AN: Here's the next chapter, so sorry for the delay and how short it is. It's taken a long time to get just this put on the computer. My health is very poor at the moment, so I'm sorry again for the wait and for anyone I didn't get a chance to respond to. I hope you enjoy it anyways and thanks for coming back after so long.

Disclaimer: I own nothing related to TVD or TO.

Chapter 26: 1+1=PANIC!

"You're having twins."

"But…we've only heard one heartbeat. You're wrong, Gabby, there's only one baby. One." Sophia shook her head in denial.

"It's not unusual for one heartbeat to be masked by the other until the fetuses grow larger. But there are two heartbeats now, look." Gabriela pointed to each of the blobs where there were little flickers.

"These are the heads and the heartbeats. You can see the arm on this one and both on this one. The fetus closest to the cervix is called Baby A and it's likely that's the heartbeat you heard. Here, let me take some measurements and I'll let you listen." She said, quickly cataloging the lengths of each fetus before focusing on Baby A and turning the sound on, using the Fetal Doppler to get the heartbeat.

Th-thump, Th-thump, Th-thump, Th-thump, Th-thump, Th-thump, Th-thump, Th-thump, Th-thump, Th-thump, Th-thump, Th-thump, Th-thump, Th-thump, Th-thump, Th-thump, Th-thump, Th-thump

"It's got a good, strong heartbeat; it's about 165 bpm, which is where it should be. Now let's check Baby B's heartbeat." Gabriela said, moving to the second sac, wishing one of them would say something; but they both just stared at the monitor, dumbstruck.

"Here we go."

Th-thump, Th-thump, Th-thump, Th-thump, Th-thump, Th-thump, Th-thump, Th-thump, Th-thump Th-thump, Th-thump, Th-thump, Th-thump, Th-thump, Th-thump, Th-thump, Th-thump, Th-thump

"Good good, its 160 bpm. Their size is within range for twins, though we will want to make sure you're getting enough vitamins and nutrients to get their sizes up a bit. I'm going to take some blood to test your hCG and progesterone levels." She said, printing out a few sonogram pictures before turning the machine off. The sudden absence of noise finally roused the couple.

"I can't believe it." Sophia mumbled, head thumping back against the pillow, overwhelmed and completely blown away. This was not what she'd thought the ultrasound was going to show, that was for damn sure.

"Twins." Klaus stared down at her, his sea-green eyes a lit with what she'd have to honestly say was panic. At least she wasn't the only one completely blindsided by the news.

"Sophia, I know this was surprising, but I need to take some blood." Gabriela pulled the girl's attention back to her, needing to get this done so the couple could have their moment in private. She could feel a "freak out" as Sophia termed it on the horizon and she wanted to be at a safe distance before it hit.

"Okay." Sophia sat up, using the offered towel to wipe her stomach and straighten her clothes while the midwife got ready.

"What do you need blood for?" Klaus asked, focusing on what he could fully understand at the moment.

"Since Sophia hasn't seen a doctor, I'm going to test her hCG and progesterone levels. hCG is short for human chorionic gonadotropin or the pregnancy hormone; you should be at your peak levels for the next few weeks and then it'll decline and level off for the rest of the pregnancy. Progesterone is a hormone that helps your body gets ready for pregnancy and to ensure a successful pregnancy. I'm sure everything is fine and I didn't see any issues, so the test is just to gauge your levels so we know where you are." Gabriela explained turning her focus to the young witch, needing her to understand while tying a band around Sophia's elbow and getting out the needle and tubes.

"Can you perform the tests here?" The hybrid questioned, sensing Sophia was too stunned to do much of anything but sit there.

"You've got the machines, but I don't know how to perform the tests; when I worked at the hospital, the blood was sent to the lab. I'll have to get someone to run the tests for me." She answered, finding a vein and quickly sliding the needle into Sophia's flesh. The young witch didn't even flinch, her eyes far away.

"There is a Dr. Meredith Fell who works at the hospital; she knows about the supernatural, so you should ask her. Do not give out names."

"Of course." She nodded and finished drawing the blood, taping gaze to the small hole and cleaning up.

"C'mon love, let's get you upstairs." Klaus pulled her into his arms, her head resting against his shoulder.

"I have to pee." She mumbled blankly, eyes blinking, seeing nothing.

"I've got you love." Klaus cradled her and walked out of the room, paying the other witch no mind, only focused on the precious cargo he carried. He headed up to their room where she'd hopefully get a decent nap in and wake up with a clearer head; because he needed her to accept this new development so she could help him do the same.

/*/

Sophia stared up at the dark ceiling, unable to fall asleep; it was only midmorning, so the exhaustion that usually plagued her during class hadn't hit yet. It didn't help that her mind couldn't stop spinning long enough for her to attempt to nap. Stupid brain.

Glancing over, she spied Klaus's dark, unmoving figure. By his breathing pattern she could tell he was asleep, leaving her alone with her thoughts. How he could sleep after finding out they were having two babies was beyond her. Stupid hybrid.

Sighing, the witch pushed herself out of the bed and headed to the bathroom. Standing in front of the sink, she stared at herself in the mirror, trying to see if she looked different now that she knew what was really going on inside her womb. Be she looked the same, if a bit pale and bug eyed. Stupid mirror. There should be something visible after you find out your life was even more messed up then you'd thought. Jeez.

"Twins." Sophia whispered, hands settling on the very slight curve of her abdomen, her mind supplying the picture of the monitor that had completely blindsided her. Two little sacs, two heartbeats, two babies. It was terrifying and overwhelming.

How was she supposed to raise twins at only 18? She had started to accept being pregnant, but this just blew all her progress straight to hell. There was no way she could be responsible for two innocent little babies when her world was always in such chaos; it'd been scary enough picturing having to protect one child; now the possibilities of everything that could go wrong sent chills down her spine.

Her mind filled with visions of destroyed babies, ripped apart and bloody; babies that had depended on her to keep them safe and she'd failed them. She'd end up killing her own children by bringing them into this hell of a world.

Heart pounding in her chest, Sophia scurried away from the mirror, unable to look at herself a moment longer. She had to get out of here; she couldn't breathe; the walls were closing in on her, suffocating her.

Spinning, Sophia dashed out of the bathroom, grabbing her discarded clothes and pulling them on quickly, not paying any mind to the racket she was making. She had to get out of there and that's all that mattered.

"Sophia?" Klaus sat up, eyes turning gold to see her in the dark. Her movements were jerky and uncoordinated; she nearly tripped pulling her jeans on, all supernatural grace gone.

"Sophia?" He got out of bed and approached her, ears tuning into her racing heartbeat and short, panicked breaths. Hesitating a moment, he slowly lowered his hand to her shoulder, not surprised when she jumped away from him, wide eyes locking on him.

"I can't breathe." She choked out, sliding her flats on and grabbing her jacket.

"Where are you going?"

"Out." She said with a shudder, quickly vamping from the room.

Concerned she'd hurt herself in the state she was in, Klaus quickly redressed and followed, staying far enough away to give her privacy, but close enough to help her if she needed it. In this town, it was usually a guarantee something would go wrong and he didn't want her to be alone when it did.

/*/

Sophia jerked to a stop, surprised to find herself in the cemetery, her family's plot in front of her. Gasping, she staggered to her parents' gravestone, collapsing onto the hard ground and bursting into tears. And it wasn't cutesy little tears; no, she was full on ugly crying, her knees pulled up so she could bury her face.

"I need you. I need you." She cried, rocking a little, shoulders shaking. It was like the gates had been opened and she couldn't stop the flood of overwhelming fear and uncertainty.

"Oh god, I can't do this!"

"Sophia?" Jerking, the witch looked up to see a worried Elijah standing next to her.

"E-Elijah? Wh-what are you d-doing here?" Her voice wavered as the tears continued to spill down her cheeks.

"I was helping at the church. What's wrong?" He asked, squatting down; he nearly tipped over when he suddenly had an armful of witch. Steadying himself, he wrapped his arms around the distraught girl, keeping her pressed against his chest as she continued to cry. He didn't know what was wrong, but he hated whatever had made her this upset.

They sat there for several minutes before her shaking slowed and her cries turned to hiccups. When she was finally quiet he pulled back, rubbing the remaining tears away.

"Now are you going to tell me what happened?" Shuddering, Sophia wrapped her arms around her knees, eyes turning to stare at the tombstone.

"I had a little freak out." She said after a few more silent minutes, her voice raspy from sobbing. Her body still shook with small tremors every few seconds; Elijah wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his side, uncaring that his suit was getting dirty.

"Why?" His voice was soothing, undemanding and yet understanding all at the same time. She didn't know how he managed it; man had mad skills like that.

"I…the midwife came."

"Is something wrong with the child?" He demanded in concern, mind already supplying the many ways in which something could be wrong. Add to the fact that the father was a vampire/werewolf hybrid and the mother was a witch/whatever hybrid and you get an even more complicated pregnancy.

"No. Well…if you don't think there being two babies as something "wrong". Sophia said, cheek resting on her drawn knee, trying to even out her breathing. The crying had left her with a brutal headache and that exhaustion that was lacking earlier was in full force now, making her lethargic.

"Two? You're having twins?" Elijah's eyes widened at the revelation, not having even contemplated such a possibility. He'd thought his brother had done something to upset her, not that there was an additional child to be concerned for.

"Apparently." She trembled, grip tightening on her knees.

"And you do not want to have twins?"

"How am I supposed to do this, Elijah? Huh? I'm only 18! I was getting there with thinking I only had one baby growing inside of me, but now there's two! TWO! I can't take care of two babies! And what about people who're our enemies? They'll have twice the chance at making us vulnerable and hurting us. I can't bring two kids into this life." She mumbled, wide brown eyes staring up at him, begging him to help her.

"I know this news is shocking, but surely you know we'll protect your children against anyone who'd seek to harm them."

"And what if we can't? I'm supposed to be this powerful witch, and yet, I've been drugged and nearly killed numerous times. How are two little babies supposed to survive with people trying to kill them?" She demanded. Elijah squeezed her shoulders.

"By being surrounded by those who would lay down their lives to see them safe. You are not in this alone, Sophia; you not only have Niklaus, but you have Rebekah, Kol and I to help you, to protect you."

"I don't think I can do it, Elijah. I just…can't." Sitting up straight, he pulled her to face him, maneuvering her easily until she was sitting cross legged.

"You could've just asked." Sophia muttered, crossing her arms over her chest. Elijah didn't answer, just took her hands and forced her arms to straighten so he could hold her hands in his lap.

"Sophia Gilbert, you will listen to me and you will know I speak only truth. I know you're scared, but there is no one more capable of facing this new obstacle and conquering it. You are far stronger then you give yourself credit for and this will not break you."

"You don't know that."

"You have faced some of the darkest evil in the world and survived; you brought light into that darkness and repaired a family that'd been broken for over a thousand years. Do you really think motherhood is going to be too difficult for you?" He asked with a raised brow. Sophia looked down, hands fidgeting in his grasp.

"I didn't do that much, Elijah; you guys all wanted to be a real family again. I just helped Nik be open to it."

"No, you did far more than that. You gave us a second chance; you've actually managed to curb our more violent tendencies somehow. We have not changed in the last millennia in any way but to grow more monstrous; but in the short time you've been with Niklaus and our family, you've done the impossible. I was ready to kill my brother for the atrocities he's committed, for daggering our siblings; but now I have the brother I've always wanted. You did that, Sophia."

"You give me too much credit." She muttered. Elijah released one of her hands so he could tilt her face upward until their eyes met.

"I am not one to bestow flattery on those that do not deserve it; I've simply spoken truth to how you've helped change my family for the better. Nothing more, nothing less."

"I'm scared." She whispered.

"I know you are, but you're the bravest human I've ever met; you'll get through this. And we're always here to help you when you need it; you'll never have to face anything alone." Sniffling, Sophia glanced back at the tombstone, heart clenching.

"I wished my mom and dad were here." Elijah sighed, hand brushing her hair over her shoulder.

"As do I; I wished your family had not been torn apart the way it has." Wiping at her face, the witch faced him again, more settled and calm.

"Sorry for crying on you." He pulled her to stand with him.

"Never mind that; are you alright?" He stared into her eyes.

"Yeah, I guess. I mean, I'm still majorly wigged, but I'm not going to break down again. At least, not right now." She slid her arm through his, allowing him to lead her away from the gravestones.

"Would you like me to escort you home?"

"Nah I—"

A loud bang filled the air, quickly followed by screaming. Sharing a look, the two took off towards the church, where the wake for the 12 dead was being held. When they got there, people were fleeing the building, making it difficult to get inside. She was nearly trampled before being jerked out of the flow of traffic, slamming against a hard chest with a grunt.

"You know stalking is so not sexy, right?" Sophia grumbled, tilting her head back to look up at Klaus, whose lips twitched into a smirk.

"Not according to every vampire story targeted towards teenagers." He replied, easing them into the doorway and past the last of the terrified townspeople.

Once the way was clear, Sophia rushed to the gathered group, the smell of hybrid blood heavy in the air, making her gums itch. Jenna clutched her hand when she reached her, eyes wide in shock. Jeremy and Matt were supporting Tyler, keeping him from falling while his body healed.

"What happened?" She demanded, eyes zeroing in on Tyler, whose blood she smelled from an injury to his abdomen.

"The hunter shot Tyler." Matt supplied, making the three new comers arch their brows.

"Hunter? What hunter?" Klaus stood straighter, focused

"Who shoots someone in the middle of a funeral?" The witch questioned sarcastically, gaze moving across the church, attention moving out to where she could hear Caroline and Elena talking. Human blood was also strong in the air and she hoped they managed to help whoever was injured.

"This man came to the house earlier asking about the explosion; then he just shot Tyler." Carol Lockwood said, hands fluttering over her son, still in shock that her child had been shot twice in one day.

"He had vervain gloves; he shot me when I reacted to them." Tyler added, wincing as more blood trickled out of his healing wound. Elijah squatted and grabbed the large stake that'd been propelled into the hybrid's heart, examining it before standing.

"You decided to make yourself a target to a vampire hunter? Have you lost your mind?"

"I'm not gonna hide away like a scared little bitch! I'm gonna kill that fucker." Tyler said heatedly, glaring at the witch, who glared right back.

"Tyler!" Carol admonished, shocked at the language.

"Okay, first, that was way sexist and I'm greatly disappointed in you; and second, don't be such an idiot. You're lucky he didn't kill you the first time!" Sophia snarled, eyes blazing as she got worked up. It didn't matter that she wasn't on good terms with him at the moment; she didn't want one of her oldest friends and ex-boyfriend to die! Stupid, stubborn males; she really had way too many in her life for her liking.

"Children, please. The ambulance has arrived, along with the police." Elijah interrupted before Tyler could reply, making the teen deflate with a scowl.

"Do we know who the hunter is?" Klaus questioned, hand settling on Sophia's hip, keeping their sides pressed together.

"Perhaps you can have this discussion elsewhere?" Carol said with a pointed look towards the doors, where the paramedics were hurrying through.

"Right." Sophia nodded and pulled on Jenna's hand, leading her towards the back of the church, the others slowly following. When they made it outside, Elena and Caroline had joined them, as well as Stefan and Damon, much to Sophia's annoyance.

"We lost him." Stefan said with a frown, gaze seeking Elena's, wanting to make sure she was alright. She wasn't as pale since feeding off Matt, but she was still weak, the few gulps she'd gotten not enough to nourish her properly.

"What are you doing here?" Caroline asked with a scowl, glaring at the Originals and Sophia, who ignored her.

"Who is this hunter?" She asked instead, turning towards Stefan with an arched eyebrow.

"He's been in town since the explosion; he's been asking around about it." The vampire supplied, wrapping an arm around Elena's waist when she stepped into him. They weren't completely back together, but it was nice to have her close again after so long apart; he had to force himself to ignore the pinch of his brother's face, knowing he was hurting.

"And he's professional; he has these gloves that are laced with vervain; that's how he got Tyler." Matt added.

"Should we go to the police? I mean, he did shoot the Mayor's son in front of half the town." Jenna commented, uncertain about what to do.

She's known about the supernatural world since the ritual, but until now she's stayed away from it as best she could. Which was apparently impossible once they were back in Mystic Falls, given they hadn't been back even a week and there was something going horribly wrong already. Was it a rule to live in this town you always had to be fighting to stay alive? She missed the days when she didn't know anything about the supernatural world.

"And what are they going to do? Demand this guy turn himself in for shooting a hybrid?" Damon asked sarcastically, earning a death glare from the witch.

"Only Sheriff Forbes knows about Tyler, so if the hunter is caught, he'll be charged with trying to kill Tyler. But what are we gonna do? I'm not a fan of this man running around a town full of vampires." Sophia said, crossing her arms.

"That's easy; we find him, and we kill him." She ignored the vampire's words, turning her attention to Elijah, who was examining the stake.

"Elijah?"

"Hmm? Oh yes, everyone should be on their guard. Niklaus, a moment." The older Mikaelson jerked his head to the side, wanting the hybrid to follow him away from the group. Sophia watched with narrowed eyes, not appreciating being left out.

"What is it brother?" Klaus questioned, turning his back to the inquisitive witch. Elijah silently handed him the stake, pointing to the carving whittled into the wood. Klaus's eyes widened as he saw what was etched, quickly looking up to meet his big brother's gaze.

"This cannot be possible."

"Perhaps, but that stake did not carve that symbol itself."

"We need to find this hunter."

"What's going on?" Sophia demanded, hands on her hips, not willing to be ignored. The men shared a look before glancing behind the witch at the others, who were all focused on the two.

"It is possible that this hunter is part of an elite group of vampire hunters." Elijah said, handing the stake to Sophia, who stared at it in confusion. It took a few seconds for her brain to sort out why the symbol was vaguely familiar, leaving her dizzy as the memories flashed through her mind. Klaus caught her as she swayed, keeping her flush against his chest, hands soothing over her hair and down her back.

"Head rush." She mumbled, rubbing her forehead before nuzzling into him, letting his scent sooth her.

"Are you alright?" Elijah asked quietly, hand settling on her shoulder, his eyes hooded with worry. Sophia smiled at him, reaching up to squeeze his hand before she took a step away.

"I'm fine; so he's part of the Five?"

"We don't know; we need to find him and questioned him to be certain."

"Does anyone want to clue us in on this "Five" business? Who are the Five?" Damon asked irritably, glaring. Sophia looked back at Klaus, waiting for his nod before she spoke.

"Back in the 12th century, a witch cast a spell on a group of men to imbue them with the skills they'd need to kill vampires. They had heightened strength and speed; not to the level of a vampire, but still faster than a human."

"What happened to them?" Elena asked, speaking up for the first time since they'd left April Young. She was still an emotional wreck, which didn't help being around her sister, someone who she'd hurt so severely.

"I killed them." Klaus replied with a shrug, though the witch knew it wasn't that simple. Not when he'd suffered for half a century because of it.

"See, they're not that tough. When I find him, I kill him, end of story."

"I would advise against such rash actions, Damon." Elijah said, getting incredulous looks from most of the group.

"And why not?"

"It's best if he's kept alive; that's all you need to know."

"Excuse me? He just shot Tyler!" Caroline snarled, going to step forward, but Elena's tight grip on her elbow kept her in place.

"Yes, what a tragedy." Klaus grumbled, getting an elbow into the stomach from Sophia.

"Listen, you don't have to like it, but for right now, we need to focus on trying to capture him, not killing him. If he is one of the Five, then there are four other hunters out there that might be headed our way. If we can find him, we can question him." Sophia said firmly, daring them to contradict her. Damon opened his mouth to do just that when Stefan stepped on his foot, making him wince.

"If we run into him again, we'll try not to kill him."

"Yeah, until he tries to kill us." Caroline grunted, her own arms crossing, annoyed.

"If you do kill him, Caroline, you'll regret it profoundly."

"What does that even mean?"

"Kill him and find out. Or do the smart thing and don't."

"We should go; you haven't had lunch." Klaus wrapped his arm around her, relishing in how she leaned against him.

"Be careful; if he shot Tyler in public, I doubt he has issues hurting anyone else." Sophia directed at Jeremy and Jenna, getting nods in reply.

"Can I talk to you?" Elena questioned, stepping forward, ignoring the scowls on both Damon's and Caroline's faces. If she wasn't so twisted up inside she'd find it funny that they finally found something to agree on.

"About what? How your boyfriends tried to get rid of mine? How you're a vamp now? Do you want me to show you the love and understanding you were oh so ready to give me when I told you about my transition?" Sophia asked sarcastically, her emotions still raw.

"Sophia—" Elena's eyes filled, her new heightened feelings emphasizing the anguish she felt at the distance between them. They'd been each other's best friends once; and now, they barely spoke. It broke her heart that she'd played any role in the pain her twin had endured in the last few months.

"No Elena, I don't want to hear it anymore. Sure, you're never the one coming up with the plans to get rid of Klaus, but you're always right in the middle of them. The whole lot of you has decided he's the enemy and it doesn't matter what happens to him as long as you're not the ones hurt. You used to be full of love and compassion; you always tried to see the best in people and you were independent and strong." She leveled a fierce glare at her sister.

"But now you're Damon's lapdog, jumping when he commands it. How many times have you remained passive while he planned Klaus's demise? How many times have you knowingly kept information from me that could've helped save him? You obviously don't care about me as much as you do the Salvatores."

"That's not true! You're my sister, my twin; I love you!" Elena refuted desperately, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"You need to stop." Caroline said angrily, pulling the new vampire into a hug.

"Sophia, you know Elena would never mean to hurt you." Stefan tried, but the glacial stare she turned on him had him shrinking back.

"The fact that she's helped you and Damon several times to get rid of Klaus begs to differ. I kept Damon alive because I knew Elena cared about him; apparently I didn't deserve the same curtesy."

"Oh boohoo Sophia, seriously, get over it. Not everything is about you." Caroline rolled her eyes, earning glares from both Mikaelsons.

"You know what Care, I don't give a fuck what you think anymore. You blame everyone else for your problems; grow up and face the fact that you're a judgmental bitch that thinks she's better than everyone else. News flash, you're just an ordinary vampire, just like thousands of others."

"Wow, land yourself a psychotic maniac for a boyfriend and you think you're hot shit. Does he romance you with stories about the people he's murdered? Who knew you were such a sadist." The blonde retorted, releasing Elena to plant her feet in preparation for a fight.

"Stop it, this is ridiculous. You've been friends your whole lives." Jenna tried to calm the tornado that was brewing, but it was too little, too late.

"Friends don't conspire against each other; friends don't willingly put each other through pain." Sophia shook her head, stepping back until she was pressed against Klaus's chest, his arms circling her waist to keep her against him. Elijah stood next to them, presenting a untiled front.

"Sophia, please, I'm sorry for everything. I just want my sister back." Elena brought the focus back to her, arms wrapped around her middle.

"I can't, not after you were going to keep Klaus's location from me." She shook her head, fingers curling around his, nails biting into skin.

"What's the big deal? We would've told you once Alaric was taken care of. So you would've spent a few decades without Klaus, big whoop." Damon shrugged, ignoring the jab from Stefan.

"You have no idea what you're talking about, Damon. I would suggest you refrain from speaking before you find yourself without a tongue." Klaus growled angrily, glaring at the insolent vampire.

"Perhaps it would be best if we went to get that lunch." Elijah finally spoke up, seeing the explosion that was about to detonate.

"You can't possibly understand how it felt to have Klaus ripped away from me."

"You're not the only person to have ever loved someone, drama queen. You'd have survived; and if you couldn't hold out for him to be revived, then you clearly don't love Klaus as much as you claim."

"Damon." Stefan hissed, eyes darting to the darkening expression on the witch's face, grateful all the action was happening at the front of the church. It'd be really hard to explain all this to an unsuspecting deputy.

"What? You know it's true; right Elena?" The new vampire glanced between her sister and Damon before giving a small shrug, wiping at her eyes.

"Love is supposed to endure; if you can't handle some distance then Damon's right, you don't love Klaus all that much."

"Elena!" Jenna's eyes widened in surprise, not sure what had come over her niece; or any of them, for that matter. Things were so much easier in Colorado.

"You doubt my feelings?" Sophia's voice went quiet, dangerous. She stepped away from Klaus, eyes trained on her twin.

"Let me show you then." She whipped her hands up, slamming them forward while she chanted. She pushed all the emotions she'd experienced since first meeting the hybrid at them, not letting up until each had been full with the foreign feelings.

The group staggered as they were hit full force by the magic, emotions not their own filling them. They were overwhelmed with unease, then curiosity, arousal, fondness, understanding that flowered into love, which then deepened into a soul-deep connection. And then it was ripped away, the pain sending a few to their knees, before an awful numbness took the pain's place, leaving them empty and cold. It took a few moments for their own emotions to come back, chasing away the phantom feelings.

"Sophia." Jenna swiped at her eyes, stepping forward to hug her, soon followed by Jeremy.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here to help you." He said against her hair, glaring at the others, who were still getting their bearings.

"It's okay Jer, I'm glad you weren't here for all the craziness. Now you all know just how I felt." She said, stepping away from her aunt and bother, back towards the hybrid.

"You really felt when Klaus was dedicated?" Stefan asked in surprise.

"Yes I did; we're connected, bonded."

"I didn't realize." He muttered, eyes lowering in shame.

"It matters not that you didn't know. You helped desiccate me, Stefan; you, who was my friend, were going to keep me hidden from Sophia for however long it took to deal with Alaric." Klaus replied, his own hurt at Stefan's betrayal bleeding into his voice.

"So Sophia got a little hurt; Alaric was going to kill all vampires, or have you forgotten? Desiccating Klaus was the best way to keep him safe from Alaric. Why is that so hard to understand?" Damon questioned irritably, tired of rehashing this. It was done, time to move on; for instance, how about the whole hunter issue or the fact that Elena couldn't keep blood down unless it was from a vein? Priorities!

Sophia was in front of the vampire before he could blink, her eyes blood red and small fangs bared. Before he could rear back, she clutched him by the throat one-handed, vamping until his back slammed against the brick wall of the church.

"I'll kill you before you take a step." Klaus said, stopping anyone from rushing to Damon's aid. They trained their ears to hear what the witch was saying, but they couldn't catch anything, either due to very, very quiet voices or magical means.

Sophia tossed him aside after a minute, returning to the group, shoulders tight and expression angry. Wrapping Klaus's arm around her shoulders, she clutched his hand.

"Take me away from here."

"Of course, love." He squeezed her shoulder and nodded at Elijah.

"I'll come by to talk to you and Jeremy later." She directed towards Jenna, who have a helpless nod. So much had gone wrong since her sister's death and she didn't know if it'd ever be fixed.

"Bye." Jeremy waved, watching how the two Originals walked on either side of the witch, keeping her cocooned between them.

"Are you alright?" Elena's question brought his attention back to Damon, who'd rejoined the groups with a shell shocked expression. He didn't know why they didn't just get rid of him already; all Damon did was cause problems.

"Uh, yeah."

"What's wrong?" Stefan demanded, not used to seeing that expression on his brother's face. Damon shook his head before meeting his eyes, then Elena's.

"Sophia's pregnant."

/*/

"I thought you wanted to tell your family first." Sophia shrugged at Elijah's words, fiddling with her straw. They'd ended up at Auditoré, a small pizzeria that had been in the Auditoré family for the last 30 years. It wasn't the fine dining the Mikaelsons were accustomed to, but they made the best meat lover's, and Sophia could eat a whole cow she was so hungry.

"I'm just so over everyone doubting and mistrusting me. I mean, if we were keeping track, they'd have way more tallies for betrayal then we would. I'm not the one going behind her twin's back to ruin her life. I just…I want them to know how in the wrong they've been, you know?" She huffed, annoyed she was constantly at odds with her own sister. Why couldn't her life ever be simple?

"That must have been quite the shock." Klaus murmured, sipping his wine, his side pressed flush with hers in the small booth.

"Are you mad I told him?" She asked, ashamed she hadn't even thought about how he'd feel about her blabbing. They hadn't come up with a plan, but it was something they should've talked about and made a joint decision. Man she could be super selfish sometimes.

"No, love, I'm not mad. I would have enjoyed being present to witness their reactions, though." He squeezed her knee under the table, getting a smile in reply.

"It is quite unexpected and remarkable, so I imagine they were as shocked as we were." Elijah commented, gaze roaming around the pizzeria, observing the guests and the employees. He stood when Rebekah's blonde curls appeared outside the window, waiting until she'd scooted into the booth before sitting down.

"What was so important I had to get out of bed? I just started this show Downton Abbey and would like to get back to it." Rebekah grumbled, grabbing Elijah's wine to steal a drink.

"There may be a member of the Five lurking in Mystic Falls; he shot Tyler Lockwood at the funeral." Klaus announced with no preamble, earning an elbow to the ribs and a shake of Sophia's head.

"The Five? Are you sure?" The blonde questioned, heart clenching at the remembered lost love.

"We're not sure yet; the stake he'd shot into Tyler had the Hunter's symbol, so that's why we think he might be one of them." Sophia elaborated, having wanted to ease into the topic. Klaus could be way too blunt at times.

"Mikaelson!" Camillá Auditoré called, stealing their attention.

"Excuse me." Elijah stood, followed by Klaus, to collect the pizzas.

"Are you alright Beks?" Sophia asked quietly, reaching over the table to grasp the Original's hand.

"Yes; why wouldn't I be?"

"Maybe because someone you loved was taken away from you."

"Alexander betrayed me, he means nothing to me." The vampire said fiercely, but the witch saw through it quickly. Once you really knew her, Rebekah was easy to figure out.

"I know that's not true. It's okay to love someone even after they've hurt you." Rebekah slumped, lips pulling down into a frown, eyes skittering to where her brothers were attempting to give the allusion of privacy.

"I just wanted a normal life with a man I loved; I wanted to have children and grandchildren. I wanted the cure." She admitted quietly, knowing the others could hear the conversation. Having siblings with vampire senses really sucked sometimes.

"I get that; it gets lonely when you don't have anyone to spend your life with. There's nothing wrong with wanting that Beks, especially not after so many centuries as a vampire."

"I wished Niklaus understood that." The hybrid's back straightened at the mutter, but Elijah's hand on his arm kept him in place.

"He handled it badly, I'll admit. But, Nik isn't good with the idea of being alone. I'm sure he was just afraid of losing his family; I mean you all were daggered that night. If Nik hadn't been part wolf, you guys would've probably ended up cured and killed, which would've been very bad."

"I guess."

"Are you gonna bring me that pizza? I'm starving." Sophia called out, making grabby hands when Klaus got within reach. The men placed the food on the table and retook their seats.

"If this hunter is one of the Five, we now have the map for the cure. Do we want to pursue it or have the hunter die?" Elijah questioned, dishing out the plates.

"I thought you'd be cursed if you killed one." The witch gave Klaus a raised brow while she loaded her plate, distinctly remembering those long years when he'd been haunted by his worst demons.

"You are cursed." He said tightly, those memories still painful.

"If we decide the hunter must die, there are many ways for that to happen to keep the curse from being activated."

"What about the cure?" Rebekah asked, staring into her pizza to avoid catching Klaus's eye.

"You'd really want to go back to being a mere human?" The hybrid's expression was perplexed, not understanding the desire to be a fragile little human.

"I don't know, Nik; maybe I'm tired of the endless years I've spent alone or daggered; or maybe I just want some peace." The blonde said hotly, glaring viciously at him, for he was a major contributor to her suffering.

"Okay, let's just all agree to find the hunter for now; we'll decide what to do about the cure later." Sophia before an argument broke out, really just wanting to enjoy being with them and eating delicious food.

"Fine. What did the midwife say?" Rebekah asked, willing to let it go, for now at least. But it did give her something to think about; if they found the cure, would she take it?

/*/

Sophia woke from her nap, not feeling very rested, her mind too troubled to settle. The talk they'd had with Jenna and Jeremy after leaving the pizzeria had been…intense, to say the least. There had been breakdowns and tears, followed by a family huddle while they all reminisced on their lost family and how they wished they were there for this. It'd left the witch even more exhausted then she'd been before; she'd barely had the energy to change out of her clothes when they'd gotten home before she'd fallen face-first into bed and was out. The day had been anything but relaxing and she was so ready for it to be over.

Grabbing a robe, she tied it around herself as she made her way out of the room, ears perking up, listening to figure out who was home and where they were. The house had the usual sounds of the staff getting ready for dinner, but besides that, there wasn't much; Elijah and Rebekah were still out searching for the hunter, leaving the halls quiet. The total lack of sound from Klaus, who she could feel was close by, told her he was in his studio, one of the rooms that'd been soundproofed to keep him from getting distracted.

Sophia paused when she opened the door, the silence suddenly filled with a strange rhythmic beat. It took her a moment to realize it was the sound of the babies' heartbeats, making her own heart lurch and her hand to go to her stomach. Taking a breath, she entered the room fully, closing the door behind her and looking around for her missing boyfriend.

Klaus was standing by an easel that held a large canvas that had been painted with such a dark shade of red it appeared black, with the color lightening as it neared the center. She watched him a moment, taking note of how his movements were a little jerky, as if he wasn't sure where or how he wanted to place the paint, giving it a chaotic feeling that she thought expressed his emotions better than he ever could with words. She was definitely not the only one struggling with the recent revelation.

"Hey." She said quietly, moving until she was standing next to him, getting a better view of the art.

The heartbeats were coming from a stereo, the speakers filling the room with the sound until she could practically feel it emanating from her own body. There were two distinct circles of lighter red in the center of the canvas, connected together along one curved side and she could take a guess at what they represented.

"How're you feeling?" Klaus questioned, turning to give her a quizzical look, eyes raking over her body. She shivered under the gaze, watching his eyes go sharp and his lips pull into a smirk, dimples flashing.

"I was going to ask you that."

"I'm fine." He replied curtly, turning back to the painting, swirling the darker red more, giving it texture. He must be on the second or third layer; meaning he'd come here as soon as she'd fallen asleep.

"You know you can tell me the truth Nik. I had my freak out today, but we haven't talked about how you're doing with the news." The witch replied, rubbing at her abdomen as she stared at the picture.

Klaus sighed and rolled his eyes, knowing she wouldn't leave it until he opened up. Chit was worse than a dog with a bone, seriously. It was one of the reasons he loved her, irritatingly enough. He sat the paintbrush and palette aside, reaching over to turn the stereo off, leaving them in silence.

"It's only been a day, love; I haven't had time to think about it."

"C'mon Nik, I know that's not true. You're in here listening to the heartbeats and painting what looks like the sonogram. If you want to freak out go ahead, I'm not judging; especially not after I already had a meltdown. You have to have some opinion or feeling about it." She pressed, not wanting him to bottle his emotions up. What was the point of being in a relationship if he wasn't going to share this stuff with her?

"I'm terrified." Klaus admitted quietly, hating himself for it. He was an Original; he wasn't supposed to scare so easily, and yet since they'd found out she was pregnant, that's all he's felt and he doesn't know how to handle it. He doesn't know how to be that weak.

"Me too."

"I was beginning to accept becoming a father; but the thought of two children…" Sophia reached out and took his hand, giving it a tight squeeze, her heart and stomach both lurching, still so not okay with that surprise.

"Now there's twice the chance to ruin them the way my parents ruined me; the way they ruined all of us."

"But you're not your parents Nik; we'll do better than them because there's no other choice."

"And if we don't? My children, my flesh and blood will grow up hating me, as I did Mikael." Klaus mumbled, glancing up when Sophia pressed close, wrapping her free arm around his middle.

"I've said it before and I still believe it; the fact that you're so scared of becoming your father will help you avoid that at all costs. I have no idea how we're gonna do this, but we'll do it together, as a family."

"You're so young Sophia; what will happen if in 50 or a 100 years when you decide you don't want to be with me any longer? How are we to be a family then?"

"I can't see the future, but I can't believe the way I feel for you will change, Nik, not ever. We are connected on a spiritual level and that's not something that just goes away. Don't you think I have the same fear? I mean, you're more than a 1,000 years old and have experienced all the world has to offer. What do I have that can compete with that?" Klaus gripped her tightly, nose nuzzling into her hair, breathing in her scent.

"You have the most rare and precious entity; you love me, even knowing everything I've done in my lifetime. That is something that I have never had before you and I doubt any would offer it after you. I have traveled to every part of the world and that's why I know you are the only one I will ever love as I do."

"Then we just have to try our best and not let our fears consume us. We'll keep each other grounded so we don't crumble." She whispered against his neck, her nerves finally settling.

"You're such an optimist." He gave a small chuckle, getting a pinch in reply.

"I have to be or else I'd be running for the hills. Now kiss me." She demanded, getting an eye roll and dimpled smirk before he complied, the air easing between them. The road ahead was most assuredly going to be bumpy, but they'd travel it together.

AN: Okay, so I know you all hate me and I'm sorry. I just have not had the energy to do anything lately, so I apologize. I mean, I don't even really read fanfiction anymore, let alone write it. It's taken me months to get this all put on the computer so again, I'm very sorry for the delay. I hope you all liked the chapter regardless. Thank you for coming back to read it.