Chapter 43:

Everything was almost ready.

Davina had gathered everyone and everything in the cemetery. She prepared a stone table with all of the runes, ingredients, and other objects that were needed to break the curse. Freya had helped with the preparations, then returned to collect her family.

Although she was reluctant, Mari let Elijah escort her mother to the cemetary. They reassured Mari that they would only stop her mother's heart for a mere moment, just long enough to complete the spell, then revive her. She was nervous, terrified even, but she was ready to finally have the truth. No matter how terrible it might be.

There was a fear taking root in her, twisting around in her heart and lungs, making it hard to breathe. What if neither of them loved her anymore? What if her time with the Mikaelsons came to a sudden and painful end? Would it really be worth it?

Mari was the last to arrive to the cemetery. Her mother was already there, wringing her hands together nervously.

"You'll resuscitate me, right?" She asked Elijah nervously. "Immediately."

"Yes. If you know who I am, then you must know I'm a man of my word."

"That's what they say," Mari's mother muttered under her breath.

"Mari," Freya called, laying her hand on the stone table. "I need you to lay over the runes. I have to paint some on you as well, using your mother's blood."

"My blood?"

"Isn't it the least you can do for your daughter?" Klaus glared at her. "After all the damage you've done." Mari's mother avoided his gaze and remained silent.

"How long will this take?" Kol paced anxiously. "Why haven't we gotten started?"

Freya shot him an annoyed look as she helped Mari get into position on the table. She turned Mari's arms outwards so that her wrists were facing up. Then, she picked up a small blade and walked over to where Mari's mother was standing. She dragged the blade across her palm, then collected blood on her fingertips to draw the runes on Mari's arms.

"I got what you needed," Marcel's voice reached them as he joined the Mikaelsons. He handed Elijah the defibrillator he took from the nearby hospital. "I hope this works."

"If she dies, she dies," Elijah shrugged.

Mari took in a deep breath and closed her eyes as Davina and Freya began to light the candles sitting around her. She tried to stop herself from trembling, but she was so afraid. She had never been a part of a spell before, and she wondered what it would feel like.

Of course, her mother had to deal with the worst of it. They had to stop her heart and start it up again. Her mom volunteered when Mari asked her to participate, but only because they promised to revive her. Her selfish nature wouldn't have allowed it without such a promise.

"We're ready to begin."

"Are you really sure about this, Mari?" Kol asked one last time. "We don't have to do this if you don't want to."

"I want to. I want… to know for sure. I want everyone to feel freed."

"Just get it over with," Klaus urged them, feeling unusually nervous himself. Something about seeing Mari lay there, surrounded by witch paraphernalia, made him anxious.

Freya and Davina positioned themselves on opposite sides of the stone table. They reach over Mari to lock hands, then they began to chant.

Mari felt some immediate discomfort once it started. She felt a heat under her skin, as if her blood was warming up. Her fingers curled into her palms, and she squeezed her eyes shut tighter. If she showed that she was too uncomfortable, they might try to stop the spell.

When Freya gave the signal, Elijah sank his fangs into Mari's mother and used his hand to cover her nose and mouth. She had been compelled to stay still, which made it easier for Elijah to press until her heart began to slow. She struggled for breath, then went limp. Elijah lowered her to the ground.

Marcel knelt down beside her and flicked on the defibrillator. He got it ready, the waited for the next signal.

The flames on the candles flared up. Mari began to squirm, letting out soft cries of pain now and then. Kol paced even faster, biting at his nails anxiously. Freya and Davina's chanting grew faster, louder, as the wind began to blow around them.

After only a few seconds, Davina gave the signal, and Marcel started to resuscitate Mari's mother.

Then, everything went still, and Mari's world went dark.

When she woke up, she was in Klaus' bed, back at the compound. She recognized the feeling of the sheets instantly, and they brought her a sense of temporary comfort. It took only a few moments to remember what happened before she fell asleep.

Mari jerked her body upright, looking down at her arms to find that the runes of blood had been washed away already.

"Are you feeling alright?" Klaus' voice startled her. She lifted her eyes to meet his. He stood in the doorway, shoulder leaned against the doorframe.

"I feel… a bit fuzzy, but I'm fine. What happened? My mother–"

"She's fine," he reassured her. "Once we got her heart beating again, we fed her blood so that she would recover quickly. Elijah and Marcel took her home."

"Did it work?"

"Only one way to find out."

Klaus approached her slowly, as if she was more fragile than usual. He sat beside her on the bed, then brushed her hair to one side gently. Mari let her head fall back, giving him full access to her throat. Her heart was thumping wildly. It was the moment of truth.

She only winced a little when Klaus bit into her skin. That familiar feeling of pleasure washed over her, and she was thankful for Kol's compulsion in that moment. At least that much remained the same.

After a moment, Klaus pulled away to hold her gaze. He cupped her cheek in his hand, brushing his thumb over it tenderly.

"It is different. You're still… delicious, but I believe the curse is gone."

Mari took in a deep breath, reaching up to lay her hand over his. She sank into his touch, afraid it might be the last time.

"And… how do you feel now? About me, I mean. Is that… also different?"

A grin split his lips.

"I love you more today than I did yesterday."

Relief swept over her. She let out the breath she had been holding since he tasted her blood. Mari threw her arms around his neck and clung to him gratefully. He loved her still, and that was all she wanted: to be loved without a curse.

"I told you my feelings could never change," Klaus said softly, combing his fingers through her golden hair. "Curse or no curse, you are still the one I want more than any other. You're my Marigold, and that will never change."

After a moment, she leaned back to look into his eyes again. She wanted to watch them, to see his reaction when she asked her next important question.

"Where's Kol?"

He furrowed his brow, and her relief flitted away as quickly as it came.

"He stayed behind at the cemetery with Davina. He said he would return home by morning." He saw her eyes start to pool with tears. "You should ask him the same as you asked me. I can't guarantee what his answer will be, but you shouldn't worry until you've spoken to him."

"If he chooses Davina, I'll understand. He loved her first, and there was no curse between them." Her eyes dropped to her lap as she remembered how broken Kol was when she first met him. Davina's death had broken him, and Mari always knew that he still carried her in his heart.

"No matter," Klaus sighed, pressing a loving kiss to the top of her head. "You won't ever be alone again, Mari. I'm here. Now and always. Cursed or not."

"Thank you," she smiled. Mari lifted her head to kiss his lips this time, to show him that his love was enough for her. Even if Kol stayed by Davina's side for good, she could be happy because she was still loved by Klaus.

"Also," Klaus' expression soured a little. "Elijah told me that he had fed from you in secret. He apologized. Blamed the curse."

"Klaus," her breath caught in her throat, eyes widening fearfully, "I'm sorry. I–"

"He told me you asked him to stop. He told me he compelled you as well. You don't have to apologize, Mari. You just have to promise to start protecting yourself with vervain."

"Vervain? But–"

"Yes. I won't be drinking from you anymore," Klaus confirmed her concerns. "It isn't because you're no longer a delicacy. Rather, I think it's time we stop treating you like our own personal blood bank. I want you protected from us. And–" He grabbed her hands and squeezed them tightly. "I still want you to consider my offer."

"Offer?"

"Of immortality. Of forever. With me."

"Are you sure you want forever from me, Klaus? Are you really sure?" She blinked up at him, as if she still didn't truly believe how much he loved her.

"I'll settle for nothing less."

"Then…"

Mari breathed deeply, considering what the future would look like as a vampire. She had fears. Concerns. But they all melted away when she saw how desperately he wanted an answer. He was hanging onto her hands for dear life.

"Then I accept your offer."

His face lit up, and he practically tackled her into the bed with more joy than she'd ever seen him conjure up before.