Chapter 1 - Weight of the World

With a sigh, Addison looked over the side of her daughters crib, smiling softly at the sight of her peacefully sleeping face before a frown took over her features. There was very little left in this world for her to care about - most of their family having been dead for a very long time.

Their Mother, Hayley. Their Father, Klaus and Their Uncle Elijah. As if that hadn't been bad enough they had practically been abandoned at the Salvatore School by the rest of them - They hardly ever saw Freya, her wife and son. It had been years. In fact Addison couldn't even tell you when Nik's birthday was.

Kol and Davina were still traveling the world and aside from a letter here or there - they hadn't bothered to check in. They hadn't even come to see them when everyone's memories of Hope had been restored.

The only one or should she say two that kept in touch and visited regularly were her Auntie Bex and her Uncle Dom - Rebekah's husband.

It had hit Hope harder than it had Addison - simply because of their aunt Rebekah. Addison had already been calling her 'mama' for as long as she could remember. Hayley was her mom and always would be but to Addison? The word wasn't mutually exclusive - Rebekah was her 'mama' and that didn't change no matter how Klaus or Hayley felt about it. Especially when they were the ones constantly leaving them with Rebekah or at the school - too preoccupied with the next big and bad to remember that children needed their parents.

Safety prioritized over parenting and who could say if that had been the right call? It was hard to keep them safe from everything especially when you had a thousand years worth of enemies willing to do anything to hurt you - Even if the only way to hurt you was to kill two innocent little girls whose only crime was giving the big bag hybrid something to lose.

It hadn't changed anything either way. In the end, they were both dead and Hope was ... not Evil. Addison refused to believe her sister was evil but Dark, Twisted, lacking anything that made her the kind and vulnerable Hope that Addison had grown up with.

It was a double edged sword the promise of 'Always and Forever'.

The peace it brought lasted weeks while the pain lasted lifetimes.

Her family may have been over a thousand - give or take a few years - but they had spent those years running, hiding, surviving and most of all hurting.

Living and Healing? She wasn't sure they knew the definition of those words until the death of her Father.

"Baby?" Josie called softly from the doorway of their daughters room, wrapping a robe about her body as she tried to blink the sleep from her eyes. "Did she wake up?"

"No," Addison smiled as she turned toward her wife. Taking the time to admire her beautiful features. It was hard to be sad or angry, hard to remember that the world was going to hell when here with the two of them. Any pain she was feeling became just a distant ache when those big brown doe eyes looked at her with love. Pure and unrelenting love that came with no conditions. "I just couldn't sleep,"

Addison remembered how her mother and 'mama' would tell her how her father would worry so much for their safety when they were babies that he would sit in their rooms in a little rocker in the corner, watching them sleep and ensuring their safety. Partially the price he paid for his constant paranoia but partially just first time father worries.

She remembered all the stories of her father -especially the bedtime story that depicted the majestic king, his noble brother and the princess's they had to send away.

'Once upon a time, there was a majestic king who lived with his noble brother, in a colourful kingdom where music and art were celebrated. The king did not foresee having a child, let alone two but he lived in an enchanted land where all things were possible. In time, he was blessed with not one, but two beautiful baby daughters, for whom he wished only peace and happiness. Still, the king had demons who pursued him. There was a ruthless beast that wanted to take the kingdom for her own, armed with a pack of untamed creatures. She drove the other magical beings from the land, and there was a wicked sorceress with enchanted stones that weakened the king on every full moon. Seeing the shadow the enemies cast upon his home, the king was driven to send his beloved princess's away, convincing all who remained that they were forever lost. The king, in his sorrow, turned away from the world; the castle closed its doors, and the kingdom fell. Some say that the only light that shines in the castle illuminates the shadow of the once mighty king in the room meant for his children. But as the ruthless beast took rule over the fallen king's realm, little did they know that he and his brother would not rest until their enemies were vanquished. For they believed that one day, they would heal their kingdom and bring their princess's home, so that they might live happily...ever...after.'

Addison couldn't help but wonder how he would feel today if he knew the castle was closed. The inhabitants either long dead or so far separated they might as well have been. The princess's left alone to fend for themselves with the reputation of their family on their shoulders bringing nothing but pressure, suspicion and enemies they hadn't earned. What would he think if he knew that one of those princess's - was now just like the beast he had been trying to protect them from?

"I can hear you thinking from all the way over here," Josie teased, moving into her wives open arms and releasing a content sigh when Addison didn't hesitate to wrap them around her. Addison was one of the most powerful people in the world and yet Josie had never feared Addison. Hope? Yes. Addison? Never.

Addison squeezed Josie in acknowledgement, a soft giggle leaving her throat at the barely audible squeal that came from her very ticklish wife. "I was thinking about Klaus," She admitted after a brief silence. It was seldom if ever that Andrea referred to Klaus as her father.

Josie hummed, slipping her hand under Addison's shirt and tracing lazy patters along the skin of her back - it had proven to be incredibly calming for Addison especially since she became a full Tribrid and controlling her emotions took much more effort. "What about him?"

"What would he think if he could see his princess's now?" Addison couldn't help the bitter tinge that played on the word 'princess'. Her father had been no king and unlike Hope who had spent years idolizing him and couldn't handle it when the reality didn't meet her expectations. Addison had had no such qualms. While Hayley had placated Hope - being the more vulnerable twin, Rebekah and Kol had answered her questions dead on.

Rebekah had always been more defensive of Klaus despite his wrong doings while Kol - being the black sheep who had never felt as if he was loved by his siblings...well, Addison had a feeling while his stories weren't exactly false they were embellished and he was an unreliable narrator.

Either way she knew at the end of the day her father had not been a valiant King off to slay the beast that had come to defeat his kingdom for any beast that came was a product of his own creation - did that make him more of a monster than those that would wish to kill children or less? Addison could never truly decide.

"I think," Josie pressed a kiss to Addison's jaw, "I think, for at least one of you, he would be damn proud."

Addison tried, really she did! But the huge grin that over took her face just couldn't be stopped. Josie hardly ever swore but when she did it was to show how passionate she felt about something.

"You have done so much good in all the years I've known you," Josie continued, "You created an identity outside of your family. Outside of just being a Mikaelson. You found love and created a legacy of your own."

Automatically her eyes landed on Alana, her small fingers twitched in her sleep as soft little breaths left her partially parted lips.

"She's perfect, isn't she?"

"Not to brag or anything but I did pretty damn good," Josie nodded along with her words as if that somehow proved her point.

"Just you?" Addison teased with a suggestive smirk, and a glint in her that Josie knew all too well.

"You may have helped a bit," Josie swallowed against her suddenly dry throat, breathing coming in short and quick bursts.

"Just a bit," Addison mocked, as her tribrid face made itself known. Two sets of protruding fangs extended, darkening veins around her eyes that continued down to her cheek bones - the irises of her eyes remain blue with glowing gold surrounding her pupils. The whites of her eyes didn't go completely blood red like most - instead they darkened just enough to accentuate the gold.

Addison buried her face in Josie's neck, inhaling Josie's scent - Strawberries - she had learned that she and Hope had more wolf mannerisms than her mother or Klaus had, most likely as a result of being fully accepting of their wolf form - something her parents hardly ever utilized. Scenting for example soothed parts of Addison she hadn't realized were restless before Josie had been made aware and accepted that she was the Tribrids mate.

It was an instinct. An impulse. A need. The growled, "mine," That left Addison's throat as she placed open mouthed kisses along the expanse of Josie's neck. Fangs grazing the skin but never breaking it.

Josie's breath hitched, a soft mewling sound coming from her throat while she wrapped her fingers in Addison's hair. Addison smirked when she could smell her wives arousal in the air. Taste it on her tongue.

With nothing more than a few panting breaths, and a whine of impatience, Josie submitted. "yours,"

It was a growl in it's own right. Josie wasn't a wolf but she was half vampire and in it's own way even that part of her loved being claimed by her mate. Her wife. Her Addison.

Just as Addison pulled back, eyes locked onto the lustful and hungry red of Josie's, the veins on her own face present while her singular fangs peaked out from between her parted lips - lips close enough to feel the pants of her breath. Incessant, panicked and loud knocks sounded from their front door.

It broke them out of their moment, with a blink both of their faces were back to normal and Josie rushed over to Alana's crib - lifting the still sleeping baby into her arms along with her blanket and stuffed wolf and cradling her protectively.

It was only a second later they were joined by Rafael and Lizzie, both who had just awoken with a sleeping Jackson tucked protectively in his own mother's arms. Lizzie moved to stand next to her twin sister - and with a nod, Rafael took his place protectively in front of them all while Andrea went to investigate.

She barely had it open before Dom came rushing in, blood soaking his shirt, hands and half of his pants. Some of it was on his face and in his hair - considering he was running his own hands across his face and through his hair, Addison surmised rather quickly the blood wasn't his.

"Dominique?!" Andrea gasped, she didn't even have time to close the door before she caught him just before he hit the ground, ignoring the blood that left traces on her own skin and clothes. "What's going on?!"

She looked up, more than just a little confused when her 'mama' hadn't come rushing in behind her Uncle. He would have never left her behind - not in her condition. A nagging feeling tugged at the back of her mind but she ignored it. She couldn't afford to jump to conclusions right now.

He looked up at her as sobs wracked his body, staring helplessly at his hands through blurry eyes, leaning his full weight against Addison - she held him easily, but it was the tears that caused her body to freeze. His once green eyes projecting clear devastation and desperation.

"No," Addison breathed. She knew - whether instinctively or not - she knew. "No." It was more forceful the second time, as if that would stop the words from leaving his mouth. As if that would somehow change what she knew he would say.

"She.." He stopped, a sob coming out and causing him to gasp. Addison looked away and squeezed her eyes shut. Mentally preparing herself for his next words. "She killed them...I - She killed them!"

Addison had known it was coming but it didn't stop her blood from running cold, her heart stuttering in her chest. She killed them. An angry growl left her throat that shook the room around them - it tampered off as quick as it came replaced with a sob of her own that escaped her throat before she could stop it.

Josie came running into the room hearing Addison's growl, having left Alana with her brother in law and sister. She froze at the sight of a blood soaked Dom being held up by Addison whose eyes were flashing between her normal eyes and her Tribrid ones - showing her internal conflict.

"Addison? Baby?" She called, her own heart stuttering when those eyes locked onto her own and shown what Addison was trying to hide. Agony. "What is it? What happened?" She didn't dare speak louder than a whisper - she knew Addison would hear her either way.

Dominique didn't answer her, Josie hadn't expected him too. He didn't look capable of talking. Instead he looked to Addison - it was always on her shoulders, Josie realized with an ache in her chest. She wasn't even the eldest Mikaelson and yet she acted like it. The weight of the world was constantly on her shoulders and Josie hated watching helplessly as, for the first time, it threatened to crush her under the strain.

Addison wiped a stray tear, taking in a shuttering and strengthening breath. She couldn't break down, not when those around her needed her. Her wife, her daughter, her family. She had to be strong for them, for Rafael and Lizzie. For Jackson and Dominique. So she did. She stood to her full height, clenching her jaw to contain her anger.

No violence in the house. It had been an agreement since Alana and Jackson's birth - they deserved to be innocent for as long as possible and if Addison had any say in it she would shelter them from the world.

She readied herself to say the one thing that would make or break her stance on her sister's humanity. Her stance that her sister wasn't evil. That she could be helped, that she could be saved. That she could take the pain she's caused and turn it into something positive. That would make or break whether Addison even wanted to save her at all!

"Hope killed Rebekah and their unborn child,"