To recap:
Mikael shoved a dagger into Elena. I flinched backwards. Nik's eyes were wide with shock. Neither of us had thought Mikael would do it. Mikael let her drop to the ground carelessly. I felt a stab of remorse. Mikael laughed and suddenly, I was thrown forward. I crashed into Mikael and his knife. White hot pain ripped through me as I crashed to his feet.
F*ck, I've really done it this time.
As I clutched at my side, I heard Nik scream. I twisted around in time to see Damon tackle him to the ground, staking him in the belly. Elena stood gracefully. What the-
"Katherine," Mikael hissed. Ok, so, Elena is not Elena? My head was going fuzzy, but I fought against the black that edged my vision.
"Kaboom," She said dryly before throwing what appeared to be grenades out over the hybrids. I sucked in a ragged breath.
"What are you doing?" Damon demanded. I felt a rush of wind, and suddenly, Mikael wasn't next to me anymore. I felt the heat of a fire and heard a terrible wail before I gave in.
Nik's POV****
I watched Mikael go up in flames and felt a twisted satisfaction. He was gone, and so was the white oak stake. Then I remembered Maggie. She was unconscious, blood pooling around her. I ran over to her, cupping her neck to lift her head. I bit into my wrist viciously and pressed it to her full lips. Her dark eyes fluttered open.
"There, sweetheart," I encouraged softly. She was still bleeding though.
"I don't think vampire blood works either, Nik," her voice was quiet. Her big brown eyes stared up at me vulnerably. Panic I hadn't felt for a long time gripped me. If blood didn't work, then...What? I made myself calm down and try to think clearly. A hospital. She needed a hospital. I picked her up easily and sped away.
I watched her through the window of her room. She was sleeping soundly, I.V.s and other tubes hooked up to her. Mikael had missed all of her organs by a miracle, but she had lost a lot of blood. Her heart monitor beeped steadily. I felt a presence next to me. Stefan stood there. I sent him an annoyed look.
"She going to make it?" But I knew he didn't care.
"I ought to kill your brother," I seethed. He didn't react. Composing myself, I turned to face him. "You've earned your freedom. You may do as you please...You're free."
His pupils dilated before he closed his eyes and breathed a sigh of relief. I turned back to the window to watch Maggie and he left.
She woke a few hours later, thoroughly confused.
"Nik?" Her dark eyes locked on to me. I couldn't help but smile at her. This one human was so endearing.
"Morning, sweetheart. How do you feel?" I asked, taking her warm hand in both of my own. She flinched as the pain registered with her brain.
"Damn f*cking vampires," She groaned, screwing her eyes shut, "Do I get any morphine?"
I smirked down at her.
"I'll go find you a doctor. I have to go and un-dagger my family. I'll return later," I promised her.
I walked quickly down the street, pressing my phone to my ear. Rebekah wasn't answering her phone. Her answering machine picked up.
"Rebekah, pick up the phone, darling. Daddy's dead. It's time for our family reunion." I reached the moving truck and another call came in. "Stefan! Miss me already?"
"I'm just calling to thank you for my freedom," He said in a glum voice.
"Well, I like to believe I'm a man of my word...More or less, anyways," I shrugged complacently. He sighed.
"The thing is," He continued as if I hadn't spoken, "it came at too high of a price...You took everything from me, Klaus,"
Oh, boy. I didn't want to stand here and listen to his monologue, I wanted to retrieve my family and get back to Maggie.
"Let bygones be bygones...Trust me, resentment gets old," I told him heavily.
"You know what never gets old?" He wondered as I opened up the back of the moving truck, "Revenge"
The truck was empty. I ground my teeth.
"No..."
"What's the matter, Klaus? Missing something?" He asked brightly.
"What are you doing?" I demanded of him.
"Oh, just enjoying my freedom," He remarked.
"I will kill you and every one you've ever met!" I threatened. But I knew it was pointless. I had no leverage over him.
"You do that," his voice got serious, "and you'll never see your family again...I wonder, Klaus, for somebody who's been one step ahead for a thousand years, were you prepared for this?"
I crushed my phone in my hand.
I headed back to the hospital. I knew I was in no shape to see Maggie, but I didn't care. She was pulling on her bloodstained dress when I entered her room. She immediately noticed my dark mood.
"Nik, what's wrong?" She took my hands gently. I felt my anger deflate a bit at her serene expression.
"Stefan took my family," I ground out. Her expression went sympathetic.
"We'll get 'em back, Nik," She assured me. I pulled her head forward and pressed a kiss to her brow.
"Let's get you home, love."
I picked up a prescription for Maggie on our way back to her house. The effects of her painkillers seemed to be wearing off because she was holding herself very stiffly. I pulled in her drive and put the truck into park. She was already climbing out when I reached her side. I helped her up the porch steps and into the house. I found her a pair of pajamas and let myself be shooed from the room while she changed. I could hear her slight hiss of breath as she maneuvered in a way that didn't agree with her stitches.
"You alright, love?"
"I'm fine," She said through gritted teeth. Maggie opened her door, fully dressed. I helped her into bed and gave her a painkiller.
"I'll be back soon, love, I just have some affairs to get in order," I told her as I programmed my number into her phone.
"Ok," She murmured, her eyes drooping sleepily.
"Call me when you wake up," I put her phone where she could easily reach it. She managed a tired smile. I dropped a kiss onto her brow and left.
I had business with the Salvatores.
