Okay, the next chapter, enjoy!
There were a few errors in the sequence of the events, which my beta Senema fortunately found. As always I owe her much thanks for her effort and help, to make this story better. Afterwards I had to change a few parts, so all remaining mistakes are my own. Tell me, how you like it! As always I'm happy for every comment, they keep me writing.
Chapter 13
Rebekah watched with a bored expression as Danny wrote down the names and addresses of the witches and vampires, who had shown interest in the offer of the strangers. When her smartphone beeped, she took it out and saw she had a message from Freya. She read it and groaned. "Bloody hell, I knew we forgot something."
"What's the matter?" Klaus asked nosily. For the moment, he loomed over Danny's shoulder and made him visibly nervous with this closeness.
"First, Elijah is alright so far; although he is getting cranky. Second, Freya can be present at the interrogation, so she is turning off her cell phone now", Rebekah reported.
"Good to know", growled Klaus. "But what did we forget?"
"Not what, who! We forgot Kol", replied Rebekah seriously. "Elijah wants us to warn him if this has not already happened. He fears that he is not the only target and Kol is alone out there as well."
"Bloody hell", agreed Klaus. "Call him, Rebekah!"
"Who is Kol?" Lucifer asked curiously.
"Our other brother", replied Rebekah. "He and his wife only hold minimal contact to us; they prefer not to get drawn into our daily family drama. But Elijah is correct; we should at least warn him." She selected Kol's contact.
"Will he come to Los Angeles, too?" Lucifer asked, fascinated that there were even more Mikaelsons.
Klaus and Rebekah exchanged looks, she looked sad and he angry.
"Probably not", replied Rebekah, and hit the call button.
The vampires heard the phone ring a few times before a woman's voice answered. "Yes?"
"It's me, Davina. Give me Kol!" Rebekah activated the speaker for those who did not have vampire hearing.
Davina sighed. "What's up now?"
"You'll find it out after you give me Kol", Rebekah replied, rolling her eyes. She would hardly answer Davina's questions when she specifically asked for Kol.
Davina mumbled something that didn't sound like a compliment before shouting. "Kol, Rebekah wants to speak to you. Given her terse manner, I'd say someone is trying to kill Klaus, again."
Now Klaus rolled his eyes. "Stupid witch."
"Don't call my wife stupid, Nik", came a male voice.
Before her two brothers could start their usual bickering, Rebekah interfered. "Hello brother. I just wanted to warn you that someone might be after you. Be careful! And also expect these strikes to come from unfamiliar directions and be of an unusual nature."
Kol sighed in resignation. "Hello sister, and thanks for the warning. Okay, which one of our numerous enemies did Nik manage to piss of this time or should I ask what kind of trouble he is in?"
"Oh, this time it isn't Nik who seems to be the target." Rebekah gave her brother a mocking smile. "But we both know that this can change quickly. It is Elijah; he is in trouble with the law. By the way, we're all currently in Los Angeles."
After a short silence came Kol's answer, he sounded more than amused. "Our perfect brother? What did he do, buy a suit and not pay for it? Litter the sidewalk?"
"No, he was arrested for murder and we know he was set up", Rebekah said sharply. "Elijah spent the last night in jail and is currently being interrogated by the police."
"Are you sure, our brother was set up? It really isn't so unlikely for Elijah to murder someone", Kol replied, just as sharply.
"Killing a normal human, for no reason or benefit at all? Very doubtful! In addition, they say Elijah killed the victim using a knife, which he supposedly rammed into his stomach", Rebekah said ironically. "And before you ask, the murder victim has no bites marks on his neck and no unexplainable blood loss either."
Another short silence, then Kol sighed. "You are right, that would be a rather unusual murder method for Elijah! What is the purpose of the conspiracy?"
"We don't know yet", said Rebekah, somewhat soothed by Kol's admittance.
"If it turns out that it's an attack against Klaus after all or an attack against all of us, it seems that our enemies are finally getting smarter", Kol said thoughtfully.
"Why do you say that?" asked Klaus curiously.
"Normally your enemies always attack you directly, but even if our entire family is the target, you are always the one they come for first." Kol laughed humourlessly. "Everyone always thinks that once you're out of the way, the rest of us will be easy prey. Or quite simply put, they think it is you who predominantly protects our family from outside attacks and we are helplessly hiding behind you."
Klaus snorted in amusement. "And then they encounter Elijah."
"Exactly." Kol laughed again. "He is the guardian of our family, our protector, he always has been. He has contacts and connections that none of us possess and they provide him with information, we seldom learn about. I don't want to know how many threats to us he eliminated, before we even heard about them and they could become dangerous to us. In short, he routinely gets us out of the troubles you cause us. If our unknown enemy targeted him first to get him out of the way, then they know this."
Klaus looked thoughtful at Kol's words. "Another interesting clue", he said, giving Rebekah a meaningful look.
She swallowed at this renewed reminder that it was maybe Marcel, who had orchestrated this intrigue against Elijah. So far, she had focused her entire attention on Elijah and his plight and had completely repressed Marcel's possible involvement in it.
As soon she had hang up, she had to check again for Marcel's whereabouts. But as long as she had no clue where she could find Marcel, she would continue to focus on helping Elijah.
"What do you mean with another interesting clue, brother?" Kol asked suspiciously.
"Only that we are dealing with an intrigue against us", Klaus replied innocently. He certainly wasn't going to mention their suspicions that Marcel might be behind it; at least not as long as the little witch was listening.
"Hm", said Kol only. "If you know more, let me know." He hung up.
"No offer to help you or even a question if you need his aid?" Linda asked curiously.
"Elijah and Kol don't have a particularly close relationship", Rebekah explained sadly. "If we asked, he would probably come but never of his own accord."
"I understand." Linda looked intrigued and Rebekah remembered that she was a psychologist. Camille had once told her in confidence that the Originals family dynamics were a psychologist's dream come true. They represented every conceivable disorder and type of mental trauma in existence, which hardly came as a surprise considering they had over 1,000 years to develop them.
Klaus shrugged. "Ok, Kol has been warned, let's focus on Elijah again. Do you have all the names, Danny?"
"Yes, sir." Danny held out three sheets of paper. "As you requested a sheet with the names and addresses of the werewolves, another with the names of the witches and one with the names of the council."
Klaus took the sheets and scanned them briefly, then folded the sheets with the addresses of the witches and the council and put them in his jacket pocket. "Who wants to come with me to terrorize some werewolves?"
"Why are you taking the werewolves?" Lucifer asked interested. "And I would very much like to come with you."
"Well, I'm the Original Hybrid meaning I'm half vampire and half werewolf. So their poison can't affect me in the same way as it would my siblings", explained Klaus. "The handling of the witches and their politics is Freya's expertise and she doesn't like it very much when I meddle in it."
Klaus smiled maliciously. "I'll leave the council to Elijah. As soon as we've got him out of prison, I am sure he will greatly enjoy explaining to them his displeasure about his accommodations of the last night in detail."
Rebekah chuckled gleefully. "Oh, he will definitely love it! Danny, what is the name of the vampire regent in town?"
"Gwendolyne Bryer", Danny answered immediately.
"Oh, Gwennie, very good", said Rebekah, satisfied. "She is from my sireline. I changed her at her request, she owes me."
"Very fortunate", said Klaus smirking. "Verify if she knows anything about this conspiracy. If that is the case, I'll leave it to you to respond in an appropriate way. If she doesn't know, warn her that none of her vampires should get in our way because we will amuse ourselves a little with the other factions."
Rebekah returned his smirk. "I don't think Gwennie is involved in this, but if so, she'll regret it." She looked at Danny. "You will accompany me."
Danny didn't look particularly enthusiastic, but he nodded resignedly. "As you wish."
Rebekah looked at Maze and Linda. "What about you two? Who do you want to accompany?"
"Oh, I'll definitely go with Klaus", said Maze eagerly. "It sounds like there is going to be bloodshed and a lot of fun."
"A bloodthirsty demon just after my own heart." Klaus chuckled. "But I have to admit, coming with me you are far more likely to get bloodshed, even though my sister can get quite bloodthirsty too." He got serious when he looked at Linda. "However, I don't think it's a good idea if you come with me. As a mere human, you are too vulnerable when it comes to the inevitable fight with the werewolves."
Linda sighed. "I understand." She looked hopefully at Rebekah. "Can I come with you?"
Rebekah thought about it, and then she nodded reluctantly. "I think that's acceptable. Gwennie is one of those vampires, who usually leaves humans alone and doesn't hurt them if there is no need. She hates killing and, to the best of my knowledge, hardly ever kills her victims even while feeding."
Linda swallowed visibly.
Maze looked at Rebekah. "Take good care of her!"
"My words exactly", Lucifer agreed.
"I will protect her as best I can." Rebekah looked at Lucifer and Maze. "But I cannot give any guarantees as to Gwennie's mind-set, vampires can be very mercurial."
Maze looked at Linda. "Are you sure you want to go with her?"
"Yes I do." Linda looked determined. "I want to help Elijah."
"Oh, you are precious", said Klaus smirking.
Rebekah knew he was completely serious about what he was saying. Linda's resemblance to Camille was just too strong for the two Originals to feel anything other than affection and the desire to protect her. But when Linda was coming with her, she needed a means of transport and Freya had the car. She turned to Danny. "Did you come here with a car?"
Danny nodded confused.
"Good, we will take it." Rebekah smiled at Linda. "After all, we don't want you to have to run with us. Humans find it more than disconcerting to move with the speed of vampires."
Klaus rubbed his hands. "Then let's stir up some trouble, I'm bored!"
Rebekah rolled her eyes and picked up the bag. They would make a short stop at the police station so Elijah could get his fresh clothes and look presentable for the bail hearing. The others joined Klaus going up the stairs so she was bringing up the rear.
xxxxx
Kol hung up and looked over at Davina, who was standing next to him with her arms crossed and was tapping her foot. "They were acting kind of weird."
"Your whole family is always weird", replied Davina. "This is nothing new."
"Yes, I know", said Kol absentmindedly. "There is something they don't want me to know."
"Well, you've made it quite clear often enough that you only want to be involved in your family's shenanigans when it comes to matters of life and death." Davina shrugged before she tentatively asked. "Do you think Elijah committed this murder after all and they didn't want to admit it?"
"No I don't think so. Rebekah's anger was genuine and she is right, this is not Elijah's style", Kol said, shrugging. "No, I mean the way Klaus reacted to my question about the interesting clue."
"You could have continued asking. Why didn't you?" Davina inquired softly.
"They wouldn't have told me the truth anyway, they always exclude me." Kol pouted.
"Sometimes you are an idiot, Kol." Davina sighed. "Of course they exclude you! After all you keep saying that you don't want anything to do with them and their lives."
"How can you say that?" asked Kol offended. "I do this for you, so that they can't hurt you again."
"I never asked you to", replied Davina annoyed. "I have heard all your stories about how badly they treated you. But do you know something, there are always two sides." Davina was serious now. "Do you know what quality you share with Klaus? You two love to present yourselves as the sole victim but how often did you two transgress against your siblings."
Davina imitated Kol quite convincingly: "'My family daggered me because I put them in danger again and again by killing too many humans and thus lead our father to our trail. I was not in any danger from him, he wouldn't have hurt me. When he found us, he would only have killed Klaus and, perhaps, Elijah, because he would have defended his brother.'"
Kol, who often enough had witnessed and amused himself deliciously over Davina's imitations of Klaus, no longer found it quite so funny now where he was her target.
Davina looked at him in earnest: "Honestly, Kol, when have you ever made a sincere attempt to be included in anything? Oh and committing mass murder to get attention doesn't count."
Kol scoffed. "You make me sound as if I'm an immature and selfish brat."
"Unfortunately, that's not a bad description." Davina looked tired, her anger gone. "You, Klaus and Rebekah were very young when you were turned into vampires. In contrast to Elijah, you three never had the chance to fully grow up, your brains never fully developed." Davina snickered involuntarily. "Which also means that Klaus and I had the typical grudge match of teenagers, who rubbed each other wrong."
"Interesting that you mention Elijah's name." Now it was Kol's turn to be angry. "I am a little surprised. You sound like you want me to go to my family and help them, that I help Elijah. Don't you hate him? Has he ever apologized for what he and Freya did to you?"
Davina laughed brittle. "Well, we talked about it and no, he didn't. He said to me that under the same circumstances, he would always act the same way again and he would therefore find it hypocritical to apologize for it.
He said too, that he regretted the hurt he caused you with this action and he understands your grudge against him. If you had consequently hated him and never again spoken a word to him, he wouldn't begrudge you this reaction either and had accepted it.
Then he explained that at the time I was already dead but his family was still alive. And that, as an enemy to his family, he doesn't owe me any kind of allegiance or consideration as soon as the only choice had been between me or them."
Kol looked astonished and angry on behalf of his wife. "I hope you gave him an aneurysm for his words."
"No, I didn't." Davina laughed humourlessly. "And he also told me, that I played a big part in my own fate too, which is true. I helped Marcel kill and enslave witches, my only excuse was my age and my trauma.
Why do you think I don't want anything to do with Marcel anymore? He used my justifiable hate for what happened to me to enslave and terrorize the witches. He was the adult, it would have been his duty to dissuade me or stop me, and instead he made me an accomplice to murder at the age of sixteen."
"Huh, this revelation comes quite unexpectedly," said Kol in amazement. "I always thought you were out of touch with Marcel because of me."
"Perhaps that is another reason." She got serious again. "I've thought a lot about my life over the past few years, about my decisions, my mistakes and the way my hatred of Klaus has poisoned my life." Davina chuckled. "Not that he didn't deserve it at times. But sometimes I wonder what would have happened if Marcel hadn't manipulated me and turned me against the Originals, what difference this could have made."
Kol looked thoughtful now. "We will never know."
Davina sighed. "I murdered witches and did many other questionable things. I really deserved the hatred of the other witches. I finally realized how much Marcel and Vincent used me for their own purposes and conveniences and then they abandoned me when I stopped functioning the way they wanted. They arranged my shunning and in the end they are more responsible for my death then the Originals will ever be."
Kol blinked but kept silent at this surprising disclosure.
"Did you never wonder why I never took revenge on Elijah and neither did the other four Harvest girls he killed in the ritual?" asked Davina calmly.
"A little", Kol admitted softly.
"Performing this ritual saved us all and gave us a fighting chance against the Hollow. And Elijah didn't just sacrifice others. When it became necessary, he sacrificed his life to protect his family and he didn't hesitate for one second." Davina looked serious. "Yes, he killed me but he gave his life as well.
Elijah is at least honest and consistent in his actions and he doesn't apologise for what he is or does. He stands by his actions and accepts the consequences without flinching and without blaming others.
He is not a hypocrite like Marcel and Vincent, who are really great at shifting blame and who never accept accountability for their actions. And I can't imagine that one of them would sacrifice their life, they are much too egotistical for this."
Kol sighed. "So you think I should go to Los Angeles and help my family?"
Davina smiled and corrected him. "No, we're going to Los Angeles. Maybe it is time I bury my hatchet with Klaus."
Kol scoffed. "I just hope Nik is willing to do it too. You know, he is still a teenager, to use your comparison."
Davina smirked. "Oh, we have an ally who can make Klaus come to his senses."
"And who could accomplish such a miracle?" Kol asked curiously and a little incredulous.
"Elijah", Davina explained. She looked at Kol sadly. "Just because Elijah doesn't apologize for his actions doesn't mean he doesn't feel regret. After explaining all this to me, he said at the end that he still owes me something and should I ever need his help to just tell him."
"Huh", said Kol again, puzzled. "Elijah is always good for a surprise. All right, let's go to Los Angeles then." He snickered. "Fortunately, flight time to Los Angeles is less than an hour."
"You book the flight, I'll pack", suggested Davina.
"As you wish, dear wife." Kol took his wife in his arms and kissed her deeply. "Did I already tell you today how much I love you and how happy I am that you married an idiot like me?"
"Not today, but I am pleased to hear it." Davina grinned mischievously at her husband.
They were on their way to the airport within the hour, and would arrive in Los Angeles at 6 p.m.
Kol grinned, looking forward to the perplexed faces of his family when he and Davina came to help them.
