No spanking in this chapter.
It's the children the world almost breaks who grow up to save it.
-Frank Warren
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Evening
Warehouse
Freya and Vanessa stayed with Penny on the island. There was a little holding room that Penny was put in. They had to be safe in case she turned into her wolf form again suddenly.
Mikael led Klaus, Connor and Erik to the meeting spot. They had made up an excuse about looking over weapons to go to the warehouse to hunt. Mikael had stayed with Tyler and Klaus stayed with Connor. This was the first time the boys drink from a live vein and had their fill.
"You're going to want to stay in your vampire form. You should still be faster and stronger than this riffraff. Boys, they may look innocent, but the Strix has deemed these vamps too evil to be allowed to live. They have committed crimes against their own kind. To protect the innocent, they must be killed. Don't not hesitate or take pity on them, understand?" Mikael asked solemnly.
"Yes, sir," Connor responded.
Tyler nodded. He had thought it was weird how Connor and Erik were always saying "Yes, sir" and "No, sir." At first he thought they were sucking up to adults, but now he realized that was just the way they learned to talk.
They heard a sound and all turned, Tyler's fangs came out. He pounced near the sound and grabbed the shadowy figure with lightening speed.
"No! Let me go," the vampire gasped. Tyler heard the normally slow vampire heart beat quickening. He was hungry for blood. He needed it. He wanted it.
"Sorry, bud. I missed lunch," Tyler said sinking in his fangs to drink. The blood flooded through his system quickly. For once, he didn't have to stop with one blood bag. But before Tyler could drain the body completely, Klaus pulled him away.
"Listen to the heartbeat and stop when the heart stops," Klaus advised.
"There's one over there," Mikael pointed to Connor. Connor vamped over and drank just as deeply as Tyler had. With the vampire blood coursing through their systems, they had never been so fast or strong. Mikael and Klaus also caught an evil doer or two.
After all the rogue vampires were dead again and the group was satiated, Connor said, "That was...fun. Feeding off of live bodies is a lot better."
Mikael smiled, "Being a vampire shouldn't be all bitching and moaning, eh? I wish I would have learned that a long time ago. We can also do some good in the world, maybe to make up for some of the bad."
Tyler and Connor got in the Strix vehicle first, Mikael said, "They seem like great kids. You seem happy."
"I am. All of our siblings are back together for once. If only, we had this time a thousand years ago before Mother sold Freya off to Dahlia," Klaus said bitterly.
"Niklaus, I don't ever expect you to forgive me, but if your Mother didn't do what she did, you wouldn't have been born. But I once heard it said, 'Any good apology has 3 parts: 1) I'm sorry; 2) It's my fault; 3) What can I do to make it right? Most people forget the third part.' Your mother is dead, she cannot make her sins right any longer, but I can," Mikael said.
"Father, what do you mean?" Klaus asked in confused. They had to go fight a battle, not rehash the past.
"I mean that I want you to know that what I did to you was no fault of your own, it had nothing to do with you. Elijah told me how you two almost ran away once. If you had, I can't say that I wouldn't have treated Kol or Henrik or Rebekah how I once treated you. I just want you to know that," Mikael said reaching out to touch Klaus' arm and then dropping it. He had lost the right to any affection from his children long ago. Klaus was perplexed, but got in the vehicle and headed towards the Bayou.
Louisiana Bayou
When they got near the meeting place, Klaus could smell the blood.
"Did we miss it?" Klaus asked Mikael.
"No, the Guerreras are planning a second wave. This is what we need to help with," Mikael assured him.
As they got closer, Elijah saw Marcel, but no Rebekah. Klaus vamped up to the scene.
"Erik! What happened? Are you okay?" Klaus said tightly embracing the boy. His shoulder length blond hair was matted with blood. His baby face was dirty and had healing scratches, and his blue eyes looked shocked.
"Y'all c-came?" Erik stammered.
Klaus responded, "There's going to be a second wave. Gather everyone. Vampires, drink any blood you have, if you have it. Where's Rebekah?"
Marcel vamped up to Klaus, "She's hurt. She got bitten by an orange eyed hybrid!"
Mikael gasped, "My daughter. Where is she? I have the cure." Marcel took Mikael to the car which Josh and Davina were. Kol followed Marcel to see Davina. Marcel gave the other cure to Aiden and Tommy and it seemed to work.
They heard the howls before they saw the wolves.
"They're coming!" someone screamed.
There was indeed an army. Mikael directed the Strix as their general. All the hybrids turned quickly. A second before they turned, Connor and Erik's eyes met. All was forgiven in that moment. Nothing that happened before mattered, they needed to fight this battle and win.
The Strix vampires, who came to defend Elijah, had armor and weapons of all kinds from katanas to machetes. Marcel's army was spent and some had already fallen, the witches who were still in the Bayou tried to use their magic to help and heal the fighters the best that they could. The Crescent wolves in their human form helped as much as they could, but they were no match against the giant Guerrera beasts. It was Klaus, Tyler, Connor, and Erik who showed what a true hybrid could do. They worked as a pack to slaughter the Guerreras, who launched themselves over and over again at the Mikaelsons. The size of the Guerreras made them slower and more clumsy. Elijah and Kol fought as only Originals can, they had no fear of death or the bite of these beasts. Rebekah joined the fight again as soon as she was able. Marcel and Josh stayed with Davina. Marcel knew that Rebekah was more effective when she didn't have to worry about him getting his heart ripped out.
After ever single Guerrera lay in pieces, the fighting stopped. More dead were dragged by the river. Marcel's nightwalkers had to leave, it was almost dawn. The ground was soaked in blood. Someone was building a large bonfire to throw the enemies on.
"Let them burn!" a Crescent shouted to cheers of victory. Beers were being passed around and everyone was thanking the surviving fighters.
As all the fighters finally sat down and rested. They heard a clapping noise. A well-dressed man walked out of the brush.
"Very impressive, I must say," the man said.
Kol growled, "Who is this arse?"
Mikael stood, "Wes Maxfield. The last true Augustine left."
"That's Dr. Maxfield to you, Viking. Actually, Dr. Dr. Maxfield since I have an MD and a PHD, but that's not why we are here," Wes added. He looked to be about in his thirties. His smug expression reminded Elijah of Tristan de Martel's face. Another lord of the manor type. How tiresome.
"What do you want? You lost. Your Augustines are dead," Mikael yelled.
"That's not quite true. The few I have left are waiting on my orders to end the hybrid scum that we created. I can see now that in our haste, I made a few mistakes. I intend to remedy those now. Niklaus Mikaelson, did you know that your new hybrid daughter is about to die?" Wes asked.
"What are you talking about, Dr. Dr. About-to-Die?" Klaus growled.
"If anything happens to me, my colleagues will activate the spell to turn all the orange eyed beasts, but this time, they will keep turning until they are dead," Wes promised.
"You know, it's funny how often a person's sharp tongue can end up cutting their own throat. Speak plainly, what do you want?" Klaus asked louder.
"I need an Original vampire to come with me. I have a few experiments that only they will suffice for. So one of you, your sister perhaps for the life of your child. She's such a pretty little girl, too. isn't she. She looks like Snow White or Belle on the outside, but it more like the beast, isn't she? A bit ferocious, eh? What do you say, old chap?" Wes quipped.
"Take me. I'm lovely at parties. I've been known to go too far to make a point, but I do always get results," Klaus said in a dry voice.
"No," Mikael said, "take me." He looked at Klaus and rubbed the ring on his finger. Klaus remembered that ring. It had a bit of white oak stake in it. Mikael had told him when they first reunited months ago that he'd considered taking off his daylight ring and impaling himself to go out with a bang. Was Mikael going to sacrifice himself for Penny?
Mikael turned and said nothing, but looked at each one of his children. Elijah, Kol, Rebekah, and then Klaus. He nodded and stopped.
"Tell Freya that...," Mikael couldn't finished.
Klaus said, "Thank you, Father." Mikael followed Wes, who now had a syringe of vervain. Several men appeared behind him to tie up Mikael. He tossed a metal tube that said 'Property of the Augustine Society.' Mikael said, "I won't resist. You need not drug me. My own children detest me. I deserve your heinous experiments if it saves my granddaughter."
Elijah whispered, "Do you think that's it?"
Klaus replied, "He had the ring. With the white oak. I think he's going to turn himself into a bomb. Maybe blow that Wes bloke up with the last of the Augustines?"
Kol spat, "Good."
Klaus said, "Elijah, why don't we go cure Penny and get the girls and we'll meet the rest of you at the Compound? Boys, do you want to come?"
As some remaining Strix took them back to the island, they said a huge blast. Elijah and Klaus looked at each other in shock. Klaus just wanted to see if this cure worked on Penny. Klaus had texted Camille not to come over the night of the attack. He was so glad she had not been put in danger. Father Kieran had taken the human faction back into the city, this fight was just too dangerous for humans.
They were all a bloody mess. Connor and Erik sat in the back of the van and talked quietly. Tyler had gone back to the compound with the others.
"So y'all had two battles then?" Connor asked.
"Yeah, and I don't know which one was bloodier. A lot of wolves and vamps died, at least one witch. How's Penny? How's my dog?" Erik pressed.
Connor tried to fill Erik in on Penny turning and the orange eyes thing, but it was a lot.
"I got something to tell you, too. I killed the guy who was claiming to be our daddy. So I guess...," Erik started, but then stopped.
"What, Erik? I ain't heard your yammering in a while, so go ahead and speak your piece," Connor smiled.
Erik pushed his matted hair behind his ear, "I was gonna say we're even, but I don't mean it like that no more. I swear it."
Connor took a deep breath, and then acknowledged, "I'll say this once and then we ain't gonna ever have to speak of it again. But nobody feels as bad as I did about having to kill mama the night we became hybrids. I didn't know what else to do, they said we'd all die. Tyler, Marcel, Penny, you, me. So I did it. Erik, she begged me to."
Connor's vision was blurred with tears and he covered his face with his right hand.
Erik looked down in shame that he had ever doubted his brother's motives. He nodded and his own tears left dirty streaks going down his face.
Erik said, "I know."
Connor laughed and wiped away Erik's tears with his thumb, "Your face is so dirty."
Erik grumbled, "So is yours." He fell asleep leaning against Connor's shoulder.
Connor also slept. Klaus went in and gave Penny the cure. She had turned with the other hybrids, but was back in her human form.
"It's over," Klaus told Vanessa and Freya.
"Is everyone okay? Where's Mikael? He said he'd come back," Freya asked.
"Freya, Mikael traded himself to the Augustines for Penny's life, then...then, I think he blow himself up and them with him. I'm so sorry," Klaus said putting a hand on her shoulder.
"It's okay, Niklaus. I knew. Mikael and I had planned this out. He was ready to go. He said he'd rather die than see a single child suffer," Freya said.
Klaus hugged her tightly, "Thank you, Sister. Let's go. Connor and Erik are in the car with Elijah."
"Finally! And tonight we'll be all tonight at last."
"Yes, always and forever," Klaus laughed.
The Compound
Later that night
The compound was a huge structure, but it was packed that night. Everyone was exhausted and fell into bed and couches and slept deeply.
Marcel walked through and felt a huge relief that those damn wolves were finally put down. He had started looking through the Augustine records and though he'd share them with Klaus and Elijah and see what they thought about this tomorrow.
"Marcel, come to bed already," Rebekah called.
"Coming!" Marcel said heading to the bed. He stripped down to his boxers and got in beside Rebekah.
"So big night! Father K. really came through with the other factions," Rebekah noticed.
"Oh yeah, but we're going to have a lot of funerals to attend. We lost a lot of good soldiers tonight. Those Guerrera hybrids were a nightmare. I'm telling you, there were a couple times, I thought we were goners," Marcel admitted.
"Did your daughter tell you the little trick she pulled on her daft old mum?" Rebekah smirked.
"Oh god, no. What did she do?" Marcel probed.
"She did a locator spell on Erik, a reverse one. Then, burnt it, so I'd have to take her with me to the swamp," Rebekah mentioned.
"She what? That's a little devious. That sounds like something you would do to get your way," Marcel laughed.
"Marcel, it's not funny. She should have been safe here, not battling those beasts with us at the swamp," Rebekah said hitting him with a spare pillow.
"Owww, so violent. Rebekah, would we have stayed here while the rest of the family fought an enemy, hmm?" Marcel prodded.
"No, I guess not," Rebekah admitted.
"If you want me to have a talk with her, I will," Marcel promised.
"Yes, I do, about her safety and putting herself in danger... but not right now because I think you need to check me for...wolf bites," Rebekah added.
"Oh wolf bites, is it? Yes, I better give you a full inspection to make sure that you aren't infected," Marcel said turning off the light.
Balcony outside Davina's room (2nd floor)
Near Midnight
Davina and Kol were sitting on the balcony. Their feet were both on the same little bench in front of them intertwined. He was drinking blood, she was drinking a wine cooler.
"So, do you think your dad is gone for real?" Davina asked quietly.
"I hope he is," Kol said drying, "I just don't get how after all that monster did, my siblings just seemed to forgive him so easily. And he never even tried to kill me, just Nik."
"What kind of person tries to kill their own kid?" Davina scoffed.
"I don't think he was trying to kill him on purpose. But he beat him unconscious, more than once. When I was traveling in Arabia looking for ways to create dark objects in the 1800s, someone quoted this to me from the Quran, 'And the retribution for an evil act is an evil one like it, but whoever pardons and makes reconciliation – his reward is from Allah. Indeed, He does not like wrongdoers.' Until I met you, I didn't believe it," Kol asserted.
"Believe what?" Davina asked tilting her head.
"Darling, I didn't believe in good. I didn't believe that I could ever be good or that people were and did good just for the sake of being good until I met you, Davina Claire. You made me want to be more. You are mortal, yet you were out there in the Bayou helping others tonight, risking your own life for others. So good, so pure," Kol smiled.
Davina leaned across the table between them, "Kiss me or..."
Kol kissed her and then smirked, "Or what?"
"Just shut up and kiss me again," Davina laughed climbing on top of him.
Kol tried to listen for someone coming, but soon he grew too distracted.