Present Day
"There you are!" she shouted breathlessly. "We've been looking for you everywhere."
It felt like she had been running through the forest for hours. Her legs felt sore and her sides ached. Running was exhausting. Somehow this felt like a new experience.
Unmoved, Niklaus was lying on the mossy ground, half-hidden by the thickest. At first she thought he might not be able to get up. But apparently he was lying there on his own accord. He looked alright. Rebekah wondered if that's where he had landed after he had been thrown out of town. That had been many hours ago.
"We?" he asked, lifting his head.
"Elijah, Finn, Flora, Freya and I," she said.
His head fell on the ground again, dispirited by the reply.
"Are you okay?" she asked, when he showed neither intention of getting up, nor engaging with her.
"Okay, yes," he said, his voice having an apathetic ring.
With great reluctance, he lifted himself up on his elbows.
"Are you?" he asked, when he watched her breathing heavily.
"I feel like I haven't been this much out of breath in a very long time," she said, amused by her own assessment.
"You haven't," he said with a weak smile and sat up.
Since he still showed no interest in getting up, Rebekah sat down next to him, eager to stretch her burning legs.
"Why haven't you come looking for us?" she asked.
He shrugged with a long sigh. "That had been my first instinct. The old solution mode. Go find you guys and figure out what to do next. Maybe convince Freya to do research on prolonging our lives, while one of you goes find Briony and talk to her. Try to persuade her to come back. But then, I thought, the chance that any of this would work out is abysmally small. No, non-existent. Might as well not go find you, and instead lie here quietly and count my days. Also, lying on that uncomfortable thorny tree trunk has really grown on me."
He wiped off some thorns and dirt from his sleeves. Being so pessimistic was very unusual for her brother.
"The situation is not as helpless as you make it out to be. I know that's new territory for you, but just because you haven't figured out the solution right away doesn't mean there isn't one. You can talk to me or Elijah or Finn, and we can figure out something together," she said.
The words felt empty and repetitive. Rebekah was painfully aware of that. But she certainly wasn't giving up because Nik had a low. Also, she had an idea where this sudden pessimism was coming from.
"Where are the others?" he asked, as he glanced around. "Wait, were you running through the forest by yourself?"
"Relax, I wasn't alone. Although I would have been perfectly fine walking through a forest on my own. It's one of the few things that hasn't changed much in the last thousand years. Freya is somewhere close-by. Although I'm sure I would have been safer alone than when she's around."
"She's alright, Rebekah. You can't judge everybody without remembering what happened in the last thousand years," Nik said.
"I suppose not," Rebekah said. "But you can still read a lot from the way you behave. And that gives me a good idea of whom I can trust. You, Elijah and Finn are still the way I remember, so no questions there. Marcel seems to know me and is nice to me, and you care about him, so I believe he's good. Same goes for the small witch, Davina. I have no idea where I stand with Flora at the moment, but I have some vague memories of her being my friend. But there's no way I'm trusting Freya, because you guys obviously don't, either. And as for the one who had just sent you flying out of the city - not once, not even now, you show any intention of wanting to harm Briony or that you were angry with her, so I guess she's in the circle of trust."
And Rebekah was still pretty sure that he had a crush on the last one, but she doubted he'd admit to this now.
Her brother considered her for a moment.
"Am I right?" she asked.
"Pretty much," he said.
"You said you remembered a few more things?" he added.
She nodded.
"This whole fighting and shouting this morning has done wonders for my amnesia," Rebekah said, trying to cheer him up. "It reminded me of many family fights, or that last time where you flew over a meadow. It really put things into perspective."
"Glad to hear something good came out of it," he said.
After a pause he asked: "Do you remember about that time she spoke of, where I supposedly told her village she was a witch?"
Rebekah nodded. "Yeah, I remember how we picked her up in the village and everything was destroyed."
He nodded.
"I didn't do it," he said. "I wasn't even in the country anymore when any of this happened."
Rebekah watched him curiously. "How do you explain then what happened in that village?"
He shrugged. "Unlucky coincidence? The villagers must have figured it out on their own. She wasn't exactly subtle with her powers."
Rebekah observed him. "Elijah and I always thought you did it."
Annoyed by his siblings' distrust, he raised his voice: "Why would I even do that? I doesn't make any sense. I wanted her to like me so she'd help us."
"Well, she did end up coming with us. So we thought that had been your plan all along. But yeah, I always thought it had been pretty stupid of you to piss her off like that right from the beginning. Force is not the best way to convince people in the long run."
"It does explain why she never liked me very much."
She considered her brother's words for a moment, and tried to think back to that time and everything that had happened since. How odd it was that such a small moment in time had influenced the relationship her brother and Briony had, and the things she had done for them. There had been a great mistrust between the two, beginning right there. Briony might have said she'd help him, but in the first century she had done it pretty half-heartedly. They might have known many things sooner if Briony had more reason to trust.
Rebekah had been too afraid to ask Nik back then how involved he had been with the riot in Briony's village. Because she had been afraid of the answer. If only she had asked. If her brother had told them back then how he had nothing to do with it, Briony would have had no reason to dislike him and they all might be at a very different place than they were today.
That didn't mean their relationship was still the same now, 200 years later. Rebekah had no idea if Nik ever considered that. Nik tended to mistrust people about their intentions, and generally believed that they cared less about him than they usually did. But with Briony it was different. She wondered if he was truly ignorant of the friendship he had with her. And had for a while. She should talk to him about it, when they had more privacy without Freya looming close-by.
But for now, she needed her brother to come back with her.
"In your case, I might suggest telling people more often that you don't want to kill them. It should help with the bonding," she said with a teasing smile.
"You have only been back for a few days - how come I already find you annoying?" he asked.
"See, these are the kind of things you shouldn't say to people that you want to befriend."
He gave her a nudge and got up.
"Let's go find Freya and get back to the others," he said, and held out a hand to get her up.
"And we don't distrust Freya. Else she wouldn't be here," he added.
"I know, I know," Rebekah waved him down. "Elijah told me about it. And I'm starting to see that it's not so black and white with her either. I have talked to her. I think she genuinely wants to get to know us. Perhaps after some time she might even get around to like us."
"For once, time is not something at our disposal," Nik said. "At least not for some of us."
At this moment, Freya appeared between the trees. Rebekah wasn't sure if she had heard what they had been talking about. Her face didn't give anything away.
"You found him!" she said to Rebekah with relief. "It's getting dark. The others must be worried."
"Let's go back then," Rebekah said.
Freya led the way on the path leading back to the car. Hesitantly, she looked over her shoulder to face Nik.
"So that's it? You think Briony is not going to help you anymore? Perhaps someone who's not expelled from the city can go talk to her?"
Nik kept his eyes on the roots that disrupted the path. "I think she knows how much we need this. Everyone knows how much we need this. No need to pester her with questions."
After a pause he added: "To be honest, I don't mind. I mean, I do mind about the outcome. I really do. But it doesn't have to be her who helps us. We keep putting her through hell and I'm feeling terrible enough about it as it is."
Then he turned to Rebekah. "At least you, Finn and Marcel will be okay. For a while."
Nodding herself into a temporary acceptance, she said: "Okay. We'll figure this out later. Let's try to focus on the things we can change right now. For example, no need for you to be in a depressed state while we should worry about bigger things. I need you in full capacity now."
"Uhm, I'm pretty sure my bad mood and the fact that I'm going to die soon might correlate. But that's just a guess, really," Nik said sarcastically.
"No, they don't," Rebekah said. "And we can do something about your spirits."
"What else could it be?" he asked. "What to do you want me to do about it?"
"Honestly?" Rebekah said. "Apologize to Briony. No matter if she'll help or not, the situation with her is not as dire as you might think."
He shrugged, which she interpreted as a sort of agreement. "Best case, I die with the knowledge that one person fewer was planning to murder me."
Despite his snotty reply, she was sure that her message had reached him. While a talk with Briony might not fix his predicament with death, it would fix his mind.
Some Viking village, ca. 996
Ridden by weird fever dreams that pulled him out of his deep sleep ever and again, Nik uncomfortably turned in his bed. His body felt like it was on fire, and yet still stuck in the piercing ice lake. His head was pounding. With great unease, he opened his eyes. When he realized where he was, Niklaus practically jumped out of his bed. He was not supposed to be sleeping during the day. Only ill people did that. He was not ill.
With weak legs he climbed out of his bed and rubbed his sweat-ridden face. Standing up was painful, but he struggled through it. He had been through worse, he said to himself. Common sense would have told him to lie down again and rest. But that would mean to admit that he was sick. And he wasn't. This wasn't a fever. He just felt a bit heated from the last few busy days, that was all. It probably had nothing to do with the fact that he had fallen into that cold lake. Just a weird coincidence, he told himself.
But no matter how much he had insisted he was fine, everybody had been staring at him with pity in their faces. He hated those stares.
Focusing wholly on trying to look normal, he tiptoed into the kitchen. He was hoping it would be empty, but Rebekah was sitting at the kitchen table, cutting beetroots. Quietly Nik moved through the room, trying not to raise any suspicion.
This did not work.
"How are you? Are you getting sick again?" Rebekah asked, when she saw him.
Her face was concerned and full of skepticism.
"No. I was never sick." Nik said decidedly. "Stop asking me this. I've just been a bit cold in the last few days. That's normal after falling into a half frozen pond."
This was his usual approach to days like these. Staying healthy was matter of state. A cold, a stupid fever was not allowed to kill him.
Rebekah's expression of skepticism didn't change. With resignation, she turned back to the beetroot.
"Where is everybody?" Nik asked.
"Most of them are at the market," Rebekah said.
"Why didn't they ask me to go? I'm usually going along with them," Nik said.
Rebekah hesitated. She was afraid of stating the obvious.
To his surprise, she went with the blunt truth. "You're no use in the state you're in right now. After last night, we are just glad you are still alive."
Hearing the truth didn't make him feel better. Even in his fever dream state, he had felt how much his body had been fighting to stay alive the night before. He was hoping he had been imagining it. But Rebekah's words just confirmed what he had already known. Despite his attempt to appear fit, he sank down on the chair opposite Rebekah.
Rebekah's eyes still rested on him, but it felt like she was watching right through him.
He had no desire to ask her what she was thinking about.
"Death. It's a weird concept, isn't it?" she said gravely.
That was his least favourite part about his own possible demise. How it affected those around him. They must be worried so much. He would be if the roles were reversed.
"Yeah," he said uncomfortably.
"I don't care much for it," she said.
"I doubt anyone does."
Outside he heard someone chopping wood. He peeked over to the small window and saw Kol splitting a pile of logs into halves. Nik had even less interest talking to him than to Rebekah. Ever since the incident with the lake, he was annoyed with his brother. Kol was supposed to be beside him when had fallen into the lake, but Kol had snuck back to the fire before Nik had noticed. Technically, it wasn't Kol's fault that Nik landed in the frozen lake and got sick, but Nik still felt like blaming his brother and his smug face.
"On the bright side," Rebekah said, regaining a lighter tone, "none of us got caught in the forest. Mother and father just think you caught a cold from one of our neighbours. At least none of us has to do extra chores."
He shot her a skeptical glance. She was much too happy about their trip to the woods. Then he remembered that, until now, Rebekah had never been involved in their little rebellions before. Finally being part of such a thing seemed to excite her.
"You've never had to do extra chores, Rebekah," Nik said with a smile.
"And I like to keep it that way. None of you look very happy when you have to do laborious work. You're very lucky that Finn got you back in time."
Despite Rebekah's reminiscence of their sneaking out, Nik hoped she was done recapulating the events, because they'd eventually end up with him being sick again. So he said nothing.
"You know how Finn convinced Kol to come back?" Rebekah asked, not bothered that she was having the conversation on her own.
"Reason," she added smartly.
"Uh-huh," Nik mumbled disinterested.
"You should try it sometimes," Rebekah added.
Nik shot her an annoyed glare.
Untouched by it, Rebekah continued: "I for my part thought it was really smart. The rest of you always try to force each other to do things in the most brutal way possible, but are only half as successful as Finn. He gets things done much more easily, because he knows how to talk to people in a way that convinces them to follow his lead without them even noticing they're doing it."
Nik wondered where this sudden reverence for Finn came from.
Shortly after, the door opened and Kol appeared. His view immediately fell on his brother.
"Great, you're awake," he said with relief.
There was the same pity in his voice Nik had already heard from Rebekah.
"Yup," Nik said.
"I feel like it's my fault you fell into that stupid lake. Just because I wanted to stay by the fire and you had to go check who was coming. Also, I laughed when I heard you falling in. Sorry for that."
"Screw you, Kol," Nik said annoyed, avoiding his brother's eyes.
"Since you almost died last night I'm gonna let that slide. I'd be annoyed with me, too."
"I didn't almost die," Nik said defiantly. "I'm fine!"
Kol was about to join them at the table, so Nik stood up quickly to avoid any further pity talk.
"I have chores to do," Nik said impatiently.
"Not really, you don't," Rebekah said. "You should rest."
"Is that what our parents had said? I'm pretty sure they have given you some instructions for me to do when I'm well enough."
"They did. If you were well enough, they said, you should go outside and chop wood."
Nik nodded determined and was about to step outside. Then he stopped.
He turned to Kol.
"But you already did that."
"You're welcome."
"Actually," Rebekah said, "it was my idea. I told Kol to do it."
"No, you didn't," Kol said affronted. "Don't take credit for me being nice, Rebekah. I did it out of my own kind heart."
Nik bit his lip. He was still intent on being annoyed at Kol, but he had to admit that what his brother had done was pretty nice.
"Anyhow, you can thank me later," Kol said, grabbed one of the coats and left for outside again.
"What a moron," Rebekah said after Kol had left the kitchen. "Of course he thinks it's his idea."
Hesitantly, Nik sat down at the table again.
Rebekah took this as a sign of interest in her thoughts. "All I said was that someone had to chop the wood because you weren't going to do it. You're way too sick for that. And when mother and father would realize it, they'd ask how it came about you were so sick. And then all would come back to you and Kol sneaking out in the middle of the night. So I suggested it would be best if the chores got out of the way."
Nik considered her. "Why didn't you simply tell him to do it?"
Rebekah raised her eyebrows. "Can't you imagine his reply to that? 'How stupid do you think I am? Why don't you find some other idiot who does your chores?'"
Her impression of their brother had been surprisingly spot-on.
"Wait," Nik suddenly said, "did you test Finn's approach on how to convince people on Kol?"
Rebekah gleamed that he had finally caught on. Nik had to admit that he was impressed by his little sister.
Rebekah nodded proudly. "The trick is to let him believe it is his choice."
Nik considered her. Convincing Kol to do his chores was in the end certainly a kind thing to do, just like when Finn kept them all from being busted. But at the same time, Nik wondered if Rebekah had just found herself an effective way to manipulate people.
New update! I hope you liked it! Also, I heard that TO just aired its finale this week, which is somewhat fitting because I'm writing the ending for this story atm as well. I haven't seen the finale episode but I read some pointers what it was about, and was kinda relieved to know that my story doesn't end up at the same place. Not because I think it's bad or anything, just thought that would be a bit odd. Was it good? Would you recommend to watch it?
Anyhow, more to come soon. Let me know what you think!
