A/N
Hello! Thank you so much again for the reviews and the continued support. I'm so happy you're liking this story and it really makes me enjoy writing it all the more. As always, I hope you enjoy!
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XVI.
In the morning, Elijah Mikaleson had an enlightening conversation with his sister, Freya. She basically explained to him how it was that she would yet again manage to make their brother lose his sanity. All the while claiming it was what had to be done.
Of course, Elijah couldn't think of anything to make her argument less valid; he might've dated some witches in his time, but unfortunately didn't manage to get anything they taught him to rub off on his countless memories. So then, he'd just requested to be kept out of the room when she told Niklaus and Hayley of what she was planning alongside her coven of particularly gifted witches.
"Actually, I was thinking maybe you could be there. You're the only one who can get Klaus to calm down," she said, pleading eyes in place. Elijah thought now of how ridiculous it was that he hadn't known Freya as a child, but somehow she managed to inspire the same response Rebekah always conjured when they were young.
He thought about it, considered it thoroughly as a means to keep Freya from telling him he was being unfair and rushed with his reluctance. Then he told her, "I'm not sure I'm the only one."
Freya, of course, hadn't been able of decrypting his meaning, so she just stared sternly at him, and went on with her rambles. Elijah, he'll surely kill someone if you're not there. Yes, he nodded, of course he knew this. A thousand years of expertise concerning his brother's rather...impulsive antics, had come with the benefit of making Niklaus very predictable, gradually so, but still. No matter, Elijah just didn't want to be there, also because he feared he might change sides at the last minute.
"I'm afraid I can't trust myself to remain neutral, sister. I'm sure you understand," he argued, knowing very well that even if Freya came out with a particularly eloquent response, he wouldn't be forced to do anything he didn't want to.
As he was able to see, Freya did understand. And so, she went on to unload about her worries of being the worst aunt in existence. And if Elijah wasn't so sensitive and appropriate, he might've told her he agreed with her diagnosis too. But, also, he understood how it all got back to their mission to save Marcel's life.
Now he truly didn't want to be in the same room when his brother decided who took precedence, his son or his daughter. Hayley too would lose it, Elijah was convinced of this, and he'd rather just be there for her later when all the blood had been cleaned out of the floorboards.
"They'll say no. And I can't just-just ignore that, right?" With this, Freya had finished her monologue, and Elijah realized he hadn't been listening at all. He nodded anyways and placed a hand on her shoulder reassuringly.
Oh, the multitudes of conversations he had dazed out of over the centuries. So much knowledge he had missed out on just because he'd no longer cared to listen. Decisions were always made in the first few seconds of a request being made. And he had made his decision to take a stroll, maybe visit that coffee shop on the other side of town, hell, maybe go out for a drink with Kol. Anything but staying in the compound for this.
But then also, he couldn't just leave his sister helpless. Not when she was directly asking for his assistance. Because Elijah might become aloof sometimes, but he was never negligent.
"Like I said, I'm not the only one suited for the task you require," Freya arched a brow, surprised, perhaps she thought he had been joking. "There's only one person in existence -besides Hope of course, but she barely even knows her father- that can do what even I haven't managed to in a milenia: rid our brother of his infamous temper. And she just so happens to be staying across the street."
"Caroline?" Her surprise was almost comical in his eyes.
"But you have to do it fast, it's not as if she's some sort of daylight ring on him. He'll lose it even with her in the room, perhaps it would be wise to exit once you're done unloading the information on him, and then come back to get your answer," he paused, thinking of anything else he might be missing, "is there some sort of spell to keep the room quiet, I don't want people calling the police again because they heard violence. It's exhausting, really, compelling that many humans. I don't know why Kol manages to find it amusing."
Freya blinked at him, and Elijah stared at her, waiting for a response. She nodded. "There is a spell for that. And about Caroline, do you think she'd want to do it? I don't see why anyone would immerse themselves in this when they don't have to."
Elijah gave her a look, and he wondered why it was some sort of birth right to always be in the middle of an endless ego measuring contest in this family. "Well, I'm sure she won't want to," he shrugged, "and she'll do it anyway. Ms. Forbes has quite the history with our brother."
"Yes, Bonnie mentioned as much. I just wasn't aware it went to such depths," she said, apparently diving into her own thoughts. "Can you ask her?"
Elijah groaned on the inside. Some days, he grew positive that his family would be unable to function without him. He knew he was probably right. A middle child's curse, that of being the ever present glue to the otherwise broken ancient artifact.
"Sister, I was actually just on my way to-"
"Elijah, I'm busy planning on how to tell our metal brother and your tempered wife," he opened his mouth to correct her, she glared, "whatever, how I want to use their darling daughter's blood for a spell that will only maybe save his adopted son. And this, while also throwing in the imminent risk I'll be putting everyone in," she paused to take a breath, "and clearly, I don't think the idea of compulsion, not even administered by them, will ease their minds. Now, can you do me the one favour of asking the sweet girl across the street for help? She just needs to stand there, Elijah, a thing you're apparently too worthy to do yourself."
So, now he stood outside the door of apartment 1A, and he thought the need to number them was unnecessary, because there were only two in the building. Well, he found himself looking for ways to get himself out of this- this thoughtless option he'd thrown out into the mix himself. He knocked on the door, although very much aware he wouldn't be able to step inside the place. The memory of who exactly had lived there with Hayley didn't sit well with Elijah just yet.
Caroline herself opened the door. She looked tired, he noted, even for a vampire of such a young age, she looked as if she'd been alive for centuries. Apparently, the notion of a sleepless night was too much of a mundane alternative to even consider. He could be empathic and considering, but Elijah had also stopped being human a long time ago.
She attempted to smile cordially, but he saw her fail miserably. Her surprise was entirely genuine, and he supposed he couldn't blame her. He'd had more important things to do than to reacquaint himself with Caroline Forbes. And besides, if Niklaus ever decided he wanted to stop being so dense, he would have eternity to get to know the girl.
He was all but shockingly reminded of his brother's words the night before. Seeing Caroline did, in fact, become something less of a taxing job in that moment. It was as if his brother's insistence on making her out to be such a fragile thing, made her really be one in reality. And this intrigued Elijah, no doubt.
"Is everything okay?" she asked, after a second or two of deafening silence between them, "Do you want to come in?"
He waved his hand in dismissal and shook his head. "Everything is...as fine as it always is, don't concern yourself, Ms. Forbes."
She cringed, "You can call me Caroline, you know, I'm sure we've tried to kill each other at some point. That should be considered grounds for our being on a first name basis." He pondered on her words, and then he nodded.
"I was never interested in your demise, Caroline. I'm sure you know my family would never dare hurt you," he paused, and she nodded, "with maybe the few exceptions," she nodded again.
"So, is there anything you need then?" She asked him, with a friendly voice he was certain he didn't deserve. Elijah went silent again as he considered the best way to tell her what exactly he needed of her. Somehow, it seemed she saw this as a cue to go on. "Has Klaus told you I'm organizing Rebekah's birthday party? Well, I've been meaning to ask how you go about doing these things. Because I really don't feel comfortable compelling my way out of paying for somebody else's work and-"
"No, there's no need," he interrupted, "I'll make sure you get the funds today." She looked relieved to hear him say that. Elijah recalled Hayley's remark to his brother when he told them, Great idea, Klaus, maybe you can buy her another dress for the occasion. He'd silently noted not to feed Hayley information that could turn detrimental to himself in the future.
"Did you want to talk to Elena or something?" she tried, once more, of guessing his intentions. And he arched a brow at the implication, then he shook his head again.
"No, I apologize, I'm just not sure of how to put this," he confessed, and Caroline's face glowed with sudden curiosity. "My sister's attempting to...disclose information to Hayley and Niklaus this afternoon, and we're both rather convinced that it won't end well, not at all," he pressed his fingers to his temple, "and as you know, dealing with this sort of thing can be quite draining, which is why I can't be there to be-"
"A buffer?" she supplied, with a knowing smile on her lips. He tipped his head in a nod.
"Precisely. And I believe you're the only other person who can act the voice of reason when it comes to my brother, Hayley will only follow if she sees she's being more unreasonable than Niklaus. That does tend to center people."
Caroline bit her lip, and appeared to be thinking it through. He waited patiently. Then she looked up at him with an unquestionable answer in her face. "Sure, I'll do it."
Elijah found her willingness to be something confounding, maybe she hadn't understood, maybe she'd never really witnessed what Niklaus could be like. After all, his brother's appeased behavior when in her presence was why he was even bothering asking her.
"Are you certain? This, it won't be a friendly conversation, not by any means," he said, and she nodded with the same unfaced expression.
"Which is why you need a buffer," she was eyeing him strangely, as if he was the one needing explaining. And Elijah, for all his faults, wouldn't just let her walk into that kind of situation without full knowledge of what she was getting herself into.
"Caroline, you might need to use physical force if this gets out of hand. I think your friend's going to be there, so-"
"Bonnie?" she asked, a frown forming on her features, and at least now she was grasping the gravity of the situation. "What's this about?"
He cleared his throat, as he really didn't want to get into specifics, and besides, Freya had told him they'd all have to erase their memories afterwards. He supposed Niklaus could try his hand at compelling him, but he knew he had been trapped with this secret for the remains of his immortal life as well, Freya's carelessness in telling him to blame, no doubt.
"I'm afraid I can't tell you, and it's best you know now that you'll be leaving my home with no recollection of what was discussed. Preemptive measures is all, I know you'll understand why," he explained, and felt the weight of his awful job in convincing her when he saw the disbelief in the form of her gaping mouth.
"What?" she shrieked.
That was more the reaction he had been after since the beginning, and now he thought he might've better just quit while he was ahead. "So you see-"
"If this is so important for it to require preemptive measures, why won't you do it?" She raised her voice, and he saw crystal clear of why Niklaus acted as he did around her. How very fascinating that it wasn't because of his attempt to be pleasant, but because she was apparently even more so overbearing than his brother was. Well maybe not more, but a happy equal in the matter.
And Elijah got his confirmation on her commanding nature when he found himself telling her the truth, "I don't care to be there."
"Seriously?"
"I'm sure we can make a timetable someday, Caroline. But just this once?" He felt exhausted even asking again, and maybe she caught on to this, because she didn't look as cross with the prospect as a mere second ago. No, but she did look curious.
"Timetable?" He immediately caught the slip of his tongue, but figured, if he wanted to get this over with faster, he'd have to avoid acknowledging it. Besides, he was sure Niklaus would attempt to dagger him if he knew he'd just admitted to his certainty of future events.
So he just shrugged, and caught an eyeful of the tiny rock on her finger. Ah yes, the infamous ring, and Elijah longed for the time when that wasn't even a thing. It felt absolutely archaic to him, that of basically claiming a person with the pretences of a gift and promises of a romantic nature. Yes, he thought of himself as an ally of sorts to feminism.
"Yes, we can discuss that some other time," he said, attempting to sound nonchalant, and either she bought his act or knew it was better to play along, because she said nothing of it next. "Regarding my request…"
She sighed after a pause, and then fixed the hair resting on her shoulders. Elijah thought, she already appeared as if she had spent centuries knowing his family and was aware this was in some ways unavoidable. "Fine, but only because I know your brother will go bonkers if this is as chaotic as you make it sound to be. And I won't let Bonnie in danger if I can help it."
He raised a brow at her, impressed, if only slightly, that she had successfully hidden the true message amongst those many words. Refreshing, really. Because all he had managed to register was, I'll be there for your brother. Elijah supposed he didn't care what her reasons were, so long as he got to spend his afternoon without the prospect of impending doom.
Maybe, with Caroline's help, he'd get to have time for a life again someday. Imagine that.
"Thank you, Caroline. Freya will come by to collect you once she's gathered the courage," she nodded and let out a chuckle, "oh, and I'll get you that check later. I'm sure the party will turn out splendid. And if I may offer some advice...make it as extravagant as possible, you know, subtle is barely a word in Rebekah's vocabulary."
/
Klaus had been attempting to ignore the several messages Freya had been sending him all day, but with no luck. His sister really was relentless, and that alone was further proof that they were related. Half-siblings or not, raised with care or not. So he gave in eventually, and told her he would be home shortly.
Hayley called too, asking if he knew why his sister was being so annoying today. Ah, and guess what, Elijah took Hope out for ice cream or whatever he thinks children find entertaining these days. Today is the day I get to sleep. He'd only hummed his agreement as he held some insolent vampire by the throat. Still, there had been no development in his search for someone who knew just who the bloody hell he had trapped inside the dungeons.
And after a rather sleep-inducing conversation with a harvest witch, who didn't let him get close to her without first needing to attempt to melt his brain down, he decided to head back home. Klaus had officially had enough of inquiring and looking down the wrong rabbit whole for his information. And if this wasn't somewhat of a sensitive research in nature, he would let Josh have his try at it instead.
On his way down the street, he unfortunately ran into the doppelgänger. He grimaced as he tried to recall her last name, but be as it may the years -or the days, really- had gifted him with more pressing information, that it seemed her identity no longer held any weight with him. Funny how things changed. His shallow obsessions did shift constantly and he couldn't be bothered to keep track.
"It's not necessary to keep Damon there anymore, Klaus," she said, attempting to make a front to him, but he almost turned around on his feet when she started talking. "And who's that you got with him?"
He wouldn't tell her even if he did know himself. Klaus could imagine, his expression had grown dangerously annoyed. Really, of all the people he would tolerate having words with, Elena- something, was on the bottom of that list. He gave her a look that surely spoke of what was going through his mind.
"It is necessary, you two are what's known as a flight risk, and at least you want to convince me you should be locked in there with him too, I suggest you run along now," he was tired enough that he didn't realize just how unthreatening and almost casual he sounded. She glared.
"I agreed to die for your family, Klaus," a passerby stared at them, no one cared, "I can just as easily decide I don't want to do this anymore and-"
"More to my point, you, sweetheart, are the reason your boyfriend will remain down there for the time being." That seemed to shut her up, though admittedly for only a moment of peace. Then she opened her mouth again.
Good god. The gate to his home was so close he could almost touch it.
"An hour, let him out for an hour. That's all I ask," she said, and though her words would seem pleading to anyone who wasn't actively in conversation with her, her voice and her face were anything but. He clenched his jaw.
"I'm sorry, are you under the impression this is some kind of negotiation? The time's gone for you setting your terms. Recall? We sat down, we served wine, and you agreed the less bright of the Salvatores would stay where he is right now," his words were followed by silence, but the doppelgänger seemed ready to kill something, he almost laughed at the notion.
A stranded noise left her mouth, and Klaus could very easily tell she had tried to swallow some sort of insult to his person. He rolled his eyes.
"Are we done here?" he asked with exasperation, and attempted to go around her, but she stepped in his path yet again, "What then?"
"The vampire." he gave her a look as if to say, can you be any more vague please. The doppelgänger glared again, "Get him out of there, it's dangerous, Damon is human and if that thing ever managed to escape-" she looked away.
His phone buzzed inside his jeans, and his nerves spiked yet again. Klaus tried not to lose it right there and then in the middle of the street, with a person he would not harm because if he did, then he might as well just find a way to end his own life right now.
"He won't escape, Elena," her name felt strange to utter even, "The bricks, they're magically bound, and this, with the magic of the only thousand year old witch in existence. And clearly any vampire who isn't hopelessly stupid won't dare come close to him because, I'm sure you know, he has the cure. Your ridiculous excuse for a boyfriend is safe, if only a bit pale and dirty by now." She pursed her lips into a thin line that suggested she was holding back screams, but didn't make a sound, "So if that's all you want to uselessly shout at me today, I'll be on my way."
He didn't wait for a response, of course. Far be it for him to care if she actually had more complaints to irate him with. What was it, did he suddenly sport a please leave your suggestions sign on his chest? Klaus didn't look back as he slammed the gate shut. He closed his eyes, and decided maybe he'd do both Hayley and himself a favor, and tell Freya there would be a better time to have a family meeting.
But then, he opened his eyes, and there were Caroline and the Bennet witch, looking his way with concern on their eyes. Well, in the witch he spotted more of a panicked attempt to make sure she didn't have to duck for cover. He sighed, and tried to rid himself of any evidence left from his delightful talk with the doppelgánger.
At some point, he might decide he simply liked -no- endured Katerina better.
"Goddammit, Klaus, stop slamming doors," came Hayley's voice from somewhere, "I swear-" he drifted off.
He caught a glimpse of the smirk Caroline and the witch tried to hide. Marvellous, now he was the big bad hybrid who apparently got scolded with such ease by the little wolf. He took a deep breath before nearing the unexpected guests.
"Is something the matter?" he asked, addressing Caroline alone. But he threw a glance at the other just for manners sake. The blonde got a look on her face, but it quickly faded away. The witch remained still with obviously practiced stoicism.
People with the ability to do magic were sadly all the same. And to their awful disadvantage, he'd learn to read them quite well. So he paused to see if he should somehow grow tense, or perhaps he was getting ahead of himself.
Caroline took a step away from her friend, and it almost made it look like she had broken some kind of seal between them, because the other retreated into herself further. Klaus looked on suspiciously until he realized Caroline was actually getting closer to him.
"Freya wanted to talk to you, she told you," it wasn't a question, but he nodded anyway, "I'm here for moral support," she announced brightly.
Klaus was cross for a second. Because on the one, he had Caroline entwining her arm with his and smiling at him like nothing was wrong. And on the other, she had just told him he would, for a reason, need moral support, and of course, there was the growing paranoia about just why his sister had been so insistent on the phone that he get home soon. So yes, now he was tense, except for the arm holding Caroline's.
He didn't even have a chance at asking anything, before she started speaking again, and for the love of him he couldn't get himself to interrupt. "So there's that, and I was thinking of setting up some kind of stage here, in the back wall."
"What?" The question left his lips without thinking. Caroline smiled at him, and pulled him with her a few steps forward.
"For Rebekah's party," she clarified, and went on without missing a beat, "and obviously, I'll have to get a crew inside to install everything. And maybe I'll use this fountain for something with the drinks," He stared at her while she talked, and the sparkle in her eyes almost made him forget the moral support bit, "What color does she like best, gold or silver?"
"Gold," again, without thinking, as if she was compelling him to speak on command. She dragged him further into the courtyard.
"Well, I was thinking of hanging some sort of fabric from the balconies, but don't worry, it won't look tacky. Do you think having somewhere to sit is really necessary, because I think it takes away from the space we could have for the dance floor, or the bar. By the way, what kind of people do you invite to your parties? Does Rebekah have any heinously-old friends I should know about?..."
Klaus widened his eyes at her, and then ran his free hand through his face. And while Caroline kept going with questions she wasn't going to let him answer, he caught the Bennet witch's eye. She was openly smirking at them, and then she raised a brow to Klaus, as if telling him, you did this.
Well, he supposed he hadn't needed a warning, he'd seen her like this before. And he actually liked her when she got like this, which he imagined, not many others in her life did. A smirk tugged to his lips, as he resigned himself to just listen and nod when he thought she would require it.
Ah yes, love, run down the house and build it up from scratch if you want, so long as you're happy. He wanted to say, but doubted she would like to be interrupted while she laid out her plans to him.
"Oh, have you told him about the dancers?" Hayley's voice came in from the bottom of the staircase, she was smiling, clearly amused. "Caged dancers, Klaus."
He frowned, and then gave Caroline a questioning look, she shrugged. "It's just an idea at this point. I was told extravagant was the way to go." Hayley nodded at this as she gave Bonnie a smile in passing.
"Extravagant is the way to go." she confirmed. "The dress code, tell him," Hayley urged, and Klaus had the feeling he was being taunted, so he gave her a warning look while all too happily making sure Caroline's arm stayed linked with his.
"Well if- you said Rebekah prefered gold, so maybe her dress could be that color, while the rest of us wear silver, or white, black perhaps. I get the feeling she'll enjoy standing out in such an obvious way." At this, Klaus did make a motion to out his interest.
"She would like that," he told her. And the idea might've never occurred to him, but he thought his sister might in fact enjoy herself immensely if everything went according to Caroline's plan. He felt the oh so inappropriate need to express his gratitude to her.
"Genius idea, hiring her, Klaus, best you've had in years," Hayley said, ironically not an ounce of sarcasm in her tone. "Really, Caroline, it's amazing. You've saved us from the shitshow Elijah and black's the only color I will acknowledge here would have surely put together," she said, giving Klaus a pointed look.
His expression sobered as he eyed Hayley. What was it with people today? Was he also wearing a sign that said feel free to annoy me on him? But then, Caroline's laughter made his muscles relax, and clearly Hayley had been counting on this because she smirked and then turned on her heels to address Bonnie once again.
"So, what do you think, you like it?" She had let go of his arm in favor of standing in front of him. Klaus gave himself a moment to take her in, grinning her satisfaction with the plans she had conjured, and an anxious glint in her eyes while she waited for him to answer.
"It's- it really is something, love. I'm sure it will put all the other parties that've been held here to shame. Just, don't make me wear a silver tux, it doesn't become me," he watched her smirk become a smile, and then she rolled her eyes at him.
"So, you have worn one?"
"More than once actually, there's so much to regret from the 1970s." This managed to take a laugh out of Caroline, and god, did that sound make Klaus forget about all the things he should be worrying about with reason. Made him forget about last night's brooding as well, even the cause of it.
"There's pictures too, if you want to see," Hayley said, from a few feet away. Caroline looked like this just might be the best day of her life. He smiled fondly at her, or what he expected to be seen as fondness, but in reality, he might've as well just beared his heart out for everyone to see.
And from the looks Hayley and the witch were giving them, knowing and bewildered respectably, he imagined perhaps he was.
There was no time to dwell on it however, as Freya finally made her entrance from the ground floor of the house. And where the Bennet witch had been wise to enclose her emotions, Freya looked positively worried, there was no mistaking it. Not even Caroline's laugh could've made him look away from the car crash he felt coming.
"Sister-"
"Let's go into the library," she said, fidgeting, and then walked to said direction without waiting for a response of any sort.
His eyes landed on Hayley next, who was already looking at him. He gave her a nod, to assure her if nothing else, as if he was anything but ignorant in the why of Freya's appearance and behavior for that matter. They started following after his sister without another word spoken.
He felt his hand being tugged back and he looked to his side, where Caroline was smiling, this time less genuinely, at him. He felt the need to ask, because surely, whatever this was about, she knew more than he did. He was sure of it once her grip on his hand tightened.
He squeezed her hand back in his anxiousness. But truly, he felt somewhat comforted by her presence already.
When Freya closed the door behind them with a flick of her hand, he made a beeline to the bar. It was transparent that he would need a drink, maybe more than one. Hayley made a motion with her head to him, he served her a glass too, pouring more into both than he usually did.
He'd ask if anyone wanted something if he felt like it was important to do so. However, Freya and her accomplice were pointedly looking anywhere but at the spot he now shared with Hayley. Both standing behind the couch and fingers digging into the leather. Caroline had sat down in one of the chairs facing his side of the room.
"Freya, what is this?" Hayley asked, she clearly being able to anchor her emotions. Klaus felt he shouldn't speak in fear of shouting with no reason, not yet at least.
His sister opened her mouth, kept it open, then closed it. The Bennet witch patted her arm. Freya cleared her throat, "You know, well you don't know because I haven't told you, but we ran into a wall a week ago with- with the spell to bring Elena back to life, to keep her from dying and-" she choked.
Klaus desperately wanted to tell her to calm down, to breathe, but then he knew he had no way of knowing if she should be calm. So he just tried his best to look at her comfortingly, tolerating, accepting, whatever it was that she needed to keep going. Hayley seemed to have the same train of thought because she said, "Freya, it's fine. What is it?"
As his sister got a hold of herself and her words, he stole another glance at Caroline, who was in turn staring at Freya with barely narrowed eyes. She looked confused and concerned, and it made him think perhaps she also didn't know anything. Freya had mentioned her friend, and clearly, that was something she hadn't been expecting.
Well, fantastic, now he had literally clawed holes into the couch. Hayley slapped his hands away from the material with a huff. He could hear in his head, goddammit, Klaus, stop destroying your daughter's house. Obviously, it wasn't the time for her scolding.
Her sister started again, this time, her voice had ceased to shake, and so had her intent. "Well," she straightened, "turns out the spell Bonnie used all those years ago is out of the question. I spent days researching Esther's grimoires for an answer, and then I found it," Klaus listened as his sister spoke of the way their mother had been secretly draining him and his siblings of blood for months without them noticing. How terribly unsurprising. And then, on how she had been using said blood; saving the ones on the brink of death and turning them without knowledge of her doing so. How, probably, and because they had never encountered other creatures, safe for werewolves, in their village, that the test subjects had probably died anyway because they didn't know to ingest human blood when in transicion. He listened and listened, until he couldn't help the questions.
"Are you saying, you want to turn the doppelgänger into a vampire again?" he tried, slightly hazy on his focus. He turned, Hayley looked as confused, then again, Caroline stood up, about ready to speak her mind it seemed.
"No," the other witch quickly amended, and gave Caroline a look, though what it meant, he couldn't say. "That's not it. Keep going, Freya."
His sister took another breath and then nodded, "I came to the conclusion, after a while of studying mother's spell and hypothesis, that I could use the same principle of the ritual, but use another...component to make it work in our favour."
"So that it is possible to save Marcel's life and keep Elena alive and human," the Bennet witch said, with an emphasys to her words, as if to make it very clear that it was important to consider this.
Klaus' frown deepened. He thought, of course, that would be ideal and basically what they had agreed on from the start. Then, as he considered the way Freya and the other eyed each other with weariness and concern, a flash of a thought crossed his mind. His hand turned to a fist as he, for once, thought of why it was just Hayley and himself here. And what or rather who would only concern the both of them.
He saw red for a second, blood red, and he didn't care that the words hadn't yet left his sister's mouth. He knew, he had a good enough reason to yell this time.
"Absolutely not! Have the both of you gone insane?!"
"Klaus," Hayley tried to hasten him, but with no result. Clearly, she hadn't quite gotten there just yet.
Freya didn't lose any more time playing coy, and as her face turned apologetic, with just the pinch of regret, he knew he was right. "Klaus, please, just listen, this-"
"No! This is not happening. Let me remind you all that my mother was exceptionally deranged. I've read those books, Freya, spent a bloody milenium reading them, all to confirm what I already knew, Esther was a psychopathic bitch!"
"Klaus," Caroline's voice now, it made little to no difference.
"Really, how can you even consider I would put my child through something as exceptionally idiotic and quite frankly macabre as experimental blood magic, and all for that-"
"What?!" Hayley seemed to have arrived, thank god. "Freya, what the hell?! No, you're not doing this! Hope's no- she's not some kind of scientific miracle you can just fucking play with for the sake of-"
"It's the only choice!" Freya yelled back, and at this Klaus had a pause in his heavy breathing, he was getting ready to get back in there with Hayley. "God, do you think I would even consider doing this, getting my niece into this if it wasn't the last possible resource?" Her eyes were glazy, her face was flushed. Klaus thought he would've told her she should've looked even more on edge earlier if he'd known.
"It's not happening," he said, his voice low and definive. Only in an attempt to not lose his temper again, he turned away and walked to lean on the bar for support.
"Then it's all for nothing, brother," he scoffed loudly, though he still wouldn't turn around to face her. He felt betrayed, and felt sick just thinking about what she was asking. "Because without some way to save Elena, then there's no way to make the ritual for Marcel happen. And he will die, Klaus. He has days, if even that anymore, and we're wasting time-"
"Freya stop," Hayley said, he could hear the distress, he could feel it mixing with his own, "don't lower yourself to this. To guilt us into agreeing to this. It's crazy! And don't insult my intelligence by saying it will be okay afterwards, everything always- it always comes back to us. I won't have my daughter be in any more danger than she already is because of the family she was born into."
Those last words stung even him, Klaus was glad he wasn't holding a glass this once because he'd surely blast it into pieces. Still, he knew she was right. Again, Hope was the daughter of the man with a thousand enemies. And now her own family was ready to use her as a- what did she say? A component to some ritual?
Now he turned around, and watched as, in silence, Hayley had come to step closer to Freya and the Benett witch. Apparently in some sort of staring contest. He found the glass he had left on one of the side tables, and gulped it down in one go. He slammed it on the bar, Freya looked at him.
Now the staring contest was with him. And he thought he'd already been in a similar argument once, with Freya herself. Only that time, they had both been thinking of Hope's best interest, on how to better keep her safe. In the end, he had been right to act the way he did, even if it ended in his family torn to shreds, he had kept his daughter safe. Now it was about which life he thought was more important, more worthy of being saved.
He felt another flash of anger go through him. Marcel, he wanted to save, clearly, that was why he had started this all. And the fact that he had made a deal to preserve the life of the doppelgänger was merely a circumstantial obstacle right about now. Because if he had to choose between her life and the safety of his child, well, he'd laugh at anyone who thought there was even a choice to be made. And he opened his mouth to say this, but then he was halted by a voice.
"Klaus, don't." Caroline said, and he turned to watch her. She had sat down again, and her eyes were fixated on him as if she had been watching him for a while. Her eyes were pained, like she had been able to see right through his motions and had happened upon his thoughts.
He clenched his jaw, and gulped. Obviously, she couldn't believe he would ever put anyone above Hope. But no, he saw understanding in her eyes, and so he knew she was aware of all he had been thinking. Just don't say it. Strange, how he could interpret the words that weren't making it out of her. Fine, so he wouldn't say it, because there was no need.
He sighed loudly and closed his eyes shut for a second, then opened them with oddly needed effort. Hayley had tiredly given away into the couch. He saw the pieces of glass near the fireplace. He supposed he hadn't heard that in his violent brushing of facts in his head. He was glad, for one, that he didn't seem to be overreacting.
"Look, I know what I'm asking is a lot, and I don't claim it's something I'm not conflicted about myself," Freya started saying, and Klaus found her voice alone made his anger spike at the moment, "and yes, it would be dangerous if someone found out what we can do with your blood, and with Hope's-"
"Freya," Hayley tried again, this time her voice was only a half of what it had been minutes ago. Klaus was feeling exhausted all of a sudden too.
"No wait, please listen," he was digging his nails into his palms now, "only we know about this, Vincent and Davina too, and we've all agreed that in order to protect Hope, we'd be more than willing to- to have you compel us to forget all about it," at this, his eyes immediately flashed to his sister, his scowl turned into a frown, "that way, there'll be no...no evidence, no trace."
"Elena doesn't have to know what it's saving her either," The Bennet witch said, sharing a look with Caroline, who suddenly stood from her seat.
"You can compel me too, Klaus, I swear I wouldn't say a thing, but it's safer if you do it," she said, eyes insistent. She took a step towards him, hesitant, and he stiffened.
Hayley, on the couch, gave out a groan of exasperation and stood. She eyed the floor with contempt. "Since the moment she was born, Hope has been fighting against countless evils. Because of who she is, because of what she is. And even now, when she's four years old, we know people will try to harm her, use her, try to-" she gasped, and took a deep breath, "try to kill her, for the rest of her life."
Klaus unconsciously walked to her, as if being magnetized by the person who was saying what he was thinking, expressing what he was feeling. He placed a hand on her back, and tried to finish for her, "It's disgustingly wrong that her own parents would put her through it willingly," Hayley had slouched into her hands, and she gasped again at his words.
The mother of his child was crying by the time he had wrapped his arms around her. And it felt awful, because he thought of the months they had to be apart from Hope right after she was born. How Hayley had been destroyed and unhinged, and how it destroyed him that he couldn't do nothing but wait. Perhaps he could help it now, but knew it was for no use, Hayley was crying for a reason, after all.
He was staring at the fireplace over Hayley's head when he heard his sister sigh, preparing herself, "Klaus, Marcel, you've seen him, he doesn't have much time-"
"Fucking hell," he muttered, and she halted. He turned slightly over his shoulder to look at Caroline who was eyeing them with a palpable emotion, sadness probably, pity was more suiting, "we'll do it." Hayley shivered in his arms, but said nothing, they were unfortunately on the same page.
There was silence once more, and his sister stared, as if she hadn't heard him, but it was only disbelief. He swallowed his anger and his need to go out on a rampage in favor of being where he was needed and said, "Do it."
/
Thanks for reading!