Original Vampires, Welcome to New Orleans (The Originals Seasons 1 and 2 Fanfic)

Chapter 26: Family Banter... Just Like Old Times

'Enough already with the family squabbling,' Rebekah said while walking in the French Quarter as music played and shop vendors sold their wares. 'Come on, Nik. Even you can see the situation has become awkward.'

'There's nothing awkward about it,' Klaus said over the line. 'Hayley and Hope belong in the compound, where they're safe. 'As much as I would like Elijah's help to kill Finn, if his delicate sensibilities are offended by the presence of Hayley's new husband, then he's welcome to continue sulking across the river with his gorgeous girlfriend in tow.'

'As I have explained to you repeatedly, brother,' Elijah responded over the line, 'my presence here in Algiers is purely to assemble allies, and given all the enemies we have afoot in the form of wayward siblings and ancient, maniacal Aunt Dahlias, I would think that you would applaud my efforts.'

'Well, if it's my applause you seek, you shouldn't have dashed off in a bloody huff,' Klaus snapped cheekily.

'All right. Can you two at least try and stay focused on what's best for Hope's safety?' Rebekah asked tiredly.

'I would like nothing more,' Elijah said.

'I am doing exactly that,' Klaus snapped, talking over his brother.

'See, you're on the same team. Conflict resolved, crisis averted.' She hung up the call, placing it in her pocket, and began to look at something, when someone caught her eye. She began to move through the streets, when she bumped into someone. 'Excuse you, too,' she said. The person turned to look at her, and she moved away from him and down the street, trying to lose the people currently on her trail. She kept looking behind her, and finally made it to an alleyway. It was a dead end. The two men caught up with her. 'Are you two looking for anything, besides a smack in the jaw?' she exclaimed angrily.

'You will die for what you've done,' one of them said, walking towards her. She raised her hand to propel them back, but her magic wasn't working. She tried again, and yelled in frustration.

'Stupid bloody magic!' The same one who had spoken pulled out a rattle and began to shake it. She crumpled to her knees, crying out in pain, holding her head. Suddenly, someone took them out and vamp sped in front of her.

'There's more of them on the way,' Marcel said, reaching out his hand to her. 'We should probably go.' She sat frozen. 'Rebekah?'

'How did you know?' she finally mustered the courage to ask.

'We can talk about that later. We don't have all day.' He helped her stand and then vamp sped away from the alley with her in tow.

Marcel poured himself a drink as Rebekah paced idly.

'You haven't spoken a word in 30 minutes,' he said. She said nothing. He checked his watch. '31. Fine. I'll answer for you.' He turned to her and sat down. ' "Thank you for rescuing me, Marcel. It's so good of you to still care, even though no one told you I was back".'

'I asked them not to.'

'There she is. Why?'

'It's complicated.'

'You think?'

'How did you find me, anyway?' she snapped.

'I knew you were you, I knew you were up to something, so I followed you, okay? And it's a good thing I did. That market is bad news. The Treme witches are not friendly to outsiders. What were you doing there?'

'I was looking for anything that could help boost my magic. I promised Kol I'd find a way to bring him back, and I can't do that as an amateur hour witch.'

'Okay. You need to be more careful.'

'I can take care of myself.'

'All evidence to the contrary,' he replied.

'Don't be condescending, just because you got to play hero for one, tiny moment,' she snapped.

'One tiny, saved your life from certain death moment.' Just then Elijah and I walked into the room.

'Are you all right?' Elijah asked. She turned to face him.

'Barely. The attackers knew me, Elijah, not me me, but this, her, whoever she is. They want her dead.'

'We will find them and show them why their anger is unwise,' I said, Elijah and I stepping around Rebekah to see Marcel.

'You don't want to mess with that crowd, all right?' Marcel replied, looking between the two of us. 'We want answers, we need to ask Josephine LaRue. She serves as matriarch to the covens outside of the Quarter. She'll know who wants Rebekah dead.'

'How can you be so sure?' Rebekah asked.

'She bankrolls the Fauline Cottage. She'll know exactly who you are and why you were locked up in there. '

'And what if she wants to lock me right back up?' Rebekah retorted. 'I won't go back to that horrid place.'

'The two of you go and see what you can find about this body you now possess,' Elijah replied, 'and I will pay a visit to Josephine.' He turned to his sister. 'A warning to you. You are not who you once were. This body's all too vulnerable.' He turned and began to leave.

'What about me?' I asked. He turned to face us.

'You're coming with me, darling,' he said. We went to leave again, but Marcel called out.

'Elijah.' We faced them again. 'Josephine is an eccentric old bat with no love for vampires. Your charms might not work as well as you think.'

'My charms are quite adaptable, Marcellus, let me assure you.' We both turned and left the building.

The three of us were in mine and Elijah's apartment in Algiers, with our third guest being Gia, the vampire that Marcel had placed under mine and Elijah's tutelage.

'Can't we just bring wine or coffee cake, bundt cake, any kind of cake?' Gia asked, packing away her violin.

'From what I can gather, Ms. LaRue was something of a musical prodigy in her youth,' Elijah replied. 'The way to her heart is the music that she loves the most. 'Beethoven, "Sonata number 9, opus 47".' He passed her a piece of paper.

'How about I bring my laptop, speakers, add a drumbeat?' she snarked.

'The promise of your performance is what opened the door for us,' I said. 'If this fails, the life of someone Elijah and I care for deeply will be in jeopardy, and that would displease us immensely.' We turned to leave.

'Shall we move, please?' Elijah asked.

'No,' she said, causing us to turn around. 'Why don't you make our lives easier, just compel someone from the symphony?'

'My darling Gia, you are an artist, far more gifted than anyone from any local symphony,' Elijah replied. 'Unfortunately, Ms. LaRue despises vampires, and we need to show her that our community's comprised of a - a different breed with a new sophistication.'

'Sophisticated, huh?' she asked. 'I suppose you want me in a dress.'

'We should adapt for our audience, yes,' I replied, letting out a chuckle.

'And you - dark suit on the left side of your closet or identical dark suit on the right?'

'I prefer the one in the middle, thank you so much.' She stood.

'Man, if anyone ever needed a woman to mess his life up a bit...' she began to say, but stalled. 'Right. You already have one.'

'Right on there,' I said, linking my arm with Elijah's.

'For what it's worth, I thought Marcel and I had a thing,' Gia admitted. 'We may not be in the same boat, but it's the same ocean.' She walked around him and I and left the apartment.