Valor | Marcel Gerard

Chapter 13

Everyone was gone.

And there was nothing that could really be done about it, both because everyone was on their own agenda and because Andra had now become Klaus's least favorite person following Mikael.

"So, Elijah is missing," said Andra, counting on her fingers, "Jackson has been M.I.A., and Davina ran off with Kol Mikaelson! So Hayley has to find Jackson in order to find Elijah because he's probably being held wherever Oliver is, as he waits for his execution. And that only happened because he helped rescue those wolf kids and now the witches think he's a traitor because he did the right thing for his pack. My brain is going to explode and I'm not even sure if my brain is fully real. How do I even have consciousness?"

"This is why some people go to therapy," said Ryan sweetly, holding Landon up. "Here. Take the baby. Be calm."

Andra scooped Landon up, rubbing his back affectionately. "Well, I just put all those thoughts together and it is stressful.Because we can't do anything. I already told Klaus that I suspect they're holding them in the cemetery; nobody's seen movement elsewhere and if I were the witches, I'd be luring them into a trap with Elijah and Oliver being held captive; two people Hayley is likely to rescue. We can't do anything about the werewolves, it's not our territory and we won't even know how to appeal to them so they back off."

"Well, they did update us about what's going on so I think they have it handled and we don't need to do anything. Marcel is already handling a distraction for Finn for the rescue mission and Klaus is with Esther, probably snarling and spitting and bringing up childhood trauma. Everyone is already doing something and we weren't invited. In fact, I remember Marcel specifically saying that you needed to lay low for a bit."

"I don't know how to lay low in situations like this! Anytime we had friends in the past, we always did things to help each other when it got bad. This is the first time we have what could be considered a friend group, even an extended family, and I'm useless to do anything. We can't hope to find Davina now that Kol Mikaelson is with her. She's dodging my calls and texts. We know where Elijah and Oliver are, but there's little we can do against witches and wolves that would try to stop them when we can't talk the wolves down and can't do more than supply Hayley with more lobelia flower bombs. Speaking of, why am I even building bombs in here?"

Ryan gestured around the Jardin Gris, "Doesn't this scream 'secret hideout' to you? Because it does to me. Plus you have all the herbs you could possibly want. And it's not like you can make them at the apartment."

He put his hand on Landon's shoulder. "Just relax, Andra. Think of it as a personal day. Us three in the Jardin Gris where we can relax for once. The Originals can handle this one. Besides, I think some distance from the Mikaelsons might be ideal after what Klaus just found out. Talk about daddy issues."

Andra grinned slightly. "And we thought we had it bad. Huh?" She glanced down at the baby in her arms. "But not you, Landon, we're going to love you so much you won't know about that. You may not have a mama or a papa but Ryan and I are going to be the best big brother and sister you could ever ask for. Everything is going to be okay. We've got you, always."

Though everything seemed to be falling apart around them, they did their best to enjoy their day with Landon, occasionally checking in to see if anyone needed anything. Klaus, of course, didn't reply. Hayley had it all handled. And Marcel said Cami had done an amazing job distracting Finn. Andra and Ryan weren't necessary players. Landon seemed to prefer it that way, demanding attention the entirety of the afternoon and refusing to fall asleep.

"Aren't you the cutest little thing?" cooed Andra as they gave him a bubble bath in the sink. "Aren't you the most perfect little boy? Yes you are."

He let out a squeal, wiggling around as Ryan placed a bubble hat on his head. "Makes you think about it a lot, doesn't it?" he murmured. "What we can't have. I just wanted to be normal for so long. Normal life with a wife and kids, maybe even a horse or two. We're here instead. Straight out of Anne of Green Gables except Landon doesn't have red hair and it would have to mean that Anne is the younger sister of Matthew and Marilla. Which makes the book so much more complicated."