Charlotte felt bad that she'd practically moved into Matt's home but he insisted he liked the company. Truthfully, he really did. She hadn't intended on spending as much time at his but when she'd gone home the day after their dinner together, Stefan had caught her at the door and told her that Damon was about to have a threesome with Rebekah and another vampire and that'd really been the icing on the cake for her to stay away a couple of days. She still saw her brothers and would get dinner or lunch frequently, but mostly every other night she'd stay at Matt's.

It was nice for both of them, nice to have company, nice to have a sounding board for the drama they were so enthralled in, nice to have someone to marathon every goddamn episode of whatever new netflix show Matt was attached to. They were good company for one another and they both slept better hearing the breath of someone else, knowing that they weren't really alone, even when they felt they were.

It was a few day's later when Charlotte and Matt got the cryptic 'secret meeting' text, instructing them to spend a morning driving into the middle of the woods. When they arrived, both of her brothers were present as were Elena and Caroline, all rugged up warm and curious about the invitation.

"What are we doing here?" Charlotte asked when they were all settled at last.

"We found some more white oak," Damon replied, half cocky and half apologetic. White oak of course, was the one kind of wood that could kill an Original. The kind of wood that killed Mikael, Klaus' father when he'd come to kill Klaus. His cockiness reemerged at the reaction of the group and he waved his hand nonchalantly, "Long story, wait for the movie."

"Hang on," Elena asked, "White oak? You have a weapon that can kill Klaus?"

"Nope," Stefan replied dramatically, dropping the duffel bag he'd been carrying on the ground between them. The bag fell open to reveal nearly a dozen stakes and Stefan continued, "we all have a weapon."

Charlotte's blood ran cold as she processed her brothers words. She couldn't stop them killing Klaus, she was on their side no matter what and she knew how her brothers and friends felt about what he'd done, but she really didn't want him to die. She felt Matt's arm wrap around her shoulder and she leaned into his touch, relieved by the small comfort though neither said anything as the group continued talking.

"Klaus, has always been one step ahead of us, but now we have the advantage. We're all armed and they're all linked, meaning we only need to kill one of them. We need to seize the best opportunity which means we need to prepare for every opportunity."

"Scenario number one," Damon joined in now, grabbing Elena and tugging her away from where Matt, Charlotte, and Caroline stood, "You get to play Klaus."

"Okay," Elena agreed, wiggling out of Damon's arms.

"Rebekah is our target," Stefan continued, "so we'll distract her."

"Catch her off guard," Damon added.

"To do that, we need to keep Klaus separate and occupied," Stefan took over again before looking at Charlotte pointedly, "Charlie."

Charlotte's brow was furrowed and her arms were crossed against her chest, she was practically shrinking herself under Matt's arm so desperate to disappear. She could feel the eyes of every one of them on her and her heart clutched with guilt knowing the pain Klaus had caused each of them.

"Look, I won't stop you but I don't want to lure him into some trap," Charlotte replied, "I can't help you do this."

"Charlie-girl," Damon cooed, trying to convince her though really they all knew if she didn't want to, neither he nor Stefan would force her. When Charlotte didn't react to Damons words he sighed, turning to Caroline and moving her as he did Elena, "You play Rebekah. We use the quarterback to distract her. Just keep her talking."

"How?" Matt argued, mainly for Charlotte's sake.

"Act interested. She's lonely, desperate."

"Clearly," Caroline added, "she slept with you."

Charlotte had to repress a shudder at that image. Not only had both of her brothers slept with Rebekah, with her having slept with Klaus, it felt like some weird little Salvatore/ Mikaelson sphere.

Damon rolled his eyes continuing, "Beefcake holds bombshell. I come up behind her, grab her arms like this," as he spoke, Damon pulled Caroline, playing Rebekah's, arms viciously behind her back, causing her to wince and groan out in pain.

Stefan stepped in now, holding one of the white oak stakes pretending to use it, "Which gives me time for one shot."

"Got it?" Damon asked, "Good."

"So we all have one stake," Charlotte raised her hand and Stefan cut her off, "we all have one stake plus Charlie's spare, we keep it hidden, and we look out for any opportunity we have."

"No last minute attacks of pity for any of them," Damon looked at Elena, avoiding Charlotte who he knew would likely be the real culprit of a faint heart.

"Don't worry about me," Elena argued, "Not after what happened to Bonnie's mum."

"Barbie?"

"I'm ready. Anything that will free Tyler from his sire bond to Klaus."

"Busboy?" Damon asked, flinching when Charlottes hand flew out and smacked him on the chest.

"Do I have a choice?" Matt asked.

"Good point," Damon agreed, "Charlie?"

This was why Charlotte wanted out of the supernatural world. She wanted out of life or death, she wanted out of revenge plots and she wanted out of being torn between the only family she had, and someone who she might care deeply for.

Charlotte was glad they hadn't plotted this all behind her back but at the same time, being part of this felt like a bigger betrayal than when she'd hidden Elena from Klaus. Certainly it was an actual betrayal and it made Charlotte nervous at the certainty of the lines she was drawing. If they went through with this, if they even attempted this, she was literally standing by as they ended his life and this life of every one of his siblings.

"I won't rat you out but I don't think I can help," she finally answered, the best response she could give. Telling Klaus would be like painting a target on the foreheads of her brothers but she couldn't do anything more than keep their secret. Even keeping the secret made her stomach turn and her hands shake with guilt but she couldn't betray her family, she couldn't hurt them by spoiling their plan, however horrible it was.

Stefan nodded and took over, "We have 12 stakes. Twelve shots at killing one original. We can do this. Alright. Let's try another scenario."

As Stefan directed them to practice their moves, Charlotte stepped away, leaning against a tree with her arms folded, watching on. This reminded her of when she, Klaus, and Stefan finally found the pack of wolves and were attempting to make Klaus' first batch of hybrids. Sitting and watching people she cared for do something that she felt opposed to with every bone in her body.

"You don't have to stay you know," Damon told her, siding up to her as Elena held a crossbow up to Matt who was pretending to be Klaus, "we can keep you out of it. We just didn't want to blindside you."

Charlotte sighed and wrapped her arms around her waist, "I'm on your side. Always. It just feels wrong, I don't want him dead. I don't want to be responsible for any of them dying. I don't hate him, Damon, I know I should but I can't."

Damon pulled her into a hug. He wished that Charlotte wasn't involved in this world, he felt like her allegiance to Klaus was his fault, he hadn't forgotten that she was taken because of his actions and then kept to get him the cure. Damon acted tough, but he'd do anything for his sister and if she'd asked, he would've called the Klaus plan off. He almost wished she would ask, because he knew that when it all went to plan, it was her who'd get hurt in the end no matter whether they were successful or not.

The group ended up training for several hours until eventually Matt had to work and he left with Charlotte for the Grill. The drive back was quiet, both unsure of their place in the plan, Matt was torn between the hurt that he knew Klaus had inflicted on his friends, and the hurt that doing this would affect on Charlotte.

It was a little while later when Charlotte and Matt finally noticed that Klaus' brother, Finn, the one who'd tried to sacrifice himself, was at the bar too.

Charlotte was reading silently, ignoring the pointed glances Matt was shooting at her, opposed to telling anyone about his presence until finally she checked her phone. It had been buzzing beside her but like with Matt, she ignored it too, wishing she could pretend that she wasn't in a group chat plotting murder. Finally she looked at it, flipping it over glumly, her heart jumping to her throat as she read the dozens of messages from both Stefan and Caroline, she felt gripped with guilt but reluctantly, Charlotte nodded in agreement to Matt. In the time since she and Matt had left, Rebekah had taken Damon, knocking Alaric out in the process and Stefan seemed sure that whatever Damon had done to piss Rebekah off, was bad enough that he was worried about her killing him.

Charlotte was reluctantly on board, fear for her brother gripping her enough to overpower her feelings for Klaus. Matt texted the group about Finn's presence and a plan was quickly devised with Stefan now sitting opposite her, eavesdropping on Finn and his friend's conversation. Charlotte was technically on board but her arms were crossed and her face was reproachful as she stared at her brother who ignored her.

Charlotte was resentful that Matt was involved too but it was him who was the one to suggest the vervain in their drinks and eventually it was Matt and Elena who carried out the final deed.

In a flurry of movement, Finn and his friend had exited the Grill after drinking their spiked drinks, following Stefan who was bait. Once outside, Stefan had made to stab them but when the stake was knocked away, it was Elena and Matt, at the back door of the Grill, who'd used one of Alaric's crossbows to shoot and kill the eldest Mikaelson.

Charlotte felt numb as she returned to the Grill from the place where she watched it all happen. He was dead, Finn was dead and alongside him was every other member of his family. Thanks to the spell Esther had created, every member of the Original family had been destroyed, all because of her family.

Klaus was dead.

She'd helped them kill Klaus, Nik.

She couldn't process it and she didn't know how to allow her mind to think about it. Only days earlier she was laying in his arms, she hadn't wanted to pull herself away then, and now, with the prospect of never being near him again her body felt clutched with grief. Mourning every moment she'd had since she'd woken from her curse, she could feel his fingers through her hair and his breath on her neck and his body tangled with hers. She could feel every inch of him and her eyes squeezed shut, knowing that never again would she feel him.

Charlotte didn't say much as she returned to her book but it took her an hour to pass the next two pages.

She finally made it to the third page and then Stefan was there, he come to pick her up and he needed her help. Charlotte couldn't think about what help she could give him that his supernatural friends couldn't but she nodded numbly, freezing in her place when he explained.

"Rebekah and Klaus are still torturing Damon," Stefan told Charlotte causing her breath to catch and her heart to skip.

If they were torturing him that meant they were alive.

Charlotte felt like her legs could give out from under her when tried to process everything that had happened and truthfully she was glad to have the distraction of rescuing Damon. She was trying to keep her mind off of it but now she kept picturing Klaus' face when he was told what they'd done and her grief from what she thought was his death turned into guilt.

"What's the plan?" Charlotte asked, half running to keep up with Stefan's strides to the car. She was forcing herself to focus on Damon not Klaus, focus on saving her brother, not worrying about the guilt over what they'd done.

"I'm gonna hand over the stakes, you free Damon. If that doesn't work, you distract Klaus and I'll free him."

The drive to Klaus' mansion felt longer than it had any other time she'd gone and her heart was racing well before they made it up the driveway. They walked through the unlocked door to the home with a scoff, Stefan was clutching the duffle bag he'd wielded earlier in the forest while Charlotte had her arms wrapped around her waist, almost ill with guilt and nerves.

Her breath caught in her throat when Stefan led them through to where Damon was, he was hanging from his hands, bear traps clamped across his wrists leaving big bleeding welts and he had blood running down his chest and his neck. Her hands began to shake at the sight while one had clutched Stefan's forearm in horror, she couldn't look at Damon like this, it hurt too much and so she screwed her eyes up for a moment.

"This was much different in my head," Damon groaned out as he caught sight of his siblings.

"Klaus," Stefan called out suddenly, "we're here. Let's do this."

"Oh good," Klaus replied as he and Rebekah entered the room, "our hero's. What do you want?"

His eyes flickered to Charlotte as he walked forwards, noticing she took a step away and looked down. She still had that bruise, of course she did it had only been a few days, it was fainter now but barely so, still a colour too dark on that porcelain skin, he only wished he could make it disappear.

Stefan threw the bag of stakes to the ground dramatically and Charlotte lifted her chin, finally releasing Stefans arm and forcing her arms to her side. She pushed a steadiness into her voice that she knew Klaus could tell was false but that she needed to force to help her brothers, "We're here to make a deal."

"What are you doing?" Damon groaned out.

"Eight stakes made of white oak," said Stefan, "the part of Wickery Bridge that you forgot to burn."

Klaus shook with fury, his face furrowing as he finally pulled his gaze from Charlotte onto Rebekah. He'd discussed only days ago the remnants of Wickery Bridge with his sister and she'd promised then that she'd burn it and yet here remained more. Charlotte had been there when he'd discussed it with his sister, asleep on the couch after they'd returned home from the ritual and his face darkened as he wondered whether Charlotte had been the one to discover this final weapon.

"That's impossible," Rebekah stuttered out.

"Actually it's not," Stefan replied curtly, "Finn's dead."

At this, Charlotte's resolve was crumbling again, screwing up her eyes with regret, her arms crossed around her as she tried to internally justify their actions. She was looking at the ground now, she didn't want to look up and see Klaus' examining eyes and she couldn't look at her brothers either.

"You killed my brother?" Rebekah asked.

Stefan glanced at her before stepping forwards, addressing Klaus directly as he stared into his eyes making the deal, "Damon in exchange for the last eight weapons that can kill you."

"And how do I know that there aren't any more left?" Klaus asked.

"Because there aren't."

"Let's be certain, shall we?"

Charlotte felt her nerves overtake her as Klaus walked around them, walking directly up to Damon. She held herself still but ready to leap forwards when Klaus leaned over and whispered to Damon, "Leave."

Damon stayed still for a moment, keeping his head turned away before finally replying, "No."

"Go on," Klaus goaded. "Leave."

Rebekah whined like a child now, "Nik, he's my plaything, not yours."

Suddenly Klaus' hand flew out, gripping Damon's chin and forcing their eyes to meet as he compelled him, "I said, go home."

Damon resisted for a moment before he began to tug. His hands were trapped in the bear traps and so as he pulled, his skin began to tear. Charlotte barely had moved an inch towards before Klaus predicted her next move and had spun around, speeding over and tugging her back by her waist, holding her against his chest.

"Nik," Charlotte whimpered, she was shaking now as she tried desperately to pull away. Her fingers were clawing at the arm that encircled her waist tightly while her heart pounded in terror, Damon was screaming and Charlotte felt like she could feel every moment of pain. His flesh was tearing as he ripped his hands slowly through the spikes of the bear traps. Finally she spun in his grip, she couldn't keep looking and so she turned around to face his chest, looking up at Klaus and gripping his chin to tug his eyes to hers, "Please stop it Nik, please."

Klaus waited a moment before finally looking down and giving her a half nod, "All right, stop, stop. Stop before you hurt yourself. Well, I see that he can finally be compelled."

Charlotte's body sagged with relief when Damon finally stopped screaming in pain and his body fell still. Klaus grip loosened around her to let her stand free, but when he realised she was not only shaking but slumping against him in shock, he moved her to the side of the room, perching her on the back of the couch, away from the action. Charlotte's breath shook as she tapped her fingers anxiously against her waist and she felt tears sliding down her cheeks. Two minutes in to the trade she'd already crumbled, it was clear no matter how she paraded herself, she wasn't set out for the supernatural realm in the slightest.

"Now," Klaus returned to Damon and stepped forwards, "Minus the stake that's in my brother, how many more stakes are out there that can kill me?"

Damon sighed, dropping his head in defeat before he finally answered, "Eleven."

"Eleven," Klaus called out loudly as he spun on his heels to look between Charlotte and Stefan, "Really. So not eight, then."

"You really shouldn't have lied," Rebekah sighed out.

"We'll get you the other three."

Klaus grinned sarcastically before biting back with rage,"Yeah, that'd be nice. Or, since you lied maybe I'll just compel your brother to chew out his tongue."

"What is wrong with you?" Stefan asked, his face screwed up in disgust. Both Klaus and Stefan had looked to Charlotte as Klaus had spoke and both caught the way she'd flinched backwards at his threat.

"What is wrong with you? Do you really have no appreciation for me? I have given you someone to hate. To loathe. A target for all of your anger so you don't have to turn it on yourself. I have given your life purpose, as your friend."