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Ayanna knew that tonight Esther was using the Immortality spell that she had found in an old grimoire to "protect" her family, but she also knew that such a spell would upset the balance of nature and have dire consequences. However the spirits had also told her that the spell she was performing would have dire consequences and it was up to her to restore the balance. Emmeline, the Mikaelson's youngest, was not to be put under the spell just yet as she was just 9 years old. Ayanna knew Emmeline would be the perfect way to restore the balance.

The older witch hid in the shadows near the Mikaelson's home as she watched Esther send her youngest out to gather water from the nearby stream. Ayanna knew that this was only so she could perform the spell on her the rest of her children and husband. Once Esther closed the door, Ayanna listened and heard the tell-tale sign of a sword entering a body and the shouts from the children. When that happened Ayanna rushed towards the stream and saw Emmeline just finishing up.

"Ayanna!" the younger girl smiled. "What are you doing here?"

The witch gave the girl a smile, "I was wondering if you would go on a quick walk with me?"

"I would, but Mamma said to come right back after getting the water from the stream," Emmeline said, gesturing to the pail in her hands.

"Just a quick walk, Emmeline," Ayanna insisted. "We won't even be going out of the way."

Emmeline looked like she was debating before finally saying, "Okay, but if I get in trouble, you are taking the blame."

Ayanna gave the girl a small smile, "Of course dear."

The two walked in silence before they reached the clearing in front of the white oak tree, "What are we doing here?"

Ayanna took out an old grimoire that made Emmeline feel nervous, "I am sorry I have to do this, Emmeline."

Emmeline panicked, "Do what!? Ayanna!"

"Your parents have made your siblings into monsters and I cannot allow that to remain unbalanced," the witch said and then began chanting.

Emmeline's eyes went wide before screaming, "PAPA! MAMMA! ELIJAH! KOL! NIK! BEKAH!" She continued shouting their names and could see them running in their direction, but inside she knew it was hopeless.

Ayanna stopped chanting for a moment and said, "It is hopeless child, even if they do get here now the spell will work."

-With the Mikaelsons-

Meanwhile at the Mikaelson's home Esther asked her family, "Has anyone seen Em? I sent her to get water while I did the spell, but she should be back by now."

She received negative answers from her children before Elijah said, "Should we go out and look?"

Just when he finished saying that, they heard their names being shouted in the distance. They all looked at each other and then rushed off, Mikael grabbing his wife so that she could keep up with the rest of them.

When they reached Ayanna and Emmeline, the family could not reach her as there was a barrier surrounding her. Esther looked up at her fellow witch and said, "Why are you doing this, Ayanna?"

Ayanna gave her a haughty look and said, "The spirits told me that I had to keep the balance after you performed that Immortality spell and the only way I could this of was to send the only member of your family that was not tainted by the spell."

"Where are you sending her?" Niklaus asked her.

"To the future," Ayanna said, causing the young girl to sob. "So even though you are all immortal, it is very unlikely you will ever find her."

Emmeline gasped, which brought everyone's attention to her and Ayanna to continue chanting, "Emmeline, we will find you," Elijah said. "It doesn't matter when you are, we will."

Rebekah whispered to her sister, "I will put the family grimoire in our favorite tree and spell it so no one can take it away."

Esther nodded, "There is a spell that you can use to find your siblings."

Everyone was quiet before Emmeline said, "I love you," before the rest of the family said the same and she disappeared.

Mystic Falls, 2001

-With Emmeline-

Emmeline landed in the forest with an "oomf!" and a sob, she kept crying until she realized that she was shaking with cold and had no idea where she was besides some sort of woods. The youngest Mikaelson stood up and tried to calm down, once she half-way accomplished that she took in more of her surroundings just as Elijah had taught her in their survival lessons. To her left she saw some sort of lights so she decided that would be her best idea for help.

It took her awhile to reach the lights because of the different roots and leaves, but when she finally got there she realized that the lights came from some sort of dwelling that she had never seen before. Then she remembered what Ayanna had told her family To the future. So these must be the dwellings of the future.

Just as she escaped the woods, she tripped and fell down and almost couldn't summon the will the stand up so she started crying. Her cries must have been heard because a group of people found her.

-With Grayson, Miranda, and Sheriff Forbes-

Grayson Gilbert said, "But there haven't been any attacks in years."

Sheriff Forbes shook her head, "That may be true, but look at our history, they always come back after a certain amount of time."

"So you're saying that in the next few years there may be vampire attacks if the pattern keeps up?" Miranda Gilbert asked, holding her husband's hand.

"What I'm saying is that we need to be careful," Sheriff Forbes looked her friends in the eyes. "Zach is of course growing vervain and while some of the council would like to put it in the water supply we can't risk it."

The two Gilberts nodded and Sheriff Forbes was about to say good-bye before they heard a sob near the border of their backyard. The three of them ran towards the noise only to be greeted by a girl that could not be older than 10 and wearing odd clothes.

Sheriff Forbes approached the girl cautiously and just when she put a hand on the girl's shoulder she flinched then looked up at the person who touched her, "Hello, my name is Liz Forbes, what's your name?"

Emmeline started to calm down and then said, "My name is Emmeline Mikaelson."

Liz smiled at the young girl, "Well Emmeline, you look cold," the girl nodded. "Would you like to come inside so you can tell us how you got here?"

Emmeline thought for a moment before nodding. The duo started walking back to Gilbert's home and was shocked when she felt a small hand is her hand, when Liz looked down all Emmeline did was smile causing Liz to smile back.

When Liz reached Grayson and Miranda who let them into their home she introduced them, "Emmeline, this is Grayson and Miranda Gilbert. Grayson and Miranda, this is Emmeline Mikaelson."

The couple smiled at the girl and Miranda said, "Well, you look cold," Emmeline nodded. "Why don't we sit down and you can tell us how you got here."

All four of them went to the living room and kept their voices down as the children were asleep upstairs.

"Now, Emmeline," Liz looked at the young girl. "Can you tell us how you got here."

Liz could still see tear marks on Emmeline's face, but the girl sat up and began her story, "After dinner Mamma made me get water from the stream," Liz shared a look with the Gliberts' gather water from the stream? "I had just finished when Ayanna came and asked if I wanted to go on a walk, I told her no because it was almost dark and Mamma told me to go straight home, but Ayanna was so insistent until I finally gave in when she said it was on the way home," Emmeline started crying again. "I had a sense of foreboding and it doubled when she brought me before the white oak tree where she does many of her rituals. She started saying that the spirits told her she needed to balance the evil that my mother had done and I was the perfect way!"

"What did she say your mother did?" Grayson asked.

"She said she put an Immortality spell on my brothers, sister, and father!" Emmeline sobbed. "She made Finn, Elijah, Niklaus, Kol, Bekah, and Papa immortal!"

"So what was she doing to you?" Miranda asked.

"I did not know until Niklaus asked and then Ayanna said that she was sending me to the future and that it was unlikely we would meet again," Emmeline sobbed. "I just want my family again."

Miranda stood up and grabbed the young girl in her arms, "It will be okay, somehow they will find you."

"Bekah said she put our family grimoire in our favorite tree, so hopefully when I am older I will be able to do that spell," Emmeline said.

The adults looked between each other and Liz said to Emmeline, "We'll be right back, is there anything you need?"

"Just some water, please?" Emmeline said, widening her doe, oak brown eyes unknowingly.

Liz smiled, "Okay, we'll be right back."

When Liz entered the kitchen she could see Grayson and Miranda whispering to each other, probably thinking about adopting the girl, when Liz entered the kitchen they looked up and said, "We've decided that we'll take her in."

"That's probably the best," Liz nodded. "What are we going to use as a story?"

Miranda said, "Emmeline is my god-daughter from a friend in college who passed away recently," she looked at her husband and friend. "Her husband passed away a few years ago, they were both only children, and both sets of grandparents are already dead."

"I can make a birth certificate," Grayson said, "but Social Security card is going to be difficult."

"Leave that to me," Liz said, shocking the couple. "I know someone who can help and get that organized once you have the birth certificate."

"Then there is just the adoption," Miranda said.

Grayson nodded. "And I think she should keep her last name."

The woman looked at him curiously and Liz said, "Why?"

He ran a hand through his hair and said, "If her siblings are immortal, then they are probably looking for her and despite them being vampires I know she would want to see them."

They all sighed before returning to the living room. Emmeline looked up and said, "Hello."

They smiled at her and Miranda said, "I know that we can't replace your family, but how would you like to live with us?"

Emmeline was silent for a moment before answering, "I would like that."

They all smiled before Grayson said, "We even have a daughter, Elena, who is your age and a son a few years younger."

"Thank you," Emmeline smiled shyly. "I was worried that I would be all alone."

"Of course not," Liz said and then ran a hand through the young girl's curly, brown hair. "You can always ask for help."

"You can sleep on the couch tonight," Miranda said. "Then tomorrow you can sleep with Elena as she has two beds in her room."

Emmeline nodded and then yawned. Grayson said, "Good-night, Emmeline."