34 | NOT TO MY FACE

"Remind me again, why exactly am I being roped into this latest project of yours, Elijah?" Khalia asked, her nose wrinkling in distaste as she eyed the hardware store her dark haired brother just pulled up in front of. Having been pulled out of bed by her least favourite brother for the second morning in a row, did not put the Demon Mikaelson in a good mood. In fact, it left her with a fixed glare on her face as they rode through the streets of New Orleans.

"Think of it as building your people skills." The oldest Original quipped with a smirk before getting out of his expensive car that drew several gazes from the humans around them. Letting out a sound of indignance, Khalia followed suit.

"I don't give a fuck about my people skills and I know you don't either. Which begs the question of why you didn't just compel a human to do it? Would have spared us a whole lot of trouble." Khalia pointed out, ignoring the humans curious and awe struck looks as the sibling duo walked to the enterance of the store. She had no patience for them when she was stone cold sober - which was definitely Elijah's fault. He barely gave her time to comb her hair after waking her up.

She was tempted to just ignore his offer, but the thought of breaking something down and building something new from the ruins was just to tempting. And Elijah, the fucker, he knows it. Knows how his sister loves the physical labour part of redecorating. It was something that not many knew about the Demon Original, but her siblings defenitely knows.

So, for all her complaining about having to do as she was told, Elijah could see the unrestrained excitement in her eyes at the thought of working with her hands. The last time she did something like this, was in Mystic Falls. After the Original family was awakened in Mystic falls, Khalia was more than a little angry with her Hybrid brother - she always was after being awakened - and his newly built house was caught in the crossfire as she kicked his ass up and down,

That was how Khalia ended up fixing everything she destroyed, herself.

The two vampires definitely looked out of place. Elijah, with his thousands of dollars suits. Khalia, with her dark glare and thigh high stiletto leather boots.

"Right," Elijah started, taking an akward pause in the doorway of the hardware store, looking like the very defenition of uncomfortable. Khalia snorted in amusement as her eyes glanced over the rows of equipment. "What do you think we'll need?"

"The basics." The female Mikaelson shrugged before taking off in a direction, Elijah following dutifully behind her with a trolley.

"Which would be what, exactly?"

Khalia rolled her eyes. "Wood, nails, screws, hammers, drills, saws, ect."

Elijah hummed in acknowledgement as his sister began pulling down ietms from the shelves and throwing it into the trolley he grabbed. The male Original was content to just let his sister at it to her hearts desire, following behind her with the trolley.

He would never admit it out loud, but the whole reason he had come up with the idea to renovate the Compound, was to keep Khalia close. He worried about her. That she would fall into the dark abyss of her pain so deeply that she would never be able to get out of it and see the light ever again.  Elijah knows of his sister's love for redecorating and decided to exploit it. The slightly older vampire knew that Hayley wasn't an option for distracting his oldest sister right now and thus had to resort to using other tactics.

What Elijah didn't know, was about his sister's life altering realisation at the Faction party about Hayley being her humanity. How Hayley pulled her from the all consuming darkness she was drowning in faster than she could fight it. Or about the fact that she had no desire whatsoever to go out and wreak choas. It simply held no appeal to her anymore. This on the other hand, was very much appealing and why she agreed to accompany her brother so quickly.

Pushing away all thought about the pregnant werewolf for what Khalia hoped to be forever - even though she knew better because Hayley was eight months pregnant and due within a month, Khalia knows because she keeps track - she made her way towards the next isle. Half an hour later, the Demon Mikaelson declared that she had everthing she need - having compelled one of the workers to deliever the amount of wood that she guess would be needed, to be delivered to the Compound.

Walking to the tills, that had two cashiers, the two vampires walked to the nearest one. The cashier smiled warmly at Elijah, "Planning on some redecorating with the Missus?" And then he nodded to Khalia.

The Demon Mikaelson looked like she was about to loose all of her stomach contents. "Good God, no, he's my brother."

"Oh," The man - Gregory, his name tag read - said, realisation lighting up in his eyes as his smile dimmed somewhat. "Well, now that you mention it, you two look much alike, with the hair and the eyes. Could even pass for twins."

"Yes, siblings tend to share distinctive features." Elijah replied dryly, the second he noticed how his sister froze next to him. Panic rose in him as he looked at her out of the corner of his eyes, wondering if she was going to rip out the man's throat.

Eventually, Khalia snapped herself out of it and spoke. Her voice low and desolate, making Elijah's heart hit the floor. "I had a twin, he's dead." Looking away from the man, she turned to her brother. "I'll wait for you in the car."

Khalia didn't wait for him to answer her, she just left. Elijah stared after her with worry knawing at his mind. Would she really wait for him at the car? Or would see leave and go on another killing spree?

"I'm real sorry about that. Didn't mean to upset her." Gregory apologized sincerely.

Elijah forced a smile, "No need for apologies. It's just a very sensitive subject for her."

"I can only imagine. It's said that to loose a twin, is to loose a part of oneself. That's not something you ever recover from."

"Yes, my sister has been spiraling down a dark path. And I fear that I may one day loose her to it." Elijah sighed, feeling strangely comfortable about talking to this human about Khalia.

"Best you can do is to be there for her, even when she pushes you away." Gregory offered with a small smile, eyes filled with sadness. Elijah realised that this man had a point.

"Thank you." Elijah smiled sincerely, feeling a little lighter than before.

***

Elijah couldn't even begin to describe the relief he felt when his spotted his sister sitting in the passenger side of his car. Loading the bags into the boot, Elijah sent a small prayer of thanks to whoever was listening. When he got into the car, he noticed that his sister was tensed, but didn't have a murderous glint in her eyes.

Now Elijah was gobsmacked and didn't know whether to be relieved or scared.

Khalia had never been 'the calm before the storm' type, instead choosing to succumb to her anger and dive nose first into bloodshed and fighting. After a thousand years, she wouldn't suddenly change. Right? Right. Elijah shook of the irrational fear and started the car. There was no need to make a big deal of something so small.

Two hours later, Elijah and Khalia was busy renovating the Compound with the help of a few compelled humans. The two were down in the courtyard when Klaus and Genevieve come downstairs to find the source of the noise that has clearly woken them up.

"Enough with all the racket!" Klaus called out, making his presense known. The Demon Mikaelson looked up from where she was measuring a piece of wood.

"Good morning Nik!" Khalia called joyously, her mood having lifted considerably in the past two hours that she's been busy working on the renovation.

"Well, you certainly seem to be in a spectacular mood this morning." Klaus noted, looking at his sister with slight suspision. "Who did you kill?"

Khalia gaped at him, then shot him an offended look. "No one. I simply enjoy my task at hand."

And then everything fell together for Klaus. Elijah's insitance at fixing up some things around the Compound, Khalia's love for redecorating and fixing up houses. He had to hand it to Elijah, the man is a genius. Distracting their sister from her murderous tendancies by letting her do the one thing she loves more than Kol and going on killing sprees.

"Is there a problem, brother?" Elijah asked with a knowing smirk. He saw the moment his brother figured out his true motives behind the renovating. The eldest Original turns to the workers, "Gentlemen, please." And the noise came to a screeching halt at his words.

"I agreed to a general sprucing up, not a bloody three-ring circus." The Hybrid groused, fighting off the smile that threatened to spread on his lips. The complaining was now mostly just for show, having seen the pure look of joy on his sister's face.

"Marcel and his minions abused our home for the better part of a century. Now, you might be content to live in squalor. I'm not." Elijah retorted easily and smoothly.

"Yes, Nik, he is so devoted to this project of his that he's even decided to sacrifice one of his suits." Khalia jabbed good naturedly, a playful smirk on her lips, pointing to the slacks and button up that her brother refused to change out of when she changed into a pair of loose jeans, an old t-shirt that had a few bloodstains on them and a pair of sneakers. "But, all jokes aside, Elijah is right. This place could easily be compared to the Pit."

Klaus gaped at his sister's nonchalant words while Elijah snorted.

Genevieve saw her chance and decided to take it. It wasn't everyday that you were in the presence of a relaxed Khalia Mikaelson. "I agree with your brother and sister. It's a new era in the French Quarter. This place could use a makeover."

Still not pleased with the fact that the red head was more than a little responsible for Rebekah's departure and Klaus' pain and partly responsible for the fact that Elijah had to dagger her, Khalia's famous rage immediately flared at the sound of her voice.

"No one asked you opinion, city whore." Khalia spat right before launching a nail at Genevieve's forehead that the witch stopped just in time with her magic. "Pity." Khalia sighed in genuine disappointment.

"Has anyone ever told you that you are missing a screw?" Genevieve practically snarked, hands shaking from fear.

Khalia gave her an amused smirk, a dark glint in her eyes. "Not to my face, no." And then the Demon Mikaelson launched another nail at the witch's head, which Genevieve stopped again. The Mikaelson girl heaved a deep sigh of disappointment once more.

"Do you want to start a war?" Genevieve asked with narrowed eyes, her heart beat speeding up as fear started spreading through her body. Her fingers twitched with magic, she wanted nothing more than to snap Khalia's neck. The witch restrained herself, knowing that it will send the Mikaelson girl over the edge and she would be dead before the day is over. Davina had warned them all not to provoke Khalia Mikaelson in that way. She also told them to never, under any circumstance, threaten Hayley's life and it would really be in everyone's interest to just not mention the pregnant werewolf in Khalia's presence at all.

Khalia smirked smugly, the look in her eyes dangerous. An uncomfortable shiver climbed up Genevieve's spine. "Firstly, you'd never win a war against me. Even if I started it alone and without the help of my siblings. Secondly, I didn't sign that damned treaty. Elijah didn't even bother asking because he knew that I'd rip it to shreds. And thirdly," Khalia sped down to Genevieve and got into her space. Both Elijah and Klaus tensed, ready to restrain their sister if need be. "If you ever threaten me again, I will smack your head from your body." She gave the witch a feral grin, flashing her vampire eyes and fangs are her. "Literally."

Then she spead back to the table where she was busy measuring wood.

"Careful, Elijah. When this one agrees with you, it's a sure sign she wants something." Klaus said, trying to break the uncomfortable tension in the room. Glancing at his sister, the Hybrid wondered how she looked like she didn't have a care in the world when not five seconds ago, she looked ready to murder.

"Actually I do have a request." The witch admitted.

"Now, why am I not even the slightest bit surprised?" Khalia asked with a huff, not looking up as she spoke.

Clenching her jaw, Genevieve pretended not to hear the Demon Mikaelson - even though her skin crawled and she wanted to get out of here - and she continued speaking. "I'm told our coven hasn't been able to celebrate feast days in the open since Marcel restricted the use of magic. Now with the new peace, I'd like that to change."

"Am I to assume that you have a certain feast day in mind?" Elijah gave her a flat look.

"La Fete des Benedictions. Feast of the Blessings. In the past, members of the community offered witches gifts in exchange for blessings. We'd like to use it as a forum for introducing our young Harvest girls to society." The red head explained to the three Originals.

"Sounds innocent enough," Khalia shrugged, sparing a glance up at the trio. All of their heads snapped to her, shock written on their faces. For good reason to, what with Khalia always preaching how much she loathes witches. Elijah eyed her - something didn't fit. "Except for the part that Harvest girls are supposed to be more powerful than normal witches and I already don't trust a weak one like you, Ginger, much less one of them."

And there it was, Elijah thought with a concealed smirk as Klaus snickered loudly from Khalia's blunt words and the look of rage that passed over Genevieve's face - either for being called weak or a ginger. Maybe both. Even after a thousand years, he still can't get over the fact that she has absolutely no filter.

"So your coven attempted to destroy my family - and you yourself held my siblings in unspeakable torment - and you would like a party for the witches?" Elijah questions sassily, making both Klaus and Khalia chuckle at his words.

"I made my amends with your brother." Genevieve stated, noticing the way Khalia was staring at her. It was unnerving and the last of her resolve broke. She needed to get out of here. Now. "Why don't you think it over?" Genevieve leaves the Mikaelson Compound quicker than she's done anything in her whole life.

"Oh, don't be such a stiff, Elijah. The tourists love a good festival. Besides, what better way to cement the solidarity than a show of faith toward a one-time enemy?" The Hybrid asked his brother.

"A onetime enemy with whom you've grown rather nauseatingly intimate." Elijah said, clearly disapproving.

"Well, who said maintaining alliances can't be fun?" Klaus asked with a coy smirk. A disgusted look pulled over Khalia's face.

"If sleeping with the person who caused you pain, is your idea of fun, Nik, then you need a few more sessions on Claire's couch." Khalia told her brother, a deadpan look on her face before going back to measuring. She pulled the pencil from behind her ear and made some marks on the wood.

"It's Camille." Klaus corrected her.

"I don't care." Khalia shrugged, not looking up from her work.

"One would think you'd be a little more interested in attending to the needs of the mother of your child." Elijah snapped at his brother, not liking his uninterested attitude when it comes to his unborn infant.

"So, she's the reason behind this oh-so-thoughtful renovation?" Klaus teased, if for nothing else but the way his sister tensed before she scowled in their older brother's direction. "Elijah, the truth is, the mother of my child is werewolf royalty. She's far safer in the Bayou with her pack than she would ever be here with us." The Hybrid informed his brother matter-of-factly. "Don't worry. I'll bring her home before the birth. No child of mine will be born in a swamp." He assured them.

And if the two Original brother's noticed how their sister visibly lit up, clearly relieved and happy because of this news, then they were both smart enough not to say anything about it.

***

AUTHOR'S NOTE

yes, yes, no Haylia, i know, but Khalia threatening someone is always fun. right?

hope you enjoyed!

-Mixie