Morning light streamed through the tall windows of the Mikaelson mansion.
The living room, normally a place of casual luxury, had transformed into something resembling a courtroom. Tension hung in the air, thick enough to touch.
Lucien sat beside Katherine on one of the elegant couches, her hand resting protectively near his but not quite touching.
Across from them, the Original siblings occupied another couch - Rebekah perched on the edge as if ready to spring, Finn rigid with disapproval, Kol lounging with deliberate casualness.
Klaus had claimed his usual armchair, legs crossed, fingers steepled before him, his expression carefully neutral.
Trevor stood with his back against the wall, arms folded across his chest, while Nadia had pulled a chair from the dining room for her and Elena and positioned herself where she could observe everyone, particularly her mother.
At the center of this arrangement stood Stefan Salvatore, arms crossed, jaw set, his eyes fixed on Lucien and Katherine.
The silence stretched, uncomfortable and heavy, until Stefan finally broke it.
"So we're just going to pretend this morning didn't happen?" he asked, voice tight with restraint- with how everyone is so silent.
No one immediately responded. The grandfather clock in the corner ticked loudly, marking five full seconds before Klaus tilted his head.
"What exactly would you have us say, Stefan?" Klaus asked, his tone deceptively light. "I believe the situation speaks for itself."
Stefan's gaze didn't waver from Lucien. "She's five hundred years old. He's thirteen."
"Technically, I'm closer to five hundred and thirty," Katherine interjected, her voice calm despite the tension. "If we're counting."
Trevor pushed away from the wall, taking a step forward. "This isn't a joke. This is-"
"Acceptable," Kol interrupted with a dismissive wave. "It's not like any of us follow conventional morals here. We're all from ever-changing times here, people, rules change, in the past it was normal, now it's considered not- and I say, it is their own business."
"That doesn't make it right," Stefan insisted, uncrossing his arms to gesture toward Lucien. "He's a child."
Lucien, who had been watching the exchange with growing irritation, finally spoke. "I'm sitting right here. Maybe talk to me instead of about me?"
Katherine's lips curved in a slight smile, her eyes never leaving Stefan's face.
"The boy has a point," Klaus remarked, leaning back in his chair. "Though I find myself curious about your particular concern, Stefan. Given your history with Katerina, one might think you'd be more worried about young Lucien breaking her heart rather than the reverse."
"This isn't about me and Katherine, and like hell would I ever care about her" Stefan said firmly.
"Isn't it?" Katherine challenged softly.
Trevor stepped fully into the circle now. "Look, I've been hunting monsters for decades. I know predatory behavior when I see it."
Katherine's eyes flashed dangerously, but Lucien placed a hand on her arm before she could respond.
"I'm not being preyed on," Lucien said, his voice steady. "I know exactly what I'm doing."
"You can't," Stefan insisted. "You're-"
"If you say 'just a child' one more time," Lucien cut in, "I'm going to lose it."
Kol suddenly laughed, the sound breaking through the tension like a stone through glass.
"This is absurd," he declared, spreading his hands wide. "Are we really having this conversation? At thirteen, I had already been with three women in our village. It was expected - we were warriors in training."
He gestured toward Lucien with a flourish.
"This boy has fought and killed Dracula himself. He became a demon, then cured himself. He was tortured and endured Divine Punishment from God Himself - his literal Father!" Kol's voice rose with theatrical emphasis. "And we're making a fuss about him kissing Katherine?"
He looked around the room, his expression one of exaggerated disbelief.
"Besides, if we're suddenly so concerned with morality, let's consider the source. Isn't morality decided by God? Well, God is clearly not preventing His Son's actions, so who are we to interfere?"
"Oh, stop it, Kol," Rebekah interjected sharply. "You don't give a damn about their relationship. You're just trying to be the fun, supportive uncle so Lucien will restore your magic someday. At least have the decency to be honest about your motives."
Kol placed a hand over his heart, feigning offense. "Sister, you wound me! Can I not simply support our nephew's happiness?"
"You've never supported anyone's happiness but your own in a thousand years," Rebekah retorted. "Don't start pretending now."
"Your faith in me is truly touching," Kol replied dryly.
Klaus watched this exchange with thinly veiled amusement, his eyes flicking between his siblings before returning to Lucien and Katherine.
Stefan, ignoring the sibling squabble, stepped closer to Lucien. "I know her, Lucien. Better than anyone here. Katherine Pierce only cares about Katherine Pierce. She's survived 500 years by putting herself first, every time. I won't stand by and watch her hurt you."
Lucien met Stefan's gaze steadily. "Look, I'm not saying she was a saint in the past. But she's different now. With me, she's different. She actually cares about me."
Stefan shook his head. "That's what I thought too, once. But Katherine's number one will always be Katherine - her own survival. That's who she is. She only cares about what you can do for her- not you, yourself!"
Katherine tensed beside Lucien but remained silent.
"Since when do you get to decide who I can hang out with?" Lucien asked, eyes narrowing. "Who gave you the right to tell me who I can be with?"
"Since the moment you made me your champion and protector," Stefan responded, stepping closer. "You gave me this role, Lucien. That means I protect you - even from your own bad decisions."
Lucien's eyes narrowed dangerously, the temperature in the room dropping several degrees. "Since you want to try and take the position of a servant in this, then let me remind you that a servant still can't override his Master's wishes. It's simply your job to keep me safe, despite them."
The words hung in the air, sharp and cold. Stefan stilled, his expression shifting from confrontational to hurt. The room fell completely silent, even Kol sobering at the sudden tension.
After a long moment, Stefan spoke again, his voice quieter, more personal. "But a friend can. Aren't we friends, Lucien? Wasn't that your promise?"
Lucien was silent for a long moment his expression, hearing this, softened visibly, defensive posture relaxing.
"Look, I'm not stupid," he said as he rose from his seat, "Of course part of why Katherine loves me is my power. Of course part of it is survival. But that's not the only reason."
He took a step forward, addressing everyone in the room now.
"This whole idea of 'unconditional love' thing is complete BS. All love is conditional. A father loves his son because that's his son - that's the condition. Siblings love each other because they're siblings. That's how it works for everyone."
Lucien gestured around the room. "We all have priorities. We all love different people for different reasons. And that's normal. That's human."
He looked directly at Stefan. "Katherine loves me enough that she doesn't want to live without me. And you know what? She's the only one - literally the only person in this room, Hell, in this WHOLE world - who puts me first above everything else."
His voice became more passionate. "I'm not going to stand here acting like it's evil that you all love other people more than me. Of course - for example - Elijah cares more about his siblings than some kid Klaus decided to adopt. That makes sense."
Lucien turned to look at each person in turn. "My point is that I want that kind of love too. I deserve it. And Katherine is the only one who gives me that. Not my mom, not my dad, not my brothers - no one but her."
His voice hardened with determination. "And I'm not going to let anyone take that from me. Anyone who tries becomes my enemy. It's that simple."
The silence that followed was profound. Even Klaus seemed affected by Lucien's words, his carefully maintained neutrality slipping to reveal something almost like respect.
That his son knows what he wants, and is not afraid to take it, and fight for it- not letting others walk over him.
Stefan fell silent for a long moment, then simply said, "No."
Lucien tilted his head, confused. "No?"
"No," Stefan repeated more firmly.
"What do you mean, 'no'?" Lucien asked.
Stefan's eyes held Lucien's. "Have you checked my emotions? Have you looked into my soul, like you've done everyone else?"
Lucien's brow furrowed. "I don't know what you're trying to get at with this-"
"Just... look," Stefan interrupted. "Please."
Lucien hesitated - still confused, not understanding where this is possibly going -but looked into Stefan's sincere eyes and reached out through the Force, touching Stefan's emotions.
What he felt made him speechless. He took a step back, eyes widening.
"Don't you see?" Stefan asked quietly. "There is someone else who cares about you enough to put you first - above everyone else."
"I- I don't- what- how- WHY?" Lucien stammered, genuinely thrown off balance.
Stefan slowly stepped forward and knelt down, gently gripping Lucien's shoulders, his voice intense with emotion. "Don't you understand? Don't you see what you've done for me? In all my life, in my nearly 200 years of existence in this world, no one has done for me what you have done."
His grip tightened slightly, voice growing more passionate. "You saved me. For forty years I was tortured, humiliated, broken under that monster's knife. And no one came for me."
Stefan's voice cracked slightly. "I've had a long, long time to think during it all. And during that entire time - no one came for me. Not even my brother. And I know he didn't. Dracula-Dracula let me out sometimes. Let me... hope. Escape. Damon hadn't even searched for me."
His eyes glistened with unshed tears. "Lexi had, but she couldn't do anything, and I refused to bring her into danger. But you- you SAVED me. You, in a couple hours, brought together the thousands of shattered pieces of my being, and remade me... whole."
The room had gone completely still, everyone watching the unexpected display of emotion from Stefan.
"You gave me in such a short time together, more than anyone has given me in my entire life," Stefan continued. "You gave me care and peace, letting my soul rest and heal against your own and your grace, giving me pieces of your own soul to fill in the cracks of mine."
His voice grew stronger. "You granted me justice - tortured my tormenter, while keeping in mind to grant him every bit of pain that he had brought me. You have granted me power, and protection - making me your champion."
Stefan's eyes bore into Lucien's. "You have- you have even given me friendship, and didn't go back on it even as a DEMON.
I could see during the possession of Dracula, what your other way was to save yourself. You could've tried to transfer all the darkness to my soul, reviving your body with your last bits of demonic power, and enter your original body, and let me die in your stead, but you DIDN'T."
His voice dropped to an intense whisper. "Even when I TOLD and BEGGED you to. You, as a demon - a creature of malevolence, sadism, and evil, still cared enough about me to protect my soul by taking all the damage of the Divine Wrath."
Stefan's hands tightened on Lucien's shoulders. "You've given me everything, and whether you accept it or not - to me, you're like my little brother. I care for you, love you, and refuse to let anyone hurt you, so long as I exist, no one is going to harm even a single hair on you, do you understand?"
Lucien stood frozen, genuinely speechless for perhaps the first time since creating the Force. The room remained silent, everyone processing Stefan's words.
The long moment of silence though, was suddenly shattered by the distant but distinct sound of a private plane's engines, growing louder as it approached the island.
Everyone tensed, the previous conversation instantly forgotten as they shifted to alert postures. Rebekah was the first to speak.
"Are you expecting visitors, Nik?" she asked, rising to her feet.
Klaus remained seated but his body language had changed completely, coiled tension replacing casual poise. After a moment of silence, he shook his head.
"No," he said, voice low and dangerous. "I haven't called for anyone. Whoever is daring to enter my home without invitation will pay dearly for it."
"Actually," Elijah said calmly from his position on the couch, "I invited them."
All eyes turned to him.
"You did what?" Kol demanded. "Invited who? And why?"
Elijah smoothed an invisible wrinkle from his immaculate suit. "I'm fulfilling my promise."
Klaus's eyes narrowed. "What promise, brother?"
Elijah merely offered a small, enigmatic smile.
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The black SUV rolled to a stop on the circular driveway, gravel crunching beneath its tires.
John Winchester stepped out first, his eyes immediately scanning the massive mansion before him. His posture was rigid, hand instinctively hovering near the concealed weapon at his hip.
Kate followed, her face a mixture of anxiety and determination as she joined John. Adam clung to her side, eyes wide as he took in the sprawling estate.
"This is where he's been?" Kate whispered, her voice barely audible over the gentle ocean breeze.
Sam and Dean emerged next, flanking their father in an unconscious defensive formation. Bobby exited last, adjusting his cap as he surveyed the mansion with undisguised suspicion.
"Rich vampire bastards," he muttered under his breath.
Jeremy stood slightly apart from the Winchesters, his gaze fixed on the imposing structure. "Elena's in there?" he asked, his voice small but hopeful.
John placed a hand on the boy's shoulder, his expression softening momentarily. "They both are," he confirmed. "Let's go get our family back."
The Winchesters had arrived.
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(Author note: Hello everyone! I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Do tell me how you found it.
So, how did you find Stefan's speech?
I thought a long time about- and find it logical, since Stefan here can't do anything but use words, so he wouldn't shy away from them, as he never really has before.
Also yeah... The Winchesters are here.
That's gonna be fun.
Well, I hope to see you all later,
Bye!)