A/N: So, this was probably the toughest chapter for me to edit so far; last time I had this much trouble getting through to the final cut for an update was probably the one in which the Cami topic was tackled. I'd like to think the extra time was worth it with that one, so I hope you guys enjoy this one too.

That being said, I'm not trying to hype up the chapter or anything :D The update is as long as any other but I have to say, there is a LOT happening. I tried out a slightly different format where there's quick shifting between scenes in an attempt to recreate into writing how it may have played out on the show. Here's hoping it worked!

Also, I know I said this update would come in two weeks but like I mentioned, the chapter was a toughie to get out. In fact, if it wasn't for those lovely readers who reached out to check up on the story (you know who you are) I might have taken even longer! So, I'd like to extend a special thank you to them along with lots of love to everyone who stuck with the story so far. THANK YOU!

Enjoy! We are really close to the end :)

Disclaimer: TVD isn't mine at all.

~.~

What Could Have Been

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36

Negotiations

.

Aurora stood in silence, staring them down as her grip tightened on the stake. Klaus instantly caught on to what she planned to do.

"Aurora, you don't want to go through with this," Klaus urged, trying to keep his voice steady. To his annoyance, she responded with a cold laugh.

"Don't want to? Darling, don't you understand? I have to do this." Klaus swallowed as he saw her fingers tense around the sharpened wood in her hand and she took a step closer. "I WANT to revel in the look on your face when I take the life of someone you love… it's only fair since you entrapped my beloved brother and let him sink to the bottom of the ocean to suffer forever." Her eyes were flashing at him and he was about to retort when he heard a frustrated groan from his side. He turned to see Caroline staring at Aurora.

And she looked extremely annoyed.

"SERIOUSLY? This is all for some stupid blood-for-blood revenge?" Caroline snapped, waving her arms animatedly. "News flash, lady, Elijah is dead. So is your brother. If that isn't even, I don't know what is." Klaus felt a small tug at the corner of his mouth at Caroline's blatantly honest outburst and Aurora scoffed.

"You would hardly understand, child," she sneered at Caroline and shifted her attention back to Klaus. "Don't think I missed that smile, Niklaus; and to think there was a time that look was reserved only for me." Her voice had taken on a bitter tone and for a brief moment, Klaus actually felt sorry for her.

"You still haven't answered Caroline's question, sweetheart."

It was almost amazing how Freya could feel the thrumming of magic from the repeated chants by Hope and the Saltzman twins on a shared spell that was happening so far away.

As the chanting began to pick up pace, she felt the energy building within her and her body began to jerk about slightly, making her wife's hold on her palm tighten. Freya's eyes were shut but she had no doubt Keelin was watching her anxiously.

"Everything okay, Freya?" She spoke gently, not wanting to disturb the rhythm of the spell but unable to help herself from checking on her wife. Freya didn't open her eyes but smiled.

"It's working. We're almost through with extracting the girls' magic," she assured her wife, who simply squeezed her hand in response and Freya was almost glad her she couldn't see the worry on Keelin's face.

"If it's revenge you're looking for, you're a little too late, Aurora," Klaus growled, trying to keep his calm. He had to remind himself that all he needed to do was keep her occupied so the girls could have enough time to finish extracting the curse's magic. "I lost my brother and yours is at peace. So why don't you put the stake down and we can talk about this as the friends we once used to be?" Klaus pasted a smile on his face and Aurora narrowed her eyes at him.

"Friends? My dear Niklaus, do you think this is a negotiation?" She shook her head at him. "Let me make this perfectly clear: I am going to stake myself and your daughter is going to die. It's simple."

A feral snarl erupted from Klaus' throat and he could feel the prickle of his fangs ready to spring out for an attack. He made a slight move towards Aurora when he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Caroline looking at him with worry etched on her face.

"Don't…" she said softly, "She's just trying to rile you up."

Klaus swallowed and the sound of a throat clearing had both him and Caroline's attention back to Aurora, who was now looking at them with disgust.

"You disappoint me, Niklaus," she sneered at him. "Would I be right to hazard a guess it's the impact of being with this baby vampire?"

"Hello! I'm right here," Caroline scoffed, rolling her eyes.

"The old Niklaus that I knew and loved would never have asked for a conversation," Aurora continued, ignoring Caroline and maintaining her gaze on Klaus. "He would have ripped my heart out right then and there," she said, almost reverently. Klaus let out a dry chuckle.

"You're absolutely right, Aurora; mercy is very unlike me. There's barely a collect few that have been extended that privilege. Perhaps there is an element of truth in your assessment of Caroline's influence on me; I can't deny that she does make me want to be a better man," he said simply, earning a warm look from Caroline right next to him. "Or perhaps…"

Klaus edged slightly closer to Aurora.

"Perhaps I'm ACHING to show you that murderous side of me that you apparently seem to miss so much, but I can't," he growled in a dangerously low voice. "… Because that would endanger the life of my daughter."

"Or perhaps you are simply stalling." Aurora looked at Klaus pointedly and his lower lip twitched, a hint of anxiety tingling in his chest.

"What?"

"She knows," he heard Caroline whisper next to him.

"Your girlfriend's right, Niklaus," Aurora drawled. "You see, I figured you might get some witch friends of yours to put a damper on my plans. I just didn't think you'd use your own daughter for it."

Klaus exchanged a quick glance with Caroline and he hoped she had come to the same realization he did.

Aurora thinks they are simply doing a spell to break her bond with Hope.

Perhaps they could use this to their advantage. Klaus turned back to face her.

"What are you talking about?"

"I might've sent a friend of mine to stop your feeble attempt at getting in my way," Aurora said matter-of-factly with a light shrug as Klaus' eyes widened. "Or at least slow things down…"

"Hello, Hope."

Hope couldn't believe her eyes as she stood with the Saltzman twins in the rain, her shock making her temporarily halt her repeated recital of the spell.

"Jake?" She choked out and heard Lizzie grumble from next to her.

"You can't quit chanting now that your old boyfriend's here, Hope. Not when we're so close."

"I think you should stop what you're doing right now," Jake spoke again suddenly, gesturing at Hope and the twins. At this point, Alaric stepped forward, his crossbow trained on the young wolf. Hope raised her palm at him, suggesting he wait and took a careful step towards Jake.

It was almost eerie how his otherwise pleasant looking face now just seemed to be staring back at her blankly.

"Jake, what is wrong with you? Why are you doing this?"

"I told you I'd do anything for my sister…" he started, a hint of emotion finally appearing on his otherwise vacant face. "Aurora says she can save her for good."

"And you believe her?"

"Yes, now please stop this."

"He's in a trance," Alaric pointed out to Hope as he came even closer.

"Aurora wants to kill me!" Hope yelled back at Jake and he scoffed.

"Why would she do something like that?"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe because she's a psychopath?"

"She's not!" He growled suddenly; his wolf eyes flashed back at her, calling upon Hope's own wolf to come out and fight.

Hope growled back and Josie noticed her eyes flashing gold. She turned to her sister with worried look on her face.

"Looks like we're going to have to finish this without her," Josie declared and Lizzie nodded at her as they continued to keep the spell going. With the buildup of energy they could feel within themselves, there was no doubt they were on the verge of extracting the cursed magic. Their father came to stand next to them, his crossbow still sharply aimed at Jake.

"Hope shouldn't be turning right now," Alaric said anxiously. "She could seriously hurt the boy and will regret it later."

"He's not exactly an innocent little flower, Dad," Lizzie muttered to him in between chants. "But I'm pretty sure Hope knows better than to wolf out on him."

"It's okay, Dad. Even if she does, it actually becomes easier to siphon the Hollow when she's mid-transformation," Josie added in an attempt to comfort him.

"That does not make me feel better," Alaric grumbled.

"My daughter can take care of herself."

"Ric is with them too; don't worry."

Rebekah stood by in the neighboring corridor as her supernatural hearing allowed her to be privy to the conversation that was occurring in Caroline's office.

"Tristan is at peace. I lost my brother too. That should be enough."

She groaned in frustration; Aurora didn't seem to be easing up. Looking around once, she noticed the rain was getting worse outside and the thunder began to crash more violently than before.

She pulled out her phone and dialed Keelin, knowing Freya might be having her hands full with the spell. Her call was answered in an instant.

"Rebekah? Is something wrong?"

"How's Freya doing?"

"She's…" Keelin cleared her throat. "She's feeling pretty confident."

"Good… We have a bit of a situation here."

"Okay…"

"Aurora is here and I think she's planning to stake herself. Klaus and Caroline are trying to buy some time so the magic can be extracted and linked without interruptions."

"Aurora is in Mystic Falls?" Keelin exclaimed and Rebekah was about to respond when she felt a tug at her shirt.

"What in the bloody –" She turned instantly to see a very young boy with big brown eyes and short, curly black hair looking at her questioningly.

"Who are you?" He asked with a straight face. Rebekah turned back to her phone for a moment.

"Keelin, just let me know when the first part of the spell is done. I'll try to get these two back out and ready to take the magic by then." Hanging up before Keelin could counter her, she now eyed the child standing before her. "Well, aren't you the sweetest little thing. Are you a student here?"

The little boy nodded enthusiastically, not talking his large eyes off her.

"Didn't your Headmistress tell you to stay in your rooms today?"

"I don't like storms," he said simply, just as another roll of thunder rumbled and Rebekah noticed him flinch slightly. She instinctively knelt down and put her arms on the boy's shoulders.

"Hey, it's just a little rain, alright?" She reassured him and he nodded again. And suddenly with no warning, he hugged her. Rebekah stilled for an instant before she smiled and hugged him back.

"What's your name, little one?"

"Pedro."

"You should go back to your room, Pedro," she said, standing up. "Don't come out till the storm's over and don't let any of your friends come this way either, you understand me?" He nodded. "Off you go!" She waved him off and he scampered away in the direction he had come from. Rebekah couldn't help but smile at the adorable child before she turned to deal with the problem at hand.

Hope took a deep breath as she continued to look back at Jake.

She knew she couldn't let him stop the spell, not with everything she and her friends had been through to come this far.

"Jake, I'm warning you…" The words had barely escaped her mouth when he suddenly let out a loud roar, exposing a set of sharp freshly emerged werewolf teeth.

And taking her completely by surprise, her eyes went wide as he leapt to pounce on her.

Hope heard the twins gasp mid-spell but luckily, she was faster than Jake and managed to duck out of his way. He rolled on the ground just once before he was up and ready to attack again. She sighed.

"You asked for it," Hope shook her head and waved her hands at him, using her powers to toss him against a tree just as he attempted to spring upon her again. His body thumped against the hard wood but he was on his feet almost instantly, looking like he was barely aware of any pain the impact may have caused him.

"Jake, just stop. I don't want to hurt you," she said, pausing for a moment and hoping he would see reason.

But the one second that she let her guard down was all he needed.

Before she could react, Jake tackled her around the waist and pinned her to the ground, snapping his sharp teeth in her face.

"I can't get a clear shot!" Hope heard Alaric yell over the now urgent chants of the twins as she fought to get Jake off her.

"Hope, this is it. We need you here right NOW!" Josie screamed and Hope knew it was now or never.

With one swift movement, she grabbed hold of Jake's shoulder and in a show of superior Tribrid strength tossed him to the side as far away as she could.

She barely heard the thud of him crashing to the ground before she sprinted towards the twins to join them in the circle. She nodded at Lizzie and Josie – who were as drenched as she was by now – and without another thought, stepped into position.

There was a split second of stillness before Hope began to feel a tightness beneath her ribs. All of a sudden, her body was jerked back and a charged beam of bright blue light exploded out of her chest with a force that made her body tremble uncontrollably.

Her eyes widened as she saw the magic in its pure form bundle up before her. She watched, almost in awe, as the Hollow's pale blue magic began to entangle itself with swirling clouds of black smoke; two dark ribbons of fumes that were gushing out of the twins' open mouths. Despite the dark magic leaving the twins looking horribly like exorcisms to Hope, she was relieved because it meant one very important thing.

The Gemini magic was linking with the Hollow.

The magic continued to get pulled out and bind itself together, floating in the air above them like a suspended cloudy marble of blue and black.

Just then, without warning, the three of them were brought violently to their knees as the last remaining inklings of the respective magic ripped out of their bodies and the linked magic began to swirl away, higher into the sky above. Hope coughed and gingerly raised her head, unable to tear her eyes away from the sight before her.

"NO!" She heard a deep voice yell out.

Jake was back.

Before Hope could react to him, there was a resounding boom as the combined magic shot upwards into the clouds, forming an electrifying twister of mystical energy in the sky.

Caroline and Klaus' heads snapped towards the direction of the deafening sound. Even Aurora's attention seemed to have been piqued.

Caroline quickly exchanged glances with Klaus.

It's time.

They flashed outside, setting aside dealing with Aurora, if only for a moment so they could complete the crucial last part of the spell.

Caroline looked up and that's when she saw it. Looks of astonishment spread across both her and Klaus' faces as they took in the spectacle that was the vortex of pure mystical power floating menacingly in the sky above them. Caroline heard Aurora scoff from behind her; she had followed her and Klaus outside the school.

"What is this?" Aurora grumbled in annoyance and flashed past them to the school ground, glancing up at the chaos unraveling above her in the sky. Caroline turned to look at Klaus knowingly.

This was it. It was time to take the magic unto themselves.

And it was almost certain that once Aurora realized what happened, she was in all likelihood going to stake herself and take the two of them down with her.

They were literally serving their lives to Aurora on a platter.

For the girls.

Caroline reminded herself why they were doing this and looking into Klaus's eyes, she knew he was thinking the same. Klaus, not breaking his gaze, reached out and slowly took her hand.

Caroline couldn't help but smile as Klaus gently lifted her hand to his face, kissing the back of her palm as he spoke his next words in the most rueful tone.

"Forgive me."

The soft smile on Caroline's face began to fade as she took a second to process what he said.

What?

All of a sudden, the pieces fell into to place and everything he had been telling her, came back to her from a whole new perspective.

"I WON'T live in a world where you don't exist!"

His seemingly easy agreement that they do this together.

"If you die tomorrow, is there something you'd like to say? To me?"

His confessions and goodbyes the previous night.

"I love you Caroline, I need you to know that."

"NO!"

Caroline screamed, her voice managing to gain even Aurora's attention in the distance over the thundering sounds of the rain but Klaus was too fast for her. He shoved her away and in the blink of an eye, the magic in the sky amassed together and drilled its way into his chest, making him roar in pain while she looked on helplessly in horror.

Caroline stared wide-eyed from the ground with her mouth frozen mid-scream while Aurora's expression became a strange combination of amusement and surprise from what had just unfolded.

Further away, Rebekah watched and immediately dialed Keelin.

The magic was out and linked but Freya's work was far from done. She continued to recite the modified spell she had designed for this critical part of the entire process but there was no denying all the effort she was putting in was starting to get to her.

"Freya?" She heard Keelin's voice, filled with worry both for her and for their baby that was currently residing within her.

It was the strangest thing; the more drained she began to feel from performing the magic, the closer connection she felt with the child she was carrying. It was almost as if she could feel him cheering her on, telling her she can do this and that everything would be alright.

"Freya… are you in there?" She heard Keelin's voice again as she felt her hand get squeezed. Freya huffed out a dry laugh.

"You know I'm not done yet," she said lightly and Keelin paused before she spoke again.

"Rebekah just called."

"And?"

"She confirmed the linked dark magic is in Klaus now."

Caroline scrambled to her feet and rushed to Klaus' side; worry spreading across her face as he collapsed to his knees. She knelt down next to him on the wet grass and put an arm on his hunched shoulder.

"Klaus… are you –"

Aurora suddenly burst into laughter and Caroline's face snapped up to hers in disbelief, tears running down her cheeks as she stood up.

"Aurora… please…"

"I suppose if not your daughter," Aurora shrugged and started to walk towards the two of them, completely ignoring Caroline and addressing Klaus. "At least I get to take you with me, my sweet Niklaus. I always knew we were meant to be together forever." She brought the stake up to her chest once more and Caroline panicked.

"No, no, no, no, please STOP. Don't do this!"

Watching in the distance, Rebekah was yelling into her phone as she stayed beyond earshot of Aurora.

"Keelin, we need Freya to try and get the magic out of Nik NOW. Aurora is about to stake herself!"

Keelin wasn't sure how much longer she could continue to watch her wife go through with this. Freya was on the floor, sitting cross-legged with her eyes closed and still reciting the words to the spell but Keelin could tell something was off. She had made a promise to trust Freya to be able to do this but there was only so much she could go against her nature.

Just when she didn't think she could get any more worried, Freya's body began to tremble violently and Keelin began to freak out.

"Freya! FREYA! Wake up!"

Keelin knew that being her anchor meant that at no point was she supposed to let go of Freya's hand. But her wife was shaking so badly, Keelin almost worried it would make her lose contact.

"Freya, you have to wake up! PLEASE!" That was when Freya's voice croaked out.

"I have to save my brother. I need to at least try."

"At the cost of your own life? And our child's?"

"He says it will be okay." Freya's response confused Keelin and she wondered if the magic was messing with her wife's mind.

"Who? Freya, what are you –" Keelin's question was interrupted when Freya abruptly sat upright with her eyes wide open and inhaled sharply.

And then, to Keelin's utter shock, Freya's head drooped over her shoulders and she collapsed.

Hope blinked as she got to her feet, suddenly feeling a whole lot lighter. She turned to look at the twins.

"Are you both okay?" Josie smiled and Lizzie nodded.

"We're great," the blonde twin replied with a tired smile. Hope watched as Alaric helped them up when she heard Jake's voice again.

"You shouldn't have done that."

Hope turned to see Jake had walked up to her, stopping just a few feet short. Alaric ushered the girls into the shelter of the mill and joined Hope with his weapon back to being targeted at Jake. Hope scoffed.

"What happened to you?" She asked, crossing her arms and shaking her head at Jake. "Did you seriously believe Aurora could solve your problems?"

"Yes," he said shortly before his gaze wavered a bit. "I mean, yeah. She promised that –"

"Really, Jake? That's what you're going with? That 'she promised'?" The famous Mikaelson temper was about to make itself known but fortunately, Alaric chose that moment to address Jake.

"Listen Jake, we know you are a good person. Whatever spell she put you under is making you paranoid right now. Why don't you just come inside out of the rain and we can talk?"

"There's nothing to talk about!"

"Well, there's nothing you can do anyway!" Hope yelled at him and he frowned. "It's over, Jake. We got the magic out of our systems and my aunt Freya is finishing the spell to destroy it as we speak. You are too late so give up already!"

At this, he seemed to hesitate slightly and Hope saw it as an opening to talk some sense into him.

"Jake, this isn't you. Aurora is lying to you…"

"I don't believe you."

"Are you SERIOUSLY trusting that woman more than me?" Hope snapped at Jake before taking a deep breath and continuing in a calmer voice. "What exactly did she say she would do to help your sister?"

I…" he started, his next words seeming to be caught in his throat. He paused, his eyebrows furrowing together in confusion. "I don't remember."

"You don't… remember? Wha –" It was Hope's turn to look confused. Alaric shook his head next to her.

"Aurora really did a number on him with the Hollow," he muttered. Hope groaned in frustration, not willing to give up on her friend who was now looking more lost than ever. She took a measured step towards him.

"Jake…" She called his name but he didn't budge. "I know you're in there. Whatever this is you can fight it."

She carefully moved even closer, at which point his head snapped up and he began to back away from her. Hope didn't stop but instead reached out and grabbed his shoulder, not taking her eyes off his.

"Everything will be okay," she reassured him, her voice now a low whisper. At that, his unfocused deep brown eyes softened and she saw it; that flicker of true recognition as a single word left his lips.

"Hope."

Aurora was looking straight at Klaus but his gaze hadn't wavered from Caroline's even for a moment.

He let out a short, resigned breath, vividly aware that this was the end for him… once and for all.

Even now as he watched the tears flowing down Caroline's beautiful face, all Klaus could think about was how grateful he was, that hers would be the last face he ever sees.

Caroline stared back at him, her entire body feeling crippled by the mélange of emotional turmoil she was going through right now. That coupled with the feeling of dread knowing what exactly was going to happen next put her on the verge of breaking down completely.

A stray raindrop that was heavier than the rest tapped off her shoulder, making her shudder. She let out a sob and clutched the sides of her damp face; at this point it had been pouring for so long it was hard to tell the rain from her tears.

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Rebekah in the distance. The blonde Original appeared to be in conversation with someone on the phone.

A dangerous glimmer of hope flickered with her. Could she dare to hope for a miracle at this point?

Did Freya figure a way out of this mess?

She didn't get to ponder any further as the bloodcurdling sound of a stake piercing into a heart cut through the air and Caroline turned to look in horror as Aurora's eyes rolled to the back of her head.

"Hope." Jake's voice whispered her name and she knew she had finally gotten through to him.

She let out a sigh of relief as his face broke into a bright smile, the same one that had caught her attention back then.

And almost immediately, he began to cough violently, blood spluttering out of his mouth. Hope's expression instantly turned to that of concern.

"Jake!" She grabbed his shoulders tighter as he stumbled slightly and even Alaric had come to his side for support. "Jake?" He slowly lifted his face to look at her and Hope gasped.

His eyes were electric blue.

No, it can't be.

Jake began to choke.

Aurora must have used the Hollow magic to bond with and control him too. Which means if their spell managed to destroy it…

"NO!" Hope cried out, feeling utterly helpless as Jake keeled over, continuing to cough up blood. In seconds, the young wolf had crumbled into her arms.

Jake was dead.

Keelin always thought her training as a medical professional meant she had mastered the ability to keep her calm in any kind of crisis.

But now, seeing her wife flat on the floor as she gave chest compressions in an effort to revive her, that skill seemed to have gone out the door.

Her phone lay to the side where she could still hear Rebekah's voice screaming to save Klaus but her inner wolf currently cared for nothing other than a way to get her wife and their child to survive.

"FREYA!" Keelin shook her roughly out of desperation one final time before she let go and sat back, the shock slowly spreading across her body as she looked at her wife lying motionless on the ground.

Freya tried to save everyone. And she ended up losing her own life in the process. Tears began to trickle down Keelin's face as reality began to sink in.

And the baby…

Thump thump.

Keelin's werewolf hearing picked up the faint but firm sound coming from within Freya's womb.

The baby's alive, she realized.

Thump thump.

Never before did a simple sound mean so much to her; the soft rhythmic beat offering a flicker of respite amidst the tragedy that had just occurred.

Thump thump thump.

She gasped.

Wait, is that another…

Keelin yelled out as Freya abruptly sat upright on the floor. To her astonishment, her wife's womb began to glow from within and her eyes snapped open, now completely white.

"Honey?" Keelin hesitated, unsure what to expect, when all of a sudden Freya in a single breath cried out and a string of words that sounded suspiciously like a spell came tumbling out of her mouth. It was at that point, Keelin didn't think she could take it anymore.

"Freya, what is going on!" Keelin's anxiety was approaching a record high when Freya stilled, her body calm once more. Her eyes were closed; to an outsider she would have looked like someone who was simply sitting on the ground meditating. Keelin held her breath in anticipation of any further outbursts and was just about to heave a sigh of relief when Freya's whole body slouched over, unconscious.

"Freya!"

At the same time, back in Mystic Falls, Caroline screamed as Klaus fell to the ground and an explosion of bright blue light covered the expanse of everything in her sight. Caroline barely saw Rebekah, who was in the process of flashing towards her, crumble to the ground before everything went black.

A/N: If you thought that cliffhanger is bad, I've got news for you: the next chapter is the FINALE! It's official, Chapter 37 will be the season (or in my head canon, series) finale and I'm real excited to share it with you all.

I don't want to overpromise and underdeliver on when the next update will be but I assure you, as much time as it may take, it won't go longer than a month. It's about 70 pct done right now but I'm sure by now everyone knows how much of a slow writer I am, so that doesn't really matter. I MIGHT be persuaded to work faster if I get some love on this chapter (I'm kidding, not even home baked cookies sent my way can get me to speed up my process lol).

Depending on how things go while editing, there may or may not be a post-credits scene a la Marvel XD Maybe even a compiled playlist for the whole story, even an edit if the mood sets in! We'll see.

Don't hesitate to let me know if you enjoyed this update and what you liked about it :) I'm a little low on sleep so please excuse any silly little mistakes you may find on there. Once again, THANK YOU to all of you for sticking with the story so far.

Cheers, I'll see you at the grand season finale!