Disclaimer: Still not mine. Never will be.

The Beginning

The first time Elijah ever sees Niklaus the other boy is naked and wrinkly and covered in blood but Elijah thinks he's the most beautiful thing in all the world.

Esther smiles weakly. "Your brother," she whispers. "Niklaus."

"Niklaus," Elijah repeats softly, wonderingly.

Finn scowls but Elijah has eyes only for his little brother. Niklaus. The name has a pleasant sound and Elijah decides he likes it.

Esther's eyes roll back in her head then as she goes limp and Mikael moves quickly, grabbing the infant from her arms and thrusting him at Elijah. "Go," he says brusquely, already turning his attention to his wife.

"Mother," Finn starts, worried.

"Go, boy," Mikael growls and his tone is final.

They go.


Niklaus sucks on Elijah's knuckle and though he doesn't get any sustenance from it he seems contented.

Elijah is enraptured by him and while Finn paces, worried for their mother, Elijah stares at the baby in his arms.

"My name is Elijah," he whispers. "And you are my little brother. You are Niklaus."

"He's too young to understand you," Finn says impatiently but Niklaus's eyes are wide and staring straight into Elijah's and the middle Mikaelson pays his older brother no attention.

"That's Finn," he murmurs to the baby. "He's a great bore but we have each other now," he confides with a soft smile and Finn huffs in irritation but says no more.


Elijah holds his new brother all through the long first night of Niklaus's life and when the sun peeks over the horizon at last and Mikael emerges to tell them their mother will be fine Elijah knows that he loves Niklaus in a way that he's never loved anyone else in all his five years.

Niklaus is his. His little brother. His responsibility. His to protect and keep safe. To love.

And Elijah hopes desperately that he won't ever fail him.

-End.