I do not own TVD or TO.
Sorry for the delay everyone, but I managed to close out two stories... of course I also came up with two new ones that are now battling around in my head, so...
Miranda sat on her knees on the living room floor with a pile of crayons and a large sheet of paper that was bigger than she was. Everyone was talking around her, but she was more interested in her picture. She was drawing Ella with the pink crayon.
"It's taken you a thousand years, but you've finally done it. You've gone mad." Rebekah leaned back on the couch and rolled her eyes. "Our own mother?"
"Yes," Elijah tapped the mantel, "our beloved mother, who Niklaus has affectionately placed in a coffin in the basement… not daggered but quite dead."
"I'm truly surprised you're not suggesting the more powerful witch," Klaus scoffed.
"I would not grant Dahlia any power in death," Elijah's eyes narrowed. "We have mother, and I say that we put her to rest. If she's buried on land owned by one of her descendants, she becomes a New Orleans witch, and we, as her family, share in that ancestral magic."
"We're vampires," Rebekah heaved an exasperated sigh, "We can't practice magic or property."
"You are quite correct," Elijah nodded, "we cannot, but not all of mother's descendants are dead."
"You want Freya to get involved," Finn cocked an eyebrow, "she's still missing."
"Freya is not missing," Elijah shook his head, "I know precisely where she is. I also know she will not return in time for this. She would make it for the Harvest, but not the burial."
"I do hope you're not about to suggest Miranda gets involved in this mess," Elena crossed her arms. She didn't want those witches coming anywhere near her little girl.
"Of course not, lovely," Elijah placed his hand on her back. "Once we've buried mother the magic can be channeled from us to Sophie Devereux. We would act as conduits. Miranda would only have to stand in the cemetery for the ritual. And as far as owning property is concerned…"
Elijah stepped away from Elena and picked up the envelope he had carried inside with him from the car.
"The parish Tax Assessor's office is just steps outside of the Quarter." He pulled an official looking paper from the file. "Freya now holds the title to the plantation."
"If we bury mother out there and consecrate the grounds," Kol looked up from where he was holding the page steady, "we can finish the Harvest."
Klaus smirked and shook his head. "You're a bit of a mad genius, Elijah. Count me in."
Rebekah looked between her brothers who had very quickly gotten on the same page.
"Am I the only actually thinking? Were you all born without bloody brains?" She paled when Elena hit her with a glare. "Sorry Elena, but mother was one of the most powerful witches in history; second only to her sister. If we bury her we are handing that power over to our enemies to use against us."
"Given our current circumstances, I hardly see that we have a choice," Elijah exhaled slowly.
"I don't know why I bother," Rebekah crossed her arms and flopped back on the couch, "you'll just do what you want anyway."
"No," Elijah shook his head. He frowned when Miranda dropped her crayon and walked over to wrap her arms around his leg. "Our decision must be unanimous."
"This isn't a bloody democracy," Klaus hissed.
"Klaus…" Elena threw up her hands in exasperation. "I don't know why I bother."
A line appeared between Elena's brows when a chill raced down her spine.
"I don't either," Elijah bent and pulled Miranda into his arms, "but he is right. It's not a democracy; this is family."
Miranda buried her head in Daddy's neck and whimpered. The hands had come back to push and pull. And now she was cold. Really cold. She felt like she'd taken a bath but hadn't dried off after. Mama or Daddy always dried her with a big fluffy towel. She wanted the big fluffy towel.
Elijah and Elena spun towards the window when a heavy rainstorm hit the glass.
"Water," he sighed, "the next sign's begun; Rebekah?"
Rebekah leaned forward, stared out the window and raked her hands through her hair. "Kill a demon today, face the devil tomorrow." She sighed and nodded. "Count me in."
"Kol? Finn?" Elijah turned to his brothers who were still on the floor picking up crayons. Both nodded their assent. "I called Freya on the way over here and she agreed as well."
"Where is our darling elder sister?" Klaus tilted his head.
"I sent her on an errand with Jeremy," Elijah replaced the deed when Elena held open the envelope. It was a rather difficult task with Miranda monopolizing his arms. He frowned when he felt the first violent shiver. "Kol, pass me her blanket."
Kol grabbed the fuzzy purple blanket and tossed it to his brother.
"The family reunion is incomplete without our mother," Klaus smirked, "I'll go and fetch her."
Elijah wrapped the blanket around Miranda and turned to Elena.
"There's one more thing," he held Miranda tightly.
"Beyond standing in a cemetery?" Elena's eyes narrowed. She pressed her palm to Miranda's brow when she shivered again.
"Yes," Elijah caught her hand. "In order for the ground to be consecrated it requires blood."
"How much?" Elena closed her eyes to ward off the swirling anxiety. Why was it always blood?
"A few drops," he patted his jacket pocket. "Freya left a few behind in case of emergency." He brought his hand back to Miranda when she shivered again. "What's wrong sweetheart?"
"She just found out she has to give blood," Elena rolled her eyes. She followed Elijah out into the hall. "Where did you send Freya and Jeremy?"
"On the jet to Mystic Falls," Elijah swayed slightly to calm Miranda whose body had grown tense. "I've no intention of sending Davina to the slaughter; no matter what Marcel believes."
Elena's eyes narrowed before growing round. She had been wracking her mind all day for a reason why Elijah had agreed to the Harvest and been coming up empty, but now it made sense. There was something in Mystic Falls that would help. Something he had brought once to help her.
Miranda clung to Elena's neck. Every few minutes she would peer out through the rain to the glossy wooden coffin.
"Hello, sweetheart," Rebekah appeared on Elena's other side and bent under Elijah's umbrella to press a kiss to Miranda's cheek.
"Did you find them?" Klaus tipped his umbrella back to peer through the pouring rain.
Rebekah nodded.
"Are you ready to do this?" Kieran's eyes flickered over the assembled family.
"Always and forever," Klaus huffed. He pulled a dagger from his pocket and was about to slice into his palm when Elena held out her hand.
"Let's get this one over with," she took the knife. Passing the blade to Elijah she took the handle of the umbrella and pressed Miranda's face into her neck so she wouldn't see.
Elijah paused when Kieran cleared his throat.
"Perhaps I should do that," he held out his hand for the knife, "as the only person who is not a trusted adult in this child's life."
Elijah relinquished the hold he had on the dagger. His heart clenched painfully when his daughter shrieked and began to sob. He quickly sliced into his own palm and allowed the blood to drip onto the grave before wiping his hand clean and pulling Elena and Miranda into his chest.
"Shh, sweetheart," Elijah kissed Miranda's hair, "it's alright."
Miranda sniffled and twisted around. The dark veins under her eyes writhed wildly. She turned back around when the tall man took the sharp knife from Uncle Nik and dropped it into the big hole in the ground.
Tears streaked down Davina's face to mix with the water that had completely soaked through her clothes. She inhaled slowly and exhaled. Determination washed over her even as she trembled with fear.
"It's okay," she blinked up at Marcel.
"No," he tightened his hold on her frail body, "I failed you."
"No you didn't," she shook her head; "I'm going to die no matter what. The only question is whether I take everyone with me." She swallowed and released a shaky breath. "If you look at it that way, it's kind of selfish of me not to do it."
Marcel shook his head. He couldn't watch her die. He wouldn't watch her die. He might have lost sight of it at times, but Davina was his family.
"This is not how it ends, D," Marcel's eyes shimmered.
"It's okay," she managed a weak smile. "I had a lot. I had Monique, and I had Tim, and I had someone who fought for me from the moment they met me."
"Davina," Marcel blinked back his tears.
"Most people don't get that even if they live to be a hundred," she sat up slowly, "I'm ready. I've had a lot."
Marcel helped her to her feet and froze when the quick steps of two people hurried through the warehouse. He spun on his heel and crouched ready for a fight only to tilt his head when the duo emerged.
"I'd rethink fighting me Marcel. You might be able to kill me, but I come with a pretty nifty little curse that only plagues vampires."
"She'll sleep tomorrow," Kol watched his niece. Her eyes were heavy and drooping where she lay on Elijah's chest.
"She'd be sleeping now," Elena reached into her jacket.
"Ella?" Miranda reached for the vibrating cell phone. She tapped the screen with a sleepy frown.
Elena put the phone back into her pocket and lifted the rain cover on the stroller so Elijah could lay Miranda down. He took the umbrella from her and held it to block the worst of the rain.
Miranda rolled over and hugged Ella to her. She yawned and snuggled under the warm blanket Mama covered her with.
Elena was still crouching by the stroller when her daughter's eyes popped open.
Miranda whimpered. The hands had come back. They were covering her this time, and it was too warm. She kicked off her blanket and reached for Mama.
Elena's eyes were round. Miranda's cheek was pressed to her neck. A fever raced through the child's small body.
"She's burning up," Elena looked over her shoulder.
Elijah steadied the umbrella and knelt down. With his free hand he felt Miranda's flushed face.
The flickering torches blazed higher than normal as flames erupted in the distance by the entrance to the cemetery.
"Fire," Sophie shivered. The rain had plastered her hair and clothes to her skin.
A hush fell over the assembly. The only noise was a combination of crackling flames and Miranda's whimpers. After a moment a third sound reached them. Heavy footsteps proceeded Marcel's arrival; flames licked at his heels.
Sophie straightened her spine and drew in a deep breath. Extending her arm so the ceremonial blade was over the flames of a torch she sighed and headed towards Davina.
"Do you believe in the Harvest?" Water poured in rivulets down her face making her mascara run in streaks.
Elena held her breath. Her phone seemed to burn a whole in her pocket when Davina nodded nervously.
"I believe," Davina's voice faded to a gasp as the blade drew across her throat. She grabbed at her neck and collapsed back into Marcel's arms.
Marcel lowered her to the ground.
Elijah closed the umbrella as the rain stopped. He couldn't tear his eyes away from the scene.
Miranda squirmed until Mama sat her lightly on her feet and held her sides. Davina had stopped moving, and the hands had stopped holding her to tight. She blinked sleepily and watched Davina's skin glow. The gold dripped from her still fingers into the ground.
"After the Harvest comes the Reaping," Sophie intoned in her firmest voice, "their sacrifices made and accepted. We call upon our Elders to resurrect the chosen ones."
Elijah cast an uneasy glance towards Davina; Elena worried her bottom lip. Something should have happened by now. Sophie had made it sound like everything would be instantaneous. The girls might not have woken immediately, but their hearts would have begun beating again.
"We call upon our Elders to resurrect the chosen ones," Sophie's eyes narrowed. Her insides began to shake violently. Tears welled in her dark eyes. "Resurrect your chosen ones…" Monique was perfectly still, "… please?"
"No," Sophie released a shaking breath. She fell to her knees and released a heart wrenching sob.
Elena's heart plummeted. She caught sight of Marcel speeding away after giving Klaus a look of pure hatred while she fumbled for her phone; she wasn't sure whether to be relieved or not at the text she found.
Keeping one hand on Miranda she tilted the phone up for Elijah to see. Klaus took a final look at Davina before off.
Miranda broke out of Elena's grip and toddled over to the crying woman. She tilted her head and blinked before reaching over the top of the alter and patting Davina's hand.
"Up?" The veins under her eyes wriggled.
"She's not getting up," Sophie snapped.
Elijah hung the umbrella from the stroller and strode over to Miranda. Tears welled in the toddlers luminous eyes. He attempted to lift her only to have her pitch forward over Davina's body.
"Up," she shook Davina's arm.
Elijah's eyes narrowed when he pulled Miranda up. Relief flooded his chest; he was the first to catch the speeding heart.
Elena was across the space in the blink of an eye pulling the gasping girl into her arms.
Marcel had broken when she didn't rise back up. He hadn't meant to do it, but he had actually placed hope in the last minute solution.
"Elena?" She pulled back a bit and looked around. Almost everyone remained in the cemetery, but something felt different.
"Hi," Elena brushed Davina's hair back from her face. She pulled some wipes from her pocket and washed away the streaks of blood still clinging to her neck.
"How do you feel?" Elijah placed Miranda on his lap and sat on the edge of the alter. He wrapped an arm around her shaking shoulders.
"Cold," she managed a small smile for Miranda, "and tired. I'm so tired…"
Sophie had jumped to her feet when Davina sat up and rushed around to Monique. She pressed her fingers to her niece's neck and frowned.
"Why isn't she waking up?" Sophie's voice was raw. She blinked back her new tears. "Why isn't she waking up? Davina woke up… Monique…" she cupped the girl's cold cheeks, "Monique…"
"I'm sorry Miss Deveraux," Elijah handed Miranda to Elena and stood up. He shrugged off his warm jacket and draped it over Davina's shoulders.
"I took an elixir, Sophie," Davina held the wool jacket closed. Her heart stuttered at the sight of her dead friends. She stood and stumbled on her shaking legs.
Kol came to a sudden stop in the courtyard and adjusted the weight in his arms. The balcony rails had been broken in several places. The furniture was in disarray and splintered against the walls.
"What the bloody hell happened here?"
Marcel and Klaus spun around to face him. Their eyes grew round when they saw Kol's burden.
"Sonofabitch," Marcel breathed. He flashed across the courtyard and lifted Davina from the younger Mikaelson's arms. "The damn thing actually worked."
Davina hummed and turned her face into Marcel's chest.
Perhaps she was a sucker for punishment. She could think of no other reason why she had chosen to return to the compound with Elena and Elijah. He had not said a word to her since that morning; it was slowly driving her crazy. She hated being frozen out.
"This family gets more complicated by the second," she looked from face to face. The church was crawling with werewolves. They were the last of Klaus' clan; her unborn child's clan.
"Listen, Hayley," Klaus took her elbow gently in his hand, "a word of advice when dealing with Elijah? Don't do as I do; just apologize. He's accomplished in many things, but he is a master of forgiveness. You'd be shocked by some of the betrayal's he and Elena have committed against each other."
Hayley watched as Elena bent and adjusted the blanket over the sleeping toddler. Elena was his soulmate. Elena was the mother of his child. It was unlikely he'd ever stay mad at her for anything, but maybe she always apologized.
"Are you ready to forgive me yet?" Hayley broke the silence that they had been walking in. It wasn't an apology, but she had never been the type to say 'I'm sorry' for anything.
"It's not that easy, Hayley," Elijah sighed.
"I was wrong to go through your journals, I was wrong to tell Sophie about Celeste, but after everything that happened today, I don't know why you can't see past this." Hayley crossed her arms. One day she would really have to work on her apologies, but those three words were so hard for her to say.
"Hayley," he gritted his teeth, "you read my journals, and you knew what she meant to me." He breathed deeply and swallowed his anger. "Do you have any idea how rare love is? I have lived over a thousand years, and I have found it twice; when I have I have honoured it."
Hayley stood her ground in the face of his flashing eyes.
"I know what a promise means to you," she shook her head, "but you made it two hundred years ago. I live in the now Elijah. If I feel something, I act. If I want something, I take it. Sophie said she would help my family, so I did what she wanted. If it comes down to a decision between the living and the dead I will always choose the living."
Hayley sighed and turned away.
Elijah watched her walk off with narrowed eyes. Slim fingers slid into his hand and drew his eyes downwards.
"Just so were clear," Elena rubbed his knuckles with her thumb, "I'm one of the two, right?"
"You are the 'one', lovely," Elijah lifted their joined hands and kissed her knuckles. "Come on," he reached out and took the handle of the stroller, "it's high time the other 'one' was in her bed."
Elena smiled and walked with him through the empty streets.
"Uncle K," Cami didn't spare the bodies in the sanctuary more than a cursory glance.
"Cami," Kieran breathed. The last thing he had been expecting was for her to return to the church. She had made it very clear she wanted nothing to do with him.
He stepped towards her hesitantly and took her arms.
"Somethings wrong with me," she shivered. Every part of her body ached; it had been a chore to drag herself from the apartment to the church. "I think I'm dying."
Kieran pulled her into his arms and lowered her into the nearest pew before reaching for his cell phone.
"The Elders lied then?" Rebekah pushed her hair back from her face.
"So it would seem," Kol nodded. "Davina survived because of Elijah's elixir, but she's powerless."
"The whole thing was doomed from the start, you know?" Klaus stared into his glass. "We saved the city, and I'm not complaining about the witches losing their power, but this did not go down the way I thought it would." He turned to Rebekah and smiled. "You were quite resourceful today. How did you find them at the docks?"
Rebekah smirked and cocked an eyebrow. "You're not the only one with clever little spies in the Quarter, Nik."
"Sometimes I think I don't give you your due, little sister," Klaus chuckled.
"There's one thing I don't understand," Kol tapped the arm of his club chair. He could hear Davina's sleeping heart above them. "Four girls were supposed to rise from the ritual, and if we're getting technical none of them did."
"What's your point, Kol?" Klaus sighed.
"My point is: where did all of that power go? Power like that doesn't just disappear."
"Hello?" Elijah paused and extracted his vibrating cell phone from his pocket. "Father Kieran?"
"Something's wrong with Camille. Can you come to the church?"
"Cami?" Elena breathed. "Cami died yesterday… at the church. Kol tried to…"
"I'll take her home," Elena nodded when he turned to her. "I'll see you there." Stretching up she pressed a kiss to his cheek.
Sabine lifted the poppet she had been working with earlier and drew a knife across its throat. Blood poured out from the cut into a goblet holding her earlier potion.
Lifting the goblet she downed the contents and smirked. Power flowed through her veins.
Out in the cemetery three people rose from their graves. By the time Sabine made it to the front gates they were their waiting.
"Sabine!" Bastianna gasped and took a step back. "What is the meaning of this?"
"Bastianna," she chuckled, "I've had to endure people calling me Sabine for almost a year now." She smiled cheekily at the three she had handpicked for her mission. "I'd appreciate it if you'd call me by my real name… Celeste."
"What seems to be the problem, Kieran?" Elijah stepped into the priest's office and froze.
Camille O'Connell was lying on the couch barely moving. He could hardly hear her heart beating.
"She came in," Kieran pressed his hand to her cold brow, "and said she was dying. I didn't think the hospital would be able to help her."
"Look at me, Cami," Elijah knelt in front of her and caught her chin. He peered into her clouded eyes. He found what he was looking for after a moment and sighed; her scent only confirmed what Elena had said. "I'm given to understand you know about vampires, Cami."
"Yes," she grimaced.
"Good," Elijah nodded, "because you are in transition."
"What?" Kieran rocked back on his heels.
"She's in transition," Elijah repeated, "and rather far into the process. I'd say she has half an hour at most."
"Until what?" Cami pushed herself up onto her elbow. Her internal organs felt like jelly.
"Until you die."
"Way to break it to me gently," Cami rolled her eyes.
"Terribly sorry, Cami, but it appears the time for gentle has passed you by," Elijah sighed.
"I don't understand," Kieran shook his head, "she would have had to die with a vampire's blood in her system."
"She did," Elijah stood up. "Yesterday Camille was present during an attack meant for Davina. My fiancée and younger brother were here at the time. He tried to save her life, but her heart had stopped."
"If my heart stopped how am I still breathing," Cami coughed.
"You are in transition, Camille," Elijah reiterated. "You're becoming a vampire… if you choose to drink human blood and complete the process."
"And if choose not to?" Cami blinked.
"You'll die," Elijah straightened his spine, "permanently this time. You haven't much time to make a decision."
"Cami?" Kieran looked at her.
Cami worried her bottom lip. It was hard to look her uncle in the eyes. Had it really only been yesterday that she had called him a monster? She didn't have to look to know he was watching her with an expression of sorrow; she didn't have to see the haunted look in his eyes. It was the same one he had worn after losing Sean.
Her heart clenched painfully. She couldn't leave him like this.
The moment Cami nodded Kieran snagged a letter opener from his desk and cut open his wrist.
"I'll inform Freya and Kol," Elijah nodded when she released her uncle and felt her extended canines.
"Why?" Cami blinked quickly. She tried not to look at the blood still flowing from his wrist.
"Kol is many things Camille," Elijah sighed, "but he has never once abandoned a vampire he sired. He'll help you transition."
"And your sister?" Cami frowned.
"As one of the only witches in the city who can still access magic, Freya will make you a daylight ring," Elijah nodded. "In the meantime; if you feel an overwhelming desire for blood, try food. It can help curb the cravings."
Elena clipped the video monitor to her hip and gently closed the door to the nursery. She was mentally and physically exhausted; all she wanted was to crawl into bed and curl up next to Elijah when he joined her, but she still had two more stops before she could think about sleep.
Her feet traveled the length of the compound until she came to the first room. Rapping on the door lightly she stepped inside and smiled.
"How's she doing?" Elena adjusted the blanket so Davina was tucked in.
"She hasn't woken up," Marcel sighed. He had been sitting at her bedside since he'd placed her in her bed.
"She was exhausted," Elena smoothed the girl's hair back, "Elijah gave her his coat and she pretty much collapsed."
"That's what Kol said," he rubbed his jaw and gave Elena a sideways look. "That elixir," he swallowed, "it was made for you?"
"It was made for Katherine," Elena shook her head, "it was offered to me, and if my ex-boyfriend's brother hadn't gotten in the way I would have used it."
"That's strange," Marcel sighed, "Jeremy and Freya said he had it made for you. Freya said the potion couldn't have been more than a few years old."
Elena blinked and tilted her head.
"All that matters is that it existed," she sighed, "and it saved her life tonight."
"We'll have to see how she feels when she wakes up," he inhaled slowly. "She always said she wanted to be normal."
"Dreams and reality," Elena nodded. She stood to leave and paused at the door. "Let me know if she needs anything."
"I will," Marcel looked back at her before getting comfortable in his chair.
Elena sighed and knocked on a closed door. She twisted the knob when a soft voice told her to come in.
"Is he going to be mad at me forever?" Hayley didn't wait for her to speak. "He's certainly got the time for it."
"I believe you're thinking of Klaus and Rebekah," Elena crossed her arms, "those two can hold a grudge. Elijah is a master of forgiveness, though."
"That's what Klaus said," Hayley crossed her arms and leaned back against the headboard. "Doesn't seem to be forgiving me though."
"You might have tried saying 'I'm sorry'," Elena peeked at the monitor on her hip when Miranda stirred, "it's not enough to admit you've done something wrong. It's one thing to recognize the action as wrong; it's another to show contrition."
"I'm not sorry I did it, Elena," Hayley sighed, "I'm sorry I hurt him, and I'm sorry he's mad, but I would do it again for my family."
"That's the thing though," Elena's eyes narrowed, "we are your family. That baby you're carrying makes you family, Hayley. That's not to say you don't have more out there in the Bayou, but you need to recognize that we are your family too. You're not alone in the world anymore."
"I've never had a real family," Hayley shook her head, "Sophie offered to reunite me with mine; what was I supposed to do?"
"The same thing we all do," Elena met Hayley's eyes. "You turn to the family you do have. The family that consists of the oldest vampire's in history and one of the strongest witches the world's ever seen."
She was half asleep when the door opened. Rolling over she adjusted the pillow under her head and let her eyes flutter open.
Elijah tilted the monitor up while loosening his tie. Miranda's chest rose and fell with deep even breaths. He lowered the screen and began unbuttoning his crisp white shirt. He caught Elena's gaze from the corner of his eye.
"You're staring," his soft material slid from his arms. He slipped off his shoes and draped the shirt over the arm of a chair.
"It's an excellent view," she hummed.
The muscles in his back shifted when he unfastened his belt. He was reaching into the dresser for a pair of pajama pants when he froze.
"You had the elixir made for me," she pushed herself up and hooked her elbows around her raised knees.
"I did," he closed the dresser drawer. With the pajamas in hand he took a seat beside her.
"Why didn't you tell me?" She tilted her head and searched his eyes.
"You'd made it clear you weren't going to run," he exhaled slowly, "and at the time I wasn't sure why I did it; all I knew was that I couldn't let you die, and you had no desire to be a vampire, so that left only one option."
"Magical intervention," Elena sighed. "You could have told me."
"I know that now," his knuckle grazed her cheekbone, "I didn't know it then, and I definitely didn't want to complicate your already chaotic love life. Besides…" he trailed off and smiled when a soft sneeze came through the monitor, "… I think things turned out pretty well, and that is the only lie I've ever told you."
"Just don't lie to me again," she sat up and kissed him softly.
"You have my word," his hand slid into her hair and kissed her again.
She sighed into his mouth. Leaning back she pulled him to hover over her without breaking contact. Long kisses were exchanged while hands began wandering.
"That deal goes both ways, you know?" He broke away to draw in a jagged breath.
Hooking her thigh over his waist she rolled him onto his back so they were tangled in bedsheets. Her eyes glittered when she raked her hand back through her hair and moved it to one side.
"I know."
Anyone here reading Tabula Rasa? I realized the other day that by making Elijah a doppelganger I've opened a door for a potential cameo/crossover. It wouldn't be long, but I think it would be fun.