Prolog: Silence before the storm
Extended summary:
Fifteen years had passed. New Orleans was in peace since Esther, Mikael and Finn had been defeated. Hope was now a young teenager and was living with Jackson and her mother Hayley in the bayou again and Elijah had returned home – together with Rebekah. Klaus could see his daughter growing up. All the different supernatural beings seemed to live in peace but appearances are deceitful. The vampire community had problems among their two different groups – which Klaus appreciated. He was bored for a while already so he had decided to think about something how to change that. The Original just discovered a long forgotten secret which will grant him the possibility of compelling Originals – his own family. What is going to happen as soon as he uses that cataclysmal method at his brother Elijah? Everything is going to be changed… Is Elijah still stoppable? Is Hayley able to help him?
A long time had passed since Esther, Mikael and Finn had been defeated. For a few years now there was something like peace even though it still felt strange. Nobody had ever imagined that the combination of the word peace and the city of New Orleans was actually possible – and as it turned out a few months later it wasn't at all. Everybody loved the peaceful times and even though most of the people believed that this peace would last some more decades they couldn't have been more wrong about that.
Almost fifteen years had passed. Hope was a young teenager now and was living with her mother and her stepfather in the bayou. The wolves had managed to build up a lovely place to live there as it had turned out that they didn't enjoy living in such a big city as New Orleans was after all those years in the nature. They had decided to return to the bayou after a few years. Since Hayley and Jackson weren't living in the compound any longer Elijah had decided to return home and was again united with his family. He had managed to live with the loss of Hayley somehow but still he was happy that he didn't see her that often any more – and he just wasn't the same anymore. The left marks of Esther's magic were also one reason for that. Rebekah also used to live together with her siblings again.
The different supernatural beings managed to tolerate each other without any fights. Since the fight against Finn had welded wolves, vampires and witches together everything seemed to work out perfectly. Of course there were still some little conflicts due to the fact that all those supernatural beings couldn't be more different but after all there weren't some really dangerous situations and the peace wasn't in danger. Somehow they all had just managed to forget everything about the past and to just live in the now so that they could finally – after all those wars and conflicts – after all be something like a real community.
Everything seemed to be alright. Everyone seemed to enjoy living here – expect one person. Klaus Mikaelson – the former king of this city. Of course he appreciated the fact that everything had turned out good so that his child Hope could live near his home. He loved the way to see her growing up but still he didn't like the idea of her staying with Jackson. After all he wasn't seeing his daughter that often. Hope was most of the time together with the wolves where she kind of belonged since Hayley was married with Jackson. The truth was the Klaus was kind of bored lately. He had nothing to do besides panting and drinking alcohol the whole day. Due to that he only appreciated it that the vampire community wasn't really united anymore lately. Actually there were two different groups of vampires: The ones which used to be Marcel's vampires – the ones he had changed – and the ones which had come back to the city as soon as they had found out that New Orleans was in peace now. Those two completely different kinds of vampires had tried for years to mesh with one another but it quickly turned out that this just wasn't possible at all. Especially to Klaus it had been obvious that these two groups had to clash violently. After all his plan had also been kind of responsible because his formerly goal had been to unite all vampires. Niklaus wanted to have fun again and he only barely thought about the horrible consequences all of this could cause. He would love it to be again the king of that city like he used to be a while ago. If he would have known that his own way of having fun would cause so much pain, sorrow and bloodshed he probably would have stopped himself before all of this would have escalated…
"Nik, where are you?", Rebekah shouted through the compound the moment she walked in even though she perfectly knew that Klaus could easily hear her without being so loud.
"I am over here, sister", Niklaus immediately answered and Rebekah followed his voice which led her to his private hobby room in which he was painting right now – same as most of the day for years now.
"Could you perhaps explain to my why Elijah is acting that weirdly these days?", his sister asked while standing right behind him – arms crossed in front of her chest. She was worried that was easily to notice for Klaus even without looking at his little sister.
"I have no idea what you are talking about, Rebekah", Nik answered but he couldn't stop himself from smiling mischievously.
"Oh, come on! I know that smile and that look in your eyes. You know something about that! Tell me, Nik!", his sister insisted but he only chuckled and continued painting – it looked like he was painting a landscape of the bayou.
"Why do you think that Elijah isn't behaving like he always does?", Klaus finally said as he noticed the angry expression at the face of his sister out of the corner of his eyes.
"You perfectly know that! Just a few minutes ago he nearly killed one of the younger vampires because he had dared to hesitate only a second as Elijah had called out for him. Nik, he would have killed that guy if I wouldn't have stopped him! Only to mention one of the things which Elijah would never do. I never saw him behaving that way before. Not even after losing Hayley", Rebekah explained and became more and more angry due to the fact that Klaus was still painting – not really paying attention to her. Suddenly she grabbed his not yet finished painting and the brush which he was holding in his hand right now and threw it in one shift motion out of the open window.
"God damn it, Klaus! Elijah is not himself anymore and you just don't give a shit about it!", she yelled while staring gloomily at her blonde brother.
"Calm down, Rebekah. Everything is alright. I am going to talk to Elijah", Klaus announced while looking out of his window to see where his picture had landed on.
"You know I am really worried. At first I thought that he maybe just had a bad day or something even though something like that doesn't even exist in Elijah's always so noble world but now I am quite sure that there's something wrong with him. He's acting like…", she started but Nik interrupted her.
"… Like a vampire? Well, maybe he just found out that it sometimes just makes more fun to not refuse the monster which is deep within every one of us, little sister", Klaus finished the sentence for her.
"Do you truly believe that? Do you actually know that we are talking about Elijah right now? The one in our family who would never harm somebody without a serious reason for it?", Rebekah replied – her voice kind of shocked due to the answer of Niklaus.
"I couldn't blame him for changing his mind after all those centuries but don't worry: As I have told you I am going to talk to him if that makes you happy again", Niklaus said and with that he was gone – his painting still lying at the street. He would pick it up later.
"Elijah, what have I told you lately?", Klaus said towards his brother as soon as he had found him sitting at his desk in his study – as he suddenly noticed the dead body at the carpet.
"You told me to have fun by killing people but I shouldn't exaggerate it", Elijah answered while closing the book right in front of him. As he lifted his head Klaus noticed that his whole face was covered with blood. That blood obviously belonged to the woman which was lying in his room.
"Yes, indeed, brother. So, perhaps you can tell me what you didn't understand about the term that you are not allowed to exaggerate it because that's what you did!", Klaus suddenly yelled, grabbed Elijah at his shoulders and threw him against the nearest bookshelf. Elijah didn't recover so quickly so he stayed at the ground while looking obedient at his brother.
"I do apologize if I did something wrong", he said but Klaus wasn't satisfied with that answer.
"You forgot something, slave", Klaus insisted impatiently.
"I do apologize if I did something wrong, master", Elijah quickly corrected himself even though those words weren't slipping over his lips easily.
Klaus just loved it to hear his brother calling him master. That had actually only started to be a joke just to show Elijah that he was now his king – the new-old king of New Orleans who used his brother as a weapon to reach his goal. Anyway, he started to enjoy the sight of an Elijah under his mercy – and Elijah couldn't do a thing about it.
"Alright. Get back to your feet than. There's something I want you to do for me", Klaus said before telling him his new plan.
Elijah hated himself lately. The way Klaus was treating him was just unbearable but he had no possibility to fight against it. Every time he was trying to resist against an order which Niklaus had given him he failed. It was like an impulse which forced him to do unspeakable acts even though he knew that they were wrong and that he should kill his brother for giving him such orders but he just couldn't. Now he knew how it feels like to get compelled – a method which he had used himself very often in the past. Meanwhile Elijah didn't use that any longer. He had no idea how Klaus had found a way to compel him but he was sure that this was the thing he was doing with him for a few weeks now. It was horrible to be the slave of someone – especially of Klaus. Elijah didn't know why he was doing it and why he even insisted of calling him master. Was he only playing games with him or was there a reason for all of his? Elijah couldn't remember only one thing why Niklaus could be so upset about him. He never did something wrong in the last few years so why was he treating him that way?
Suddenly his cell phone starting to vibrate. He couldn't stop himself from sighing as soon as he read the name on his display. Hayley. Oh dear, no. Hopefully it wasn't something important because he wasn't anything more than the slave of his brother Niklaus these days – always under his control and mercy. Elijah thought a moment about the possibility just to not answer his phone but he somehow couldn't. It had been weeks already since he had talked to her the last time and even though he knew that this feelings were still wrong he missed her voice.
"Hayley?", Elijah said as he finally answered the call.
"Elijah! Why did it take you so long?", Hayley immediately answered with the typical temper which he adored so much.
"I am sorry I am pretty busy right now", he replied even though he perfectly knew that this was the understatement of the year.
"Ah, I see. Well, still I need your help. Could I bring you Hope so that you can take care of her? I and Jackson are invited to a very important wolf meeting and she can't come with us", Hayley asked impatiently – seemingly she didn't even care how he was lately.
"You mean I shall babysit? Why? Hayley, she just turned fifteen. Don't you think she's old enough?", the Original countered. He was kind of confused that Hayley was really asking him that. It had been ages since he baby-sat last time. After all Hope was now a young teenager but the true reason for him to refuse helping her was that he didn't want his niece to see him like that.
"Elijah, she's your niece! Don't you want to spend some time with her? You haven't seen her for weeks now. Aren't you interested in her anymore? Oh, and besides: Right now she's in her rebellious phase. She can't stay at home alone", the young mother explained. Elijah closed his eyes for a moment and tried to find another excuse to protect Hope from himself – and his gone crazy brother.
"Of course I am interested in my niece, Hayley. She's like a daughter to me but I just can't... I…", he said without being able to think of an excuse which would convince Hayley – and he knew the she could sense his desperation.
"What's wrong? You don't seem to be fine", she wanted to know after Elijah was searching for the most fitting words but wasn't able to let them slip over his lips.
"I am fine, don't worry, Hayley", he quickly lied.
"Oh, wow. You are still the worst liar on earth even though you are an over thousand years old Original", Hayley pointed out and Elijah heard her giggling.
"Please just trust me one more time, Hayley. Don't bring her here. Isn't there someone else you can ask to take care of her?", he begged.
"Well, I am not sure about Rebekah or Klaus. Especially Klaus seems to be… strange these days. He's planning something you should keep a wary eye on him", Hayley explained and Elijah could only smile sadly. He had always known how intelligent she was and in that very moment he wished that he could tell her what Klaus had forced him to do but he couldn't. Klaus had forbidden him to talk about that to anyone else and as much as he was fighting against that order – nothing seemed to work.
"Yes, I know", Elijah simply said – his voice nothing more like a slight whisper.
"You know what? I am coming over now", Hayley announced a few seconds later.
"No, please don't! It's not…", Elijah tried to convince her not to drive to the compound but nothing worked out – she didn't even allow him to finish his sentence.
"Give me an hour. I have to search for Hope she's together with some friends right now", the hybrid explained without giving Elijah a chance to stop her – suddenly the line was dead.
"Klaus, listen: Hayley and Hope are coming over here. Please don't let me do that before they have left again", Elijah told his brother who was now again back in his hobby room after he had brought back the painting which Rebekah had thrown out of his window.
"Why? Wouldn't it be the best method to show them that you are just a simple monster like we all are? That you aren't the always so noble brother which everyone adores so much?", Niklaus answered his brother but at least he was now looking straight into his eyes.
"I beg you, Niklaus. Don't do that to me – it has nothing to do with Hayley or Hope."
"Oh, I remember that sentence! The only difference is that back then there wasn't a Hope yet", his brother replied while smiling his typical devil smile. "But you know what, my noble brother? I grant you that but only once do you understand me? Enjoy the time with your lost love and your niece. It's going to be the last peaceful moment for a very long time", Klaus added, got up to his feet and looked even more straight into the dark eyes of his brother. "You won't do what I asked you to do and you will play happy family with Hayley and Hope – without mentioning anything about your current situation or the things I want you to do in future", Niklaus compelled him and Elijah couldn't put that feeling into words. It felt so unbelievable wrong that he – as an Original – was now a victim himself of that experience. As soon as Klaus hat stopped Elijah had to blink a few times to get back to earth. He felt like there was something missing deep within him but he couldn't explain it at all – he wasn't even sure what Niklaus had just told him. Anyway, he hadn't much more time to think about that due to the fact that he could hear slight footsteps walking in the compound.
"Go and welcome them", Klaus ordered and Elijah followed his request even though he wasn't compelling him right now.
"Uncle Elijah!", Hope said happily and wrapped her arms around his back – she still wasn't tall enough to reach his neck without tiptoeing.
"Hey my little favorite niece", he replied and pulled her even closer to his chest. Elijah was so happy to see her and her mother that he had to close his eyes for a short moment so that his emotions couldn't overwhelm him.
"I am your only niece and stop calling me little, idiot", Hope whispered and of course Elijah knew that she was only kidding and wasn't seriously insulting him – she was so similar to Hayley.
"Hope, please take your stuff and put it to your room in which you are always staying while you are here. I need to discuss something with your uncle", Hayley now interrupted their moment.
"I can carry it up for her, Hayley", the Original tried to offer but Hayley only shook her head.
"No, Elijah. I would like to talk to you. Please give me a minute, okay?", she insisted and so he followed her without any more hesitation as she made her way out of the compound.
"Hayley, where are we going?", he asked confused – his hands resting typically in his trouser pockets.
"Just somewhere where nobody of your family is able to listen", Hayley replied simply and stopped at a park bench while offering him to sit down next to her. "So, and now tell me what's going on with you. Don't try to calm me down with your always so noble answers, Elijah. Tell me the truth", she insisted and Elijah couldn't look into her bright shining eyes because he knew that he would reveal himself by doing so.
"As I have told you already earlier, Hayley, there's nothing you need to worry about", he answered while watching the people which were walking past them.
"Stop that! Don't lie to me again! Rebekah already told me that you are behaving very strange these days. That you are harming and even killing people without any reason and even if you would have a serious reason you wouldn't do that that so easily – that's not your way. You are not fine, Elijah! You are behaving like you used to behave while you have been cursed by Esther", Hayley yelled which surprised Elijah but of course she was just worried – very worried.
"Listen, I can't tell you that. I am not… allowed to do so", he admitted while feeling that his emotions were overwhelming him sooner or later – unstoppable. All those swallowed and deeply hidden desperation came back to surface.
"You are not allowed to do so? What the hell are you talking about?"
"It doesn't matter I can handle that", Elijah said but he could easily notice by himself that his voice was cracking and before he could resist any longer against it one single tear escaped his eye – even though he removed it quickly she had already seen it.
"Wow, I can remember only one moment at which you allowed yourself to open up to me like that", Hayley said after a while with widened eyes because of his single little tear.
"I have to go now, Hayley. Please don't think about that any longer, it's really not necessary. I will take care of Hope, trust me", Elijah replied hastily while standing up as fast as possible. "Have a nice evening and pick your daughter up whenever you like. Take your time", he added before she could say another word and suddenly he was gone – leaving behind a completely confused Hayley.
There you go. Just another idea which came to my mind. If you want me to continue please review! :)
English isnt my first language so please apologize my appearing mistakes!
Take care!
Dumai
