#mine: josh and davina

[forbescaroline]

11k celebration: top 50 m/f friendships (as voted by my followers) #14. josh rosza and davina claire - the originals

[audreycecilemoore]

An Interview with Emily Paxman, Author of Death on the Caldera

Author Interview #7

You can read here or on my Substack

Emily Paxman is a fan of musicals, local theater, Pride and Prejudice, Stardew Valley, and exclamation points

We've joked about how nobody cares about your MFA in children's lit. Anything you want to let people know before pursuing an MFA?

Emily Paxman: I actually did love doing my MFA in Creative Writing, despite the way I talk about it! I learned a ton and wouldn’t be the writer I am today without it. What I always want to warn people of is that these degrees really are optional, from a publishing standpoint. Your bio is not what gets you a book deal and very few programs can actually hook you up with industry insiders who can fast-track you towards publication. So I don’t recommend them for that purpose. What you will get out of an MFA is a chance to dedicate yourself to studying your craft with both peers and published experts (your professors).

A quick note about how mine focused in Writing for Children and Youth: I would advise people who write genre fiction and are in an MFA program to take some classes from the Children’s lit side of the department. In my program, those were the people who were publishing the most commercially and using the most “genre” elements (like sci-fi, mystery and fantasy) in their work. I kind of drifted into Children’s lit because of it and it isn’t something I regret at all, even though I ended up writing for adults as a published author.

If Death on the Caldera was a musical, what would be the names of the opening and closing numbers?

Emily Paxman: LOL, this question! So first off, Death on the Caldera would be a very weird musical. I’m not going to say it WOULDN’T work, but it would be tough. I guess there would at least be lots of fun ensemble numbers!

As for opening and closing numbers, I am a big fan of when those mirror each other. So to that end, I’m going to say the opening would be titled: “A Short Trip” and the finale would be: “A Short Trip (reprise).”

Do you have a fancast for any of your characters?

Emily Paxman: I have a few, though I can be a bit fussy about these sorts of things. And unfortunately, I am not super well versed in up and coming stars, so a lot of these are going to be “so and so, but probably like 10 years ago, because they got old.”

Davina is the easiest - if Anya Taylor Joy had simply worn a darker haired wig while playing Emma, you would have Davina incarnate.

Kellen has always been tough because Hollywood doesn’t cast very many tall, stringy men in films. A young Domnhall Gleeson is about the closest I’ve ever found to what I picture for Kellen. The nose and cheekbones are at least right.

Morel is Pearl Harbour era Josh Hartnett. I’ve never actually seen the film, but what a cute boy!

And finally, about the only character I actively DID picture a film star for is Lord Ambrose Carey. He’s Dev Patel.

AC: Yes, Dev Patel! I fully endorse this casting. Get him on the phone!

You're from British Columbia and it's well-known that a big disaster is supposed to be coming to the PNW in the foreseeable future. Did that help to influence the worldbuilding, such as the royal family taking different names to hide from a vengeful volcano god?

Emily Paxman: Possibly? I think my earthquake anxiety shows up more in other books I’ve written, but I do find natural disasters interesting. I think the thing about BC that really influenced the book was the Rocky Mountains. I spent a lot of my childhood driving back and forth between the BC coast and Alberta, where my dad’s extended family lives, and in order to do that, you’ve got to cross the Rockies. When the characters get stranded by a train crash in the mountains, this was the placeI was thinking about. It’s a beautiful and forbidding land where your cellphone still drops service and internet between the little towns dotted along the route.

We gotta know Emmy: what's your favorite character you've ever played on stage?

Emily Paxman: As of right now, Paulette Bonafonte in Legally Blonde! She was an absolute blast.

There are a lot of POV characters in Death on the Caldera. Who was your favorite to write, who surprised you the most, and who did you almost kill off so you'd never have to look at them again and why?

Emily Paxman: Great question! My favorite was probably Davina, which is a good thing, since she’s the main character. I think she would be absolutely miserable to deal with in real life, but that’s what made her fun to write. She’s a tenacious, angry girl and it was always very easy to get her to do things in the story, because she’s so willing to go into harm’s way for what she wants.

For who surprised me most, Emeth took me the longest to really unpack and understand. He’s a quiet, sensitive man who keeps things very close to his vest and I went through several versions of his character before I really felt like I “got” him just right.

As for who I almost killed off so I wouldn’t have to write them again? Um… I mean, I DID kill them off. And that’s all I’ll say about that.

Any tips or tricks for balancing a large cast, especially when word counts are going down?

Emily Paxman: Kill some of the POV characters before the book is done. You don’t have to do a full character arc for every POV character if some of them die.

Okay, okay! In terms of more practical advice, I would say, know WHY you’re using the POVs you’re using. This book is heavily inspired by Agatha Christie and while the aesthetics are largely coming from Murder on the Orient Express, the plot is much more directly inspired by And Then There Were None. One of the things that book does incredibly well is introduce ambiguity by making EVERYONE - including the murderer - a viewpoint character. There’s a degree of unreliability in everyone’s point of view, but also hints that will help you catch the killer, especially on a reread. I used the structure I did because I think it’s incredibly effective. I didn’t want the reader to have the comfort of knowing that just because they were currently “with” a particular character, that meant the character wouldn’t die eventually or wasn’t a killer. To me, that was part of making the mystery fair play.

In terms of overall balance, I would also say that even in a large cast, there probably SHOULD still be a central protagonist. Someone is going to go on the biggest journey. Someone’s growth and choices are going to define the climax. That person’s story should be the organizing principle for all the others. In And Then There Were None, that character is Vera Claythorne. In Death on the Caldera, it’s Davina Linde.

Character, plot, voice/prose, and worldbuilding can all be used to drive a story forward. Which is your favorite way to write and your favorite when you read?

Emily Paxman: I feel like this might be a bit of surprise, but I’m easily a character writer and reader. Character drives all my choices in voice and prose. Worldbuilding to me exists to support the characters and their conflicts. And plot is really just the thing that happens when characters react to external events, then make choices to resolve those situations and likely cause more problems. Character all the way.

Death on the Caldera has been sold and marketed as ‘Murder on the Orient Express with witches.’ What have been the challenges of adapting a classic murder mystery to fantasy?

Emily Paxman: I think the biggest one is that Agatha Christie had the advantage of not needing to do worldbuilding and that allowed her books to be incredibly tight. She leaned heavily on stereotypes and stock characters to get readers into her stories very quickly, then would peel back the facades later on, adding depth to the initial caricatures. But if you remove real world context, a lot of those stock characterizations are kind of flat in fantasy. There’s a big difference between the stereotypes we have in mind for a “police officer” and “a British police officer” and in high fantasy (like my book) you don’t get the advantage of context for those more specific stock characters that Christie used, like “British police officer.” So all while writing Death on the Caldera, I tried to establish the equivalent fantasy context for the reader, so that they could have a Christie-like adventure in a wholly new world. But that cost me words and eventually I realized I would never be able to copy Christie’s pacing the way I wanted. Both Murder on the Orient Express and And Then There Were None are under 60K words. My book is twice that length.

I also purposely made the choice to make my story more character driven than Christie’s. Poirot is what’s known as an “iconic” hero–one who doesn’t change book to book, but rather is the unchanging, constant in a rotating cast of characters. I wanted the Linde family to have more traditional character arcs. That also meant I needed more words. The action couldn’t be fully confined to the mystery because there were character moments to track as well.

Everyone is super hungry for fantasy mysteries after the success of The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett. Do you think it's gonna be the next big trend or is it just gonna be you, RJB, and Antonia Hodgson after publishers try to make fetch happen?

Emily Paxman: I have NO idea! I really wish I could guess. I think it will depend on how much the trend is able to draw people from mystery into fantasy, because that was a huge part of what made Romantasy as big as it became–it wasn’t just that it appealed to fantasy readers, it’s that it actively converted Romance readers to the genre. As of right now, I’m more seeing the mystery trend take off within pre-existing Fantasy circles. These are readers who already read fantasy books who are interested in seeing more mystery elements in their work. That being said, things could change! I’ve actually been pleasantly surprised with how many mystery and thriller book lists, instagrammers, influencers, etc have been interested in Death on the Caldera. The lines between different genres are growing fainter, so who knows?

OK, you have all the money in the world to adapt any book ever, including your own, into any medium you pick. Musical, concept album, movie, ice skating program, anything. What are you adapting and how are you gonna do it?

Emily Paxman: Well okay, if my own is an option, then let’s do Death on the Caldera! I think it would be phenomenal as a TV mini-series. It’s actually got a few elements that would make it a really good property for film and television - the magic is fairly grounded and there aren’t a ton of locations needed for filming and the special effects needed are moderate. Most of the book takes place at a crashed train on a mountain and that’s it. So cost effective! Come buy my rights, Hollywood!

For a “not by me” project, someone needs to adapt Miss Congeniality to a musical and then let me play Grace Hart, thanks. Whoops, you said book. Whatever. I want to sing a little song while beating a man up on stage for my “talent” and I want it now.

AC: And we need to keep the ‘One in a Million’ dance number

As a fellow romance fan, I would love to know what is your favorite trope in the genre and how do you feel about the third act break-up, which has become less common in recent years?

Emily Paxman: I go absolutely wild for marriage of convenience. It’s my favourite romance trope ever, partially because its conflicts largely come from trying to make a relationship work, whereas a lot of other romances seem totally uninterested in the types of conflicts that happen after a relationship has formed. As for the third act break-up… I’m mixed on it. I think in some scenarios, it makes a lot of sense and I don’t mind it at all. But when the characters go through it as a matter of course, it becomes quite grating. I guess I just want whatever conflict is inserted into the third act to feel motivated. Because I agree! We need SOMETHING there to put the happy ending in jeopardy. But it should be something that grows naturally out of the story, not something shoe-horned in for the sake of ticking a box.

I was really impressed with how you wrote Rae. It's hard for a lot of people to nail a child character, especially one that young. What do you suggest people do so they can improve that aspect in their own writing?

Emily Paxman: Treat kids as just as intelligent as you. Kids are making the best choices they can with very limited knowledge about the world they’re in. They’re trying to get what they want and they’re trying to be understood. They are almost never consciously trying to be cute or inspiring or whatever secondary characteristics the adults in their lives ascribe to them.

Also, write from your own self as a child. Rae and I grew up in very different circumstances, but the way she thinks about the world and reasons about it is essentially me at that age. Her questions are the questions I would have asked. She worries about the things that would have concerned me.

You've sold two books but didn't have that ‘sold in three hours for ten bazillion dollars’ experience that takes up a majority of the buzz around publishing deals. Is there anything you want to tell the majority of authors out there who are in the middle of or are about to have a similar experience to you?

Emily Paxman: Mostly, don’t give up hope too soon but also, yes. You need to write the next thing. I’ve got the very good fortune that I wrote my second book long before my first one will come out, and that’s largely because I wrote it while on submission for Death on the Caldera. I can’t tell you how much less stressful it is knowing that I won’t be doing “book 2” syndrome with a book that I have to write totally from scratch during a frantic publishing schedule.

And second, once you’ve sold, don’t make assumptions about what the “ceiling” is for your book. Be easy for your publishing team to deal with, but don’t conflate that with being a doormat. Believe in your work. Advocate for it. Ask for things you don’t think you’ll get. You would be surprised how often someone actually says “yes” to those asks. I feel like even though I didn’t have the buzzy start, we’re in a really good position now with lots of great hype going into the release. My team did end up really throwing their shoulders behind the book and I’m so grateful for that. Overall, it’s been a wonderful experience and I’m so excited to work with Titan on my second book.

You had the very cool chance of including your own artwork in the first edition printing. How did that come about?

Emily Paxman: Yes! I’m so happy about the art cards! The art isn’t in the book itself, of course, but Titan has been sending ARCs out with a gorgeous postcard sized piece of artwork that features all 10 viewpoint characters, staring at a dead arm peeking into the image frame. We’re calling it our suspect line-up, lol!

And this is a perfect example of asking for things, even if you don’t think they’ll happen. During my big, “meet-the-team” call with the publicity and marketing departments, I mentioned how much I would love character art, since that tends to play well on social media, plus as a bit of an artist myself, I just love character art. The big issue, however, was budget, which I completely understand. It costs a lot to commission good quality character art and something featuring all 10 characters??? Get out of town. That would cost a bundle.

But they started batting around the idea of doing something simpler, like silhouettes, and since I’d mentioned that I did art, the team lead suggested I send in some reference sketches, so that they might have something to work off of. When I did, she liked the rough sketch so much, she asked if I would be okay with Titan using my artwork to promote the book. To which I said, “give me a couple weeks” and painted the scene now winging its way to book people the world over!

I’m incredibly proud of it. It’s one of my favourite pieces I’ve ever painted. All those years making comics for fun feels like it’s really culminated in this! I’m excited for people to get to see this comic book style take on what my characters all look like and who knows? Maybe someone else can come up with a better actor reference for Kellen, lol!

AC: There's all kinds of advice out there in regards to the writing process, but I've found that the best thing to do is experiment with a lot of authors' processes until you find a combination that works for you. What's your process like?

Emily Paxman: I consider myself a pantser, in that I don’t really plan out much before starting to write. With Death On the Caldera, there was a bit of an exception, in that I did pick who would have “done” it fairly early on, but it was a bit arbitrary. I really didn’t know their “why” yet and made myself figure it out on the fly.

In recent years, the way I’ve tried to bridge my natural instincts toward writing chaotically from the seat of my pants and building something with a functional structure, is that I usually have some sort of clear “mentor text” I’m working from for the plot, plus a book on plotting at my disposal for clarifying what beats I should be hitting when. In this book’s case, those were the books of Agatha Christie and the craft book Writing and Selling Your Mystery Novel by Hallie Ephron.

AC: We talk a lot in writers spaces about how you have to read modern authors to be part of the conversation going on in our genres. What books are your book in conversation with?

Emily Paxman: While Christie is the most obvious one, I think my book also owes a lot to Six of Crows. That book was still relatively new when I started drafting Death on the Caldera and I thought it was one of the best fantasy/genre mash-ups I’d ever read. Since then, The Tainted Cup obviously comes to mind too, though that wasn’t out yet when my book sold to Titan. Instead, it’s an example of how something can kind of be in the air and several different authors are all picking up on the same vibe at the same time!

Author as Brand feels like a big part of being a writer these days. What do you want your Brand to be?

Emily Paxman: Fun, genre blending books. I don’t think I really want to be limited by a more specific brand than that, as is fairly apparent by the differences between Death on the Caldera and the second book I sold to my publisher. Book 2 is a post-apocalyptic romcom and has VERY different vibes from my first book. I feel very lucky that I haven’t been limited by a super specific “brand” and don’t have to treat my persona like a product. I hope I can maintain that with time.

Some authors focus on food, others on clothes. What's your favorite way to worldbuild?

Emily Paxman: Probably plants. I love to garden and while I don’t do it consciously, plants play a huge role in the way I describe physical locations. I spent a lot of time looking up tree varieties that grow in the Rockies while writing Death on the Caldera and my next book has even more local plant knowledge that I just flex on for fun all the time.

What's next on the horizon for you?

Emily Paxman: So as mentioned, Titan just bought a second book from me! It’s not officially announced yet, so I’ll spare any details regarding the title for the time being, but I’m dipping my toes in sci-fi now, with a post-apocalyptic romantic comedy. I LOVE this big, silly book. Can’t wait for people to read it next year!

Are there any writers you wanna give a shout-out to?

Emily Paxman: Christie is the obvious one, but if I were to shout out a couple contemporary favourite authors, it would be Emily Henry for romance, Attica Locke for mystery, Fonda Lee for fantasy and Martha Wells for science fiction. I’m also a massive Hunger Games fan. I refuse to believe Suzanne Collins has ever written a bad book.

Thank you, Emmy!

Where to buy:

Amazon

Bookshop.org

Indigo Books

Barnes and Noble

Waterstones

[braveclementine]

The Visit and More Secrets- Not Mine This Time

Warnings: None

Copyright: I do not own any Twilight characters or locations. I do own Davina Mikelson and Marcel. I also own the backstory for my OC. I do not condone any copying of this.

Davina P.O.V.

I was curled up in the backseat with Sam. He had the window open, making sure he could breathe with the 'terrible vampire stench' in the car.

Carlisle was in the front drivers' seat. Emmett was in the other seat. Jasper and Alice sat in the middle row. Sam, Seth, and I were in the back.

Seth had insisted upon coming, even though I had told him he didn't have to. I think he felt obligated to because his own father had died recently. I think he wanted to be there for me and it just made me feel worse for not being there for his own father.

Edward, Rosalie, Esme, and Bella had stayed back in Forks. Sam had left Jacob in charge of the pack. Jared had wanted to come, but he was torn between his 'mother' and Kim. I had told him to stay. Later, Sam and Seth would share their thoughts and it would make all the wolves feel like they had been there.

I just hoped nothing drastic happened.

Emmett and Jasper were both 'Mamas boys' so they had decided to come and Alice wanted to come too, so it was settled. And of course, Carlisle would never have stayed behind.

I grew more and more nervous as we got closer and closer to Kentucky. So nervous that Jasper often had to fill the car with a calming aura.

Halfway across country over the first half of the trip, my phone rang and I dug it out of my pocket. I groaned. "I don't want to talk to him."

"Who is it?" Sam asked quietly.

"Officer Malone." I muttered. I flipped it over, putting it on speaker since they'd all hear anyways and I was to lazy to hold the phone. "Yeah?"

"I need the location of which hotel you're staying in. So we can get the soldiers there for your protection."

"I don't want the escorts." I said flatly.

"Do you want to be openly attacked in the public?" Officer Malone sneered. He hated me. His brother had died in the bomb squad and he was only stuck with me because he had the case initially.

"I'll take my chances, yeah." I muttered.

Office Malone was silent on the other side, muttering to someone. Sam's arms were tight around me. Seth looked utterly bored, but also tense at the same time. "Fine. How about Marcel and your Uncle?"

I was silent for a moment. "I'll meet them at the cemetery."

He grumbled, "You do realize you're not particularly liked by a majority of the citizens here, right?"

"I'm aware." I said stiffly. Emmett and Jasper were glaring at the phone now.

"So when you get a rock thrown at your head because you have no protection-"

"I have protection." I muttered.

"We told you not to bring any weapons."

"I didn't. I brought friends."

He laughed, "You have friends."

I rolled my eyes. Alice stopped Emmett from breaking the phone in two. Seth was shaking and I quickly reached out to put the phone on mute, "Carlisle pull over now."

Carlisle did with a jerk, and Jasper yanked open the door. Seth ran out and into the nearby forest.

I took the phone off mute. "I'll meet Uncle Josh and Marcel at the cemetery. That's final. Good-bye."

"He's very nice." Emmett muttered when I hung up.

Sam went out to get Seth and everyone rearranged themselves in the car. Jasper was driving now, Alice sitting in the front seat. I climbed into the middle section to sit with Carlisle- basically on his lap- Emmett sitting next to us. Sam and Seth climbed back into the back.

We settled in for a long ride. I fell asleep comfortably in Carlisle's cold arms, his lips against my hair.

-------------

On the day of the 'festival' I dressed in black.

It was a knee length black dress with a slight V-neck. Two strands came around to form a bow in the front. Nothing extreme, nothing provocative, nothing over the top either. I put on a small silver cross that showed above the neckline. I brushed my hair back, curling it in the curls that Carlisle loved. Alice helped with the makeup, making me look just right. Not over-the-top, but I didn't look horrible either.

"You guys may want to stay a few feet back from me." I murmured as we got ready to leave the hotel. I could already feel people's eyes on me. "So you don't end up in the magazines."

I was saying this mostly to the vampires who would probably- hopefully- never die. If their faces went into a newspaper or appeared on TV. . .

I took a deep breath, walking briskly out of the hotel and down the street.

I had chosen a hotel that wasn't far from the cemetery. That way, the visit could be quick. And also so the walk was short. I may not like Officer Malone, but he was right about the towns people not liking me.

I got lucky today with the weather. It was gray and overcast, but not raining. This meant the Cullens could come with, but I wouldn't get soaking wet either.

I could feel whispers floating around me, although I couldn't hear exactly what was being said. I simply walked.

Most of the towns people were wearing black, carrying bouquets of flowers in their hands. Everyone would be going to the graveyard, regardless of whether or not they actually had relatives. There had been a horrible tragedy a few years ago and no one who had lived here then and still lived here would forget it.

It would always be like a 9/11 incident for them. They would remember where they were, at what time it happened, what they were doing, who they were talking to, what they were talking about, and anything else they remembered.

I remembered.

It wasn't hard for me to remember.

I stopped short as I saw a motion out of the corner of my eye. The rock that would've slammed into my head went past my face instead, crashing into the store front window I had been walking past. Without even looking at the window, I continued to walk past.

Emmett on the other hand, had had enough walking behind me. He was by my side so quickly I was afraid he'd used vampire speed. Carlisle was soon on the other side of me and from the heat radiating from behind, I knew Seth and Sam were close by now.

Emmett lifted his hand quickly, catching another rock.

"This is ridiculous." Sam growled behind me, "Are they not going to get arrested?"

"Why would they?" I muttered quietly.

Luckily, we were now at the graveyard. It was packed full of people, but the graves were spread apart by a few feet so it wasn't incredibly crowded once you reached the gravestone you wanted to get to.

There were soldiers at the front of the gates, waiting, and their eyes narrowed when they saw me.

"Davina Michaelson?" One of them asked.

"Yes." I said quietly, but firmly.

"You're not allowed to go inside-"

"I know." I said, stepping to the side. The others followed me.

"This is absolute bullshit." Emmett growled.

"Em, it doesn't matter." I said softly, leaning against Carlisle's shoulder. He wrapped an arm around me, kissing the side of my head.

I didn't have to wait long.

"Davina!"

One of two people who could actually say my name with excitement in this town.

"Marcel!" I said, my face breaking into a smile, and I felt myself relaxing.

"You got even more beautiful with age." Marcel complimented, scooping me up into a hug. "How are you?"

"Better." I said softly. "Where's Uncle Josh?"

"He's coming along." Marcel said, finally putting me down, "So. Introduce me to these fine fellows and gal."

"Ah right. This is Sam, he's my best friend. And then this is my. . ." I stared hesitantly at Carlisle and he grinned.

"I'm her boyfriend." Carlisle said and Marcel looked between the two of us skeptically.

"Really?" He asked incredulously.

I flushed, "It's. . . a strange term to use but it fits best. And then um, this is Seth, he's one of my other friends. And then this is Jasper and his wife Alice. And then this is Emmett."

"Nice to meet ya'll." Marcel said, shaking hands around. He probably noted the difference between the vampires cold hands and the werewolves abnormally hot ones.

Carlisle wrapped an arm around my waist again while we waited. Marcel looked at me, "He said he had something important he wants to tell you today. Maybe he's just nervous."

"Well now so am I." I muttered. "What could he possibly want to tell me?"

Marcel shrugged. "No idea. Ah, here he comes now."

Uncle Josh came jogging up the walkway. He had grown his long black hair out to his shoulders and it was braided down his back. He looked a lot like Billy at the moment, even wearing a brown cowboy hat almost. A blue jean jacket that was a bit big for him, blue jeans, and brown cowboy boots. His brown eyes lit up when he saw me and he moved faster.

"Is he Quileute?" Seth asked me under his breath.

"Don't think so." I muttered back. "He's never said he is anyways."

"Davina!" Uncle Josh announced in his pleasant, husky voice.

"Uncle Josh." I said, kissing him on the cheek. He surveyed the people around us, nodding to all of them, but not making any sign to talking to them.

"Are you ready to go in?"

"Yeah." I said softly.

There was no problem with passing the gates anymore. Uncle Josh and Marcel walked on either side of me, leaving the others to trail behind. Marcel was in his soldier uniform, making lots of people look at us twice as we passed by.

Probably wondering what a soldier was doing with a soldier killer.

As though he was in tune with my thoughts, Marcel hooked an arm around my shoulder and muttered in my ear, "You didn't kill anyone. Just ignore them."

"Easier said then done." I muttered as we arrived at my parents grave.

My parents grave was littered with gifts, notes, flowers, and more.

"Is this all for your parents?" Seth asked in amazement.

"No." I replied flatly. "The notes are usually for me."

Emmett bent down, picking up one of the many notes. "They're not nice."

"Were you expecting them to be?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. Carlisle was staring almost angrily at the ground, a strange look on his expression. His eyes were flickering between gold and black. I sighed, hugging him, standing on my tiptoes to kiss him, "It's alright Carlisle. It doesn't matter."

"Right." Carlisle muttered, kissing the side of my head.

Carlisle P.O.V.

I couldn't imagine being in Davina's position at this moment. I watched in pain as she swept hateful notes aside without even bothering to check if there were any nice ones. She had known what she was expecting.

I knew why she had kept this a secret from me, and despite the enormity of the secret, I didn't blame her a single bit. No one did. Edward had told us that Sam even regretted forcing Davina to spill her secret.

But Davina seemed lighter without worrying that we would find out. I think she thought this was better.

For the most part, we stayed back, letting her Uncle Josh and the soldier- Marcel- talk to her, help her sort through things.

Jasper wasn't faring well, clutching onto Alice tightly. It was probably the high emotions in the graveyard.

Emmett was shifting through the notes, hard anger in his face. I tried not looking at them, as they made the Lord want to rise up and tear these people apart.

'You don't deserve to live.'

'You should've died instead of my son'

'You're a monster'

I now knew why she didn't want to be a vampire right away. She was still wrestling with the idea of souls and whether or not she would be okay becoming a vampire. I knew she was scared and I wasn't going to push her.

Sam and Seth were standing close by, farther away from us. Sam had picked up some of the notes that the wind had caught, crumpling them up in his hand. Emmett had produced a glass jar from somewhere, stuffing the hateful notes into it. Sam dropped his crumpled ones in there as well.

Davina pulled out a lighter, handing it to me, and I lit the pieces of paper on fire.

We didn't stay long. I could feel the hateful glares on Davina from here. She had a sad smile on her face as she turned to face me, reaching out to take my hand.

I pulled her against me, wanting to hold and comfort her. She pressed her face into my black suit jacket, playing with the gray tie I was wearing. "I love you Carlisle." She whispered.

"I love you too." I murmured softly.

"Ah, Davina." Marcel said suddenly and Davina turned from me. He was holding out a letter. "This is from Angel and her grandparents."

Davina took it, clutching it in her hand. She didn't open it though.

"Do you want me to hold on to it for you?" I asked quietly, gesturing to the fact that she didn't have any pockets.

"Yes please. Don't lose it." She joked quietly.

We exited the graveyard and Davina's shoulders seemed to tense up. Marcel said good-bye there, kissing Davina's cheeks before leaving us. I wished Edward was with us so that he could tell me what Marcel was thinking.

"He loves her like a sister." Jasper muttered so quietly that only us supernatural beings could hear him. "Don't worry."

I gave the slightest nods as Davina and her Uncle Josh chatted animatedly in front of us. I watched the townspeople carefully. The men didn't seem to care as much as the women. The women seemed more vengeful, the ones who were picking up rocks to throw. Emmett gave them intimidating glares and they quickly turned away.

'KILL THEM! THEY WANTED TO HURT MATE! KILL THEM! THEY'RE MEASLY LITTLE HUMANS! THEY HATE MATE! THEY WANT TO HURT MATE!'

'Shut up Lord, please?' I thought to myself. 'Don't do something you'll regret in the future.'

'YES, LIKE LEAVE FORKS.'

'Shut up. Seriously.'

Arriving back at the hotel, a small group of reporters had gathered. Emmett, Jasper, Alice, and I all held back, rather reluctantly while Sam, Seth, Josh, and Davina went in. Sam and Seth seemed almost like body guards, blocking Davina from the cameras view.

They shouted out questions about how she felt, what she was doing here, how long she was going to be in town, and other stupid, idiotic questions.

After they passed through, the police went to get the reporters to settle down, and the four of us quickly entered the hotel with our heads down.

"Damn reporters." Emmett grumbled.

"I really hate this town." Jasper muttered.

Alice had been quiet for much of the trip- basically all of it. She seemed to have a particular distaste for the town- not that I blamed her. I didn't like this town either and I was supposed to have enhanced compassion.

"Davina, I need to speak with you in private." Josh said urgently.

He really looked familiar, like I had seen him before. But it was probably because I had seen so many people in my three hundred years, there was definitely bound to be people who looked alike. Davina and him also had the same cheekbone shape.

"Yeah, um sure." Davina said, smirking slightly cause she knew we would all hear everything anyways.

"I hope it's not more bad news." Seth muttered when the two of them had stepped into the other room.

Sam snorted, "It probably will be."

"Well you're optimistic." Emmett snarked.

"Stop." Alice said quietly.

"Davina. . ." Josh said slowly from the other room. "I. . . this isn't going to be easy to hear."

"Nothing ever is." Davina muttered. "Might as well just spit it out."

"Your father. . . he. . . he wasn't your biological father." Josh said and I sighed, closing my eyes.

"Oh great." Emmett muttered, sitting down on one of the beds.

"Let me guess." Davina said dryly, "You are?"

"Well, yes." Josh said.

"And you're only telling me this now, because?" Davina questioned.

"Your mother had a happy marriage with your father-"

"Not so happy if she cheated on him with you." Davina interjected.

He sighed, "No, I know. In the beginning, before they were even married. It was. . . we did it one last time before she got married. And then you were born almost nine months after they got married. Your father always thought you were a honeymoon child."

"Wonderful." Davina said dryly.

"I know you can't be happy with this, but there's a reason I'm telling you this. It's important, otherwise. . . well I probably wouldn't be. You've been through enough. But the fact that you've been through enough is the reason I'm telling you this."

"Stop giving me riddles and just say what you want to say." Davina said.

There was some silence and Josh sighed, "Do you remember the myths I told you, growing up?"

Davina snorted, "About spirit animals and the cold ones."

We all froze.

"Werewolves most specifically." Josh said.

"What are you getting at?" Davina's voice was so tense it could've been cut with a knife.

"They're not myths. Those pale ones out there- they're cold ones." He said with urgency in his voice.

"Uncle. . . Dad. . . Josh. . . this is so-" Davina's voice was weak with worry.

"It's not stupid. Look, I never got the gene, it skipped me, but-"

"What gene?" Davina asked sharply.

"The werewolf gene."

"Oh hell no." Davina said. "No. No. No. Stop."

Josh didn't say anything. The tension in the room right now was thick. Sam had the chair Seth was sitting on, gripped in his hands tightly, shaking his head slightly.

Davina let out a shuddering sigh. "You're full name. What's your full name Josh."

"Joshua Uley."

The chair splintered in Sam's hands.

Davina P.O.V.

I stared at my Uncle- my dad- in disbelief.

And then I shook my head, taking a step back. "No, not you can't- no I refused to believe it."

"Look, Davina, I'm sorry. My grandfather, Levi, he was a werewolf. The gene skipped me because there were no cold ones to make me transform. And quite frankly, I don't want to be a werewolf. So, the cold ones need to go back home and quickly. If I'd known I was sending you to Forks to meet vampires, I wouldn't have sent you. But I thought, if you were with the Quileute tribe and you became a werewolf, then maybe they could help you."

I slapped him across the face as hard as I could muster. I was seething and I was pissed.

"Okay. I deserved that." Josh grunted.

"No!" I snarled. "Do you even know what this means?"

"There are no guarantees you'll become-"

"I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE WEREWOLF PART!" I shouted. "Do you even know. . . WHAT ABOUT SAM!"

"Sam. . ." He muttered. "I. . . I wasn't a good father-"

I slapped him again. "SAM IS LIKE A BROTHER TO ME. AND YOU JUST ABANDONED HIM. HOW COULD YOU? HOW COULD YOU DO THAT? WHAT- ARE YOU EMBRY'S FATHER TOO? BECAUSE EMBRY IS A WOLF AND HE HAD TO GET THE GENE FROM SOMEWHERE AND IT WAS EITHER YOU OR BILLY OR HARRY AND I'M PRETTY DAMN SURE THAT IT'S YOU!"

"You already knew about the werewolves?" He gasped.

"YES! NOW ANSWER MY QUESTION!"

He sighed, "What's Embry's mothers name?"

I scoffed in disbelief. "You're unbelievable. I can't believe I looked up to you at all."

"Davina. . .

"Call. Embry Call."

"Yeah, I was with his mother." Josh muttered.

I slapped him across the face again.

I was seething. I felt hot all over and I was shaking.

"Davina you need to calm down."

"Don't. Tell. Me. To. Calm. Down." My eyes flashed angrily. This was the worst day of my life. I honestly just wanted to let the wolf out and I didn't even know how. It was locked down inside of me.

"Davina, I'm sorry. If I could take it all back, I would." Joshua said angrily, but also desperately.

"I wish you could too." I said fiercely. "Then I wouldn't be alive. Then Embry wouldn't be alive. Then Sam wouldn't be alive. Do you know how much pain Sam's been through? How much trouble Embry is in? You just abandoned your sons! What kind of father are you?"

"I did it for your mother." Joshua said, turning his back on me to look out the hotel window. "I was a terrible father, but I could be an uncle for you and your brother- Kol. So when she wanted to pick up and move to Fort Knox, to get me away from Sam's mother. . . I did."

"You make me sick." I repeated. "Get out. I don't want to see you ever again."

"Davina. . ."

"Oh, and as you pass out that room. That man in there? The one you didn't even ask the name to? That's Sam. That's your son. That's my brother. And I want you to look him in the eye and see what amazing person you missed out on raising. Now get out. I have enough shit in my life to deal with without this."

"I love you Davina. I hope you know that."

I didn't respond, turning my back to him. I waited till the door opened and closed before sinking to my knees before the bed, sobbing into the mattress.

"Mama." Jasper's voice whispered in my ear, wrapping his arms around me. "It's okay."

"It's alright mom." Alice said, putting a hand on my shoulder.

I nodded, feeling better already with Jasper in the room. "Did Sam hear everything?"

"Yeah." Emmett whispered somewhere to my right. "He's still in the other room."

"Do you want us to give you some space?" Carlisle asked. "The two of you?"

"I- I don't know." I muttered. I got up, wrapping my arms around Carlisle. "We always joked that we were brother and sister and now. . . now I don't even know what's happening anymore. How has my life become this?"

"I thought your scents were familiar." Alice murmured softly. "The lime and the honey. They were the same. But I thought maybe it was just because of the place you both grew up in."

I nodded, my face still pressed into Carlisle's chest. "I- I'll be right back."

I walked into the other room. Sam was clutching the windowsill frame. Seth was standing a few feet away, looking uncertain and anxious.

"S-Sam?" I asked hesitantly.

He turned to me, looking furious, angry, and pained. Carlisle was by my side in a second, hovering protectively. I put a hand to his chest and took a few tentative steps. "I- I'm sorry."

All of Sam's previous emotions were gone, replaced with confusion. "What are you sorry for?"

"Being born?" I suggested half-heartedly.

"He probably would've left anyways." Sam muttered, letting go of the windowsill.

"Are. . . are you okay?" I asked.

Sam stared at me for a second before a half-hearted smile slipped onto his face, "Honestly? I'm kind've waiting for you to explode and become a wolf."

I chuckled, "I don't think that's happening any time soon. Every time I get angry, another emotion quickly steps in and stops it. Leah will probably be the only female wolf. But. . . are you okay with me being your sister?"

Sam snorted, pulling me into a hug. I hugged him back hard, "You've always been my sister. I just now have a heavier claim over you. Which also makes me your legal guardian."

"I'm an adult." I pointed out.

He chuckled, kissing the top of me head.

"Well. . ." Seth said, looking between all of us, "Can we go home now?"

I laughed, "Yes, please. Let's go home."

[felicitykings]

2.19 | 5.11 [requested by anonymous]

[davinaclairem]

Davina Claire ↳ 4x07 (4/9)

[minjaefreedom]

Anne (re)watches The Originals: Bloodletting(1x07)

It’s kinda nice just talking to someone normal again. 

You think I’m normal? I’m a sixteen-year-old witch living in a church attic like some kind of freak! 

I’m a gay club kid who died and came back as a vampire. [Davina laughs]. Yeah. Normal is kind of relative, you know? 

[niklausroyals]

Bonus: IoI

[kolvinas]

Anywhere? Everywhere.

[vampdiariesoriginalsmusic]

THE ORIGINALS + a favorite song per episode » [17/∞]

[xoxo-nikki-xoxo]

Leverage

Elijah Mikaelson x Arabella Castaway-Mikaelson

Authors note: Okay everyone after much planning and thinking I have come up with my own OC! I can’t wait for us to take this journey together learning about Arabella, like who she is, and how she came to be. Do not be afraid to send in asks about her either!

Word count: 2.4K

Somewhat based off of season 3 of the originals. I also joined the calibration for Dom’s 2 years bioversary. This fic is about sire bonds more importantly them being broken.

@xxwritemeastoryxx

———————————

Being involved in The Original family comes with its up and downs. Especially when it has caused the love of your life to pick his family over well his wife. That was about well two months ago, sense then I have not seen Elijah Mikaelson or his family. It is nothing I can blame them for though, the sad thing is I do not even remember who they are! In fact, it is the vampires I come across on during my travels that bring up The Original family. Usually it goes around the lines someone asking me where they are. From my gathering of these conversations I was married to the one they call honorable, the noble brother, Elijah. It never has set well with me though that my so called “husband” has abandoned me. If we are married is not that meant to be forever, that’s the whole point of getting married is not. Asking to many questions is what got me in this predicament, see what I do remember is my whole life. I remember the life I had New Orleans, the fashion the cooking all of it. So, if I was married to someone back then why is there no piecing pieces?  I barley know anything about this so-called original family, yet their presentence lingers over my body like a shadow. Too afraid to come and say hello, but it’s like every step I take it’s as though I’m being watched.

“Well if it isn’t the myth, the legend Arabella…. how did you find her? Elijah never mentioned why she left or where she went to in the first place” A male’s voice, it was deep with the hint of smoothness. I have no clue what happened, I just remember being at a local cafe in France then my neck was snapped. It went black for a while after that.

“Well we have our ways of getting what we need. When it comes to the leverage we need, this will be perfect. He’ll do anything it takes to keep his precious wife safe… And that well be the way we lure both him and his brother here, so my witches can perform this spell.” it’s a women’s voice, even though I don’t understand what she talking about I don’t want anything to do with it. “I’ll be back later with the items that Davina needs to finish the spell. Be prepared Marcellus, the strixs are all prepared for this battle tonight.” I can hear her shoes click as she walks away from us.

“Davina! Help me take these ropes off her. I can’t touch them, there soaked in vervain. She doesn’t deserve to be in the middle of this. Aya’s only using her to lure Elijah and Klaus here” the man’s voice I can hear must be Marcellus, whoever he is.

“She won’t die today Marcel… she needs to be here to lure Elijah and Klaus here. When they get here, it’ll be easy one of the other witches knock them out.” Davina say as she unties the ropes that are wrapped around my arms and legs. ” she’s safe here Marcel you can leave. When the spell starts you might feel a little warmth, it’ll pass though once the link it gone.” the girl says, and as she says it the blind fold over my eyes gets taken off and so does the duct tape.  

“What if this warmth is the last thing I feel”  

“I’ll be careful”

“I get that Davina and I’m game. But we are on a tight rope with the Mikaelson’s right now. Jackson was a friend to them and us. On top of that we have Arabella too”

“I know Marcel. And I know it’s a long shot, but if I can’t save you, and I can’t save Josh, even Arabella, then I can’t save Kol. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if something happened to you guys.” Davina says as she takes of the last of the ropes from my body.

When I open my eyes the man’s gone and the only thing in front of me is a girl looking at me. “You can’t leave, I put up a boundary spell around you… It’s for your protection Bella” The sweet looking girl says to me as she watches me over

“How do you know me?” I asked

“It’s a long story, just know that you’re my friend… I’m Davina, and that guy that was here a couple seconds ago his name is Marcel.” Davina says turning back to the papers that are hanging on the wall.  

“Well it seems like everyone here already knows who I am, so tell me Davina. What is that spell for?”

———-Switch to Elijah———

“And now Aya and her mob of are free to break the sire line. You know, we have made many glorious enemies over the years, brother, but If they sever the link to us, then they well all come for our heads.” Klaus speaks as both of us walk side by side toward the entrance of the compound. This is the very reason why I sent her away, I knew this prophecy was going to be a blood bath. I didn’t need for her to get in the way.

“Not without the white oak brother” I say in a soothing voice as Niklaus stops Infront of me

“Aurora has the last of it” I can the thought swirling in his head, with a smirk forming on my lips I simply say

“Then she dies first”

“You once told me you wanted to use her head as a footstool” titling his head to the side he finished with “why wait”

That’s when my phone vibrates in my coat pocket. I pull it out answering

“Marcel?”

“how”

“Yes, I see” *hangs up the phone*

My face drops looking at Klaus “I don’t know how, but Aya found Arabella. The crescent wolves were able to locate where they are keeping her” I say looking right at Klaus

“Well then let’s get going”

—— back to Arabella—-

“Where is she Aya? Unlike my brother I don’t have the patience to deal with this” the voice is raspy thick sounding as I hear multiple footsteps approaching us.  

“Hello gentlemen, it’s my pleasure you have decided to join us tonight” Aya says, so that is Aya!  

“Let me out of here!!” I yelled getting fed up with being confined into this circle. I bang my fists on the barrier and both the men’s eyes land right on to me.

“How did you-” The man in the suit says his bouncing from mine to Ayas

“It doesn’t matter now that you both are here” Aya says as she stands tall. There two girls that approach them changing some foreign language I don’t recognize. Both men then collapse onto the floor.

“I told you Davina Claire, Arabella Castaway was the key to getting them to come here.” Aya says glancing at me before some body guards drag the two men’s bodies into the water.

“Ive played my part let me out of here!!” I yelled

“You well soon sweet girl, just a few more hours left. Your role to play is still not over yet.” Aya states as she approach’s Davina  

“Were ready to start” Davina stats looking over at Aya

“Then let’s begin”

That’s when all the chanting starts, There’s apart of me deep down that knows this is wrong. This hole I have felt the past 3 months is aching in a way I’ve never felt it do before.  This must be him, the more I think about the faster I put the pieces together. Those are the originals, the one in the suit. He is my husband and even if he did abdomen me years ago I won’t abdomen him now.

I scream banging my fists on the barrier again as the chanting continue. Marcel comes into the room suddenly going up to Aya.

“Any problems?” Marcel asks looking into the pool with the two men, at me, then his eyes land on Davina.

“No, we are nearly there. After today one man’s recklessness will no longer weigh on the shoulders of his sires. Thousands of vampires across the world will be free from the tranny of the originals. I’m glad you’re here Marcel. Stay close by when it happens will you?” Aya says walking up to the pool looking over.

“Why are you guys doing this, I don’t belong here” I scream throwing a fit.

I watch in horror as both the men’s throats are cut then thrown back into the water, the chanting gets louder. And the more chanting I hear is when the barrier drops, I rush the closets witch breaking her back. Another women appears besides marcel killing what looked like to be a body guard

“Marcel!”

“I’m Sorry D. We need to get them out of the water now” Marcel states looking at both us girls. But before anything can happen Davina yells “No” and throws all three of us to the end of the room.  I hear the screams as the man in the suit sits up taking one of the witches’ under water with him. I stand up making eye contact with him as he leaps out of the water.

“I’m so sorry baby… forgive me, Rememoraeri” He says looking into my eyes, and it’s as if the two worlds collided. All my memories come crashing down onto me. But it’s one inparticular that strikes me the hardest. It’s the night I was turned into a vampire

The street was cold underneath my numb body. This wasn’t supposed to happen to me, not like this. I was supposed to live a life, not dying on the side of the road. The loneness of staring up into the sky not being able to move or cry out for help seemed to be the only thing I could look at. I was utterly hopeless as blood pooled up around me. Soon I began choking on the blood stuck in my throat. I wasn’t in any pain no more, it felt more like I was high up in the sky flying.

“No!” I heard him yell he rushed over to my side picking me up biting into his wrist “Drink Bella… please… no-no-no. Not like this… You can’t die like this” I took my last breath Elijah Mikaeslons arms. The last thing I seen was his beautiful brown eyes and the stars glowing behind him. That was in tell I woke up

“Elijah?” I blinked away the memory as I took in his appearance Infront of me. “Whats going on, oh my god-” There where millions of thoughts running through my head

“I well explain later” Elijah says giving me a small smile tucking a random piece of hair behind my ear, that was before we turn, we turned our attention to Davina as she started to break Klaus sire line link

“Davina No!” Marcel shouts, Klaus opens his eyes leaping out Infront of Davina but she catches him with her powers yelling

“No, you’ve had your time!” She shouts throwing him back down into the water, in the process of her doing his she throws all of us down to. We can hear he finishing her spell as Klaus yells. I scream as a warming sensation comes over my body and before I know it, it stops. Elijahs is the first to get up and come to the rescue of Klaus.

I sit up getting into the water with Elijah as well, I move Niks hair out of his face

He is weak but he would never ambit it. “I felt them leave, my sire line is broken” Nik states his voice shaky.  

Elijah and I help Klaus out of the pool “I’ll be in the car soon… I have some unfinished business to attended too.” Elijah says leaving me and Nik in the car.

“You do understand they both have history” Klaus says as he glances at me

“I do, and I tend to end that history right now.” I say excusing myself from the car as I make my way into the building using the back door so I can eavesdrop on the conversation he was having with Aya.  

“So, we remain connected, you and I, in spite of everything that you have done” Elijah says as he twirls a gun around his finger. “I can’t let you hurt my family, my wife. And you can’t hurt me more than you already have” Elijah says looking into Ayas eyes. I can feel and see the hurt and guilt he is holding over himself for hurting Aya. It makes me feel somewhat jealous, but I can’t blame him. He’s lived a thousand plus years; he should have had a few epic loves.  

“I stood by you Elijah. All of us where willing to die for you, and how do you repay us? Betrayal, abandonment.” Aya spits out turning to face his face. She loves him it’s easy to tell, love can be killer.

“You were not forsaken. Yes, I failed you, for this… I will never forgive myself… But I can’t forgive this. You captured my wife!” Elijah yells as he motioned to all the body in the room  

“If your life was chained to a man, who left you despite of your devotion, what choice do I have other than to break free” Aya says this conversation hurts to hear. “ So… End this” Aya says moving as he holds the gun up to her heart. His hand is shaky “End it Elijah!! Or I’ll take that gun and kill you just to be free of you!” She yells tears rolling down her cheek into she grunts, her voice stops her body leans to the side. I stand besides her holding her heart in my hand.  

“So, Elijah tell me why did you decided to erase my memory from ever knowing you?” I ask holding the heart as I look my husband right in the eyes

[forbescaroline]

favorite platonic relationships: josh rosza and davina claire “She was like a sister and a best friend. And I loved her.”

[itsthestutterforme]

Blamed You (The Originals)

Y/N's sister dies and Y/N spirals into deep depression. Klaus calls her best friend Enzo to help keep her at ease. Enzo wants to bring her back to Mystic Falls and she has to say goodbye to everyone.

Characters: Klaus, Enzo, (smut warning)

--

I reach over to the bottle of whiskey and pour the tenth glass of whiskey today. "For you, Y/S/N," I say before taking a swig of the whiskey. It's been a week since Y/S/N died. My sister and best friend since the day I was born, is gone. I faint a knock on the door and say, "Bugger off,"

The next thing I knew, my front door is being kicked open. "What in the bloody hell?!" I look to the front door to see my best friend, Enzo, walking through the opening he made. "Enzo, what are you doing here! How did you even get here?" "Don't worry about that. I'm taking you home." "This is my home." I explain. "Poppycock, home is where your family is."

"Y/S/N died here, Enzo. By the hands of a few vengeful vampires. She was outnumbered because I wasn't with her." I explain before downing the rest of the whiskey in my class. "You can't keep blaming yourself, Y/N. That will only take you down a dark path that is nearly possible to walk away from." "At least I don't feel anything,"

"You're kidding me. If you flipped your switch, I will do whatever it takes to flip it back on before I kick your ass." "I didn't flip my switch, I just stopped caring." "Y/N--" "Who called you here?" "Klaus," "Of course," "Believe it or not, he cares about you, Y/N" "He has a weird way or showing it." "Well come on then, start packing. We leave tomorrow morning."

"Excuse me?" "You don't have a choice in this. Let's go." I crossed my arms and stared straight into his eyes. "I love you too much to see you do this to yourself. Y/S/N wouldn't want you to live like this," I look away from him and ran a hand over my face. I hear his foot steps grow louder as he neared me.

He sat down next to me and pulled me in for a hug. "I miss her too," he says as I softly cry in his shoulder.

**

Enzo recommended that I made my amends and said my goodbyes before I left. I said goodbye to Marcel, Davina, Josh and Rebekah, which leaves me with Klaus. The time that I've been dreading. I was just about to knock on his apartment door when the door opened.

Klaus is standing in the doorway and says, "So it's true. Enzo is taking you home." "Mystic Falls isn't my home," "But truthfully, I dont know how to say goodbye to you. Things have been great and horrible at the same time." I add. "Yes, they have been," He looks at me and adds, "Did you really mean it when you said you hated me?"

"No, I was.. I was just hurting and needed some space." I explain. "I do admit that it was easier to blame you than to evaluate my own faults and actions. I'm sorry," I slowly walk into his arms and his arms fall to his sides. I gently grab his hands and place them on my lower back before wrapping my arms around his torso.

He turns his head so he is inhaling the scent of freshly washed hair with vanilla bean. "I'm sorry," he says into my neck. "It wasn't your fault," We continue to hold each other and I finally decide to pull away. He turns his head and pressed his lips against mine. He pulled away and look at me from approval. I stepped forward and held his face in my hands before pressing another kiss on his lips.

He pulls me inside and I kick the door closed. He presses my body against the door and works on pulling off my jacket as he kissed down my neck. I moan as he slides his hand down my pants and rubs the hood of my vagina through my panties. I use my vamp speed to take us to the bedroom and throw him on the bed.

I straddled his waist and took off my shirt. He sits up and unbuckles my bra before taking it off. I take of his shirt and he flips me over so that he can straddled my waist. He took my left nipple into his mouth and my back arched at the sensation. He slides his hand back into my pants to rub my clit at the same pace he was sucking.

I grabbed his wrist and tried to pull his hand away but he growls at me. He stopped sucking on my boob to say, "If you do that again, I will make you sit on my face and compel you not to cum," A warm chill came over me and he pulls my pants down. He starts kissing down my neck but I grab his face and kiss him warmly.

He hums into my mouth as he unbuckles his pants. He pulls away and looks into my eyes to compel me. "Keep your hands above your head." My arms are pinned above my head and he presses a lingering kiss on my hip bones. His tongue sinks into my folds and a loud mouth erupted from my mouth.

My legs tense and my back arched off of the bed as he continued. He pressed my hips back into the bed and ate me out faster until I released myself in his mouth. He sits up and carries me in his arms. He sets me in his lap and my head falls back as I sink on his hardened member. I bounce up and down and he matched my face.

He grabs my face and kept eye contact with me until we both came. I collapse onto the bed and he lays down next to me. "That was some good bye, huh." I say as I stand up from the bed. I walk towards the door, picking up my clothes along the way. Klaus appears in front of me and asks, "Just where do you think you're going, sweetheart?"

"I have to check in on Enzo," I explain, stepping away from him as he tries to near me. "Enzo is a big boy, and we're not finished here." "Yes, we are," He grabs the clothes from my hands and tosses them clear across the room. He grabs hips and roughly pressed my body against his. I gasp and look up at him with surprise.

A small smirk played on his lips as he leans in and presses a burningly long kiss on my neck. A soft sighs left my lips and he carried me back into the room.

[tvdversefanfiction]

The Originals 30 Day Challenge, Done in 1 day.

I love all of these 30 day challenge pics/posts/quests but I never have the patience to do it over 30 whole days, so instead I do them in one sitting, one go. 

MY TVD 30 DAY CHALLENGE HERE

Feel free to comment your own opinions about The Vampire Diaries spin-off The Originals, whether it’s your favorite show within the TVDverse like myself or whether you just love it as much as I also love the other two shows TVD and Legacies, Legacies will have its own 30 day challenge soon enough too...

Feel free to answer these too, copy, paste it, like I have and do it for yourself...

1 - If you follow this post, or read any of my TO fanfiction it will come as no surprise to anyone that I’m in love with and very obssesed with Klaus Mikaelson, he will always be my king.

2 - Rebekah Mikaelson, she’s so badass yet has this softness that makes her so compelling at the same time, I worship this queen and often wonder what this show would have looked like if she remained a main star for all of its five season run.

3 - Making me choose between the love of my life Klaus, and the icon that is Rebekah is hard...so hard but I have to go with Rebekah on the grounds that when he hurts Rebekah in any way I’m always mad like no, not my Rebekah, whereas when its the other way around I’m normally like yeah he deserved that from her...Rebekah is the fictional bestfriend of my life and Klaus is the husband, and friends always come before men - side not this very answer will later be used on record when I find myself in an asylum one day lol

4 - I’d have to go with either Marcellus or Inadu, although Marcel is beyond irritating to me throughout most of his run I can’t argue his reasons for being annoying are somewhat justifiable especially after Davina’s death in season 3 :( so I’d say I hated Inadu the most, purely because the character in itself was so wasted, so stale, and a dud to be honest...I was hoping for more with the hollow arc but I’ll get to that later on no doubt.

5 - Season 1 Episode 16, Farewell to Storyville, Season 1 in general was one of the strongest debut seasons for any shows I’ve ever watched, if not the strongest! I loved Rebekah and Klaus’ bond most out of the siblings and although Klaus spends most of the episode trying to kill her and it involves Rebekah leaving as a main character...this has got to be the juiciest exploration of their relationship - also side note young Elijah should have left young Rebekah kill Mikael, just saying...

6 - I could put the entirety of Season 5 in here, minus all the epicness of all the Klaroline scenes and Hayley’s badass death...but to pick one episode out it would have to be the finale “When the saints go marching in” because it just felt like they had spent that season killing off characters who were least likely to appear in Legacies (which pissed me off), also I wanted Klaroline to be endgame and Julie Plec’s response to not doing that because of Steroline, a ship that always felt like Caroline was second place and that queen should be always be 1st. 

I did not like that Klaus and Elijah died, which reminded me visually of that Avengers scene, which made no sense as we have seen originals die before and not once did it go down like that!

And even if I could forgive them for that I was rather pissed we saw no after life, even a Elijah and Hayley dance in the afterlife would have been appreciated...

I’m also always a little bittersweet when folk from the pilot don’t show up in the last episode, would have loved to seen more of Davina in general over seasons 4 and 5.  (Rant over)

7 - Try not to pick a Klaroline scene...never mind, when Caroline first appears, pinning Klaus up against the wall and saying something along the lines of try picking on someone your own size, or the swoony moment in Mystic Falls where she tells him he was never the villain in his story, or again the swoony moment when their road tripping and trying to find Hope... but non Klaroline scenes which were epic, Davina going up against Klaus with the harvest power inside of her, Lucien going upgraded original and taking them all on, Dahlia’s entire arc, the finales of 1,2, 3, and 4 and last but definitely not least kid Hope’s entire arc, what a magnificent actress Summer Fontana is, a star in the making *

8 - “ We are the strongest creatures in the world, and yet we're damaged beyond repair. We lived without hope, but we will never die. We are the definition of cursed, always and forever.” said by Rebekah Mikaelson, all of the Mikaelson’s had epic quotes, this show, and it’s predecessor TVD have so many amazing quotes <3

9 - Klaus handing baby Hope over to Rebekah, trusting her above all others, and any scenes where Klaus, Hayley, Rebekah, Elijah and Kol have with baby Hope as well as kid hope - broody moments lol

10 - Josh’s death, I had feared his death every goddamn season especially knowing Julie Plec wanted him killed in the very first season :( however after being made a regular in the finale season I had hopes for him making it out alive and perhaps showing up in Legacies in a more prominent role as a teacher for the vamp kids or something...but no that woman just had to finish off her hit...nothing breaks me more than his death! Although, reuniting with Aiden in the afterlife gives me small comfort, Aiden’s was another’s death that was so sad!

11 - Kid Hope putting people in their place like Marcel, and even Davina (who I worship), I just loved this little badass kid going about like a little queen from the get go...Danielle Rose Russell had and still has very big shoes to fill IMO

12 - Freya and Elijah condemning Davina to the ancestors, or Elijah who was supposed to love Marcel like a son ripping out Marcel’s heart. A lot of season 4 Elijah annoyed me tbh, 50% of Hayley scenes ticked me off too and Marcel was a solid 90% throughout the entire run.

13 - Hmmm....Klaus meeting his real father then killing him in order to protect Hope as he just could not risk trusting his father :( that broke me, other shocking moments when Gia died, Hayley’s first and second death...

14 - Friendship as in friends but not family? friendship within family would be Rebekah and Klaus always, friendship outside of family bonds I would definitely say either Davina and Josh or Rebekah and Hayley.

15 - Klaroline, although I put myself out here considering they only kissed once in this show...I never shipped Haylijah but never hated it, I despised Camille and the Klamille ship and always will, I enjoyed Elijah and Gia but doubt it run its course well I think, I always thought Rebekah deserved more than Marcel and still do...so I’m going with Kolvina, even though Kol killed Davina, thanks to those damn ancestors, their romance was super sweet, I loved how Kol loved her and their marriage, though briefly seen, was everything! We should have got a flashback of their wedding god damn it! But I’ll settle for them being two of the few who got happy endings...and could appear in Legacies ;) fingers crossed!

16 - I loved Marcel singing How You Like Me Now, I wish Charles Michael Davis had a few more musical numbers within this show, he’s a really talented actor, singer, director...

17 - Joseph Morgan hands down, loved him from his first scene in TVD and loved his other work in Hex and Brave New World, to name a few...

18 - Claire Holt, she’s just wonderful as Rebekah and the actress herself, she seems like such a genuine sweetheart in real life and you can really see her love for the character of Rebekah too, I also liked her other work in A Violent Separation, 47 Meters Down and no I’ve never seen H20...yet

19 - The Originals hands down, although so far TVD is in second place, with Legacies in third place but with Legacies still going I have high hopes for that climbing...all are fabulous shows in their own rights <3

20 - Okay I wouldn’t be me if I did not answer this future episode question without a link to a fanfic season 6 of mines... Origins of Magic and my alternative season 5 Bad Blood

21 - Off the top of my head? Davina and Kol teaching at Salvatore Boarding School, giving Hope some family connections that she severely lacks in Legacies and how awesome would they be as teachers? I’d also like to see a cousin whether it be Freya and Keelin’s son Nik or Rebekah and Marcel adopt a child (creature) that also ends up in Legacies. Side note - may put this in my possible fanfic ideas board...

22 - I don’t think I could claim to be most like any one individual, I’d say I was definitely a little dorky like Josh but nowhere near as adorable, I have a lot of hurt inside of me like Davina and protect my friends as much as I can, I’ve definitely got a bit of paranoia like Klaus from being screwed over many times like him and also like them it was mostly by family members, I’m definitely as curious and of a quiz like nature as Camille, love a little too easy like Rebekah and get my hear broken too often like her too, can be a little bit twistedly playful like Kol although I’ve not killed half as many people ; I’d love to one day be as elegant as Elijah, or as brave as Hayley and who would not want to be a Tribrid like Hope?

23 - How is this any different to 4? Although I’ll just answer Inadu purely because of the waste of potential and how not one single time did I give a damn about her, although I despised that vampire bitch who killed Hayley!!!

24 - I definitely relate to Klaus, Rebekah, Josh and Davina the most which is why they are my favorites no doubt.

25 - Klaus Mikaelson, any day, any time, anywhere, unless of course him and Caroline make it work I love their love more than I love my love for Klaus so I’d be happy just watching them being happy as a stalker lurking in the bushes within the back garden of their marital home - side not another statement that could be put on record for my eventful visit to the asylum..

26 - The family bonds, I love how it’s not all about romances like it is in TVD and so far Legacies, but still has romances at the same time. I love the complicated bonds between Klaus and his siblings Rebekah, Elijah, and Kol (in that order) and I love the little homemade family of Marcel with Davina and Josh (also in that order) and Marcel’s complicated father/son relationship with Klaus.

I also love how we watch Hope from being in Hayley’s womb, to a baby, toddler, child and then teenager and the powers she shows even from as young as being a baby and stopping the car she was in with Cami (even if that did save Cami’s life for a little longer) sorry not sorry we all got to hate on somebody and I did compliment her in 22 sort of lol

27 - The fact that its finale season served more like a prequel to Legacies than a fitting ending to a show I had been invested in since before it even began airing, as most fans were, we have loved these characters since their inception in TVD and it did kind of feel like Julie kind of started the finale season with a hit list in mind killing off anyone she’d think would not cameo in Legacies at some stage which I guess is why there is so much ill will from TO fans for Legacies, which I did feel for a while.

I mean I still blame Hope for Klaus and Hayley’s deaths, also Elijah for Hayley’s death and Marcel for Josh’s but I do not blame the characters have as much as I blame Plec.

28 - Season 5 lol, Season 4 although at the time I did not want it to be its end, would have served as a better ending for TO and they could have still made Legacies work without any ill will of making TO’s finale season pitch Legacies.

29 - The Hollow turning out to be Henrik, or the original witch, or anything other than what is was, also the werewolf origins should’ve have been a bit more epic like the vampires origins were.

30 - I do love Joseph Morgan and Daniel Gillies in interviews, Daniel Gillies is one of the funniest actors behind the scenes and has great bromances with Joseph, Paul Wesley and many others within the TVD verse. I also love Claire Holt’s and Phoebe Tonkin’s friendship and how that’s been a thing since they starred in H20 together (which I want to watch purely because of those two)

[quarantineandchillthings]

THE ORIGINALS

After finishing The Vampire Diaries I felt completely lost. The last episode left me wanting more even though I had just finished 8 whole seasons. Some of my favourite characters were the original vampires, and I was left wishing that they were in the final episode of TVD. So of course I was gonna watch The Originals immediately. The Originals follow Klaus, Elijah and Rebekah Mikealson of the original vampire family, as they move back to New Orleans, which is where they stayed for centuries before. The reason for their move is the pregnancy of Hayley, a werewolf who had a one night stand with Klaus in a Vampire Diaries episode.

What I love most about this show is that it is less of a teen drama than The Vampire Diaries is (although I am a sucker for a good teen drama). The storyline of Klaus having a child was absolutely shocking, which I loved, as we thought that him being half a Vampire would not allow him to procreate. However because he is a hybrid (vampire/werewolf) his werewolf gene allowed it to happen. I especially loved this storyline because it meant that Klaus would probably be forced to show more of his humanity (which he did), which we see little of in Vampire Diaries, only really showing it when he’s with Caroline. I also love seeing more of the backstory of how the original vampires were made, as well as how they figured out what their powers were. It was interesting to see the family as kids. The cutest scene is seeing Klaus make a little wooden toy for Rebekah as children, showing how sweet their relationship used to be. It was heartbreaking seeing the backstory of their father with Klaus and how damaged their relationship left him. You see a large amount of Elijah's past as well, I liked seeing him with the doppleganger Tatia, and how becoming a vampire ruined their relationship. A shocking twist was when it was revealed that Freya, their oldest sister, was still alive. I thought bringing her back into the family was great and changed the dynamic. She was such a great character, always helping with every problem that came their way. They would most definitely have died much earlier than they did if it wasn’t for her. Marcel’s dynamic with the family was also one of my favourites. I loved that he really was like a son to Klaus and I enjoyed watching the flashbacks of their relationship as well as with Rebekah, Elijah and Kol. Plus Marcel as a child is adorable.  Finding out about their sire lines and Lucien, Tristan and Aurora was one of my favourite parts in the show. You see these characters be the first humans that the original family turn, and what their life became after that. It is so interesting to me to see the history of vampirism in the TVD world. 

This show quickly became one of my favourite shows. I truly don’t know which show I enjoyed more, Vampire Diaries or The Originals. However I would’ve loved to see more of Rebekah, Kol and Finn, especially Rebekah. In saying that, I know her absence from the show was for personal reasons which I most definitely respect, and the parts we did get with her were awesome. We got to see quite a bit of Kol’s character but I still would've liked to see a little more considering it is called ‘The Originals’ not ‘Klaus and Elijah’. Although Finn is most definitely my least favourite Mikealson sibling and probably the most boring, I wanted to see why he was like that, and although we saw that a little more than we did in The Vampire Diaries, he died before we could see more. I also wish that the ending did not have to have Hayley, Klaus and Elijah die. I definitely thought it was a full circle moment when Klaus and Elijah took each other's lives and also proved that they both were not villains and showed their love and care for their family (always and forever 😭). However I am so sad that they will never appear in Legacies and that Hope has had to live with so much of her family dead. Although you never know who can come back to life in these shows. 

This show really stepped it up in terms of diversity. As I discussed in my Vampire Diaries post, I wanted to see more people of colour in the main cast. This show definitely did that, having two African American characters, Marcel and Vincent, become part of the main cast. Both of them quickly became favourite characters of mine. Adding Keelin as a featured character as well was amazing as her character was part of an interracial and lesbian couple with Freya, which was awesome to see. Speaking of which, this show was good at representing couples from the LGBTQI+ community. Two of my favourite couples on the show were gay couples, one being Josh and Aiden, and of course Freya and Keelin. I also loved that it wasn't a big deal Freya starting having a relationship with a woman, and the family hardly even reacted which was nice. I’m seeing more of this in many tv shows and it’s great to see. 

FUN FACTS: 

- The show came through Vampire Diaries fans making videos of what a show based on the original family would look like. Joseph Morgan (Klaus) and Claire Holt (Rebekah) saw these videos and started talking about making a series. 

- Charles Michael Davis (Marcel), auditioned for The Vampire Diaries many times but never landed a part. He was very glad when he got the call to be a part of The Originals

- The Originals received better ratings than The Vampire Diaries 

- Phoebe Tonkin (Hayley) and Claire Holt (Rebekah) starred in H2O just add water, an Australian kids tv show together before their roles on The Vampire Diaries and The Originals

- The show was first meant to be set in Chicago, but was later decided to be set in New Orleans

For more fun facts go to https://thegameofnerds.com/2018/02/23/12-facts-about-the-originals-we-bet-you-didnt-know/ 

and

  https://www.uselessdaily.com/news/13-amazing-facts-about-the-originals/ 

Other projects the incredible actors have been apart of:

Joseph Morgan (Klaus)  - Brave New World - Sci-fi series 

Daniel Gillies (Elijah)  - Saving Hope - Drama/fantasy series 

Claire Holt Rebekah) - 47 Meters Down - Horror/thriller movie 

Phoebe Tonkin (Hayley) - Bloom - Drama series 

Charles Michael Davis (Marcel)  - Younger - Comedy/romance series 

Danielle Campbell (Davina) - Tell Me A Story - Psychological thriller series 

Riley Voelkel (Freya) - Roswell, New Mexico - Drama/sci fi series

Leah Pipes (Camille) - Life Is Wild - Drama series 

Yusaf Gatewood (Vincent) - Umbrella Academy (S2) - Action series 

Nathaniel Buzolic (Kol) - Saving Zoe - Crime film 

And where to find them: 

Joseph Morgan -

https://www.instagram.com/therealjosephmorgan/?hl=en

https://twitter.com/JosephMorgan

Daniel Gillies - 

https://www.instagram.com/mr.danielgillies/?hl=en

https://twitter.com/danieljgillies

Claire Holt - 

https://www.instagram.com/claireholt/?hl=en

https://twitter.com/claireholt

Phoebe Tonkin - 

https://www.instagram.com/phoebejtonkin/?hl=en

https://twitter.com/1PhoebeJTonkin

Charles Michael Davis - 

https://www.instagram.com/charlesdavis2020/?hl=en

Danielle Campbell - 

https://www.instagram.com/thedaniellecampbell/?hl=en

Riley Voelkel - 

https://www.instagram.com/lifeofrileyv/?hl=en

https://twitter.com/Lifeofrileyv

Leah Pipes - 

https://www.instagram.com/leahmariepipes10/?hl=en

https://twitter.com/leahmariepipes

Yusaf Gatewood - 

https://www.instagram.com/yusufgatewood/?hl=en

Nathaniel Buzolic - 

https://www.instagram.com/natebuzz/?hl=en

https://twitter.com/natebuzz

[kylermalloy]

So, I'm curious, what is your favourite TO episode? If you are able to make a choice ;)

Oh, oh! This is one ‘favorites’ question I have no problem answering.

My favorite episode is and has always been the season 1 finale, “From a Cradle to a Grave.” Honestly, I think this is where the show peaked in its writing. I was on the edge of my seat the entire episode, just loving the excitement, the tension, the themes, and all the narrative threads coming together in one culminating, sweeping episode.

This episode is everything I love about the show. Murder, mayhem, and family :) But seriously! (Omg am I going to have to do a blow-by-blow of the episode? I think I might.)

In that case, the rest goes under a cut. (Spoilers for TO ahead!)

The episode begins with Hayley giving birth, induced by the witches who betrayed Klaus. It’s in the church, that unholy horror of a murder museum.

Intercut with the rose-tinted flashback of pregnant Hayley and Klaus feeling their baby kick, Hayley gives birth as her voiceover promises a safe home and family to “Zoe…or Caitlyn, or Angela.”

*irony* but it hurts.

Klaus and Hayley are, for once, united in the fight for their child. They’ve been at each others’ throats all season, and in the past neither have had trouble getting their way. But in this crucial hour neither the Original hybrid or the uncontrollable mama wolf can do anything.

Can I say: I love love LOVE that look Klaus and Hayley share after the baby is born. Hayley asks to hold her, and they share this…look. Listen, I’m not much of a klayley shipper, but their partnership is golden. They’ve reached a tentative agreement at this point that they’re both going to play a role in raising the baby they created. The trust and pride and satisfaction between them in this moment, despite the horrid circumstances, melts me.

And then Hayley dies.

Klaus screaming NOOOOOOO is all of us in this moment.

Oh! And I almost forgot—Klaus being pinned to the wall in that Christlike pose. That was NOT an accident. It helps tie in to the larger theme they’re going for, that Elijah expounds for us later. He’s not a sinless, perfect Christ figure—in fact, he’s the opposite. He’s the monster under the bed, the devil in the night. One might even go so far as to say he’s the symbol for everyone to pin their problems to. The ultimate scapegoat. Not to say he didn’t exert some effort of his own to get there—this is the price he has to pay for his sins. Crucified, figuratively, forced to watch helpless as his newborn daughter is taken from him and her mother slaughtered.

Then Elijah bursts in. (Bless Daniel Gillies’s funky lil run, it gives me joy in the bleakest of times)

And this, oh goodness, this quiet grief they share over Hayley. Klaus has held her body since he woke up, I’m guessing, this woman who carried his child, chafed against every controlling measure he tried to impose on her, whom he holds some degree of respect and fondness for.

And Elijah, dear Elijah. He pinned all his hopes (hee) to this woman, this werewolf Madonna and her child. He gave her more space in his heart than he’d given anyone, including women who’d haunted him for centuries. And now she’s dead, just like anyone who’s had the misfortune of sparking his affections.

Klaus healing Elijah—HEY REMEMBER EARLY IN THE SEASON WHEN KLAUS BIT ELIJAH AND LEFT HIM TO SUFFER?! Now, Klaus offers his blood without compunction, without hesitation. This time it’s Elijah who hesistates. You have to wonder, is he deliberating which nightmare he would prefer—the torture of wolf venom, or the torture of Hayley’s death and her baby’s disappearance?

“You were bested? My invincible brother?”

Klaus doesn’t rise to the bait like he normally would. He barely reacts. He’s broken. He wanted too much—he played king and gained the whole world, but lost his soul. And then his kingdom.

You see why I love this episode?

We move to the graveyard, where we see not only Klaus and Elijah trapped in a maze, but the witches preparing for a sacrifice. Let’s not gloss over their costume change, either—in the church, for the birth, they were all clad in black. But here, as they prepare for their worst atrocity yet, infanticide, they wear pure white, like they’re going to a christening or something. *irony*

Then comes *the speech* from Elijah, the one that mirrors the pilot so perfectly (I know them both by heart, thank you very much.) In the pilot, Elijah’s speech is rousing, patient, and encouraging. Here, he has lost his patience. Here, he tells us what we’ve been seeing throughout the entire season.

“This is the world you created, Niklaus. All your scheming, the enemies you have made every day do your miserable life—what results did you expect? That your child would be born into a happy life? That the mother would be alive, to know her daughter? That we could live and thrive as some sort of family?”

“That was your fantasy, brother, not mine—”

“No, brother! This was our hope. This was our family’s hope. And now she is gone.” (And then we realize that he’s not just mourning the baby, that family he imagined—he mourns Hayley.) “Do you understand? I let this person in. I let her in. I don’t let people in.”

And Klaus’s reaction! This Klaus, with compassion he deserves only for his closest family—this is the Klaus that melts me. This is the scene that slaps. This is how we tie a bow on a season—nay, a millennium—of brotherly tension. They’re not healed; nothing could truly heal the damage they’ve done to each other (or the damage others have wrought on them) but it’s a start.

And Hayley wakes.

Before I go on, let me mention Marcel. Ally, enemy, friend, surrogate son to Klaus (and that could be all in one episode!) He’s destined for death by hybrid venom, having led his vampires into a massacre. All his attempts to rally his people have failed. He’s lost the city, and his vampires have been slaughtered by Guerrera werewolves. He has almost nothing left.

He goes out, armed to forcibly obtain Klaus’s blood and heal his friends—but he upon finding Klaus he makes very on-brand choice. He saves the baby.

He does what the combined efforts of Klaus, Hayley, and Elijah can’t. He wins Klaus’s trust back by saving his newborn daughter. He protects the innocent instead of contributing to the feud. He murders the girl he once tried to save from the Harvest. And he gets to meet his baby sister.

It’s strategy and heart all in one. It’s very Marcel.

He reconciles with Klaus, and Klaus heals him. They are healed—to some degree.

Then Klaus gets to hold his child for the first time, and we all die.

This is what the season has been building up to. Yes, it’s been building to Klaus being toppled off his throne, yes it’s been building to the splintering of his ego, but THIS is what we’ve been promised since the beginning—before the beginning of the show, even. The Original hybrid, brought to his knees by this child. His child. Someone he loves without reservation. Someone who doesn’t fear him. Someone innocent, who carries none of the burdens of their family. Someone who inspires hope in the hopeless. Someone he would kill for, or die for. (he does both)

And I can’t, I just can’t with them. I love the way JoMo handles the baby in this episode—very gingerly, a little awkwardly. It’s probably been a long time since Klaus has handled a baby (one that he hasn’t eaten D: ) and it’s just. so. endearing.

Meanwhile, Davina has…brought Mikael the destroyer back to life? I remember reading somewhere that Josh was supposed to die in this episode, and while I wouldn’t dare wish to deprive Josh of the happiness (and subsequent heartbreak) awaiting him in s2 and beyond, I think Davina’s motivations would’ve made more sense here if she were seeking to avenge her friend’s death. But I digress. Davina resurrects Mikael. Oh dear.

I haven’t mentioned Genevieve yet! She is one of my favorite antagonists. At first, she seemed to come out of nowhere, and I suspect she might have stepped into the narrative hole that was originally filled by Sophie Deveraux, but regardless I like her conflict. A witch cheated out of life (by an Original, no less!) and coerced to murder by her coven, living and dead. An apologetic killer. Yikes.

Klaus and Elijah then discuss how to protect the baby (and I swear in the opening shot it looks like they’re holding hands—but alas, it’s just a trick of the camera angle.) and Hayley helps them determine that they need to send her away. And let me say, Phoebe Tonkin impressed me more with her acting in seasons 2-3, but she hurts me here too. Ouch.

We get a few expository scenes—Francesca spins the werewolf attack into a gang war (she’s not wrong), Marcel makes a deal, Oliver is still an arrogant brat, and Davina plans to keep Mikael as her secret weapon (you poor child).

Then we get the most painful scenes in the episode, because even though we know this tragedy is a lie, it’s still a loss. The baby did not die, but their pain over losing her is real. Elijah says as much: “grief, after all, is grief.”

Klaus and Cami share a scene, and this is one of my favorites of them. Klaus admits that he finds her…beautiful. And for that reason, she should stay away from him. Whether you read this as romantic or not, it’s still so good. This is a woman Klaus pinpointed as being useful, intelligent, insightful, and strong enough to handle his psyche. They began with a rather twisted relationship (let’s save that essay on autonomy for another day, shall we?) but by the end of the season they’ve shared some experiences and gained more sympathy and respect for each other. And Klaus, in his moment of clarity and grief, recognizes that he is fundamentally not what she needs. (Or we could say this is all part of the lie. We’ll never know.)

Also, let me give a shoutout to the music in this episode! The two songs that play toward the end, Open Hands and Shallows are stellar. Speaking of the end! Let’s get into the biggest surprise this episode has for us.

“In what world will she be safe without her father? Who can protect her better than we?”

“There is one person.”

Rebekah. The thousand-year-old beauty queen I honestly thought we’d never see again after her exit in episode 16. The Original sister, the girl who loved too easily, who broke her brother’s heart and incurred his wrath. Who left to live her own life, who only could leave after her favorite brother set her free. Who always wanted what she couldn’t have, a family of her own.

And here she is, smiling at Klaus even though last time they screamed themselves hoarse in a graveyard and he put an enchanted stake through her chest, inches from her heart. She loves and hates him in equal measure, but she has nothing but love for this newborn baby. It’s a peace offering and the ultimate gesture of faith. Klaus could not trust anyone else in the world with his daughter, but he will hand her over to his beloved sister. It is the PERFECT way to end the season, especially with their parting words. Rebekah wants to know the baby’s name.

“Hope. Her name is Hope.”

They’ve been planning this gimmick from day ONE, I’m telling you. Ever since the pilot, when Elijah asks, “who’s more pathetic—the man who sees hope to make his family whole again? Or the coward who only sees the world through his own fear?” And I don’t care how cliche and gimmicky it is—if I did, I wouldn’t be watching this CW show. It’s perfect. This is what the baby means. She is the hope for this broken, broken family. She’s no savior—she doesn’t have to do anything but exist. But she reminds these siblings who, after a thousand years of bloodshed and fighting, are “the definition of cursed—always and forever,” that they can be better. They don’t have to remain the shells of who they were. They can pick up the pieces and begin a new chapter.

And that’s what this episode does for me, folks. It’s honestly too much to handle. I cannot watch this episode like a normal person—I writhe and scream and laugh maniacally and recite the lines. It’s a trip.

This episode concludes the season so strongly. It’s actually a major part of why I rank season 1 as my favorite! I did an official ranking of all 5 TO seasons a while back, which was a lot of fun.

[martinskis-lydias]

I LOVE JOSH

He knows that is Davina kills Kali’s he’ll die but he cares about her enough that he’s not going to stop her

He’s just so kind and caring

And I love him

i’m very confused about the casket girls story? what is it? is it actually real or just part of the show?