By all accounts it should have been a normal day. The Mikaelsons had abruptly left town, leaving a peculiar sense of disquiet in their wake that left people questioning whether they had been their at all. It was a school day in senior year, yes her sister was still missing and yes she was still friends with vampires but by her standards, that was normal.

Or it was. Until she saw the letter.

Normally she wouldn't snoop. But the balled up piece of paper had been kicked out into the corridor and Elena's curiosity had been peaked. She'd unfurled the paper with unnecessary care for a scrap but something made her want to treasure it. Her eyes flitted across the words with growing unease and hurt.

She hadn't heard Jeremy ascend the staircase until he was only a few steps from her.

"What is this?" She asked, her voice carefully controlled but still it trembled slightly.

"A letter from our sister."

"You got one too." She sounded wounded. As if the simple statement had been a physical blow.

"Elena-" Jeremy started, stepping towards his sister, intent on comforting her.

Elena stepped backwards away from her brother outstretched arm, which drooped listlessly to his side at her clear rejection, she held the paper aloft as if it smelt unpleasantly.

"She wrote to both you and Caroline, yet she can't even answer my texts!"

"El you know she wouldn-"

"Do I? She just swans into our lives completely unannounced, creates chaos and the just leaves without saying anything! How am I meant to trust someone like that Jer? What if she'd hurt you? You know how careless she is." She waved the offending piece of paper in the space between them as if proving a point. "We don't even know where she is and she couldn't even be bothered to come home for your birthday! It's exactly the same as before. She doesn't care about us, she just enjoys tearing our lives apart and then leaving us to clean up the pieces! You remember what a state Mom and Dad were in when she left. She did that to them. And now she trying to do the same again. She's so selfish!"

"That's not fair Elena." Jeremy stared at his sister with disbelievibg eyes, Maya was still their sister. "It was always easy for you. You were the perfect child. I won't deny that I had it easier than Maya did but she couldn't never do right in their eyes. She was constantly grasping for countenance that was so far out of reach she couldn't even see it."

"That's not true." She protested weakly.

"Yeah it is. And if you still can't see that, then maybe it's a good thing she's not here."

He disappeared down the corridor, leaving Elena to fester in her thoughts.

- TVD -

Maya woke to find herself being jostled about in her seat. Wait a minute, when did she get in a car?

"Ahh the beast awakens." Klaus teased from the driver seat, Rebekah slapped his arm from the passenger seat, not looking up from her phone.

A chuckle next to her had her turning her head to see Kol lounging against the upholstery his usual nonchalant attitude.

"I hate you guys."

"I suppose you don't want this coffee then darling?"

Maya stared at Kol with narrowed eyes as she tries to discern whether or not he's serious.

"Is it still hot?"

"Of course." But he still didn't hand over the promised beverage.

"Kol just give her the damn drink before she pours it on you."

"You ruin all of my fun Bekah." Kol sulked passing Maya the hot coffee as he glared daggers at the blonde's back.

As Maya's hand closed around the cup, Kol let out a pained gasp, wrenching his hand back to his side as of he had been burned. Which is exactly what the gentle wave of power could squeeze out with her ring on would have felt like. Kol turned to her with questions in his eyes, Maya raised an eyebrow at him in confusion. His shook his head and quickly dismissed it. Maya hid her smirk behind her coffee cup.

Nothing was said for several hours as Maya drifted in and out, sipping at her tepid coffee every time she awoke until the caffeinated heaven was gone.

"So where exactly are we going?"

It had been a little over a week since the party and the protectiveness of the Mikaelsons had barely died down to a simmer. But with the return of Finn and Sage from god knows where the younger siblings had realised they could stall no longer and needed to make a move.

"Hythe a village in Alberta. The drive would have been about sixteen hours but you slept for nearly seven so it shouldn't be much longer." Rebekah answered.

Maya nodded.

A thought suddenly occurred to her. This was the first time more than one Mikaelson had been part of their little road trip to Alaska. Which meant one of two things. The siblings were either going to attempt to ignore each other for the duration or, the less appealing but potentially more like option, they were going to start world war three - supernatural style - right here in this enclosed space. Maya knew which option she preferred.

"Can we get breakfast?" She blurted in a feable attempt to distract her from her growing anxiety at prospect number two.

The siblings exchange weighted looks.

"No one's going to attack me in a service station." She stated bluntly.

They quickly averted the gazes and Rebekah cleared her throat as she shuffled in her seat. Any other time Maya would probably find it entertaining that she could make the supernatural community's biggest and baddest on edge as if she was the volitile one.

"We never suggested you would." Rebekah started.

"Uh huh, sure." Her tone dripping in derision and disbelief. "So breakfast. Some of us can't survive on an all liquid diet."

"Well..." Kol went to counteract her statement but cut himself off at the glare from the two females.

Klaus sighed.

"Next service station is in two miles, think you can wait that long."

"No I'm going to spontaneously combust if I don't eat right now." She spat sarcastically. "I know it was like a millennium ago but do you guys seriously not remember being human?"

"No, not particularly." Came Rebekah's response.

"It's not something I like to focus on." Klaus muttered.

"I remember how easy it is to kill one."

It was Klaus that glared at Kol this time, the brunet simply raised his hands in a sign of surrender.

Maya rolled her eyes at the lot of them.

"Is it too late to switch cars?"

"Yes." They answered in unison.

"Assholes." She muttered, leaning her head against the window as amusement danced a long each of their features.

- TVD -

The food stop had turned into a gas stop. So as the original filled up their cars, in a fashion that seemed so mundane and human that Maya was beginning to wonder if she was hallucinating, she sat on the bonnet of Klaus' car as she ate her bacon sandwich.

"Hey kiddo." Sage said as she sauntered up to her.

"Hey Sage."

"They driven you insane yet?" She asked with a secretive smile.

Maya chuckled softly.

"Not yet but it was a near thing."

"You can ride with us the rest of the way." From anyone else it would have sounded like an offer, but from Sage it was simply a fact that she would be.

"Sage stop trying to steal Maya you trollop!" Rebekah hollered through the small gas station.

Sage looked over her shoulder at the blonde with a smirk.

"Rebekah that is no way to speak about my wife. It is Maya's decision as to who she'll ride with."

"Your wife? Since when!" Rebekah spluttered.

"Two months."

"So that's where you went gallivanting off to brother." Klaus chimed in.

"You could have done better Finn." Kol said, putting his own two cents in.

Sage stared at her nails in disinterest as she continued to lounge against the car, clearly this was an over discussed topic.

"Must you all insist on acting like children." Came Elijah's exasperated voice as he stepped out of the service station.

Rebekah folded her arms and looked away from her older brother in a move that was far too petulant for someone over a thousand years old. Kol looked a mixture of scolded and bored. Klaus was trying to hide his smirk as he continued to fill up the car.

"My god their children." Maya muttered quietly to herself before taking another bite of her sandwich.

As usual she had forgotten about the family's enhanced hearing, as all heads turned to look at her. She froze mid chew before catching herself. Elijah smirked put hid it in a pretense of straightening his emmaculant suit.

"You're not wrong kid." Sage spoke next to her.

"Fucking vampires." Maya muttered popping the last bite of sandwich in her mouth before hopping off of the car. "I'm riding with Sage." She declared louder.

Sage smirked and pushed away from Klaus' car. Rebekah let out a shocked little gasp and looked as if she was about to argue when Kol put his arm around her shoulder.

"Come along sister, let's the leave the human with our far duller siblings." He said steering Rebekah in the direction of the other car.

Maya shook her head amusedly at their ridiculousness before slipping into the car.

- TVD -

The attitude of second car was far calmer. There was none of the chaoticness or unpredictablity that the others seemed to exude. Finn was driving despite Sage having more experience - something about never learning if he didn't try - leaving Sage in the passenger seat. Elijah was sat in the middle row while Maya occupied the entirety of the back row, which she took advantage of by sprawling across it. Elijah had tried to argue that it violated road safety rules but Sage had quickly shut him up.

Maya had drifted off hours later only to be awaken by Sage looming over the middle row and prodding her to eat her lunch. She pulled herself up bleary-eyed and accepted the bag.

The vampires were discussing something to do with different properties the family owned, once she'd finished the pasta she fell asleep again, making sure to where her seat belt at Elijah's less than subtle glance.

- TVD -

She was glad she'd not laid back down, when she was jostled out of her sleep. The others seemed surprised by the abrupt stop too. Finn trying starting the engine again but it made no difference. She could hear Kol yelling at them from car behind.

"What happened?" She asked, voice thick with sleep as she rubbed at her eyes.

"I believe we've hit some sort of boundary spell. Wait here one moment." Elijah responded, slipping smoothly out of the car.

She watched as the Original placed his hand firmly against the invisible wall.

"Witches." Sage muttered bitterly.

Klaus had also gotten out of his car and was now talking to his brother. The two of them glanced at her from where she sat slumped in the back row before continuing their conversation.

"Finn." Sage said in a warning tone.

"I'll be back in a moment my love, but you know how easily swayed Elijah's can be by Niklaus."

"It's just a boundary spell what on earth could he do."

"I'm not sure I'd be surprised whatever he chose."

Sage sighed and looked away from her husband as he cambered out with far less elegance than his suit clad brother.

"Do you really think it's a simple boundary spell?" She asked resting her head on the middle row.

"I hope so."

"That's reassuring." She muttered, resting her head on her arms, her eyes fluttering closed.

"Don't go to sleep kiddo. We might need to get you out of here."

She whined but sat up nonetheless.

"Thank you sweetie."

Maya hummed in response too tired to provide anymore. God she was so tired these days.

The brothers were interrupted mid conversation at the arrival of two women.

Sage grabbed the door handle but stopped herself from acting on the impulse to attack.

"Kid I want you to get down, okay?" Her voice tightly control.

"You don't need to tell me twice." She muttered, slinking out of her seat and sliding onto the car floor.

Her fingers found her ring almost subconsciously. She couldn't be seen anyway but the thought was there always at the back of here mind. The need to hide, to disappear.

Sage had rolled down her window so she could hear as well so she wouldn't be tempted to get up.

"The great Mikaelsons held back with a simple boundary spell." The thickly accented voice taunted, it sounded European.

"What is this witch?" Klaus sniped.

"Give us the girl."

"Yes well you're going to have be a little bit more convincing to get Rebekah to listen to you."

"We have no need for your sister. Give us the doppelganger."

"I'm not quite sure we know what you're talking about." Finn spoke this time.

The woman gave a bitter laugh.

"We know you have her. Your little wolves said as much."

"Your an idiot if you think Katherine or her sister would step within a mile of us." Now Rebekah had also joined them.

"You don't know what your dealing with."

"Two witches who won't even face us."

"Not us."

"If this is still about the doppel-" Finn was cut short as a scream was torn from his throat.

"Finn!" Was the only warning Maya got before the red head launched herself from the car.

Maya twisted off her ring almost immediately as panic swept through her. Fire burned through her caressing every tendon with uncomfortable heat. Now she was no more visible than she was immortal.

Grunts and screams filled the air. But even with her power simmering in her veins, she didn't want to tempt fate by giving in.

More witches gathered. She could hear multiple voices chanting now. The ominous sound getting closer and closer to the car.

She tried to keep her breathing steady but her erratic heart was making it hard to focus. Strange how that worked, she thought to herself bemusedly.

Another wave of power seared through her as the door behind her head was yanked open. Keeping still and breathtaking as quietly as possible she watched the middle aged blonde's eyes scour the car interior. Looking dissatisfied, she backed away and shut the door.

Maya let out sigh of relief before she realised she hadn't heard the resolute sound of the door locking into place.

The door was flung back open and before she could react the perpetrator had managed to grab a fistful of her hair. She was yanked backwards until her head and shoulders were hanging out of the car. Her first outstretched instinctively. She sent a wave of power to where her fist connect with the brunettes cheek, turning the flesh pink as if burned.

The woman let go instantly having not seen the attack coming as Maya was still not visible. She pulled herself back up and slammed the door into place. She shuffled forwards slightly, but there wasn't exactly much room to move, as she tried to catch her breath. A bad idea in all honesty when an curled around her throat and dragged her out of the car.

The action caught her by surprise and she was unable to hold up the illusion as her power fled elsewhere, already on the defensive.

The man had her stood several paces away from the car and was trying to drag her further when Maya got her feet under her. Her elbow flung out and another wave of power met the flesh where her elbow had given him a broken nose. The pain he had been prepared for but the burning that followed the wave of power had him off kilter and he disentangled himself to cradle his nose.

Maya barely managed one step forwards before the warlocks arm wrapped around her waist. She prepared to continue her assault when a blade was plunged into her side. She choked slightly as the taste of blood coated the back of her throat. She immediately bit down on her lip to stop any further sounds not wanting to distract the vampires who were currently very busy with their own bloodied witches.

She swung her leg backwards connecting with his crotch as her power pulsed through her. He dropped to the ground groaning. Maya breathed heavily as she staggered backwards clutching at her side. Oh god she needed to get out of here, she thought to herself as she looked around at the carnage the witches had caused.

And before the thought had even fully formed her surroundings were fading before her. She was too warm as her power flooded every cell of her being and she was left tingling as not even a second later she stood in front of the dingey diner they'd past ten minutes ago.

Maya looked around her in a state of panic. Oh fuck that had never happened before. She hadn't meant to leave the Mikaelsons.

Her skin was coated with a thin sheen of sweat as her panic threatened to consume her. Unfortunately the rapid beating of her heart was causing her to lose more blood. She looked down at her bloody t-shirt numbly. Her eyes flickered around her. No cameras. Well at least that was one good thing to come out of this train wreck.

Removing her hand cautiously she slid her ring back on. Her hand flew straight back to her wound and she entered the small diner.

She headed straight for the bathroom at the back. Creeping into the grimy bathroom with it's too yellow interior and flickering lights, she grabbed a wad of tissue and wet it slightly before dabbing lightly at the hole in her side.

Surprisingly, it didn't hurt that much. Just a dull stinging. Thought that could have been the adrenaline that was pumping through her veins like her bodies own natural pain killer. She cleaned it as best as she could before washing the blood - that had started to form a crust - off of her hands.

In the short period of time that took her side was bloody again. She grabbed some dry tissue and pressed it firmly to her side before covering it back up with her t-shirt. Pressing a hand over the bloody hole in her top and her tissue covered side she headed back into the diner.

She ordered a cup of tea hoping it would calm her down. Coffee didn't sound like a good idea right now as her heart continued to pound painfully against her chest.

She slipped into a vinyl covered booth and sipped at the hot beverage. Letting it scald it's way down her throat and washing away the taste of blood that lingered.

Her mind wandered back to the witches attack. They had known she was with the Mikaelsons. It shouldn't have been surprising but Klaus had said the wolves were dead. And the Originals themselves had been fooled by a false document claiming her death yet these witches knew otherwise. They had suggested she was dangerous. What did they know. It was small fire and no one had even been injured.

Almost subconsciously her finger had dug into the flesh of her side while lost in her spiral of thoughts. She hissed as she released her hold on the tender flesh.

Her eyelids started to flutter closed as the adrenaline began to leave her system and the tea worked it's magic. She was startled back to wakefulness by the ringing of her phone. Begrudgingly, she made a grab for her phone.

"Hello." She answered with a croak, okay maybe the tea hadn't worked completely yet.

"Maya where the hell are you?" That was Rebekah's shrill voice coming down the line, some distant part of her told her. "I told you to stay in the car kid." She heard Sage yell in the background.

"Sorry." She went to move hand to scrub it down her face as her body threatened to fall back asleep, before remembering her current predicament. "I'm at a diner ten minutes back the way we came."

"What the bloody hel-" Rebekah was interrupted by Sage.

"We'll be there in five!"

Rebekah let out a sound that sound vaguely like a snarl.

"Don't you dare move." Was all that she said before cutting the call off.

Maya dropped the phone back on to the table as she slouched in her seat.

When the Mikaelson hoarde turned up six minutes later bloodied and fuming, Maya had the distinct urge to crawl under the table and hide. But when she shifted ever so slightly a sharp pain in her side reminded her that wasn't a good idea. Trying to cover up her mistake she picked up for cup of tea and sipped at the last few dregs of the beverage.

Sage, Finn and Elijah slid onto the bench opposite her. Rebekah perched next to her while Kol clambered over the back to land in the space between Maya and the wall. Klaus loomed above them, arms crossed and opposing as ever.

"What are you doing here Maya?" Finn asked gently as if she was going to bolt.

She opened her mouth to speak when Rebekah got there first.

"And why the bloody he'll didn't you say anything?"

"You were a little preoccupied. And you're attire is drawing attention from the other patrons."

Klaus smirked but it quickly fell from his face.

"What happened?" It came out as more of a demand than a question.

Maya raised an eyebrow in question over the lip of her mug.

"You're going to have to be more specific."

As she was lowering her cup Kol seemed to take note of the hand that was covering her side closest to him. He made a sudden grab for her arm and yanked it away revealing the bloodied hole in her t-shirt. Maya gasped in pain as the jerky motion had sent pain shooting down her side.

The Mikaelsons seemed to react as one. Straightening up and shifting closer. Maya glared at Kol despite the throbbing in her side.

"What the hell is this?" Kol asked aggressively, his words almost a growl, you could hear the bloodlust dripping from them.

Maya had never been particularly fearful of the Originals but she knew Kol's reputation, how Klaus didn't even come to devastation and destruction that his younger brother left behind when he fancied.

"It's nothing. Get off."

"How the hell did you manage to walk here without collapsing." Sage demanded.

Kol suddenly jabbed at the wound causing Maya to yelp in pain a sound she tried to mask with gritted teeth.

"Nothing my arse."

"One of the witches - or whatever the politically correct term is - had a knife, okay?"

"No its not bloody okay!" Rebekah chimed in.

"Miss Gilbert I suggest we get you to a hospital unless you've changed your stance on vampire blood?"

"I don't need to go to a hospital I'm fine."

"You were stabbed Maya you need medical attention." Finn said as calmly as ever.

Klaus suddenly sped off but was back only moments later.

"Everyone's been compelled to forget we were here so I suggest we get the human to a doctor now."

"I don't need a doctor!" Maya yelled, covering the bubbling sense of anxiety with aggravation.

Before she could say more on the matter, the Mikaelsons had given her a disbelieving look before she suddenly found herself in a bridal hold and in a flurry of motion she was sat in the back seat with a glaring Kol. A scowling Rebekah in passenger and an irate Elijah in the driver's seat. It was going to be a long ride.

- TVD -

Maya flopped backwards against the leather upholstery, grimacing when her stitches tugged. She hadn't bothered checking how many stitches she'd been given, she'd just kind of zoned the entire experience out. She does remember Sage mumbling that she was gonna kick her ass for getting hurt, but she'd also been holding her hand and watching the procedure with a close eye.

Klaus had muttered something about compelling the staff as she'd dragged herself into the nearest car.

She was fully intent on sleeping through the entire journey, if only her heart would stop pounding in her chest and she could stop sweating.

"It's another couple of hours until we get to the house, okay kiddo?" Sage announced as she slipped into the driver's seat.

She hummed in response, just letting her head lol back against the seat.

"How are you stitches Maya? Do you need any pain killers?" Finn asked.

"They're fine. Just wanna sleep."

"Okay kiddo get some rest."

If it had been a little less intense of a day, if her head wasn't fuzzy with exhaustion and her body wasn't singing with adrenaline, she might have commented on the surreality of it all. But as it was, she collapsed in the middle row while Elijah rode with his younger siblings.

A less from her old roommate lingered in the back of her mind, something about not trusting vampires and to never show them you're vulnerable. But Maya was so done with watching her back she couldn't bring herself to care.

Besides, Klaus had killed his precious hybrids because she'd been 'vulnerable'. It seemed absurd that they would try anything. Especially after rushing her t the hospital.

She snorted quietly in amusement before the sweet allure of sleep claimed her.

She could worry about vampires and vulnerability in the morning.

A/N: Whoops? So I was given the idea of Elena reacting to the letter last chapter everything after was unplanned. The witch thing I had planned for something similar to happen later on but I changed it and put it here instead. So what do you guys think? Maya's powers seem to be more vast than she thought. Anyway let me know your thoughts in the comments and I'll see you guys next chapter.

Updates are gonna be even more irregular as college is kicking my ass. I do have other WIPs that I could transfer over to this account if you guys were interested for Vampire Diaries and Doctor Who.

Bye guys :)

*Not Edited