laissez les bon temps rouler//jackson kenner

2.22

Jack and I walk down the streets of the French Quarter as I push Jolie in her stroller. We talk as we pass locals and tourists alike milling around. Like always there are musicians playing jazz in the streets. Jolie coos, and I giggle as I tickle her tummy.

Jack smiles at me. "Well, Mrs. Mikaelson-Kenner, now that you've got a real local to show you around the Quarter, what would you like to see first?"

I laugh a little. "Oh, Mr. Kenner, I'd ask to see your old haunts, and show you a few of my own, but we do have an impressionable young lady with us." I tickle Jolie again and she smiles.

We approach a violinist on the sidewalk who is playing an upbeat tune. We stop to listen. I bend down next to Jolie and point at the violinist. "Whoaaaaa!"

The violinist continues playing the tune a little longer before smiling and dramatically ending the song. I smile back at the woman and drop some money into her violin case. "Thanks!"

As Jack, Jolie, and I start to walk away, the violinist starts playing a much slower tune. I pause at the tone, it sounds vaguely familiar. I feel like I've heard it before but I can't put my finger on it. I look at the violinist who is already staring at Jack and I.

I look at Jack, unnerved. "That song... What is it?"

Looking back at the violinist she is staring at us creepily. I quickly turn back around and start walking. As we head down the street, I start scanning my surroundings. I see a waiter writing a message onto the chalkboard outside of a restaurant that reads, "A promise made is a debt to be paid." I try to play it cool, unsure of who is watching.

Suddenly, we're stopped by a man holding a large, long-stemmed red and black flower in his hand. "Flowers, miss." He holds it out to Jolie. "A gift for the child."

Jack can sense my alarm and steps in. "Uh, no, we're alright. Thank you!"

"You sure?" the salesman asks. He holds up the flower and smiles creepily. "Black dahlias are in bloom. They're quite lovely."

I start to walk past the man, but he grabs me tightly by the arm as both of his eyes turn pure white. Out of nowhere, Nik appears and shoves the man against a light post as he puts him in a choke-hold. "Show yourself, witch."

Suddenly, Jackson is overwhelmed by an unknown force as the flower salesman's eyes return to normal. After a moment, Jackson's eyes become pure white.

I step back in shock. "Nik!"

Nik turns to find Jackson standing straight in front of us. "I am here. I am everywhere. And I intend to take what is mine," Jack states.

Nik scowls at Jack. "It's her."

Jack groans. He looks at me confused. I just stare at him in shock and fear. "Hey, what just happened?"

Nik sighs. "Dahlia."

Bekah, Nik, Elijah, Freya, Hayley, and I convene in the dining room to discuss what happened.

"Isn't that the point of a fortress? It does a better job of protecting you when you stay within its walls?" Nik questions.

I groan. "Okay! We get it. Now, let's just figure out what the hell we're gonna do."

Nik starts to shout, "What I would like to do is take a strong leash..."

Elijah cuts him off, "Children, please. Niklaus, your ire is justified. However, Else is quite right." I shrug my shoulders as I give Nik a smug grin. "We need to find a new strategy. Freya, if you please?"

Freya sighs. "The spell you described... Dahlia calls it 'kenning' using proxies to watch her enemies from afar." I look at Freya curiously. She pauses and can tell she is overwhelmed. "But, I've never seen it done on quite this scale."