Chapter 4: "Rebekah"

"Perhaps one did not want to be loved so much as to be understood."

- George Orwell, 1984

Time: Present

Rebekah had been sitting at the bar for a while, staring into her glass, thinking thoughts she did not want to think, as Marcel showed up. He watched her intensely as she drained her glass and caught his gaze. "What? Can a girl not have a drink anymore?" she asked slightly annoyed by his stare. "Come on, Let´s sit" She followed Marcel, who had taken along a bottle of amber coloured liquor into a booth. She relaxed into the seat as he topped her glass, relieved to have someone to divert her thoughts. "So … is this in honour of your blond friend." He questioned. "Hu, direct you are tonight, aren´t you" she didn´t care whether she was rude to him. "No, just curious, if her appearance can freeze an Original … seriously who is she to you?" Rebekah frowned. Of course that would be the only reason, he would approach her, she could slap herself for being so naïve, she needed a way of here …

"Who is who to who?" Kol asked with his famous smirk, as he slid into the booth next to Marcel. Marcel grinned at him "Your sister´s little blond friend …" Rebekah didn´t even hear them.


Time: 1174 two weeks after Elijah arrived in Kingsbridge

It had been two month since Mikael had found the mansion Elijah, Nik and herself had been staying, they had parted ways and soon she had found herself in Exeter. She was eager to join her brothers rather sooner than later and was counting the days while waiting for word of any of them.

It was early in the morning when Elijah´s letter had reached her. He had found Kol in a small town by the name of ´Kingsbridge`. He told her that it was a very special place and that Kol was different. He explained that he had a temporary agreement with an Abbot Phillip teaching, the boys of the town the sons of the traders and craftsmen, the art of calculation and language, apparently he was replacing an elderly monk. He urged her to come to this place, believing himself unable to convince Kol to leave. He wrote that Kol was working as a builder now. Rebekah did not believe it and noticing that it was merely a day's ride, she found herself on her journey before the sun set that day. Later she hated herself for being this rushed, overseeing the important matter of full moon that very night.

She did not remember much of that night only that they had travelled by horse and that somewhere on their way, she had heard the howling of the wolves. She had seen the moon in its full glory, shining pale light on them, but it had been too late to turn around, they had already found her. She recalled losing control over her horse, she remembered the yellow glowing eyes of the wolves, the bite, and how everything turned into a blur, even years later she could not recall the events of that fateful night.

She awakened lying on a soft wooden bed. She noticed the only light in the room was coming from the fireplace a couple from feet from her. The warmth of the fire, shielded from her by the figures of her brothers. "She has werewolf venom in her system, we need to get her to Niklaus, or at least let him come here." Elijah argued in an annoyed tone that told Rebekah that this conversation was at least in round two. "No" Kol seemed furious his whole body tensed, his hands balled to fists. "I do not want him here." Kol stressed every single of his words "Rebekah …" "She is an Original Elijah, she will be fine, she will suffer and die and heal, it cannot kill her." Kol sounded almost bitter as he continued. "…I am truly sorry Elijah, but I do not want him here!" He turned to her noticing her staring "I am sorry Bekah …" Rebekah stared at her brother, something was different, something in his eyes, as if he was begging her for forgiveness combined with pure determination. "It´s fine" Rebekah heard herself replying "I cannot die …" Elijah looked at her in pain. She did not know why she agreed to suffering, she was certainly not into inflicting pain on herself but for some reason she did. It was something in the way Kol behaved. He looked truly relieved by her support, she expected his usual smirk, the one he put on when he got his way, but not this time, there was nothing but pure relief in his features and only the idea of a soft smile.

"She should not be alone, someone needs to tend to her," Elijah said in a firm voice, not allowing any emotions on his face. Kol nodded hastily "I will talk to Care." "Care?" Rebekah carefully asked. Her brothers ignored her "Do you believe she could spare the time?" Rebekah noticed an emotion flickering about Elijah´s face. "I will talk to her." Was the only reply Kol provided. Rebekah could not think anymore, she was confused, what is it with this place, what and why was her brother so eager to protect … It is almost like he is my brother again, was Rebekah's last thought before she fell into a soft doze.

When she awoke, soft light was purring through the small window. She felt hot and sweaty when she noticed that someone was tending with a cold towel to her forehead, as she slowly turned her head, she looked into a pair of warm blue eyes. "You are awake." The blond women stated with a friendly smile. "My name is Carolina, but most people refer to me as Caroline. Would you tell me your name?" "Rebekah" she answered slowly. Carolina´s eyes seemed to be skimming her from head to toe. "Your brother said you were attacked by wolves, do you remember anything?" Her eyes were filled with sincerity. Rebekah slowly shook her head before she glided into another restless doze.

"Rebekah" Elijah was sitting next to her holding her hand. "I have to apologize for I was not there when you woke last. I believe you have met Miss Carolina, she will take good care of you." He was stroking her arm and turned away from her. "Does she know?" Rebekah had grabbed her brother´s arm. He locked their gaze as he slowly shook his head "You can trust her? I have seen her work. You have to rest the next days will be painful." He tried to calm her as he placed a light kiss on her forehead and disappeared.

Caroline took good care of her and Rebekah was grateful for her skill, she did not talk much but she washed of her sweat and placed cold sheets around her calves. Rebekah watched her carefully as she cleaned her wounds meticulously, shaking her head in discomfort, whenever she noticed them growing. She provided herbal mixtures against the pain and tea that was supposed to help lowering her fever. But what Rebekah really enjoyed was her company, Rebekah was not the kind of girl that made friends easily, but somehow they got along and Rebekah tried to compensate her silence with stories of her family.

It was the same evening that when she opened her eyes and saw Kol talking to Carolina, her senses were weak and dull from the pain so she could not here their words but see their reactions. Her brother was smiling not his usual smirk, which now that she thought about it, she hadn´t seen since the time they parted last, but this was a full smile and from the way Caroline tilted her head she was almost certain that she was smiling too. She saw how Kol laughed and carelessly touched her arm by walking around her picking something from a shelf. He seemed truly happy and somehow Rebekah forgave him for her suffering.

"So you and Caroline" she grinned at Kol. To her own surprise he appeared to be confused as he replied "Me and Caroline, what." "Kol I see how you look at her! You even have a byname for her." Kol shook his head "No" She didn´t understand she, had seen the affection in his eyes and the way he moved around her. "What are you talking about?" She tried to interrogate. "Bekah, Care is my best friend, nothing more and nothing less." His face told her that it was end of discussion, it was so unlike Kol to act like this, and since when did her brother care for anyone but himself? Since when did he place someone else´s needs before his own?

It took her some time till she noticed that after their small conversation he started to avoid her. So wondering she had tried to sit up and addressed Carolina. "Do you know of by brothers whereabouts" Carolina chuckled "Well Kol is working and the sun is almost setting, so Elijah is likely to be working as well." Rebekah stared at the blond "What do you mean working?" She deliberately stressed the last word. She recalled Elijah mentioning something in his letter about teaching as a substitute for a monk but Kol! It was most unlikely. Caroline´s voice pulled her from her thoughts "Kol is working for Jack at the church, they want to transform it into a cathedral, it is Jacks dream as it was his fathers." She shrugged her shoulders "Kol needed work and Jack offered. I believe Elijah is filling in for Brother Jeremiah teaching and calculating. I can´t tell you exactly what he does, but we can ask him later. … May I have another look at your wound?" Rebekah slowly moved so she could inspect the bite. Caroline slowly shook her head "It is getting bigger." Rebekah expected her to be frustrated but instead she looked depressed, as she bit her lower lip in discontent.

About an hour later Elijah joined them, he sat down on Rebekah´s bed taking hold of her hand, while Caroline twirled around them. "How are you feeling? How was the day?" Elijah asked quietly. "It was fine, considering the circumstances, but somehow someone cannot bear to rest a single second" She had raised her voice for the last part. Carolina shot her one of these censuring glares she always caught, when acting childish or against her health as Caroline said, but somehow Rebekah already accustomed to it. She loved the restless blond creature, as the sister she never had. "So your sister was wondering, what you are doing at the abbey. I am afraid it was beyond my knowledge." Rebekah watched Elijah´s face lightens as the corners of his moth turned slightly upwards. She recognized how his eyes glinted as he started to elaborate his work and the art of accounting in greatest detail. He soon lost Rebekah, who watched with growing interest, how Caroline reacted to his statements and descriptions. Rebekah pitied her and already wanted to save her, from the continuous polite smiles and responses, as she started asking questions that implied that she understood every single word and drawn her own conclusions. Rebekah was shocked and she noticed the intrigued reaction of Elijah as he softly phrased his answer. It was like the two had forgotten she was in the same room as the subject slowly shifted and Rebekah heard Elijah asking her about her skills and education, as she started to talk with great enthusiasm about the sisterhood and her tasks, Rebekah tried to concentrate as she noticed the atmosphere shifting as she slowly drifted into a shallow sleep.

It was the next night that she awoke late and saw Caroline sitting in front of the fire, staring into the flames. It was wired she had grown quite fond of her in the short time, but never seen her sitting doing truly nothing. She watched as Elijah sat down next to her. She heard how Caroline cleared her throat. "Elijah I am not able to help her. I talked to Sister Theresa. We … Elijah she is … her strength is decreasing and the fever, the wound seems to even expand… Elijah you should prepare yourself, she will die. I am sorry, we can try to ease her way, but …" she stopped herself. Elijah, the calmness, he nodded slowly and held Caroline´s haunted gaze. "Can you ease her path?" The water glittered in her eyes as she slowly nodded. "I am sorry, I should not be crying over your loss." He slowly took a hold of her hand "Why don´t you share your troubles with me" Rebekah didn´t dare breath as she followed her brothers movements with her eyes, how he tucked a blond curl behind her ear and wiped off her tear with his thump. And she listened how Caroline told her story, how she found her mother at the outskirts of town, barely alive after the wolf attack, how she wanted to safe her but couldn´t, how her father broke over her loss and became an even worse personality. How she begged Sister Theresa to teach her, how she hated to be useless and powerless, how she found a home, but though she did find respect and courage she never found peace, how she tried to spread hope, hoping that one day someone would return the favour and safe her. She started crying somewhere in between and she recognized how Elijah drew her into a tight embrace, from this moment Rebekah could only watch, how he held her caressed her hair and back, whispered small words into her ear, as she continued her story into his chest. Something about that picture was so comforting, that she felt relief from her own pain and she fell asleep.

She felt like her insides were burning, while her skin was cold as ice. She tried to lift her hand, as the pain stretched through her arm, she decided against it, groaning in pain. She tried to open her eyes and spotted Caroline working on some herbs. She narrowed her eyes at the fact that she wasn´t smiling anymore, if anything her expression was controlled and neutral, as she gave her the white fluid. The pain faded immediately. Her eyes showed concern as Rebekah stiffened "We will try to ease your pain Rebekah, but I wanted to ask you whether you want to speak to a Father." Rebekah stared at her not being capable of truly comprehending her words. Caroline continued "So he can forgive you your sins and take the fear." Of course, she closed her eyes Caroline thought she would die and asking for salvation and seeking redemption was a human convention. She needed to say something, she wanted to say many things, that Caroline was after this short time already her sister, that she loved seeing her, having her here, that she would not die, … but only one sentences crossed her lips and it was in a shallow weak voice: "I have faith." Caroline nodded but Rebekah saw the tears in her eyes.

It was one of the last sentences she shared as the venom after spreading through her body reached its next stage, slowly paralysing her from the toes and finger tips moving inward, making the breathing and speaking harder. But the less she was capable of talking, the more Caroline shared, she talked a lot, she told Rebekah what she was doing, about the herbs, and the sisterhood. She loved it when Caroline talked about the community, she had a feeling she already knew Jack and Gwendolyn, Phillip and Tommy, James and Mary, Theresa and Frank, she could not wait to meet them. She told her about Tommy´s leg and Gwendolyn´s pregnancy. But the most she enjoyed it, when one of her brothers joined them. Though Kol´s visits were the rarest they were the most fun, when he joked with Care and they both seemed to be laughing all the time. It made her feel good and they spent beautiful hours, she was glad he had found a friend. She saw the guilt in his eyes everytime he came to see her, she hadn´t asked him yet where he spent his nights noticing that he never came home. Elijah´s visits were different he always tried to include her in their conversations, but it was different, Kol and Caroline showed her the pure joy of live and the small things, while Elijah was still Elijah, her thoughtful, controlled, neutral brother. The rock of the family. No she liked the carefree version of Caroline when Kol was around, but she loved the witty Elijah version, she noticed how Caroline calmed down around him, she couldn´t rest her fingers for longer than a minute, but with Elijah she did. She watched them a lot how they talked to each other, she smiled when she noticed that they had dropped the formal Mister Elijah and Miss Carolina, she watched her brother, how he relaxed and softly smiled in her presence. Those were the good moments.

It won´t be long now Caroline had carefully said as her brother´s had both joined her at her bed, she felt deep inside that she was right. She had kissed Rebekah on her forehead and softly whispered into her ear "Do not pity the dead, for they only take the next step, pity the living, for they are left behind. I wish you farewell my sister may you find the light." She had excused herself to give the Mikaelsons some privacy. Rebekah had looked up to each brother, each of them holding one hand as she had faded into darkness. Her body slowly turned grey as the dark veins formed a relief on her body, before starting to fade …


Time: Present

She watched how Kol and Marcel were mocking each other, their carefree behaviour. She tried to compare the boy she had just remembered, the nice, protective brother with the monster sitting across from her. If she didn´t know it better, she would have thought him to be incapable of true feelings, so many feared him with reason. Even she had almost forgotten about the human he once was, she tried to recall the last time she had seen that expression of hope, appreciation of life in his eyes, they had all been violent after the transition, but when had Kol last time cherished anything …?

One of them must have asked her a question, because they both looked at her like they were waiting for something. But in that very moment every piece fell into place as she looked at her brothers trademark smirk, his twinkling eyes, it hit her:

"It was you!"

She stared at her younger brother in surprise and disbelief, before she dived into her memories ones again


Time: 1174 shortly after Rebekah´s recovery

When Caroline had found her the next morning she had believed her survival to be a miracle, she had kissed her temple and insisted on washing her from head to toe. She had dressed her properly and made sure she ate something. She told Rebekah that if her situation would continue to improve they would need to visit the church to thank the Lord, for her second chance. Rebekah had simply nodded and tried to appear weaker than she was in order to avoid the whole attention. But they were talking about Caroline and of course she noted that the open wounds hadn´t left the tiniest scar. She didn´t know how Elijah had explained it to her, but somehow Caroline calmed down. But Rebekah hadn´t been able to stop thinking about the term second chance, Caroline was right, this was a chance and she wouldn´t allow herself to screw this up.

Rebekah loved Kingsbridge, both of her brothers were working so the most time she followed Caroline running her errands, she loved everything: the abbey, the rituals, the routine. Caroline taught Rebekah how to cook and how to handle the chores and Rebekah started to feel human again, it reminded her so much on how her family had lived back then when they were still humans, inhabitants of the small Viking village. She recalled how she and her mother would prepare food, wash the cloth, clean the house and take care of everything. Some days she surprised the others with a dish they hadn´t eaten in centuries. The days started to move faster while she picked up her own routine, she would still see Caroline daily but only occasionally help her. Kol had decided to move in with them and join his siblings a few days ago, after he had spent more and more time with them. He had almost everything in his small room at Elijah´s place, when Rebekah went over to Gewn to get the rest of his belongings.

Rebekah knocked and opened the door and was surprised to find Caroline inside, who was slowly talking to Gwen about breathing "Rebekah, Have you seen Jack on your way over?" Rebekah shook her head, she had never seen anything like that before, she stared at Gwen who seemed to sweat a lot and whose face was mirroring nothing but pain "Rebekah, are you alright?" she woke from her freeze "I need your help, I need you to hold her, sit down over there "Alright" "Just do as I say" "Gwen we need to move you, I want you to lean against Rebekah and me, Yes you are doing great, take our hands, lean on us perfect, Bekah I need you to stabilise her, be her rock." She looked at her with a blue stare and then the contraction came. Rebekah had never thought that one tiny human being could have such a power as she clenched her hands and her whole body contracted. "You two are doing this great" Caroline said, as she got a bowl of fresh water and several linen sheets. "Careful, I have to touch you" Gwen sighted slightly as Caroline moved her hands over her body and sat down between her legs, to do whatever she was doing. Rebekah soon found out that there was a certain rhythm, to the contractions, phases of pain and slight relieve and heavy breathing in between. Gwen´s face seemed to reflect Rebekah´s horror as Caroline smiled and said "The pain will be worth it, right Gwen, we can do this. Well, next contraction I want you press alright, are you with me" she nodded "Not yet, with the contraction … great … ones more. Rebekah saw that Caroline moved her hands and did something, but she could not see and so she decided to focus on Gwen. "Great the head is almost there, one more time." It took three more times, but finally Caroline held a young and healthy girl in her arms she slowly took it up and gestured to Rebekah "Would you please place those pillows behind her." Rebekah was so stunned she simply did as she was told. Caroline then gestured her to hold the baby and she simply followed orders, as Caroline tied of the umbilical cord and cut it off. She smiled and her eyes twinkled as she saw how Bekah held the baby. She wrapped into a linen sheet "You can hold her like this" She placed the little girl in Bekah´s arms "Isn´t it a miracle, not even an hour old but everything is there every finger, every toe, pure innocence." She tended then to Gwen relieved her of the afterbirth and cleaned her before she took the baby and placed the little girl into her mother´s arms. She covered them with a warm blanket and looked at Rebekah. They radiated pure happiness, Gwen´s eyes seemed to shine, not a little piece of pain was left on her features, after the torture they went through. She did not seem relieved, more like it never happened. That night she learned to respect Caroline, that night she understood why the nuns kept her close. She also decided that she wanted to be her friend.

"Do you want to have children?" Caroline watched Rebekah´s reaction carefully. "I used to, I haven´t given it much thought recently." Rebekah tried to divert. Not really willing to share her thoughts about her giving everything for the chance of having a family on her own, but not being able to. "What about you?" "I don´t know, I don´t think I would be good mother and it´s not like I have a lot to offer." Rebekah looked at her in surprise. "Do you really believe that?" She had expected her friend to love the idea, but instead she looked sad as she stated the facts. Rebekah had never thought about her in that way. "Well, it is just a matter of facts, I am not wealthy, I have no family or family inheritance, I am not exactly a fortunate match." "I don´t believe that, you are part of this community, the people rely on you." Rebekah tried to argue. "It is nothing the nun´s haven´t done for years and without the sisterhood I have nothing." Caroline´s face was plain, but Rebekah could see the pain of the uncertainty. "You do not intend to join them, do you?" She carefully asked she begged Caroline to say no. "Sister Theresa and I have an agreement, if I am not married before, I reach the age eighteen I will join the convent and considering well … we will see." "How long do you have left?" Rebekah asked "A little less than a year, but let´s not talk about this." Caroline tried to force a smile on her face "I shall see you tomorrow and you still have to get Kol´s belongings." With those last words, she hurried towards the abbey.

Soon days, turned into weeks and weeks, turned into month. Caroline spent much time with Rebekah and her family. Bekah loved how they accepted her as part of their family. With growing interest she watched Elijah´s demeanour change, how he carefully touched her at her arm or tucked her blond strands behind her ear. She loved to watch them together, for her friend was a calmer person around him, less haunted. He appeared to enjoy her wit and she had witnessed him smiling more in these few months than in the whole century. She loved the evenings they spent in front of the fire, Kol joking and teasing Caroline, while he talked about architecture and the cathedral. Elijah loved the abbey to and the air was filled with joy.

Soon May arrived and with it the traditional first of May festivities. The celebration was great they danced around the tree, Rebekah loved the attention she received from many men and truly enjoyed herself. Later she found herself standing next to Elijah, they watched Kol dancing with Jack´s sister Grace and her eyes trailed to Caroline, who leaned against a tree talking to Gwen. "Elijah why don´t you ask her for a dance?" she asked her brother curiously. "I have" Rebekah lifted an eyebrow "and" "If I ask her, again it might convey the wrong impression." He said slowly, no doubt choosing his words carefully "Elijah, do you not enjoy her company?" he closed his eyes, eagerly trying to uphold the façade "Rebekah, It is not right, you know why I can´t." "Oh don´t be silly …" He interrupted her "She deserves better, Rebekah, a husband, children, security, a home, none of which I can provide." Rebekah sighted at these words "You do not have to brother, all she needs is love." Rebekah allowed a pause "And you can be a great husband, you can give her a home." He laughed a joyless laugh "Who would I be to take her from this place, the place where she belongs!" Rebekah smiled a soft smile "You should have that conversation with her brother, but you should know that she has no suitors, or anything beside her character and body to make her attractive and if you love her, you should consider acting on your feelings." She felt his stare at her back as she walked away.

Later the evening she caught sight of them, sitting close to each other next to one of the small bonfires that had been lit to light the night. They watched the dancing flames and somehow Rebekah new that everything would work out fine. Who she didn´t see later that night was Kol.

Time: Present

Rebekah let out a sight, focusing on her brother. She should have known, nothing good ever happend to her family. She really needed to find Caroline.


Author´s Note: Thank you all for reading my story. I LOVE your reviews and feedback it´s what keeps me going ;) so please feel free to comment and review.

I do not own any characters of TO or TVD.

See you soon - Kathie