Author's Note: I'm so sorry for the delay! I had finals and papers. Please forgive me? This one is for Emish5 who wanted "One about Klaus moonlight rings curse in the end of season 1/start of season 2?"

Disclaimer: Still don't own them (obviously).

Warnings: Mentions of child abuse and spoilers for season 1 of The Originals.

"And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also." 1 John 4:21 KJV

Elijah Mikaelson looked up at the beautiful New Orleans sky and felt a sense of dread weighing at his heart. To anyone else the sight would be breathtakingly amazing, but he couldn't muster up any appreciation. For him, the sight of the rising full moon held only pain, not for himself but for his younger brother, Niklaus.

Every month since that accursed witch's betrayal, Niklaus had suffered the physical agony of twelve transformations and the mental anguish of being unable to stop it or even to protect himself. For Elijah's younger brother, the weakness was far worse than the pain. As much as it pained him to admit, even to himself, Niklaus had been far too well acquainted with physical anguish for much too long. However, he was rarely ever vulnerable since becoming an Original vampire and, later, a hybrid.

Elijah looked up at the canopy of stars again and noted that the moon was just crossing the horizon. His hands left the iron railing of the balcony and he made his way out of his room and across the hallway into his little brother's domain. The aforementioned little brother was sprawled in an armchair in front of the empty fireplace, seemingly in deep contemplation of the cold, metal grate. Elijah knocked once on the doorframe, drawing Klaus's attention. The younger looked up and beckoned for his older brother to come in.

The older vampire entered and sat across from his brother, looking closely for any sign of discomfort on the younger's face. Klaus noted his older brother's scrutiny and opened his mouth to reassure him, before being interrupted as he felt a wave of excruciating pain sweep over him. He doubled over as the effects of twelve separate transformations besieged him at once, stole his strength, and robbed him of his breath. Elijah used his vampire speed to catch his brother around his shoulders before he took a headfirst dive into the stone hearth.

Niklaus's hands came up to desperately clutch Elijah's shirt as he fought through the almost overwhelming pain. Elijah maneuvered himself and his brother into a more comfortable position with his back against the wall and Klaus's head nestled into the crook of his neck. He could feel the pants of air against the side of his neck and his baby brother's hands grasping onto his shirt, seemingly for dear life. Elijah wrapped an arm around the tense shoulders, cursing that despicable… woman in his mind. His brother was no saint, but he certainly didn't deserve the agony that he had suffered through every month since that treacherous witch had cursed him.

Elijah felt the minute flinches and shudders that rippled through the hybrid's body as the curse stole his strength. He brought his other hand up to the head nestled under his chin and began to soothingly run his fingers through his little brother's soft curls. He knew from the previous months that the ordeal was just beginning. The pain of the transformations would last only an hour or so but the wolves would continue to siphon his brother's strength until the full moon sank back into oblivion. He'd become accustomed to this routine in the past few months. Elijah had once again became his little brother's protector once a month. It was a role that he'd filled in their childhood, but one that had been largely unneeded (and mostly unwanted) since their transformation into Original vampires.

He felt his little brother begin to melt into him and he knew that the worst of the agony had passed. His younger brother's head nuzzled deeper into his chest, seeking the older vampire's strength as the rogue wolves siphoned his own. This part always made Niklaus act as he had when they were children and the younger had been sick or hurting. Niklaus had always gotten quiet and, although he never asked for comfort (Father's reaction the one time he had was enough to make sure of that), he had pretty much melted into Elijah when he'd offered it. Then as now, Elijah guarded that rare show of vulnerability with the fierce protectiveness he would his own heart. As he sat there holding his weakened brother, Elijah reflected on a specific time when they were children.

Flashback

Niklaus had been caught up in his own world of art when Mikael had found him, destroyed the sculpture, and beaten the boy nearly to unconsciousness. Art and the like were for women and Mikael would not have his son displaying such weakness. Elijah hadn't known about the incident until Niklaus hadn't come home for hours, at which point he'd gone looking for his brother. He had found him a while later curled up in the woods, bloody and unconscious. He had gently woken the younger boy and half led, half carried him to the stream, where he carefully cleaned the crimson stains from his brother's body with the cold, crystal-clear water. Niklaus had been unusually compliant and silent, tears occasionally dripping down his cheeks as Elijah cleaned off the dried blood and tears. The older boy had been furious at his father's horrific treatment of his little brother and was inwardly cursing the man's very existence, but he was careful to not let the rage show through. He didn't want Niklaus to think that any of this was in any way his fault.

After he'd done as much as he could to erase all the physical traces of Mikael's cruelty, he'd drawn the younger boy gently into a hug, cradling the back of his head with one hand and bringing the blond head to his shoulder. Niklaus's arms had slowly come up and wound around Elijah's waist and he'd melted into his older brother's protective embrace. Elijah had felt tears soaking into his tunic and he heard a faint whisper. He leaned down so that his ear was closer to the huddled figure in his arms.

"What was that?" Elijah asked softly.

Niklaus turned his head so that his cheek was on Elijah's shoulder and his mouth was unobstructed. "Why does Father hate me so much?" he'd repeated in a heartbroken whisper.

Elijah's arms had tightened fiercely around the smaller boy. "Because 'Father,'" he spat, "is a monster. There is something wrong with him, Niklaus. Not you." He had reassured.

End Flashback

Elijah was brought back to the present as he felt that same little brother stir in his arms. He looked down and saw his brother's clear blue eyes looking steadily back up at him. Niklaus appeared to be through the worst of the night. Klaus slowly withdrew from his brother's embrace until he was slumped against the wall, leaning sideways into Elijah's shoulder. After a few more moments of companionable silence, Klaus straightened up and pulled away. He slowly made his way to his feet and reached a hand down to help Elijah to his feet.

"You are the one who should be helped up, brother." Elijah teased as he grasped his younger brother's hand and gracefully stood.

"Ah, but you are so much older than I am." Klaus returned with a smirk.

Elijah knew that they were both deflecting, but he was glad to see his brother in better spirits. He pulled him into a quick hug.

"I am glad you are over the worst, brother." He said, before releasing his brother and stepping back. "Will you be alright here alone or do you wish me to stay with you, Niklaus?" He asked as he rested his hands on the hybrid's shoulders.

"I will be fine now, 'Lijah." He said.

"If you need anything, I will be right down the hall." Elijah promised, giving Klaus's shoulders a quick, comforting squeeze before releasing him and making his way out of his brother's room.

"Goodnight, Niklaus." He called over his shoulder.

"'Night, 'Lijah." He heard in reply.

As Elijah walked back to his own room, he silently vowed to do everything in his power to free his younger brother from this curse. And when he found the leader of those mangy wolves, he would show her exactly why messing with his family was such a truly terrible idea.

I wasn't sure about the ending; what do y'all think? Next up is another prompt from Emish5, with wolf!Klaus.