Author's note: This chapter took a long time to write, the dialogue wasn't flowing easily and it took longer than expected, but as always, it worked out in the end. Also, for anyone who has a hard time picturing characters, unless they're portrayed by real actors (like me!) I thought I would share that the character of Serena was pictured as Katherine McNamara xxx 

The air in the Salvatore Library took on a slight chill, as if  knew what they were about to endeavour. 

"So what's the plan?" Alaric asked.

The slamming of wood against brick made them all jump.

"Exactly what plan are we talking about?" A breathless voice asked.

The others turned to see Kaleb and MG blitz into the room from the doorway.

"Boys..." Landon got to his feet. "Glad you could finally make it."

Kaleb and MG stopped abruptly. Their gaze zeroed in on Serena sitting in the adjacent armchair. She smiled awkwardly, her chin tucked as she self-consciously hugged the oversized jacket to herself.

They oogled.

Lizzie rolled her eyes.

"This is Kaleb and MG," Josie introduced kindly, trying to hide her smile at MG and Kaleb's boyish expressions. "Guys, this is Serena, a former Undine now turned human."

Kaleb cleared his throat "Nice to meet you."

"Sweetheart, why don't you take Serena to your room and find her something more comfortable to wear...." Alaric suggested.

Josie recognised her dad's attempt to make Serena less uncomfortable in her present attire because she nodded quickly and got to her feet.

"Lizzie? You too."

Lizzie's mouth dropped. "What?" She forced a smile. "Dad....I'm sure Josie can handle it herself."

"Actually Josie could use a little help?" She cut in awkwardly, as she pulled a knobby-kneed Serena to her feet. Serena's legs wobbled and Josie held onto her arm to keep her from falling to the floor.

Lizzie narrowed her eyes at Hope. "Once again, Hope Mikaelson gets to stay and be in on the eventful planning..."

Hope raised her brows "I have had the baby this entire time."

"That's only because she likes you," Lizzie said begrudgingly. "But since you have had the little viper the whole night, I will do what I do best......" She feigned a smile. "Offer my impeccable fashion sense on the new human." She turned on her heel and stood beside Josie, gently taking Serena's other arm. "Come on. This could take a while..."

Serena nodded appreciatively and hesitantly took Lizzie's outstretched hand. "I still do not understand the concept of moving these..." She stuck her right foot.

Lizzie grunted flinging Serena's arm over her shoulder for better support. "You'll get used moving them, running with them even...especially around here."

MG chuckled. "Yeah, maybe not the best way to encourage her to walk."

Serena's knuckles whitened as she gripped Josie's hand on one side and tried to gain her balance with her arm around Lizzie's shoulder on her other. Her smile grateful when she put her left foot forward, followed by her right. Her legs buckled slightly under the knees and Lizzie helped her gain her composure.

"Is this right?" Her voice skeptical. "I feel like I will fall. They move at different times."

"Your doing great" Josie encouraged stepping along side her and guiding her as she walked.

Everyone watched Serena attempt to walk on wobbling legs as the twins ushered her gently out of the library.

The footsteps echoed down the hallway, and it was only then that the others realised they'd been sitting in silence.

"So ah..... what exactly is going on?" MG asked, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"We're running out of time," Hope replied before standing slowly, careful not to jostle Ara awake.

"Care to explain that?" Kaleb asked, pointing directly at Melina/Arthur lying dormant across a sheet of glass.

"It's a long story, so I'll give you the abbreviated version," Landon eagerly informed. He pointed to the body encased in curtain rope by the window. "See that, she looks harmless doesn't she? She's a He. Name's Arthur, he's a shape-shifter and the 'creature' you guys were looking for, except while you guys were hunting him, he was in here threatening us to hand over his daughter." Landon pointed to Ara.

MG's eyes narrowed "His daughter?"

"Correct."

"So why's he's a girl?" Kaleb asked confused.

"Impersonating Ara's mother." 

MG and Kaleb wore blank expressions as they looked at Landon.

"Bro your serious?" Kaleb snorted in disbelief. 

"Deadly,"

"So why not turn into a werewolf or something?" MG puzzled. "Why her mother?" 

"She needed to lower her forcefield," Alaric explained. "The only way she'd do it is by seeing someone she'd recognise." 

"Except Hope got to him first," Landon replied with admiration. 

"And how long is that supposed to hold him?" Kaleb folded his arms across his chest, inspecting the curtain ropes entangling the body.

Ara wailed softly and began stirring against Hope's chest. "Oh god," she muttered, feeling the weight of the child shift. Ara's hands gripped Hope's green sweater and her eyes blinked open. She craned her head up and gazed around the room.

"Well... least she's awake and not crying..." Landon said ruffling Ara's fair hair.

"Not yet anyways."

Ara's gaze fell on her absent mother's body and she whimpered. She looked up at Hope with questioning eyes, her little lips making a tiny oh sound.

Hope stroked her hair "That's not your mom..."

Alaric smiled sadly at the baby. "So, how the hell are we supposed to protect her?"

Hope met his look with both challenge and resignation. "I have an idea...but it's dangerous..."

"Wouldn't be a Hope plan if it wasn't," Landon offered with a shrug.

Hope felt the corners of her mouth twitch at Landon's ability to see the joke in something serious. "And I'm going to need the twins help."

Alaric's mouth drew into a hard line as he regarded her. "Help with what exactly?" The undertone to his voice set her on edge.

Hope blinked down at Ara momentarily before she spoke "Syphoning the magic out."

"You're right. That is too dangerous..."

Hope sighed in frustration "Okay, soon that thing will be awake again, maybe not completely mobile, but awake. We can't risk him being able to use magic, otherwise there's a chance he can shape-shift out of here."

"So we'll lock him in the dungeons and put a boundary spell on him so he can't escape," Alaric pressed. "That way there's no syphoning and we can work on breaking the linking spell."

"He can still use magic. Do you really wanna risk him using his magic while locked in a cage?" She lifted Ara higher in her arms, settling her against her hip.

Ara pointed to the fireplace and babbled to herself. The flames threw burnt gold and orange hues, making her eyes glisten in the dim light. Alaric studied Ara and the tension in his body dissolved. Hope's words rang true and he sighed in resignation.

"She might be right...." Landon said gently, his eyes travelled from Hope to Alaric. He took a step forward "I know you don't want to hear it, but there's no telling what this guy can do and we're running out of time..."

Alaric swallowed "Assuming that this works and he's drained of magic, what exactly are you planning to do with him then?"

"Break the linking spell...." Her voice held conviction. "If we syphon the magic out, he won't be able to shape-shift, which will buy me enough time to get a vial of his blood, and you enough time to lock him in the dungeon."

"Why do we need his blood?" Landon asked.

Alaric's eyes narrowed. "Because you can't do an unlinking spell without the blood of the two people linked.....That's dangerous magic, Hope." He warned "Not only can it weaken you, it could kill you, okay and so could the syphoning." His voice grew louder. "There has to be another way."

"And do you really wanna risk him breaking free in time to figure that out?" She challenged.

"She's right," A voice behind them said.

They turned around to see Serena standing in the doorway between Josie and Lizzie. In a stripe navy and white sweater and dark denim jeans, it was hard to imagine this girl was a former creature of the water. She wore an old pair of Josie's trainers and her long copper hair was tied back in a pony-tail with soft waves framing her delicate face.

"Woah..." MG mouthed. Kaleb nudged him.

Serena turned to Alaric. "His magic is strong....it will not take long before he awakens from this..."

Alaric sighed "It still puts the girls at risk, which I am not willing to do."

"Because we're not used to that are we?" Lizzie said amused, her eyes soft as she regarded her father.

"Dad," Josie said quietly, her dark eyes pleading "There isn't any other way...."