TW: Mental health discussions, reference to self-harm
982 – Vinland (present-day America)
The air was crisp as Elijah instructed Astra to raise the large stick in her hand and bring it down sharply. He had agreed to train her weeks ago, but only if she agreed to meet in secret. She tried not to show how much that request had hurt. She understood after all. No one wanted to be seen speaking with her or her mother. Her mother would tell her they were just jealous of her powers. Astra knew better. The looks they would give her were not ones of envy, but ones of fear.
Which is precisely why she wished to train. Her mother refused to teach her offensive magic as she did not want to give anyone reason to fear their family. Astra knew her mother was right, but as she lay on the ground, defenseless, as the village boys threw rocks at her, Astra promised herself that she would never let that happen again. It was not the first time, but it would be the last.
So she showed up every day as the sun began to peak over the horizon for her training sessions with Elijah. He was still keeping his distance from her, not sure if he could trust her. Astra could feel the distrust radiating off of him, yet she did not allow her magic to reach out to him. She would not betray him like that. And every day they met, the distrust lessened a little bit more. She even began to hope that one day he would consider her his friend.
But for now, they mainly trained in silence. Elijah seemed to fear making any unnecessary noise that could draw his father's attention to his secret. Any noise in the woods would pull his focus from his training. The sharp sound of a branch snapping, the rustling of leaves, and he would spend minutes scanning the forest line as if Mikael could appear out of thin air.
And yet, he always walked her home. Astra smiled the first time he did it. He didn't ask or even announce his intentions, rather when they had finished their training and she set off for her home, he trailed after her, staff in hand. They both knew he wouldn't stand a chance if the group of village boys decided to attack again, and still, it made her feel safer having him there.
On one particularly cold day, they were almost to her home when they heard footsteps on the forest ground. Astra's family lived as far on the outskirts of the village as one could while still being considered living in the village so it was not typical to encounter anyone on their trek home. Elijah listened carefully but he couldn't make sense of the steps. It didn't sound as if they were coming toward them but they were moving quickly.
He watched as Astra's eyebrows furrowed, a look of concern passing over her face before she took off towards the noise. Elijah allowed himself a second to groan before taking off after her, hoping he would not need to use the staff in his hand.
Astra stopped so abruptly in front of him that Elijah collided with her back, almost knocking her over in the process. He reached out his hands to steady her but she paid him no mind, her focus was on the woman frantically moving around the forest.
The first thing Elijah noticed was her lack of outerwear. She must be freezing, he thought as he took in her bare arms. But Helga paid it no mind. She appeared to be on a mission, moving with urgency, but one she had forgotten what she was searching for. She would jolt forward as if to go further into the woods and then stop last minute, spin around and head to the west. She didn't seem to notice the audience that had arrived, Astra staring at her mother with wide eyes.
"Is she alright?" Elijah whispered, not wanting to disturb the woman who was now kneeling on the ground scavenging through the fallen leaves.
Astra spun around at the sound of his voice. She had nearly forgotten he was there. Her green eyes had gone wide and her mouth was slightly agape, but when she remembered his presence, she pasted her bright smile back on her face and gave him a short laugh.
"Of course." She said with her normal chipper tone. "She's just looking for herbs for a spell. Thanks for walking me home, but you can go now. I'll help my mother search and then head home with her."
Elijah looked between Astra and her mother, who had now begun to wander off further into the woods, not seeming to notice the sharp twigs breaking under her bare feet. He noticed the carefully happy expression she wore. It was one he was all too familiar with. One his own mother would wear when Elijah would ask if she was alright after his father came home angrier than normal. One that told him the wearer was not in fact alright.
"I can help." Elijah offered, although part of him wished he hadn't. If he wasn't home soon to help his mother with dinner, his father may come looking for him. He shuddered at what his father would do to him if he discovered the empty clearing Elijah was supposed to be training in.
"No need," Astra's smile didn't leave her face but she angled her body away from him as if trying to keep track of where her mother had wandered. "It's getting dark soon, you should head home."
He gave her one last long look and when her cheerful mask did not slip, he nodded his head and turned back towards his home. He wished he was brave enough to stay and help, but the fear of his father's inevitable punishment drove him home, leaving Astra and her mom in the woods.
The smile on Astra's face stayed plastered there until she was sure Elijah was too far away to double back. When she was sure, she whirled around in search of her mother. She likely hadn't wandered too far off. Astra listened carefully until she heard the telltale signs of her mother's movements. She had mercifully wandered back towards their home.
"Mamma." She called out, hoping to catch her attention. Hearing her daughter's voice used to bring her back, but it was becoming increasingly more difficult to get her mother to focus when she was like this.
When she found her mother again, she was kneeling in a patch of thorns, her hands searching for something Astra wasn't sure. She dug through the brush, blood dripping from her hands and legs as she did.
"Mamma," Astra called again as she dashed forward, her hands already reaching out. "Stop!"
Her mother didn't seem to hear her, her movements frantic as she reached further into the push.
"They need it." She heard her mother mutter. "I need to find it."
"Who needs it?" Astra asked, pulling on her arms, trying to get her to release the thorns. Although she knew her mother wouldn't answer the question. She would never say who 'they' were or what she needed to find. And when she returned to herself later she would tell Astra she had no idea what Astra was talking about.
"I need to find it." Her voice became more desperate as a thorn ripped a deep gash into her forearm.
Astra closed her eyes and placed her hands on her mother's arm, remembering the words she had been taught. She felt her mother relax and as the pain left her mother, it overcame Astra. She dropped to her knees gasping in pain as the feeling of a thousand thorns tore into her.
Pain is temporary, she reminded herself. That's what Elijah would say when she would complain that he hit her too hard during one of their training sessions. She had to learn to overcome the pain if she wished to be a warrior. Astra took several deep breaths as she waited for the pain to subside. She gripped onto her mother's arm, although her mother still seemed to be unaware of her daughter's presence.
And eventually, the pain did stop. As it faded, she was able to take in her surroundings again. The sun had set and her mother was shivering in her light dress. Astra herself was shaking as well but she couldn't tell if it was from the cold or the pain.
"Come on, mamma." She tugged on her mother's arm once again, however this time she complied. "Let's go home."
2013 – New Orleans, Louisiana
As the moon rose high in the sky, the cold air wafted across the bayou, causing a shiver to run down Astra's spine. She was doing everything in her power to block out the emotions of the crowd that gathered around her.
This wasn't the first time she had brought someone back from the dead. But she prayed it would be the last. The raw emotions that the pack was feeling was enough to put Astra on edge. She felt as if her skin was vibrating with the desperation of the pack. She sighed as she knew she would have to dig deeper into those emotions.
Most of the spells she did she could pull the magic from nature, like any normal witch. However, spells that required more magic, she had to pull from others. Emotions were one of the most powerful forms of magic, but they were also the most volatile. If she was going to bring a werewolf back from the dead, she was going to need some serious magic.
She felt the Regent approach before she saw her. Likely before anyone saw her. The pain Davina was feeling was like a beacon for Astra. She likely could have found her from miles away. She desperately tried to block those particular emotions out. She didn't need to feel any more guilt. She had told Elijah she would bring back his brother and now she was hurting so many people by bringing back Aiden instead.
She took a deep breath and tried to focus on the excitement of the pack instead. The altar was ready in front of her and the full moon was high in the sky. It was time to begin.
As she began the spell, she felt the pack move in around her. They had formed a tight circle around the border of her makeshift altar. She had created a barrier so they could not cross and she could feel them pressing against it.
She felt the magic flowing through her and she reached out to harness more, focusing on the individuals who she could use the most. Josh felt like a mixture of pain and sorrow, but also excitement and fear. She knew he was trying to not get too excited in case she failed. She tried not to let that doubt cloud her mind as she pulled on the pain instead. She could feel Aiden's little brother in the crowd as well. The anguish he felt was enough to bring Astra to her knees. She let out a loud groan as the feeling of suffering ran through her.
She felt the weight of the moon pressing on her, the power radiating in every pore of her being. When she felt as if she might explode she let it flow through her into the dirt they had piled up and sprinkled Aiden's ashes into. From dust to ashes and ashes to life.
And she felt the life. She felt the soil's heart begin to beat and it shuddered as it tried to take its first breath. Astra dropped to her knees, feeling the cool dirt beneath her. She placed her hands on the ground to drive the rest of the magic into the soil, a scream ripping out of her as she did.
She felt claws dig into her as they raked across her face, her chest. She screamed as her flesh ripped open. She looked down at her unmarred flesh to remind herself that it was not real, however, the pain was most certainly real.
The ground seemed to shift beneath her as the bayou spun. She nearly fell backward, catching herself at the last minute so she was leaning back on her hands. She wasn't sure how long she sat like that before the world seemed to come back into focus.
When it did, she realized her boundary must have fallen as the pack had breached it in order to help their friend from his shallow grave. And there he was, Astra sighed. Someone had the foresight to bring a blanket to wrap around him, but Aiden didn't seem to care as he embraced his boyfriend. Confusion and shock radiated from him.
Astra tried to block out the emotions as she already felt too raw, but she was too weak to put up the mental shield she had been using since she was a child in her first life.
She struggled to her feet, wanting to get as far away from the crowd as possible. She should have let Elijah come after all, she groaned as she moved away from the crowd, one shaky step at a time. He at least could have whisked her away as soon as she was done.
She had nearly escaped the crowd when she felt the familiar grief envelope her. Astra took a deep, shaky breath as she turned back to the bayou.
"Davina." She said gently, trying to muster up whatever sympathy she could manage. After all, it should have been her reuniting with her dead love tonight. "You're a good friend for coming."
"Thanks." She gave Astra a small smile. "But I can't say that it was completely selfless."
Astra's sympathy turned to confusion at Davina's words. Davina had never seemed to question whether or not Astra could actually raise the dead so she wasn't sure what selfish desires had driven her to attend.
However, when Davina reached into her bag, Astra's confusion disappeared.
"I can't." She shook her head softly at the bag of ashes Davina carried. "I don't have that energy anymore."
"I know that's not true," Davina argued. She had watched Astra pull that magic seemingly out of thin air. Yes, she had used the moon to anchor it, but Astra had been able to harness that power all on her own. She could do it again. "I've never seen a witch harness power like that. You did it once, you can harness it again. Tonight, while the moon is still full."
"Yes, as an empath witch I can harness an immense amount of magic on my own," Astra explained. "But it comes at a cost."
Davina was familiar with empath witches, she had studied them at l'ecole. However, from her studies, she had believed they were all dead.
"I'll pay the cost." Davina grabbed Astra's hand and Astra nearly recoiled at the touch. "Please, you said you knew what it was like to lose someone you loved. And I love Kaleb– Kol. I'm all alone, I don't have anyone. Please."
Astra felt dizzy at Davina's touch, she felt her pain as acutely as if it was her own. It transported her back to a pair of piercing blue eyes as she watched the light fade from them. She had nearly burned down a city in her grief. She felt the fire growing inside of her. She tried to pull away from Davina. She knew Davina had an affinity for fire magic and between the two of them, they could level the city without even trying. But Davina held on tightly.
"Please." The desperation rattled inside Astra, trying to invade every ounce of her.
"Fine." She gasped. She just wanted it all to stop. Wanted the pain and anger to go away. Pain is temporary, she reminded herself. "I'll try but I can't promise anything."
"Thank you!" Davina cheered as she threw her arms around the witch. Astra stopped herself from throwing her down to the ground, as far away from her as she could get. Davina seemed to notice her hesitance and pulled away. "When can you start?"
"Might as well get it over with." Astra wandered back towards the crowd, the joy running through her. Typically she would marvel at such intense, positive emotions. But she just wanted it all to stop.
She moved towards the altar, not saying a word. Davina trailing behind her. The others seemed to move out of her way as if on instinct. When she got to the disrupted dirt pile, she began to pat it down with her hands, not wanting to exert any unnecessary magic.
"What's going on?" Jackson detached himself from the crowd. "It worked. What more is there to do?"
"She's going to bring Kol back." Davina's voice was smaller than Astra had ever heard it, even when she was practically being shunned in the market when they first met.
"I thought she said she couldn't bring both back." Jackson looked between the two, mainly focusing on the exhausted look on Astra's face.
"She changed her mind." Davina held her head high, some confidence returning. She knew she had talked Astra into it, but the witch wouldn't have agreed unless she could do it. "She's going to bring Kol back as well."
"I'm going to call Hayley." Jackson reached into his pocket for his phone. "Maybe Elijah should be here for this."
Astra nearly snorted at that. She must look pretty bad if the werewolf was willingly calling Elijah down to the bayou.
"You will do no such thing." She mustered as much strength as she could when she looked at him. "Elijah is not my keeper. If I say I can do this, then I can."
"Davina–" Josh started but stopped at the glare she threw his way. She was so happy for Josh and Aiden but she couldn't bear to look at the embrace they couldn't seem to tear themselves from.
Astra reached back towards Davina and she handed over Kol's ashes, hesitating slightly. This was the last bit of Kols he had left. It had to work. Davina watched as Astra poured the ashes over the dirt as she had done with Aiden. Without preamble, Astra began the spell for the second time. Davina felt the air around her as if it was radiating with electricity and Astra was the conduit. The wind picked up, more aggressively than it had when Astra had performed it the first time.
"A storm's coming." Jackson looked across the bayou as the water crashed onto the shore. "It's not supposed to rain."
The pack looked around anxiously, many of the members backing away from the circle.
"What's going on?" Josh and Aiden had come to Davina's side, but she barely heard him. "This didn't happen the first time."
"She's pulling more magic." Davina's eyes did not leave the pile of dirt where Kol would appear. "Nature isn't happy."
Davina knew that was a possibility. Nature might allow one person to be brought back from the dead, but two was pushing its limits.
"We have to stop her." Jackson moved to pull Astra away from the altar but ran into the barrier. Astra had put it back up without any of them noticing. "She's going to destroy the bayou."
The pack was restless as they watched the storm clouds roll in, darker than natural ones should be. The wind whipped through the bayou, causing their homes to shudder and creak.
"Get back to your homes," Jackson ordered. "Take shelter and stay there until I say otherwise."
He tried to gain order but he knew the wild look in his eyes did anything but calm his pack down. Many of whom were running back to their homes, clutching their little ones to them.
"Go get the Mikaelsons." He ordered Josh. He needed someone to stop this before Astra destroyed everything and he begrudgingly admitted to himself the only person that could stop it was likely Elijah.
Before Josh could take off towards the city, the ground shook beneath them almost bringing them to their knees. Josh's eyes flashed to the dirt mound Astra was kneeling in front of. She let out a heart-stopping scream as fire burst from her. On pure instinct, Josh threw Aiden to the ground as the fire leaped from Astra in waves. She didn't even seem to notice.
Jackson tried to drag Davina away from the danger but she would not listen, using her own magic to throw him back. Jackson was about to make a run for the city himself when it all stopped. The fire disappeared, the wind went silent and the clouds seemed to dissipate.
This scared him more than the storm. The eerie quiet that followed as they all looked at Astra who lay unconscious on the ground.
And then a hand burst through the ground. Clawing for a way out.
Davina rushed forward, no barrier to stop her, and fell to her knees. Her hands tore into the dirt as she searched for her dead love. She felt the ground beneath her shutter as the dirt cleared way of his face and he burst upwards out of the ground.
"Kol." She gasped as he looked around wildly until his eyes fell on her. She launched herself into his arms and he gripped her just as tightly.
"What happened?" His eyes were still taking in the quiet bayou, trying to assess what exactly brought him back. He finally landed on the still witch that lay next to where he had just been buried. "Astra."
"She brought you back." Davina smiled into him, her tears tracking down his bare chest. Kol kissed her head gently before pulling her away.
"Why is she unconscious?" He had seen her bring someone back from the dead once before and it hadn't brought her to this state. "Where's Elijah?"
"She brought back Aiden," Davina explained, upset that Kol's attention seemed to be on the witch rather than her. "She said she didn't need Elijah here."
"Everyone needs to get out of here." Kol moved to get up, looking at Jackson. "And get Elijah."
"What's going on?" Davina asked, confusion coating her words. "She's fine. She just needs to sleep it off."
Davina had seen this happen, it had even happened to her. Astra was still breathing, she was just exhausted.
"You don't understand," Kol didn't take his eyes off of the witch, ready to grab her and run if need be. "When magic overcomes an empath, it's not just like any other witch. Her magic comes from emotions. When she harnesses magic, she takes those emotions into her and when it overcomes her, they have to go somewhere."
"They went into you," Davina argued. She had felt it. Astra pulled all of that magic and cast it into the ground, into Kol.
"The magic did." Kol finally looked back at Davina, his eyes showed a fear she hadn't seen in him before. Not even when he was dying of the curse. "Not the emotions."
XXXX
Kol had told Davina to keep Astra down while he vamp sped to the compound to get help. There was only one person he had ever seen talk Astra down when she lost control and he desperately hoped he could get to him before Astra set fire to the bayou.
He burst into the compound and desperately searched for his family, but his brothers were nowhere to be seen. His eyes fell on the mother of his niece, his brother's fake therapist, and a familiar blonde, but the vaguely familiar brunette caught his attention. His sister was still in the witch's body.
"Where's Elijah?" He demanded from his sister.
"Kol?" She gasped, standing up. If she had been in her original body she would have vamp sped to him, but instead, she ran towards him as fast as her human body could. "How are you here?"
She threw her arms around him and he held her briefly before pulling away.
"Elijah." He yelled into the quiet household before focusing back on Rebekah. "Astra brought Aiden and me back."
"What?" Kol nearly sighed in relief at his brother's voice. Elijah looked torn between relief and fear and Kol felt a moment of happiness that his older brother was relieved to see him. He knew that relief would turn to anger when he learned of what happened with Astra. "You have to get to the bayou quickly, Astra —"
Elijah did not wait for Kol to finish speaking before he vanished.
"Is Astra alright?" Cami asked, having witnessed the whole exchange. Based on everything she had just learned about the woman, she figured bringing two people back from the dead could seriously harm the young witch.
"She'll be fine," Rebekah said hopefully, although her eyes betrayed her. "Elijah will help her. But we need to get down there."
"Absolutely not, sister." Kol gave her a stern look, furrowing his brows. "You are in a very mortal body right now, the last thing we need is for Astra to accidentally kill you."
"It's fine." Bex argued, "If I get killed, I just jump back to my old body."
"And make Astra deal with the guilt of killing one of her closest friends." Kol challenged and Rebekah knew he was right. Astra would already be raw with emotions, she didn't need anything else on top of it. "You stay here with Hope, Nik and I will make sure everything is alright."
He looked over to where his brother was standing in the courtyard, eyes slightly glassy from unshed tears.
"I thought I heard the voice of an obnoxious rake." Klaus attempted to hide his relief with jest, but Kol's eyes watered just the same as his brother approached him and pulled him into a tight embrace.
Kol has always been on the outskirts with his family, but seeing their relief that he was alive and well brought a warmth to his heart that he had long since closed off from his family.
"As touching as this is," Rebekah interrupted, "You both need to get to the bayou right now before Astra kills everyone there including our brother."
With that, they took off to the bayou after Elijah. Bex turned around and noticed Hayley was gone as well. She wasn't sure when the she-wolf took off but all that remained was Cami and Freya, staring at her with wide eyes.
"I need you two to stay with Hope," Rebekah instructed as she headed to the dungeons.
"Where are you going?" Freya demanded, following after her.
"You really think I'm going to leave this mess for my brothers." She gave her sister a sardonic look. "You know they will just make a mess of it."
XXXX
By the time Elijah arrived in the bayou, Davina was struggling to keep Astra down. Her eyes were open and wild. A ring of fire surrounded her and sparks flew from it, lighting nearby trees on fire.
"Astra." Elijah attempted to call over the flames but he knew she could not hear him.
"Thank god." Davina never thought she would be so happy to see an Original, besides Kol of course. "Can you stop her?"
Elijah ignored the young witch, circling the perimeter of the fire to see if there was a weak spot he could break through. And of course, because it was Astra, there was not.
Davina watched as Elijah stood to the side, staring into the flames.
"What is he doing?" Jackson looked between Josh and Davina. He had hoped Elijah would be able to prevent his home from burning to the ground, not just stand there and watch.
"He's trying to get into her head." Jackson heard Klaus' voice and turned around to see Kol, Klaus, and Hayley approaching the fire. "Any luck?"
"No, she's pushing me out." Elijah sighed, taking off his jacket and handing it to his brother.
"That's not a good idea, brother." Klaus gripped Elijah's arm, attempting to stop him from moving forward.
"If you have a better one, I'd love to hear it." Elijah did not take his eyes off of Astra in the center, still attempting to get into her head.
Unfortunately, Klaus did not have a better idea. He released his brother's arm and watched as Elijah put his hand into the fire, not even flinching from the flames.
"On the bright side, she didn't put up a boundary spell with it." Elijah sighed as he stepped through the flames. He could feel them licking at his skin, burning where they touched him, but he took another step in. He feared if he moved too quickly, he would draw her attention and she would throw him out. For the moment, she didn't appear to notice anyone.
When he finally made it through the flames, Elijah stood in front of her, reaching out with one hand, hoping his steady presence would grant her some peace from the turmoil inside her brain. She did not flinch away when he placed his hand on the side of her face, she did not even react when he closed his eyes and entered her mind.
All he saw was an endless darkness. And the feelings that came with it made him gasp and throw himself back as far away from her as he could get while still being in the ring of fire.
"What's happening?" Hayley demanded, moving closer to the ring of fire.
"She can't find a way out," Elijah muttered, more to himself than anyone. This isn't the first time he had been in her mind during one of these events. She would often describe it as her own purgatory. She was trapped in her own mind where these voices would speak to her. She was never sure if they were supernatural or entirely made up, but they would drag her down further into the despair until she couldn't escape.
Elijah knew what he needed to do but he closed his eyes briefly to prepare himself.
"Elijah, I agree with Nik." Kol moved forward as well, his arm wrapped protectively around Davina. "This is not a good idea."
Elijah ignored them and moved back to Astra's side, placing his hands back on the side of her head. He was back in her mind, the darkness all-consuming. All he felt was pain and despair.
"Astra." He called out, searching for her in the darkness. "Let me help you."
He listened carefully and heard her gasps of pain in the distance. He moved quickly to her side, dropping to his knees next to her as soon as he saw her small figure lying on the ground.
"Astra, I'm here." He said softly as he stroked her hair out of her face. "Everything's alright."
Her green eyes shone in the darkness, tears spilling from them without restraint.
"They want me to and I can't." She told him, her eyes begging him to understand. "They want me to and I can't."
"I know." Elijah smiled reassuringly at her. "You don't have to."
It was always a similar phrase she would say. He could never figure out who 'they' were, he oftentimes assumed it was her own subconscious. What he did know is that they wanted her to do terrible things. They wanted her to hurt herself. To hurt others. When it got too much for her, she would listen to the voices.
"Give it all to me," Elijah whispered, still stroking her cheek. She shook her head vehemently. Even in her addled state, she would not hurt him. "It's alright. I've got you. I can handle it."
She began to shake her head again but he didn't give her the choice. With the hand on her cheek, he could feel the power radiating off of her. She was so raw with emotions, he could practically grab onto them.
And he did. He ripped them from her without her permission, pulling all of the anguish into himself.
XXXX
Hayley stared at the two figures in the center of the flames. They were unmoving as the small crowd watched in stunned silence. She wasn't sure how long they stood that way when Elijah suddenly fell to his knees, gasping in pain.
"What's happening?" Hayley demanded, whirling around to look at the brothers.
"He's taking all of the excess magic that is overwhelming her," Kol said simply, his eyes not leaving his brother's form which was now withering in pain on the ground.
"She's going to kill him." Hayley couldn't hide the desperation in her tone and she didn't have to see the look on her husband's face to know just how desperate she sounded. She moved forward, attempting to break through the flames but Jackson pulled her back.
"You'll die if you go in there." He hissed at her. "Elijah is an Original, he can't be killed."
"If she overwhelms him with enough magic he can be." Rebekah appeared next to her brothers, her eyes wide as she took in the scene. "Why would you let him do that?"
The brothers didn't seem at all surprised to see the original blonde vampire standing before them. After all, she had only stayed in the witch's body to bring Kol back.
Rebekah took a step forward as if to breach the wall of flames.
"What the bloody hell do you think you're doing?" Klaus easily grabbed his sister's arm, dragging her back. He had let his brother go in there, he wouldn't let his little sister go as well.
"I'm not going to let him die." She pulled away from him. "Look."
They followed Rebekah's finger to where Elijah lay on the ground, his face had turned gray as the black veins covered his body.
"The magic is desiccating him," Rebekah's voice broke on the last word, fear in her voice. "It's too much for him to take on his own. But if I help, I can save him."
Rebekah moved forward again but Klaus grabbed her arm even tighter this time.
"And what if she kills you both?" He demanded, not trying to hide the fear in his voice. That was his greatest fear, after all, being left alone.
"I'm not going to just watch him die." Rebekah's tone was quieter this time. "He would risk it for any of us."
She looked between her brothers and then at Hayley, her gaze returning to Klaus who gave her a small nod.
"If it becomes too much you bloody better tell us." Kol gave her a stern look. "We'll pull you both out and figure out how to deal with Astra."
She hugged her newly alive brother tightly before turning back to her dying one. They worked too hard to get their family back, she would not gain one brother just to lose another.
She sped through the flames, barely even feeling them as she did. She marveled at the strength of her body. It had been too long since she had felt that power. When she made it through, she kneeled down next to her brother, and touched his arm gently, opening her mind up to him.
Klaus watched as his little sister doubled over in pain, collapsing on top of his big brother. He nearly threw himself through the flames himself but he stopped. He knew better than to help. Astra needed to release the intense emotions that plagued her from performing the spells, and Klaus knew better than to try and host those emotions within himself. Between his werewolf side and his vampire side, his emotions were already heightened too much. He wouldn't be able to control himself if he pulled them from Astra as well.
So all he could do was watch as Elijah lay unmoving, completely desiccated as the color drained from Rebekah on top of him. It could have been minutes or hours, he wasn't sure, but he never took his eyes off of his siblings, ready to burst through the flames and end Astra's life if necessary to save his siblings. Elijah would hate him, but he would be alive and Astra would come back.
Rebekah was nearly completely desiccated when Astra fell to the ground, unconscious yet again. The flames dropped and Kol and Klaus were immediately by their siblings' sides. Hayley made a move to join them but stopped herself at the last moment as she reminded herself that her husband was standing next to her, her pack hiding in their homes behind her. She needed to make sure they were safe first.
"They need blood," Klaus said to no one in particular. It was common sense but he didn't know what else to say. He had just nearly lost two of the most important people to him in one evening. He was running on fumes at this point.
"I can give them blood." Davina moved forward for the first time. While there had been a lot of animosity between her and the family since their arrival in the city, they had nearly died because Astra brought Kol back. It was the least she could do.
"No," Kol said immediately. "They are too far gone. We will get them to the compound and they can have blood bags. They will drain any living thing immediately."
They moved to gather their loved ones and bring them back to the bayou when Klaus remembered Astra's unmoving form on the ground.
"Hayley, will you bring Astra?" Klaus called out to Hayley who was speaking in hushed voices with her husband.
She looked up at the request and glanced between Jack and Klaus, both of whom were giving her expectant looks. She hated being in the middle of two factions. She felt loyalty to her pack but she also felt loyalty to the Mikaelsons. And unfortunately, these two were often in conflict.
"Yeah, let me just–"
"Your pack needs you, Hayley." Jackson cut her off, annoyance lacing his words. "They were almost wiped out because of that witch."
"That witch just brought your friend back from the dead so maybe speak about her with a little more respect." Kol bared his teeth at the werewolf.
"And she has plenty of people who can look after her." Jackson did not back down. "Our pack needs their alphas."
Hayley got in between the two men before it turned into an actual battle. Kol was notorious for his anger and she didn't need to see just how that paired with Original strength.
"I'll bring Astra back to the compound and be right back," Hayley reassured Jack, placing a hand on his chest. "We can go door to door and make sure everyone is safe."
"Don't bother," Jack gave her a hard look. "Aiden and I can do it."
"Jack–" Hayley reached out to him but he pulled away.
"I'm going to stay out here tonight to make sure everyone is safe." With that, he walked away, not even sparing her a second look. Hayley sighed, she was so tired of fighting with everyone.
XXXX
They settled the three unconscious supernaturals into one room, as it would be easier to monitor all of them at once. Klaus attempted to send Camille home since he was concerned with having a human in the house with his ravenous siblings. She argued that Freya and Davina were here as well and refused to even leave the room as she watched with fascination as the brothers fed their siblings blood. It would always amaze her to see people who were seemingly dead just rise back up as soon as blood touched their lips.
They both seemed to startle awake and devour the blood bags that were offered to them. Cami nearly backed away at their unseeing eyes as they drained the blood bags. She understood why Klaus hadn't wanted her anywhere near it. In their desperation, they wouldn't have seen her any differently than a giant blood bag.
Rebekah demanded seconds but as soon as Elijah was done with his, he asked after Astra. His brother gestured to where Astra still lay on the couch. She had yet to regain consciousness.
Davina had been sitting next to her the whole time. She couldn't help but feel guilty. But at the same time, she wouldn't change it. She felt Kol's hand resting firmly on her shoulder and leaned back into him.
"She's going to be alright, right?" Astra had been kind to her since their first meeting. She hated that the woman was now suffering because of her.
"Of course, darling," Kol said reassuringly.
"You probably only took like five years off of her life." Klaus came over to stare down at Astra's unmoving form. Elijah was kneeling next to her, likely in her mind trying to ease her back to herself.
"That's enough." Kol glared at his brother. Not even a day back and he was already fighting with his siblings.
"What?" Klaus gave him an indignant look. "I kill her and I'm awful but your girl takes years off her life and we have to tiptoe around her feelings?"
"Enough," Elijah whispered, still gripping Astra's hand. It was the first time he has spoken and he did so with great effort. His whole body felt as if someone was trying to drag sandpaper against his internal organs. Not to mention the feeling of anguish that he couldn't quite shake. The feeling that he would never feel happiness again. That he didn't deserve to ever feel happiness again.
He had gotten through to Astra but she still seemed to be drifting. Searching for something to tether her to herself.
"Astra." He said gently, brushing his fingers against her cheek. "Wake up."
He felt her fingers move slightly in his other hand. She was stirring. He called her name again and this time her eyes flickered slightly.
"She's okay." Davina sighed, gripping Kol's hand. She held back the urge to glare at Klaus but he had already backed away from the gathered group, moving to stand near Camille.
Elijah helped her sit up carefully, moving to sit on the couch next to him.
"Are you okay?" She looked at him with wide eyes. "I'm so sorry."
"We're fine," Elijah reassured her. "Everything's alright."
"The bayou? The pack?" Astra searched the room and her eyes landed on Hayley.
"They're fine." Hayley smiled gently at her, touched that she was concerned for her pack. "We have Aiden back because of you."
"And Kol." Elijah's voice was stern, ready to lecture her.
"Good to see you again, Kol." Astra gave him an exhausted smile.
"I appreciate the assist." He smirked at her. "You've always enjoyed the drama."
"Yes, well now I think I just want to sleep for a while."
"Of course." Elijah was already on his feet, ready to guide her out of the room. "We can sleep here tonight."
Astra nodded lightly and let him usher her out.
"We would get going as well." Kol gestured to Davina. He kissed his sisters gently and gave his brother a hug before following Davina from the compound.
"How are you feeling, Bex?" Hayley sat down next to her friend.
"A little shaky." She admitted. "I feel cold inside."
"Here." Klaus handed her a glass of bourbon before stoking the fire to warm the room. "It will fade."
Rebekah gave him a warm smile as Camille wrapped a blanket around her shoulders. She was so relieved to be back home even if it had been a whirlwind of a welcome home.
"Someone needs to check on Elijah." She reminded the room. Elijah had a habit of focusing on everyone else's pain and distracting them from his, but she was determined to be there for him.
"We will make sure everyone is alright." Her brother reassured her, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You staying the night little wolf?"
It was the first time he had used his nickname for Hayley since the curse and he wasn't sure how she would take it, but much to his surprise, she barely seemed to notice.
"I should head home." She looked exhausted and stressed, Klaus understood she just wanted to be in her own space. "I'll leave Hope here since she's already asleep."
"Why don't you just stay here?" Klaus insisted. He had heard Jackson tell her that he was staying in the bayou and didn't like the idea of her returning to the apartment by herself.
"No, I really should get home." She sighed. The last thing she needed was for Jackson to come home in the morning to an empty apartment. With one last hug to Cami and Bex, she left Klaus to look after her friend.
"Camille, you are staying here." Rebekah leaned against her. "It's far too late to head home."
XXXX
Hayley stopped by the nursery briefly to check on Hope before heading home. As she walked away from her old room, she heard groans coming from Elijah's room. She stopped in her tracks. The door must have been left open. The Mikaelsons constantly kept sage burning in their bedrooms in order to create privacy considering it was a house full of vampires. But if the door was open, it broke the seal.
She stopped just outside the door, peeking through the crack but not able to see anything. The sound of a light gasp pulled her forward and she pushed through the door. Astra was lying on her side, curled into Elijah's bed but he was nowhere to be seen.
"Astra." She called out gently but the woman did not turn over. Hayley hesitated. She didn't want to intrude. "Astra, are you okay?"
Astra's body went rigidly still, but the scent of blood filled her nostrils. Hayley walked over to the bed and saw claw marks down her arms and fresh blood under her nails. Hayley's eyes went wide at the sight.
"Astra stop." She grabbed the girl's hands in her, pulling her around so Astra was lying on her back. Her hair was loose and her eyes were wide. She looked younger than Hayley had ever realized. "You're alright. Everything's alright."
Hayley remembered the words Elijah had whispered to her when she woke up.
"Where's Elijah?" She asked gently, pushing the hair that had gotten stuck in the tear tracks on her face.
"Don't." Astra gasped. "Don't get him."
"Where is he?" Hayley looked around the room as if he would materialize.
"He needed a moment." Astra took a deep breath, trying to pull herself together. Hayley still had her hands grasped in her own and Astra focused on the warmth they provided. "He needs you, Hayley."
"What?" Hayley hadn't expected that from the witch. She figured Astra hated her with how distant she had been since she arrived.
"He took too much. He shouldn't have done it." Astra's voice had an edge of desperation to it. It matched her wild eyes. "He's going to withdraw further into himself but you can't let him."
"Astra," Hayley looked down at their entwined hands, "I can't be there for him like that."
"You're his friend aren't you?" Her voice was harsh but she needed to know someone would be there for Elijah. That he wouldn't be alone. "He needs a friend."
"He has you." Hayley squeezed her hands. Her marriage was already in a rocky state, she couldn't jeopardize it by getting close to Elijah again.
"I can't." Astra's eyes followed the blood trickling down her arms. "If I'm not here, he needs someone."
"I wouldn't even know how to help," Hayley admitted. She hated that she didn't know how to help Elijah, but he had never let her, not even when he was under the influence of werewolf venom.
"What he did, taking that magic from me, it's going to be too much for him." Hayley wasn't sure how regular magic worked let alone how magic based on emotions worked, but she knew Elijah wasn't good at processing his emotions. She couldn't imagine how he would process through others' emotions. "All of the grief and despair is going to manifest as his deepest fears. He's always said 'pain is temporary' and that's how he treats emotional pain. He'll try to push it down until it doesn't hurt anymore."
"He'll be fine," Hayley reassured her, not wanting to add any more stress onto the already fragile woman. "He's strong. He can handle a little pain."
"This isn't a little pain, Hayley. This is dozens of people's grief on top of the grief he already feels." Astra tried to make her understand. Someone had to understand in case she wasn't there to help him through. "I'm not asking you to betray your marriage. All I'm saying is that sometimes when the pain is too much, you just need someone to hold you until it stops."
XXXX
Hayley had snuck out of the house after Elijah came back into his room. He seemed surprised to find her there, but didn't say anything. She merely nodded to him and quietly left, leaving him to help his friend. Astra would help him too, Hayley reminded herself. There was no reason to get involved.
Yet, as she lay in her empty bed, in her empty apartment, her mind kept wandering to the house next door. She couldn't help but to focus on the sounds coming across. They never used sage in Hope's nursery as they all needed to hear if she needed them, so that was the only sound she could hear. They all must have been in their rooms.
Even though it was late, she couldn't turn her mind off. Astra had nearly begged her to be there for Elijah, as if she wasn't going to be there much longer. She couldn't help but think of the stories Rebekah had told them of Astra. Of how the magic would overwhelm her until she took her own life.
It was nearly four in the morning when a sound from the compound caught her attention. She rolled over so she could see through her window and into the compound. Her bedroom looked directly into Elijah's study. Jackson hated it, but it brought Hayley a sense of comfort. After she had been turned into a hybrid, she had trouble sleeping. She would often lay in bed at night, missing her daughter, and she would hear the soft padding of Elijah's feet as he walked past her room and into his study. She would hear the sound of him reading. The soft sound of pages being turned would lull her back to sleep.
Since she knew him, Elijah wasn't a good sleeper, so she wasn't surprised to see the lights of the study turn on. She listened carefully, wondering if Elijah would select a new book from the bookshelf or read the one he had left on his desk before he had moved out all of those months ago.
But instead of the sound of Elijah walking over to the bookshelf, she heard him stop in the center of the room, his breathing turned ragged. Hayley's heart clenched at the sound, her mind focusing on what Astra had said. She looked over at the empty side of the bed where her husband usually slept. Her jaw clenched as she tried to bury her head in her pillows, drowning out the sound of Elijah's panic to no avail.
Screw this, Hayley thought as she threw her covers off. She was allowed to be there for her friend. She launched herself from her balcony onto the Mikaelson's, slowly pushing open the door into Elijah's study.
"Elijah." She whispered quietly, hoping not to disturb the household. She nearly gasped at the sight before her. Elijah had fallen to his knees, his eyes unfocused as he panted, his hands grasping to pull the tie from around his throat.
Without thinking, she ran towards him, kneeling next to him as her hands covered his.
"Elijah," She whispered as she helped undo his tie. "It's okay, take a deep breath."
"Hayley." His eyes focused on hers and he nearly took her breath away. His dark ones boring into hers with more emotion than she had ever seen.
"I'm here. It's okay."
She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled herself so she was flush against him. She felt him tug her tighter, nearly dragging her onto his lap. Hayley selfishly let him. She breathed in his scent. She hadn't allowed herself to dwell on how much she missed him, but holding him this tightly, she nearly cried. She could feel Elijah's tears tracking down her neck as he buried his face into the crook of her neck.
She ran her fingers through his hair soothingly as she let him cry. She pushed the guilt down, she was being a good friend. That was all.
A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I know it was very heavy on the angst. I'll give you all a little break next chapter, featuring a drunk Elijah and the introduction of a familiar character.
I love all of your feedback, both in comments and on tik tok. This story has been in my head for so long and I'm so excited to share it with you. Things are about to start moving a lot faster with a lot of moving pieces.