I am the monster that parents warn their kids of at night. I have killed, i have tortured, and I have sinned. There is no heaven for me, only the hell that I have been condemned to, guarded by my own demons. The ones that I protect shield away from me, and the ones that I love gift me with resentful looks of hatred. Bastard, demon, monster, such words filled with contempt that have plagued my life since the day that my mother had given birth to me, her greatest disappointment. A monster, yes, that's exactly what I am.

Dark and stormy skies, Niklaus observed, standing by the window in his office. Dagger in hand as he looked out onto the gloomy skies that New Orleans was graced with, how fitting, he mused. He heard the the light, unhurried footsteps that approached his office, and as the door creaked open, he didn't bother to turn around. Already having smelt his sister's sent down the hallway.

"Elijah's home, there's only one dagger. Which one of us will you be punishing today?" Rebekah asked, standing in her brother's study, tense as she spotted the dagger in Klaus' hand.

"I contemplated a game of eenie meenie miney moe" Niklaus slowly whispered out the last words, knowing she could hear him, slowly turning his head before he sped behind his sister, dagger against her throat. Rebekah drew in a shaky breath, trying to keep calm even as she shook at the hostile feeling her brother gave off and the cold feeling of the metal of the deadly dagger.

"My own sister-" Niklaus hissed out in anger, feeling the overwhelming emotion of hurt coming over him even though he tried to ignore it.

"Niklaus don't you dare" He was cut off as Elijah's voice filled the air. Niklaus closed his irritation at the presence of his dear, dear older brother. He spun around and took a few steps back, now looking at his siblings, who stood together.

"Perhaps it should be you, brother" Niklaus stood in a defensive position, hurt radiating off of him, as he pointed the dagger towards his siblings, towards his family.

"Calm down Niklaus" Elijah calmly spoke, eyeing his younger brother who held the dagger that had once been plunged into all of them.

"DON'T YOU DARE TELL ME TO CALM DOWN!" Niklaus shouted in rage, the hurt fueling the overwhelming anger and bitterness he held against his siblings, the ones who had stood with him against all odds. It had always been them against the world, now it seemed it was him against the universe. No one had ever chosen his side, no one, not the one who he had once called his son, not his hybrids, and not his family.

"Noble Elijah, the one who always keeps his promises. Except when it comes to his bastard of a brother hm? Always and forever, ha! As if I could have trusted even you, my family" Elijah could see the hurt in his brother's eyes as clear as day. He stepped a little bit closer in an attempt to get near his brother but his actions were not looked upon by his younger brother in a good light as Niklaus stepped back, eyes watering.

"Is this what this is? You are once again worried that you will be left behind. Has history taught you nothing? We don't abandon you, Nik, you push us away" Rebekah stated looking at her brother in disbelief and anger. She had stood by his side even when the others did not, she wouldn't admit it but Nik was the brother that she loved most, the one that had held her through the storms that frightened her when they were children and her protector who had defended her within the inch if his life. She stood by his side through it all, and now, centuries later, she stood on the opposite side.

"Is that so. What have I done lately other than cooperate? Bow down to you, brother, to make up for daggering you for the greater good for our plan to reclaim our home!" Niklaus exclaimed, the fiery storm of rage churning inside of him.

"Look the other way, sister, while you repeat the same cycle with Marcel. Falling again for a man you shouldn't be with! While he controls the empire that we built! That HE took!" Niklaus spat the words, betrayal coating and dripping off his very words. His siblings tried to hide the slight flinch at his tone. He took a shuttering breath, feeling the sting in his eyes, unable to stop the lone tear that dropped.

"Now I make no excuses, for past sins but in the one moment where you two could have chosen to stand by me. To believe in me, to believe that my intentions for my own family were pure. You chose to stand against me. To side with my enemies" It hurt more than he'd like to admit, but you could hear it in his voice. You could see it in the way he stood and you could see it in his eyes, as clear as day. How much it hurt. Niklaus took a deep breath though it was unnecessary and walked forward, one foot in front of the other as he approached his siblings.

"I wanted our home back, now I have it, so I'm going to live there" Niklaus spoke in a quite tone, looking his elder brother straight in the eyes, refusing to lower his eyes at the sorrowful and pleading eyes of his elder brother even as his own damned eyes watered.

"And the two of you, can stay here together, and rot" He made a heartbreaking sight, Niklaus. Elijah had lowered his eyes before looking back up, just in time to see his little brother's tear stained face, even as his broken brother stood with hardened eyes. Elijah stood stoic as Niklaus turned the dagger around, offering the last dagger to Elijah. A sign of letting the two of them go. He stared at the handle of the dagger, hesitant, but at last grabbing the handle. Niklaus gave his siblings one look, and made his way out. Leaving the other two originals in the room, silent.

Niklaus walked down down the stairs and out the exit, having already moved his things to his new house. He had no energy left, he was tired. Drained. It was just as he had thought, no one could be trusted, not his family, no one. Niklaus once again, hardened his heart against the world, this time, determined not to let anyone inside the walls surrounding his heart. For who could he trust, when he couldn't even trust his family?

-x

"I'm going to catch you teddy!" Laughter rang out inside the small cottage as a small woman with unruly, curly black hair chased a toddler around with bright turquoise hair. The other three adults watched the young child and the young woman laugh with glee as she finally caught the toddler and proceeded to tickle him. The woman with bubble gum pink hair stood up, attempting to stifle her giggles as she went to pick up her son.

"That's enough excitement for today, Faye would you put him to bed?" Tonks asked her son's godmother who nodded with a bright smile and moved to take her godson out of his mother's arms. Teddy went willingly, not a big surprise seeing as how Eirys is his favorite aunt. Faye took the toddler upstairs, changing his into his pj's and set him on the bed, already knowing that his mother had brushed his teeth already.

"Au'ie swing fo me?" She let out a giggle at his adorable lisp, nodding to his small request. She tucked him in, setting the blanket over him, and started patting his back in a rhythmic beat.

"Goodnight my angel, time to close your eyes

"And save these questions for another day

I think I know what you've been asking me

I think you know what I've been trying to say" She ran her fingers through Teddy's hair, already noticing his eyes dropping as he fought to stay awake. She could remember it as if it were yesterday when he had been born. It was during the war and all hope was non existing. People on both sides, were dying left and right, and everyone lived their days in constant fear of not being able to see another day. Then one morning she had been woken up by and excited and anxious Remus who had informed her that Tonks was in labor.

"I promised I would never leave you

Then you should always know

Wherever you may go, no matter where you are

I never will be far away" She had walked into the hallway full of the members of the order, all anxious to meet the child that was to be born in such a disastrous time. So they waited, all holding their breaths and all still in their pajamas, they held each other nervously as Tonks screamed in pain. Trusting in the healers that were in there to make sure everything went smoothly.

"Goodnight my angel, now it's time to sleep

And still so many things I want to say

Remember all the songs you sang for me

When we went sailing on an emerald bay

And like a boat out on the ocean

I'm rocking you to sleep

The water's dark and deep, inside this ancient heart

You'll always be a part of me" Then they had heard it, that sweet sound that she could still remember, she could remember the tears of relief and the cheers that had resonated though out the manor. In that one moment, during the dark times of war, they all cheered and celebrated with pure happiness and joy. It had been Teddy's cry that had ignited the determination within all of them that day. They remembered what exactly they were fighting for. They were fighting for a world where children would not live in constant fear of a mad man. They were fighting for a world where no muggle born or half blood would be ridiculed. They were fighting for a world where people would be valued for who they were and not berated for the blood status they had no control of. They were fighting for a world where all, creatures and wizards alike could live in harmony. A world of freedom and peace. That one cry of a newborn baby announcing their arrival into the world reminded them of that. They were fighting for them, the new generation.

"Sleep tight teddy bear" Faye kissed the top of Teddy's head, stroking his cheek with one hand. Reaching out to turn off the lamp and stepping quietly out of the room.

The sound crackling of the fire filled the other wise silent room. The lone hybrid sat, a glass of whiskey in hand, dark blue eyes staring into the fire. He let out a defeated sigh, twisting the glass in his hand as he let his head fall back onto the arm rest. He let out a humorless chuckle, laughing once again at his luck, at his foolishness. He had thought that his family had the same thoughts as he did, to take back their home. It was the one place where he knew his family was once the happiest and would once again be happy. It was what he had always wanted, it was what he had wanted to give to them.

He had trusted them, gave them a chance to prove that they would stand by him as he fought to reclaim their home. He had believed his brother as he told him that he would stand by his side. Trusted his sister as she spoke those sacred words of Always and Forever. They may look at him as if he was a monster, and by all means he was. But he was a monster who would have gone to the ends of the earth, fought the world, for his family. And now he had been betrayed by the very ones he had fought so long and hard to protect.

"AH!" Niklaus screamed in rage, throwing the bottle of whiskey along with the glass he held at the wall. He sunk down to his knees, grabbing hair as warm tears wetted his face. Heartbreak was painted onto his face, shaking breaths were taken, one hand reaching for the place above his heart. His heart was no longer beating. So why did it hurt? He didn't want to feel, it hurt, it hurt, it hurt, it hurt.

'You will live for all eternity, unloved and alone' His mother's words rang in his head, haunting him.