Chapter 46

Of all the things Kol knew about Nora, the actual memory of her first death was one his wife always refused to show him. He knew, of course, what happened and remembered all too well the nightmares that haunted Nora at the beginning of her time travel. Even without the memory, Kol used to picture the scene in his head and had always thought he was ready for it.

Yet, the truth was… He had been wrong. So damn wrong. He wasn't ready at all.

The vampire holding Nora in a too strong grip for a human had sunk his teeth deep into her fragile neck, her delicate skin torn and stained in blood. The man - beast - was groaning, lost in his pleasure and all but rubbing his disgusting self against her backside while one of his hands fondled her breasts.

The snarl that tore out of Kol's throat was loud, instinctive, and a pure echo of his rage. How dare that lowlife touch his wife?!

The angry sound broke through the silence of the night, causing the other vampire to freeze. He stopped feeding on Nora, his beady dark eyes looking all around him, searching for any signs of a threat. Still, his hold on Nora didn't loosen until she started struggling. He slapped her hard, the crack of her jawbone breaking filling Kol's ears just as Nora fell to the ground like a puppet with her strings cut off.

Kol snarled again, his chest rumbling and black cobwebs appearing underneath his eyes. His human appearance disappeared and the vampire took over, his face distorted by rage and bloodlust and the strong desire to see that wretched creature crumbling in front of him. Since the man wasn't holding Nora anymore, Kol didn't hesitate to vamp-speed to him, violently throwing him into a tree. The trunk cracked and the vampire wiped the blood off his lips with his thumb, groaning half in pain and half in anger.

Not that Kol cared about that lowlife's feelings. Not letting the man stand up, Kol threw himself at him, one of his hands punching through the man's stomach and pulling out his innards while the other one crushed his arms before tearing the limp member.

Soon, the vampire was screaming and begging and the smell of urine permeated the air.

"Who told you to kill her?" Kol questioned the man harshly, his eyes staring down at him with contempt and hatred.

"N-no one!"

"Who?!" Kol repeated before proceeding to remove the other arm, warm blood spurting from the wound and splashing Kol's face.

"No one! I swear!" The vampire sobbed as he was reduced to nothing in Kol's hands.

To be sure, Kol compelled him to answer his question, only to hear the exact same thing.

"Of all the people in the world, you just had to touch her. What should I do with you? An easy death would be far too kind for the disgusting beast that you are."

"P-please!"

Kol snorted. The vampire's stomach was already healing from Kol's punch. The bastard wasn't young and had certainly not been thirsty. All he wanted was to play with his food. Well, since this was the case, Kol would help him.

"Go find some hole to crawl into and eat yourself slowly," Kol compelled him with a cold smirk. "Don't let someone see you. And stake yourself in three days."

Once he was done speaking, he dropped the vampire to the ground and spat on him, not forgetting to step on his groin.

"You should start with that. It's not like you need it."

Kol turned away and ran into the forest, trying to find Nora. Because she was human, her scent was different from what he was used to and it took him a bit longer to find her. When he finally did, there was already a branch poking out of her stomach. Her heartbeat was slow, almost nonexistent, and the fear Kol had been repressing ever since he left his siblings surged up.

He could almost feel her pain, waves after waves of anxiety and fear ripping him apart from the inside. What if he was too late? Would he lose her? His heart leaped into his throat at the thought of a life without Nora.

Quickly, he crouched in front of her and bit into his wrist. He caressed her cheek with a shaky hand, hating himself for what he was about to do.

"It will be alright sweetheart. You'll be alright."

She had to. Otherwise, he might just burn the whole world and kill himself.

Gritting his teeth, he forced her mouth to open in spite of the broken jawbone and tilted her head back to let his blood flow directly into her throat. He massed her throat so that she would not choke on the red liquid.

Then she burned and all he could do was to watch with tearful eyes and his heart clenching painfully again and again.

Eventually, there was nothing left but ashes in his hands, the grey dust slipping through his fingers only to fall onto the burned grass below. Sighing, Kol sat down on a rock, his elbow resting on one of his knees and his eyes looking at the moon through the foliage. The ashes scattered into the air.

Taking into account the years they spent apart because of her time-traveling and the dagger, he had known and loved Nora for a thousand years.

A thousand years… Such a long time… Yet it wasn't enough. Perhaps even forever wouldn't be enough.

A long while later, the emptiness inside Kol disappeared and tingles spread through his body from head to toes just as the scent of fire permeated the air once more.

Two warm hands landed on his shoulders and Kol couldn't help but smile at the feeling. Warm, comforting. Just like home. His own hand went up and he intertwined their fingers together, her two ancient rings rubbing against his skin.

Tilting his head back, he met Nora's blue eyes.

"You are late," he said quietly, breaking the silence.

Her lips twitched and a flicker of amusement flashed in her gaze.

"Is it really what you want to tell me right now?" she responded, using one of her sleeves to clean his face.

"You are right. I do have a question for you, Nora. Do I really have to sleep on the couch?"

"What do you mean?" she scrunched up her brows in confusion.

Kol got to his feet and pulled her into his arms.

"I promised you to not get myself daggered and… well, it didn't end well, did it?"

She pulled back and looked at him, her eyes darting all around his faces before looking up and down at his clothes. His disgusting clothes.

"These clothes… 1919?" she muttered before looking around in bewilderment. "Where are we? And what year?"

He took a step forward and cupped her face tenderly. "What year were you aiming for?"

"After 2010. I just came from the seventies."

"Then I guess congratulations are in order if you remove the 'after', darling. Today's date is exactly October 21, 2010."

Her eyes grew wide and she opened her mouth in surprise.

"But you're still wearing these clothes. You-"

He cut her off with a kiss, his lips seeking hers in an almost desperate way. They were warm and firm and comforting just like her. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she craned her neck and returned the kiss in full force. Their tongue entangled together, relishing in the taste of the other. There was no passion. Just the joy of finally being in each other's embrace again.

'Welcome home,' her kiss told him and he returned the greeting with a slight nip on her bottom lip.

When they were both breathless, he pressed his forehead against hers, his breath coming in short gasps.

"Do you know?" he asked in a hoarse voice after he caught his breath. "I almost didn't make it. One second later and you would be gone forever."

"Kol…"

"I almost lost you."

Almost. And the idea was the one he feared the most.

She pressed her lips onto his for a brief kiss, the rim of her eyes turning red. When she spoke afterward, it was with a trembling smile. "But you didn't. I am here. With you. And unless it isn't what you want, I assure you I have every intention of leeching off you for the next how many millenniums until the end of Time. Who knows, we might even see a zombie apocalypse together one day."

This succeeded in drawing a small laugh out of him. He then gave her a tender look.

"What are you saying, sweetheart? I have spent my whole life looking for you. It's a bit too late for regrets, isn't it? I love you, Nora Mikaelson. For a thousand years, I have loved you as my best friend, my lover, my wife, and my partner. As the very half of my soul. I have every intention of loving you for a thousand more if you'll have me."

Her wide smile upon hearing his words blinded his eyes and warmed his heart.

"Only a thousand years? So stingy."

"Until the end of Time," he corrected himself, laughing. "And when the time comes for your zombie apocalypse, we'll be eating French fries while everyone else is running for their life."

"To be fair honey, our body and our brain regenerate so we'll be like first-class meals for zombies. Best to move to a desert island. Don't know about you, but I don't fancy someone chewing on me. Unless if it's you, of course."

"Thanks, darling, you just manage to ruin this romantic moment."

"You're welcome, honey", she replied cheekily. "It's my pleasure."

Flicking her forehead, he cast one last glance towards the place where the human Nora disappeared and then grabbed his wife's hand.

"Let's leave this place."

She looked at him for a second before understanding dawned on her.

"Alright. Let's leave," she said softly with a squeeze of her hand.

"You don't want to know what happened to that vampire?"

She shook her head. "Whatever you've done to him, I'm sure he's suffering.

That he was, Kol mused with a dark smile though he remained silent.

The only source of light came from the moon through the foliage. Although Nora's eyes were better than a human's, it couldn't compete with a vampire's sight. Without warning, Kol scooped her up into his arms and started climbing up the hill.

She rested her head against his shoulder, her breath brushing against his neck.

"Kol, we…" she suddenly said, her voice trailing off.

She bit her lips, lowering her head towards her legs.

"What is it, Nora?"

"What are we going to do now?" she asked in a tired voice. "I… really hate Klaus and Elijah and I want them to suffer for what they did to you but…"

She glanced up at him and Kol felt a lump in his throat at the sight of her helplessness.

"I'm tired, Kol. I don't want to keep trying to get back at Klaus and lose more time with you. I don't want to hide anymore."

"Then we won't hide anymore," he responded in a soft and loving tone of voice. "We will do whatever you want to do."

"It's not about what I want," she refused, "It's about what we want. My parents are born and safe, and there are no more risks that your siblings could kill one of my ancestors."

"Aren't you scared they will try to kill your parents and grandparents?"

He, too, desired nothing more than to stop hiding. New-Orleans had been a bitter mistake that filled him with regrets. Back then, he should have just left with Nora, forgetting all about the always and forever trio.

In his arms, Nora closed her eyes and buried her face in his neck. "No. Before leaving 1977, I asked Sage to make sure my family was protected by our people."

Kol started. "You told her the whole truth?!"

"Of course I did," she said, chuckling, "After so many centuries, Sage is like a sister to me and someone I completely trust. I'm not sure where exactly she is right now but I'm sure my family is protected."

"Then how do you explain the vampire trying to kill you?"

"Protecting my family doesn't mean protecting me, Kol. I trust her and I trust the people she ordered to protect my family. My parents are safe."

When they reached the road, Nora jumped out of his arms and started to look around her curiously. Her lips twitched upon seeing her car against a tree, curls of smoke rising from the hood.

"You know, the situation is quite different this time," he finally let her know. "I'm not the only one who's out the coffin. Everyone is awake."

"Everyone?" Nora repeated with a frown before she froze. "You mean… Finn too?!"

"Yes, Finn too."

Nora squealed with joy and threw herself into his arms, laughing like a child when he made her twirl.

"Oh my god!" she said through her laughter, "Sage will be so happy! Where is he?"

He placed her back on the ground, his hand still on her waist, and responded with a grimace, "Still with my siblings and… my not-dear, unfortunately back from the dead, and rotting mother."

Nora scrunched up her nose. "The wicked witch is back? Damn, she's trying to imitate Voldemort? Does she still have a nose?"

"Yes, silly girl, she still has a nose. And she also decided to organize a ball in Mystic Falls."

"Kinky name for a town. Where is it?"

"No idea. I forgot to ask."