All the cards

54

I walked into the compound, trying to subdue my grin to no avail.
"What's got you so happy?" Nik asked as I walked in to the nursery. He was sat on the floor with Isaiah and Hope.
"This is an adorable sight." I grinned. "And you seem to have calm down considerably."
"I'm her father, I'm not helpless."
"Good." I smiled at him. "How was Izzy? Did he eat?"
"He had some food, but he refused blood."
"Yeah." I sighed, picking up my son. "I'll take him out for a walk and feed him."
"Sure." Nik nodded. "You reek of the human, by the way."
"We were having dinner." I said.
"Sure."
"I'll be back in a little while." I rolled my eyes, pulling out a pair of socks and a coat for Izzy. I took him down and dressed him for the outside, before placing him in one of the single prams. I handed him a bottle and walked him out of the compound. He began to drink and I stopped at the park sitting on a bench. "Is that better?" I cooed. He held out his bottle.
"Mi-mish." He said- an attempt at the word finished.
"Some more?"
"Yes." He said enthusiastically and I tapped his bottle. It refilled and he pulled it up to his mouth. Lia appeared beside me.
"What should be terrifying actually looks adorable on him." She said.
"Yeah, I guess vamping out isn't so scary on a child."
"So, you and Isaac?"
"Yeah." I smiled. "Me and Isaac."
"Finally."
"I've never said it before. I didn't even realise until I was saying it. I love him."
"I know. Everyone knows."
"That obvious?"
"Yes, But you know you two being together means he'll be in a lot more danger."
"I know. I'll protect him."
"I know you will."
"Mal's gone." I told her.
"Oh." She said.
"He's in Mystic Falls. Stirring up trouble."
"Well, they deserve it."
"I feel like there's something he's neglected to mention. Some surprise that'll catch me off guard."
"I wonder why." She replied dryly, looking at her hands.
"Come on, let's walk a little more." I stood and she smiled. "So, what have you been doing whenever you're not with me?"
"Uh, nothing, really."
"I find that hard to believe."
"Same thing I've been doing for a thousand years. Watching over you. And when I'm not, then I'm just living life. You'd think it gets boring, but it's quite an adventure. All the things the humans manage to come up with to pass the time."
"You shouldn't have had to watch over me."
"We're family. Of course I would." I smiled and gave her a hug.
"Why don't you stay with us at the abbattoir? We have more than enough room, and you're my family too." Lia smiled but shook her head.
"That's just a little too much family, even for me." She declined. "Speaking of, Izzy looks sleepy. You should take him home."
"Yeah." Izzy had half dozed off on his bottle. I smiled at Lia, and she pat my arm before disappearing. Sighing, I stood and started the walk home.

It was a few days later before Kol woke up. I'd checked in on him and Davina a couple times, but was pleasantly surprised when he'd come home. I'd begun to ignore Nik and his obsessive tendencies, though Elijah and Freya continued to humour him. This time he was talking about some old foe he thought he'd seen in New Orleans.
"You see, this is exactly what I was concerned about. Devils of all kinds, crawling out of their crevices to strike at me."
"Dear brother, if you don't stop being paranoid, it won't be one of your wronged sirelings who will be the end of you."
"If you hadn't left us to deal with-"
"Oh, no. You do not get to blame this on me. I gave you a choice. You chose to welcome Stefan Salvatore into our home."
"If you're not going to be helpful with your suggestions, why don't you-"
"Before you finish that thought, remember who you're talking to. I won't hesitate to put you in your place, Niklaus." He pulled a face, but quietened. "Good. Now that that's out of the way, I believe we have a guest." I sped down to the courtyard where Davina had walked in, Kol behind her, somewhat hidden in the shadows. "It worked." She nodded as Nik came to stand by my side.
"Rather foolish of you to come here." He glared.
"She comes bearing gifts." I smiled, and Kol stepped out of the shadows.
"Lovely to see you sister." He smiled and I walked forward, giving him a hug.
"It can't be." Nik looked confused.
"It's Kol." Davina assured. "When I broke your sire link, it created a surge of power. Chris- I mean Mal, whatever- he stole the power to restore the link, but then he let me channel him to do the spell I needed. And I used that to bring Kol back."
"You should thank her, really." Kol said. Klaus moved forward and gripped Kol in a hug surprising Kol. Klaus let go, and Kol turned to Elijah. "Hello Elijah." He greeted.
"You haven't aged a day." Elijah smiled. Kol grinned and turned to Freya, before frowning.
"And you...?"
"Freya."
"Right. Long-lost older sister. Speaking of twists and turns in our family tree, where might Rebekah be?"
"That's a long story. And one reserved for family. Davina can see herself out." Kol looked at Klaus in exasperation.
"Uh, are you-"
"As per usual, our family faces a multitude of threats. The sooner you become acquainted with them, the better. I won't have you distracted."
"By Davina? You know, if you could only pull your head out of your-" Davina stepped forward and cut him off.
"Kol. It's okay. I'll go."
"Davina." He looked at her softly.
"You can make it up to me."
"And I will. Dust off that fancy dress, 'cause tonight we're going dancing."
"Okay." They kissed goodbye before Davina left.
"Nik's being paranoid." I told Kol after she left.
"When is he not?"
"It's not paranoia if it's true, and the truth is, no one knows your... Mal undid the curse, not will they just believe me if I so proclaim it."
"Well, I presented a solution, but you decided to choose your path. So you guys go do whatever, and I'm going to go find Hayley. She seems to have slipped my sight." I smiled fakely before disappearing.