Forever Yours

Niklaus Mikaelson sat in front of the fireplace sipping scotch as he stared at the drawing of his baby brother, Henrik, and his beloved Astrid Jakobsdottir. Both were long dead and tonight was one of the nights that he allowed himself to grieve for them. He had been born in a settlement in modern day Ireland. His mother had been a Celtic thrall, a war trophy won after they had invaded the tiny village. His father had fallen in love with his mother not too long after he had taken her on as his slave and had married her. They had stayed in the small settlement until he was two when his father had bundled their family up and brought them onto a longship bound for the new world.

They had landed in New Foundland under the leadership of his ‘Uncle’ Leif Erikson. The land was beautiful and prosperous but had harsh winters. They stayed there for a few seasons and that was where Kol and Rebekah were born. Unfortunately the… charm that the Vikings were so known for (lacked more like) had ensured that they had made enemies of the natives of the land and soon the three settlements were evacuated. Eight longships had left the coast of New Foundland, five made it back to their homeland, two landed in what was modern day Mystic Falls and one in Salem.

His family was on one of the longships that had landed in Mystic Falls, his beloved Astrid was on the other. She had been from the other settlement close to their own but they had not met before. As the two longships set port on the shores of the land after the tremendous storm, the men and women came down to assess the damage wrought to their ship. Niklaus remembered wandering down with his siblings as the men set forth to scout and the women to take stock of their supplies and that was when he had seen her.

Her hair was red as blood and flowed in beautiful waves and curls. She was young, perhaps slightly older than Rebekah but younger than he had been. A wooden doll held in one hand, the hand of her dark-haired twin brother in the other. Niklaus was all of six when he had met her but the moment her emerald green eyes met his, he had felt as if he was forever bound to her. It felt as if he was drowning yet it was salvation and he had determined that he would stay with her for all time.

Her eyes held his for such a short amount of time but to him it had seemed as if all of time had stood still and when her eyes had turned to scan his siblings, her eyes had lingered not on him, but on Rebekah, the only girl in their family (not counting mother or the long-dead Freya). She had given the most beautiful smile and he had found himself rooted in the spot even if it were not meant for him but for his little sister tucked under his arm (Kol who was older than Rebekah was asleep in Finnick’s arms).

Rebekah had left the safety of his arms as she ran to the girl in a lovely green dress who had held out her doll to the younger girl to play with. Elijah had nudged him with a quirked brow as he refused to move closer to the new girl (and her twin brother with a rather fierce glare). It was not too long after that, that the adults had decided to create one unified settlement on their new lands because surely they would not be driven away by the natives.

That was where Henrik had been born, where he had met his love, and where his father’s cruelty had arisen and where all it had begun… their heartbreak, their immortality, and the destruction of his family. Yes, Niklaus remembered the land well. He remembered the semi-peaceful relations with the natives of the area, the house that he had been building for himself and his beloved Astrid by the cliffs that led to their hidden caves. Elijah and Finn had been helping them in their free time and he had been determined to see it done before the end of the summer so that he could be rid (at least partially) of his father’s fists and be wed to his beloved. It had nearly been done too, had it not been for that wretched full moon that had stripped him of his brother and his beloved, and a few days later, his humanity.

Astrid kissed his bare shoulder as she sat up from the blanket, their cave had been hidden so well that they had to make their way through one cave, strip, and swim down to another cave. Throughout their courtship, they had left various things there for their comforts, extra clothes and some blankets. They knew that there was a long way that did not require their swim but they had enjoyed it.

The flames that he had lit in their hidden oasis burned as ever before and the chill was setting in as the sweat dried and the cold of the cave and the water reached them. Their bare forms lay wrapped in each other and the smell of sex still heavy in the air from their previous activities. Niklaus held her body close to his as he brought another blanket to rest upon them, a hand playing with the vibrant red curls so impossibly soft and sweet smelling.

“I love you, My beloved heart.” Niklaus told her as her fingers gently traced the bruises his father’s cruelty left. Her hands soft yet slightly callused as she hummed a tune.

She shifted until she was straddling him, her green eyes loving and her smile sweet. “And I you, my soul.”

She kissed some of his bruises and her eyes trailed his body worriedly. “Does it hurt?”

Niklaus knew that lying to her would be no good, the woman can smell a lie better than anyone and she would be upset if he tried. “It does.” He said truthfully.

She nodded solemnly. “When will our home be finished?” She asked, changing the subject.

“By the end of the week.”

“A home for us.” She said happily. “We can start our life together and soon, a family, a child.” She said listing the expectations that people had of us. The thought of a child had him uneasy as he thought of his father’s temper and how his mother had merely stepped aside and allowed them to be hurt. Instead, Niklaus shifted until she was under him once more before he kissed her roughly.

When they lay panting once more, thoroughly spent, she raised herself and stared at him. “Do you have any preference for what our first child would be?” She asked.

He shifted. “No… I… don’t think we should have a child so soon… or at all.”

“Why?”

“I just, don’t want children?” His words came out as more of a question.

“You’re lying. I know you adore them.” She said eyes narrowed.

“I don’t feel comfortable with the idea of having children.”

“Niklaus, what’s wrong with having children?” She asked a bit frustrated.

Niklaus sighed. “I don’t believe that I would be a good father.”

“Do you believe that I will not be a good mother?” She asked hurt.

Niklaus hurriedly reassured her. “No, no. I love my mother but she is nothing like you. I know you will be the best of mothers.”

“Then do you believe you would be a poor father?” She asked with furrowed brows.

“I… I am afraid that I will become my father.” He admits quietly, the truth is harsher to swallow, to accept.

“Do you think you can ever hate a child of ours?”

“No.”

“Do you think you could ever raise a hand to a child of ours?”

“…No.” He says hesitantly, his father’s face flashes in his mind.

“Do you love me?”

“Yes!”

“Will you ever hate me?”

“No!” He says vehemently.

“Can you ever see yourself raising a hand to me?” She asked quietly.

“Never!” He vowed.

“Do you see me stepping aside and allowing you to harm our children as your parents had done? Do you see me allowing us to make the very same mistakes?”

“No, not you.”

She looks at him with a smile. “Then you have no reason to fear. I will always be there to hold you back, Nik.” She said.

“I… I still don’t feel comfortable about a child.”

She frowned before she kissed him and sat up properly. “Well, you’ll have to think about it because we won’t have that much time.” She said as she finally stood up.

Niklaus stood up with her but she shook her head and kissed him once more. “I have to go and meet Rebekah. I’ll talk to you tomorrow, Nik.”

“Tonight is when the men turn to wolves, please make sure you’re home by then.” Niklaus said as she stepped into the water, mind pondering over her words. They had time to wait for children but she was in such a rush, so sure that a child would be born soon. Well… with how often they’d snuck away to the cave, it wouldn’t really surprise him if they did have one born a year into their marriage.

She turned back to him with a smile as her body was half submerged. “I love you.” She said loudly. Nik could see that she was still troubled by something, had been the whole day, and that she was also still a little upset and put out with him for his reluctance to have children.

“I love you as well, My Soul.” He called out just before she took a breath.

That had been the last that Klaus had seen Astrid alive. That night, she had been late coming home from her errands and had run into Henrik who had snuck away to watch the men turn into wolves. He remembered how they had gone out to search for him when they had discovered him gone, he had even gone to Astrid’s home in the vain hope that he had gone there.

Astrid’s twin brother, Asbjorn Jakobson answered the door. “Niklaus, what are you doing here?”

“Is Henrik here? He snuck out.” He said in a rush.

“No, he hasn’t been here. I was just about to leave, Astrid hasn’t returned from her walk yet.” Asbjorn said and Niklaus felt his blood go cold. Everyone he loved was now outside on a full moon as the men turned into vicious wolves.

He turned and ran into the woods, knowing the path that Astrid was likely to take. Asbjorn followed him, an ax strapped to his back and a sword sheathed at his side. The howling of a wolf from somewhere in front of them was followed by a blood-curdling scream that he knew immediately to be Astrid’s. He had gotten there in time to see her knock the wolf off of Henrik, who seemed heavily injured but still alive. The wolf pounced at her, knocking the sword she had in her hand away before tearing into her.

Niklaus threw himself upon the wolf and was able to wound it a few times but it was Asbjorn who had dealt the final blow. The others had arrived at this point as Niklaus collapsed beside his baby brother and his beloved, both so still, their chests unmoving.

It hadn’t been until they had turned that Niklaus had learned (mostly through listening to Rebekah) why she was so insistent on having a child as soon as they were married. It hadn’t been a matter of trying for one, more of the fact that she had to get him used to the idea that a child would come soon, likely would have come within six months. So in that one horrid week, he had lost three people precious to him: his brother, his betrothed, and their unborn child.

When Tatia, Elijah’s beloved, had been killed by their mother in order to bind Niklaus’ werewolf nature, he had lashed out and killed her. Their siblings had been witnesses to the injustice done to their brother and had run away from their father. They had fled from the village (after ensuring that the White Oak Tree was burned) where there was growing tensions between their fellow Norsemen and the Natives over the werewolves and now their cursed selves seemed to have fuelled a belief that the land was cursed. The Natives had arrived in force as they were leaving and had set fire to many of the structures.

The fact that they had been forced to stay inside for the first few days meant that Henrik’s funeral pyre had been delayed and he was still buried somewhere. Astrid’s funeral pyre had been done by her brother just a few hours prior to their turning so Niklaus had been able to say goodbye to her. His siblings had gathered what they could as the natives ran about but Elijah had stopped at the cries of Tatia’s son.

Niklaus saw Elijah rush to the child and swept him up into his arms before rushing after them. At the cliff side where the house that he had built for them stood, Asbjorn had been fighting against the Natives and when one had gotten too close, Niklaus had leaped on him and began to feed. Asbjorn didn’t look frightened, hadn’t missed a step as he continued to fight against the Natives. When the fighting was done, Elijah had thrust the child into Asbjorns arms and he had stared at them, not with fear but with sadness.

“Farewell, my friends. May the Gods have mercy on you.” Asbjorn had said before he left to join the others by the longship.

As Niklaus led his siblings to the first cave where he had hidden a small ship, he saw that his house was on fire. Niklaus dragged a few of the provisions he had been saving for their first winter in their home and immediately stocked the ship. He rushed back up the cliff and gathered the fallen Natives so that they would have some blood on their journey. He glanced one last time at the burning settlement as his family made their way to France and swore that he would never again allow himself to be weak, never again allow anyone to take his loved ones away. His heart and soul, his humanity, had died with his brother and his lost love and unborn child.

And he has kept that promise. He protects his siblings, keeps them away from his father’s grasp, even though there has not been a sighting of Mikael in years, he keeps them daggered and asleep inside coffins that he takes with him everywhere until he has a suitable home for them until his curse is lifted… then and only then would Klause reveal the truth of their three siblings survival to Elijah and reunite with them once more.

Finnick screams in the darkness. He does not know how long it’s been, doesn’t understand why his siblings do not hear him, why they do not check to see if he has awakened. Years had passed this he knows and his anger at their betrayal burns deeply. For this can be nothing but a betrayal, they had daggered him in fear that he would take his own life before he could tell them of his beloved Sage, though he knew how deeply they disapproved of her. They had forgotten him and left him alone and unable to move, trapped in his coffin and in his body with nothing but the darkness and he wonders at what he has done to deserve this.

Was this Niklaus’ revenge for never stepping up to their father to protect him as Elijah had done? And what of Sage? Was she still alive? Had she waited for him in the countless years, possibly centuries, since they have been parted?

Then one day, he believes himself to have gone mad as a scene begins to form before him. A woman with hair as red as blood stood in front of her baby, the room was unlike any that he had ever seen but it was undoubtedly a nursery. A man in a dark hooded cloak and a sinister smile stood before the woman. And though he had never heard the words that each spoke, he understood it somehow.

“Step aside you foolish girl!”The hooded man said.

“Not my daughter, please. Not my daughter! I’m begging you, please. Have mercy. Not her, not my baby, take me please.” The woman begged desperately. Her arms spread wide and the scent of salt from her tears reached him though he could not see the woman’s face.

“Avada Kedavra!” The man said as a jet of green light hit the woman and she fell to the ground motionless. The man stepped over the woman and pointed a stick at the babe and Finnick bared his fangs and rushed at the monster who was so willing to harm an innocent babe but his body had gone through the man.

Another jet of green light came out and struck the girl but the light was deflected and a blast shook the home, the man was thrown away and Finnick saw that he was reduced to nothing but a wraith. The baby's forehead was bleeding as she cried, calling for her mother. To the side, Finnick heard whimpering and as he scans the room, he spots a little girl hiding behind the wardrobe and staring at the fallen woman.

The moment their eyes lock on to each other, Finnick’s breath is taken away, this girl… this child, he knows her. It was Niklaus’ lost love as she had been when they had first met. She flinches and hides even further when he moves towards her but he does not stop, this little girl with hair as red as blood was once as beloved a sister to him as Rebekah and the long-dead Freya was.

“Shh, little one.” He whispered soothingly as she shies away from him. “My name is Finnick. I’m not here to hurt you, I promise.” He says, and the words come out in the language that the woman had spoken.

“I…” She looked at him fearfully as another dark robed black haired man ran into the room and headed straight for the dead woman, ignoring the crying babe in the process. He clung to the woman, weeping over her while the babe in the crib shrieked, finally, he had had enough and approached the child with obvious malice, hands raised and poised to strangle when her eyes met his and he reeled back and abruptly left the babe.

It was only then that Finnick saw the emerald green eyes and the runic-like scar on the child’s forehead where the blood had come from and realized with shock that the little girl he was trying to coax out was the very same babe in the crib, now a few years older.

“What’s your name, dear one?” He tried again as he opened his arms welcomingly.

“Ianthe Astrid Potter.” The little girl said before she stepped into his hug. The sweet smell he knew so well wafted out to him. Astrid, this was dear little Astrid. Had he truly gone mad? Or was this perhaps some dream.

“Little Astrid, I promise, you’re safe now. I won’t let any harm come to you.” He promised as he stroked her back soothingly. He knew that a lot of Niklaus’ humanity had been lost when Astrid and their unborn child had died. And Henrik’s death hadn’t helped at all. It had sapped whatever tenderness still remained in him. Niklaus was only ever determined about one thing, their survival and he killed whoever stood in his way from gaining the power to protect them.

A wounded cry of “James” had disrupted his thoughts as the sobs of a man came through the open door. ‘James’ he had known was the Anglicized form of Jakob. The babe that had quietened a few moments before began to cry in earnest once more.

“Pa’foo!” The babe shrieked again and again in desperation.

“Ria! Merlin, Ria!” The voice cried as the thumping of hurried steps came through. Finnick was unsure whether to be alarmed at the thought of another trying to harm the child or to trust that since the child seemed to recognize the man by voice, that he had not intended any harm to the babe.

The man appeared, elegantly waved long dark hair, stormy grey eyes filled with heartbreak and hope (not to mention tears), and a handsome face appeared by the door.

“No, Lily!” He cried as he rushed to check on her, Finnick knew she was long gone but the man still seemed determine to check. “I’m sorry, so sorry. This is my fault. I should have trusted Remus, I should have known Peter was the traitor! I’m so sorry, Lily, James.” He cried as he sat beside the body.

The child who had quietened upon his entry seemed upset at being ignored and began to wail and the man immediately came to her and picked her up. “It’s okay, Uncle Sirius is here. I’m here. See, Padfoot will keep you safe and we’ll go see Aunty Alice and Uncle Frank, yeah?” He said as he cradled her in his arms as he moved to gather things into a strange bag, a toy, a blanket, a few trinkets, and a book with moving photos.

He turned to the woman and raised a stick again and the body levitated from the ground. He paid no mind to the robes on the floor and actually stomped on them as he exited, the body of the woman following them. Finnick found himself and Astrid getting pulled from the nursery as well to the warm cottage that lay below. A man lay at the foot of the narrow wooden staircase, the disarray around the house included random burn marks showing signs of a battle.

This would be ‘James’ then, Astrid’s father. He had obviously fallen trying to defend his wife and child. Another wave of the stick and the man’s body flew through the air and followed them out of the cottage. Finnick saw the remains of what once was a stately and warm house, flowers lined the bottom of the windows and the grass was short. The landscape was nothing like Finnick had ever seen, how much had he missed?

Finnick’s eyes widened as he finally saw the faces of James and Lily. It was the much younger versions of Jakob and Lilja, Astrid and Asbjorn’s parents. It begged the question of where the hell was Asbjorn? He watched as an impossibly large, and yes he was practically a giant, man appeared before the man who was soothing the babe in his arms.

They spoke heatedly for a few minutes before he heard the man crying desperately. “No, you can’t take her away from me. Please. I’m the only one she has left! I promised them I’d take care of her.”

“I’m sorry, Sirius. I have my orders. She’s to be taken to Lily’s sister. You know how it is, this is still war and Little Ianthe is the last remaining member of her house. She needs to be taken somewhere they can’t find her.”The man said gruffly.

“Then I’ll take her and run! I’m the Heir to the House of Black, I have the money and the pull to raise the next Lady Potter. I can take her somewhere she’ll be safe and I know Lord and Lady Longbottom would back me on this!” He said.

“I can’t let you do that, Sirius. Now, hand Ianthe to me and I’ll take her there until the heat dies down.” The man demanded, looking ready to knock ‘Sirius’ out.

For his part, Sirius looked heartbroken as he stared at the babe and pressed a gentle kiss on her head before reluctantly handing the babe over to the giant. “I love you, Pup.”

“Pa’foo!” The babe shrieked the moment she was out of the man’s arms, her own hands reaching for the man as he held her hands in one of his.

“Here are her things. Take my bike, it’ll be faster and there are a lot of safety procedures. And for Merlin’s sake, please… please don’t stop for anything until she’s safe with Dumbledore. I have a rat to kill.” The man ordered as he pulled away after a last kiss.

“I love you, Ria. Always and forever.” He said.

“Wuv you, Pa’foo!” The babe said sadly as she stared at the man, her head following his movements as he disappeared with a pop and a man with dark skin approached the remaining duo.

“The Lord and Lady Potter are dead? What about Heiress Potter?” The man asked immediately, stick out and scanning for trouble.

“With me, Sirius Black gave her to me and made me promise to take her somewhere safe, said he had a rat to kill.”

They were suddenly in an open field filled with flowers in the middle of the day and Astrid stepped away from her. Tentatively, he asked her what he had been dreading. “Where’s Asbjorn, your brother?”

She looked at him in confusion. “No bwothew. Only god bwothew.” She said.

“Err… right, your godbrother.” He said as he blinked, she was an only child.

“Nevi!” She said as she perked up. She grabbed his hand and ran as a door opened.

She stopped as blood-curdling screams erupted from a man and a woman. “Nevi, scared. You help too!” She demanded as she dragged him to where a boy her age was turned away from them, staring at the scene as light hit the man and woman continuously.

There were three men and a woman standing over them and a baby that could barely be seen, even by Finnick’s enhanced eyes. He knew magic was afoot and he was shocked to realize that Astrid had just run through the dreams of others.

“Where is our Master!” The sole woman in the group asked as she released them from the spell.

“Go to hell!” The woman recently released from the spell spat back before she was screaming again.

The man stayed resolutely silent before he was hit once more. This seemed to go on and on as Astrid pulled ‘Nevi’ into her arms.

“Shh. Nevi.” She said soothingly.

“Ia.” The boy whimpered and when he raised his head Finnick saw that it was Asbjorn. So they were godsiblings? What did that even mean? And were they related in this life.

The sounds tampered down and they saw men appear and disarm the four, the couple on the floor was no longer responsive to anything, not even the screams of their son.

“I’m sorry Lady Longbottom, your son, and daughter-in-law were under the curse for far too long. They’ve gone catatonic.” A woman’s voice was heard as the scene shifted to a formidable looking woman cradling a dark-haired round-faced baby boy in her arms.

“I understand.” The woman said as she gazed at the couple on the beds.

“Say goodbye, Neville.” She said to the boy who merely blinked at her before she turned back to the people on the beds. “I’ll take care of him and little Ria.” She promised as she walked away.

And then they were back among the fields. Finnick blinked at the two children wrapped in each other’s arms. Asbjorn’s father bore a strong resemblance to James Potter so perhaps they were cousins this time around. Another thought hit Finnick as he contemplated the children’s abilities to walk and pull people into other’s dreams.

The world shakes suddenly as the voice of a woman begins calling them. “NEVILLE! IANTHE! Wake up!” before Finn can say anything else, the field falls apart and he’s back in the darkness, the children are gone. The same thing happens thirty times, ‘days’ Finn knows, the children come to him when they sleep. It has come to the point where he barely spares a glance at the proceedings and rushes to gather Astrid in his arms before she conjures a door to Asbjorn’s dream realm.

The children talk to him about the little things they’re learning, about the etiquette lessons and their magic (‘shh, you gotta pwomis you won’t tell kay? Iz secwet.’ Astrid says as serious as a four year old can be, Finn nods back solemnly); they talk about their families, about how she is partially raised by Neville’s grandmother but also by her mother’s none magical sister’s family in order to keep her grounded in the reality of the world outside their own. One day, he thinks that maybe, he can convince her to find her siblings.

“Astrid?” He called hesitantly and the little girl turned to him expectantly. “You can walk into anyone’s dreams, right?”

The girl nodded eagerly. “Perhaps you can find my brothers and sister’s dreams.”

“Bwothews and sistew…” She said with furrowed brows.

“Yes, brothers and sister.”

“You not hurt them!” She demanded.

“No, never.” He said, he wanted to see his siblings, to plead his case… and maybe… maybe even reach out to Sage.

“Okay, you fwend. Okay?” She said.

“Yes, I’m your friend.” He said as he leaned in to hug the little children. If this was merely his mind making it up then he had a rather vivid imagination and if it wasn’t, well, then he was going to at least see his siblings again.

“What names?” She asked.

“Kol, Elijah, Niklaus, and Rebekah.” He recited immediately.

She frowned at the names and she could see that Asbjorn was frowning as well. “Nikwas?” She asked hesitantly as if she was trying to remember something and the scene shifted slightly and they were back to that first day when they had met before it disappeared again. Finnick didn’t miss the dumbstruck look on Niklaus’ face as their eyes caught one another, it seemed the boy had been lost on Astrid from the moment he laid eyes on her.

“Fink? ‘Membew? Feew?” She asked him and he took that to mean think of them, remember them, and feel them.

That was easy enough and soon she grabbed their hands and dragged them to a door that had suddenly appeared. There was screaming again, this time a whole town. Oh joy, this was Kol’s paradise. They spotted him immediately and though the small children were definitely terrified they pushed through until they found his brother.

Astrid merely turned to Finnick and raised their joined hands. Finnick immediately grabbed a hold of an unsuspecting Kol who was too busy feasting on some poor woman to notice them as Finnick began to imagine Rebekah. This time the door only had one person screaming and it was definitely out of frustration rather than anything that would traumatize the children as Rebekah threw a vase at the wall.

“Damn that man! I hate him! I’ll kill Alexander when I get my hands on him!” She screeched. Another door opened and as they passed by the unsuspecting Rebekah, Asbjorn slipped his little hand to her and she glanced down in surprise at the sudden appearance of said hand before she was pulled back into the fields.

“What the fuck?” Rebekah asked before catching sight of him. “Finnick?” She asked incredulously.

Kol scrambled up from his position to stare at him and it seemed that both had forgotten the two children that had dragged them there. From the lack of doors, Finn took it to mean that neither Elijah nor Niklaus were daggered or even asleep.

“Hello, Kol, Bekah.” He said as he pulled them into hugs. They may be slightly, no fully deranged monsters who delighted in killing but they were still his siblings and he loved them, despite the obvious slight against him.

“Did you suddenly develop dream walking abilities? I mean dream manipulation is one thing but we’ve been asleep for years and suddenly we’re together.” Kol asked or rather demanded.

Finn smirked at his siblings and pointed at the two children who began to chase butterflies. “No, on the contrary, it was all thanks to my little friends over there.” He said.

The two children stopped and turned as if they sensed that they were being talked about and Finn saw the moment the two recognized who the children were. “Are they doppelgangers? Because Klaus will be pissed off and more than a little possessive not to mention downright protective over her.” Kol said.

“Doppelgangers?” Finn asked.

“Look-a-likes.” Rebekah put in but she nodded at Kol’s assessment of the situation. While he might be obsessed with breaking the curse on his werewolf side and had no qualms killing Tatia’s doppelganger, there was no doubt that he wouldn’t hesitate to level an entire city if he had discovered Astrid’s and had realized that she’d been hurt even in the smallest of ways.

“Ahh, I think it’s best that the two introduced themselves to you.”

The two children shared a glance before Astrid stepped forward, hand holding one of Asbjorn’s. “My name is Ianthe Astrid Potter, daughter of the Late Lord James Potter and his wife Lady Lily. And this is my cousin Neville.” She said slowly so that her ‘r’s’ and ‘l’s’ were properly pronounced.

Asbjorn stepped forward. “My name is Neville Arthur Longbottom son of Lord Franklin Longbottom and His wife Lady Alice. I’m Ianthe’s godbrother and cousin.” He said as slowly as his cousin had.

“I don’t think they simply look like them, I think that it is them and they’ve been reborn.” Finn said quietly to his siblings before Rebekah grabbed them in a hug.

When Rebekah pulled back and the children ran off to play once more under their watchful eyes, they all gathered to discuss their predicament. Primarily Niklaus’ obsessive need to ensure that they were safe from everyone even going so far as daggering his siblings and trying to take over the world to ensure that no one would try to hurt them.

“Klaus is going to shit bricks when he learns about this, and then he’s going to go on a warpath to get to her.” Kol pointed out.

Finn sighed at the thought of his other brother. “Yes, well… there’s another problem. The two of them are orphans, they were present when it happened and though they are being cared for by a formidable woman, their lives are still in danger from the group of people that had left them orphans.”

“And we’re trapped here unable to warn Klaus about the danger to his reborn love’s life.” Rebekah snorted derisively but her eyes softened and Finn knew his sister was worried about the children that had once been their dearest friends.

They talk for awhile but Finnick doesn’t mention the secrets that the children have sworn him too, he feels honored that they trust him enough with such things, and more than a little weary. If Finnick ends up telling even his brother and sister the secrets of the children, then the children may stop allowing him into their dreams in retaliation, trapping him once more in unending darkness.

Just like before, the world shatters as the children disappear. Kol and Rebekah scramble to their feet as the darkness comes and they’re being pulled away. “Don’t worry!” Finn tells them. “They’re just waking up. It’s always like this.”

The next night, he ventures deeper, as he takes the children from their dreams and into the fields. He sits with them and Asbjorn and Astrid start pretending that they were in a picnic, or at least it seemed like it, until the food started appearing just as they had mentioned. Astrid serves them a plate just as she was apparently being taught and he takes it gratefully. He has seen his brother and sister, could she perhaps take him to Sage? Would he even dare too?

“Wike pwaying with them?” Asbjorn asked and Finn blinked, was he talking about Rebekah and Kol?

“Yes, thank you.” He said with a smile.

“See again?” Astrid prompted.

Finn shook his head. “I liked seeing them… but there’s a woman I wanted to see some more. She’s… a friend.”

“Fwend? Or wove?” Astrid asked, head tilted to the side with eyes far older than they should be. The expression reminded him far too much of the Astrid of old who could see into your soul.

“Love.”

“What name?” Astrid asked.

“Sage.” Finn said with a sad and wistful smile, his thoughts on the redhead he so adored. He saw the children frowning as they grabbed his hand and a door appeared.

Finn opened the door cautiously and noticed that neither of the children moved. Perhaps they were in the same time zone if so, it might be easier to get Sage to watch over them. Sage was on a dias surrounded by ropes and she was punching her opponent over and over again. It looked like a messed up tourney and he watched as the man collapsed and Sage had gone off the dias to collect her winnings.

“Sage.” Finnick said gently.

Sage spun around, eyes wide with shock. The moment their eyes met Finnick found himself lost in their depths. “Finn?” She asked hesitantly.

“You’re asleep right now, that’s how I was able to find you. I had a friend help me…” He trailed off awkwardly.

“I… how? It’s been nine hundred years… I thought you were really lost to me. I’ve been waiting for so long.” She said as he held out a hand to her.

“Come with me? There are some people I’d like you to meet.”

Sage took his hand without hesitation and followed him out the door and to the field where the children were still eating. She stopped at the sight of the two.

“They’re the friends who took me to see you. I’ve been pulled into their dreams for the past month now. I saw Rebekah and Kol last night. I… I wanted to see you, even if you’d moved on.” He told her sincerely.

“I’ve taken care of myself, Finn but that doesn’t mean that I’ve moved on.”

Finn smiled at her but didn’t continue towards the children. “The girl, she’s the reincarnation of Niklaus’ beloved betrothed. She may be able to get Niklaus to let me go. The boy was her twin brother in the last life, They’re cousins and godsiblings in this one.”

“So I have to find them?” Sage asked with a frown. “And get them to remember?”

“Find them, yes. Get them to remember, no. A part of me feels like the right thing to do is to let her meet Niklaus and let them remember slowly. I saw glimpses of other lives this past month and if you try to get them to remember, it might overwhelm them.” Finn told her.

“Alright, find them and get them to Niklaus.” Sage said with a nod.

“I’m afraid it isn’t that simple. The children are being hunted. You’ll need to protect them, earn their trust, and stick close to them.”

“Alright, how will I do that?” Sage asked.

Finn smiled at her and finally led her to the children. “By getting to know them now.”

When the dream started fading Sage held tight to him desperately. “Just a few more years, love.” He promised as he kissed her.

The next night Finn asked for his siblings again. This time he asked that they are anchored together so that they could stay and talk even when the children woke up. Astrid was confused but allowed it. When the children woke up, Finn remained in the field with Kol and Rebekah, the doors to their dreams flung open at the sides. And doors for Astrid and Asbjorn’s dreams would open on the nights he was needed and though Kol and Rebekah had tried to follow him through a few times after hearing the screams, they soon found out that it was only Finn who could go to the children’s dreams, likely because he was the one that the children trusted implicitly.

“What are we going to do about the children? How are we going to protect them?” Rebekah demanded one day.

Finn turned to his siblings and sighed. “I found Sage. It was a good thing she was in England at the time so she was asleep at the same time the children were. I told her to find the twins and protect them when the time is right, I know they’ll run into Niklaus. Astrid might be able to convince Niklaus to release us.”

“Okay. That’s a good plan.” Kol said as he turned his attention back to the children playing happily. The doors to their dreams had disappeared a while ago.

“Sage has already found them, the twins had mentioned one of their new caretakers. Their guardians were wary about hiring a vampire but she’s under the supervision of a few vampires and a werewolf who had been good friends with their parents.” Finn said as the children turned to them with a smile before disappearing, marking a new day.

“It’ll be interesting, especially since Trevor and Rose are supervising her.” Finn said as an afterthought. The two vampires that Elijah and Klaus had a kill order on had met and befriended James and Lily Potter and had become something of a family to them. In Wizarding Britain they were safe from the Mikaelsons who had no idea of its existence and they could stay in magical communities where they might be slightly ostracized but wouldn’t have to worry about moving around so much.

Finn’s thoughts turned to his parents and he grimaced, as much as he loved them he knew they were in the wrong. What they had done had been wrong and for a hundred years, he had hated what he had become until he had met Sage. She was so vibrant and loving, someone he could see himself spending an eternity with and for the first time he had begun to think that he could live as long as she was beside him.

Finn knew his mother was powerful, perhaps even able to come back from the dead but she was a vengeful woman. He knew that if she ever found a way back to life she wouldn’t hesitate to kill Niklaus in retaliation for her death, justified as it was. Esther had never been a good mother, for all that she liked to delude herself that she was a perfect mother, the truth was, she never stopped their father whenever he beat Niklaus within an inch of his life. She was at most, a passive and ignorant woman, loving only when she was able to pull herself away from her magic.

And Astrid’s disgust at their parents was well known by the siblings, for all that she played a sweet and simple girl in front of Esther and Mikael, there was no doubt that her powerful magic always flared in response to her volatile emotions whenever she saw them. Asbjorn wasn’t any better when it came to them either, there were times when he had to be stopped from coming after Mikael when they were children and Finn knew that the only reason he didn’t curse Esther was out of respect for Kol, his best friend.

When the next night came and the door came again, he had been prepared to take the children from there but there was another child with them this time, another door to step through and Finnick blinked at the blonde haired blue eyed little boy in confusion. He had absolutely no idea who the child was or where he had come from.

“Duddy!” Astrid and Asbjorn screamed as they clung to the poor boy.

“Ia? Nevi? Where?” He asked as he turned a glare at Finn pushing the two behind him.

Astrid stepped away from him and pointed at Finn. “Iz okay. He fwend.”

“What name?” Duddy demanded.

“I’m Finnick Mikaelson.”

“I am Dudley Dursley, Lady Ianthe’s cousin.” He said by way of introduction and much in the same way that the two children had introduced themselves before. “You no hurt them?”

“I promise I won’t harm them, little one.” Finn said.

Dudley eyed him before nodding. He turned his accusing gaze on the other two. They stepped forward and introduced themselves but didn’t get too close. He nodded at them and stared at them for a while before finally relaxing. Dudley became a semi-permanent fixture after that, often appearing after Finn had pulled the two out of their nightmares.

It wasn’t until at least a year had passed that he had gotten a large shock. “Other sister?” Astrid had asked, the children’s ‘r’s’ and ‘l’s’ now coming out properly.

“Yes, I had another sister. But she’s gone now.” Finn said sadly as he thought of his older sister. He was sure that Elijah didn’t remember her.

“Not gone, sleeping.” She said, eyes distant. “Always sleeping, trapped.”

“No, I’m sorry sweetie, but Freya is gone, just like my baby brother.” He told her gently. The other two children were nowhere in sight and his siblings had gone back to their own dream realm for the time being. It hurt to think of his long-dead siblings.

“Not dead! Only sleeping!” She said angrily as she grabbed his hand. An ancient door appeared before him and his heart pounded. Was it possible? Was Freya in a sort of induced sleep?

He opens the door cautiously, trying not to get his hopes up. He finds a woman who looks so much like Rebekah cradling a babe in her arms as she runs away but magic traps her and Dahlia appears, their aunt is angry but triumphant as she rips the babe away from Freya. It hurts to hear her cries but he knows that there is nothing he can do.

“Please, Aunt Dahlia, please, give me back my son. I promise I won’t run anymore.” Freya begged.

The dream changed once more as Freya placed her son in the middle of a circle of candles with tears in her eyes. She took a necklace from her pocket and placed it on the child. “You’ll be safe and away from her, I promise. I’ll have to go to sleep soon but you’ll find people who would love you. I’m so sorry, baby.” She said as she stepped away and began to chant a spell, the rattling of the door told Finn that Dahlia realized what was happening.

A flash of light and the child was gone. Freya had collapsed on the ground, heartbroken. Finn couldn’t take it anymore and grabbed Freya before dragging her out. Freya turned to him stunned.

“Who are you?”

“Freya, it’s me. It’s Finn.” He said trying to calm her down.

“I… Finn?” She asked staring at him.

“I’ll explain everything later.” He said as he led her to where Astrid was playing with a doll.

Astrid waved at them before disappearing again, marking the start of another day. And as he allows Freya to slowly relax and tell him of her life he feels his anger towards his mother grow. His mother had willingly given his sister away. To learn that his sisters had met before, that she had actively looked for them spoke a lot about how desperate she was to get away from Dahlia.