A/N Thank you for reviewing!

"So our darling Delilah's alive and kicking, eh?"

Elijah's eyes fleetingly fluttered closed when Kol's knee prodded into the back of the driver's chair as he climbed back into the SUV and lumbered around to get seated comfortably. The annoyance skyrocketing up his spine amplified when the backseat car door slammed shut behind his youngest brother. His head rolling against the headrest, Elijah turned to see Rebekah looking just as frustrated as he felt and shooting an incensed glower at Kol.

"Are you sated now, Kol?"Elijah ground out, his sister's keyrings jingling obnoxiously as he leaned over to slide the key into the ignition."I expect your whining will now cease, yes?"

Kol tutted at Elijah's tone but nodded anyway, baring his teeth when he grinned.

Rebekah rolled her eyes, turned back around to face the front as Elijah started up the car again. He met Kol's expectant gaze in the rearview mirror, sighing when he witnessed his brother lapping remnants of blood from his chin.

Elijah glanced over at their engrossed sister scrolling through their seemingly never-ending list of safehouses as they set back off down the winding road. Deciding to indulge his brother to keep him in high spirits, and because Rebekah had apparently washed her hands of the situation in favor of truly being productive, Elijah took the onslaught.

The car jerked momentarily when Kol slumped down with a hearty guffaw."I knew she was still around."

"Please explain your reasoning."

Kol drummed his hands against his thighs with a laugh.

"The minx was with us four centuries, brother. She not only fled, stuck, brawled for and with us but she was sired by Nik. He trained, steered, and molded her into the spitfire she is."Kol grinned widely at the cars zooming past them, his brindle eyes glistening with glee."If anything it would've cast a disgraceful light on us and him if she had perished."

Rebekah cocked her head."He's got a point, 'Lijah."

"Perhaps, but you forget Delilah wasn't,"Elijah bared his teeth with a grimace."with the lack of a better term, molded to be alone. She was never without family since the moment she was born. Until they…"

Elijah swallowed the emotion itching at his throat, his words evoking the faint smell of smoke and his ears ringing with faint screams. His fingers tightened around the steering wheel when he felt Rebekah's eyes sadly burning into him.

"Until they were taken, and not long after that she was abandoned."He cleared his throat and took a breath, the leather of the steering wheel protesting when he loosened his grip."It's probably why she's surrounded herself with these—"

Rebekah snapped her fingers with a triumphant breath, and despite the urge to chastise her for the ill-mannered timing, Elijah felt immediately grateful for the interruption.

"Florence!"

Kol dragged himself up the length of the backseat to lean forward between them and ogle at Rebekah's phone screen. Elijah's eyes left the road to do the same, and he furrowed his eyebrow inquisitively at his sister.

"Florence was a favorite, remember? It's where Eric, Jaime, and Nik conspired to take Delilah on her birthday."Rebekah's features softened at the memory. A smile pulled at her glossy lips."Or Strasbourg. Our cottage there was always closest to her heart."

Elijah took a moment to weigh the suggestions, sifted them over in his mind strategically before, ultimately, he dismissed the notion with a shake of his head.

"I admire your thinking, Rebekah, but those are too populated and too far. She'd take him far enough out of harm's way, yes,"Elijah gestured sharply at the road."but somewhere close and familiar to her."

Rebekah shrugged a shoulder in reluctant agreement and went back to her checklist. A snuffled huff sounded from her a few seconds later when Kol prodded at her shoulder.

"Besides,"Kol chimed in with a preachy wag of his finger. He brought it to his mouth when he noticed there was a smear of blood across it."she wouldn't take the bastard further away than she'd have to. She's probably seething more with every passing minute she's burdened with him."

"Or they've reconciled?"Rebekah gingerly proffered with fragile hope, her eyes flitting between her brothers. Her shoulders slumped when Kol's eyebrows elevated and Elijah turned to look at her with pursed lips.

"As much as I commend your optimism, Rebekah,"Elijah began softly, tilting his head with a warm smile when Rebekah rolled her eyes."i think that considering the situation, you ought to err on the side of—"

Elijah jolted in his seat when a blinding flare burst in the air, sparks trickling down in front of his eyes before suddenly disappearing. His hands held deathly tighter onto the steering wheel when the car jolted to the side, drawing a cry from Rebekah who collided into the door.

"What the hell is going on?!"

Kol pushed forward between the seats, reaching out to aid his teetering sister with one hand, his other grasping Elijah's shoulder. Rebekah pushed away from the door with a heavy breath, blowing at the strands dangling in front of her eyes.

"Bekah?"

She caught her breath and smiled reassuringly at Elijah's worried glance, grabbed Kol's wrist, and pulled herself upright with a sigh. That's when, out of the corner of her eye, she tracked a piece of clumsily folded paper snared in the air vent.

"What's going on?"

At Elijah's perplexed reaction, Rebekah unfurled her fingers from her brother's wrist and plucked a scrap of paper to inspect it. She smoothed it out against her thigh, pads of her fingers skimming across a familiar name she'd neither heard nor read in over a century.

"Look,"Rebekah murmured on a hitched breath, looking up from the paper at her brothers.

Kol slumped against the side of her seat. He tilted his head curiously."What is it?"

Rebekah beamed, eyes misty with delight, and presented the note between her fingers. Elijah and Kol's gaze snapped to the familiar handwriting scrawled across the ripped shard of paper.

"It's Delilah."

We're at the Savannah safe house.

He's safe and awake.

Come retrieve him ASAP.

~Delilah

The three huffed out breaths of relief in unison and they shared a smile, the note crinkling in Rebekah's hand with how tight she was gripping it. Elijah's eyes scanned the note a second time then his cheeks rounded when his smile widened, eyes redirecting to the road.

Rebekah slumped against her seat with a giggle."Bloody hell she's good."

Kol hummed his agreement before his smile began to falter when his head snapped to the side. He cast an accusatory glower at his brother, his eyes narrowed and lips pinched indignantly.

"You didn't mention Delilah's acolytes were witches, Elijah."

"Because the Salvatore's failed to mention it."Elijah distantly replied, foot pressing down insistently on the accelerator."I presume because they were too focused on the thought of Niklaus being free."

"Savannah. Of course!"Rebekah whispered through a sigh. She held the note to her chest and turned her baby blues on her brother.."That's about...what, thirty minutes away?"

Kol shouldered between the seats to snatch the crumpled note from Rebekah, cutting off whatever Elijah's response was.

"Twenty if our brother puts his foot down."

FLORENCE—20TH NOVEMBER 1996

My Lilah,

Forgive my witch and me for the obtrusion, I know it won't be appreciated. However, in case you were wondering, this is not a regular occurrence. I know not where you reside or have any plans to pursue you because i'm confident in my offer.

But, firstly, I write to you with good news. Hopefully.

I know not how or why, but something has strayed Mikael from my path, and his reign of terror as he follows me has all but ceased. I have enjoyed peace in Aarhus this year, convalescing and expecting his appearance but it has not happened.

Peace hasn't found me in decades, and while I waited for him to tread on my heels, I was relieved and surprised it has yet to come. I am starting to believe my tendency to rarely stay in one place has served me well. I do not know how long the peace will last, but I would be a fool to squander it.

As I write this letter, I have made plans to travel to Strasbourg and intend to remain there for the foreseeable future. I do not doubt that you remember our time there and I also know our home there is as dear to you as it is to me. I desiderate you here with me, and this is the reason i'm writing this letter. It's our time. I have a proposal and, while having no doubt that you still feel indignant about my transgression, I hope you know that i'll do anything to acquit myself.

I plan to earn your trust again, no matter what it takes.

Written on the back of this letter is the address of where i'm currently residing in Aarhus, and I've already arranged a flight to Strasbourg for the 28th. I booked for the both of us, and i will wait until that date expecting you will join me on our new adventure. I know you will, this is why i do not chase you because we've waited too long for this moment.

Until then, Delilah.

Yours,

always and forever

Nik.

"Delilah?"

Head tilting upwards up at the soft call of her name and startled out of her trance, Delilah straightened in her chair, tearing her eyes away from the letter gripped in her hand. Trying to regain her composure, Delilah briskly refolded the letter with an agitated breath. Shifting to appear more at ease than she felt Delilah shook her head scoldingly at herself when she recognized the familiar weight on her chest.

Delilah's fingers drummed against her tumbler as she poured herself an almost full glass of water and downed at least half of it. That was when there was another rap on her door, her name floating in its wake.

"Yes, sorry,"Delilah cleared her throat, her clammy hand gripping the glass."come in!"

The door creaked open, the vibration of two voices quietly conversing drifting into the room. Delilah slipped into her poker-face, her lips curving into a feigned composed smile. It happened just in time for one of her inner circle—Stanley—to appear from behind the opened door.

"Amory's arrived."

Stanley stepped aside to present the aforementioned witch, leaning his weight against the door. Their guest of honor person trailed departed from his side, a friendly smile gracing her features and bag slung over her shoulder. The familiar and friendly face was almost enough to make Delilah's shallow smile wane into something fonder.

"Amory. Hello."Delilah greeted the witch with a smile, turning to face the door. Her smile wobbled as the strove to maintain it."Please, come in."

Amory offered Delilah a flash of a grin and slowly made her way into the room, thanking the vampire who had escorted her. As the witch entered the room, Delilah's eyes shifted to the vampire, smile broadening.

He responded with a smile of his own, eyes following Amory for a short moment before he looked back to Delilah, silently inquiring if his presence was needed.

She shook her head appreciative, motioning that he was free to leave.

"Thank you, Stanley."Delilah beckoned Amory to join her at the table."We'll be fine ourselves."

Nodding in acceptance, Stanley turned on his heels and quietly left the room, closing the door behind him. When the door clicked shut, Amory seated herself down across from Delilah.

"Uncle Remy said you needed a spell?"

Delilah didn't waste any time before she presented the letter to her. The panic of its contents and the situation had made her jittery so her hand was trembling when she unfolded it.

"This came to me this morning."Delilah apprised the witch as her eyes scanned the letter."With magic used to deliver it. I want to know how."

Slightly startled by the firmness in Delilah's tone, all Amory could do was nod in response, processing her demand.

Delilah's eyes darted up from the letter to meet Amory's to find the witch with her head tipped to the side and her eyes already boring into her. The witch's eyes flitted across her features, her brows bunch together and something akin to confusion on her face.

When she realized Delilah was watching her Amory was quick to collect herself. She sent her a brief, half-smile and took the letter to observe it, careful not to linger on its contents.

"You want to know where it came from or who the sender is?"Amory looked up from the letter."Because I can—"

"No,"Delilah softly interjected."I know both of those things."

The witch frowned at her and said nothing but it was obvious she was becoming puzzled as to why she'd been summoned. Noticing this, Delilah held off on offering up a reason until the witch finished studying the letter and set it back down on the table.

Amory frowned at the vampire, placing the letter down onto the table. She started at it, looked over at Delilah, scanned her tired features before it finally processed.

Amory's lip curled into a sneer."It's him."

"Yes. What I want to know—"Delilah took the letter back, refolded it, and seated it on her lap."is if the spell used to deliver was a locator spell."

Amory leaned forward to lock eyes with the vampire, folding her arms in front of her. Her stomach turned as she took in how fatigued and panicked and resigned Delilah seemed.

"This type of spell doesn't work that way. The spell he had the witch perform doesn't exactly have something to do with location."

"Exactly? What do you mean?"Delilah's hand clutched the paper in her grasp, panic kindling in her chest.

"In the sense i'm talking about is that he had to have something of yours for the spell to work. Something belonging to you. Something personal."

Delilah's mouth opened, her dusky orbs flitting back and forth as she tried to make sense of the situation.

"I left everything behind without having a say in it."She bent forward, fingers massaging her temples."Nothing's mine anymore. I can't figure...oh."

Delilah's breathing hitched and hitched until she was gasping. Her eyes rounded and glasses over with horror as the color drained from her features. Her fingers pressed against her trembling lips, pinching the teeth bitten flesh to try and keep the alarm at bay.

"He's…"

Amory nodded."It's likely."

"He's been using himself."Delilah's voice quivered as the realization settled in. Her eyes shined, tears brimming and threatening to spill."He's still able to…."

Delilah's lips drew back into a snarl, eyes awash with embittered tears.

"I'd been beginning to think that maybe I was free because it had been so quiet. Almost peaceful."Her fingers furled around the letter in her hand bitterly."Of course, he couldn't allow that."

Delilah sniffed a mournful laugh, teeth drawing in her lower lip for her to nibble at. She took Amory's hand when the witch reached for her with a sigh, her eyes glassing over sympathetically.

"Does he know where I am?"

"Delilah,"Amory breathed out, thumb brushing across her knuckles."if this was in any other situation the answer would be no. But with the nexus, okay, you share it's almost impossible to be certain given how distinctive it is."

Delilah's head lowered between her shoulders, a feeble sigh passing her gnawed red lips. She went still for an idle moment, leaving Amory staring at the tresses curtaining her features.

"I..."She cleared her throat, voice strengthening."I want you to do something for me."

Delilah waited until the witch replied a gentle yeah, of course before she lifted her head. Amory looked taken aback by the veritable difference of Delilah's state from moments before—gone was the resined moue and, in its place, was an unwavering expectance.

"I wish for you to do a spell to hide me."Delilah firmly apprised, straightening on her chair."Your uncle said it's your forte. Something to hide me from locator spells?"

"You mean a cloaking spell?"

"Yes."Delilah answered, nail jabbing into the wood of the table."I want that. A powerful one and you're powerful. Can you do that for me?"

Amory reached down and picked up her bag, pulling out certain ingredients. She unfolded and spread out the map in her hands after setting aside the other ingredients.

"Yeah, of course."She stated again, hand smoothing across the map. She pursed her lips when she looked back at Delilah." But I can't promise it'll give what you seek. The work you do with Remy, it's miles and miles ahead of this but it's still not granting your wish. Delilah, the likeliness of this working is slim to none."

"Yes. I know."Deliah breathed out, massaging her temples again, fingers twisting themselves in her dark tresses."But I'm using all my resources. Please?"

"If it's what you need, then…."Amory pushed up from her chair, smoothing down her summer dress."i need some candles."

Delilah's eyes idly tracked the witch until she was out of her line of sight and that's when her eyes settled on the map. She listened as Amory made her way over to the vampire's nightstand to retrieve the candles, reaching for others that that were placed on her bookshelf on her way back.

The room suddenly darkened when the light switch was flipped and Delilah raised her head as Amory returned to the table. She deposited the candles around the table before reaching for the salt she'd extracted from her bag.

"Right."Amory sprinkled the salt over the map in particular directions and soon an outline of a symbol was visible."Give me your hand, please."

Delilah complied and reached out, Amory's hand enclosing over hers and moment later, empty hand hovering over the map. Then, with a swift of her free hand and a quiet incantation, the candles lit and a dozen flames danced, illuminating the dark room. It was a short moment as Amory chanted to herself when the flames stood tall to attention.

Blinking when Amory released her, Delilah looked over the map, not noticing anything different and feeling no different herself. She frowned in confusion then she fixed her eyes on the witch.

Amory was reaching down again, hands in her bag and the vampire remained silent until the witch collected whatever she needed. Now able to look at her, she was posthaste to fire the burning question she needed answering.

"Was that it?"Delilah asked in disbelief, somewhat disheartened, curiously watching as Amory placed down a small box half-filled with sand then unlatched it. She recognized it; it was usually used along with the salt for a spell she had seen cast a hundred or more times."Did it work?"

"Let's find out,"Amory murmured as she swept the salt off of the map.

She then trickled the sand in the middle, rubbed her hands together them beckoned for Delilah's hand again. Delilah was prompt to comply and placed her hand in Amory's, watching the other woman with an eager-to-know expression. She impatiently waited as the witch shut her eyes, lips moving as she silently murmured another incantation.

The air shifted and Delilah looked around in confusion, sending Amory a frown but the witch didn't notice, she was looking down at the map. Delilah followed her gaze when she heard the sound of quiet scraping, and it was then when she finally noticed it. The sand the witch had sprinkled was gathered together in a neat circle, but to her confusion, the sand never settled.

It circled the entire world map, circling around and around but never assigned to a particular country or alike. It shifted from place to place, revolving some places thousands of miles from New Orleans before suddenly rerouting to an entirely different location only to reverse then repeat its course around the map.

"It worked."Delilah muttered, the pit in her stomach slowly subsiding."It worked."

"It worked, yes. But,"The witch pointed a finger at the vampire."as i said, there's no telling if it aided you. If he's assisted by a more powerful witch…"

Amory trailed off when Delilah nodded in understanding and witnessed the temporary relief dulling slightly in her tired eyes.

"However,"Amory began, drawing Delilah's gaze back to her."we can organize a weekly meeting to strengthen the spell? Kind of like your work with Remy?"

As she spoke, Amory got to her feet, understanding that her assistance was no longer needed, and started to gather her things. Closing the boxes of sand and salt, she put the items back in her bag before putting out the flames with a whisper.

"Yes,"Delilah acutely assented, blowing out her cheeks."that'll be helpful."

She stood to her feet and helped the witch tidying up the table, re-folding the map after ridding the salt and sand.

"Are you…"

Delilah held up a had with a feigned smile, carding it through her hair when Amory pressed her lips together pointedly.

"I'm just in need of a drink and perhaps someone sweet from the bakery around the street."

"Ah!"Amory let out a giggle that she hoped concealed her concern."I could let Stanley know as I'm heading out?"

Delilah nodded with a hum, stepping aside when Amory lifted her bag and propped it on her shoulder.

"That'll be great, yes."

As the witch passed her, Delilah took her arm gently and waited until Amory raised her head before she smiled once more. A sincere, beam of a smile that, unlike the ones before, didn't hide her exhaustion.

"Thank you, Amory."Delilah murmured earnestly."Truly."

Amory settled her hand over Delilah's and squeezed with a nod. Her eyes darted worriedly over the vampire's form, lingering on her worn-out eyes.

"You're welcome, Delilah. Anytime."

She patted Delilah's hand before making her way towards the door and a moment later she was gone, it clicking shut behind her.

Releasing a relieved sigh when she heard Amory's hand releasing the door handle, Delilah scarcely listened to her retreating footsteps until they became lost in the mixed conversations of her people prowling the hallways.

She drowned out the voices as her attention predictably refocused on the letter still clutched in her hands, still folded but there was no need to re-read it. Delilah was confident that she knew the letter by heart.

Turning the letter over in her hands, she allowed her eyes to trail over the familiar handwriting.

Delilah.

As she studied the letter turning it over again, her eyes unconsciously skimmed over the words on the back—the address of where Klaus expected her to meet him—and ground her teeth together. She promptly turned the letter over before she could peruse what was written. Delilah hadn't read the address scribbled on the back, and she had no intention to.

My Lilah.

Delilah's breathing gradually became stressed as she turned from the door, a heady feeling of dread rushing through her body. She remained still in the middle of the room before, on impulse and without thought, she flashed across her bedroom, bumping into her nightstand as she did.

"Right, right..."

Yanking the drawer open, Delilah rummaged through its contents before pulling out a matchbox, shakily picking up one of the candles Amory had used. Hip checking the drawer closed, Delilah rounded her bed and strode over to the table, prodding the matchbox open on her way. She needed to get rid of the letter, and it would be as if nothing had happened.

Plonking down the candle on top of the table, Delilah went with the rapid thumping of this is it, this is it, this is it in her chest and sharply struck the lightning strip with the match and watched it ignite. Then with a shaky hand, she lit the candle then blew out the match flame.

"Del."

At the crooning call of her name, announcing Remy's presence, Delilah was pulled from the fraught state she'd been submerged in. She basked in its wake and touched her apple cheeks when she felt herself smile—the few genuine ones she'd smiled in days.

"Remy."The name rolled off her tongue with a warmth she'd, only a few decades before, thought lost to her.

Delilah affectionately wiggled her fingers over her shoulder, her arms dropping to wind around her body. She didn't turn to face him, wanting to linger in the fleeting feeling of freedom for a little longer. But, aside from that, she didn't yet want to face the concern she just knew he was looking at her with.

"Turn around for me, will you? I'm worried, you're..."Delilah rolled her eyes fondly when Remy sounded a wince."suffering side effects."

Aware her mind wasn't entirely in the now, Remy ambled further into her chambers, shutting the door behind him.

As he turned around his eyes were drawn to the opened envelope perched across from him. His fingers curled into his palm as his eyes traced the familiar handwriting.

Delilah Tomás.

The reason Delilah had to recover each sunset in recent months, or each third sunset on their regular timetable for decades, had her name on the front of the envelope.

Years of his family's assistance, countless sleepless nights to aid Delilah's endurance had only hardened his abhorrence for a man he'd never set eyes upon.

Remy had disposed of the limbs when the first cream envelope had been handed to her, appearing out of nowhere with her name written on the front. Merely recognizing the handwriting had evoked a reaction not even Remy had witnessed before.

Delilah had only begun to believe she was liberated. The letter had arrived shortly after she'd smiled and told him so. It had been a month to the day of the first letter's arrival when she'd informed him of another before asking him to call for Amory.

"How's the lovely Eve?"

His wife's name quelled any negative energy surrounding him in an instant. A twinkle danced in his eyes at the mention of the love of his life.

"My better half sends her love and best wishes."Remy responded with a sweep of his arms before he pulled a face."As would Jude if he could pull himself from the television long enough to say anything other than no. Teenagers are demons."

Delilah's laughter, however light, followed him as he rambled his way further into the room. The melodic sound was good enough for him to ease the concern just enough to relax.

"Amory did what you wanted?"Remy gently questioned as he gracefully slumped down onto Delilah's abandoned chair."I thought someone more practiced in her field would be more...precise given the time between them."

Delilah leaned to pick up the candle, the letter dangling from between her fingers, and made her way over to the table. When she circled the table she leaned down and pressed her lips to Remy's cheek, just as she always did, and beamed when he touched her cheek.

But when she moved to pull away, her eye caught the silver flecks that were beginning to dust his brown curls. Delilah instantly tore her eyes from the sight and refused to process it, just as she had when she noticed the wrinkles dotting his features.

Sometimes she forgot, despite his craft and aids, that Remy was human. The realisation pressed down her shoulders and alarm stirred in her stomach—she would one day lose him.

"You need not tiptoe around me, you know."Delilah sighed as she sat down across from Remy, her fond smile illuminated by the flame."You'd be the first to know if i wasn't all right."

Remy clicked the roof of his mouth scoldingly, reaching across the take the candle from her. She sniffed amusedly at him, mouthing a demure thank you that had him patting his chest, just over his heart, theatrically.

"I know. Because you're not all right."He placed the candle in the middle of the table, moving aside the pitcher so he could look at Delilah properly."He's using your jinx to send those letters, isn't he?"

"And this time he needed a witch."Delilah tacked on quietly, nodding her head when Remy cocked his own incredulously."He knows something's changed with me. He can feel it."

Her mouth twisted as if she were tasting something sour, words being uttered through clenched teeth.

"It's wrong that I feel he feels that. It's wrong that he has the temerity to think—no, no…"The letter protested in her first when she compressed her grip."he 'knows' that I'll come running just because i've been summoned."

Remy lifted his chin thoughtfully after her eyes gleamed a hint of red, spider veins protruding momentarily as the anger flared.

"I love you, Del."Remy soberly affirmed in the wake of Delilah's fury. He reached out to playfully cuff her jawline with his knuckles."Each moment of each day I love you. You're family."

He calmly waited for Delilah's eyes to meet his blues before he slanted forward, his fingers lacing in front of him on the table. His schooled features softened when Delilah's mouth pulled up warmly.

"You know it cuts me to see you like this. Just as it cuts me to put you through the agony of our process."This time when Remy's hand settled over his heart it was with a trembling hand."But I oblige because you're strong and defiant."

With a watery smile and exhausted, teary eyes, Delilah grazed the edge of the folded letter through the flame before doing the same to another corner of the letter.

She numbly watched as it caught fire and then proceeded to grow and spread across the brim and met the other flame halfway, completely consuming the middle of the letter then quickly devouring the rest.

"You endure each time,"Remy susurrated, reassuring and grounding."and you will endure the rest."

Finally, when it grew and the flames slinked towards her hand, Delilah was prompt to put the fire out by releasing what was left into the pitcher of water. Delilah stared and stared despite her aching eyes until the flame fizzled out.

"It's gone."

At Remy's whisper, the breath was knocked out of Delilah and she suddenly couldn't keep herself upright. The strength drained from her body so she yielded to her body and slouched against the table, her head coming to rest on her folded arms.

"You're exhausted, my heart. You rest now."

Delilah's shoulders feebly lifted once in surrender to his soothing order. Her eyes finally closed when she felt fingers thread into her hair.

"If you wish we'll keep going as we are."Remy beamed adoringly across at her as his thumb massaged her temple."And for as long as we have to."

Delilah battled the compulsion of her slumber long enough to firmly nod. It drew a smooth, delicate chuckle from Remy, urging her to burrow into his palm.

"It has to be done."

Delilah's concluding words on the matter were murmured through a drowsy yawn. The tension that had kept her running for days on end gradually began to allay once sleep finally claimed her at last.

SAVANNAH—PRESENT

"Where were you when i called for you?"

Delilah managed to desist from jolting when the question startled the vampire from her thoughts. Redirecting her glower from the notepad in her lap and smoothing her hand over the torn page, she fixed the leer on the Original standing in the doorway. He presented her with the glasses pinched between his fingers and a bottle in his hands. Klaus then pushed away from the doorframe, gracefully stepped over Jake or Chris' body, and began making his way over to her.

"The scotch whiskey was the lesser of three evils."He waved the bottle at her, set the glasses down on the side table then deftly unscrewed the top."I must admit, however, that I finished what was left of a Bordeaux when I picked it."

Tapping the pen against the paper and scratching black marks across the lined paper, Delilah lifted her head with an exhausting effort. She snatched the nearest glass to her when he finished pouring with no forewarning, sipped a sample then took a hearty quaff.

"Which time?"She rasped after downing the rest of the glass. She could only ignore his eyes searing into her cheek for so long.

The fatiguing tension that had been building for days gradually began to seep from her when she felt a reassuring presence surrounding her—reminding her that Jude and Lou-Anne were still flanking her, even if they weren't tangible. They were with her, standing by her, aiding her and forever trying to ease her from the wretchedness.

"When I first began to feel you drifting from me half a century ago."Klaus' words rolled off his tongue succinctly, even in tone as leered down into his glass. He was trying to restrain himself."When you and your little coven of minions began trying to sever our bond?"

His restraint eased when he hurled the question at her, churlish and demanding. Delilah maintained her deadpan guise with tense grace when Klaus topped up her drink.

"Florence."Delilah brusquely responded, refusing to rise to the bait. She lowered her eyes when Klaus' eyes instantly illuminated tenderly and his shadowed expression did the same a second later.

"Funny that because when I couldn't bear the nothing i'd try to quell it with memories. Memories of our times in Strasbourg and those early mornings, of our first feed together just outside of Madrid when we came upon that carriage. However one of the most persistent memory was our first visit to Florence."

Delilah startled with a shaky breath when she was subsequently enfolded in a warmth triggered by him. When one swallow of her drink didn't abate it she tried with another, then another. Her glass was left empty again when warm laughter floated its way over to her.

A melancholy hum followed."Do you remember?"

Delilah's already clouded expression hardened. She exhaled a weary breath then shortly nodded, pressing the rim of her glass against her lower lip.

"Of course."She tersely replied."What of it?"

"Well...I thought perhaps that my regret and the had severed something. It's illogical but..."A lackluster curled at his mouth."i'd consider all the impossibilities than the possibility of you doing anything so wicked to ever—"

Delilah shot to her feet with a hissed string of incoherent blasphemies, slamming the glass down on the table. Her notepad fell forgotten at her feet, kicked aside when she whirled around to glare at the hybrid.

"My wickedness is self-preservation."Delilah assertively recited around a sneer, effectively cutting Klaus off. She raised her eyebrows knowingly when he tilted his head incredulously."That was one of your favorites, yes? It was usually accompanied by a gratified preaching of 'don't reason with them, remove them.'"

Klaus, taken aback, promptly shut his mouth with a silent, unnerved sigh. He shook his head once at an approaching Delilah, a hand coming up to massage his jaw when an ache began to throb.

"Whenever you pushed, whenever I felt anything, whenever I received one of your letters I would send for them. I'd sit with them each week for hours in agony at times to suppress this..."Delilah gestured hastily between them, desperate and bitter. Her glassy eyes roved around searchingly as her mind swirled."this curse. I did everything in my power and theirs to shut you out."

Delilah pressed her hand to her chest with a wince. Her breathing sharply hitched when the familiar searing thrum ignited under her skin.

"But you kept pushing and pushing..."

The faint ache of the agony she'd endured strummed through her veins. Delilah lifted her chin defensively when Klaus let out a stunned gasp. He staggered backward in disbelief, his eyes darting over her features before, gradually, settling on the hand clenched over her chest.

Delilah turned her head from him with an embittered sniff and that was when he felt the pressure. When lowered his head he found his hand pressed to his own chest, and in its wake followed a spate of throbs, a sequence of burning, persistent pangs that knocked the breath out of him.

In agony. Klaus' eyes rounded in dismay, Delilah's quavering words ringing in his ears. Agony.

"You…"

Klaus slowly lifted his head with a confused, haunted breath. When his eyes found their way back to Delilah who was clutching gingerly at the neck of her top, taking measured breaths to compose herself.

Her lashes fluttered when she felt Klaus' eyes searing into her in astonishment and when she also felt the insistent needle-like jab of horror rolling off of him in waves—she was feeling his pain and he, in turn, was suffering hers.

"Is that what you wanted to know?"Delilah questioned, conjuring some semblance of mettle to look over at Klaus. The throbbing in her chest, the throbbing she was sharing with him, coursed tenfold."Does that give you the vindication you need in branding me a traitor?"

Klaus inclined his head when eye contact became too much. He nodded once, hands clasping onto his forearms when he crossed him over his chest.

"So you did receive my letters."

Delilah offered no response, and it didn't seem like he'd expected one because Klaus carried on anyway. He fanned his hand out theatrically with a soft laugh.

"Normally I wouldn't lower myself to such folly but i was beginning to worry."He looked heavenward with pursed lips when the distant worry he'd felt for years turned in his stomach."There were fragments of hope when i'd hear a whisper but eventually, it was just noise and nothing. I'd never been so isolated from you."

A grim, tragic laugh tumbled from his lips.

"Obviously I was mistaken because I've never felt time much like I have in the past decade."He took the sight of her in thoughtfully while Delilah noted just how fatigued he appeared. Time had weighed on him."Conversely, I've never been more myself either. But you were meant to be there with me."

"You being yourself never would've allowed this to happen."Delilah sternly countered, something akin to horror trickled in her tone."You've gone soft."

Klaus tipped his head an inch, his eyes narrowing skeptically as he eyed Delilah closely. He didn't appreciate the condemnation at all.

"You've accused me of that already."

Delilah blinked once, twice then three times at him before she punched out a bitter laugh.

"Ah, but my accusation, unlike yours, is justified. With the mess you've generated, you ought to be nothing but mortified."Her upper lip curled in a harsh smile as her eyes scanned him reproachfully."You were incapacitated by a gaggle of children."

Something fragile bloomed in his eyes as her words hit. They hit and they'd left a mark.

It was gone almost the moment it appeared but she'd picked up on it. Delilah read so clearly on his face in the aftermath that he knew she'd witnessed it.

He huffed a scornful chuckle then waved a dismissive hand, his other bringing the tumbler to his mouth. He drained the mouthful he had left as his unoccupied hand reached for the bottle he'd abandoned earlier.

"You needn't fret."He blithely assured, refilling his glass halfway. He decided it wasn't nearly enough to sate him then bitterly poured more."Once I've ended my mother's atrocity those who did this to me will be shown no leniency."

Delilah's eyes rounded comically at the nonsense spilling from his mouth. She watched him, her lips parted in disbelief as he knocked back his drink.

"Leniency..."She stormily began through her teeth, appalled. His eyes darted to her the moment he picked up on the mortification in her voice."is what caused this in the first place. They should've been dealt with the moment you stepped foot into that pitiful town and they were considered meddlesome."

Delilah nodded to stress her point when she noticed a flicker of humiliation crossing Klaus' just about hidden features. Unable to look at him any longer and willing herself to maintain her composure, Delilah turned away from him.

"Your mother should've never been able to take a breath."She added disdainfully under her breath, outright ignoring Klaus' eye on her.

Klaus side-eyed her heedfully, tracking her movements. He feigned dry amusement at the comment and swirled what was left of his drink.

"Yes, well..."His shoulder elevated in a mockery of a shrug as he claimed her seat."it looks like i underestimated her guile."

"You've been damning her all day. I surmised because you had some faith in forgiveness."

Delilah decided to push and push when she caught his grip tighten around his glass—just like he had pushed her.

"Your mother would've never forgiven you."She lowered her voice to a hushed tone when she chastised him."You thinking and letting yourself believe otherwise was foolish."

Any trace of fragile repose that had found home on Klaus' features immediately disappeared. His expression promptly hardened when her accusation completely processed. Foolish. The slight echoed in his mind, rousing a wave of outrage that very few had managed to flee from but many had the misfortune of encountering.

"Excuse me?"He icily asked, depositing his glass on the side table with an eerie bout of mindfulness. He rose from the chair and rolled his shoulders then turned around to face her.

Delilah immediately noted the signs of his altered temperament as he approached her—the low pitch in his tone, his weighted shoulders that held tension, his subdued prowl.

All of those signs and more she'd come to recognize in the four centuries but none mattered because all she had to do was merely glimpse at his eyes. They billowed, glazed over, and became home to sheer barbarity when he reached that high and that state which usually meant there was no evading whatever punishment that was no doubt constructing in his mind.

But he wasn't there yet, Delilah eventually realized as he stalked his way toward her. There was anger and fury but, mainly, there were just fragile throes that he was striving to masquerade as darkness.

"I said something similar earlier, love, but you've been reigning authority over your little strays for too long."He declaimed with a mirthless laugh."you ought to be cognizant of the company you're currently in."

Delilah imitated his laugh with a roll of her eyes and went to turn from him. He followed Delilah as she retreated out of his reach, his fingers just grazing her brunette tresses.

"You know it's true. If not you wouldn't be so furious. With her, those who bested you but, most of all, with yourself."

She held out a hand and, after a slight stagger, he went still in front of her. His hand fell to his side when he tilted his head to study her hand before he lifted it again and locked eyes with her.

"Historically, aside from your perseverance, your intuition was your greatest advantage and most baneful weapon. After all, not a soul would dare to wage an attack when they're already outmanoeuvred, would they?"Delilah breathed her words in awe and pique."And those who foolish enough to try wouldn't live to regret it."

Klaus' wild stare bore into her and Delilah leveled it with her own, resolute to hold it.

"You have been short-sighted and merciful. Because of that there is something vastly more formidable than you but, unlike you, indestructible. It wants to kill you. It..."Delilah paused to catch her breath when a frustrated growl, her cheeks inflamed and eyes hooded."it can kill you."

She maintained Klaus' stormy gaze and held it until his snarl blossomed into a euphoric grin. He sighed as the agitation and some fury abated, consumed by the bliss and familiarity of it as it through his being.

"You conjure quite the portrayal with words alone. Always have. Yet that one..."He wagged a finger at her with a ponderous hum. He swallowed, his stare becoming vacant and the glimmer of humiliation making a second appearance."it cuts as well as strokes my ego."

He trailed off in a lifeless mutter then blinked out of the stupor he'd been put under when Delilah sighed warily. As he came to, he blinked again hazily at her as his eyes roamed over the features he'd studied daily once upon a time.

"You're always a thorn in my side when the need calls for it."Klaus murmured with an appreciative nod. His fingers flexed where they were furled against his palm."But perpetually my greatest advocate. You were quite dreaded if I recall correctly. Especially when you were concerned."

"It's called loyalty, Klaus. I'm sure you've heard of it."Delilah idly responded, cautious of the decreasing distance between them."It's something you expect from everyone around you but rarely, if ever, requite."

Klaus shortly nodded, refraining from flinching that time. Each jab, sneer, was beginning to settle in and clear the clouds in front of his eyes. It spiked panic in him—perhaps she was too far gone out of reach. Despite that he never was one to yield when, not when the lines were this blurred and he, in turn, was also too far gone.

Everything, four centuries of surviving and fighting and bliss, hadn't been for nothing.

The longer he gazed at her, the seconds drew out into what felt like eons. Still, there wasn't nearly enough time to comprehend the fact that Delilah was there. She was there, within touching distance, standing before him and not damned like he'd believed—like she'd let him believe.

But he found the resentment over her involvement in it was, much like the fury, overwhelmed by unalloyed relief.

"You accuse me of being merciful but forget that four centuries ago in Huelva through the seasons, there were tales of the brute who slaughtered the innocent inhabitants in their homes with no mercy. All because one,"

Klaus brandished his pointer finger in the air."lone man had side-eyed him in the local tavern and slandered his enchanting sister. He'd cajole himself an invitation from the comely woman of the home, immediately make her regret it, then leave a trail of blood and destruction in his wake."

When breath caught in her throat Delilah's hand journeyed to it almost mechanically, trying to combat memories flooding back to her. Her nails grazed almost comfortingly across the chain of her necklace draped around her neck, the faint tickle seeking to ease her agitation.

"Do remember the tale, Lilah?"Klaus smoothly asked, tapping his finger against his mouth."Do you remember how, according to the locals at least, it ended?"

The pads of her fingers pressed in bitterly, her arm crossed over her chest protectively as a stinging throb pulsated through her slender fingers. She willed herself to maintain their eye contact and refused to back down from the vehemence gazing at her.

"I'm not playing this game with you."Delilah snapped, her eyes swarming red in a flash."Your silver-tongued storytelling will not elicit the sentimental response you seek. I'm not one of your doxies, Klaus."

Klaus cleared his throat, his gaze trembling briefly. Clouds billowed in Klaus' eyes, her own rage reflecting at her and he dared to take a step closer.

"Obviously not, dearest. It's ours."He grimaced as if the mere thought affronted him."I'd never dishonor our story simply to regale an audience that means less than the collateral damage in said story."

The spider veins threatened to protrude under her eyes, a hint of a fang scraping against her tongue. But they gradually abated when her fingers pressed tighter against her throat.

"Well,"Klaus carried on on a purr, finding his composure with a pleased exhalation."they say the brute strayed from his machinations one night when he was drawn by chilling screams. He followed those screams and was led to one of the few homes he hadn't eradicated yet. He came upon the most mesmerizing, ferocious sight of justice!"

Klaus puffed out the stressed exclaim with a chuckle. His boastful rambling resounded throughout the room, prodding at her insistently.

"Then he set eyes on the one who commanded that justice and in that moment he was taken with the fierce conqueror."

The gleam in his eyes amplified when his gaze sought Delilah out again, conqueror rolling off his infamously wicked tongue with pride. There was always an edge of pride to his words whenever they concerned Delilah, always accompanied with beckoning flutter of fingers if she was nearby.

She's a fierce conqueror my Lilah. Fit for a king. Delilah shut her eyes briefly against the ringing in her ears, cheeks flushing furiously and teeth gritting.

"At that moment he exhibited understanding, wonder, and want."He swept his hand with verve, tongue slithering along the hint of fangs before a grin began to blossom at his mouth.

Delilah tore her eyes away from the sight—a sight that for centuries had stirred a visceral heat in her stomach that she'd always welcomed when it consumed her.

"He had, however, also exhibited mercy. If he hadn't their story would've never taken place."His grin faltered into something warm. Solemn."They say it was the beginning of the most magnificent love affair ever told."

His mouth pulled up into a hesitant, sanguine smile, his eyes searching for anything in hers—any semblance of adoration or recognition or acceptance. Anything that would spark the warmth he'd been consumed with for centuries instead of the bitterness he was caught in. His searching, despite all its desperation, was met with guarded pain and resentment.

"Poor things seem blind to the true ending to their beloved tale."Delilah cooly murmured, agitated fingers tip-tapping against her pulse."I suppose it's best. Ignorance may be bliss after all."

Klaus' features went blank and an anguished cackle punched out of him. He teetered on his feet, unsure or apprehensive if he would be allowed any closer to her.

"How do I go about acquitting myself?"He hesitantly asked, the words spoken so low and strained. Delilah's back straightened defensively.

"Name it."He added in a frenzy, throwing caution to the wind. Any precious facade of arrogance was dropped without shame."Will condemning me as a coward ease this affliction we're shouldering? Because perhaps you're right, but my actions were fuelled by fear that Mikael would strip away what little family we had left. I did what I thought was best."

A hysterical laugh drew from Delilah at the tail-end of Klaus' pained rant.

"There it is!"

Her hand departed from her throat, presenting the red welts left behind to wipe across her heated face.

"I've spent a century condemning you,"Delilah replied in monotone once her laughter faded into nothing. She shook her head."I've long lost the passion."

Klaus' face fell when his eyes tracked to the healing scratches on her soft skin, and her words began to drift off into a distorted echo.

"Dearest…"

On a distressed sigh and his feet working before his mind could process, he was hastily crossing the room and reaching for her in a matter of seconds. Delilah's eyes widened when he was suddenly crowding her, her name wafting from his lips and his hands reaching for her.

"No. Do not—"

Delilah sucked in a tremulous gulp of air when callused, cool hands clasped her face like they had hundreds of times over hundreds of lifetimes. His fingers smoothly glided across her cheek, hid themselves into the tresses framing her face as the pad of his thumb traced her jawline.

They were a deft series of movements that had been rehearsed many, many times, countless times that, as per usual, concluded with the same thumb tipping up her chin so their gazes would lock. There was a flash, a glimmer in Delilah's eyes as Klaus lifted her chin and prepared to gauge her features.

The flashes—memories, his mind supplied—were of the same vivid, deep eyes but they were blinking dotingly up at him.

There's my girl.

The mist descended when reality settled in and Delilah grimaced at the touch, her lips curling back into a sneer and her hands raising defensively to push him back. Her breath caught in her throat when a hand coasted from her cheek to brush across her now healed welts.

"I've told you once,"She rushed out when she caught her breath. Her shoulder lifted to hide her throat from his searing, searching eyes."remove your hands."

"But what's this in aid of, hmm?"Klaus hurled back around a sniff, clearing his throat. He turned his questioning gaze onto her, blinking worriedly at her.

His eyes glanced back at her unblemished skin, the corners of his mouth twitching thoughtfully. He tipped his head with a rueful sigh when the image of the bloodied scratches sullied his thoughts.

His fingers traced over where the marks once marred before departing altogether when Delilah shook him off. Her squirming only got her so far because, in seconds, he was all she could see and there was no turning nor running from it.

The hand traveled up to its previously abandoned position, settled back onto her cheek and Delilah's breath stuttered as it registered that she was now stuck.

"If you feel the need to take a swing at me, love, then by all means…."He gruffly said, voice edging on the threat of breaking."Just tell me what will end this. I cannot shoulder this never-ending purgatory and...and the way you look at me? I can't bear it so just tell me."

Her clouded gaze skated indulgently over the misery and the flickers of hope cast over his face. The indulgence lasted briefer than she'd expected—than she'd hoped—before there was a pink-prickle effect of contrition stabbing at her. Just after she was awash with the harsh reality of suffering the pain he was currently engulfed in and, as usual, she could not escape.

There was never any escape from it.

"You debased my mind, abandoned me and in doing so you dishonored our vows."Delilah roughly deadpanned. She shook her head once more."How do you expect me to look at you, Klaus?"

He shook his head insistently with a gasp and his eyes glossed over. They were wide, searching and beseeching her to alleviate his melancholy. Delilah closed her eyes, refusing to subject herself to the image, and latched onto his wrists, trying to peel his hands from her face.

"I'm not playing this game with you."

"Nik!"

Delilah exhaled a weak gasp as her eyes darted to the front door, flickering between the windows when, out of the corner of her eye, she caught a flash of wild blonde tresses.

"Bekah?"She faintly heard Klaus murmur in surprise. A relieved gasp followed, laced through a soft laugh.

Her eyes shined when the hair floated out of sight, and her lips parted feebly to cry out for her to come back, please, Bekah, i've missed you. But before the name could pass her quivering lips, a broad-shouldered figure trailed behind, fingers plucking agitatedly with the knot of his tie.

"Niklaus?"

Delilah's features drained of any remnants of bitterness she'd been seized by only moments before, seconds before even, at the sight. Then any wilful grasp she'd had on her emotions was pulled and pulled until it snapped when she heard all too familiar put-upon grumbling that had never once failed to make her beam.

"...so enough caterwauling, will you?!"

Delilah sucked in a trembling breath as the clamorous calls for Klaus swarmed around her mind, bringing forth lifetimes upon lifetimes of the memories that were tied to their voices.

"They're here."Her brows drew together as her face crumpled."It's been so long."

Despite her summoning of them, Delilah came to the startling realization that she'd not prepared for their appearance if the mere sound of their familiar voices left Delilah reeling.

"It can end now, dearest. Our family is here."

She felt the caress of callused fingers against her cheek and she came back down to earth with a piercing mewl and put up no struggle when her head was turned to the side.

Her swimming eyes locked with Klaus' awaiting ones, and despite her blurred vision, she knew he was gazing at her with a tragic adoration that had the tears she'd been trying to hold at bay spill onto her cheeks.

"We've suffered enough while detached, you and i."

Thank you for reading!

Please let me know if you'd like more of this story.