Bring Me To Life
Sometimes Reality Is Better Than Dreams:
"When everything goes to hell, the people who stand by you without flinching – they are your family." ― Jim Butcher
'I've got sunshine on a cloudy day; When it's cold outside I've got the month of May; I guess you'd say; What can make me feel this way?; My girl (my girl, my girl); Talkin' 'bout my girl (my girl)', the music played from the cell phone that was sitting on the bedside table, loud enough to wake the inhabitant of the bedroom.
Imogen groaned out loud in protest as the sound woke her from a dreamless sleep and she scrunched her face up slightly without opening her eyes as she blindly fumbled for her phone with one hand. Her fingers curled around the device as she rolled over onto her back with an incoherent grumble, recognising the song that she had programed to play whenever Davina called and she squinted through the narrow eyes as she hit the answer button on the screen.
"Hello?" she asked in croaky voice as she held the phone up to her ear, using her free hand to rub her eyes and she grimaced at the sound of her own voice before clearing her throat in the hope of regaining some normality.
"Where are you? You were meant to meet me and Josh for breakfast fifteen minutes ago. Did Klaus do something? Do you need help? Oh, God, you probably can't answer because he can hear you. Okay, if you need help…cough." Davina rambled in a rush without taking a breath and Imogen frowned in confusion as she tried to keep up with the conversation in her tired state of mind. She pushed herself up on her elbows as she looked around, trying to clear the fogginess from her head and she noted with a hint of disappointment that Elijah was nowhere in sight nor was there any sign that he had been. A part of her was positive that the night before had been a dream but there was a pleasant ache between her legs that proved her wrong and she flopped back down on the pillow with a giddy grin stretching across her lips as the memories of the night came to the forefront of her mind.
"What? No. I overslept. Calm down. No more coffee for you."
"Oh."
"You sound almost disappointed, Pix. Listen, are you still at the café?" Imogen asked her sister in a patient tone as she sat up in bed, looking down at the men's button-up shirt she was wearing and fidgeting with one of the buttons absently. She bit her lower lip as she glanced around the empty room, no evidence of the night before except for the shirt that Elijah had been wearing that now dawned her otherwise naked body.
"Yeah, we were waiting for you but when you didn't show we panicked." Davina explained in an almost accusing tone of voice but Imogen could practically hear the smile in her voice now that she knew her was save.
"She panicked! I was the very definition of 'cool'!" Josh interjected faintly from the other side of the phone call, obviously overhearing the conversation between the sisters and Imogen chuckled in amusement as she swung her legs over the side of the bed.
"I'll be there in ten minutes. Order for me?" Imogen asked hopefully as she stood up from the bed with a smile playing on her lips, enjoying the playful banter between her sister and man she thought of as a brother.
"Fine, but hurry up!" Davina ordered in a mock-serious tone before laughing at something Josh had said and Imogen couldn't help grinning at the sound that was so infrequent since she had come back to life as she hung up the phone. She placed the device down on the bedside table before she stretched her arms over her over with a yawn, the hem of the oversize shirt rising in the process. She hummed to herself in satisfaction when her muscles ached slightly and she dropped her arms as she strolled over to the antique dresser to the side of the room.
It crossed her mind to be grateful that she had had the forethought to bring a selection of clothing to the Abattoir when she had taken over the bedroom and she pulled out a pair of red lace panties from one of the drawers with a faint smile imprinted on her lips. She tried to stop smiling, afraid that she would appear crazy if anyone saw the massive grin she wore but the corners of her lips kept turning up despite herself. She slipped on the panties before making her way over to the armoire where she kept her clothes and she began searching for an outfit to wear that matched her joyful mood.
She was startled out of her deliriously happy thoughts when she heard the bedroom door opening behind her and she spun around with a frown, poised to defend herself if necessary but then relaxed at the sight in front of her. Elijah stood in the doorframe in a charcoal grey suit pants and a white button up undershirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, carrying in his hands a tray with what appeared to be breakfast. The scent of coffee and waffles wafted through the room as Imogen gasped in surprise at the gesture, sucking her lower lip into her mouth to hide the beaming smile that threatened to spread across her lips.
"What's this?" she asked happily as she practically skipped towards him, feeling like she was floating on a cloud and he turned his head towards her with a crooked grin as his gaze skirted over her exposed legs before returning to her face.
"It was supposed to be breakfast in bed, but it appears you've managed to thwarted my dastardly plans." he answered teasingly as he quirked an eyebrow at her in silent disapproval and she smiled cheekily as she stood up on her tiptoes, carefully avoiding the tray in his hands to press a chaste kiss to his lips.
Imogen glanced down at the lightly toasted waffles, sliced banana and strawberries to the side, a pouring jug full of maple syrup, a small bowl with hand whipped cream and a mug of coffee sitting next to the plate. Her mouth watered at the delicious smell coming from the food as she picked up the coffee cup and almost moaned as she sipped the bittersweet liquid, slightly surprised that it was made exactly how she liked it.
"Mm, perfect. Thank you." she told him gratefully as she smiled at him, watching as he set the tray down on the bedside table and she took another sip of her coffee as she strolled over to place the cup down next to it. The warmth of Elijah's presence next to her caused her skin to tingle as she turned around face him and draped her arms around his neck, her fingers playing with the hair at the nape of his neck. He wrapped his arms around her waist as he gently pulled her body closer until there was no space between them and she giggled uncharacteristically, looking up at him with a shy smile on her lips as she whispered, "Hi."
"Hello." he murmured in returned as he searched her features for any sign that she regretted their night together but he was pleased to note that her blue eyes were shining brightly with happiness.
Imogen stood up on her toes as she brought his lips down to meet hers in a passionate but loving kiss and she internally marvelled at the simplicity of the action, of the entire situation given how guarded both of them were. Other men had attempted to woo her with romantic gestures, showered her with gifts and compliments, but none of them had come closer to breaking through the protective barrier that had built up over the years of broken trust and abuse. She felt no shame in admitting that most of her sexual encounters were one night stands that were diluted by alcohol or brief flings between two consenting parties that were immediately put to an end if her partner expressed any further interest.
As clichéd as it was, Imogen felt like she was a new person; colours were brighter, noises were louder, her skin was tingling with anticipation, for what she wasn't sure but whatever it was, she was ready. The relationship between her and Elijah was different in every conceivable way. He was different in every conceivable way. It was like she hadn't known true happiness until she met him, until he unknowingly showed her another way to live. With the right person, you didn't have to work to be happy, it just happened effortlessly.
The witch moaned a little in the back of her throat as she pulled back from the kiss, dropping back down on her feet with a genuine smile playing on her lips and she shook her head a little in disbelief that she could experience that kind of happiness. She was starting to consider that maybe she wasn't meant to be happy, that she was just meant to survive in the world, maybe it was her role to make sure everyone else around her got their happily ever after.
Contentment coursed through her body as she leaned into him for a moment before swaying backwards so their bodies weren't touching and she tilted her head to the side with a slight pout as she said apologetically, "The food looks and smells delicious, but unfortunately, I have to go meet Davina and Josh for breakfast down the street."
"I understand. You haven't seen them in a while." he replied in an understanding tone of voice with a hint of disappointment but the crooked upturn of his lips was nothing less than sincere. The fact that he was so accepting sent a wave of affection through her as she offered him a beaming smile and she shivered when his hand slipped underneath the dress shirt she was wearing, grazing the back of her bare thigh almost teasingly.
Imogen sucked in a sharp breath as she reluctantly removed herself from his arms while shaking her head and he pouted playfully in her direction while she avoided his attempts to grab her around the waist. She planted her hands on her hips as she tilted her head to the side with a quirked eyebrow and she gave him a look of bemused disapproval as she scolded him in a playful tone, "Nope. I need to get ready. I'm already running late because I overslept. Someone, not naming names, but someone kept me awake last night, and then when I finally got to sleep, that same someone, still not naming names, woke me up…twice."
A roguish grin spread across his lips, not apologetic in the least as he sat down on the edge of the bed and watched as she took another sip of her coffee with a satisfied moan. He shifted his positon slightly when he felt himself harden, the quiet noise bringing back memories of the night before when she was making the same glorious sound for another reason entirely. It certainly didn't help matters when she strolled over to the armoire and the hem of his dress shirt from the night before swayed against her bare thighs tauntingly, daring him to remove it from obstructing the view.
"So, what your plans for the day?" she asked him idly as she searched through the closet for an acceptable outfit, sending him a brief smile over her shoulder and he watched her movements with a fond expression.
"It seems my brother has sent Jackson and one of his pack members to retrieve the black kyanite gemstones. Once they return we can move forward with our plan to spell the moonlight rings." he informed her with a forced sense of levity as he rolled his eyes subtly at his brother's tyrannical demands. She frowned when she heard the undercurrent of annoyance in his voice as she turned around to face him, one hand resting on the armoire and the other poised on her hip. He shook his head slightly, as though he was trying to rid himself of the dark thoughts that had crossed his mind and she slowly made her way towards him with a concerned expression as she came to a stop in between his legs. She rested one hand on his shoulder as she used the other hand to tilt his face upwards so he was forced to meet her eyes and she quirked an eyebrow in silent demand that he tell her what was going through his mind. He sighed heavily as his shoulders slumped in defeat and he looked away from her face for a moment before turning back as he told her solemnly, "I believe Niklaus has more diabolical intentions when it comes to the moonlight rings. I do not believe he wishes to solely alleviate the wolves from the torment of turning every full moon. Nothing he does is purely selfless, there has to be something more he's holding back."
"Do you believe the wolves deserve the moonlight rings?" she asked him in a serious tone of voice as she soothed her thumb over his cheekbone and he blinked in surprise, like he hadn't really considered his opinion on the matter important.
"Yes. I do." he answered truthfully after a moment of contemplation as he nodded his head once and he felt a warmth in his chest when she grinned brightly in response, like she was pleased with his answer.
"Then go with the flow, for now at least. Genevieve and I will work together to spell the rings, freeing the wolves from the full moon, and then once it's done, we'll worry about whatever nefarious plan Klaus has concocted in that diabolical mind of his. Okay?"
Elijah couldn't contain the grin that spread across his lips when he heard the word 'we' coming from her mouth, a kind of primal satisfaction roared in life inside of him and for a moment, he was tempted to throw her over his shoulder and keep her locked in the bedroom with him for the rest of the day. But he had responsibilities that required his attention, and she had familial obligations that she wouldn't overlook for something so frivolous. It was one of the unspoken mutual agreements that they had based their relationship on; family was their number one priority, no matter what.
Imogen leaned down to graze her lips across his cheek before doing the same to the opposite side and then finally melding their lips together in a brief but passionate kiss. The moment he started to respond to the kiss, attempting to grab hold of her hips, she danced back out of his reach with a laugh and grinned brightly as she practically skipped back over to the abattoir. There was something remarkable about the way she could simultaneously be wise beyond years and display the childlike innocence of someone who hadn't seen the death and destruction she had in her life.
Modesty wasn't something that really bothered Imogen, at least not in the presence of people she was comfortable with, and so she didn't have any qualms about stripping out of the dress shirt she wore once she found a suitable outfit. The corners of her lips turned up in satisfaction and pleasure when she heard Elijah clear his throat discreetly behind her and she could feel his intense gaze searing into her back as she slipped a mustard yellow dress with a black pattern over her head. She strolled over to the full length mirror, regarding her reflection critically as she straightened the top of her dress and she was gratefully that she didn't need to wear a bra with the outfit. She hummed happily as she picked up a hairbrush from the top of her dresser and ran it through her naturally wavy brunette hair so that it laid in loose curls around her shoulders. She took a seat in front of the vanity table and started to expertly apply her make up for the day, not going overbroad because it was only brunch. She caught Elijah's gaze in the reflection of the mirror and couldn't help but smile at the enraptured expression he wore, like he hadn't even noticed that he was watching her do something as simple as applying her makeup for the day.
Imogen stood up from the seat, causing him to blink as though he had just awaken from a dream and she chuckled softly as she bent over to grab a pair of black heels from beside the armoire. He glared at her playfully as she carried her shoes towards him and sat down on the bed beside him as his expression softened into one of obvious affection. He picked up her cooling coffee mug from the bedside table as she slipped on her shoes while humming absently to herself and he smiled slightly at the sound, marvelling at how the small action sent a flush of warmth through him.
The two of them didn't need words, they didn't need to speak and Imogen was slightly in awe of how comfortable she was around him. She had heard rumours about him, of course. The noble Original; handsome and moral, always kept his word but a master at finding loopholes. He was a mystery, an enigma she never thought she would meet but now, she was finding it difficult to imagine a life without his presence.
A grateful smile touched her lips as she accepted the cup he handed her once she was finished and she stood up from the bed as she drank the lukewarm coffee. She hummed in contentment as she swallowed the last of the bitter liquid and placed the empty mug down on the bedside table. She turned to face him with a half-smile on her lips as she placed her hands on his shoulders and he grasped her hips in return, trying not to be distracted by the advantageous view of her breasts that he now possessed.
"Thank you for the concept of breakfast." she murmured quietly in a sincere tone of voice as she smiled down at him and he tilted his head back to meet her eyes with a quirk of his lips as his oak brown eyes twinkled with mirth.
"You're welcome. Perhaps we'll try again tomorrow morning." he replied suggestively with a smirk as he slipped his hand underneath the skirt of her dress and she gasped in mock indignation but her blue eyes aflame with lust, hope and mirth.
"Mr Mikaelson!" she exclaimed in a scandalised tone as she playfully slapped his shoulder and he tugged her closer to him as he splayed hand flat across her lace-covered butt cheek. His oak brown eyes smouldered with need as he used his other hand to caress her upper arm and she sucked in a sharp breath as though she was steeling herself for something before forcing herself to take a step back out of his reach. He immediately pouted when his hand dropped from her enticing body and she bit her lower lip to stop from giggling at the adorable picture he made as she reminded him pointedly, "Already running late, remember?"
Elijah sighed heavily as he dropped his head in defeat but nodded in understanding, disappointment coursing through his body and he quirked a smile as he stood up from the edge of the bed. She raised an eyebrow at him warningly as she stepped backwards, further out of his immediate reach and he held up his hands in surrender as he chuckled lowly in amusement at her exaggerated action.
"I'll see you this afternoon? Tonight at the very latest." she told him with a smile as she picked up one of the fresh strawberries from the tray on the bedside table, dripped it in the whipped cream before taking a bite of the juicy red fruit. She hummed in appreciation as she used her pinkie finger to wipe away a drop of juice that dribbled onto her lip and she froze when she noticed that Elijah's oak brown eyes had darkened until they were almost black as he watched her intently. She grimaced apologetically as she turned around from him, popping the rest of the strawberry into her mouth and she grabbed her phone from the dresser top where she left it before hurrying out of the bedroom as she waved goodbye over her shoulder.
Imogen couldn't contain the giggle that escaped her lips as she hurried down the corridor, her mind replaying the events of the morning but then she came to a sudden complete stop in the middle of the hallway. Her features contorted in horror as though she had remembered something that was going to change everything and she spun around as she ran back the way she had come, breathing heavily as she came to a stop in the doorway to her bedroom.
Elijah was in the process of picking up the breakfast tray from the bedside table when he noticed another presence in the room and his eyebrows furrowed in confusion when he saw Imogen standing in the doorframe with a small smile. He opened his mouth to ask her why she had returned but she was already crossing the room towards him at an impressive speed for someone in high heels and he had to rely on his enhanced vampiric reflexes as she launched herself into his awaiting arms. Her long legs wrapped around his waist as he caught her in his arms and he managed to keep his balance as he grabbed hold of her thighs to keep her from falling. Imogen grinned brightly at his stunned expression before cupping his face in between her hands and bringing their lips together in a passionate kiss, their lips moving in synchronisation as she threaded her fingers in his hair.
The witch felt like her entire body was on fire as his fingers dug into the exposed skin on her thigh almost painfully but she craved more of him, to feel more of him and she arched into him as she looped her arm around his neck. He tightened his grip until it was a possibility that his fingertips might have created bruises on her unblemished skin and he fought to keep in control as he tasted the lingering hint of coffee, cream and strawberry on her tongue mixed with the unique taste that was purely 'Imogen'.
There was something about Imogen that called to him on a deep level, an unseen connection that bridged the divide between them; and it gave him everything he didn't know he needed in his life. Over the course of a millennia, he had been in love but twice; first with Tatia when he was still human and once again when he met Celeste. He thought it might have been possible that he loved Katerina when she was human but he was proven to be incorrect whereas she was concerned. What was currently occurring with Imogen…nothing in his past experiences then came close to comparing, none of the women could measure up to her intelligence, and kindness, and inner strength. There weren't words to describe her and how she made him feel when she entered the room, or even when the thought of her crossed his mind.
Her lungs ached pleasantly from lack of oxygen as she slowly pulled back from the kiss and she could feel warmth of his breath on her parted lips as her eyelids fluttered open. Her lips split into a wide grin as she struggled to catch her breath, feeling slightly dizzy from the addictive and intoxicating taste of him.
Imogen cupped his face tenderly as her features softened, her lust in her eyes being replaced with warm affection and she lowered her head until their foreheads were pressed together as she lowered her voice, "What you said last night, about nothing in your life ever meaning as much as I do, it was beautiful. I'm not sure what I did in some past life to deserve you, but I'd gladly do it over again if it got me this kind of reward. There is nothing in this world that makes me feel the way I do when you kiss me. It's like nothing else exists, just you and me. You are so important to me, Elijah. Never doubt that, okay?"
There was a desperate tinge to her voice as she stared deeply into his oak brown eyes, her fingertips digging into his cheek firmly and he studied her expression for a moment before nodding without a word. He didn't need to verbally respond in any way because she could read the emotions in his eyes, she could see the unshed tears that caused his eyes to shine in the morning light. She nodded in return with a shaky smile, caressing his cheek with the back of her fingers and she slowly unwrapped her legs from around his waist as he carefully lowered her to the ground. He kept an arm around her waist until he was positive that she could balance on her own and he reluctantly removed his arm as she took a step backwards.
"Okay, now, I'm really leaving." she told him in a stern tone as she ran her fingers through her wayward hair and he placed his hands in his pants pockets as he nodded his head solemnly with a mocking edge to the gesture. She chuckled in amusement as she wiggled her fingers to say goodbye before grabbing her purse from where she had dropped it in her rush and she forced herself not to turn around because she wasn't sure she would be able to make herself leave if she did.
The Abattoir seemed to be empty of any creature, living or undead, as she hurried through the familiar corridors and she bit her lower lip as she internally scolded herself for letting time get away from her when she knew that Davina and Josh were waiting for her. She knew that Klaus was lurking around somewhere in the dark corners, coming up with alternative plans in case the first fell through and Hayley had been ordered to stay indoors until further notice, for the safety of herself and her daughter. Her heels clicked loudly on the ground, the cavernous rooms causing the sound to echo and each resounding 'click' was like the tick-tock of a clock that was counting down to something horrendous. There shouldn't have been an ominous cloud hanging over her head, she was going to see her sister and pseudo-brother, but there was a heavy feeling of dread building in her stomach.
Imogen squinted against the bright glare of the sun as she stepped outside, feeling the warmth on her skin and she slipped on a pair of sunglasses as she started down the familiar street. The sound of hundreds of people talking over each other, their voices melding together in a symphony of white noise gave her a sense of calm within the chaos.
Ordinary people with no clue about the supernatural world just below the surface of their world, brushed against her as she passed them on the street and she couldn't help but think that they never would've acted so carelessly if they knew of her role in the supernatural civil war taking place.
Imogen caught sight of two familiar figures sitting at a table outside a cute little café and a wide smile broke out across her lips as she crossed the street towards them. The closer she got the more obvious Davina's tense posture became, a startling contrast to the exuberant grin etched across Josh's features and she slowed her pace to a walk as she approached the duo.
"Morning, children!" she chirped in greeting with bright smile as she leaned down to peck Josh's cheek before repeating the gesture with her sister and then sitting down on the available chair at the table. Three mugs of coffee were already on the table, a half-eaten plate of French toast in front of Davina and an untouched plate of buttermilk blueberry pancakes had been placed in front of the empty chair that was obviously meant for Imogen. The delicious scent caused her mouth to water as she picked up the knife and fork from beside the plate as she muttered enthusiastically, "Ooh! Yay! Thank you for ordering for me, sweetie."
"It's fine." Davina murmured absently as she barely glanced in her sister's direction; her mind was plagued with the sudden appearance of Mikael and the conflict that his desire to be resurrected pressed upon her. She knew that there were consequences to messing around with spirits and the Otherside, and she had been taught from an early age to always think through any decisions that she made concerning her magic. The way Mikael spoke about finishing what he started when he was alive, about how the world would be better off without Klaus, it reached a part of Davina that thirsted for blood after what he did to Tim and herself during the Casket Girl festival. But Imogen was friends with the Originals, she had even sided with them against Marcel, someone they both considered family and to Imogen, there was nothing more important than family, so it made Davina believe that there must be something to them that she wasn't seeing from her position on the sidelines.
"Ah, Imogen, have I told you that you're awesome? 'Cause you are! I'm in love with the sun..." Josh exclaimed happily with a bright grin, his brown eyes hidden behind dark sunglasses and he tilted his head backwards so that the sun hit his face at an angle. He released a blissful sigh as he lifted his head back up straight and wiggled his fingers to show off his new daylight ring as he continued speaking, "…Daylight rings..." he trailed off when his attention was captured by a gorgeous boy jogging on the opposite side of the street and he lowered his sunglasses for a better view as he murmured, "…That guy jogging in a tank top..."
"You are welcome." she replied cheerfully as she sent him a wink with a prideful smirk on her lips, always glad when someone complimented her magical handiwork and she popped a piece of pancake in her mouth.
Josh grinned back at her in amusement as he placed his sunglasses back over his eyes, a content sigh escaping him as he marvelled at how much his life had changed in such a short amount of time. The memory of his parents kicking him out of their house, the disgusted expressions they wore, was as clear as day in his mind. Before that confrontation he had never felt ashamed of his sexual orientation but his father had always had a way of stripping him down to the bare bones and making him question everything he thought was true. Visiting New Orleans was meant to be nothing more than a pit stop but his first night in the city, his entire world was flipped upside down. It sounded ridiculous to him even in his mind but in death he had found everything that he hadn't known he was searching for in life; he had a family that accepted him for exactly who he was.
"Josh?" Davina murmured questioningly to gain his attention as she gazed out towards the crowded street so that she didn't have to make eye contact with either of them and he hummed in acknowledgement as he took a sip of his half-empty coffee cup. "Now that you have a ring, I think you need to leave town."
"Whoa! Wait, we're breaking up?" Josh exclaimed in a tone that was a mixture of joking and serious as he straightened abruptly and slipped off his sunglasses as he stared at the younger girl in astonishment. There was a faint 'clang' of metal as Imogen dropped her cutlery in shock, her mouth parted slightly as her lips twitched into a frown and Davina levelled him with a deadpan look in her normally cheerful blue eyes that were dulled with solemnity.
"I'm serious!"
"I know! Serious is kind of your default setting. Which is why you need me around to lighten you up! Ergo- not leaving."
There was a resolute firmness to his voice that was undisputable and Imogen suppressed a smile at the pride that she felt for him in that moment. She wouldn't have faulted him if he wanted to leave town instead of fight in a war that wasn't his but he was finding the strength and bravery to stand beside Davina despite his own fear and that was heroic in her opinion.
Davina's breath caught in her throat when she noticed Mikael standing on the sidewalk across the street in her peripheral vision and she quickly turned her gaze away, hoping that no one had witnessed the startled moment. She carefully peeked in that direction from the corner of her eye and breathed a sigh of relief when it became apparent that he was gone, at least for the moment but she knew that he would be back eventually.
"Hey, Pix, you okay?" Imogen asked her gently when she noticed the colour drain from her sister's face and she rested a hand on top of the younger girls, causing her to jump in fright at the sudden touch. A frown of concern marred her lips as she took note of the way Davina's eyes jumped around their immediate surroundings, like she was waiting for someone to make an appearance but was hoping that they wouldn't.
It took a moment for Davina to realise that someone was asking her a question and she blinked once to bring herself back into the moment as she attempted to steady her breathing so that it wasn't obvious that she was on the verge of a panic attack. After a moment concerned blue eyes came into focus as she looked at her older sister and she glanced over at Josh, only to see him watching her with the same worried glint in his eyes. she took a deep breath as she plastered a fake smile on her lips, not wanting to causing them any more stress than necessary and she tried to formulate an excuse that wouldn't sound like a complete lie as she explained in a half-truthfully manner, "Just witch stuff. Marcel came to me yesterday. He wanted a cloaking spell. He's going to make a move against Klaus. A big move."
"Wow, okay. Guess he forgot to call me. Rude!" Josh exclaimed with a mock pout on his lips as he pretended to be offended and Imogen couldn't contain an unladylike snort of amusement as Davina levelled him with a glare that caused him to regain his serious demeanour. "Did you help him?"
"Yes, because I didn't want him to get killed, but if Klaus finds out, then –"
"Hey, no one we care about is going to die, alright?" Imogen reassured her sister in a rushed voice as she curled her fingers about the younger girls hand and Davina faked a smile at the attempted to sooth her worries, just like Imogen always had in the past, but she knew that this time was different. She didn't miss the caveat in her older sister's statement and she was admittedly glad that Imogen respected her enough not to lie about the expected number of causalities in the upcoming world between the Factions.
"Hey! Look, if Marcel's got a plan, maybe Klaus will buy a clue, realize he's a negative on the popularity chart, and go into vampire retirement? I hear Palm Springs is nice!" Josh quipped with a teasing grin in an effort to lighten the mood when he noticed the distant look in the younger girl's eyes and Imogen laughed lightly, the sound slightly forced as she tried to bring back a levity to the breakfast meeting.
It was concerning to see that the spark had disappeared from her sisters eyes but she kept telling herself that it had taken a while to get that life back in them after she had been resurrected and that it had eventually come back. She reminded herself that Davina was still healing from the torture the ancestors had put her through in the afterlife. She recalled the words she spoke the night that Davina called her on the prepaid cell phone she kept hidden from the witches in tears when she woke up from a particularly brutal nightmare that stemmed from a memory, afraid that she would never get back to where she was before her death: 'You reserve the right to heal at your own pace. You're taking your time. You're allowed to take time. That's something everyone needs to learn on their own. Life goes on, you'll smile again, and time heals some wounds and sooths the ones it can't. You're strong, Pixie. You'll be okay. You are okay.'
Davina couldn't stop herself from glancing over her shoulder in the direction that she had last seen Mikael and breathed a sigh of relief when she could no longer see the ghost standing there staring at her ominously. She feel herself trembling slightly as she turned back towards her sister and friend, making sure not to look either of them straight in the eye because she was certain that she would break and tell them everything. She took a deep breath to steel her frayed nerves as she raised her head, finally making eye contact with a mirrored pair of blue eyes and the obvious concern in their depths caused a physical ache in the centre of her chest so she quickly diverted her gaze to Josh as she warned them gravely, "Klaus isn't the only thing we need to be afraid of."
Imogen and Josh shared a confused look, matching frowns on their features because neither of them were privy to the conflict taking place in the mind of the young witch but it was scaring them to see her so subdued and timid of the shadows.
Davina held back a grown when she noticed that they weren't taking her warning seriously and she leaned forward to capture their attention, looking in the vampires direction as she spoke with a renewed sense of urgency, "Look, if there's a war coming, promise me you'll go before you get caught up in it."
The raw terror in her voice was undeniable as Josh studied her expression, taking note of the unadulterated fear in her blue eyes and her tension that had stiffened her shoulders. Something was terrifying the younger girl, and while it wasn't obvious to anyone else, it was very real for Davina, and that alone made him slowly nod his head in agreement even if he didn't know why he was agreeing in the first place. He was certain that it was right thing to do when she immediately slumped in her seat as she exhaled in relief and she offered him a small smile as she curled her fingers around the ceramic coffee mug.
"Well, I'm certainly glad I left my comfortable bed and even more enticing partner to join you for breakfast." Imogen remarked drily with a subtle roll of her eyes as she went back to eating her pancakes, attempting to lighten the dreary atmosphere as she hid her apprehension from the younger witch.
"'Partner'? That's what you're going with?" Josh asked in amusement with a chuckle as he raised an eyebrow at her in question, catching on to her line of thought and willing to move on with the conversation in order to distract Davina from whatever was plaguing her.
The brunette rolled her eyes theatrically with a scoff before levelling him with a deadpan stare and pointed her knife in his direction as she asked him in a mixture of sarcasm and offence, "Okay, Joshua, tell me, what do you call the thousand year old Original vampire that you're dating? 'Boyfriend' sounds a little juvenile, doesn't it?"
"That's a good point." he relented with a thoughtful expression, like she had divulged the meaning of life and she hummed in satisfaction as she dropped her knife wielding hand back to her plate. She popped another piece of pancake in her mouth as she shimmed her shoulders in victory and he laughed out loud at her childishness as he reached for his cup of coffee, his brown eyes sparking with mirth.
Davina sat back in her seat as she cradled her coffee with both hands, a genuine smile playing on her lips as she silently watched Josh and Imogen interact with one another. Listening to the light-hearted banter between the two of them was one of the most normal things that had happened to her in the last year and she relished in the moment. The warm sun hitting her skin, the idle chatter from nearby customers of the café creating a white noise, the delicious scent of pancakes, coffee and other breakfast dishes and hearing the laughter coming from two of her favourite people on the planet, it was as close to paradise she would ever come close to.
