⋆° დ ༄ UNTIL THERE WAS TROUBLE
chapter twelve. peace.

"Good morning my beautiful baby girl" Sam smiles, picking her daughter up from her crib, that the hotel had provided, making Gracie smile and laugh, "We have a big day ahead of us"

Once Sam finishes getting her almost 2 year old dressed, her phone rings and she says, "Hank, what's going on?"

"Just wanted to see how you and Gracie are doing?"

"We're doing good. Hank, you said you'd only call if something was wrong, what's going on? Is it Jay?"

"No, no. Bingham's body was found"

"What? I'm coming back"

"No, stay. If anything goes sideways, I'll let you know. Al is trying to contact Erin as we speak. I just wanted to give you a heads up"

"Thanks"

"So, how are you two really doing?"

"We're good. We have an exciting day ahead of us, so"

"Okay, I won't keep you any longer. Have fun"

"Okay, thank you Hank" Sam says, before hanging up her phone and putting it in her back pocket, then clears her throat and says, "Well, are you ready" then Gracie turns on her stomach and slides off the bed and walks away, "So, that's a yes?"

🌙🌙🌙

"Smile for uncle Kelly" Sam says, taking a picture of her daughter, as they eat breakfast. After she takes the picture she smiles and sends it to Kelly and decides to send it to Jay as well, ignoring all the messages he's sent her over the past couple weeks.

"Cute picture" a voice says, from behind the brunette. Sam turns around to see a handsome man behind her and says, "Oh, thanks"

"What's her name?"

"Uh, do I know you?"

"Sorry, the names Nik" the man says, sticking his hand out for a shake. Sam shakes his hand and says, "I'm Sam, this is Gracie"

"Well, nice to meet you both" Nik says, as Gracie grabs a piece of fruit from the bowl and stuffs it in her mouth.

"You too" Sam smiles.

"You new around here?"

"Yeah. Just visiting"

"If you want, I can give you and Gracie a tour of this beautiful town, I know everything, as if I built it myself" Nik smiles.

"Sure. We're about done eating. I just need to pay"

"No. It's on me" Nik says, taking his wallet from his back pocket. Sam shakes her head and says, "No, I can't let you do that. We just met"

"It's okay. Just take it as a welcome to New Orleans"

Sam smiles and says, "Thank you. I appreciate that"

"Anytime, love"

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"Wow, this place is really beautiful" Sam says, pushing the stroller with a smiling Gracie in it, looking around holding her stuffed bumble bee.

"It truly is. The French Quarter is my home. I live right over there" Nik says, pointing towards the home on the corner across the street from them.

"Wow. What do you do for a living?"

"I paint. My siblings see it as more of a hobby, but it's a passion of mine"

"That's great. Always go after what you love, before the chance runs away"

"Speaking from experience?"

"Sorta"

"I notice, you have a ring on your finger, but it's just you and your daughter"

"Your perceptive. It's, uh, just a tiny vacation, the two of us" Sam sighs, "Needed a break from life for a little bit, ya know?"

"Understandable. I'm actually having a little party at my place tonight, if you and Gracie would like to come"

"Sure, that sounds great. Thanks Nik"

"Of course" Nik says, looking at his watch, "I should get going, but it was lovely to meet you and little Gracie. And I'll see you tonight"

"Yeah, definitely"

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Sam sits on the couch in the hotel room, looking over the texts that Jay has sent, 'I will always love you baby, I'm sorry', 'I will not give up on us, please just give me a chance', 'I started going to therapy. It's been helping', 'It was the worst mistake I could have ever made and I will hate myself forever. I just need you back in my arms, you and our daughter', 'I love you, always and forever', 'Our daughter is beautiful, just like her mother'

Sam sets the phone next to her on the couch and cries into her hands, when she feels a tiny hand on her knee, and when she looked up, she sees her daughter looking at her with her head tilted to the side.

"Hi sweetheart" Sam says, picking Gracie up to put on her lap and wipes away the tears from her eyes, "Are you ready to go to a party?"

Gracie nods her head and claps her hands, sliding off her mother's lap and over to the bed and tries to get up on it and Sam laughs.

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Sam and Gracie walk into the party at Nik's house and when she looks around, she's amazed at how big it actually is and all that people that are there.

"Sam" Nik says, walking over to the mother/daughter duo, "You made it"

"Yeah, of course. This place is amazing. You must be a really good painter"

Nik shrugs and says, "I try. Make yourself at home. Eat, drink, dance. I just have to go see my sister real quick and I'll come find you after"

"Yeah, sure. Take your time" Sam says, as Nik walks away, then heads to the bar to grab herself and Gracie a water.

"You must be Sam" a voice says. Sam turns around to see a good looking man and says, "I am. Who are you?"

"I'm Niklaus' brother, Elijah. Nice to meet you" the man says, taking Sam's hand and kissing it.

"Wow, okay" Sam chuckles, "Nice to meet you too"

"And this must be Gracie"

"It is. Can you say hi?" Sam asks and Gracie waves and the man, "And you said Niklaus? It's not just Nik?"

"I'm afraid not. I'm surprise he lets you call him Nik. He likes Klaus"

"I see. This is an amazing place you guys have"

"Thank you. I must say, Niklaus is very fond of you?"

"Really? We just met, literally today"

"He takes interest to most people. Especially beautiful women, like yourself"

Sam smiles and says, "Thank you"

"Sorry to interrupt brother. I must ask, Sam to dance" Nik says, walking over to them.

"Sure. I can hold Gracie if you want"

"I don't know" Sam says, hesitant.

"She's safe with me, I promise" Elijah says. Gracie holds her arms out to the brunette, who grabs ahold of her.

"Okay" Sam says, taking Nik's hand to go over to the dance floor with him.

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Two months later...

"I can't believe it's your last day" Rebekah says, bringing the burnette into a hug. Sam smiles and says, "I know. It went by so fast. I'm gonna miss you guys"

"We're gonna miss you too, Sam" The blonde says, departing from the hug, and taking Gracie from her brother Elijah and kisses her cheek, "I think I'm gonna miss you most of all bumble bee"

"It was good to have you here to distract us from our stressful lives" Elijah says, bringing the brunette into a hug.

"I'm glad I came too" Sam smiles, "You guys have been amazing hosts, who didn't need to welcome me into your home. I could've stayed at the hotel"

"Nonsense"

"Well, thank you anyways. Where's Nik?" Sam asks, looking around the patio.

"Probably inside painting"

"You guys mind watching her, while I say bye"

"Of course. I need to spend as much time with my bumble bee as possible" Rebekah smiles. Sam smiles and heads inside to Nik's room where he is indeed painting and leans on the doorframe and says, "So, here you are"

"Here I am"

"Gracie and I are leaving"

Nik turns around to set his paint pallet on the table and walks over to the brunette, putting his hands on the wall beside her and says, "You really have too?"

"Yeah. Gotta get back to reality"

"You could always stay" Nik says, tucking a strand of hair behind the detective's ear. Sam clears her throat, pushing the man back on his chest and says, "I can't. As charming as you are. I'm still married"

"Who obviously doesn't know what goddess he has in front of him"

"True, but still"

"Sam, the cab is here" Rebekah says, walking into the room with Gracie on her hip, with Elijah behind her.

"How about a photograph for the occasion" Elijah says. Nik rolls his eyes and says, "You know, I hate pictures"

"It's a special occasion though" The blonde says. Nik sighs and says, "If we must"

Rebekah hands Gracie back to her mother and quickly goes and gets the polaroid camera and gives it her brother as they gather next to each other and smile, except Nik of course.

(Of course we should all imagine Gracie older and Sam with shorter hair, thank you lol)

After taking a couple pictures, Rebekah hands one to Sam and says, "One for you and one for us"

"You guys have been truly amazing." Sam says, handing the blonde her card, "My personal is on the back. If you guys need anything or just want to say hi, call me"

"We will"

"Alright, can you say bye" Sam says to her daughter. Gracie waves bye and says, "Bye"

"Bye bumble bee"

"Alright, bye guys" Sam says, walking away.

"Bye. Have a safe flight home" Elijah says.

a/n:

Come on, I had too 😭💖
The Mikaelsons are apart of New Orleans so I must put them in the story 🥳
So, they will also be mentioned along the way and make appearances every now and again.