Chapter Twenty Five

But what about the love, what about the old obsessions
We fell in two
When they were new
What about the late out night heartfelt confessions
The things we tried
The tears we cried
Well, they seemed to hide away

-Once Upon A Time, Darren Criss

"It is official," I muttered as we, Damon, Stefan and I, walked into the house. Rolling his eyes slightly Stefan slung his arm around my shoulder to support me as I kicked off my shoes into a random corner of the room. "I hate heels. I swear that they're the spawn of the devil."

"Then why wear them?" Stefan asked, shrugging out of his suit jacket to drape it over the back of the chair.

"Rebekah." The one word was the only answer he needed and he nodded, turning away from me to fix himself a drink. As I made my way up the stairs I reached up to pull the bobby pins slowly from my hair, allowing it to fall down my back in smooth ringlets.

The doorbell rang and Damon almost instantly called out "Julietta, get the door!"

Same old Damon, centuries had passed and he was still lazy enough to order me to get something even when he was right beside it. Walking back down the stairs I headed towards the door, sticking my tongue out at Damon as I passed him, he merely raised an eyebrow in response. Opening the door I stared up at the original on the other side. What did he want?

"Aren't you going to invite me in love?" He asked, his voiced laced with amusement as Damon and Stefan appeared protectively behind me. They stood on either side of me, staring defiantly at him.

I smiled back at him. "Well if it were my decision Klaus then I would but I'm only lodging here."

"No you're not," Stefan muttered nudging me with his shoulder, his eyes never straying from Klaus' figure. "You're a permanent fixture here."

Damon's eyes narrowed slightly as Klaus met his gaze head on with a raised eyebrow. "What do you want Klaus?"

"Relax I'm only here to talk to my sister-in-law." He winked at me and I shook my head in amusement when Stefan arm wrapped around my hand and tugged me behind him, blocking my view of Klaus completely.

"Yeah no," Damon snapped. "She's not your sister-in-law or future sister-in-law so you can leave now."

"Come on mate, I just want to speak to her."

"Boys," I cut in, stopping the glaring competition that Damon was having with Klaus. "Just let him in. I mean I'm sure that he wants to tell me something important."

"Exactly," Klaus added as Damon stepped aside to allow him in.

He walked into the room and his eyes flickered between the two Salvatores who were hovering around me. Sitting down on the sofa he patted the space beside him and I made my way beside him.

"You came to talk right?" Damon asked as Stefan poured Klaus a drink and handed it to him. "So talk."

"Do you fancy leaving us alone?" Silence greeted him and he shook his head. "I thought not."

"Klaus?" I prodded, turning to face him as Stefan and Damon settled themselves across from us making sure to watch him carefully as though he would attack me. Surely they knew that he wouldn't attack me?

"How would you like the opportunity to see inside my head love?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Because my brother is an idiot who's made the decision to keep you in the dark about your own past, besides we all know that he's made the wrong decision."

"And you'd just let me into your head?" I asked quietly, setting my hands in my lap.

"No," he said grinning mischievously at me. "You'd only be allowed to see what I allow you to see."

"And what would you allow me to see?"

"How Kol reacted to your death." I sucked in a slight breath at his words, tempted to reject the idea of even looking in his mind. I didn't want to see how he acted; not when I'd heard how ruthless he became after my deaths. I didn't think I could do it; I couldn't see him like that. But it was the closest that I would get. "So what do you say?"

I nodded, not trusting my voice to agree with me. Grasping his hand in mine I waited for his consent before I began to chant under my breath. The guarded walls that he had placed meticulously around his mind fell slowly away and then I was in, watching the scene before me as though it was some tragic play.

Scanning the place around me I knew that this was the original life. This was when I had been Julietta Peaterson.

"Julietta," Kol spoke quietly, noticing how pale my former self had become. Watching him closely I stared silently ahead as Kol's fangs retracted slowly back into his mouth, one of his arms coming up to wipe the blood around his mouth with the back of his hand. He went to step towards her when she began to sway slightly on spot before she fell suddenly to the floor. He rushed towards her and gathered her quickly in his arm, cradling her head into the nape of his neck. Walking towards them, I kneeled down beside my incarnation's body, knowing that he couldn't see me, and watched as the light seemed to die out of her eyes. "Julietta!" Kol's voice was slowly becoming desperate now as he shook her.

"Kol," Elijah tried to intercede and take the girl from his brother's arms but Kol's arms tightened possessively around her. Peering down at her face Kol watched as she sucked in a deep final breath, before she stilled completely. Kol froze before setting the girl down on the cold ground beneath them. He stood stiffly as his sister crouched down instantly beside her friend, sweeping some hair out of her dead eyes. Walking towards his mother he clenched his hands into fists as I rose from the ground, following him step for step.

"What happened?" He snarled his voice now completely cold, "Why is she...why is she not like us?"

"I- I don't know Kol I swear," she tried to plead as Kol's veins rose up once again.

Turning on his heel he ran from her and his brother's followed, managing to easily catch up to him with the aid of their new speed. I stood frozen, now transported to a completely different scene.

Watching the scene before me, I stiffened as Kol crouched down beside a man. Clasping his hand around the man's neck, Kol lifted him from the ground and smirked at his fearful expression as he allowed his veins to rise up and his features to change into that of a monster. Leaning down he sunk his fangs into the man's neck, draining him dry within seconds. Throwing the body away from him he moved onto the next person without even giving the body a second glance. But I did. I followed its path and watched as the body arced through the air and fell perfectly on top of the colossal pile of bodies that he had already drained. Turning back to Kol, my eyes remained locked onto him as he drained an entire village dry before my eyes. I stood waiting for him to feel the guilt, to feel the remorse. Only he didn't. A devilish smirk crept onto his face before he ran towards the second village.

"Kol!" I called out as if to stop him and he turned around. I froze suddenly; he shouldn't have been able to see me. As three boys ran past me I realised that he hadn't heard my voice, he'd heard his brother's.

"Oh my darling brothers," Kol said grinning sadistically as he held out his arms, gesturing to the bodies surrounding him. "Have you come to join me in my fun?"

"Kol," Klaus said quietly, stepping forward slightly before pausing, his nostrils flaring at the enticing smell of the blood. He swallowed down the urge and turned to his brother, his own veins rising up under his skin. "You need to go back-"

"Now why should I do that Niklaus?" He uttered in a bored tone, allowing another body to fall gracelessly from him hands.

"You left her body Kol, Rebekah's watching over her."

Before his brother could utter another word Kol was running back but I had no clue to where. Klaus' memory jumped slightly and I found myself watching as Kol approached my incarnation's body and nudged Bekah out of the way.

"Move Bekah," he warned his voice rough as he stared down at his twin.

"No Kol!" She persisted, glaring up at him when he only raised an eyebrow in return. "She would not want to see you this way."

Kol's eyes flickered slightly under her gaze and that was when I saw it; the remorse and guilt that I had been so desperately searching for, the only proof that I needed to know that he was worth saving. His eyes hardened. "Well then I suppose that it is too bad that she cannot see me anymore."

Bekah stood stubbornly in her place as she watched Kol wipe roughly at the blood on his face. She moved slowly and he sank to the floor and gathered the body in his arms. He stared emotionlessly down at the body he looked up quickly as his mother approached him.

She spoke softly, her voice attempting to carry across just how truly apologetic she was. "Kol I swear that I wouldn't have done it if I knew. I would-"

"I'll never forgive you."

I was ripped from his memory and I gasped, looking at Klaus with wide eyes.

"What happened-"

He didn't allow me to finish my question before he grasped my hand and I was pulled back into another memory.

This one was different; I was standing in the corner of the room, watching Kol as he sat down on the side of a bed, his eyes trained on the door, completely oblivious to the fact that his brothers were standing outside the house, ready to pull him away if necessary. He was clearly waiting for someone. But who?

The door to the small cottage opened and he straightened up, clenching his hands in his lap so hard that the knuckles turned white. Kol closed his eyes to reign in his fury and I found my eyes trailing towards the door as I took in the sight of another young man. Who was he? The man stepped into the room, his shoulders tensed as though he had been expecting this.

"Why are you here?" He addressed his question towards Kol. He opened his eyes at the sound of the man's voice, a grim smile gracing his features.

"Something tells me that you are already aware of the answer to that question." The man remained standing by the door, his shoulders tensing even more with each of Kol's words. Kol looked up from his lap, freezing the man to his spot. I flinched slightly as I looked into Kol's eyes noticing the lack of emotion in them. "She's dead."

Blind fury covered the man's face as he suddenly rushed towards Kol. "I told you," he hissed, leaning over Kol as he remained sitting down, peering up unaffected into his furious face. "I told you to leave her alone. I told you that her being with you would get her killed. We both knew that you were poison to her. You should've left Julietta alone."

"Are you done?" Kol was greeted with no answer as he suddenly stood, much too quickly for the man's human eyes to pick up. Wrapping a hand around his neck, Kol slammed the man into the wall glaring into his eyes. Allowing his veins to surface he smirked at the obvious fear on the stranger's face.

"What are you?" The man said, his voice trembling but he tried his best to hide it.

Kol cocked his head to the side, smiling wide. "You're afraid," he noted, his voice ringing with amusement. "You should have been afraid when you tried to take her from me. You should have been terrified when you tried to force my ring off of her finger. But you weren't then. So, pray tell, what is the use of being petrified now?"

The man wasn't given a chance to reply as Kol brought his head forward and slammed his head down repeatedly against the wall until his blood spray across it. As the man's breathing stopped completely, I raised a shaking hand to cover my mouth unable to process what I had just witnessed. Removing his hand from his neck, Kol allowed his body to fall to the floor before stepping over his body and walking out of the room.

The scene around me changed and I found myself in a room, one that I had now identified as Kol's. The originals sat assembled around the bed where another of my incarnations laid, unmoving. The door creaked open and all heads snapped towards the door as Kol walked into the room, his bare chest on display. He walked towards the bed and I raised an eyebrow when I noticed the dirt streaking across the skin of his arms and chest.

Walking silently past his siblings he lifted the blanket off from the mattress and slipped in beside my old body.

"Kol," Elijah began tentatively, almost as though he was scared of setting him off.

Kol shook his head at him, silencing his older brother before he reached over the body and picking up her left hand. Creeping closer towards the bed I stared down at the ring that was on the hand, it was the same one that I was now wearing. Slipping it slowly off from her finger he plucked a simple chain from the table at the side of the bed. Looping the ring through the chain, he clasped it round the back of her neck. Giving the girl in his bed a final glance Kol gathered her in his arms and began to walk out of the room, his siblings following after him in silence.

He continued to walk, ignoring every question that was thrown at him before he stopped suddenly before a hole in the ground.

"She needs to be in a coffin," Finn reminded him as Kol jumped down into the hole and set the girl in the hole.

"What does it matter?" Kol's words were quiet as he hauled himself effortlessly out of the hole. "Her body will disappear and be reborn; it will not be here if we dig it up again."

They all shared a look before silently reaching down and grabbing a fistful of dirt. Moving slowly they crowded around the make shift grave and released the mud. Picking up the shovel that had been lying on a tree trunk Kol began to refill the grave as his siblings left him to have his peace.

"Niklaus," he called out, not stopping as he continued to shovel the mud pack into its place. His brother stopped as the other continued into the house.

"Yes Kol?"

He looked up then, setting the shovel down onto the ground. "Call your witch."

Klaus nodded before pausing on his way back inside his home. "Why do you need a witch Kol?"

"I need something to be made," he muttered, his hand moving to fist the chain around his neck, his thumb rubbing across the cold ring.

Nodding silently, Klaus turned and walked back inside. Kol continued with his work, his eyes remaining as they had been the entire time; lifeless.

I was taken slowly from his memory this time and I met Klaus' sad eyes.

"Klaus I'm not sure if I should-"

Sensing my doubt Stefan appeared by my shoulder. "You wanted clarity Julietta; this is the best way to get it."

Nodding at his words I let out a breath and set my palm into Klaus', meeting his gaze with a hesitant nod. His mind began to whirl, rifling for the right memory.

Once again the first thing that I saw a dead body; mine to be exact. Swallowing down the bile that rose up my throat, I turned away and watched the scene before me with curious eyes.

Kol crouched down, watching the body that was spread across the floor, wiping the remaining moisture from his eyes. Reaching forward he traced his fingers gently across her cheek. Rising to his feet he walked out of the room, slamming the door shut behind him. Silently, Klaus followed after him, taking me along with him. Kol continued to stride through the house, his strides widening until it was evident that he was barely restraining the urge to run.

Through each of the memories that I had been allowed to witness I noticed a pattern emerging. When Kol wished to run away and blow off any steam his brothers followed after him leaving Bekah alone to tend to the body. The three eldest Mikaelsons ran after their brother, slowing down slightly once they reached Kol's destination. Striding quickly up towards the door, Kol through it open as they trailed after him.

"Kol's going to kill him," Finn murmured quietly, watching the back of Kol's head through veiled eyes. "We need to stop him."

"Why do we need to stop him?" Elijah asked, taking Klaus by surprise. I raised an eyebrow but followed after them.

Watching Kol storm into a room, they trailed after him. My eyes raked over the room that we had walked into, I noticed that it was a study, probably belonging to the greying man that sat behind the desk. Turning my attention back towards Kol I watched him take in a breath to calm himself as he clenched his fists at his side before clearing his throat.

The man's head snapped up at the sound. "Ah, Mr Mikaelson," he murmured, recognition filling his eyes. "If you're here to ask for my daughter's hand then you should know that she's spoken for."

"By a brute," Kol responded as his brothers exchanged an uneasy look. To anyone that didn't know Kol that well, to the man, Kol seemed aloof and indifferent but we knew different; Kol was ready to explode. He was barely managing to restrain his anger and anything could set him off. "You've given your daughter to a man that wants nothing but to get into her bed, he'll ruin her. Julietta deserves so much better."

"Pray tell," the man leaned back in his chair. "What exactly is your definition of better? You?"

Kol shook his head, a self-depreciating smile on his face. "No. What about love?"

"Love?" The man chuckled but the sound was cold. "Love doesn't exist and those who believe it does are foolish. But do you know what does exist? Money."

"You've essentially sold your daughter to the highest bidder as if she was some sort of brood mare."

The man did nothing to deny it instead he reached a hand up to rub his jaw. "Tell me; do you know where my wayward daughter is?"

"Wayward?" Kol echoed and I tensed; he'd been pushed too far. "She was not wayward."

"Was? Past tense, Mr Mikaelson." He raised an eyebrow, waiting.

Kol snapped, baring his fangs. The man rose shakily from his seat as his hand drifted towards his waist. Before his hand could curl around his gun Kol appeared behind him, restraining his hands behind him. The man's death was swift; Kol ripped his heart out.

Drifting past his brothers Kol walked through the hallway of the home, looking for his next victim. It was obvious that the blood lust had gotten to him, especially if the bodies beneath his feet were any indication. Before he could drain another body he was tackled. Struggling blindly he looked up at Elijah and Finn as they held down his chest. He began to kick at them, prompting Klaus to hold down his legs.

"Kol," Elijah called out quietly. Kol roared and snarled, bucking violently as he struggled against his three brothers.

"Get off of me," he hissed, his veins disappearing as he spoke.

"Kol," Elijah called out. His stopped struggling completely. "This is getting out of hand; you can't drain entire towns and cities every time she dies."

"Why not?" He asked calmly, setting his head down on the floor, staring past his brothers and up into the sky. "Didn't you hear what was wrong with what you said Elijah? You said every time she dies. Meaning she dies more than once. Why does she do that to me?" Elijah fell silent. "Surely you know the answer Niklaus, being the almighty hybrid? No? Well then what about you Finn? You know for sure, being mother's favourite son, you must know what she did to her?"

The four brothers watched each other closely before Klaus slowly rose from the floor and let Kol's legs free. Following his lead Elijah and Finn stood up. Looking around the dead town Kol turned to walk back to his home at a pace that was barely human.

Walking slowly through the door to his home he walked into the room where he had left Bekah with the body. Dragging his feet across the floor with every step, he padded slowly to the room, pushing to door open and scanning the room until he noticed her lying across one of the sofas. Striding straight towards her he sat by her side. As he clutched at her shoulders I watched as the fire slowly returned to his eyes and he jerked her violently, her head lolling from side to side.

"Wake up!" He hissed, jerking her from side to side. "This isn't funny Julietta, wake up now! If you don't-"

"Kol," Bekah said gently, setting a hand on her twin's shoulder. He shrugged out of her touch.

"Look Julietta, Bekah's here," his eyes never left her face. "If you're not going to speak to me at least speak to her and I swear that I'll make up for whatever I did to you. You just need to open your eyes for me please, darling. I swear-"

"She can't hear you."Klaus added carefully.

"I swear that I need you to wake up, even if it's for five minutes and it's to hit me, just wake up!" His hands began to shake as he held her as his eyes finally left her face and scanned across the room. I felt the tears well up in my eyes as he looked pleading at his family. "Why isn't she waking up? Elijah she's always listened to you! Tell her to wake up! Please."

His voice trembled at the final word, his face crumbling. Hiding his face in her hair he stiffened slightly. Pulling away from her he let her fall gracelessly back against the seat. Rising to his feet he stared down at the body.

"I hate you," his voice wavered. "I hate you so much. You do this every single time, you leave me every time. I can't spend an eternity searching for you, only to have you disappear when I finally manage to find you. You can't do this to me! I can't spend forever without you, I can't. I can't."

His knees gave way beneath him as he fell down beside the sofa. Clasping one of her hands in his, he bent his head towards the ground and sobbed silently.

"Don't leave me alone, not again. Please."

A hand touched my shoulder and I jerked at the touch. Opening my eyes I looked up at Damon, not even realising that I had closed them. Leaning down he rubbed his thumb across my cheek. Furrowing my eyebrows I set a hand against my cheek and pulled them back, feeling moisture against my fingers. I didn't know that I had been crying.

"What the hell did you show her Klaus?" Damon demanded as I closed my eyes and leaned my head against Stefan's shoulder.

"There's just one more love." He said gently.

I shook my head adamantly, my voice weak. "No Klaus, I can't see another one. Please Klaus don't make me, I can't see him like that-"

He took my hand, his eyes full of remorse.

Kol heaved a small sigh, closing his eyes before he let out a hiss of breath. Rolling his shoulders back he stood slowly to leave the room.

"Kol," Elijah said quietly, watching his brother for some sign of pent up anger. But there was none. Kol just seemed as though he was tired.

Elijah and Klaus stood, following him to restrain him if they needed to. They continued to follow him and I raised an eyebrow as he stopped beside the liquor cabinet. Opening it he scanned each of the bottles meticulously before pulling one out and opening it. Tipping it back he allowed the liquid to pour down his throat. He continued to drink it, watching his brothers, waiting for them to intercede. But they didn't; they were too curious.

Finally allowing his lips to leave the bottle he raised it to his brothers. "Want some?" They made no move to respond and he threw it against the wall, the half empty bottle smashing into a million pieces. "Me neither."

"Kol what are you-"

Hoisting himself up onto the counter, he stared down at his brothers. "If I wanted something would you get it for me?"

"That depends-"

"On what I want right?" His voice was emotionless as he nodded to himself. "What if I asked for a white oak stake?"

"Don't be stupid Kol," Klaus hissed furiously at him. "Why would you want a white oak stake?"

"I think the answer to that is obvious Nik."

"You are not killing yourself," Elijah said firmly, glaring at his younger brother. "Be rational about it Kol."

"I thought not." Kol jumped down from the counter and turned to leave the house. "If you need me I'm going to be seeking comfort by slaughtering a few dozen mortals and then search for the stake myself." He continued to walk away and paused, almost as though it was an afterthought. "Tell Bekah not to get rid of Julietta, not yet. Just because I'm a little preoccupied this time, it doesn't mean that I'm not going to bury her myself."

As soon as the door slammed Klaus turned towards his older brother, "What do we do Elijah?"

"He's turning self disruptive," Elijah murmured quietly. "I had never imagined that he would reach this stage."

"There's one option."

"Not yet Niklaus," Elijah warned.

The scene around me jumped and I found myself watching Klaus as he sat in his study a sheet of paper before him. His hand moved across the paper in soft, small strokes as I watched him draw a familiar face onto it. His hand stilled as he finished the final stroke and Elijah walked into the room, slamming the door open.

"Brother have you never heard of knocking?"

"Not now Niklaus," he said sharply. "It's Kol."

Rising quickly to his feet Klaus folded the paper up and put it in his pocket, reaching over to pull out a dagger that had been hidden in the shelf of his desk. Leaving the room he glanced at Elijah who tapped his pocket, signalling that he had a dagger hidden in his pocket as well. I followed after them. They weren't going to dagger him were they?

"Kol!" Klaus shouted as he walked into the room, smiling at his brother. "I haven't seen you in weeks, where have you been?"

"I was visiting all of her grave sites," he mumbled raising his drink to his lips. "I thought that if I was going to turn off my emotions then I might as well visit each version of her before I end up feeling nothing for her."

"Turn off your emotions," Elijah uttered in disbelief as I felt my stomach turn at the thought of an emotionless Kol. "You can't do that?"

"Why not brother?" Elijah remained silent.

"Well before you do that Kol, why don't you join us for one last drink?" Klaus offered moving around Kol to pour two glasses.

"Where is Bekah?" Kol asked as Klaus refilled his glass.

"Out," Elijah answered dismissively. "So I take it that you've been unable to find the stakes?"

Kol shrugged as his brothers shared a glance behind his back. I watched the three of them closely. Elijah and Kol loved their brother enough to spend days on end hunting down each white oak stake and hiding them from him.

"Where are you going after this?" Klaus asked, raising his glass to his lips.

Kol shrugged, finishing his drink completely. He made a move to leave and Elijah glanced at Klaus, desperately. Klaus nodded at him before Elijah moved towards Kol and gave him a brotherly hug. Closing his eyes and letting out a deep breath Klaus hugged Kol once Elijah had let go and rammed the dagger into him.

Kol began to grey and Klaus closed his eyes, muttering an almost inaudible, "I'm sorry brother."

"How long are you going to keep him in here Klaus," Elijah asked as he set Kol down in the padded coffin.

"I don't know," he admitted, reaching into his pocket. Elijah gave Kol's body one more glance before leaving the room. Once his brother had left the room Klaus pulled his hand out of his pocket and held the picture that he had spent hours drawing between his thumb and forefinger. "I swear that I'm going to wake you up the next time I see her, I won't let you lose her again Kol." He sighed slightly. "I give you my word that no harm will befall her whilst you aren't there to defend her. I'll protect her whilst you can't. Please forgive me."

Placing the drawing in the coffin, beside Kol's hands he shut the lid on it.

I blinked slowly, watching Klaus as he sat across from me, his head bowed towards the ground.

"Klaus," I said softly, reaching for him.

"You need to leave," Stefan said firmly, glaring at Klaus. He nodded, standing up and heading for the door as Damon held it open.

"Wait Klaus." I stood quickly and walked over to him. Wrapping my arms around his torso I felt him pull me closer towards him. "I forgive you," I murmured softly to him.

"Thank you." He pulled back from me, pressing a soft kiss to my forehead before he strode past Damon. "Good night Julietta."

"Night Klaus."

Damon shut the door behind him, looking at me with raised eyebrows. "What the hell was that about? What could he have shown you in the last one that changed your mood so quickly?"

"He reminded me why Kol is worth saving," I said quietly. "He showed me that Kol deserves redemption."

"There's something else, isn't there?" Stefan asked.

I nodded. "Klaus came here seeking forgiveness from anyone that would offer it to him. That's why he came to me; he knew that out of all of his siblings I would be the first one to offer him the mercy that he desperately craved."

"His siblings?" Damon demanded and I sighed.

"You have to understand, both of you do." I ran a hand through my hair. "Before I knew either of you I knew the Mikaelsons and from the moment that I had met Klaus and became involved with Kol I became like his little sister. To him I'm his sister, whether we have a blood relation or not."

"Do you feel better? Knowing some things I mean?" Stefan moved to stand beside me as he wrapped his arm around my shoulder and squeezed me once.

"I feel like I'm getting to know who I am, better than I have ever been able to do."