You don't invite Klaus in. You sense that would be a terrible idea. (It doesn't take a lot of intuition to figure that one out: Klaus threatens to murder Finn with his first breath). Klaus seethes out on your porch, bouquet of flowers crumbled on the steps. You stay carefully inside the house, wary of Klaus trying to force you to let him in. He's angry enough to make you.
You suppose you were right about him tearing you apart.
"Love, now is not the time to be smart with me," Klaus growls, "Finn will kill you if you get in his way, human or not."
"I see your lies haven't gotten any more believable, Niklaus," Finn bites out, "You know I've never taken pleasure in hurting an innocent."
"No, but you take great pleasure in hurting your family!"
A lot of things are starting to make sense. Your gaze scatters calculating over Finn's enraged expression. His upturned nose, the freckles scattered over his face, silk hair.
Ancient eyes.
You should have seen it before now.
You are going to murder him for keeping this from you.
"Klaus," you start, "If half of what Finn has told me, you need to hear him out."
"I do not what to hear what that traitor has to say!"
"What about the fact that your mother is apparently still active in the afterlife?"
Klaus's face blanches.
"That's a lie."
"It very much is not," Finn protests, "I can prove it. How else do you think I'm alive?"
"I don't know, and I don't care to learn," Klaus says snidely, "Perhaps you'd care to return to where you came from."
Something in you snaps.
"Klaus!" You snap, "How can you say that? He's your brother!"
"He helped our mother bind us all in a ritual so he could kill himself and take us with him!" Klaus shouts, "Forgive me if I'm not feeling very altruistic."
Finn did not mention that. You turn to look at him, but his eyes are firmly locked on his brother.
"You left me daggered in a box for nine hundred years!"
Klaus's voice goes cold. "You know very well why you were there."
Finn's fists clench at his side.
"That wasn't your decision to make!"
"Then who?" He snarls, "Who else will take our family's safety into their own hands?"
There's a note of real desperation in his voice.
"Do you know what happens after a couple centuries of having that blasted dagger in your heart? I could hear you around me. My own family, just out of reach, left me trapped for nine hundred years in a waking coma. I felt dust scrape against my veins, Niklaus. Can you imagine being trapped in a box, with no one but your own mind, for nearly a millennia?"
Klaus sobers, a brief glimpse of horror passing through his eyes, before returning to their callous hue.
"Perhaps you shouldn't have been such a bore."
Finn's fist leaves a dent in your door frame.
"I refused to help mother kill you when she brought me back," Finn snarls, "Don't make me regret it."
Klaus grinds his teeth before turning to you.
"Love," he says without an ounce of nicety in his voice, "Step outside right now or I'll burn your house down."
"You wouldn't."
"I absolutely would."
"Elijah would kill you for ruining the house."
"He's tried before," Klaus says with a cruel smile, "It didn't take. Now get outside."
He's not bluffing.
"Why?" You ask, stalling for time.
"Color me pessimistic, but I would feel better if you weren't unprotected with my unstable brother."
You glance at his 'unstable' brother. You get the feeling if there was a Mikaelson stability index, Finn would rank closer to Elijah than Klaus. (God, you're an idiot. The careful way he holds books, how he takes his tea. You should have seen it. Of course the only vampire you've managed to befriend on your own is yet another Mikaelson).
Even so, you don't want to leave him alone. You hesitate at the doorway. Finn's eyes press weighted knowledge into you. It'll be fine, he promises.
It better be.
Finn backs away, giving you space to leave.
"Fine," you grind out.
You take a half step out of the sanctity of your house and Klaus pulls you out into your yard. Whiplash spins your head. You can barely see Finn staring after you in the doorway. He takes out his phone and presses a number.
"'Lijah," Klaus says cordially, "We have a problem. Can you come pick up our beloved baker and take her back to the manor?" You open your mouth to protest, but Klaus shushes you like a child. You don't hit him, even if he deserves it.
You don't hear Elijah's response, but you can guess what he says based off of Klaus's sharp grin.
"Wonderful."
Klaus hangs up and looks at you properly for the first time all night.
"What am I going to do with you?" He wonders aloud.
"I was just thinking the same thing."
Klaus's expression softens for a fraction of a second. His grip remains a vice on your upper arm.
"I'm glad you're okay," he says, rasp in his voice, "I thought you would be safe here. I didn't expect my dead brother to find you."
"If it makes you feel better, I'm pretty sure he didn't mean to."
His lips twitch. "It does not. I know you need your freedom, but would you mind staying with us for the next few days? Just to put my mind at ease."
"Klaus," you drawl with a normalcy you don't feel, "Asking permission? It's not like you."
He rolls his eyes.
"Yes," he says grudgingly, "I am asking permission. I was serious before, I am sorry for upsetting you."
"Not an apology Klaus," you say because it's easier than being honest with your feelings. Klaus's face starts to look like a kicked puppy. You didn't know vampires pouted this much.
"Just," you start, adrenaline starting to fade back into exhaustion, "Just don't do it again."
He squeezes your hand.
"I won't, I promise."
You sigh and close your strained eyes.
"Are you sure you're alright, love?" Klaus says after a moment, "You're looking frailer than I would like."
You know exactly what you look like. Frail isn't accurate.
You look like a ghost.
"I'm fine, I promise."
"What did my brother do to you?"
You repress an even deeper sigh.
"All he did was be my friend."
He doesn't believe you, you see the lack of understanding and mistrust in his eyes. It was too much to think Klaus would change overnight, but then he pulls you in to his side, arms tucked up in his jacket. You don't fight it. You suspect you should. (Though maybe, you think, you're allowed to take these small comforts now).
Klaus asked you once, what you wanted out of life.
You want a lot of things.
Your hands fist in the fabric as you inhale. He smells like winter spice.
"I did miss you, you know," he says when you're cradled to his side, head resting against him, "Far more than I expected."
"… I missed you too," you admit.
It starts to snow for the first time this year. Fat flakes land on your face like tears. Klaus pulls you in tighter.
"— I hear Rebekah let the cat out of the bag," Klaus says after a long moment, "She's never been good at keeping secrets."
You don't meet his gaze.
"It was… a surprise."
"I can't imagine it could have been all that shocking."
Your lips twitch.
"There's a difference between suspecting something and having having confirmation," you say dryly, looking up at him through lowered lashes, "You're saying you would't be startled if a family of vampires told you they frequently have polyamorous relationships with a random human?"
Klaus laughs.
"Love," he says, "When you get to be as old as we are, few things are taboo."
"You're really not selling me on this."
"You can always say no," Klaus offers, predatory smile curling his lips, "I'd be happy to have you all to myself."
"Who says I'd choose you?"
His arms tighten around you, eyes dark with eclipsed blackness. His free hand traces a pattern on your cheek, following tracks of melted snow.
"I wouldn't let you choose another."
You shiver, but not from the cold.
A dark car pulls into your driveway. Elijah must have been speeding. It would take you twenty minutes on a good day to make it to the Mikaelsons' manor. (Before he fixed it, your car could only get up to 80 and that was only if you were pressing the pedal to the floor).
"Niklaus," Elijah says and you can hear the rebuke in his voice, "I was surprised to get your call considering you didn't mention this visit to any of your siblings."
"We can discuss my terrible communication habits later, 'Lijah. We have more pressing matters."
Elijah opens his mouth to say something, but then tilts his head like he's listening for something. He stiffens.
"Finn," he breathes, "How?"
"Mother," Klaus says bitterly, "How else?" Klaus moves you toward him. You shiver in the winter cold without the sanctity of his coat. "Now take her. Bring the others when you return."
Elijah gives a nod that would look put together if it wasn't for the glint in his eyes.
"I'll be back shortly."
You get in the passenger seat and shut the door behind you. Elijah barely waits for you to strap in before speeding off. He doesn't say a word.
You take it upon yourself to break the silence.
"… Don't let Klaus kill him," you eventually say, "Finn didn't hurt me. He's not here to harm anyone."
Elijah looks at you for a long moment.
"I'll take it into consideration."
You don't know if he will. You hope your friend (lying eternal vampire or not) will get out of this intact. A migraine brews behind your eyes. You rub your temples and don't notice Elijah glancing at you.
"Are you quite alright?"
You groan. "Klaus already asked, yes I'm fine. I promise."
"I can promise with certainty that he doesn't believe you, so why should I?"
"I… I just haven't been sleeping well."
Elijah's eyes scan you.
"It's obvious it's more than that," he comments, grip tightening on the steering wheel, "But I suppose you can keep this to yourself for another night. There's enough going on at the moment."
Understatement of the century.
"… I missed you, you know," you say after a long moment.
"I missed you too," Elijah responds, easily but you hear the truth in it, "The others did as well. I think Kol is going to try to murder Niklaus when he finds out he visited without him… Don't be surprised if he tries to whisk you off first chance he gets."
You smile, absent-mindedly playing with the amulet around your neck.
"I won't let him kidnap me. At least without leaving a note."
Elijah laughs, at that. The sound is rich. You would eat it if you could.
"So tell me," he says, "What have you been doing for an entire month without us to distract you?"
You tell him about your gardening plans. Elijah smiles briefly when you mention using his book, like he forgot about giving it to you. Apparently Finn was always the gardener of the family. You feel more secure in your plans for the summer.
Assuming, that is, Klaus doesn't kill him before he can teach you how to grow tomatoes from seed.
Elijah gets to the house to collect his siblings. They must hear the car arrive in the driveway, because they erupt out of the front door before he can put it in park. Kol's face brightens when he sees you. You grin involuntarily. Your smile falters when you spot Rebekah.
You nearly forgot Rebekah thinks you hate her. Vampires always take things so harshly. You try to catch her eye, but she very carefully doesn't look at you while Kol argues with Elijah.
"We can't leave her in the house empty," Kol rebukes, "What happened to protecting her?"
"Normally I would agree, but these are unusual circumstances."
"Kol," you break in, "I'll be fine. I promise."
The muscles in his jaw flex.
"I wouldn't have brought her here if I thought it was unsafe," Elijah says somewhat dryly. Kol isn't happy with the answer, going off the slant of his lips.
Always so protective.
You'd find it sweeter if your vision wasn't going dark.
"We've wasted enough time," Rebekah finally interjects and part of your heart stutters at hearing her voice again, "Let's go. Leave the car, it'll slow us down."
Elijah nods and slips the keys into his pocket.
"We'll be back soon," Kol promises and then his face brightens as he sweeps you up in a hug, "I missed you."
This is the most you've been held in weeks. You feel like you're being tossed from Mikaelson to Mikaelson in an unending carnival ride. Even so, you wrap your arms around him and take in a long, shuddering breath.
"I missed you too," you whisper.
He pulls away and brushes your hair out of your face.
"Nice necklace," he comments, thumbing the amulet around your neck.
"Thanks," you say dryly, "This weird guy off the street gave it to me."
"You really should know better than to trust strangers."
You shrug. "If it helps, he had to bribe me."
"For the love of God," Rebekah complains. It's good that she can at least find it in herself to be annoyed.
Kol winks at you before running off. Rebekah leaves after him. Elijah stays for a moment longer, eyes lit with the orange incandescence of the outdoor lights.
"Please know we'll be back soon, and we can fix whatever is upsetting you."
"Nothing's wrong, Elijah."
"Please don't insult my intelligence," he rebukes, "You're obviously in pain."
You duck your head, but nod.
"… Okay."
He presses a soft, startling kiss to your forehead before following his siblings. You wonder if the Mikaelsons were always this openly affectionate with you and you're just now noticing. Or if this is entirely new, and they just feel like they finally have permission to touch you.
Is this permanent?
… You hope so.
You stand there in the early night air before heading inside.
The coffeepot is full. Still hot, like they made a fresh pot for you. You pour a cup and then another one. It doesn't help much. You're sick of being tired— this is worse than when your month of having the stomach flu, worse than your brief bout of pneumonia.
Worse than every childhood illness you had to suffer through at school instead of your bed.
You've known you haven't been doing well. Finn's blanket of concern evidence enough. You've been clinging to the hope that it would get better: that these dreams aren't connected to anything. Clinging to the hope that Bonnie was lying to you.
Your breath starts to catch in your chest and the urge to cry, embarrassingly, rises in you.
You stifle it as much as you can.
Despite yourself, you start to wish Finn was here.
A large part of you would like wants to slam its head against the wall until you obtain too much brain damage to dream. Unfortunately, you think the Mikaelsons would have a fit, so you don't.
(You also have a low pain tolerance).
You force yourself to move. It offers little distraction to your thoughts. The manor is too silent. Despite what you said to Kol, you don't like being here alone. The sounds of the house startle you. Foundation creaks. Sometimes when the walls shift wrong, it sounds like someone else is there.
You walk aimlessly, shadows leaping at your back.
You resist the urge to crash into the first bed you find and discover a study with walls lined with dark oak book cases. It's very Dracula (more than a hint of pretension). You'd lay money on this being Elijah's space. It couldn't belong to anyone else.
It's good to know that Elijah carries his personality in the rest of his life as well.
If anything, he's consistent.
You close the door behind you as you leave. The manor is imprudently large. It's physically impossible for one family to need this many rooms. (Even one as extravagant as the Mikaelsons).
Dim auras flicker in the corners of your eyes. A remnant of not sleeping.
You round the corner and something in the air shifts. For a moment you think you're imagining it. Finally going crazy. You smell something lingering in the air. Ozone. The hairs stand up on the back of your neck.
Creeeeak.
You turn your head too slowly.
Clawed hands slam you against the wall. A half-bitten scream escapes before something silences you— steals the air out of your lungs. You struggle for breath out of blind panic. Your organs pulse before collapsing inwards like black holes. It hurts.
You lash out blindly and hit something solid. Another witch pins your arms down. All the struggling in the world can't help you against the brute force of inescapable magic.
"Bad girls must be punished," a familiar woman says with a cruel, sharp grin and you can't breathe, can't fight. Something wraps around your wrist and violently twists.
Bone shatters. You hear the audible snap as they break. You scream unimpeded, white ivory sticking out of your skin.
"Come find us," the woman says, "You will join us."
Inescapable pain roils in you and you can barely remember how you got here, who these people are— why they're hurting you like this please stop please.
They let you run away, staring after you with burning eyes. Their hatred sticks to you. You don't know why, you haven't done anything to them— not like they've done to you.
Don't know why they're hurting you.
You scramble inside the first door you see. You clutch your wrist to your chest and hide in the closet, buried beneath tailored suits.
They're going to find you. You can't even force yourself to be silent: hyperventilating with ragged, gasping breaths.
They can't find you, they can't— you can't take anymore of this.
You crouch there for what seems like hours, hands shaking violently. Enough time passes where you start to think you'll be okay, they aren't looking for you. Your heartbeat slows down to panic-attack levels.
The closet door opens.
"No no no nonononono please!"
Strong arms pull you out of your hiding place.
"Calm down," Rebekah orders, "What's wrong? Who did this to you? Why are you hiding Elijah's closet?"
"Re… bekah?"
Worried eyes stare back at you.
You fling yourself in her arms. She barely catches you.
"Darling, please, what's wrong?"
You still can't breathe.
"I— I didn't fall asleep this time, I didn't," you sob, "They still got me."
"What are you talking about?"
"They—- They hurt me. My wrist."
"Let me see."
You start to hold out a trembling arm, but stop.
It's not broken. There's not even a bruise. Your face goes white. The idea that you made it all up, that you've finally started to lose it, is too much to bear.
"I'm not lying!" You insist, but Rebekah just strokes your back, "I'm not crazy!"
"I know, darling," she reassures you, "I know."
You press your face into her shoulder. Tears soak her shirt.
"We'll get this figured out. Can you come downstairs with me?"
You nod silently, but don't let go.
She doesn't either.
Rebekah guides you downstairs to the living room and tucks you under a blanket. She leaves briefly to get you tea and your heart jumps to your throat while she's gone, positive that your nightmares will come back to terrorize you.
You can't do this again, you can't you can't you can't.
They don't come back.
Shame flushes your face when Rebekah returns. You're pathetic: getting spun up about bad dreams and a few headaches. You shouldn't feel as worn down as you do.
A coma would be preferable to staying awake another day. (Death would be preferable to having to tell the Mikaelsons you've finally gone insane and they should find a new human to seduce).
"What now?" You mutter into your cup. Rebekah starts a fire for you, flames leaping towards the chimney.
"Now, we wait for my brothers to get here," she answers before pointedly looking at you, blue eyes icy with helpless rage, "And you confess what's going on."
Your fingers tighten around your cup.
Hope you guys liked the chapter :-) ! I wanted to post earlier in the day because I have to prep for a colonoscopy starting this afternoon :/ I will be reading your comments from my bathroom!
