The final conclusion. . .

Chapter 5: Deliverance and Healing

******Where We Left Off******

Klaus could tell from the look in Hope's eyes that the evil spirit was ready to strike. "Quickly," he said, leaving Hope in the circle. When she tried to step out and couldn't, she gave him a dark look.

"Don't worry, sweetheart. Everything's going to be okay," he said as he moved to stand next to Elijah, who was a step behind Freya. Buffy and Spike were standing next to Rebekah and Marcel, who were next to Vincent. Angel stepped directly in front of Hope.

"Hope, this will be over soon," Angel said.

Vincent and Freya spoke in unison, working to pull out the evil that had taken shop inside Hope.

She began to show signs of distress. "Daddy!" she called out. She could feel the battle inside her as she tried to help push the evil residing in her out, but it dug its claws in hard. Her insides felt like they were being ripped apart. However, she refused to cry out again because her father might make them stop, and she was determined to be free.

Klaus moved to rush to her side, but Elijah held him back. "Do not, Niklaus. She is being freed, not harmed," he said.

A strong wind began to blow inside the house, and then Hope let out a scream. "It's working," Vincent said.

"The spirit is fighting back," Buffy observed.

Hopes eyes went black, and a strong force hit the magical barrier they were standing behind. Buffy wanted to reach for scythe, but the witches were holding it as they channeled its magic. Nothing, though, seemed to distract Freya, and she chanted louder.

Then they watched as the spirit was finally pulled out of Hope—dark smoke lingered outside of her. Klaus didn't hesitate but blurred to grab his daughter and pull her back behind the barrier before the spirit could attack.

The spirit shrieked its rage and slammed hard into Angel, knocking him off his feet. Buffy resisted her natural inclination to go toward him. It had to happen this way, and she took a deep breath to calm herself.

Then the smoke hovered over Angel's face for a moment before penetrating. Angel snarled, his vamp face making its first appearance.

"What's it doing to him?" Klaus asked Buffy.

"That's his normal face," Spike answered before she could.

"You really are different," Klaus said. Hope finally opened her eyes and looked up at him. "Are you okay, sweetheart?"

Hope couldn't believe how much lighter she felt, and she nodded. "Yes, I'm fine. She's gone," Hope said, her face breaking out into a wide smile.

Klaus hugged her, his eyes focused on the battle going on in front of him. Angel seemed to be fighting his own battle with the dark entity as he snarled and shook his head. Then he collapsed to his knees, his eyes flashed yellow.

Angel could feel Angelus rising up to defend his territory. He might not be in control of Angel's body, but he wasn't about to allow another to take over his space and drive him out.

The evil known as the Hollow reveled in the evil it sensed in its new host. So much darkness…

Then, it felt real pain for the first time as the demon Angelus attacked. Not used to such aggression and power in its host, it hesitated for one moment too long. Angelus wasn't going to share space with any other dark presence.

There was a loud shriek, and then Angel raised his head, his face human looking again. "It's gone," he said.

Freya looked at Vincent, who nodded. "He's right. I could sense its destruction," he said.

"Thank God!" Rebekah explained, pulling Hope in for a hug. "You are so incredibly brave," she said.

The family let out various signs of relief and happiness. Klaus moved to help Angel to his feet, clasping him on the shoulder. "I cannot believe that worked, but I am very grateful," he said.

"I'm glad I could help," Angel said. He glanced at Hope. "Are you okay?"

"I'm much better now," Hope said, flashing him a brilliant smile. "I can't thank you enough."

"No kid should have to put up with that kind of evil," Angel said.

"What was it like?" Spike asked.

"Worse than the last time I did this," Angel said. "But it wasn't expecting Angelus to be so violent, and he got the advantage before the thing could react."

"We are in your debt," Elijah said, shaking Angel's hand.

Buffy hugged him. "I'm glad you're okay," she said, smiling up at him.

"Me, too," he said.

"I need a drink," Marcel said, relieved Hope was okay. He hugged her. "You deserve the biggest ice cream sundae ever."

"I could use one," Hope said.

The Mikaelsons insisted on taking their new friends out for a celebration. Angel and Spike had the unusual experience of actually relaxing and enjoying themselves with Buffy even as they shared her with their new friends. Buffy was comfortable around witches, so she instantly put both Freya and Vincent at ease, sharing tales of her experience with magic. Spike told them about how he'd come back from the dead, but it was science and not magic that had helped him.

The New Orleans crew were as fascinated with Buffy and her two ex-lovers as they were with them. Their experiences were so different. Freya told the two vampires they couldn't leave until she made them some daylight rings.

Angel and Spike had a hard time believing it when they stepped out into the mid-day sun the next afternoon.

"Look at me not in flames!" Spike said. He turned and pulled Freya her close, kissing her lips with a loud smack. "Thank you, love!"

Freya laughed as Spike twirled in circles. She glanced at Angel, who seemed much calmer. His eyes closed as he savored the warmth on his face.

"Thank you," Angel said.

"No thanks needed," Freya said. "You saved Hope. There's not much we won't do for you."

Buffy stood next to the two brothers. "You can't know how much this means to them," she said.

"We can," Klaus said. "Just because we've always had daylight rings doesn't mean we don't know how important it is to them. I was once bricked inside a wall for a few years by Marcellus. I missed the sun almost as much as I missed my daughter."

Buffy looked up at him a bit horrified. "Marcel did that? Why?" she asked.

"That's a long story," Elijah said. "Let's just say we're often a dysfunctional family."

Buffy laughed and shook her head. "I guess so. My best friend Willow went nuts once and tried to kill me. I forgave her," she said. "I put my sister slayer, Faith, in a coma after she poisoned Angel, and he forgave her a few years before I did."

Klaus grinned at her. "We have more in common," he said. He was finding the slayer a delight.

"Buffy, do you think I might be able to help your group?" Elijah offered. "I would really like a change. There's been too many losses lately in this town. Maybe I could help your mentor, Giles?"

Buffy's eyes lit up. "Seriously? You'd do that? Oh my God! Giles would go nuts to have someone with your knowledge and history, not to mention superpowers!" she said with enthusiasm.

"You want to leave us, brother?" Klaus asked, not sure how he felt about it.

"I watched Hayley be murdered and did nothing to aid her. I will never forgive myself," Elijah said. "I must do something to make my life have meaning again."

Klaus knew how much his brother was drowning in guilt. Who knew that wiping his memory would have such devastating consequences? Hope hadn't yet forgiven him either. He nodded. "I will miss you," he said.

"When are you sending Hope back to school?" Buffy wondered.

"Probably tomorrow. She is anxious to return," Klaus said. "Being here without her mother is difficult. She needs some time away."

"I'd really like to see this school and meet the principal," Buffy said. "Our Cleveland school would love to have another supernatural school to do stuff with."

"It is run by Alaric Saltzman, a father to twin girls around Hope's age. They are witches—he started the school for them. His wife was murdered on his wedding night, and the unborn babies were placed inside my young vampire friend, Caroline Forbes. She runs the school with them and is the only mother they have known."

"Wow," Buffy said. "That's incredible."

"Your life may be more unbelievable than ours," Angel said in bemusement.

While Angel and Spike were busy chatting with Klaus and his sisters, Buffy called Giles and filled him in all what transpired and Elijah's offer.

Giles was more than happy to have Elijah join him, and Buffy gave the phone to Elijah to speak to Giles. Then she told Giles about the school.

"A school for witches, werewolves, and vampires?" Giles said in bemusement. "How fascinating. Pure lycanthrope wolves and vampires with souls. I cannot believe the Council has no records of them. I will have to speak to some contacts."

"I was thinking of going to the school and meeting the headmaster and headmistress," Buffy said.

"That's a good idea," Giles said. "As the only other school of its kind, that could be an important relationship to develop."

"These vampires are so different from the ones we fight," Buffy said. "Stronger, faster—and their blood can heal humans."

"Fascinating," Giles said. "I look forward to meeting Mr. Mikaelson."

Buffy said goodbye and looked up to find Angel waiting to speak with her. "Hey. What's up?" she asked.

"We're going to head back home. It's best not to leave Illyria to her own devices for long," Angel said.

Buffy hugged him. "Keep in touch," she said.

"I will," he promised.

Spike appeared. "Did you tell her?"

Angel nodded. "Yes," he said.

"I'm glad I got to see you both," Buffy said, hugging Spike.

Spike pulled her close, allowing himself one moment of regret. Then he stepped back, flashing a carefree smile. "I'll be seeing you," he said.

Buffy watched the two vampires walk away, feeling sad. Then Hope called her name, and she turned toward her new friends.

*****Two Days Later*****

Klaus invited Buffy to go with him to return Hope. Already, Buffy felt both comfortable with the Mikaelsons and fond of all of them. She agreed to leave her scythe with Freya as Freya was going to try to channel the magic to restore her brother, Finn.

Klaus complained loudly about that. "Do we really need that blowhard returning?" he asked.

Buffy was surprised by his comments but didn't want to get in the middle of a family fight and stayed silent.

"That blowhard is our big brother," Rebekah reminded him.

"Yes, but he hates being a vampire and is a total drag," Klaus reminded them.

"Well, he can jump into a human body if he wants," Freya said. "I promised him that I would bring him back, and I will. He's trapped, Nik. He isn't on the other side." She fingered her necklace that contained his soul.

"You guys can body jump?" Buffy asked, too surprised to stay silent.

"If we want to be a weak human," Klaus said.

"Niklaus, leave Freya alone," Elijah said. "Finn is our brother and thus deserves our loyalty."

Buffy noted that Klaus did submit to his older brother and fought back a grin. Family hierarchies were fascinating, especially when they were in an ancient line.

As they rode first class on a plane to Virginia, Buffy thought of the complicated family. Their relationships were much more complex than the Scoobies, and that was saying a lot.

Klaus sat next to his daughter; his euphoria held no limits. His new lovely slayer friend sat in the seat across the aisle. He glanced over at her, seeing that she was lost in thought.

Now that he was no longer distracted by his worry for his daughter, he could focus on just how beautiful and extraordinary the woman was.

******Salvatore School******

Hope led them to Rick and Caroline's office.

"Hope," Rick said. "Are you okay?"

"I'm great," Hope said. "Buffy's friends were able to help me."

"No more evil demon tormenting my daughter," Klaus said to Rick. "Where's Caroline?"

"She's around here somewhere," Rick said. "Probably in one of the classrooms."

"I'd like her to meet Buffy," he said impatiently.

"How about I meet her first?" Rick said with a smirk.

Buffy laughed. "I'm Buffy Summers," she said, holding out her hand.

Rick stood and shook it. "Alaric Saltzman," he said. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Thank you for helping Hope. I'm very fond of her—despite her ass of a father."

Buffy grinned and looked at Klaus, who rolled his eyes. "He's still pissed that I stole his body that one time nearly twenty years ago," he said.

"Daddy," a voice at the door said.

"Lizzie, what's up?" Rick said.

"Is this one of your twins?" Klaus said with interest.

"Yes, but you don't need to make her acquaintance," Rick said coldly.

"I see you're back," Lizzie said to Hope. "We so missed you."

Buffy blinked at the clearly fake tone, and Klaus narrowed his eyes. "Do you allow your daughter to speak so contemptuously to mine?" he asked. "After all I've done for this school?"

"Daddy, who is this man?" Lizzie asked, feeling insecure.

"That's my father," Hope said. She glanced at her dad. "My mother is dead, and I'm not going to lie about who I am anymore."

Klaus nodded. "My father is Klaus Mikaelson," she revealed. "My real name is Hope Mikaelson."

Lizzie's eyes widened in alarm, and she turned and fled.

Klaus chuckled. "I'm surprised that a daughter of the bravest human I've ever known would be such a coward," he said.

"My daughter isn't a coward," he said. "She just doesn't do well with strong emotions." He looked at Buffy. "She's obviously human. Does she know what a monster you are?"

"Rick, don't go insulting our student's father," Caroline said from the doorway.

Buffy took note of the change in Klaus' expression when he glanced at the new arrival.

"Caroline!" Klaus said, holding out his arms for her.

Caroline gave him a fond smile. "It's nice to see you, Klaus," she said, allowing him to kiss her cheek and give her a brief hug.

Hope was surprised as she didn't realize that Caroline really knew her father. "I didn't know you knew my dad," she said.

"Of course, I know your dad," Caroline said. "He did kill my best friend Elena Salvatore and her aunt once upon a time."

"She didn't stay dead," Klaus reminded her.

"He's a bad boy," Caroline said, shaking her finger at him. "But every so often, I get a glimpse of a heart inside that chest of his. And he's saved my life more than once and my friends—so I don't hold a grudge like Rick."

"Well, I'm not as young and easily impressed as you," Rick said to her, giving her a fond smile.

"She was definitely not easily impressed," Klaus said. "I worked hard for every smile."

Hope's eyes widened as she realized how deep her father's feelings for Caroline went. How did she not know this?

"Hope, you really should get settled, so you can start making up the work you missed," Rick told her. "We're glad to have you back."

"Yes, we are," Caroline said. "I'm very sorry to hear about Hayley." Unlike Klaus, Hayley had been a fixture at the school since Hope's enrollment, and Caroline had grown to genuinely like her.

"Thanks," Hope said. She looked at her dad. "Come to my room before you leave, okay?"

"I will," he said.

"So I'd really love to talk to you about my organization," Buffy said.

"Oh, yes, Buffy's got some really interesting friends," Klaus said with a grin. "She's a vampire slayer."

That was the beginning of the Salvatore School's relationship with another group of supernatural beings.

******The End*****

Yes, I know. This is NOT a finished story as I didn't develop Klaus/Buffy much at all. However, I got an idea for a more Legacy/BTVS story that would make a nice sequel. Not sure when I'll write it, but the idea is lots of fun. I hope you enjoyed what I did write. Reviews are the best thank you for sharing…