Some dialogue taken directly from the show. I am using details from season 3 with my own variations.
Chapter 9: Dealing with Crazy
*****A Bit Later******
Klaus went to the precinct to take care of the charges against Cami. He was more than a little upset to know that someone—probably Aurora had gotten there first. Detective Kinney was knocked out and Cami missing.
"I'm going to wring her bloody neck!" he complained as he left the station. He pulled out his phone to call his brother.
"Cami is not in jail. I think Aurora might have her," he said.
"Or Lucien," Elijah pointed out.
"Or the Strix," Klaus countered.
"Buffy is going to hit the streets with Faith," Elijah said. "The Jazz Festival is in town. Lots of people on the street."
"We'll find her," Klaus said confidently.
"You know that Lucien is the one that framed Cami," Elijah reminded him. "Not Aurora. This was happening before she came into town. Either one of them could have her."
"I will see you out there. I know she will leave me clues because she wants to be found," Klaus said. He disconnected the phone, heading out onto the streets.
He spent time at the parade with Elijah, following Aurora's clues. Faith and Buffy were staking out the shops that aligned the streets. Klaus and Elijah were focusing on the streets. While moving along with the foot traffic, Elijah had described the message that she left in their courtyard with the dead shop girl.
Eventually, Klaus arrived at the boutique where they make the perfume in Aurora's clue. He walked slowly through the front door and into the shop. After a moment, Aurora, having heard him enter, walked in wearing a short red dress and knee-length boots, smiling widely at him while Klaus scowled.
"I knew you would find me. Hello, my sweet love," she said. She moved closer, putting her hand on his chest and caressing him. "A thousand years. Can it really have been so long? Looking at you now, it feels like yesterday."
Klaus, still scowling, replied, "If yesterday were the apocalypse."
Aurora smiled, unoffended. "Are you saying that leaving me felt like the end of the world?"
"Leaving you alive," he clarified.
Aurora looked away from him and reached out to a display and grabbed a pin. She casually stabbed her index finger with it. Klaus glared out her. "You can always catch an insect with the smell of a flower—" she told him as she grabbed a perfume bottle and dropped a drop of her blood into it. She sniffed it and sprayed some of it on her neck. Then she moved closer to her, wanting him to smell. "But it's the smell of blood that draws a carnivore."
Klaus roughly grabbed Aurora by the wrist and leaned in close to her. "And what draws a snake?" he asked pointedly.
Aurora laughed. "Oh, how you loathe me, so certain I've come to do you harm. Yet, as I recall, we did plenty of harm to each other. And, if I'm not mistaken, we both rather liked it, didn't we?"
Klaus wished he was unaffected by her words and her presence, but he remembered so clearly falling in love with her. She had been the first love of his rebirth. Loving a woman as a vampire made every moment that much more intense, poignant. He looked her in the eye and admitted, "Yes."
"Look me in the eye and tell me that you haven't thought about what we had every day for the last thousand years," Aurora said beseechingly. She covered his hand with hers.
Klaus felt torn. Even though centuries had passed, and other loves came—he thought of his sweet Caroline and Cami—the memory of Aurora hadn't faded enough. Unlike Caroline and Cami, Aurora had embraced him for who he was. He didn't want to change anything about her. Instead, Aurora had simply loved him. Too bad she was insane—he could never trust her. Klaus knew this and kept silent.
Aurora could sense he was weakening and pressed again. "You want to know why I have come? Because after a thousand years of trying to erase your touch, your smell, the taste of your lips... I'm here for you. For this," she said as she moved her face closer to Klaus, testing to see how he would react. When he didn't move, she slowly kissed him on the lips.
"I brought a warning for you," she whispered against his lips. "Elijah will betray you again."
Klaus refrained from pushing her away from him—as a part of him wanted. The other part of him wanted to return her kiss—he resisted that too. Instead, he glared at her. "You've had a thousand years to tell me of Elijah's betrayal. Why now?" he asked.
Her hands fell to her side, and she stepped back from him. "Well, there's never been a prophecy witch spelling all our doom until now," she said with a shrug. "You are going to be betrayed by family. I know it will be Elijah. Lucien's witch was powerful."
"What do you know of her?" Klaus asked, instantly suspicious as he noted her use of the past tense.
"I know I killed her," she said with a self-satisfied smirk. Then she turned to leave him. Klaus watched her walk to the door. Before she walked through it, she stopped and turned back to him. "My brother told me of her prophecy, but I needed to see her for myself. And what did she show me? The clan Mikaelson destroyed, including my sire. And I believed her. But, a dangerous toy in dangerous hands must be removed, so I poisoned her. And now, I'm going to change the future she saw," Aurora said confidently.
"By trying to turn me against the only brother I have left?" he asked.
Aurora smirked. "The prophecy said that you would fall by friend, by foe, and by family. Have you thought of who that family might be? 'Cause I think it might just be the one closest to you," she said
Klaus started to get angry at the belief that he would be betrayed by his brother. Then he relaxed. She, like most everyone else, had no idea how far he and Elijah had come—thanks to Buffy. "I'll tell you what I've told Lucien. Elijah and I are closer than ever. Sure, the events that occurred when my insane child-knapping aunt was in town tested our bond. However, he has forgiven me. His lover, Buffy, loves me and considers me family. Screw with me, you will be dealing with the oldest and deadliest vampire slayer alive," he informed her.
Aurora paused, surprised at this revelation. Then she shrugged. "Sounds like Elijah has yet another weapon to hurt you with. That puts you at greater risk than ever before," she said.
Klaus laughed as he stepped closer to her. "You don't know Buffy," he said. "She doesn't do anyone's bidding—not even Elijah's. Her best friend, a witch even more powerful than my mother and aunt, has also grown quite fond of me." He put his hand on her shoulder in a friendly manner. "You need not worry, love. I am quite safe." He brushed passed her to walk out of the store, deeply satisfied with his encounter.
"Niklaus, wait!" Aurora called out after him. She pulled him back. "There's something you need to know." She put his hand on his face and drew him into her memory.
Klaus was stunned as she revealed something that Elijah had kept hidden for a thousand years. He stared at her in silence. Then he left without a word.
A satisfied smile filled Aurora's face. "Let's see them get through that without a fight," she said.
*****A Restaurant in the Quarter *****
With the girls, combing the streets looking for Strix to slay, Elijah decided to confront Tristan and see if he could get any real intel from him. The vampire's days in the city were numbered—more than he realized.
Tristan gave him a friendly smile as he approached his table. "Elijah. I didn't realize we had a meeting on the books today," he said.
"We don't. Unfortunately, your assistant refused to accommodate me," he said as he sat down across from Tristan.
"What would you like to discuss?" Tristan replied, the smile leaving his face. Elijah could tell that his one-time protegee was not happy with him.
"Recent events would suggest you've been less than forthcoming about threats facing my family," Elijah said coolly.
"A threat to you is a threat to me," he reminded Elijah.
Elijah narrowed his eyes. "Naughty little liar," he said.
Tristen grinned in amusement. "I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about," he replied.
"Oh, I'm quite certain you do know precisely what I'm talking about, Tristan. I can hear that heart of yours racing away. You see, even as we speak, I suspect Niklaus is with your sister." Elijah pulled the blood-stained letter Aurora left for Klaus out of his inner jacket pocket and laid it in front of Tristan on the table. "I don't have to tell you what a volatile combination the two of them are."
"And you think I'm hiding her?" Tristan asked.
"Wherever you go, Aurora follows," Elijah said.
"It's true, on her good days. Years ago, Rory fell into one of her dark periods. It's been a long one and has yet to lift. I saw she got the care she needed," he informed Elijah.
"I don't care. Where is she?" he asked.
Tristan smirked. "Are you that afraid of what my sister might have to say to your brother?"
"Your sister has a habit of cultivating misfortune," he replied.
Tristan shrugged. "I can't disagree. And, as it happens, I don't know her current whereabouts, but I know she can't be here. I'm the first person she'd come to."
Elijah looked at him carefully for signs of lying. Then he gave up and stood. "I wouldn't be too sure that you are the first person she would go to," he said. Then he left to go find Marcel.
*******St. Vincent Chapel*****
Marcel and Elijah were standing outside of the cage in Marcel's fighting gym and discussing Elijah's meeting with Tristan earlier as they watch several vampires spar with each other.
Marcel frowned at him. "Is that all you got? A hunch?" he asked, after Elijah shared his misgivings and suspicions about Tristan.
Elijah's eyes flashed in annoyance at Marcel's audacity to question him. "I don't do hunches. I've known Tristan a thousand years. He's not easily shaken, and yet I heard that little weasel's heart pound when I accused him of working with someone, and, strangely, nothing when I mentioned Aurora. He may be telling the truth about that," he said.
Marcel nodded. "But, he could be hiding something, and now you need my help finding out what," he said.
"That would be splendid, Marcellus," Elijah snarked. "You do have that fabulous new Strix membership,"
Marcel rolled his eyes. "I'm only with those people because I want to know why they're in my city, and I'm not blowing my cover just because you heard a guy's heart skip," he said. "Besides, your girl kind of blew my membership initiation up, remember?"
"It doesn't dismiss the fact that Tristan genuinely wants you for the Strix," Elijah said.
Marcel flashed him a smug smile. "But, lucky for you, I got this city wired in ways you don't even know about. I'll have my people trail your boy. Let's see what they find out," he replied.
******Rousseau's******
Buffy nudged Faith. "This is Cami's bar," she said. She paused and looked inside. "Why are there people inside if she's in jail?"
"Doesn't she have, like, employees?" Faith asked.
Buffy looked sheepish as she nodded. "Yeah, I guess," she opened the door and went in. Faith followed.
Right away, Faith's senses were tingling. She nudged Buffy. "B, there's vamps in here," she said.
Buffy went up to Vincent, who was sitting at the bar. "So, Mr. Witch-with-a-judgy-attitude, have you heard from our friend?" she asked.
Vincent looked at the two slayers. "No. I've tried a locator spell, but it's turned up nothing. Someone is using magic to block her," he said.
"Probably Lucien or the Strix," Buffy said. She sat down on one side of him. Faith surprised him by sitting on the other side.
"It's really wrong that vamps can be out in the daytime," Faith said, gesturing to the five or six scattered at some tables in the corner. The vampires were staring at them and talking.
"A witch sold herself to vampires and did their bidding," he said with scorn.
"Nope. That's not true," Buffy said, frowning. "You know very well that the original witch, Esther Mikaelson's best friend, was a Bennett witch. They knew the secret. It's been passed around from witch to witch."
"You witches have been in bed with vamps from the beginning, so I don't know why you're so judgmental," Faith said. She ordered a drink from the bartender.
Vincent flushed at the mild rebuke. Before he could say anything, Buffy asked him, "Do you know those vampires over there? Are they Marcel's?"
Vincent looked and shook his head. "No, they're not from here," he said.
"You're sure?" Buffy asked. "Because Faith was wanting to get her slay on, and I told her that this town was kind of a drag. Full of supernatural creatures with souls that I can't kill."
"A vampire is a monster by nature and should be killed," Vincent said.
"I totally agree. Except for Elijah 'cause he's hot, and Buffy loves him," Faith said with a grin.
"I told Tristen that he and his band of mad vamps better leave town, or I'd kill more than the two I killed already," Buffy said. She hopped off the stool. "We should go find out."
"This is Cami's place. Don't go destroying it," Vincent warned.
"If we break the furniture, we'll replace it," Faith said with a wink. She downed her drink and followed Buffy.
"Hey, guys!" Buffy said, flashing the tables of vampires her sunniest smile.
These vampires, however, were older than most she'd encountered. They weren't fools. As members of Strix, they were wiser than most. They knew who Buffy was, but they didn't know who Faith was. They looked at her curiously even as they gave Buffy wary glances.
One man spoke. "Hello," he said.
"You wouldn't happen to be friends of Tristan? Members of the Strix?" Buffy asked.
The man nodded. "We are," he said.
"Great! Then you know who I am," Buffy said.
"Who is she?" a woman asked sitting with the guy asked, gesturing to Faith.
"Oh, that's Faith. My slightly crazier, darker counterpart. She came to see me, and I told her how this town was full of vampires with souls," Buffy said.
"Which sucks," Faith said, swinging and stretching out her arms to loosen them up. "If I don't get to kick something's ass at least once a day, I get all pent up. Then I get angry and am a bigger bitch than normal. Right, B?"
Buffy grinned at her. "A total bitch," she said in agreement.
"We aren't looking for trouble," the man assured her.
"See, I think you are. I think you and your arrogant asshat of a leader, Tristan, are looking for exactly that," Buffy said. "I believe I told you all to get out of town. Yet here you sit. Why is that?"
Another guy said sourly, "We don't take orders from you."
"You better start if you want to live," Buffy announced. Faith threw a stake, impaling the vampire who was protesting. The rest stood to their feet.
"Who's going to die next?" Faith asked eagerly.
Half left immediately. The first guy who spoke to her snarled a warning. "You're going to regret that!"
"So I've been told," Buffy said, unconcerned. She stood close to the vampire, daring him to attack. However, the man was a Strix, and all Strix were chosen for their superior intelligence. After a glare, the vampire left, leading the remaining to follow after him.
"Damn, B! You scared them off! I didn't get to kill but one!" Faith said with a pout.
Vincent eyed the woman. "You're a bit blood thirsty, aren't you?" he asked.
"So?" Faith said, daring him to criticize. "I'm a vampire slayer. They're vampires. I'm hardwired to kill vamps. Buffy cares more about the soul thing than I do, but I'm reformed. I try to kill only evil beings."
"Yet you give the Mikaelsons, the most evil of all vampires, a fee pass," Vincent said, shaking his head.
Buffy turned and glared at him. "Excuse me, Mr. Sanctimonious ass. If you want to compare evil, I'm more than willing 'cause I know evil. I've even faced Dracula. The Mikaelsons have done evil things—they aren't evil. I know the difference. My first lover was a vampire with a soul. When he lost his soul, he was a true monster. You have no idea what evil can really do," she declared.
"I was married to a woman who became possessed by a great evil and started killing children in magical rituals," Vincent replied. "I think I know evil."
Faith's mouth fell open at his bluntness. She glanced at the bartender, who was ignoring the entire tableau. Cami had either trained her staff exceedingly well, or Klaus had compelled her staff to ignore weird things. Faith bet it was the latter.
"Then you should watch your mouth," Buffy said, not backing down. "True evil doesn't care who they destroy. They mindlessly slaughter without remorse. All the Mikaelsons not only show remorse for their evil deeds, they are capable of love. An evil being is not. Bad mouth them again, I might just decide to beat you senseless." She gave him a final glare and stomped out of the bar.
"I'll catch up," Faith said to her as she left. "We have to take care of that body. My kind of vamps are so much better. They just turn to dust."
Vincent was surprised that she was staying. "Are you going to yell at me, too?" he asked.
"Nah," she said. "I killed the guy. My mess to clean up. B's cleaned up enough of my messes."
Vincent helped her dispose the body. Or rather, he told her where to take the body since she seemed to have no problem throwing the guy over her shoulder.
After they threw the body in an empty crypt, Vincent asked her, "Would the slayer actually beat me senseless?"
"Of course not," Faith said with a grin. "Buffy is incapable of hurting an innocent. It might actually cause a psychotic break if she did!"
Vincent returned her smile. "Well, she was quite serious," he said.
"She may want to beat you, but she wouldn't," Faith said easily. Then she gave him a stern look. "But I would. You hurt Buffy, and I'd beat you senseless and then have Red strip you of your powers."
Vincent nodded. "You're a loyal friend. I hope she is worthy of your devotion," he said.
The implication that Buffy might not be worth it annoyed Faith, and she narrowed her eyes at him. "Buffy is the best person I have ever known. She was my friend when no one else was. Even when I betrayed her, she forgave me. She's died twice for this world. There's not a person alive more worthy of my devotion," Faith said, glaring at him. "Imply otherwise again, and that beating she threatened you with will start."
Once again, Vincent found himself on the other side of a slayer's ire. Except this time, he was actually bothered by Faith's words. Maybe he was letting his own body snatching by Finn Mikaelson color all his thoughts. If Buffy could find it in her to look past Elijah's sins and love him, who was Vincent to judge?
*****Michaelson Compound*****
It took Marcel a few hours to get any information, but he finally had his guy return. He went to see Elijah to let him know what he found out. Marcel walked into the hallway and found Elijah in front of the bar. Elijah didn't even have to turn around to know he was there.
"Marcellus. Talk to me," Elijah ordered.
Marcel sighed. "Yep. We got a problem," Marcel acknowledged. He crossed to the bar, moving to stand in front of Elijah, so he could pour himself a drink.
Elijah looked up at him, expecting bad news. He arched an eyebrow expectantly.
"My guy stayed on Tristan's tail all day. Followed him to this place called the Candide Royale. He goes in, never comes out. So, he's obviously using it as a way to get to somewhere," Marcel shared. He took a sip of his drink.
"How and where?" Elijah asked.
"The building has hidden passageways leading out the back. Now, bootleggers used them in the '20s to run booze to a secret storehouse on Dauphine, and you'll never guess who just bought that storehouse," Marcel said, pausing for effect. Elijah shook his head once, so Marcel continued. "Kingmaker Land Development, owned by one Lucien Castle. Now, that sure as hell isn't a coincidence."
Elijah was stunned by this information as he brainstormed the implications.
Marcel speculated, "Either they're brokering some kind of truce..."
"Or, they've been working together the whole time," Elijah said.
Marcel nodded in agreement. Willow appeared. "Hey, Marcel. What's going on? Any news on Cami?" she asked. "Buffy is supposed to bring me an item of hers, so I can do a locator spell."
"Davina already did that. She's at Lucien's," Marcel shared. "Something tried to block her, but she kept pushing through and finally had a location."
"Well, I'll pop on over there and get her," Willow said. "Freya! Want to come with me?"
"Let Klaus handle Lucien. He's got experience with him," Elijah advised.
Freya came into the room. "Where are we going?" she asked.
Willow held out her hand and grinned eagerly, not about to follow Elijah's advice. "To rescue Cami. Elijah thinks we should let the men handle it," she said.
Freya laughed and took her hand. Marcel gaped as they disappeared before his eyes. "What?" he exclaimed.
"Willow is like our aunt. She can teleport herself through her magic," Elijah explained.
"Elijah," Klaus said as he came into the compound. Marcel knew that tone.
"I think he's mad," Marcel said.
"If he's knows what I think Aurora probably told him, things might get ugly," Elijah said. "I see you found her. Would you like a drink?"
"A drink? Is that all you have to say?" Klaus asked angrily.
Elijah sighed. "She told you. How convenient, to voice this ancient grievance in the very moment we need to stand united against our enemies," Elijah said, looking at Marcel, who was facing Klaus while Elijah's back was still turned away from him.
"You speak to me of enemies when the greatest traitor of my life stands before me!" Klaus exclaimed.
"Hey," Marcel said, sensing a fight was about to break out. "You know you don't mean that, Klaus. Elijah is your brother. He's always had your back."
Klaus scoffed. "That's what he pretends to do! Now I find out it's all treachery! A pretense to atone for his own sins!"
Elijah put his drink down on the bar, and as soon as he turned to face Klaus, Klaus vamp-sped toward him, shoving him into the bar and knocking it and all of the bottles and glasses on top of it over. The glass shattered into fragments, and the wooden bar was smashed into pieces as Klaus quickly stood to his feet and kicked Elijah in the chest as he tried to get up. Once Elijah was upright, Klaus punched him hard in the face, but Elijah recovered quickly and grabbed Klaus' shoulders in his hands before headbutting him. Klaus angrily shoved Elijah into one of the balcony's support beams.
Marcel thought about intervening, but he knew he was no match for either of them. When Buffy came into the room, he was relieved.
"What the hell's going on?" she asked Marcel.
Elijah got up and shoved Klaus backward just as hard. Then he punched Klaus in the jaw so hard that he spun and fell to his knees. While Klaus was recovering, Elijah grabbed him by the back of the coat and tossed him into the coffee table, which he smashed as he slid across it. Elijah glared at Klaus as he unbuttons his jacket in preparation for more fighting. Klaus stood to face him and scowled at Elijah.
"What you did to Aurora, to me—you set my course!" Klaus exclaimed.
Buffy thought about pulling them apart. However, Elijah and Rebekah had told them this happened from time to time. She murmured to Marcel. "Why are they fighting?" she asked him.
"I have no idea. Klaus just came in mad. From what I gather, it's probably something Aurora told him," he said.
Elijah words confirmed it as he declared, "I protected you! I protected our family. Aurora was the sister of a lunatic, and a powerful lunatic at that! Father was in pursuit. What was I supposed to do, Niklaus? And despite every one of your despicable deeds, I alone have always stood by you!"
"And why is that? Guilt," Klaus said scornfully.
"Why are you guys fighting?" Buffy asked, growing impatient.
Both men ignored her. Klaus shouted at Elijah, "You knew that your secret betrayal was the cause of everything I became!"
Klaus furiously lunged for Elijah once more and punched him in the face, only for Elijah to immediately swing his right leg and kick Klaus so hard in the chest that he was pushed backward. When Klaus vamp-sped toward him, Elijah held out his arm, keeping Klaus at arm's length, so he could come no closer. However, Klaus simply let his hybrid face and fangs out and bit Elijah on the forearm, causing Elijah to roar in pain.
"AAGH!" Elijah hollered as he clutched at his forearm.
Now Buffy was pissed. She moved quickly and punched Klaus hard in the face, ending the fight. Klaus was knocked off his feet once more. "How dare you behave like a dog, biting at your brother! You should be ashamed of yourself!" she said.
Marcel had yet to see Buffy direct any anger toward Klaus and didn't realize she could manage to hurt Klaus so easily.
Buffy turned to her lover in concern. "Are you okay?" she asked.
"Klaus is a werewolf. He purposely bit him so that Elijah would suffer," Marcel explained. "His bite kills us, but it will only make Elijah ill."
Buffy glared at Klaus, who was now on his feet approaching.
"All this blame!" Elijah shouted, his rage still great. "Will you ever look at yourself? I have carried you for centuries, Niklaus. No more! You want a fight? So be it."
"Enough!" Buffy yelled, losing her temper. Her body was vibrating with pent up emotion. Not knowing why they were fighting was making it worse. "You two will stop the fighting and tell me right now what the hell is going on!"
"Why don't you tell her, Elijah? See if Buffy will still love you when she finds out how you went out of your way to destroy my chance of happiness with the woman I love!" Klaus declared.
Buffy glanced at Elijah in confusion. Elijah groaned. Buffy knew so much about him, yet he still had so many secrets she knew nothing of. Would this be the one that would push her away?
*****To Be Continued*****
