NIGHT HAS A THOUSAND EYES

Love was scarier than most things, she learned. No monsters in the closet or evil, vile creatures could ever compare to the emotions that tore her up inside. Nothing could ever scare her more than what she already lost.

To keep Elijah, to keep herself living, she needed her love to be powerful, braver. She needed to learn how to not be scared anymore (and that included not being scared of letting go).

               It was why she took Josephine up on her offer.

               "Lost souls are the unknown, dear Jenny, because we do not know your limits but wouldn't you like to find out?"

               Jenny did. She wanted more than anything to control to the darkness that crept into her mind (the darkness that slowly crept into her heart).

                It had been two weeks since she removed Eva Sinclair. Jenny had been welcomed into the witch community after accepting a partnership with Josephine (which Elijah wasn't very pleased with but it wasn't his choice); the witches yearned to learn what power she possessed.

               And Jenny was going to find out.

             _____

               Elijah paced the living room from behind the closed doors that contained Josephine and his beloved Jenny. Out of respect for Jenny, he was allowed to be on the premises but he couldn't watch the training they went through. He was forced to wait.

            The room she was in was spelled against his supernatural hearing. He didn't know if she needed help but mostly what bothered him was...he couldn't hear her heartbeat. That sweet sound was gone and he didn't know what to do without it.

              While Elijah paced worriedly, Jenny trained.

               Even though she was only in the next room, she couldn't feel anything. She was numb again.

             "You know, that Original standing out there, asked me if there was anyway to remove the magic wrapped around you yesterday," Josephine shared. "If there was a way for you to be...normal."

              "He...did?" It was news to her. She knew Elijah wanted to help her but he didn't tell her. "Well, is there?"

               She crossed her arms. To be normal. She didn't think she knew what that was like anymore and removing what power she possessed wasn't going to change it.

               "No," Josephine hummed. "No one can change what you are."

              She nodded and changed subjects, "Why don't we start training now?"

              "Would you like to try spirit-jumping today?" Josephine asked as she had asked everyday.

               "No," Jenny denied immediately. She didn't want to go back there yet; to the land of the dead. Apparently, as a lost soul, she could travel between realms but she wasn't ready to travel to any.

                "Well, the spirit magic wrapped around you acts as a barrier to other forms of magic," Josephine said before smirking slightly. "And today I have another form of magic I'd like to try to see if you are immune."

               "Great," Jenny smiled sarcastically. The first day she started training, Josephine tested if she was immune to air elemental spells and she was not; she went flying through the air and gained a giant bruise on her shoulder.

Elijah was not pleased and he wouldn't be today...

"Hexes..." Josephine informed. "Yes, we'll start there."

_____

Jenny left the room with Josephine which halted Elijah in his pacing. All of her feelings came rushing to the surface and her lips formed a small smile as she felt a giddy excitement at the progress made today, "Apparently, I'm immune to hexes."

"Hexes?" Elijah formed a wry smile before looking pointedly at Josephine. "You tried to hex her to attempt this...theory?"

"I can assure you there were safeguards in place, Mr. Mikaelson," Josephine said unbothered.

"Safeguards?" Elijah took a step forward threateningly. There was no such thing as safe. "And what if those safeguards failed?"

"They wouldn't."

"Elijah, I'm fine," Jenny softly scolded and pushed against his chest, stopping him from taking another step.

"Josephine, I will see you tomorrow," Jenny looked at the older witch.

"Good day, Jenny."

Jenny tugged on his arm and he begrudgingly followed after her. When they got outside, she looked at him carefully.

               "Elijah," she crossed her arms as they reached the car. "This is good for me."

"I know," he said in defeat as he opened her car door. "But it doesn't change the fact that you're haunted and I'm utterly helpless in my ability to aid you."

She pursed her lips in thought. She'd been having nightmares for the past couple of weeks and even with his presence, nothing was making them go away. It was why she didn't tell Elijah that her soul was tied to his; that she'd die if he did. She'd be even more of this precious, fragile thing that he couldn't help.

"Elijah, do you still see me as your Jenny or..." she looked up at him with a frown as she was afraid to know the truth. "...as someone you need to fix?"

It was silent for a moment before he crossed over and laid a chaste kiss on her forehead, "You'll always be my Jenny."

    He said it so delicately soft that she smiled a bit and dropped the subject by getting in the car. But he didn't really answer the question and she wanted to ignore what she already knew: he wanted her to be normal and not this broken thing. That they were both still haunted by grief and grief contained broken hearts.

_____

Dahlia.

The old witch had made herself known by controlling the minds of the city folk. Already, she made it known that she was very powerful. Klaus was mad that Hayley even went anywhere as he ranted, "Isn't that the point of a fortress? It does a better job of protecting you when you stay within its walls?"

They were all gathered in the dining room where Jenny sat with Elijah sitting next to her. Freya was here as well.

"Okay!" Hayley said in annoyance from her seat next to her. "We get it. Now, let's just figure out what the hell we're gonna do."

Klaus smirked as he looked at Jenny, "Well, you carried the dearly departed spirit of Eva Sinclair to the dead. Perhaps, you can do the same for this witch."

Her lips parted in surprise and she pulled her hands into her lap. She hid the weakness of their tremble as she felt the air become cold as she thought about the dark place. Elijah noticed and placed his hand over hers under the table; with the touch of his hand, he quieted all of her fears.

"Have you lost your mind?" Rebekah eyed her brother. "We are not throwing Jenny at a thousand-year-old witch."

"I believe our dear Jenny can make up her own mind," Niklaus argued while he raised his eyebrows at Jenny in question.

"I don't even know exactly how I did that," she swallowed. "Plus, whatever...I have relies on touch and I'm pretty sure a thousand-year-old witch won't let me anywhere near her."

"Pity," Klaus grumbled.

"And our strategy will not rely on Jenny, Niklaus," Elijah warned defensively and Klaus smirked a bit at the protective tone in his voice. "No, we need a new strategy. Freya, if you please..."

Freya explained, "The spell you described, Dahlia calls it kenning, using proxies to watch her enemies from afar. But, I've never seen it done on quite this scale."

Hayley sighed in frustration, "Awesome. So, basically every hurricane-chugging, boob-flashing tourist on Bourbon Street is a potential spy."

"The good news is, I know a little about how her magic works," Freya gestured to a tray with tea cups. "This tonic will at least prevent her from using any of us."

Rebekah and Freya each reached for a cup as Rebekah looked at the rest of them, "Well, come on! This should work like a charm."

The rest of them grabbed one except Niklaus.

Rebekah raised her glass, "Bottoms up!"

They all drank one before Elijah held out a cup to Niklaus. He merely starred at it blankly before Elijah set it down and sighed in annoyance, "Niklaus, is there something you wish to contribute?"

Klaus shrugged, "I prefer biscuits with my tea."

Elijah rolled his eyes but Klaus continued, "Besides, our minds are far too strong to be invaded by kenning spells. So what we experienced was a test. Dahlia is watching to see how we respond to aggression. She's preparing for battle. My guess is sooner, rather than later."

"Well, if she was watching us, she would know that we have our own army," Hayley stated.

"And she probably doesn't know about our own little secret weapon," Klaus smirked as he stared at Jenny.

"Niklaus..." Elijah warned and Rebekah gave Klaus a disappointed look.

Once Klaus sighed in defeat, Elijah continued. "If Dahlia has been watching us, she also knows where we are, and, given the immense nature of her power, we simply have no idea what to expect from her. What we need is to create a new stronghold, something that Dahlia knows nothing about, a sanctuary from any witchcraft."

"That's a fine strategy," Freya stated. "I offer another. We could use Jackson to trace her magic back to its source, find out exactly where she is."

Everyone looked at Hayley and she sighed reluctantly, "Fine. Do it."

"Good! Then it's settled. Off you pop to your respective tasks!" Klaus said in a pleased tone before starting to smile evilly. "Me? I've always been of the opinion that the best defense is a good offense. So I'm gonna find a way to murder that God-forsaken witch."

            ______

           Elijah wanted to create a safe-haven free from witches. They found the place they wanted to use with help from Marcel but now they only required the help of Josephine for a spell.

         "Oh, this was quite the place back in my day, St. James Infirmary..." Josephine looked around the room, seeming to relive memories. "Vulgar, filthy, loud, some of the best nights of my life, but I assume you didn't go through all this trouble on my account."

          "As you know, for years, this place served as neutral grounds for both our communities," Marcel started. "A place where all were welcome and safe."

           "And, in keeping with that tradition, we'd like to invite you to cast a spell. One that would prevent the use of magic within these walls," Elijah finished.

          "You'd ask me to create a place where my kind would be utterly helpless?"

          Elijah smiled politely, "My dear Josephine, powerful as you are, surely you must have sensed this grave new threat?"

            Josephine nodded, "And I am not without empathy, but I have a responsibility to the witches. This is not our fight."

            Elijah went to take a threatening step forward but Jenny stepped in the way. She put on that easy smile on hers that put his mind in a haze.

             "Josephine, a baby's life is at stake," Jenny reasoned. "You have a responsibility to the witches and you also have a responsibility to show them what it means to be a good witch."

              Josephine regarded her with reverence and nodded her head in agreement, "So I do."

             The old witch studied the place in thought before speaking, "I can spell out unwanted spirits but it will require the use of spirit magic..."

              Josephine looked at Jenny and Jenny sighed, "Alright, channel me then."

               "This spell should do the trick then, Mr. Mikaelson."

                "Lovely," Elijah smiled tightly.

              ______

             Elijah had to leave to deal with some business with Freya. Josephine had been muttering the phrases of a spell while holding her wrists and channeling from her. Elijah did not want to part from her so she had to encourage him.

             "Go, Elijah," she gave him a reassuring smile which made him sigh and listen.

            So he left but as soon as he did, her smile delved into a frown like always. Because she could no longer smile for anything but for him.

           Now she sat at the bar of the place while Josephine was casting a disruption spell as well. If any witch entered, then they wouldn't be able to do magic.

           Marcel approached her with a curious smile. He could remember what Elijah told him before the Original left. If anything happens to her in my absence, your life will be forfeit, Marcellus.

              Usually, the noble Original was stoic and never gave anything away. But as soon as Jenny smiled, his eyes lit up like that was his whole world and the Original couldn't hide that.

              "So what's your secret?" Marcel asked as he sat beside her. "You got the witches helping you and Elijah wrapped around your finger. How do you do it?"

                "Apparently, smiles are sort of my thing," she frowned.

                Not anymore, she thought. Smiles were her thing. She wanted to get that back: herself.

               "Not very smiley now," Marcel commented.

                "No," she said solemnly before she commented sarcastically. "But I don't believe I need to reserve any smiles for the practically-a-stranger sitting next to me."

              Marcel chuckled a bit, "Touché."

              She got up off her seat, "Josephine doesn't need to channel me anymore so...I'm going home."

              "Alright, but I'm sending some of my guys with you."

             She gave him a curious look, "What did he say to you?"

"Elijah doesn't to like to gamble with your life," Marcel answered. "That's all."

"Yes," she sighed. "I know."

Her life. What a prized thing it was.

_____

When she arrived back at the Abbatoir, she found out quite a lot had happened. Like Klaus killing Mikael. Again.

She and Elijah were staying at the Abbatoir tonight. With Hayley going to the magical safe house and the threat of Dahlia, it was better for all to stay close.

But after Klaus killing Mikael, Rebekah had decided that it was great time to drink and she dragged Jenny into it.

"Rebekah, now is not the time to become incapacitated," Elijah cautioned. "Especially, not Jenny."

"We're big girls, Elijah," Rebekah pulled on her hand. "We know how to handle our alcohol."

Now, she and Rebekah sat on the couch in her room. They were taking swigs of alcohol from the bottles they both held; Jenny was just a bit slower.

               "I can't believe he did it," Rebekah sighed. "What am I talking about? This is Nik. Of course I can."

                "Are you okay?" Jenny asked softly.

                "I knew my father as a monster but with the way he treated Freya, I thought maybe he could change, you know," Rebekah lamented. "But I got over my father's death before; I can do it again. I just need to ingest more of this bottle."

              Jenny smiled a bit, albeit weakly, as she fiddled with her own bottle. Rebekah analyzed the woman who didn't feel anything.

               "Are you okay?" Rebekah questioned.

               "Why wouldn't I be?" she lied. "I'm alive again."

                "Alive..." Rebekah mused. "But not the same Jenny."

              "Why would anyone be the same after what I went through?" Jenny suggested before she took a swig of the bottle that took away the numbness she felt.

                "It's okay not to be fine, Jenny," Rebekah said.

               "Elijah doesn't think so," she muttered.

                "My brother wants you to be happy. If you're not, he'll try to fix it. It's what he does," Rebekah advised. "He'll drive himself mad trying to do it, too."

                "I know," she said quietly. And that was the problem.

            She only ever wanted to make Elijah happy and to be happy in return by being with him. But...she couldn't do anything in her state; everything was a shadow or a nightmare. She'd become like his brother, something to fix and she knew Elijah would devote himself to fixing her. But what if he spent forever trying?

             _____

                 Jenny joined Elijah in their room later. She stood in the bathroom after changing and she stared at the mirror. She had bags underneath her eyes from hardly sleeping. She sighed before leaning against the doorway that led back into the bedroom.

             Elijah sat on the bed without a shirt on and as soon as he noticed her shadow move into the doorway, he smiled. It was a cute, little smile that signified he was just happy to see her at any moment of the day and it broke her heart.

               She fumbled with her hands and he started to frown, "What's wrong?"

           She looked down, "I'm going to have a nightmare again."

           "Alright?" he said in confusion. "You know it doesn't bother me."

         "I know," she teared up. "Elijah, you are my crutch but...it's wrong of me to be your burden."

          "Jenny, you could never be a burden," he confessed.

           "But I am. I know that..." some tears slid down. "You feel you're to blame for what's happening to me in some way...for loving you. You take on so much without expecting anything in return and...I can't let you do it. I have to fix myself, Elijah."

          "What are you saying?"

           "I don't know," she didn't want to say it; not yet: that she was letting him go.

AN: what's up guys? I'm back on my heartbreak shit again. But don't worry guys; it's only till the end of season 2 and then we're in the clear