Under a dark night, Cami stood in front of her family tomb plot in the cemetery with purple flowers in her hands. She bent down and placed the flowers on the ground next to the plot. The sound of crunched leaves let her know someone was approaching her, but she did not turn to greet them.
"Any point in coming to see me?" she asked coldly.
Elijah stepped forwards, so strangely uncomfortable with himself. He didn't know how to act around her already, but after Maleny spoke with him he knew this was the place he needed to be. "Camille, I've been meaning to speak with you since-"
Cami turned around, revealing a face that had already shed tears countless times in the day. Her red eyes glimmered under the thin lights of the cemetary. "Since I lost the only thing I could use to help you? Yeah."
Elijah felt, for a lack of better word, useless because looking at her right now. He couldn't come up with words for her. It was his fault she was like this, after all. He and Marcel arranged this.
"Do you know what's the funny part?" Cami asked, deciding then there was no point in hiding anything. She didn't want to anymore. It was all...tiring. "In the beginning I said - I was so sure - that I was only joining the Strix to help you and your family. It was…" she laughed at the idea she now saw was so absurd, "...strictly professional. To make sure my life remained." She shook her head, quietly sniffing. "That was a lie. It was such a lie and I was so stupid for not being able to see it. I wanted it, because it would, inevitably, have you near me. That's...that's all on me. This is my fault."
"Camille," Elijah said again, almost begging her to stop and let him speak. But Cami couldn't let him do that.
"I love you, Elijah," she swallowed down a sob, "And I think, that I needed to say this out loud at least once so that...so that I can start moving on. Because I know that you will never choose me over your family, I want to stop this-" she patted a hand over her chest, "-constant feeling. Because the truth is, what you did once you will do again."
"I would never do that again," Elijah finally made a response, and a true one.
"It's who you are, Elijah!" Cami almost snapped, not out of anger but of frustration that he couldn't see it nor accept it. "Is that not what you did to Aya?"
"That was different. You cannot possibly compare the situations-"
"You left her for your family, because they were important. You fought me for Hayley and Hope - your family. To you, family is everything. It's who you are, I can't change that. I decided that I don't want to take that risk anymore."
Elijah could thej see something new in her eyes, something that he didn't agree with.
She raised her head and with a shaky tone declared, "I'm leaving the Quarter." The reaction on Elijah was immediate with devastation. "I served my purpose to you and the others. I lost it. I don't...I can't be here. But it's what you wanted, no?"
There, Elijah couldn't disagree. He looked to the side, and swallowed all and any thoughts to persuade her to stay. It was originally his idea for her to just go. Because, above all, he wanted her to be safe. Without saying a word, he gave a light nod of his head.
Cami could not deny to herself that it hurt to see he wasn't even going to attempt to argue with her about it. She felt, well, betrayed, yet again. No longer would she cry then, she thought to herself. There was no point. "I'll talk to Maleny tomorrow about it, explain, and I'll be out of your hair."
After blinking once, Cami was gone.
~ 0 ~
"I'm gonna kill him," Maleny declared the moment she walked into the study room where both Marlenie and Freya were. She failed to see how worried both women looked as she sat on the arm rest of the couch.
"What's wrong, Mum?" Marlenie looked from her aunt Freya. She saw that Maleny was alone after a couple a seconds. "Hey, where's…"
"Klaus? I've no idea," Maleny answered with a wide, fake smile. "Because he left me early in the afternoon." Her smile dropped. "I'm gonna kill him."
She was fairly upset because Klaus had promised her they would work to figure out a way to bring down Aurora and the rest of the Strix. But after a couple drinks, he suddenly ushered her outside the place, telling her to go ahead and find a bench for them at Jackson Square and that he would catch up in a moment. Stupid she was, she believed him.
Many hours later, he still had yet to show up.
Marlenie tried her best not to laugh out loud, but the small snorts caught her mother's attention. "I'm sorry, is this funny to you?" Maleny demanded.
"No…" Marlenie's widening smile betrayed her. "It's just...well...dad blew you off."
Maleny's look spelled doom. Freya glanced at her niece, quietly ordering her to stop. "Go find your brother, please. Remember?" the pointed look she had on and Marlenie's suddenly grimness warned Maleny something else was coming.
Without saying a word, Marlenie stood up and walked out of the room. Almost immediately, Elijah came in, looking worse for wear.
"Did you find Cami like I told you to?" Maleny asked but Elijah made a beeline for the drinks.
"We need to talk," Freya announcing cut off the response Elijah so did not want to give just yet. She too got up, and began fiddling with her fingers.
"What's up?" Maleny raised an eyebrow.
Freya fumbled over her words, so much that eventually Elijah noticed it. He lowered his glass on the counter and shifted to his sister. "Freya?"
"Freya, c'mon, what's going on?" Maleny asked again, and frankly felt she was becoming a broken record asking so many questions.
"It's...about Rebekah," Freya briefly began, nearly flinching under the change of looks from the two.
"What's wrong with her?" Elijah quickly asked, forgoing his drink completely and getting up.
"Marlenie and I thought, that after this time, it's probably time for you guys to know." Freya sighed, and before she could reveal the secret, Nicolas stormed into the room.
"Aunt Freya and Marlenie daggered aunt Rebekah!"
"What?" Elijah nearly jumped out of his stool. The anger seeped on his face fast as he hurried up to Freya. "You didn't. Tell me you didn't!"
Marlenie slowly came into the room but stayed near the doorway, looking close to tears. Maleny, staying where she was, turned her head in her direction. "Marlenie, what's going on?"
"Tell them what you did!" ordered Nicolas. "Tell them how you daggered aunt Rebekah! Tell them!"
"You act like what we did was fine with us!" snapped Marlenie who was, by now, red faced. "It was Christmas night and we had to put down my aunt! You think that was the cherry on top I was looking for?"
"Shut up, the both of you!" Maleny called to them and looked at Freya. "Mind explaining?"
Freya looked irritated but nonetheless went on without saying anything. "Rebekah was on her way to the airport when the curse came back...and Rebekah didn't want to run anymore. She called us in...and she asked us to do it."
"Do you not realize that by doing this you have completed a part of the prophecy?" Elijah ran a hand through his hair, frustrated he was just now hearing about this.
"There was nothing else we could do at the time, Elijah," Freya said grimly. "It's a secret we've had to hide for so long."
"So why tell us now, then?" Maleny asked the winning question. She had remained sitting on the couch arm rest attentively listening for any key responses from either Freya or Marlenie.
"The de-linking spell," Marlenie answered quietly, rubbing her arm. "They're getting closer to it now that they have Jackson's heart. It's only fair if you knew what happened."
"You should have said something," Elijah persisted with Freya. "Me, Niklaus, we needed to know this, Freya. The prophecy said that we would all fall - one by family I should add."
"The prophecy says you three will be felled by friend, family, and foe. I know it well, Elijah, believe me," snapped Freya. "Rebekah fell by family and it hurts but at least it wasn't for evil purposes."
"Yeah, I mean, it would now only leave friend and foe," Maleny chimed in, trying to ease tensions. She glanced at Marlenie who was still worked up. "Nick, take your sister please."
"Whatever," the warlock muttered and ushered Marlenie out of the room.
"So, foes," Maleny returned to the conversation at hand. She looked at Elijah. "No offense, but you and Klaus have...an extensive list."
"Just one or two," Elijah returned to the counter for his drink.
"Well, at least you both suck at making friends," Maleny mumbled, getting a hum of agreement from Freya.
But, then, as luck would have it, Klaus strode into the room with Stefan Salvatore behind him. "Freya-" he began, but Maleny had the last word there.
"And speak of the devil," she got up and turned around and froze at the sight of a young man behind Klaus, tall, brunette and with dark eyes.
"This is Stefan Salvatore, an old friend," Klaus gestured to the man who received a very tight cordial greeting in return. "One of my trickle-down sirelings. Long story."
"Oh. Long story?" Maleny repeated, crossing her arms and keeping her eyes trained on Stefan. "You...blew me off for him?" the question came out oddly soft and quiet. No one could even consider what was running through her head.
"I didn't mean to," Klaus pointed at her, but she scoffed, regaining her previous irritation with him.
"All day you didn't mean to?" she challenged.
"Well..."
"Oh, shut up," she rolled her eyes and turned away from him, walking to the bar counter where Elijah was setting himself up with another drink.
Stefan was, so far, impressed and confused. Last time he heard nobody to spoke to Klaus Mikaelson that way yet this blonde woman showed not an ounce of fear nor regret. In fact, she seemed entitled. She seemed familiar, actually, but he just couldn't quite place his finger on it.
Klaus seemed not annoyed but unsurprised he was being treated this way. "Stefan, this is Freya," he gestured to his eldest sister who looked more horrified than ever, "my brand-new older sister. Also a long story." Stefan politely greeted her with a smile but Freya did not move from her spot. "Stefan needs a favor," Klaus told her.
Freya finally made a noise after swallowing hard. "You're an...old 'friend' are you?"
"Well.." Stefan swayed his head, "...that kind of depends on your definition."
"Which means-" Maleny bobbed her head while dropping ice into her glass at the counter, "-he's either bitten you, threatened you, attempted murder on you or-"
"Mal," Klaus shot her a look but having her back to him made it a lot easier to continue.
"-or gave you an ultimatum, etc. etc." Maleny turned around with an innocent smile on her lips. "Am I wrong, darling?"
Cutting into the mini-stare down, Elijah called to Klaus. He too was unhappy with the newest of visitors, but unlike Freya who seemed shell shocked, he was going to act on it. He took Klaus out of the room, letting Freya and Maleny deal with Stefan for the moment. Awkward as it may be, Freya set to work.
"I'm gonna need the spell books," she told Maleny who was drowning the first of her drink at the counter.
"I put my mother's grimoire in Nicolas' room now. Ask him about it."
Freya shrugged, gave Stefan a 'wait for me here' look, and walked out. After a moment of only glass making noises, Stefan cleared his throat and spoke directly to her for the first time.
"I, uh, didn't mean to cause problems…"
Maleny turned around no longer wearing her annoyed look. She chuckled. "Well, I'm not mad at you, Stefan. I'm willing to bet that if you're here you've got a very big problem at Mystic Falls."
The look on Stefan's face told her he had no idea how she knew of his home.
She laughed more softly now. "You don't remember me?"
"Should I…?" he was afraid to come out and say he really could not remember her.
"I guess you wouldn't," shrugged Maleny who came by the couch. "Klaus didn't really like me talking to you people for some reason. I'm Maleny Rowan. Klaus took me to Mystic Falls to visit because it was where we were born as mortals. I also made a pseudo-grave for my mother but that's not really relevant." She plopped down on the couch, crossing one leg over the other while Stefan remained standing. "I bumped into you outside the Mystic Grill - that's what it was called right?"
And then it came back to Stefan. That day he had bumped into a some out-of-place blonde woman who looked uncomfortable and nervous yet was with the most notorious vampires in history.
"You were with Klaus when he came back for a day," he finally said, seeing her nod in agreement.
"Technically, he brought me. It wasn't his visit, it was mine." She shrugged lightly, taking a sip of her drink.
"So you and him were like a-"
Maleny had shaken her head to interrupt him. "Not 'were', we are a thing. I assume that's what you were gonna say?" Stefan made an apologetic smile for a response. "Yeah, everyone I talked to in that town gave me the same look. Surprise, the big bad wolf has a soft spot."
"Hard to believe, honestly," Stefan mumbled, but slowly everything that happened with Klaus earlier in the day started making sense. "You know, I suppose the reason he left you in the beginning was because he saw me."
"Doesn't excuse him," Maleny flatly said, once again drinking from her glass.
"It does when he learned that I was basically running away from a mystical vampire huntress who stabbed me with a magic sword and can basically find my location by a wound."
Silently, Maleny lowered her glass, her attention obviously piqued.
"Look, I don't exactly intend on seeing Klaus in a whole new light just because he managed to find someone who can stand him-" Stefan stopped and shared a smile with her, "-but in this case he was helping me. This woman is dangerous - Klaus killed her but she regenerates and she's coming for me. Before this, I doubt he wanted you anywhere near me."
"Okay," Maleny looked around as she considered his story, "I can get over him blowing me off but what I can't quite get over at the moment is receiving not even a minimal curtesy telling me to quit waiting for him. He'll have to make that up to me eventually."
"Mum!" Marlenie came stomping in with a pout. "Dad said I couldn't go with him and uncle Elijah to wherever Hayley found Aurora."
"...Dad?" was all Stefan was able to say after that monumental surprise.
Maleny, who was far more concerned with her daughter's information, distractedly (and briefly) explained, "We had kids," she waved a hand then fully addressed Marlenie. "What do you mean he's found Aurora?"
"Uncle Elijah got a call from Hayley saying they found that bitch somewhere but Dad said I couldn't come." Marlenie shook her head. "I told him I would do whatever he asked this time, I'm better now."
"Get over it," Nicolas came in with Freya, he holding his maternal grandmother's spell book.
"Shut up," Marlenie said in the same manner Maleny had earlier that, despite sharing no physical features, Stefan could see the mother-daughter similarities.
Nicolas rolled his eyes and walked up to Maleny. "Aunt Freya said she needed the book for something…?"
"Yes," Maleny cleared her throat as she walked closer to Stefan. "Your father brought a friend to be helped."
"A friend?" both twins trained eyes on Stefan who looked, now more than ever, dumbfounded.
"Dad doesn't have friends," Marlenie scowled.
"And the ones he has aren't so great," added Nicolas.
"Shut up, the both of you," Maleny pointed at them. "Stefan, I'd like you to meet my twins - Nicolas and Marlenie. Long story, as Klaus would say. You two better be nice to him because I liked him." She smiled at Stefan. "I met him in Mystic Falls but he didn't quite remember me."
Freya walked over, taking the spell book from Nicolas. "We need to get to work, and fast."
"It depends on what he needs though," Nicolas said, eyeing Stefan still with mild mistrust. He, like Freya, wanted nothing to do with any of the 'friends' his father and Elijah managed to make so far.
"Tell them what happened," Maleny said to Stefan and moved away from him. "Meanwhile, Marls, come with me. I need to find your father."
"You're not gonna find him anymore," Marlenie muttered as she followed Maleny out. "I'm telling you, they found Aurora."
"Phone me."
With a roll of her eyes, Marlenie pulled out her cellphone and handed it to Maleny.
"What are you doing? It's not like Dad's gonna answer you-"
"Oh, he will if he wants to sleep in the same room tonight," Maleny handed Marlenie the glass she was drinking from. She dialed for Klaus and pressed the phone to her ear as it rang.
"Hello, love, speaking to me are we?" came the suave response not a minute after.
Maleny rolled her eyes. "Oh you'll be jumping through hoops for ditching me today, Niklaus Mikaelson."
"Ouch, using my full name?" Klaus sounded amused which only irritated Maleny more. "I suppose you want to know where we are."
"Hmm, yes, I think that would be nice considering you left a stranger in our home. I would like to know where that redheaded bitch is so I can beat the living crap out of her and then b-"
"I promise you, you will get your turn but at least let me deliver her to you like a proper gentleman."
Marlenie scoffed from behind. "Is he for real?"
Maleny just smiled. "Well, I guess that would be quite acceptable. Good points. Mr. Mikaelson."
"You'll have her by tonight, I swear."
With that, they hung up.
Marlenie was making a pretend gagging face when Maleny turned around. "Mature," Maleny remarked and walked back for the staircase.
When they returned to the lounge room, Freya had already conjured up some sort of pasty cream in a bowl that would apparently be for a spell. Marlenie, making a face, walked over to see her finish it up.
"Eugh, what is that, aunt Freya?"
"Something to get Stefan ready to go," she mumbled but of course Stefan had heard her perfectly from the couch.
Maleny apologetically smiled and went for him. "Don't take it the wrong way."
But Freya had that look that said he probably should take it the way she meant it. The witch came back holding the bowl while nodding Stefan to take a seat. "I'm gonna need to see the scar."
"What scar?" Marlenie curiously leaned forwards, only to have her mother yank her back so that Freya could work.
"It's a mystical wound," Stefan told her for her benefit of curiosity. "Crazy woman trying to kill me and the scar is like a beacon for her to find me."
"Yikes," Marlenie made a face.
"Klaus killed her…" Freya had dabbed her hand into the bowl, "...but surprise, surprise, she regenerates."
"Of course she does," Marlenie frowned. "So now I imagine she's heading our way."
"Not with this she's not," Freya rubbed the herbal paste over Stefan's scar (which still bled). "I can't cure the wound, but this paste will mask its signal. Just let that dry, and you'll be on your merry way."
Stefan knew this was never going to be a cordial meeting, but he sensed there was something else going on that had everyone acting this way. Even the cheery blonde he met in Mystic Falls wore some sort of grimness that just didn't fit her facial features. "You know, not that I was expecting a, uh, parade or anything, but why is everyone so eager for me to go?"
The three woman looked at each other, but Freya was the least incited to share the story. She got up and took the bowl with her to the table to clean it up.
"It's not that you're not welcomed," began Maleny, beginning to feel a little bit of guilt, "It's just...there's a whole wad of trouble here right now."
"Most importantly there's this secret society uncle Elijah - for some reason - decided to begin oh-so-many-centuries-ago that's becoming so annoying. Can you believe they're actually trying to undo the very spell that sires vampires to my Dad and his siblings?" Marlenie rolled her eyes.
Stefan's eyebrows shot up. He looked over to Maleny as if to ask if all this was true. The mere look on her face told him it was.
~ 0 ~
When Klaus awoke he was most certainly not expecting to find himself in a brightened - yet fuzzy - elegant looking room. He heard noises beside him and rolled over to see Elijah was with him, also barely waking up from whatever spell the Strix's witches had cast over them. He heard a familiar giggle - one he wished he never had to hear again - and turned to see Aurora standing beside Tristan, both siblings looking rather smug.
"Oh, Nik. The funny faces you make when someone surprises you," Aurora tilted her head at him.
"So good to see you both again, especially today," Tristan casually greeted the two brothers.
"How the hell are we here?" Klaus soon got up, racking his mind to remember exactly what brought them there.
Aurora took it as a childish game and shot up an arm in the air. "Oooh! I know the answer to that one. It's representational magic. Something in this room represents each one of us," she gestured the room and all its content.
"Apparently, it's what allowed Aya's witches to drag you to this chambre de chasse they created for me," Tristan explained.
"Perfect," Klaus began to look around analytically, "We find what represents us, we break free."
"You can certainly try, but until then, my Strix are preparing a spell that is like no other in history. We are going to sever the link which binds your lives to ours."
Elijah raised an eyebrow. "Are we, now? Our second rate-Napoleon, desperately trying to leave his mark on the world with those filthy little claws."
Klaus smirked. "Even if, in the end, he's left with nothing but the scars of his failures."
Tristan downplayed his annoyance by masking it with overbearing smugness. "Oh, rest assured, it will work. Soon, our fates will no longer be tied to yours."
"And," Aurora cut in, "once that's done, as your bodies remain helpless, and your minds remain here, Aya will use my white oak to fulfill the prophecy."
"So, you see... Today, you die. And, with your sirelines torn from you, you die alone," Tristan looked down at Aurora, "Until then, how shall we pass the time?"
Neither brother answered. They quickly sought to find the object that represented them in order to escape. While Elijah took one side of the room, Klaus was drawn towards a set of paintings on a wall. However, the further he went down, he noticed a large stand of katanas across. He was midway there when Aurora sped over and held one katana to his neck.
"Oh, dear. Perhaps I've gotten too close to that which represents me in here?"
Aurora sarcastically laughed. "Oh, you mean the swords? Hardly, darling. Though, between a sub-par piece of art and a broken relic, I suppose you'd have to choose the swords, wouldn't you? If only out of denial."
Unamused by her response, Klaus sped over and grabbed her arm to turn her around, now he being in control with the katana. "Maybe we can't hurt each other in here, but when I'm free, I'm going to cut you in half. Of course, I did promise Maleny she would get her share...I'll have to control myself then - for her."
Aurora's face went sour as Klaus indeed did control himself and backed off, letting the katana drop to the floor.
~ 0 ~
"No, he's not answering," Maleny angrily threw her phone across the living room, ignoring the startled looks from Stefan and Marlenie. "Dammit!"
"Mum, dial down the emotions please," Marlenie eyed her mother with a bit of a concern. Maleny was still trying to control her emotions and while she was making excellent progress, there were still moments where she would lose it.
But Maleny heard noises coming from outside, one significant person standing out above the three. With a light gasp, she sped out of the room.
"No - Mum!" Marlenie groaned and made way out of the room, but not before stopping to call to Stefan. "Feel free to, um...wait around, I guess?"
"Sit!" Hayley was angrily ordering someone while the third hurried over with blood bags in their hands. "And you Marcel, you better explain right now!"
"Hayley," Maleny called from upstairs, although she became shocked to find Lucien sitting in the courtyard, looking awful, and hurriedly drowning down blood bags, "what the hell is going on?"
"I'd rather we let Marcel explain that one to us," Hayley was busy glaring at Marcel with arms crossed. "After all, it was his group that kidnapped Klaus and Elijah."
"I had no idea that Aya was gonna take Klaus and Elijah down!" Marcel raised his arms in defense. "And regardless, why the hell are we trusting this guy all of a sudden, huh?" he gestured to Lucien. "He's the one who ran off with Aurora the first chance he got."
"I didn't run off with her," Lucien snapped back, and fast. "We happened to share something I didn't realize before."
"What would that be, hmm?" Maleny's voice made him look up. "Would that be the delight you both take in threatening me? Because I know what you said about me on Thanksgiving, Lucien."
"You're one to talk, sweetheart," Lucien persisted with his sour tone, his eyes narrowing on her, "2 weeks I cater to you - treat you like a bloody princess - yet at the end of the day you chose to go back to the man who turned you in for the psychopath that murdered you?"
Maleny swallowed hard, but before she could fall back on those words, Marlenie and Nicolas appeared on either side.
"You wanna act tough? Do it like a man then - face her for what you said," Marlenie challenged. "Because you can say what you want but my Dad has something you never seemed to - bravery."
"Marlenie," Maleny shushed her daughter.
"It's true, Mum," even Nicolas spoke up. "From what I've heard he was nothing but a poser. He was a-"
"Enough," Maleny spoke over them both then got to business. "What is going on? Where's Klaus and Elijah?"
"The Strix are about to de-link them, Mal," Hayley said.
"It's not just about de-siring…" Lucien shook his head, "We've got to stop an execution."
"What are you talking about?" Marcel stared down at him skeptically.
Lucien rolled his eyes. "A lovesick teenage witch with a runner-up heart is somehow going to break the sire link? I'm sorry, but your darling Davina is in over her head, and Aya knows this. She will let Davina de-sire both brothers, then test the spell's success by firing a white oak bullet into Klaus' heart. I mean, it's win-win for her- if you live, Marcel, we'll, she's won. If not, at least she's eliminated the rival sireline, including me."
Maleny's heart nearly stopped. "That's what the prophecy said would happen. Klaus would die and his entire sireline burn."
"Alexis watched us fall, she watched us burn, every soul Klaus ever turned," Lucien reaffirmed. "When Aya tests this spell, Klaus will fall either way. And, if Davina fails, as she likely will, the two of us will die as well," he glanced at Marcel.
"And me," Maleny said, instantly getting his attention. Still standing at the rails upstairs, he hadn't realized she turned. With eyes widened, he stared at her. She'd turned.
"Actually... make that the three of us," Stefan sheepishly walked out of the room upstairs to stand beside the three. Hayley looked up gaping for the presence of the young vampire.
~0~
Klaus had meant to leave Aurora to get some peace but the redhead wouldn't have it. She followed him to the chess piece table and plopped down across from her.
She picked up one of the white knight pieces and mused. "You know what, Nik? Maybe this is the piece that represents you in here. You do quite fancy yourself the white knight, don't you? You even carved one out of white oak when you were a boy."
Klaus frowned. "The one you turned into bullets to bury in my brother's heart but instead nearly killed my daughter with instead."
"Like I said, there's more than one way to hurt you. I do like seeing how hard you work to save the few who still care about you. There's Elijah, Maleny... Hmm. It's a pretty short list."
Klaus, now angry, leaned forwards on the table. "Mention her name again, and you'll regret it."
Aurora took the threat with amusement. "Ooh! The white knight, indeed. But, do you not also claim to be a king, darling? Oh yes, that's more fitting. And yet, the king is both the greatest and the weakest piece on the board. It flounders around once all its defenders desert it. Much like what will happen to you when that sire link breaks. Once the chains fall, they'll clamor for a piece of white oak to shove into your heart.
Oh... Wait, you don't actually think they fight for you because they love you, do you? They have to, Nik. You're their eternal burden."
While Klaus took her words with heavy blow, Aurora smugly slammed the white king piece on the table and got up.
~0~
After some time a blueprint for the Strix Davilla Estate was brought in by Marcel to study the building's entrances.
Stefan was kneeling before the table to have a closer look. "Could use one of these access tunnels to slip into a back room."
Lucien, who stood behind him, swayed his head. "Hmm."
Stefan scoffed. "What? Worried about getting a little dirt on your thousand-dollar shoes?"
Lucien frowned. "Actually, I'll be doing most of the heavy lifting, since the vampires we're facing are, what? Seven times your age?"
Marlenie strode in already rolling her eyes at the man. "Calm down, I'll be helping as well." She leaned down beside Stefan to get a look at what he was talking about. "You think we can use those?" she asked in a strikingly calm tone that made Stefan rethink if this was actually Klaus Mikaelson's daughter.
"Marcel, how are we doing?" Maleny asked the vampire sitting on the staircase, having just hung up from a call.
"We're not getting their bodies back," he shook his head. "Strix from all over the world are flying in to make sure this spell goes off. They're guarding every entrance and exit."
"Well, you're their leader. Call a meeting. Schedule a retreat," Lucien made a face. "Order them to stop."
"Nah, nah, nah, nah. I do that, Aya has no problem staging a coup."
Lucien sighed and looked away. "Marvelous. I guess it's on me to come up with our grand plan, then."
"No need," announced Nicolas who walked in with Freya and Hayley. "My Aunt Freya figured out a way to get my Dad and uncle out of the chambre. She just needs a strong enough power source."
"I'd channel Finn, but he's all for letting our brothers perish," Frets rolled her eyes, so unsurprised. "So, I'll channel Lucien. The older the vampire, the better the battery."
"We're going to buy her some time, keep the Strix occupied," Hayley further added.
Lucien scoffed and turned to Marcel. "Wait, so you want me here holding hands with the leftover sister while you take the toddlers and tackle the Strix? You must be jok-"
Nicolas heard enough and flicked his wrist to telekinetically snap Lucien's neck.
"Nicolas!" Maleny rushed over to the fallen man.
"Mother, you're too kind with this idiot," was his response.
"Aunt Freya, I could've done the channeling part, you know," Marlenie straightened up and turned to the blonde witch. "I'm nearly as old as Lucien."
"We know," Freya assured with a nod. "But we'd rather you help Hayley fight the Strix off. We can't really count on Lucien not skipping out."
"Wait," Marcel got off the stairs, "So the plan is that the four of us-" he pointed to Hayley, Marlenie and Stefan, "-are gonna keep one hundred of the world's most ancient vampires occupied?"
"Wait, I'm staying too?" Maleny left Lucien to protest. "No! Absolutely not!"
"Mother," Marlenie walked up to the blonde, "these vampires are far too strong and you...only have a couple of weeks of vampire life. The results could be catastrophic."
"You are asking me to stay behind while Klaus and Elijah are literally inches from death," Maleny looked at the others angrily.
"We'd rather you stay and keep an eye on Lucien," Hayley glanced at the unconscious vampire. "He seems to only value you in the room."
Maleny huffed and stormed away from the group. Marlenie looked at the others quite calmly. "I'd rather she be mad at me than hear my Dad lecture me. But I must admit I'm a little troubled on the way we're gonna do this. I could call in my friend staying outside the city to help. She's only a couple younger than me. Maybe my warlock can help too."
But Stefan had been thinking long before on an alternative and decided to speak up. "Well, there could be another way," he looked at Marcel, "All you have to do is get us to the front door."
~0~
As Marcel drove up to the Davilla Estate, he had Marlenie, Hayley and Stefan hiding out in the trunk of the car. Being a small trunk, the three vampires were a little cramped but nonetheless determined to make it work.
"Are we close yet?" Marlenie, who laid over both Stefan's and Hayley's legs, sighed impatiently.
"A few more minutes," Hayley assured her as she looked at her phone screen that currently showed their position on a GPS map. Marlenie groaned but quietly. Hayley made a face and mumbled something about definitely being Klaus' daughter. She swiped away the GPS app on her phone to reveal the second daughter.
"That's a cute kid," remarked Stefan.
"While I appreciate the compliment, I am not a kid," Marlenie smirked widely before chuckling to herself.
"I can see the resemblance between her and Klaus," Stefan now said to Hayley who was playfully rolling her eyes.
"Don't be fooled," Marlenie said before Hayley could speak up, "I am my own person. Have been for centuries. But no matter who I am I'll always fight for my family - have been doing so for centuries. It's kinda why I'm in a trunk with a stranger and a stepmum, going into a fight we may not win."
"Step-mum?" frowned Hayley.
"Fine, aunt, whatever," Marlenie dramatically sighed. "We can both agree we're also doing this for my baby sister Hope." Her dramatics ended quickly as she continued. "I know what that was like...growing up without parents...and I wouldn't want her to go through that. I won't even go into my mother's reasons. So," she laid eyes on Stefan, "what about you? You're part of my Dad's sireline too but you could've easily slipped out already. Why are you still here?"
Stefan chuckled quietly and took out his phone. He displayed a home screen of Caroline Forbes.
Hayley instantly recognized the woman and took the phone from Stefan to see it better. "Ahh, Caroline. Klaus had a thing for her."
"What?" Marlenie scowled. "My Dad what now?"
Hayley laughed. "Calm down, drama queen." She then commented to Stefan. "I'm pretty sure that I snapped her neck once."
Stefan chuckled as he took back his phone. "Yeah, well... She's toughened up since. I don't think you'd win round two."
"And she's also in Klaus' sireline. Is she the reason why you're here?"
"In a trunk with two strangers, going into a fight we may not win? I guess we all have our reasons."
Marlenie huffed.
~0~
Lucien awoke with a tiny jump and discovered he had been moved into one of the living rooms, tied to a chair with vervain ropes. What he was surprised most was the fact he wasn't alone - Maleny stood leaning against a table with arms crossed, clearly having been waiting for him to wake up.
"Oh, so now you're tying me up?" he frowned. "And you're allowed to talk to me...on your own?"
Maleny wasn't amused by his sarcasm as she leaned off the table. "Lucien, we gotta talk."
"We do do?"
"Look, I was worried about you ever since-"
"You ran off with Klaus after his ex - the woman that just so happened to have murdered you?"
Maleny shook her head, doing her best not to get angry nor shout. If he had been tied up all this time by Aurora then he definitely had some venting to do. "It wasn't Klaus' fault she murdered me. She's deranged!"
"What you did was cold, utter cruelty if I should add," snapped Lucien. "Darling even I'm not on that level."
"You're no white dove either," quietly argued Maleny. "Admit to me, face to face, that you don't love me. As in Maleny Rowan. You loved Cecilia de Arc, but she's a ghost now."
"You were her, and you loved me too," Lucien said, quite sure of it as well. "Klaus never once crossed your mind."
"Because my mind wasn't cleared yet. But now it is, and I know who I want and love. The man I've loved since I was a teenager, the one I had children with. That's who I love. And I'm sorry...but that's not you."
Lucien narrowed his eyes at her, his hands balling into fists.
"Mother," Nicolas appeared by the threshold, "Aunt Freya said she was ready."
"Ready for what?" Lucien snapped his head back to him.
Nicolas smirked. "You'll see in a bit."
"Nicolas," Maleny scolded. "Get your aunt right now." Muttering, Nicolas went on his way.
"What's going on?" demanded Lucien. "And you never answered why I was tied up."
Maleny turned her back to him and started moving around some of the herbs on the table. She grabbed a match and flicked it on, using it to light many candles in the room. "We're breaking whatever spell they out on Klaus and Elijah so please," she returned to him, kneeling to tighten the ropes on his wrists, " do not move."
"This is kinda dark," Lucien remarked, apparently amused by her. "Vervain ropes, penetrating spells... Throw in a Pinot and a cheap motel, and you've got the beginnings of a romance!"
Maleny sighed, straightening up. "Please, don't make those remarks about us."
"They weren't a problem before…"
"Before, it was just you and I. Things are different now so please be mature and move on."
"What? Like that?"
"What do you want from me? The most I can give you is an apology. Because what I did was wrong and I should never have let things go this far between us. That's it. I'm sorry."
Lucien's frown deepened. "You still love me. And I'll remind you of it first chance I get."
Maleny looked down and walked away from him. Around that moment, Nicolas and Freya returned holding several herbs and bowls for their spells. Nicolas right away saw his mother's deception.
"Mum?" He left Freya at the table and hurried to Maleny. "You alright?"
"Fine," Maleny warmly patted his cheek. "Now, how's this spell gonna work again?"
Though not clearly buying it, Nicolas dropped the subject. He took Maleny's hand and walked them back to Freya.
"There's an anchor locking Dad and uncle Elijah inside the chamber built for them, something representational. That's why they can't get out."
"But-" Freya turned around, "-I'm going to bust into that little mental prison and shatter it from the inside. And, it's going to take most of our power and probably all of yours," she eyed Lucien.
Lucien smirked. "Oh, love, my stamina's never been an issue. Ask Maleny."
Maleny went pale but Nicolas reacted with more or less the same rage his father would have if he'd been there. Maleny managed to grab his arm and pull him back to him.
"Nicolas! Please don't!"
Freya shook her head at them and turned to the table. "Nicolas, if you're done, I could use some extra power." Nicolas rolled his eyes and went up stand by Freya.
The moment the two began to chant, Lucien writhed in pain.
"Onlucan et permette mon ostium. Onlucan et permette mon ostium. Onlucan et permette mon ostium…"
Maleny flinched as a powerful gust of wind blew in the room. There was too much commotion to separate who was actually chanting or screaming in pain.
"Dia a la vida!"
In the chamber, only Freya appeared as it was far more challenging to have two appear. She cut off what seemed to be like a verbal standoff between the two brothers and the De Martels.
"Quickly. Find me what represents you in here!"
But before anyone else could move, Klaus felt his throat being slashed. In the Davilla Estate, Davina a had slit Klaus' throat as part of the de-linking spell.
"Niklaus!" Elijah hurried to help the hybrid who was already failing to stay on his feet. But then Elijah underwent the same thing when Davina moved onto him.
Freya was horrified to see both her brothers clutching their throats as they coughed up blood. "Oh God. It's starting!" She rushed forwards and knelt on the floor in front of them. "I need you to focus!" she desperately called to them. "Show me what represents you so I can break you out."
"The...kings…" Klaus managed to say inbetween his struggles.
"The knights," added Elijah.
Freya listened and hurried towards the chess table, missing the smug looks of the De Martel siblings behind. She picked up the white knight and the black king but turned around, frowning. "Which is it? The kings or the knights? We need to decide now."
~ 0 ~
In the Davilla Estate, the spell was still undergoing, but most vampires of the Strix were being occupied by Rayna Cruz outside, courtesy of Stefan. Marlenie was horrified to see her father and uncle floating in a rectangular pool full of red-stained water. Witches, including Davina, had their eyes closed and were still chanting the de-linking spell. One Strix vampire guarding spotted the intruders and meant to come at them...but Marlenie growled and got to him first. Like her father would, she decapitated the vampire and whirled around angrily towards the witches. Marcel took care of the other guard in the room, but all the noise had been too loud and captured the attention of the sister witches.
Davina opened her eyes and looked at Marcel, visibly hurt he was going against her even after his promise earlier. "Marcel!"
"You bitch!" Marlenie insulted the younger witch. "Even after what my mother has done for you you still go after my family!"
"Marlenie!" Hayley entered the room and looked at the two Mikaelsons in the water. "We need to get them out of that water now."
"No!" Davina, along with the other witches, conjured a spell that blasted the vampires unconscious, against the walls.
~ 0 ~
Aurora had a good laugh watching Freya decide which chess piece to destroy. "How perfect," she clapped her hands, "Even in this crucial hour, your ignorance blinds you." She made her way all the way up to Klaus, kneeling down in front of him. "Even if you never learn from your sins, at least you will die because of them... and I get to watch."
Klaus heeded her words and for the first time that night, he thought openly and clear of himself. "Take the queens," he called to Freya. "The women we betrayed represent us. Aurora, Aya…" and as much as it pained him the most, he added, "...Maleny."
Freya swiped the black queen off the piece and clutched it tightly with her hands as she performed the magic spell.
Elijah was the first to wake in the Davilla estate. Because they were still focused on chanting the spell, neither witches noticed it right away. Elijah vamp-sped to his feet inside the pool and grabbed the closest witch towards him. He easily plundered her into the water, drowning her within minutes while also feeding off her.
The other vampires against the Strix were recovering from the blow Davina gave them. Elijah finished with the witch and went for the next one. Marlenie rubbed her head and sat upright. She noticed Marcel pleading with Davina but the witch was still chanting the spell.
She thrust a hand for Klaus, sending a wave of energy from the spell towards him.
"Marcel, KILL HER NOW!" Marlenie screamed furiously, getting up to do the job herself if needed.
Davina had never been so scared in her life but she wasn't giving up. She looked between the older vampire woman and Marcel, the latter still resorting to verbally plead her to stop. Klaus woke up in the pool, and his rage was one to match his daughter. He leaped out of the pool, also going to attack Davina but she proved quicker in that moment and froze him midway.
"You've had your time!" she caused the lights in the room to explode into billions of sparks. Simultaneously, she pushed Klaus down into the pool with a large splash afterwards. The pain didn't stop there as she went on to finish the last of the spell.
Even Marlenie, who had sped up behind Davina was frozen to her spot feeling her body curse with unbearable pain. Her skin had turned bright red as if it were burning - like Marcel and even Stefan's were.
~ 0 ~
In the compound, Freya and Nicolas were witness to Lucien's and Maleny's skin also burning red.
"MOTHER!" Nicolas was absolutely terrified to see Maleny in her state. He turned to Freya for an explanation, even though he was fairly sure what was happening.
"Davina's breaking the link!" Freya exclaimed.
~ 0 ~
Davina finished the spell with two concentric circles making the pool water rise up in half-dozen geysers. With so much energy, Davina passed out after she managed to complete the spell. Although weak, Elijah managed to push himself towards the pool, clambering inside to retrieve his brother.
With near desiccated skin, Klaus re-opened his eyes. Elijah gently picked him up to at least sit mildly upright.
"I felt them leave," Klaus said quietly. "My sireline is broken."
~ 0 ~
Aya slowly walked into the now-empty pool room, dragging with her Rayna Cruz's dead body that would soon resuscitate. She let the body drop and looked around at the mess of the room. Not even the steps leading into the room snapped her out of her deception.
"So, we remain connected, you and I, in spite of everything that you have done," Elijah released a low breath. "I can't let you hurt my family. And you can't hurt me more than you already have."
Aya slowly turned around to face him, seeming incredulous of his accusation. "I stood by you, Elijah. All of us-" she gestured to the room still containing several dead Strix members, "-were willing to die for you, and how did you repay it? Betrayal. Abandonment." She then gave a crooked smile. "Much like you did to an old member here - blonde, a bit small...ring a bell?" Elijah stiffened, clearly taken aback by this knowledge. Aya bitterly chuckled. "Think I didn't notice? I pity her, actually, because she went through the same that I did long ago. That's why I urged Tristan to invite her, actually, because I knew all about her. What you did to me, you did to her, only she had the courage to leave you out of her own accord...something that I wish I could have done myself."
Elijah, while affected by her words and revelation, didn't let this take him from his original intent. He pulled out a revolver attained from Aurora, still holding white oak bullets.
Aya didn't look remotely afraid of what came next. In fact, she looked resigned and ready. "If your life were chained to a man who left you despite your devotion... What choice would you have but to break free? Ironic how that turned out both in the past and future, isn't it? Just end it already." Elijah struggled, however, to pull the trigger, only frustrating her more. "End it, Elijah! Or I'll take that gun and kill you just to finally be free."
But despite Elijah not being able to do so, he found someone else did it for him. A stake had been driven through Aya's chest, Hayley standing right behind her.
"That's more mercy than Jackson ever got," she muttered as Aya went down. Hayley dusted her hands off and stepped over the corpse to go for Elijah. "And you better do me the damn favor to never consider Aya and Cami were the same...or I'll drive the next stake through your heart."
~ 0 ~
When Aurora snapped open her eyes, she gasped to find herself sitting in a corner of a large tomb. Immediately she spotted the only source of light ahead of her - which was already halfway out due to it being blocked off by a brick wall currently being constructed.
"Good day to you," Maleny cheerfully greeted as Klaus put down another brick around the doorway. "Well, really I suppose it would depend on who you were - for me it's a glorious day."
Aurora was instantly furious to see the blond smiling so smugly. She raced towards Maleny only to crash into an invisible barrier. Growling, she tried pushing through with no success.
"I love our son, don't you?" Klaus asked Maleny, looking ever-so-amused.
"I do," Maleny nodded and picked up a paving tool behind them. As he placed another brick on the constructed wall, she flattened the grout for the next.
"Ohh... What are you doing?" Aurora was now examining the wall frantically.
"You like? It was my idea," Maleny proudly said. "See, originally I thought killing you was gonna be the better way...but I learned a thing or two from Klaus. Death is far too easy sometimes."
"You learned fast," Klaus mused with a little smirk.
"You're a good teacher," she returned the smirk.
"You can't just leave me here!" Aurora exclaimed, slamming her hands on either side of the doorway.
Maleny's playfulness vanished into thin air, as did Klaus'. "You nearly killed my children. You killed me. Did you think you were gonna get away with it?"
"But you can't!"
"Behind walls is where you belong," Klaus coldly said, slamming the next brick along the wall.
"Then just kill me! Please, Nik! Just kill me!"
"Oh, I think not," Klaus said after a moment of feigned thought. "Not with the only one who loves you rotting at the bottom of the ocean. I wouldn't grant you the mercy. You owe my family far too much."
"Mmm, so let's let the fishes eat your brother in ocean-" Maleny helped Klaus begin to finish the last of the bricks, "-and the worms eat you…"
Aurora quickly teared up as her fate was literally sealed before her. "No…"
"Remember who it was that took absolutely everything from you," Klaus set in the last of the bricks on the wall. Aurora burst into sobs on the other side.
"Hmm, music to my ears," Maleny took in a dramatic breath as Klaus took her hand.
"Content?" he asked of her, despite feeling weaker than ever he took pleasure seeing her relish in this moment.
"Oh very," she leaned on her toes to give him a kiss on the lips. Afterwards, the two walked away from the tomb and found Stefan waiting for them.
"So...the spell worked," he began awkwardly, even coughing lightly. "We survived. I saved you, and you saved me. Funny how that works, isn't it? I'd be happy to let this be the end. Am I too optimistic in thinking we'll never see each other again?"
"This is a weird friendship," Maleny mumbled.
Klaus rolled his eyes beside her and answered Stefan with a question instead. "Well, that depends- are you going to do the right thing?"
"By whom? I assume you don't mean my brother."
"By her."
Stefan sighed. "I love her. I know that you did once, too. I promise I will only do right by her."
Maleny gave a look for Klaus, assuming who they were talking to. She didn't say but a cordial 'goodbye' to Stefan as he said it back for them.
Now slightly irritated, Maleny led Klaus back to where Freya waited for them. Before they fully reached her, Klaus had a small dizzy moment and had to lean against a nearby tomb wall for support.
"What's wrong with me?"
"You hemorrhaged an enormous amount of mystical energy. Enough to create a nexus vorti. It's nothing a good night's rest won't cure," Freya assured and between her and Maleny they helped him continue walking.
~ 0 ~
Hayley walked into the downstairs living room where Elijah was having himself a drink. Night had fallen and Hayley was keen on observing Elijah that day, the latter barely saying a word to anyone. She wasn't one to waste time in words, so she went straight for the Original and snatched the near empty glass in his hand. Elijah made a gesture of what was she doing but she set the glass on the other end of the counter and put her hands on her hips.
"Why the hell are you here and not looking for Cami? She leaves in an hour."
Elijah raised his eyebrows questioningly. "How did you…?" because even he didn't know about Cami since yesterday.
"I asked, Elijah," Hayley rolled her eyes impatiently. "I went to say goodbye and what do you know? She's still not even packed. Meaning, she doesn't want to go - further meaning, you need to go stop her."
Elijah made a face and then shook his head, getting up from the stool. "You are mad, and that is saying something after these past days."
"You'll be mad with yourself if you don't listen to me and you know it. Look, as much as it pains me to say it, Aya was right about something last night. You are quick to leave a woman behind if it's for your family. That's gotta stop."
"But I-"
"No, Elijah, listen, please," Hayley raised a hand and then continued. "You fought Cami for Hope and I, for this family, and it had a bigger price than you could have ever imagined. And you did it for Klaus, on countless times. The reality is, Elijah, that this family has their own priorities. Mine is Hope, and only her. Freya has her pseudo-son Nicolas, and Klaus has Maleny and his children. It's about high time you gave yourself a break and focused on the woman you love."
"I don't think-"
"Because the reality is-" Hayley fervently went on to finish, "-we will all protect our loved ones, and it's not fair you keep focusing on us instead of yourself. So go," she shooed him with a hand, "Go and get her."
"Hayley-"
"Elijah, I will drive a stake through your heart if you don't go right now," Hayley warned, crossing her arms. After a moment, he flashed a small - thankful - smile her way. In the blink of an eye, he was gone.
True to what Hayley had said, Elijah found Cami was still at home. He didn't bother knocking anymore, simply walking in.
Camille was walking out of the kitchen holding several blood bags in her arms when she saw him. "What the hell - Elijah!"
"Don't leave," Elijah blurted right out, startling her in the process. He had heeded Hayley's warning and realized he didn't want to let the story repeat itself with Cami.
"You can't ask me that," Cami shook her head, but her face spelled indecision from a mile off. It was true she had been sitting at home debating whether or not she was actually going to leave. With Hayley's visit and hearing about the Strix nearly murdering Elijah, Cami admitted she was definitely more swayed to stay. But she wasn't willing to tell Hayley at that moment.
"I'm not," Elijah stepped forwards, more determined than ever, "I'm begging you not to go. You've been right, I've been far too focused on my family for centuries - it's become embedded in me as a natural instinct. But I don't want it anymore. Because I want you."
Cami sucked in a breath and didn't dare move from her spot.
"You can't trust me right away, and I understand, because I failed you," Elijah went on, knowing this was his moment. "But give me the chance to start putting things right. Everyone has their...person...they want to live for. I want to have mine as well."
"It's just…" Cami sighed, closing her eyes a moment, "...you say I'm part of your family but when it comes down to it, you never choose me. I don't wanna be selfish, but I want my place. I deserve a place."
"Yes, you do," Elijah agreed with a nod of his head. "And I will give you one if you let me."
Cami looked indecisive as ever. Elijah didn't want to wait, and so he walked up to her, testing if he was wanted by touching her arms. The look on her face challenged him but not to let her go. He gently took the blood bags from her hands and placed them on the table, all in the meanwhile she watched expectantly. Completely facing her, he put an arm around her waist and brought her closer to him.
She didn't protest.
He cupped her face and with his thumbs stroked her cheeks.
Still she didn't protest.
He finally just leaned in and kissed her.
And she didn't protest.
~ 0 ~
Klaus stirred from his sleep and immediately realized he was lying on his own bed. He turned his head to the side hoping to see one particular blonde woman but found it was empty. He heard noises from the connected bathroom and pushed himself upright to see Maleny emerging from the room with her day clothes hanging on one arm. She was changed into a long-sleeved shirt and velvet pants.
"What time is it?" Klaus asked, his voice a bit raspy from his sleep.
Maleny went to drape her clothes on one chair, distractedly answering, "About ten p.m. You've been asleep for an entire day."
"Well-"
"Freya said not to worry about it," Maleny moved on to the dressing table where her phone was charging. "It was due to the blow you took from Davina."
Klaus narrowed his already sleepy eyes on the woman, watching her intently. "Are you mad?"
"Nope," Maleny swiped something on her phone screen.
"Oh, good to see you're not mad," Klaus mumbled under his breath before deciding to get out of bed.
Maleny put her phone down and turned around. "You can't get out of bed!" came her concerned voice as she rushed over to make sure he stayed put. A small smile wormed its way across his face as she forced him to lay back down. "Please wipe that smile off your face."
"What's the matter, Mal?" he reached to touch her face.
"It's...nothing," she decided to say after a small pause.
"I may be weak but I am one to keep persisting," he warned. "So please, just tell me what's going on? I thought you would be happy to put away Aurora forever. Is that not what you wanted?"
"Oh, definitely," she quickly nodded. "But…" she sighed and took a seat beside him, "...I have to ask...about Stefan…"
"What about him?"
"It's not precisely about him, if not more about who he's with," she clarified, giving him a significant look. "Her name was Caroline. And you've yet to tell me about her."
"Well there's nothing to tell anymore," he shrugged, finding this all a waste of time. But he knew better than to say that in front of Maleny.
"But it's not the first time I heard her name, and you acting differently. Remember when those two aliens showed up in the Quarter? One of them, Minerva, said something about this Caroline too. She was important to you and...after this Aurora spectacle, I'm a bit entitled to feeling a little worried about more women you apparently loved. I don't want anymore showing up to claim you."
Klaus just couldn't help that signature smirk settling across his face. "While I am mildly amused to hear this, I must assure you - for the millionth time - that I care only for you."
"Then why is there so much importance on this stupid blonde - because yeah," Maleny was scowling, "I've seen her pictures now and I know she's blonde too."
"Yes she is, but she's not Maleny. She's not my Mal. I need my Mal and my family, now more than ever."
Maleny softened and leaned to his side, cupping his face. "You don't usually say things like that…"
"You've always been my exception," Klaus smiled mischievously, "For everything." He tapped her nose, making her smile. "Since we were teenagers, and you know it. You are my past, my present, and my future. Always and forever?"
"Always and forever," Maleny nodded her head. She lowered down and shared a kiss with him, one that left her feeling secure from her doubts.
Author's Note:
This chapter was a wild one! But, it was definitely one of my favorites. We finally get Cami/Elijah together - agh those two just loved to make us suffer lmao.
As there is no comments for the last chapter this is pretty much it from me lol. See you guys in two weeks!