On the eighth day the blood bags ran out.
Elijah was determined that this setback would not destroy the careful peace he had struggled to build over the past week. It was far from easy to balance his family under the same roof; like intricate designs drawn in dominoes, each of their lives was complicated, intertwined, and volatile - precarious. No matter how much work one dedicates to setting them up, a single wobble in the chain can set the whole line toppling in every direction.
By the end of the evening the first domino would fall.
It began with the empty cooler. In the morning when Elijah had put the last blood bag in Leah's hands, Klaus had shot down the idea of anyone leaving to refill the supply – alone or otherwise it was out of the question.
The argument between Klaus and Elijah on the matter had been so heated that everyone had fled to their own corner of the cabin to cool off. Only Hayley remained to demand that the brothers shut up and work together to finalize the details of this grand master plan. The sooner they were out of this park the sooner the empty cooler was no longer an issue.
\
Then there was the awkward conversation that everyone overheard.
The brothers' argument downstairs had driven Leah upstairs; she had decided to take a shower in the meantime while they figured out their shit. Half an hour later, she was surprised, but not displeased, to run into Elijah.
"Hey stranger," Leah sang, stepping out of the bathroom and into the narrow hallway. Wrapped only in a towel and nothing else, she realized the moment was particularly reminiscent of their very first encounter. "What's up – I assume the lack of shouting is a good sign?"
"It appears Niklaus and I have come to a consensus - on one matter at least. We're having Philippe try a locator spell to find Mikael. Witches and their candles...I've come to retrieve some more."
He made to move around her in the narrow space but Leah stopped him, a hand on his chest, another holding tightly to her towel. She stepped in closer, her wet hair darkening the front of his shirt as she moved herself flush against him.
"You know, Elijah…Hope's out walking in the woods with her mom so the room's all mine if you feel like taking a break..."
It was a coy suggestion and Elijah smiled wistfully in acknowledgment. Nevertheless he ran a hand up her arm and leaned in to gently kiss her in apology.
"They're waiting for me downstairs."
"Let them wait," she frowned, stung by his rejection. "You've been down there with your brother day and night since we arrived. Can't you spare some time just for us?"
He placed his hand under her chin, tilting her head so their eyes met. His fingers lingered across her skin as he realized she was feeling neglected. It had never been his intention but it was true that for five years she had become used to always having his undivided attention and affection – which he gave both willingly and eagerly.
"Now is not a good time, my darling Leah - but perhaps we shall take a walk of our own later."
He leaned down to seal his promise but she turned her head and his kiss fell upon her cheek instead. He pulled away, wondering what he had said now.
"You just rain checked our relationship, Elijah."
He exhaled slowly, momentarily exasperated by her reluctance to compromise. He was nevertheless distracted even from his own agitation by the sight of her there before him, the towel such a feeble barrier between their bodies.
Stepping forward, Elijah eased her back against the wall, keeping the space between them nonexistent. A single bead of water slid down a strand of her copper hair; having escaped, it began to trail down her cheek and he traced its path with a feathery touch, ghosting his hand across her neck, over her collarbone, dipping low between her breasts…
He was most definitely not looking at her eyes when he spoke.
"None of this is ideal, Leah, but know that I want nothing more than to –"
They both turned. Philippe had appeared around the bend of the stairs.
"Oh-h," he sputtered awkwardly, "I didn't mean to…I just came to see about those candles."
Elijah's hand fell away from Leah. Stepping back, he found himself unsatisfied by the loss of contact between them.
"Right," he sighed, nodding at the witch. "The candles. Let Niklaus know I'll be right down with them."
Philippe was all too happy to back peddle down the staircase. When Elijah turned his attention back to Leah she had already sealed herself up behind the bedroom door.
\
An hour later and now Elijah stood in the living room as his brother smirked at him across the table; Klaus had clearly overheard his conversation with Leah in the upstairs hall. It hadn't helped that Elijah had returned downstairs sporting a damp shirt and a deep frown in addition to the candles.
"My, my, you certainly look frustrated, brother. May I recommend a revitalizing walk in the woods? A romp in the park perhaps…?"
Hayley smacked Klaus across the chest, bringing his attention back to the map that covered the table between them.
"Are you done being a dick or are we gonna try the spell again?"
"Well, since the last two failed I was actually considering a break before our next attempt. I think we could all use some time…alone…to collect ourselves, you know, relieve some of the tension…"
"Niklaus…the locator spell. Do try to focus."
Elijah would have gladly said something more pointed to shut his brother up for the fact that Leah had taken up residence in the armchair in the corner. She glared at Klaus; he'd been making increasingly inappropriate references to her earlier conversation with Elijah. If anything, it was more annoying that embarrassing.
"I've known children with more maturity than you," Leah said, rolling her eyes at Klaus.
"And did those children have the means to save you from Mikael?"
"Here's an idea: why don't we just get a giant Mikael-size mousetrap and use the White Oak stake as bait?"
Klaus ignored her reference to the stake and turned back to the large map of the United States sprawled across the table. Philippe had at last stopped his chanting and as the candles blew out everyone's attention turned toward the single drop of blood on the board, waiting expectantly for it to move.
It was just slightly more exciting than watching paint dry.
At last Philippe shook his head and everyone groaned – the spell had failed, again. With a deep sigh, Elijah spared Leah a glance, but distracted by the implications of the failed locator spell he ended up looking right through her.
She frowned, wondering if she had his attention.
"Maybe it's a sign we should move on, Elijah. Wouldn't it be easier to hide someplace more populated…with more resources perhaps? If you want suggestions, I hear Boston's nice this time of year…"
He leaned over the table, both hands on the edge, still staring down at the blob of his blood on the map. It had failed to move from their current location.
"We can't go back," he explained with a deep sigh, "to any of our known residences. My father is sure to have informants monitoring our homes. He likely has a witch working for him, cloaking him. That's why our spell's not working."
"Well, you know what's near Boston? Salem – we can pick up some witches of our own…not that you're not awesome Philippe."
"Leah," Klaus groaned, rubbing his temple, "do you have anything actually useful to offer?"
"No more than you – but then again I don't know what's going on and you do, so..."
When Hayley laughed at this Klaus found he no longer had any more patience for Leah. Elijah recognized the tick in his brother's jaw and tried to head off an open conflict.
"Leah – " he gently warned.
"What?" she bit back, "I'm trying to help so this planning can go faster and so that you and I can go home sooner."
"I doubt you can be of any use," Klaus muttered.
"Try me."
"Well, fine then. Leah - do you know where one may acquire counterfeit travel documents?"
"Travel documents - no, but if you're looking for other illegal things… "
Elijah shot Leah a pointed look and she spared them all the details.
"Okay, but then why does Philippe get to participate?" she sighed.
"Philippe is family," Klaus bluntly responded. "And indispensable."
"Well, screw you too," Leah threw back, leaping to her feet to approach the table all the same.
"Leah," Elijah interceded, trying to keep the peace. "Why don't you give us just a few more hours here and then you and I can take that walk?"
Her face flushed with hot humiliation - Elijah had outright and openly dismissed her. She backed away slowly from the others, her chest tightening as she realized five years had not been long enough to earn her a place at the Mikaelson table.
Turning, she silently retreated from the room, determined not to draw any more attention to herself. Not that it mattered; Elijah and the others were already preparing to attempt the spell again.
\
Thirty minutes later and the next locator spell had failed as well. Even using Rebekah's blood, Philippe had been unable to track the location of her father. This had everyone on edge; if they couldn't track Mikael then for all they knew he was on their doorstep now.
Klaus had demanded Philippe try again, but Rebekah, concerned that her brother was abusing his access to magic, quite loudly called it an evening for the two of them and protectively sequestered Philippe back upstairs despite her brother's equally loud objections.
"If you don't feel up to something," she told her husband once in their room, "just tell them. If they push back they will have me to answer to."
"Rebekah, I'm fine, just a little tired."
"This is so typical," she warned him. "Typical Klaus. When he perceives a threat he sees people as pawns. Don't let him use you like a tool, Philippe, that's not how you treat family."
"You have nothing to worry about, dear. If anything, Elijah is there to check his abuses."
"Elijah's distracted. If he's not staring at that damn map he has his eyes on Leah. I don't know what it is exactly, but there's something going on between them."
Philippe thought he knew but also he knew it wasn't his place to gossip.
"It's probably just the pressure of our predicament, ma chérie. Stress can bring out the worse even in the best of us, Rebekah. A little optimism will go a long way - this too shall pass."
"Not bloody soon enough. We were never meant to be dragged into this, Philippe. Klaus has Elijah – and Hayley. He doesn't need you too. I won't risk your life against Mikael. Once I'm sure my brothers have a plan in place, I am getting you out of here. Both of us."
\
Hayley had taken a break to check on Hope but was now back downstairs, perched on the edge of the couch as she watched Elijah and Klaus converse quietly over the map. When she realized it was five o'clock and they had been at the table since nine, she leapt up to demand answers.
"That's it, time for results. You two said you would come to a final decision today. It's today – so what's the plan?"
She came around Klaus and Elijah, poking her head between the brothers as they bent over the dining room table.
"The plan is to stay here," Klaus announced, tapping the table twice with a knuckle, "…until I say otherwise."
"That's not a plan," she pointed out, face to face with Klaus. "If you want to hide, let's at least hide in a city where there's something to eat besides squirrels."
"Hayley has a point, Niklaus," Elijah agreed, moving around the table as he rolled up the map. "Let us leave here today and resettle someplace with more resources. Even if we had a plan to fight our father, this is no base to launch an attack."
Klaus swung out from under Hayley's harsh gaze, folding his hands in a gesture of contemplation as he took a seat on the sofa.
"I don't understand," he admitted anxiously. "I've sent a message through my network but there's silence from the Quarter. I'm afraid to think of what Mikael's done to our beloved city and I am hesitant to move until we know his location."
"Look," Hayley blustered, pacing around the room, "I get that you don't want us driving into a trap, but we can't stay here. All we have is what we bought with us when we fled. I've been wearing the same clothes – for days, none of us have our phones, I'm not sure the water is safe for Hope to drink and I doubt Philippe's too fond of shacking up in a house full of hungry vampires."
"Point taken," Klaus yielded. "Still, no one leaves until I say so."
"Until you say so?" Hayley challenged him. "I've accepted that the boys club has taken the lead on planning this family outing since it's your daddy who wants us all dead, but shouldn't Rebekah at least get a vote then? Someone needs the power to veto your crap ideas."
"Rebekah," Klaus thundered, "does not have a strong record of making the best decisions, despite her best intentions. But Philippe - now that one has some good ideas. Let Rebekah be content enough to watch over Hope – she was always most agreeable to it in the past."
"Niklaus," Elijah cautioned, his reminder not at all gentle, "you will mind your words in regard to our sister. Everyone under this roof is an irreplaceable part of this family. We do not exclude anyone."
A sly smirk grew across Klaus' face.
"Don't you worry, big brother," he grinned. "Rest assured, if Mikael comes knocking, I won't throw Leah to the wolves…or should I say under the bus?"
Hayley noticed Elijah's arm tense as he resisted the urge to punch his brother.
"You are the last person who has any right to judge her, Niklaus, and I would prefer if you keep the past in the past."
Klaus laughed roughly, enjoying the entertainment his brother has provided him today.
"You have me all wrong brother, I aim to commend. But as you wish, mum's the word."
Hayley looked carefully between them, trying to read between the lines of their conversation.
"I don't get it. What don't I know?"
"Another time," Klaus deflected generously. "Right now, we need to round up everyone and let them know: I've just decided. We're leaving."
"Now? We're leaving now?"
"First thing in the morning, yes."
"You've changed your mind? Just like that?"
"On second thought I've decided I can't possibly spend another day at this table, not when I've realized the only reason my brother looks at Leah every five seconds is because he's envisioning what he so eagerly wishes to do to her on it."
Elijah glared at Niklaus. He would strangle his brother later.
"Get everyone down here and then I'll announce our next move," Klaus concluded.
Hayley jumped at the chance to run away from this conversation. While she raced upstairs to fetch the others Elijah took the opportunity to discipline his brother properly.
"Niklaus, is your only entertainment to torment me today?"
"You make it awfully easy, brother."
"I strongly suggest you spare Leah your juvenile commentary."
"Nonsense. Leah's one to appreciate a bit of fun. I heard what happened in Naples, brother. She and I…we could be friends."
Elijah's face darkened and he held up a hand to reproach his brother further.
"Niklaus, do you not think we have enough problems at present? Must you try to dredge up old ones?"
"Or are they new ones now, Elijah? I can never quite tell. Oh come, don't sulk. You always have an opinion on my life, it only seems fair that I should be allowed to poke fun at yours every once in a while."
"I fail to see the humor in senseless savagery."
"Ahh, but there's so much beauty in the revel of the kill, brother. That's what you fail to see but Leah is learning."
Elijah was about to say something when Hayley reemerged on the steps followed by Hope, Rebekah, and Philippe.
"Is it true, are we finally leaving?"
"Yes, Hope, pack your bags tonight because we are heading west at first light."
"West?" Rebekah griped. "I thought we were going to find a way to fight our father, not travel the bloody Oregon Trail."
"And I thought you would appreciate my desire to move to more fertile hunting ground, sister," Klaus gestured, "you know, before Leah snaps and takes a chunk out of your beau francais."
"Why do I bother?" Elijah groaned, turning away to wait for Leah to come downstairs.
"For those who wish to read to the end," Klaus began to explain, "here's what happens: we head west to California and if by then the opportunity to send Mikael back to hell hasn't appeared, we cross the ocean and hide ourselves in the East."
"That's a ridiculous plan," Hayley blurted out.
"I don't know any Chinese," Hope grumbled.
"We can't run forever," Rebekah reminded him.
"Pack the cars," Klaus roared, "I'll hear no more of it!"
"Are we seriously driving the whole way to California?"
"We will stop half-way," Elijah answered his sister. "I believe you know the location of another safe house in Nebraska."
"Our old house?" Hope blinked, "It's still around? That's incredible."
"I want less chatter and more pitter-patter," Klaus pointed to his daughter. "Help your mum and load the cars."
Hayley threw up her hands, pointing out the obvious.
"Nothing's getting loaded unless I have the keys."
"Leah had them last," Hope revealed. "Where's she now?"
Hayley looked to Philippe, who looked to Rebekah, who looked back at Hope.
Everyone then looked to Elijah.
"No one's seen her?" he demanded. "All afternoon? How is that possible?"
"Still need a leash?" Klaus began to chuckle.
He was suddenly thrown backwards as Elijah slammed him against the wall by the front of his shirt.
"Another word, Niklaus - I dare you."
Elijah dropped him, his point made. He'd had enough of his brother; there was only so much provocation he – and apparently Leah – could take in one day.
Turning around, everyone was staring at him in dead silence. He ignored them, focused only on finding Leah, and headed straight for the door.
"Elijah?" Hayley started, stopping him, worried about him. "Hey, let me come with you."
"No," he refused her rudely, then more gently, "but thank you. It will simply be faster if I retrieve Leah on my own."
And with that the first domino had fallen.