Rising from the ashes (Gia & Elijah Mikaelson Fanfiction - The Originals)

2. The Arrival

She arrived at the city late at night. Got out of the airport and walked all the way to the hotel, she was staying. She had had a terrible flight. She hadn't stopped thinking of Danny for a second. Her mind flooded with memories. And the closer she got to the city the worst it became. She needed to clear her head. So, she walked in silence feeling the wind on her face. Letting it wash all the memories away. She didn't carry much. Didn't need to. All she had with her was a backpack in her hand and a strong mind. With that she could accomplice anything. No matter how hard things became she would find a way to overcome them. People usually underestimated the power of the mind but that's where everything begun. And that's where it all ended as well. Even in fighting. Martial arts weren't about power or how strong someone was. But about how strong your mind is. How concentrated. Learning to use your enemy's strength against him. And she was an expert on that. One of the best fighters in the world. One of the most intelligent. There was only one man that could stand against her and actually had chance to win. And he was the one she sought to find.

She reached the hotel a little after midnight. Had to wake the receptionist up to let her in. The hotel, itself, was old and secluded. Nothing like the 5star, full of life, hotels she was used to. The room was small with only a bed and a chair nearby. Its walls empty of color. The bathroom was even smaller. With only a shower, a sink and a small vanity mirror to look upon.

She left her backpack on the bed and headed to the bathroom. She really needed a shower right now. Her body was stiff from all the walking. She had yet to return to her previous physical condition.  She had spent months in the hospital. Phoenix had thrown her down a cliff, after killing her husband, leaving her for dead. Somehow she had survived and now she was back with vengeance. It had taken months for her bones to mend. Almost a year. A year of excruciating pain. But that was nothing compared to the ache inside her heart. The emptiness she felt deep inside her.  A piece of her was gone forever. The liquor dulled the pain. So, she kept drinking till she reached the bottom. And then she rose through the darkness, like a phoenix rising through the ashes. Reborn. She trained hard and got back on her feet once more. And here she was now. Soon she would be strong enough to face her adversaries and bring all of them to the ground.

The water was burning hot. Its warmth surrounded her like a blanket, relaxing her. Washing away all of her worries. She took her time with it. Let it run down her body easing her muscles. Steam filled the room. Time passed quickly. After she was done with her shower, she reached to her backpack. Found the hair dye she had bought before getting into the plane and went back into the bathroom. Cleared the fog on the mirror, opened the pack and got to work. Her white gold hair were replaced by a dark brown shade. They matched her eyes perfectly. A small change like that and her face had become completely unrecognizable. Which was exactly the idea. Tomorrow she would go shopping. She needed a whole new wardrobe to match her new identity, but for now she needed rest. She laid on the bed and fell asleep almost immediately. She was exhausted. She didn't dream that night. One of the rare blissful moments she's had ever since the incident.

She woke up early in the morning and spent her day at the shops, buying clothes that matched her vision. Her cargo pants where replaced by skinny jeans, the T-shirts by tops and the hiking boots by combat boots. And of course no more of those little dresses she wore when she wanted to feel sexy, nor the luxurious ones for the cocktail parties and formal events. Her smoky eyes completed her new look.

She returned to the hotel and went straight to her computer. Now that her appearance had been completed, she needed to find a place to live. The hotel no longer served her needs. It didn't take her long to find what she was looking for. The last time she had been here with Danny they had explored the city thoroughly. They loved everything in the city but her favorite part of the journey was the time they spent exploring the tunnels beneath the city, leftovers from the prohibition days. A time with many restrictions and even more secrets. Exploring the tunnels made her feel like she was right there when everything happened. And to an archaeologist like her, like both of them, that was her favorite kind of drag. Now they would serve a different purpose. Those tunnels where perfect for moving concealed from any unwanted eyes. And the house she wanted just happened to be near the exit of one of those tunnels. It was located deep in the woods, in a secluded area, between the bayou and the quarter. It stood alone with no other houses for miles. It was perfect. Her very own sanctuary.  She bought the house using one of her offshore accounts, which could not be traced back to her, and filled it with state of the art equipment. Now all she had to do was place the cameras and let the game begin.

She started with the easy part. Placed a few cameras around the city so she could have a general idea of what was happening, and then headed towards her target. Francesca Correa. A tall beautiful woman with a big and powerful family, which controlled a sizable drug trafficking empire throughout New Orleans and all around the US. She was the matriarch of the family and Phoenix's latest conquest. Hopefully she could find him through her. But first she had to place the cameras at her house. And there laid the problem. Francesca stayed inside her house for the most part, only leaving when necessary. And that contradicted everything she knew of her. Something was up. And she had to find out what. She didn't want any surprises. Luckily, tonight Francesca had to attend to a social event leaving the house empty of people. Breaking into the house was easy. She walked silently placing the cameras where they could remain hidden and searching for any clues that could bring her one step closer to him. When she was done, she exited the house leaving no evidence of her presence there. She returned to her safe house, opened the camera feed and awaited for Francesca's return to her home.

What she found out was unexpected. The camera's feed, from Francesca's house, told her one thing. That the information she had collected for this city and its residents had nothing to do with reality. The feed showed Francesca arguing with a young girl. There were men all around them, surrounding the girl as if she was dangerous. Francesca was panicking. Who was this Klaus Mikaelson she was so afraid of? Phoenix was the most dangerous man that had ever existed. And he was on her side. So why was she terrified?  And all of this talk about witches and vampires. What the hell was going on in this city?

She was no stranger to the supernatural world. It was pretty much a job requirement. Every legend, every myth was based to the truth. And some myths just happened to be real. But she was more used to mummies and supernatural relics and traps than witches and vampires. Although, she once dated a witch long ago. Before Danny. Maybe it was time to give him a call. Fill in the blanks, so to speak.

She ended the call feeling troubled. From what her ex told her, the city was filled with supernatural creatures fighting for control. It had gone like this for centuries. With one clan winning one time and another the next. An endless battle. One that she was now drawn into. She had no choice but to get involved. Going back was not an option. From what she had learned, she knew that the last one to control the city was a vampire called Marcel. Marcel Gerard. Her friend didn't know much about the city's more recent events, so she had to find another way to find out. Francesca was involved with the witches which left only one other option. She had to find Marcel. And so she would.