"'Freedom' they cried. Not understanding the consequences of what that meant. Of what freedom was.
Freedom she laughed. Scoffed. Freedom was long dead.
A feigned concept that no longer existed. Freedom like the country who claimed such hypocrisy, such novelty.
Freedom was long dead.
It had never existed in the first place.
Only fools believed in such idiotic ideals."
~V.W.~
.X.
At the end of the trip to New Orleans Rebekah decides to stay. Marcella doesn't question the other girl on her decision based on the looks passed between the King and the Original. It's not her business, no matter how upset she knew it would make Niklaus. But he would have to get over himself. Rebekah deserved a little bit of happiness for herself. Especially with what was still to come.
Damon had called Sage a month ago the woman should either have arrived or will arrive by the time Marcella returns home. Once Sage was in town it wouldn't be long until Elijah made his move. Marcella knew a lot about Elijah, and she knew that he would eventually grow tired of waiting for Niklaus to free their siblings. It wouldn't be long.
Rebekah and Marcella say their goodbyes. Marcella kissing her fellow blonde on both cheeks and then turns to give Marcel a warning. "You only get one chance." She tells him seriously, before smiling mirthfully and pecking his cheek. The original laughs as Marcella bounces away to join Isadora at their awaiting car.
Isadora had already given her goodbyes to the quarter. Her goodbyes were similar to her greetings and then they were gone. The drive back to Virginia was long, but it was a good time for Marcella to catch her baring and decide what happened next.
Nature would be trying to right itself soon. Mikael would be coming. There was so much that could be done with that information. Knowledge was power and Marcella knew that Mikeal wasn't all bad. But he spent the last thousand years hunting his children because they dare to side with their brother. The concept didn't settle with her.
No matter how much her mother may have hated her right now. Marcella was certain that she'd never actively seek to kill her either. It was just inexcusable behavior. Especially for a grown ass man.
"You're awfully quiet over there Ella. Penny for your thoughts." Isadora questions from her position in the driver seat. Never taking her eyes off of the road before them. Marcella thinks about the offer.
"How do you move an immovable object?" The philosophical question is spoken softly with great consideration. The dark woman thinks about the question, brows creasing a little.
A set of full lips curve into a firefly smirk. "You don't. You can't move an immovable object Ella, you break it." Marcella sits further back in her chair thinking on that.
"How?" She takes the question further and Isadora smiles viciously to herself.
Good girl.
"Depends on the object I guess. If it's a house find where there are cracks in the foundation and start there. If it's a man find the thing he loves more than anything and take it from him. That's how you break an immovable object." The rest of the drive continued in comfortable silence. Marcella thinks over her friends advice.
Find the cracks.
…
Elena paced back, and forth, and back, and forth. She paced nervously in anticipation. They'd made the right choice? Right. Accepting the invitation from the mysterious vampire. A way to kill Klaus. It had to be. There was no way she would be a slave forever.
"Thank you for agreeing to meet." She turns sharply at the sound of the voice, she recognized that voice. The woman from before.
Rose.
Her pacing stills, Elena nods her head softly. Pursing her lips. She wasn't sure how much she could trust this woman. How trustworthy she would be. It was, she supposed a chance she would have to take. Elena would be free.
"You said you knew of a way to stop Klaus." The woman nods taking a step forward, a dark look settling over her face.
"There is a hunter who has a weapon that can kill an original." Rose tells the girl seriously. This isn't a matter to take lightly. The human just nods. As if she doesn't truly understand the implications of such a thing.
Killing a man who'd been alive for a millennium wasn't a matter to be taken lightly.
"How do I contact him?" Elena demands, and Rose scoffs. You didn't contact Mikael.
"You don't. Contacting the hunter is dangerous. He's dangerous. So ask yourself is your revenge worth it?" Rose knew hers was. The girl stutters.
"This isn't about revenge." Self righteousness laced on her tongue reverberating in her mouth. Rose smirks.
"It is always about revenge."
Elena bites her lip. No. This wasn't about revenge. It was about preserving her life, about what was right. Not revenge. She didn't want revenge, she just wanted things to go back to the way they were. Her lips parted to protest but the words died on her tongue.
Stefan walked into the room followed by Mason Lockwood. He looked irritated, annoyed, as he reached Elena that melted off his face. An arm wraps around her shoulder and he kisses her head. Rosa rolls her eyes as the display. It's Mason though who says something.
"We came all this way to get Elena so I can show you the tunnels not so you could make out." Elena looks up brow raised. Rose even looked interested.
"What tunnels?" The doppelganger questions, unable to keep the curiosity from her voice. Mason smirks at her.
What tunnels indeed.
…
It wasn't her nature to be angry. Marcella didn't go straight to hate, or to rage. It just wasn't who she was. So to feel so upset, so wrathful over something that shouldn't have been a big deal in the first place. Well is was a new sensation. She really shouldn't even be as mad as she was. Damon and Caroline were only trying to help.
They had only wanted what was best for her. Marcella should have just let it go, let it be. Except that wasn't her either. Being Marcella meant certain possessiveness over people and things.
And even though she loved them both so much they'd still had the audacity to mess with her things. So maybe being upset about the state of her mother's memories wasn't something she should do. Maybe it was silly. But Marcella wasn't okay with it. If she had wanted her mother to forget everything then Marcella would have just compelled her herself. Marcella took a deep breath, a reminder. Stay calm.
Stay reasonable. Anger wouldn't help her here.
"Marcie?" Caroline calls her name, Marcella snaps her attention to her older sister. To the girl's kind, concerned soft smiling face. Marcella reached over to her big sister and cups to cup her cheek, running her thumb across the smooth surface.
"I'm mad Lina, ya'll shouldn't have done that to mama. It wasn't nice. I'll get over it but right now i'm upset." Marcella, who tried not to lie to herself about how she felt, admits out loud. She lets her hand drop. Turning to look at Damon who has been patiently waiting for her.
Like the good vampire best-friend he was.
Marcella vamps to him, wraps both her arms around his neck. Face to face, she pecks his nose with a chaste kiss. Damon draws in a breath. "Please, I don't want to be mad. Please don't do it again." She mumbles pulling away, offering them each one last mournful look.
Disappointed.
She'd get over it, but right now she wasn't pleased.
As she is about to walk away a sharp pain pulses in her heart, like the twisting of a knife. The rattling of chains. Marcella falls to the ground, a gasp for air on her lips. Clutching at her chest. Damon is at her side in instant concern deep in his eyes. She grabs at the fabric of his sleeve pulling herself up forcing her lungs to breath. Despite how they burn. Caroline is too them by this point dropping down to their level running a hand over the top of Marcella's suddenly clammy forehead.
"Marcie what's going on?" Marcella takes another ragged breath reaching for her phone.
Niklaus. She needed Niklaus.
Someone was trying to wake Kol.
Elijah felt like he had succeeded something. Finding where his brother was storing their siblings. It felt like success. All his life, for a thousand years he has done nothing but be a good sibling. Always he had Niklaus' back, unconditionally, even when it was wrong. Whatever Niklaus needed, asked for, Elijah was always there for him. No matter what. No matter the consequences or what it would mean for him.
Enough. He'd had enough.
Just this once Elijah wanted to do something for himself. For his own selfish desire. Elijah missed his brothers. He wanted his family back. He was tired of waiting on Niklaus. It had been long enough.
He wrapped a determined hand around the first dagger, his older brother deserved his freedom. Nine hundred years was a long time to waste this once Finn deserved the priority. The dagger pulled up easily and Elijah knew it would be a moment before his brother regained himself, he set a blood bag in the coffin with the desiccated oldest before he shifted his attention to the other one.
He pushed the top up to reveal the peaceful look on his youngest living brother's face. Elijah wasn't sure how that was even possible considering the look on Kol's face right before they'd daggered him last. His brother had been outraged, ravenous, murderous that night. He was drawing to much attention. The noble original's thoughts wander to another vampire with those eyes.
Elijah had seen very little of the blonde girl who his brother had claimed since the incident. He knew from Niklaus that she'd taken a trip to New Orleans with Rebekah following some drama with her human family. An interesting decision, he hadn't known her to be the type to run from her problems. He wondered if she'd be pleased to finally meet his brother.
How would they react to one another? Elijah was curious.
"Soon the two of you will reap lots havoc, I'm sure." Elijah wraps his hand around the dagger in Kol's chest, he pulls.
And pulls.
Nothing happens.
The dagger doesn't even budge. The weapon apparently stuck. His brows furrowed together and he shakes his head. He'd try again but the stirring from the coffin behind him demands his attention. Finn. It was time to attend to his older brother.
Kol would have to wait.
…
Niklaus drove her to where he kept the coffins, the entire time it felt like her heart was doing somersaults in her chest. She couldn't breathe, every breath she took burned in her lungs. It was like being stabbed all over again. Every so often Niklaus would give her this sort of worried glance but he wouldn't say anything. Because he didn't understand how she felt.
He didn't understand the length of her bond with Kol. None of them did. Marcella and Kol were connected on a spiritual level, a soul level. It was a type of burden, a pain she'd never wish on her worst enemy. To be so deeply connected and to be separated was unfathomable pain.
When they arrive at the old warehouse Marcella throws the door open, she hops out of the car gracelessly. It isn't her finest moment. She stumbles on her feet from the pain. It was too soon. Klaus is at her side almost instantly she leans against him for support as he helps her up to the garage style door.
It was time to see what his brother has done. It could already be to late.
Marcella leans against the wall trying to catch her breath as Niklaus pushes the door up. Two opened coffins are revealed and Elijah standing next to one of them a curious expression on his face. He didn't understand.
"What have you done?" Niklaus all but growls, Marcella places a calming hand on his arm. He looks at her through veiled eyes.
This was a family matter.
Her brow raises as if to remind him. She is family. This concerned her too. Elijah turns giving them both a look that could not be considered remotely remorseful. He isn't ashamed of his actions. He doesn't understand the danger of the situation, of what he's done to them. Just how badly this could hurt them.
"I only wanted to free them. You of all people should agree with me Marcella." Marcella rolls her eyes taking a step forward. She wanted to see what had his feathers in such a bunch. Of course she had an idea but she liked to be sure.
He shouldn't assume such things of her. How could he know what she wanted? Elijah didn't know her. Not like Damon did. Not like Niklaus did. He'd never taken the time to learn her, to see passed the things that were his brother. The brunette never saw her.
"Except it didn't work, not all the way. You can't free Kol." She's standing next to him at the coffins side, Marcella reaches over the rim and runs her hand gently across pale cold flesh.
Her heart aches, her soul does a flash dance. The longing. The revelation. Kol was right before her. He was here. She could see him. Touch him. Caress his cool skin. But she couldn't free him.
Not yet.
Not until she knew how to keep him safe from Mikeal. He was so vulnerable. She had to protect him. Nature wanted him to pay. Marcella turns her fading mismatched eyes on Elijah. Looking at him fully. Taking in the similarities, ignoring the differences.
Niklaus comes to stand close to them. His eyes first over to his still frozen sibling. The last one. He noticed that Finn was long gone. "Where has our oldest brother gone?" Elijah looks at him, he'd almost forgotten about Niklaus. With how Marcella had looked at Kol, the longing in her eyes.
Elijah had been transfixed.
Those two were going to set fire to the world. They would enjoy doing it too. Everyone else would be cannon fodder.
"A lovely blast from the past met me here before your arrival, she promised to take good care of him." Elijah answers mirthfully. Marcella smirks to herself. Well at least she'd listened to Damon.
"Sage?" Is the surprised rebuttal from Niklaus. He hadn't expected that. Especially since he thought she'd been killed. Just another one of Kol's many secrets he supposed.
Marcella looks back at Kol, at the stillness of his face. She closes her eyes she can hardly bare to see him like this. Her hand reaches gently towards the lid of the coffin and she closes slowly ignoring the protest from Elijah. Once it's closed she opens her eyes and turns them to the elder of the two. Eyes of steal.
"Unless you enjoy inflicting excruciating pain upon me you won't try to undagger Kol again. It only hurts me and it will not work." Marcella tells him, there isn't an ounce of doubt in her tone. However she has come to this conclusion she is absolutely sure of it's truth.
"Marcella." Niklaus's voice hold a level of alarm to it, she tilts her head to look at him. Marcella sighs, she reaches out to touch his cheek.
"I'm the only one who can free Kol now. The bond, his magic, it knows I'm protecting him." She explains softly, gently. Marcella didn't want Niklaus to be upset with her for keeping this from him.
She knew how he could be.
Niklaus shakes his head. This wasn't over they would be discussing the exact nature of her connection to his brother later. But right now he needed to deal with Elijah's betrayal. "I trust you will lock up when you leave." She nods leaning against the coffin.
Marcella waits patiently watching in amusement and Niklaus all but drags Elijah with him. She didn't want to be anywhere near that fight. Suddenly she was really glad Rebekah had stayed in new Orleans. Or else this would have been a lot worse.
It takes her another moment or so before she lifts the lid, for one last glance. To see his face one more time. She runs her thumb over his cheek to his nose. Her heart flutters again. Marcella cannot help herself.
"Soon, my love, soon."
She leans down into the coffin and places a soft kiss to his cold lips. Marcella rights herself shortly there after standing carefully and reclosing the lid. Tears stream down her cheeks, but she walks out of the old warehouse head held high. It wouldn't be long. Not that much longer. Is what she told herself all the way to the Salvatore cemetery.
It doesn't take Damon a long time to meet her there. He raises a brow at her form leaned against the old mausoleums. "Rough night princess?" She laughs but it sounds more like a strangled cry. Damon takes a seat next to her. Marcella despite the anger she still felt about his actions leaned her head against his shoulder.
"Did Stefan and Elena take the bait?" She wonders casting her eyes to the stars.
"If acting more suspicious is taking the bait then probably." He answers, Marcella nods. That they could work with.
"Mason should be showing them the tunnels by now if he's following my orders. It was nice of Niklaus to gift him to me after he turned him." It worked out lovely for her manipulations. To move pieces without having to do it herself. Damon chuckled darkly.
If it had been him, he'd have just killed the half wolf for what he'd done. He supposed this was probably more cruel. But Damon always liked instant gratification.
"I saw wolf boy leaving the property on my way out he was trying to be sneaky." Marcella rolls her eyes. Good dog.
"So everything is working then." Marcella closes her eyes snuggling closer to her dark raven. Damon wraps an arm around her smaller frame. He would never admit how worried he was about her.
"I'm still not happy about what you and Caroline did. I get it, I understand, I know why. I just wish that you hadn't. Mama is gonna' find out again sooner or later and I don't want it to get worse." He hummed next to her taking in her words. Choosing to remain silent. Damon didn't really care that he hurt her feelings over this.
She'd get over it.
What she wouldn't have gotten over is if Liz tried to kill her or followed through with her threat of disowning Marcella. Damon knew how much she loved her mother and how that would break her. Marcella couldn't stand any more breaks in her beings right now.
So he ignores her sentiments. The almost apology and instead he changes the subject. "You were right about my old teacher. She'll help your plans later." Marcella recognized what he was doing and for once she let it go.
"She's with Finn now, hopefully she'll help him adjust quickly. A storm is coming Damon. It's going to tare through Mystic Falls without any care. No mercy. We need to be ready." Marcella uncurls she stand abruptly stretching out her limbs like a nimble kitten. Damon watches as she shakes out stillness.
"You were right about Katherine, I promise not to doubt you this time." He tells her and she flashes a smile over her shoulder. Eye open wide, shining golden in the moonlight.
It looked like she'd finally made peace.
XOXOX
I will admit that this is probably not my strongest chapter.. I'm sorry for that. I suffered a huge amount of writer's block while writing this part. This is one of those chapters that is probably more filler than actual plot stuff, it's a setup chapter for the things to come. It's not like I don't know what happens next since I have this story plotted out pretty much to the end. And I know everything I want to happen in this. So it was just really hard to write this. A pain.
I am sorry you guys for the poorness of it. The next chapters will be much better I promise.
Also I'm sorry for my cruelty. I know you all were looking forward to seeing Kol and I did promise he would feature in this chapter. I should say that i'm sorry for teasing you like that but this was how it was always going to be. We have a view more chapters before we get undagged Kol. Stay with me.
It's gonna be good.
I hope that you all enjoyed despite how I personally struggled to write this. Thank you so much for reading! I hope to hear from you all soon!
Your review are much appreciated and they help me work better and faster.
Thank you so much again for your continued support!
I love you guys!
Have a great night!
Sincerely, La'Rae