Hey! I apologize for the time it's taken me to finish this story, I never meant to stop for so long. Anyway, thanks for sticking around and I hope you enjoy the ending!
By nightfall, once the parade is done, Freya is back at the compound leaning on the handrail with a glass of whiskey and Keelin by her side.
"This house is so crowded lately. If only they picked a mop and cleaned up the mess" Freya snarks before taking a sip.
"It will take more than one mop… I've never seen so many people here. The Mikaelsons sure know how to influence people. Maybe it's time we move" Keelin suggests, biting her lip.
"Oh, don't worry. Takes doom to bring this family together. Once it's gone, it'll all clear out"
"Maybe that's how it's supposed to be. Everyone moves on at some point."
"What are you saying, exactly?" Freya asks, confused.
"Listen, I don't mean to take you away from your family. I know how much they mean to you, but I would like for us to see what's out there for once in our lives. We never know when our time will be up." Keelin explains with a sorrowful look.
"I- I- I can't. We're both needed here, you heard Declan. And now with Vince gone…" Freya says disoriented.
"I'm not saying permanently. All I ask for is a week. We'll spend each night in a different city, you're a badass witch and I'm a kickass wolf. We can make it happen. It doesn't have to be today, or tomorrow, let's just wait 'till your family leaves and then we go. Promise me you'll think about it" Keelin pleads.
"Yes" Freya answers determined.
"Yes you'll think about it or yes-?"
"Yes, we're going! I want to go everywhere with you" Freya says excited and smiling.
Downstairs, in Freya and Keelin's sight, Davina, Josh and Marcel are hanging near the fountain, sharing a drink.
"I can't believe my two best friends are A) married and B) to be married to a Mikaelson. And here I thought I was the one with poor judgement" Josh jokes.
"Maybe you should put a ring on it too" Davina snarks.
"Huh, Eddie doesn't even know I'm a vampire. And he's a human, so there's that"
"Seems to me this is the perfect time to tell him" Marcel hints.
"He's still freaked out over the blood rain, I'll just give him some time, wait for him to grow old and die and then move on"
"Just don't come crying to me when he dumps you because you don't grow that baby face" Davina jokes back.
"Good point. Fine, I'll tell him!"
Marcel and Davina chuckle, looking at each other. But, in a moment of silence, they lose their smiles.
"We should make a toast to Vincent. He always fought what was right and he make sure to call us out when we weren't" Marcel says emotional, raising his glass.
"He always had faith in me. Even when I didn't deserve it" Davina continues, lifting her glass as well.
"And he was a damn good leader, cheers" Josh completes.
Overhearing these words, Freya and Keelin join in and lift their glasses simultaneously.
All by himself, Klaus opens the journal Declan has given him. Right in the first page he finds a small text, written with Cami's handwriting, which he quietly reads, listening to her voice in his head.
"You once asked me to record your life story. Narrated by you, which only makes even more narcissistic. So, per your request, in these pages I have written your story, through my eyes, not yours. You won't like everything I wrote, but I assure you there are some interesting passages. I'm afraid I won't be around to finish your story myself, so I've left a few blank pages for you to finish it off. I hope you include me in them and that it has a happy ending with someone by your side. May this be my gift to you. Camille."
Emotional, he goes through the remaining pages, carefully reading each of them, both smiling and in tears. Once he is finished, he stands up and walks around the room, absorbing all he has read, pondering what he should do. But, in a moment of determination, he picks up his phone to make a call. When no one picks up, he chooses to leave a message.
"Caroline, I should've called you sooner, but Hope is alright, you did well to call Hayley and to tell me to stay and not give up. Anyway, I was just reminded of someone I loved dearly and of how I wasted so much precious time and ended up regretting it. So, if I remember correctly, I have made you a promise in this exact manner and still owe you a tour of the French Quarter. I'd like to fulfill it."
Outside, in the balcony, Rebekah is watching the streets, a slight breeze hitting her blonde hair. Marcel, who's been searching the house for her, overhears her breathing and catches up to her.
"There you are! Are you avoiding me? I hope I didn't scare you with the ring" Marcel pokes at her.
"You mean this gorgeous thing? Of course not. I just wanted some quiet after having everyone check up on me every 5 minutes" Rebekah answers showing off her ring.
"Well you didn't seem to want that to end so it couldn't have been so bad. When do you want to leave?"
"I don't" she answers, fearless.
"What do you mean?"
"I want to stay. We've been to so many different places and I've loved every minute of it. But it hasn't felt like home. I want to show you something" she says, grabbing his hand "Come on."
She guides Marcel out of the compound and takes him for a walk. Suddenly she stops and faces him.
"Okay, where exactly are you taking me?" He wonders confused yet entertained.
"Here. Look" Rebekah orders him, pointing at a small brick house, with a garden and a white fence.
"At a house?"
"I saw it for the first time today during the parade. It had a sign earlier. "For sale" it said"
"You bought the house" Marcel says incredulous.
"I know I should've told you, but we're vampires, buying a house is easy. And so is selling it hours later"
"We're not selling it, Rebekah. This will be our house!" he says with a huge smile.
"Also, I think you're the right person to help rebuild New Orleans, after all that's happened. You know how to make people listen to you. And God knows you love it."
"This time, you can be my queen. The queen of New Orleans, there's a ring to it!"
"As alluring as it sounds to be queen, they don't need monarchs, they just need our help. Don't get too cocky" she says with a laugh.
"There's something I was planning to ask you as well. I know you want to be human more than anything in this world, so even though I may not be able to give you a human life, I wanted to offer you a human-like experience" Marcel utters, changing the subject.
"What the bloody hell are you talking about, Marcel?"
"Let's get a kid"
"Get a kid? You do know our bodies don't work right? I don't mind trying though" she says, smirking and laying her hand on his chest.
"I mean… adopt. Not that I mind your way, sounds a lot more fun" he continues her flirting.
Rebekah quickly retracts her arm from Marcel's chest and looks terrified upon hearing his words.
"I thought you wanted children… right?" he states.
"I- I do. I just- I've never thought about it. We're vampires. I mean, should- should we?" she asks startled.
"If Klaus Mikaelson of all people can raise two children, who didn't turn out so bad, I don't see why we shouldn't" he explains.
"Well, one of them didn't. And I say it's all thanks to Hayley" Rebekah jokes.
"Ha, and yet here you were, planning to marry and start a life with the other. I think we can handle this. And if not, we just compel him to forget about us and get him a new family."
"You really do love all the vampire perks, don't you" she pauses. "I can't believe we're getting married, getting a house and now getting a child-"
"Or two, three, a dozen, you name it."
"This has been my dream for the longest time, Marcel. Let's do it!" Rebekah decides, right before kissing him.
Back at the compound, after struggling to get Hope to sleep, Hayley steps out of her daughter's room and spots Elijah brooding by himself and decides to approach him.
"Hey stranger" Hayley says, with a shy smile. "I have to admit it's still weird seeing you without a suit."
"Are you implying I should keep wearing them?" Elijah questions, pretending her statement has offended him.
"Not at all. It's not as classy, but I like it. Especially the hat" she says, giggling.
"You make fun of me. You hate the hat."
"I do not hate the hat" she says laughing. "Just doesn't look like you, the old you" she continues, with a more serious tone.
"Is that a bad thing?" he wonders.
"I don't know… I know you don't remember me, but you've always meant so much to me, and to Hope… to everyone really. I would love for a new beginning between us."
"New beginnings is exactly what I'm searching for. Though not everyone seems to be taking that idea too well."
"They'll come around. I know they will. So let me start: I'm Hayley Marshall, I'm an orphan, I used to be a wolf, then a lot crazy stuff went down and I became a hybrid and a mother. What about you? Who are you, Elijah Mikaelson?"
"I guess I'm a musician. I play the piano and I did that for a living in a bar in Manosque. I lived a simple life, but I was happy. Also a vampire, one of the firsts of my kind. And from there, there's a lot to figure out."
"Well, I know who can help you with that" Hayley says, standing up, "Come on, they're waiting for you."
She guides Elijah into a room, where all his siblings are standing, waiting for him. Hayley opts not to enter and closes the door as Elijah hesitantly walks in.
"Go on, we don't bite" Rebekah states.
"What is this?" Elijah asks, confused.
"What does it look like? We're here on a quest to help our amnesia brother find himself upon seeing him struggle to find his place in the world" Kol snarks.
"Ignore him" Freya says, eye rolling, "This is probably the last time we'll all be here together for a while, we thought we could get to know each other better, if that's what you want."
"I would like that very much" Elijah agrees.
"You know it would be rather easy for you to just ask Marcel to compel you back rather than stroll down memory lane" Klaus says in a mood.
"And where's the fun in that, brother?" Rebekah questions "Plus we agreed we'd like an apology for being called cowards."
"Did we now. But have it your way. I'm sorry. I know you're not just running away. I saw how much you were struggling before, I don't wish that for you, Elijah. You seem happy now, and I'm glad for it" Klaus admits honestly.
"Now doesn't this sound like one big happy family. But don't be fooled, Elijah, this is a one-time miracle. In a thousand years this family has preferred seeing each other perish than making the smallest effort to help one another. Or maybe for you it is always this way. I wouldn't know" Kol snaps, angered and jealous by the respect and kinship shared by his siblings.
"Kol, enough!" Freya shouts.
"What, sister? Is this a lie? How many times have you all turned against each other? How many times has this family hurt the people we love that aren't a Mikaelson? Elijah may not remember, but you should, Freya" Kol keeps ranting.
"I'm sorry about Davina, Kol. I know that day I ruined any chance I ever had of having a relationship with you and I cannot explain how much I wish I could change that" Freya apologizes, tears forming in her eyes.
"But I got her back" Kol quiets down. "You and I actually have a lot in common. We were both a bit late for this family."
"Is that what this is about?" Rebekah yells, standing up. "You keep thinking, after all this time we don't consider you one of us? We've all been horrible to each other. All of us, you included! We've manipulated, hurt, lied, broken each other! But that is done now. Elijah is right, we ought to have a new beginning. You've always been a part of this family, Kol, and I love you just as much. I say it's time for a new vow, one that includes all of us. We stick together, always and forever."
Kol has settled down completely and is now left speechless and overwhelmed by his sister's words. He looks at her arm, that she has reached out in his direction. He looks at all of his siblings before tightly clutching her hand and in tears of joy and a big smile repeats her words.
"Always and forever."
Rebekah extends her right arm to Freya, who instantly accepts it, joyous, as if she'd just gotten everything she had hoped for. Klaus follows, taking her hand and looks at Elijah, still standing near the door, observing. They share an awkward stare at each other, mixed with a sense of loyalty and trust that not even the compulsion could erase. Elijah slowly walks closer to his siblings, holding Klaus' hand. On his right side, he looks at Kol, who hasn't offered to extend his hand.
"No more bad blood" Kol promises, offering his hand.
They all stand in a circle holding hands, making a renewed promise to each other.
"You see this? Tears, shouting, vows, that's pretty much all that you've missed. Here's to a thousand more years of it" Klaus tells Elijah, smirking, prompting a general laugh.
They all proceed to sit around the room and spend the night reminiscing, sharing news of their individual and collective adventures, more than reminding Elijah of his origins, they remind themselves of what family has meant and how their bond has grown over the centuries.