The tap was dripping again. It's a sound that can drive a man insane, Klaus thought. Again and again, drip, drip, drip.
"Well Nick, I never thought you'd be one to go insane. But then wonders will happen" Rebekah's cold voice cut into the room like a knife splitting into butter. She was perched on the stiff bed on the opposite side of the room although if Klaus wished to he would be able to reach out and touch the it. The room was cramped; a barred window (the metal mixed with white oak ash to prevent him from escaping) provided a small source of light. He stiffened as Rebekah took a small prolonged step toward him. As she took another step forward he pushed himself further back and grunted in pain. Of course he had not been completely alone in the room; he had pain as a companion and it worse than being alone. It was a reminder that he had a moment of weakness. Niklaus did not do weak, he never had but now - other than the pain - it was all he had.
Suddenly the taunting voice of Rebekah was joined by another, his brother, Elijah. Elijah did not come as often as their sister did but his torture was much worse. He spoke of the ways that Klaus had let him down, occasion after occasion. And how much Klaus disgusted him. That was what really hurt, Klaus had never said it aloud but he could see all the emotions in his family's eyes. Disgust, pity, rage, sorrow, the only person who saw his capability to do good was Elijah and now he too had given up on him.
"Brother you really are a sorry sight." Elijah grinned down at him.
"Speak for yourself," Klaus retorted. Elijah speeded toward him and forced the white bone dagger in an inch further. Klaus screamed. It was a deep and guttural noise that tore into the room around him. He was shaking in agony. It was as if his skin was being torched, he clawed his hands at his chest trying to tear the dagger away. Countless times he had tried this and like every other time he failed. Elijah raised an eyebrow.
"Unwise idea to use that attitude with me my lad" as his tone changed so did his face. It morphed into that of his father, Mikael. Klaus knew it couldn't be real but he still bit into his lip with such a force that his teeth ripped into it. His father terrified him; this was the man whom had chained him up with the intention to kill him.
They were all there, everyone. Everyone member of his family: Rebekah, Elijah, Kol, Fin, Esther...Mikael. Everyone. Their voices were piercing and taunting. Klaus could remember the days when his family loved him but those days were short lived compared to the rest of his life. Then he had run, from his past and his father. He could remember when his father had threatened him as clearly as yesterday.
"When I see you next, I will kill you," he had said "every day that you live in your pitiful existence remember that you are a bastard child and I will be hunting you down every day that the half breed blood flows through your veins"
There was a creaking and the door burst open. Elijah stood in the doorway his normally immaculate suit slightly ruffled and blood dripping from his hands.
"Well hello there, Brother," Klaus barely even acknowledged him. "Klaus?" Elijah frowned, Klaus stayed equally still.
"Niklaus." Elijah grew more alarmed as the seconds passed. Klaus grimaced as Elijah sped toward him. "Brother, we must go." Klaus' eyes flickered toward his brothers face and then toward his doppelganger at the other side of the room. As Elijah leant over and tried to pick him up, Klaus darted to the only remaining empty corner. But any speed or agility he had formerly had he'd lost from sleep deprivation and the pure pain of being alone. He hit the wall misjudging its distance from him. Every other member of his family had disappeared leaving only the two Elijahs standing shoulder to shoulder at the entrance. Suddenly the room turned disconcerting shades of red and Klaus' vision went blurry. He writhed on the floor. Then it completely faded, leaving his normal sight. In the entrance stood Elijah, alone.
"Brother?" Klaus' voice was raw from screaming in pain. "What an entirely unwelcome surprise." He smiled.
"And what an entirely unsurprising welcome." Klaus smiled wryly. Only his true brother could be that pedantic. He got to his knees and Elijah helped him up.
"Can you run?" Elijah asked steadying him on his feet.
"Of course I can!" Klaus snapped baring his teeth.
"Of course he can. He's an egotistical wanker who doesn't need anyone." Rebekah's voice came from the doorway. There was no red haze around her that usually came with the hallucinations so Klaus presumed it was really her. She was stood hands on hips glaring at him, as per usual. "Elijah we have to go. Now. That bitch Genevieve will be back soon and the other one's only temporarily taken care of."
"Well what are we waiting for? Let's quit the family reunion and get on with it." Klaus replied. The three of them darted forward and he followed Rebekah toward what he presumed to be the entrance. Suddenly a shooting pain came from his chest. The dagger. It still impaled him and as he reached the entrance it grew hotter and hotter burning into the raw flesh around the wound. "What's wrong with him?" Rebekah asked impatiently. Klaus gasped for air trying to tear the dagger away from him.
"The dagger" he gasped, no longer caring if his siblings saw him exposed.
"Elijah, we can't wait. They will be almost here now. We have to leave now." Rebekah said.
"Is that concern I hear in your voice, Rebekah?" Klaus stumbled trying to get up.
"Only for myself." She answered. She helped him up. "Don't let this fool you that I've forgiven you"
a loud noise came from in front of them and Genevieve and Celeste stood before them. Klaus felt a sudden tightening around his heart, like someone was squeezing the blood out of it. A task he was quite familiar with. Elijah took up a stance as Rebekah reached into a small bag (not quite her style) and pulled out a glass flask. Inside was a mangy green liquid. She through it toward the two witches. When it landed a cloud of white gas came from the broken remains. The two witches gasped for air and the old ones made their escape.
Klaus was curled on the floor, a position he had remained in since his brother and sister left. He had growled at them to keep away until they left. He had instantly doubled over, heaving in gasps of breath. They had tried to remove the dagger from within his chest but it had forced itself further in with every attempt.
"Leave. Now." He had snarled, his voice edged with hostility.
"Brother-" Elijah's voice was cut off by a guttural howl in pain came from Klaus. His teeth were bared and his eyes were glowing golden.
"Now!" He had been sat in the same position for four hours when he finally shifted position and got onto his knees.
"You have to admit, it's satisfying, isn't it?" Rebekah smiled. Elijah grimaced.
"Really, Rebekah, would you stop your insistent whining, boasting really doesn't flatter you,"
"Not in the least bit grateful, are you?" Rebekah smirked, flashing her teeth. Elijah turned and glared at her.
"Always and forever, that's the oath we swore and yet you're grinning like a foolhardy idiot as soon as your brother is down."
"So you do find this satisfying. You know he deserves this Elijah, for all the times he's left me daggered in a box and you with his disgusting hybrid venom polluting your veins." Elijah sucked in a breath but didn't deny it.
"We must rid him of the burden he is baring-"
A stoic laugh cut Elijah off midsentence. Klaus was leaning against the doorway, looking completely perpetual.
"A burden you call it." Niklaus smiled wryly. "You always did have such a way with understatements."
His hair was damp, making it look even darker against his sullen face and bruised eyes. He had exchanged his bloodied trousers for a pristine Henley shirt and grey slim fitted chinos. He had his arms crossed protectively over his chest covering the dagger, it was a stance he usually took but he looked more vulnerable than he did smug.
"And you were always one to make an entrance, Niklaus," Rebekah smiled sweetly. Elijah ignored their sister, a process he had become well accustomed to over countless centuries. He pulled Klaus into an unwelcome hug. Klaus grimaced but did not push him away.
"As delightful that looks, I'm not going to involve myself in such aah…touchy feely behaviour." A sadistic voice sang out, cracking the silence. Klaus flinched; the voice was that of his brother Kol. The voices hadn't stopped since he had gotten back.
"Niklaus, are you ok?"
"Well that depends what's implied by ok, considering I have a dagger slicing through my heart right now I'll just note the concern and ignore the question," The crease between Elijah's eyebrows deepened but he did not make any further comments.
"Elijah here is obviously not going to ask, so I will. What the hell is that infernal device doing in your chest?" Rebekah asked.
"Let's just say those resurrected witches and I don't get along very well." A nagging voice came from behind him
"I'll say." Kol laughed gleefully
"Karma's a real bitch, isn't she?" Rebekah smirked looking amused.
"Couldn't of put it better myself really," Kol grinned. Klaus stood deadly still trying not to attract unwanted attention from his 'living' siblings.
"Looking good sis, not that you've really changed, mind you even if you had I wouldn't know because our dear old brother caused me to be called. Tragic really."
"You never have felt guilt, have you Nik. Well you do now, for all those times you let our siblings and I feel your wrath that you called a punishment. Teaching us lessons for things that we didn't even do. Well now the tables have been turned so to speak, you deserve this." Rebekah leant toward him "Always and Forever. It was doomed before it began." Klaus turned to the sound of the voice but his vision was a hazy red again. It isn't Rebekah he thought.
"You never did feel guilt did you Nik," The real Rebekah spoke slowly, savouring the words that she was about to speak.
"If only she knew the guilt you felt." Kol jeered.
"No you never did but perhaps this will be penance for that." Rebekah continued. "And maybe one day you will be forgiven. But until then, that," She gestured to Klaus' chest, "Will make me feel a lot more satisfied." Niklaus glared at her. Wincing as he unwound his arms he slunk toward the door once again.
"As touching as this reunion is I really do have better things to be doing with my time, like, for example finding out how to get this 'infernal device' out of my chest." He walked toward the library, marvelling as he often did at the silence that entombed this house. It was unbelievable; it shrouded the place in mystery and suspense while drowning out the whining of ignorant people. People who didn't belong around Nik. The Library contained a mix of spells and collections of knowledge that his family had collected from various covens and packs over time. Inside, Klaus hoped, would be the key to removing the dagger from Klaus heart. He lifted the shirt covering the bruised mark it was leaving behind. The mark was toward the left of his chest, above his heart, it was becoming darker and darker until it reached a purplish-blue hue. The outside was tinged with red and his ribcage was marked with black lines that looked like ink traced on his translucent skin. He pulled the shirt back down wondering where to begin.
"That doesn't look at all healthy." Kol remarked. He was glowing red around the edges but it was quickly fading making it harder and harder to recognise if he were real or not. At least it would be if he was not dead.
"You always were one to state the obvious," Klaus hissed wondering if he were better off look through the Library for cures to hallucinations. As another burst of pain riveted through his chest he ignored that idea and leant into the wall as he gathered himself.
"Oh how the mighty have fallen." Kol laughed.
"Mother!"
"MOTHER!"Klaus howled cradling Hendrik in his arms.
"What have you done now, boy?" Mikael's voice dripped with fury. Klaus' face was dripping with tears and there was a patch of blood on the back of his shirt. He gently placed the body on the ground, shaking.
"What happened?" Esther, his mother, asked.
"The wolves. I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry." He leant forward trembling. Rebekah started toward him, going to comfort him, but Elijah grasped her arm pulling her back.
"We have to save him," their mother turned toward Ayana "There must be a way." She said forcefully. Ayana wryly smiled.
"The spirits will not give us a way. Your boy is gone."
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry .It's my fault. I'm sorry" Klaus' voice broke through the shroud of silence.
"Damn right it is. Sorry isn't good enough. You're always sorry, and now you've killed your brother. Sorry isn't going to bring him back. I always knew your cowardice attitude would be the death of him. Now he's dead!" Mikael roared. He raised a hand and struck Klaus across the face, knocking him to the ground.
"Mikael," Esther warned.
"Father," Rebekah rushed forward. "L-look he's hurt."
"Are you challenging me?" he laughed as Rebekah shrunk back into Elijah. "That scratch will be nothing by the time I'm finished with him. The coward has murdered his own son through his idiocy. He must pay." Mikael growled, talking as if his son was not present. No one made a move to protect Klaus as Mikael stepped toward him. His family all averted their eyes, Klaus' attitude often angered his father and flared the temper that he'd inherited. Nobody ever stood up to their father. They were all afraid of him but Klaus bore the weight of his wrath. Mikael wrenched Klaus to his feet and dragged him toward a small hut.
"Only a coward would've let his brother die. That should be you out there. On the floor bleeding, dead." Mikael said, striking Niklaus again and again. Klaus flinched as his father reached toward a whip he used for the cattle.
"Murderer. You murdered your own blood. You killed him. You and your cowardice." Blows rained down upon Klaus' back. They tore into his skin leaving marks like shredded paper. Fresh crimson blood mixed with the darker blood from the wound from the wolves.
Klaus jerked into reality, gasping. His gradually became slower as tried to calm himself.
"Well they really screwed you up, didn't they?" A cold voice came from the corridor as Klaus gritted his teeth. "Are you ok?" Rebekah asked as Klaus didn't answer.
"Absolutely glorious," he groaned as another bout of pain erupted from his chest. He was gripping the sideboard so tightly he felt it splinter beneath his hands. Rebekah shot toward him.
"Great definition of ok," She grinned, grabbing him by the hair. She closed the distance between them.
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't tear your head off here and now?"
"If you were going to hurt me you would've done it already," Klaus growled. Rebekah smirked shooting her hand into his chest. He let out a cry as she turned the knife.
"That's for Kol, that's for Finn, that's for Marcel, Henrik, Elijah and me," she spat, twisting the dagger each time she said a name. "And that is for the little boy who I looked up to as a child who looked after me and protected me, the boy who betrayed by turning into our father," She twisted the knife once again before letting him fall to the floor. She turned on her heel and left without a backward glance.
Klaus slid to the ground shivering deliriously. That was his real sister and he could do nothing to disguise how it felt to be betrayed by her but he probably deserved it. A dry laugh erupted from within him, of course he deserved it. He had killed half his family and all Rebekah's previous suitors. His statements were almost becoming as unreliable as Elijah's.