No One's POV
The meeting place was set, some middle of nowhere place in the backwoods of the Mystic Falls countryside, and although Brooklyn didn't like it, she supposed it had some advantages since it gave her pack underbrush and large groves to conceal themselves in.
Brooklyn walked with the rest of the Mikaelsons to the designated spot a few days later, Niklaus in the middle while she stood on either side of him with Elijah, Rebekah and Finn just behind in a clear show of power and unity.
"Salvatores, Elena." Niklaus greets, as they coming into the clearing, his voice almost sugary sweet.
"Klaus." Stefan acknowledges, equally as cordial, both the Salvatore brothers standing on either side of Elena with arms crossed and expressions blank, leaving several yards between the two groups.
"The remaining the White Oak stakes." Niklaus says, getting straight to business.
"Here." Elena says, tossing a bag towards the middle, looking as if she had smelled or touched something repulsive and like that last thing she wanted to do was give up the White Oak.
"Wonderful. I'm glad you've come to your senses." Niklaus comments, looking smug.
"Well?" Damon comments impatiently, tapping his foot as he waits for Niklaus to pick up the bag.
"You didn't think we'd take your word for it, did you? We must ensure you've held up your end of the bargain." Niklaus explains as if he was questioning all of their sanity and brains. "What do you take us for? Absolute morons?" Niklaus laughs a little at that.
Brooklyn jogs towards the middle of the clearing, her magic simmering under her skin and wolf on high alert as she kneels cautiously down, unzipping the bag to reveal the White Oak; a snap of a crossbow releasing has chaos erupting in moments, Brooklyn snapping to attention in another moment, her hand flicking up to halt an arrow flying at her back, and Niklaus suddenly roaring in rage, flashing across to attack the Salvatores.
"How dare you-" Niklaus growls, his eyes tinting gold as he slams Damon Salvatore against the nearest tree, murderous protective instincts howling inside him at the thought of someone purposely targeting Brooklyn.
"Nik, there's only four of them!" Brooklyn calls out, the arrow already carelessly tossed to the ground as she sets the bag with the White Oak ablaze, the stakes nothing but mere ash and dust moments later.
Niklaus growls again, shaking his head and huffing like a bull ready to charge as he grips Damon tighter.
"I shall only ask once… Where are they?" Niklaus growls, gripping Damon by the throat and shoving him against a tree
"Oh dear, sweet, innocent, Elena." Rebekah tsks, stalking towards Elena with a malicious, evil glint to her eyes and a charming smile, like a viper ready to strike, Elena screaming as Stefan pounces to intervene.
"You didn't really expect us to just hand over the White Oak stakes without a plan." Damon wheezes through Niklaus' tight hold.
"No, I just figured you would be smarter than that." Niklaus hisses back.
"Guess not." Damon snarks back, an arrogant smirk pulling across his face.
Snarling in anger and frustration, Niklaus throws Damon into another tree, flashing towards him again, but before Niklaus could take but a few feet forward, a stake was suddenly sticking out of Niklaus shoulder from behind.
Roaring in rage and pain, Niklaus staggers back, another stake lodging in his torso, Damon taking the advantage and lunging.
"Not a chance." Brooklyn flares her magic, tossing Damon across the clearing away from her best friend.
"Nik?" Brooklyn questions worriedly.
"I'm fine, love." Niklaus responds, angrily pulling the stake out of his torso, tossing it harshly on the ground before twisting to grab at the stake in his shoulder, wincing in pain as his attempt to grab the stake was unsuccessful.
"Elijah, help your brother. Finn, help your sister." Brooklyn barks out orders, immediately taking command, like a quarterback directing players or commander ordering soldiers, only to turn back to Damon, eyes burning gold as she boils the blood in his body, rebelling it against his own skin.
"Ahhh!" Damon begins screaming, clawing at his own skin frantically, writhing in pain.
"Brooklyn. You'll kill him." Niklaus says softly, suddenly standing next to me. "Stop."
Growling annoyed, very much wanting to kill the irritating, offending vampire, Brooklyn releases Damon from where he was on the ground, Niklaus already flashing towards the oldest Salvatore, presuming to continue torturing him to reveal where the remaining half of the White Oak stakes where hidden.
"Brother, cover Brooklyn." Niklaus commands, his expression connecting with Elijah's briefly and in a split second Elijah was back at Brooklyn's side, tensed defensively and expression calculating and alert.
"Ugh! I hate forests! I broke a nail!" Rebekah informs with a huff as she stomps back with a rather cut up and bruised looking Elena Gilbert in tow.
"I shall only ask this once, Miss Gilbert. Where are the remaining White Oak stakes?" Elijah asks, turning to the doppelganger and his sister.
"I- I don't- I don't know!" Elena cries fearfully, only making Brooklyn roll her eyes at the doppelganger's pathetic "poor me" nature.
"And, I think you're lying to my dear big brother." Rebekah growls, a bone breaking as Elena cries out in pain.
"I- I'm not! I don't know where they are! Please! I'm telling the truth!" Elena pleads, beginning to sob.
"Br- Brooklyn!" Finn suddenly calls out, his breath strangled and short as he staggers into the clearing.
"Finn!" Brooklyn breathes out, catching sight of a White Oak stake protruding out of his back.
"Brooke- Brooklyn!" Finn cries, already sweating and pale as he scrambles towards his sire desperately, seeking reassurance and safety.
"What happened?" Brooklyn commands, immediately flashing over to Finn, sinking both to the ground, Finn trying to fit his entire self on her lap, or at least as close as humanly possible for his much larger broad, muscular, 6' 1" form to cuddle into his sire.
"Fight… Salv- Salvatore." Finn answers his sire. "And- and a blonde." He answers, his eyes closing shut in exhaustion, all the effort it took to return to Brooklyn leaving his body.
"Okay. Okay. It's okay." Brooklyn responds, brushing her hand over Finn's wound, checking how deep and extensive it was; it hadn't touched Finn's heart, which was the only reason he remained alive, and in part due to the fact he was sired to her, but it had definitely hit his spine and was lodged in several inches.
"Brooklyn!" Finn wails, practically breaking her ear drums as he digs his face into her neck, clinging to her like a child seeking assurance after a nightmare.
"Hey, hey, it's okay. Easy there. Just relax." Brooklyn calms, taking a hold of the stake, eyes flashing gold as she yanks it from Finn's back, her magic ensuring that no part of the White Oak was left in the wound.
"Okay, it's out. It's all out. You'll be fine. Everything is alright now, Finn." She continues to assure, tossing the stake to the side and burning it to ashes; one more down, four more to go.
"Thank you." Finn replies faintly, his body now resting against hers, clearly exhausted from the wound.
"You're welcome, Finn."
A sudden blur flies out of nowhere, taking Brooklyn by surprise, her concern and fixation on Finn distracting her, and were it not for Elijah, she would have more than likely been thrown to the ground by the figure.
"My dear, Elijah. Hello." Katerina smiles coyly, flashing her fangs at the Original as Elijah pins her down several feet away from Brooklyn and Finn.
"Katerina." Elijah snarls, looking near murderous.
"Surprised to see me?" Katerina asks charmingly, batting her eyelashes at him, as if she were attempting to seduce Elijah.
"Why are you here, Katerina?" Elijah asks harshly.
"Because… I want freedom. And the only way to be free is if Klaus is dead." Katerina nearly spits out vengefully, twisting and bending, lethal like a feline, until she has gotten free from Elijah's hold.
"I will not allow you to kill my brother." Elijah growls defensively as the two face off.
"Don't you see, Elijah? We can be together again. You have always cared for me, watched out for me, and I have always appreciated it. But we can never truly be together, not freely, not the way we want. Not with your siblings. But we can be... Help us." Katerina tries to appeal, sashaying towards him like an elegant predator.
"No. I do not love you anymore, Katerina. I have found another." Elijah growls, standing tall and firm, his gaze sliding over to Brooklyn where Brooklyn crowds closer to Finn, crouched and poised as if to spring.
"Her? Don't fool yourself, Elijah. The brunette tra-" Katerina begins to sneer, her elegant, aristocratic features distorting into a sneer as she looks over at Brooklyn.
"That's my mate you're referring to." Elijah snarls viciously, hand suddenly crushing, cutting off Katerina's air, and his eyes cold and unforgiving.
"E- Elijah." Katerina chokes out, her hands scrambling at Elijah's choke hold, surprise clear in her expression, as if the thought of Elijah not returning her affections not something she had considered.
"Petty jealousy is not becoming of you, Katerina." Elijah replies evenly, flicking his wrist and sending Katerina flying into a tree, her form crumbling against the impact of the trunk.
"I shall always be loyal to my mate. I will protect her." He states with a ring of finality and assurance before returning to Brooklyn's side, his gaze dark with intent as he stares back at Katerina.
Elijah's words struck something in Brooklyn, his unfailing dedication and loyalty gave her some sort of pause, for although she had given him nothing in return, promised him none of her love, he had remained unfailing, unwavering, steadfast, and resolute in his own.
"Elijah-" Brooklyn begins, her gaze tipping up to look at the Mikaelson patriarch as if to say something.
Brooklyn felt the ripple of magic before it crashed, the Bennett Witch stepping into the clearing like some bad villain from a Bond movie.
"ENOUGH!" Bonnie commands, her hand waving out in front of her, looking to Brooklyn like a Chihuahua trying to challenge a Pitbull, all bark and very little bite. "Let my friends go."
"And if I say no?" Niklaus growls, his eyes flashing gold as he glares at the Bennett Witch, turning to advance towards her even as the spell pushes against him.
"You won't." Bonnie declares, her expression narrowing with concentration and fingers twitching as she attempts to bring the Original Hybrid to his knees.
"You're forgetting one little detail, Bennett Witch." Brooklyn growls, her eyes flashing with a steel blue, gold flecks beginning to show as her own magic leeks into her gaze. "They have me… And, you, Bonnie Bennett, just made a very, big mistake." And with that, Brooklyn's eyes flash gold.
