No One's POV
"Now that everyone is in agreement and everyone knows their parts it is time that I excuse myself. Rebekah will meet Damon to retrieve my brother's body and I will be in touch." Elijah replies shortly, excusing himself with a formal nod and his cursory straightening of his jacket. "Do not disappoint…"
Returning to the mansion, Elijah finds Brooklyn sitting on the floor in their bedroom surrounded by piles of clothes, as if their entire closet had thrown up every single piece of clothing she owned and then some.
"Hello Elskan. How was your morning?" Elijah greets, carefully stepping over stacks of clothes to pick his way towards his mate.
"Lijah! You're back!" Brooklyn greets, her expression lighting up happily as she jumps up, clothes flying off her lap, landing haphazardly on her brother's snout and left hanging off his ears as he lies beside her still in wolf form.
Aaron only grunts in annoyance, shaking off the pieces of clothing and rolling his eyes at his sister's antics before resting his head back on his paws with another dramatic huff.
"Yes, I am, Elskan." Elijah chuckles lightly, catching Brooklyn as she snuggles into his embrace.
"I missed you." Brooklyn hums.
"I missed you too, Astin." Elijah assures, hand running soothingly along her spine, his inner vampire rumbling its satisfaction at being back with its mate.
"It's been like maybe three hours. Seriously. You two are disgustingly sappy. It's ridiculous." Aaron snorts good-naturedly, speaking mentally to Brooklyn as he looks unamused at his sister.
"Oh, shut up. You're just an old grumpy pants." Brooklyn fires back sassily at her brother, before mentally shoving Aaron out of her mind, or mentally blocking him, if we were being technical.
As siblings, twins even more so, Aaron and Brooklyn had a mental bond that no amount of distance or time could break and one that could never be fully separated even by themselves; not to say they read each other's every thought, but it certainly connected them beyond just mental "presence" like the mate bond Brooklyn had with Elijah which allowed them to get vague impressions of each other's emotions, the unfinished bond that Brooklyn had previously had with Niklaus that snapped when he was desiccated, or even the link she had with the rest of her pack.
"So, how did things go?" Brooklyn questions to Elijah, twisting her fingers in Elijah's tie, the only indicator of her worry.
"They were willing to negotiate. Niklaus' body will be returned to us. Rebekah has agreed to retrieve his coffin and should be on her way now." Elijah begins to explain, but hesitates for a brief moment as if unsure how to formulate the next words.
"What?" Brooklyn questions.
"The spell Esther did," Elijah replies. "Before our timely intervention at the Salvatore crypt. She didn't just create another Original Hunter. She made the last White Oak stake indestructible. With that remaining, my family is still at risk. Alaric hunts for it and for us… The Salvatores have agreed to turn it over but we, my family, must scatter so Alaric cannot hunt us."
"I fear I have put you in harm's way again. It is unfair to you, to your pack, to be brought into a situation that is not yours." Elijah admits honestly, feeling ashamed. "I am-"
"This is utter bullshit!" Brooklyn finally manages to find the proper outrage at the situation. "What did you have to promise to get Niklaus and the White Oak?"
"I- I do not understand, Elskan?" Elijah questions, brows furrowing in confusion. Was she not upset that he had put her, and therefore her pack by proximity, in danger once more?
"The terms of negotiation, Elijah. What were they? What did the moronic Scooby gang make you promise in order for them to hand over Niklaus' body and the White Oak stake?" Brooklyn questions angrily, furious that they were still playing games with these children.
"Nothing that you need worry yourself about, Elskan. I explained to them that my sister and brother had spent centuries evading Mikael, and that doing so with Alaric was nothing short of a blink of an eye for us. The doppelganger will come to no harm from any of my siblings, and Niklaus will not be revived within her lifetime nor her children's." Elijah explains with assurance.
"You know that I cannot uphold those terms, 'Lijah. Nik's my- well, he's still my mate even if- you know, and well- he's my best friend." Brooklyn replies quietly.
"The terms of negotiation do not include you, and I made no such promises that would bind you to them, Elskan. If you chose to revive my brother I certainly would not stand in your way." Elijah clarifies.
"Did they even ask?" Brooklyn questions, with surprise. Honestly, Brooklyn was amazed that the idiotic Scooby gang managed to put two feet in front of themselves half the time, let alone actually manage to take down her Original Hybrid best friend; although, she supposed, the Bennett Witch was formidable.
"The youngest Salvatore did. But I simply alluded that it would be in their best interest to corporate, given past experiences when they attempted to ambush my family, and that you had agreed to allow me to negotiate. Then, persuaded the doppelganger to give over my brother's body into my possession because we are family and we wish to remain together." Elijah expounds.
"So, you lied." Brooklyn smirks, a look of wonder coming in her expression. "Doesn't that shaft on your moral propriety and everything?"
"An unfortunate necessity in this case. However, one that I do not seriously regret." Elijah replies dryly. "And if it allows me to uphold my promise and vow to you, there is little I find that I would regret. You are my mate, my entire soul and life, Elskan. There is nothing I would not do for you, morals and propriety aside."
Brooklyn's expression softens at the confession, head ducking to rest on Elijah's chest.
"I love you, Elijah."
"I love you too, Astin. Always." Elijah affirms.
"You promised to run. But you shouldn't have to. Rebekah and Kol, Finn- it's not fair. If you think- for one second, I'm just going to- do nothing. I'm not going to just stand by and let this happen." Brooklyn hisses quietly, muffled against Elijah's chest and his suit.
"It is not as easy as that, Elskan. The doppelganger's life is tied to Alaric's. If the Hunter dies, so does the doppelganger." Elijah explains.
"Fine, then. I'll unbind them first. Then, we stake Original Hunter 2.0. The Original Witch's magic may be a little testy, but nothing that I can't override given a little puzzling through." Brooklyn huffs.
"I cannot ask that of you. I do not want you to risk yourself, Astin." Elijah replies.
"You can't exactly stop me either." Brooklyn growls defiantly, her expression full of fire. "I'm doing this Elijah, whether you like it or not."
Elijah knew a losing battle when confronted with one; this was one of those moments.
"Very well, Elskan. If that is your desire. But please, I ask, wait until you have revived my brother. Niklaus is well versed in evading Mikael and together we can come up with a sound plan to lure Alaric in." Elijah pleads.
"That is acceptable." Brooklyn agrees.
"I made plans to rendezvous with Rebekah to transfer possession of Niklaus' into our care. Afterwards we must leave immediately, Elskan. I have already arranged transport for his coffin." Elijah informs.
"Okay. We need to finish packing then. And since you're here now, you're helping." Brooklyn grins, a playful mischievous glint to her expression.
"Of course, Elskan."
Thank you for the feedback! Words can't describe how much I appreciate it! Really, it's so encouraging!
I DO have plans for the Hayley/Hope arc... Some of which you may scream at me for! Lol.
Polkadot
