"Where's Nik?" I grabbed an apple from the basket on the table, and found my seat on the couch.

Finn's fingers trailed along the book spines. "I am not Niklaus' keeper."

"Neither am I, still it's good to know where he's lurking."

He wore new clothes, his hair cut into something more modern. He was adjusting rather well, better than one would expect in his position.

"Don't bother with that one, little spitfire." Kol plopped down next to me, his phone in his hand. "He's as much a bore awake as he is in his box."

"Leave him alone." I grabbed a pillow and threw it at him.

He dodged it.

Finn pulled a book off the shelf, and began flipping through its pages. I recognized it. "You are the oddest creature."

"Thanks, I guess."

"Careful, brother. So much as insult my favorite family member and I'll put the dagger back in your heart myself." Kol threw his feet on the ottoman and an arm around my shoulders.

Finn took a careful seat on an armchair across from us. "Did you know, after a time, you become aware of what's going on around you while under the dagger."

I moved out of Kol's grip to the other side of the couch, and he stole my apple in response.

"You can't move of course, but you can hear everything."

God.

That was my worst nightmare.

"Why tell us? It's not as if we don't know what it's like in those wretched coffins."

"I'm going to need a drink if we're going to discuss this." Kol got up, moving over to the dry bar in the corner.

He didn't even eat my apple either.

"Bring me one too?"

He rolled his eyes but got another glass.

I grinned.

Finn was watching the interaction. "I remember a small girl's voice, then a young girl, and then a woman, who read me stories and would rant when she felt no one else would listen."

I felt my face grow hot in embarrassment. "You heard all that?"

"You ranted to Finn?" Kol balked.

"I didn't know he was actually listening!" It was a habit I'd broken the night I'd left New Orleans.

"It was a mercy, hearing you grow." Finn folded his hands over the book and I realized it was the one I read to him most often. "As well as a curse. It was all I could do."

"And here we were worried that you wouldn't like her." Kol handed me my glass and retook his seat. "Or be stupid enough to attack her."

"She was the only one to care enough. Unlike the rest of you. Mother would've liked her."

"Everyone likes her. She's Morgan."

"Wrongo." I sipped at my drink and coughed. "You're terrible at mixing drinks."

"Sorry, I'm out of practice." He rolled his eyes, reaching for the glass.

I held it out of his grasp. "No, I'll keep it. Maybe if I get drunk enough, it'll taste good."

"Tell me who hates you, and I'll end them."

"Don't need you to fight my battles for me, Kol." I sat with my back to the armrest. "Petty hatred isn't reason enough for a big bad Original to breathe down their neck."

His brow rose.

"I'm serious. I don't need you to save me from a couple of high schoolers."

"Ah, so it's the squad. Go on, little spitfire, tell me who they are."

"I never said it was-"

"You don't have to Sweet. I should've cut out their tongues for the way they spoke to you."

"It's fine."

Kol glowered. "No. It's not. They need to learn respect, and I'll be happy to teach it to them. You are a Mikaelson and will be regarded as such."

I was tempted to point out that they barely respected Elijah or Klaus or him, and it was only out of fear and because they didn't know how to kill them. "If I were actually offended, I'd do something about it."

"Has Elijah heard them speak to you?"

"No..."

Kol mulled that over. "That'll be a show I hope to see."

"Please don't tell him. He's already out for blood with my brothers."

He considered me. "Why?"

"Apparently he has always had a low opinion of them, then they tried doing something very stupid, and it didn't earn any points."

"Ooh, do tell."

I glanced at Finn. Telling Kol they tried to wake Mikael could anger him enough to do something about it. They all utterly despised Mikael, as they should, but it made them lose their tempers quicker than anything else.

"My brothers aren't for your amusement."

"Everyone is for my amusement."

"Please Kol, leave them be."

His hands raised. "Unless I'm provoked, I will not touch them."

I let out a breath. "Thank you."

"Now, let's go see this supposed house Nik's had built."