thinking.
"If you go… you'll cause trouble."
"Probably."
"You'll get into problems."
"Definitely."
"You'll need someone to stop you."
I raised an eyebrow.
"You volunteering?"
She rolled her eyes.
"Don't flatter yourself."
Then—
She smiled slightly.
"But yes. I'm going."
I nodded.
"Good."
Bonnie sighed.
"Great. So you're all going to the most chaotic city in the country while I stay here dealing with everything."
"You won't be alone," Jeremy said.
She looked at him.
Didn't argue.
Amara spoke again.
"When?"
"After we deal with Esther."
They all nodded.
Still processing.
Still accepting.
I looked around.
My people.
My chaos.
My family.
"So… that's it."