994 – Vinland (present-day America)
The summer months were Elijah's favorite time of the year. In his childhood, it meant his father would be away, raiding villages for land and resources. He and his siblings cherished the time they had without him. A moment of peace in the otherwise disciplined schedule Mikael expected them to keep.
As Niklaus got older, Mikael became more and more disappointed in his progress. Which was putting it mildly. Elijah had the discipline and ambition of a good warrior and Kol had the natural talent, while Finn was the oldest and spent most of his days training to farm the land. Rebekah spent most of her days learning to take care of the home, much to her chagrin.
But Niklaus, no matter how hard he tried, he never seemed to be good enough.
Elijah spent any spare time trying to train him. They would go over the moves for hours until Niklaus was complaining that his hands were bleeding. But Elijah would make him go again. If he could get his little brother up to Mikael's standards, maybe Mikael would leave him alone for once. However, it seemed impossible. As if Niklaus was physically incapable of improving. So instead of getting stronger, he got smarter. If he couldn't beat his brothers in brute strength, he would be more clever and trick them. This was especially useful against Elijah, who was a stickler for the rules when sparring.
Yet on this summer day, Elijah had mercifully released his brothers at midday so they could join the other boys down at the swimming hole. Mikael was returning that evening and Elijah wanted his siblings to enjoy what was left of their freedom.
He also selfishly wanted to sneak off to find Astra.
She had complained that he was spending all of his time with his siblings as of late. And he knew she was right. He also knew she understood that this was only Henrik's third summer. His mother was overwhelmed and it fell to Elijah to keep his siblings in line. Although, it wasn't fair to Astra.
It would be the third anniversary of her mother's passing and in the years following, Astra had grown even more reckless than she had been in their youth. Even going as far as to speak back against Mikael at times. Elijah feared what would happen if his father struck Astra. He wasn't sure he would be able to hold himself back from attacking his own father. That he wouldn't be able to stop until he took his father's life.
Elijah had to hold himself back every time Mikael raised a hand to his siblings. He knew part of it was out of fear. He may be one of the best warriors amongst the boys of the village, but he knew he was no match for his father. He also knew Mikael would not hesitate to run a sword through him to make a point. His father had no love for him and would not tolerate that sort of insubordination. But more than his father, Elijah feared the Gods. Whether he believed his mother's religion or his father's, kin slaying was one of the worst offenses a person could commit.
He pushed the thoughts of his father's untimely demise out of his head. He would just continue to pray that one day his father would not return from battle and leave them all in peace. Instead, he searched for Astra in the village. She spent her days with Ayana, helping heal the sick and teach the next generation of witches. A job she detested.
When Elijah walked into the witch's shop, Ayana spun around, waving a wooden spoon at him, as if she had been waiting to lecture him all day.
"I thought you were that good-for-nothing friend of yours." Ayana continued to wave the spoon at him, but Elijah merely laughed at her words.
"If she was truly 'good for nothing,' you would have gotten rid of her years ago." Elijah leaned in to offer her a kiss on the cheek in greeting. Growing up, he had spent more of his time with Ayana than with his mother and had always felt a strong connection to the woman. Even if she was a grouch at times.
"She's lucky she's so damn powerful." Ayana returned the kiss but when she pulled away, the spoon was back in the air. "I sent her off to the stables ages ago. She should have been back by now."
"I'm sure she simply got distracted attempting to finish all of the errands," Elijah reassured the woman, although they both knew better. Astra likely did get distracted, but not with the errands. Astra had a proclivity for anything that would distract her from meaningful work. "I will go find her and bring her back."
"Don't bother." Ayana narrowed her eyes at him. "Tell that girl she's in trouble if she ever decides to come back to reality."
Elijah couldn't help the wide smile that broke out on his face. Ayana was always threatening Astra. Astra never listened and Ayana never followed through on the threats, but Elijah found it amusing to watch them argue.
The stables were largely unused as horses were hard to come by in the New World. Typically, they would only have one or two when someone had successfully brought them over from the Old World. However, the last two horses that had been held there had escaped the previous Solstice. The village took it as a sign that the horses were accepted as an offering as they seemed to disappear without a trace. And Elijah and Astra didn't say anything to the contrary. Even Astra wasn't so reckless as to tell the council they had snuck off after the festivities and forgot to lock the stable door when they had left.
"You're in so much trouble," Elijah called out as he pushed the barn door open. He was expecting to see her sprawled out on the ground with a wineskin in her hand. Instead, he found her sprawled out on the ground with a blonde head pressing kisses down her exposed torso.
"Elijah." Astra gasped as she sat up, the blonde spinning around at the intrusion, nearly falling over in the process. Both their eyes wide in shock and fear.
Elijah stood there in utter disbelief. He couldn't process what he had walked in on.
"I should go." Liv stood up, brushing her blonde hair over her shoulder as she scrambled to fasten her dress.
"Elijah, I–" Astra began but stopped. She didn't know how to begin to explain.
"Are you insane?" Elijah finally found the words he had been searching for since walking into the stables.
"Elijah, you don't understand–"
"I don't understand?" Elijah demanded, cutting off whatever excuses she was ready to throw his way. "What if I had been someone else? Anyone else?"
"I'm being careful," Astra argued, her anger beginning to replace the shock and guilt she had been feeling previously. Although part of her knew most of the anger was actually Elijah's own. But she was so tired of having to hide herself away, even from her best friend.
"Is that what you call this? Careful?" Elijah snorted as he wildly gestured to their surroundings. "It's the middle of the day and Ayana has been looking for you."
"Ayana wouldn't say anything," Astra argued, finally pulling herself to her feet and securing her own dress.
Her words struck Elijah in a way Astra hadn't even considered.
"Does she know?" He demanded, fighting desperately to stop tears from forming.
Astra's eyes fell to the ground at his words. Ayana had caught her and Liv several days before and she had promised not to say anything, however, she had strongly scolded Astra and told her to come clean to Elijah.
"She didn't want to get me in trouble," Astra whispered, still avoiding his eyes. She couldn't bear to see the hurt she could already feel so keenly.
"In trouble?" If it was possible, the hurt Elijah was feeling increased tenfold. "Did you think I would tell the council? That I would report you?"
"No." Astra did look at him that time and almost cried herself at the pain she saw in his eyes. His long brown hair was swept back off his face so she could clearly see his dark eyes welling with tears. "I know you wouldn't do that to me."
She truly did know better. The council had no tolerance for illicit behavior by women, especially by the witches. They both knew that if this ever got back to her father, not even her magic would be able to save her from the rage he would unleash on her.
Elijah merely nodded his head, as if in resignation. When he turned to leave, she reached for him. She hated when he was angry with her.
"Is this why you don't want to marry me?" Elijah did not turn around. He did not whisper the words, however, his voice lacked the normal bravado she was so used to.
"Elijah, you know it's complicated." Astra pulled on his arm once more and this time he turned back to her. "You don't want to marry me either."
"That's not true–" He began, but they both knew whatever words he was about to utter would be a lie. Marriage had been expected between the two of them since they were children. After all, a boy and a girl couldn't possibly spend that much time together and not be betrothed. "I love you."
"And I love you. But you are not in love with me." She gripped his hands in hers. "You deserve to marry someone you want to marry because you cannot fathom being without them. Someone you love so passionately that everything else seems insignificant. Yes, you love me. But not like that. You deserve better than to settle. And I do too."
2013 – New Orleans, Louisiana
He could still hear the music blaring from the club as he stood in the alley, lighting up yet another cigarette. He was ready to go home, but Astra and the others were having the time of their lives. He on the other hand had had far too many tequila shots forced upon him and simply wanted to sleep it off.
It thrilled him to watch everyone getting along for once and he was enjoying himself. That was until Astra had gone off to dance with her friend Keelin and Freya. Everyone else had already been on the dance floor and Astra had attempted to coax him to join them, however, he had reached his limit of socializing for the evening. Elijah had encouraged Astra to go, saying he would hold down the table. And that truly had been his plan. However, watching Hayley and her husband drunkenly dance was the very last thing he desired to do that night.
So instead, he abandoned the group for his not-so-secret guilty pleasure.
"I didn't know you smoked." Elijah took a long drag of the cigarette as the very person he had been avoiding stuck her head out into the alley.
"Yes, it's a nasty habit I developed several hundred years ago." Elijah gave her a half smile. He didn't want to be rude to her, however, he really didn't need another reminder of just how empty his life was.
"Well, I guess it can't kill you." She laughed and held out her hand.
"I wasn't aware you smoked?" Elijah reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a sterling silver cigarette case.
"Yeah, rebellious runaway teenager over here." Hayley leaned in as he lit the cigarette for her. "Of course I smoked. Although, I stopped a few years back."
"Ah, so I'm helping you relapse." Elijah gave her a judgmental sidewards glance, but the small smile on his face told her he wasn't judging her too harshly.
"It'll be our little secret." She laughed and he nearly joined her but stopped himself. It was too easy to let himself go down that path. They would be laughing about secret cigarettes now and the next thing they know the secrets wouldn't be so little. Elijah prided himself on his control, but every moment he was with her was testing his limits.
Hayley seemed to realize what she said and her laughter turned into a small, sad smile. She leaned back against the brick wall, taking in a deep breath. She hated that things were so awkward between them. Since she had met him, there had been a comfortable understanding between them. And now they couldn't even make it through one conversation without tension.
"How's Hope doing?" Elijah sighed as well. Hope was a safe topic at least. His niece was the one common ground they seemed to still have.
"Good." Hayley nodded her head but didn't know what else to add. Elijah had just seen Hope earlier that day. And although Hayley thought every second of Hope's life was incredibly fascinating, in reality, there was not much to tell. "Keelin seems nice."
"Yes." Elijah agreed, the tension between them was nearly suffocating as they both scrambled to converse. "Very intelligent."
Hayley had always been insecure about her intelligence. She hadn't even finished high school since her adoptive parents had kicked her out when she was only sixteen. It was fine when she was living in the Appalachian mountains because many of her pack members had similar stories. No one looked down on her. But then she met Tyler and all of his snobby Mystic Falls friends. And then the Mikaelsons. While they never said anything about her intelligence, she had always wondered what Elijah saw in her. Klaus and Bex would tease her that Elijah was interested in her, but she couldn't understand why. He took every opportunity to remind her pack of their intellectual inferiority, and, although he would never direct those comments to her, she knew she was no different.
"Just your type." Hayley's voice had a slight edge to it. "Too bad Astra's plan didn't work out."
"Careful, Hayley," Elijah smirked at her and she knew he was drunk. He hadn't looked at her like that since before she was turned. "With comments like that, one may think you're jealous."
She knew he meant it in jest but between the alcohol and the already tense atmosphere, the comment cut deeper than it normally would have. Hayley's eyes flashed and she threw her cigarette on the ground as she spun back towards the door of the club.
"Hayley, wait." Elijah reached out and grabbed her arm with enough force that she spun back towards him, their faces only inches apart. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that."
But she hardly registered the words he said. Either she was far more drunk than she realized, or being this close to him was causing the world to spin around her. She leaned forward, it was so slight it was nearly undetectable, but she saw his eyes track her every movement.
"Hayley." He breathed out, her name a plea. She saw his eyes travel down her face to linger on her lips and she could practically feel him kissing her with just a look. Her eyes closed slowly at the memory.
"Elijah–" The alley door burst open and Hayley and Elijah sprung apart.
Elijah looked past Hayley who was still trying to gather herself before facing the new arrival.
"Rebekah is looking for you." Astra finished, the happy expression she had been sporting all night completely vanished from her face.
"I'll be right there." Elijah glanced back to Hayley briefly, but the look did not go unnoticed by either of the women.
"It's urgent." Astra held the door open for him to go back inside, not giving him a chance to argue. Elijah gave her a small nod and followed her instructions, heading back inside. Hayley attempted to follow, but before she could step through, the door slammed in her face.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Hayley was shocked to hear such venom in Astra's voice. Up until that point, the woman had always seemed sweet, if a little snarky at times. But she had thought they had bonded after the other night.
"We were talking." Hayley bristled. She didn't appreciate the insinuation nor did she appreciate someone she barely knew getting involved in her life. "You were the one who told me to be there for him."
"As his friend." Astra hit the door of the club with her hand in emphasis on the last word. It was so hard Hayley was surprised there wasn't a dent in the door when she removed her hand. "Not whatever this was."
"You need to back off," Hayley growled, stepping forward, her eyes glowing a bright golden. But Astra didn't even flinch. She was so accustomed to Nik's temper, Hayley's outburst didn't surprise her at all. "Nothing happened. And even if something had, it's none of your business."
"Not my business?" Astra gave a sardonic laugh. "How about your husband? Shall I go get him and see how he feels about the situation?"
"Listen–" Hayley took another step forward so she was towering over the witch.
"No, you listen." Hayley felt herself shoved against the brick wall by an invisible force, but her focus was on the pain that radiated through her body as she felt her bones attempting to shift. "You do not threaten me. Witches made the vampires and the werewolves, meaning either way I am in control. And I suggest you listen carefully since anything that happens to you happens to your entire pack."
Hayley's eyes widened in fear at the thought of her entire pack waking up to a forced transformation, something she had promised would never happen again.
"Elijah has been through far too much for you to string him along right now." Astra still had her pressed against the wall, however, it no longer felt as if she was going to shift into a werewolf in the alley. "Maybe if it were normal circumstances I would think it's funny watching Elijah pine after a married woman given his terrible track record. But right now is not the time to be testing his morality."
"I wasn't testing anything." Hayley was struggling against the magic holding her against the wall to no avail. She knew she wouldn't be able to move until Astra released her. "I wouldn't do that to my husband. Or Elijah."
"Oh, now we care about Elijah?" Astra took a step towards her, closing the space. "Where was this when Elijah asked you to make peace and you betrayed him for your pack? Or when he was kidnapped by Esther, defending your pack? Or when he blew himself up fighting for your daughter? Do not sit there and tell me that you care for him and that's your only motivation when you have had years to care about him and have failed at every turn."
"Elijah is an original vampire." Hayley snarled back, not liking the implication that she didn't care about Elijah. "Maybe if you stopped coddling him, he could actually work through these problems."
"Don't you dare tell me how to take care of my friend." Astra snarled. Although the she-wolf had a few inches on her, the magic radiating off of her made her seem larger somehow. "I have been helping him through everything for longer than you can even fathom."
"But are you really helping him or are you just creating scenarios where he is dependent on you because you're afraid to be alone." Hayley hissed the words at her, knowing they would hit their mark.
Hayley felt the magic release her from the wall. However, she also felt the air around Astra intensify, almost like static, as she prepared to throw even more magic at her.
But before she could, Astra was thrown back so quickly it could have only been a handful of people.
Hayley spun around to see Klaus standing over Astra as he had thrown her to the ground further into the alley.
"I suggest you make your next move very carefully." He growled at the witch. "I've been looking for an excuse to rip out your heart."
"Don't try to play the white knight, Nik." Astra stood up, brushing the dirt off of her dress. "It doesn't suit you."
"And attacking the women in Elijah's life always seems to suit you." Nik's face twisted into a mocking smirk. He loved nothing more than to call Astra out on her hero complex.
"You're one to talk." Astra let out a bark of a laugh at the idea that Nik was accusing her of harming the women in Elijah's life. "Besides, I wasn't going to kill her. I'm not you."
Nik's eyes flashed, just as Hayley's had, and Astra nearly smirked back at him. Werewolves were so predictable sometimes.
"Hayley, your husband is looking for you. I suggest you go find him." Nik called out to the mother of his child without looking back. His eyes never left Astra's, but they both listened as Hayley followed his orders and went back into the club. "It's about time you and I had a little chat, wouldn't you say."
"No." Astra moved to walk past him, but in a flash, he was once again in front of her.
"Why did you come to New Orleans, Astra?" He still had a snarky look plastered on his face, but she knew better. He had come out there, not to protect Hayley, but to get her alone.
"Like I've said, Elijah needed me." She gave him a relaxed smile which Nik saw straight through. "Now, either attack me or get out of my way. I don't have the energy to listen to your baseless accusations."
"Nonsense, all I'm saying is I don't think you're here simply to visit Elijah." Nik's eyes bore into hers but her smile only grew at his attempts to be menacing.
"And why, in all of your paranoid delusions, do you think I'm here?" She knew all of the Mikaelsons were smart, but when she had first decided to come to New Orleans, Nik had been the one she had worried about. He was not only smart, but incredibly paranoid. While she could use that to her advantage, she feared he would also ruin her plans if he got too close to the truth.
"I think you are here for some nefarious plan." Astra made sure to keep her face neutral as he echoed her thoughts. Instead she forced herself to give him a condescending laugh.
"You know not everyone is as nefarious as you." Astra argued, smirking slightly. Everyone always assumed she was similar to Elijah in nature because she was always put together and calm, but Elijah often joked that she and Nik were two sides of the same coin. Which is why they often didn't get along.
"In a thousand years, that has seldom been my experience." Nik moved closer so he was looking down at her and grabbed her arms, attempting to intimidate the truth out of her.
"That's because in a thousand years, you somehow never managed to make a friend." Her smile grew as she saw the smirk leave his face. He wanted to use their history against her, well she was more than willing to fight fire with fire.
"You act so innocent," Nik's expression turned devilish, his eyes sparkling, in anger or amusement Astra wasn't sure. "But I know better."
Astra let out a scoff, rolling her eyes as she attempted to pull her arm out of his grasp.
"You are just like me." Nik didn't let go, pulling her closer so he was practically whispering in her ear. "A murderer."
This time Astra did jerk her arm away, burning his hand in the process. As soon as the magic touched him, he released her, but neither of them moved away.
"We've all done terrible things," Astra shot back, her voice full of the hatred that was coursing through her. "But unlike you, I only do what is necessary to survive."
Astra turned on her heel and marched back towards the lit street. She was almost free when Nik's next words cut through her.
"And what of Richard Buchanan?" Astra didn't turn around but she could hear the smirk in his voice. "Was his death necessary?"
"I don't know what you're talking about." She would not give him the satisfaction.
"I know it's been a while." He strutted towards her, coming around so she was facing him again. "Almost eighty years, if my math is correct."
Astra's face was frozen in a neutral mask, she would not let him know how his words were affecting her.
"Don't tell me you've been married so many times, you don't even recall their names?" This time her eyes did meet his and he nearly flinched back at the hatred he saw there. But he was not done with her just yet. "He died under mysterious circumstances, didn't he?"
"He took his own life." Astra bristled slightly. "Terrible tragedy."
Her words were those of a grieving widow, but her tone was anything but. This only made Nik's smirk grow.
"Don't think I don't recognize my brother's work." He circled her as a shark would its prey. "He didn't get the reputation for being the devil who walked the earth for his deals."
Astra felt her teeth grind together as her jaw clenched. They had both seen Elijah do it before. While Nik was brutal in his murder. Elijah was more methodical. And oftentimes more cruel. He would compel his enemies to divulge their deepest fear. He wouldn't stop when they admitted their fear of tight spaces or heights. He would keep pushing until he found the crippling fear that made their entire being quake with fright. And then he would make it their reality.
"Now, having seen him do this before." Nik stopped circling to stand directly in front of her. "I know for a fact that he always includes an order that they may not take their own life. After all, what fun is driving someone mad if they end it before he has even gotten started."
Astra closed her eyes. She had seen Elijah do it on countless occasions. It was always the same. Just as it had been the same when he compelled her husband.
"So after he was checked into the sanitarium, it's a wonder how he was able to shove a needle into his brain."
Her eyes snapped open, stopping the images from flooding in. She knew he was trying to throw her off center and she would not give him the satisfaction.
"You're right." She whispered. "He could not take his own life. Even as his mind began to play tricks on him and he couldn't separate fiction from reality. He could not end it. So me being the dutiful wife I was, I paid him a visit. And as he begged me to save him, I shoved my hair pin through his eye and into his brain, giving him the mercy he never showed me."
Astra's eyes met Nik's and she saw his shift slightly. He hadn't known the whole story. Astra had assumed as much. Elijah would never have betrayed her trust like that.
"As I said," Astra adjusted her dress, straightening herself out. "Only when necessary. Can you say the same?"
XXXX
Cami found herself once again at the Mikaelson family dining table for breakfast. Although this morning was more for necessity than anything else. She had embarrassingly been too drunk to get herself home last night. Although she had argued with Klaus that she would find her way, he had said she would likely find herself in a ditch before the night was over.
Cami blamed Freya. That woman drank as if her life depended on it.
Klaus slid a steaming cup of coffee in front of her, a smug look on his face.
"Shut up." She growled at him as she brought the mug up to her mouth. "I can hear you gloating all the way over here."
"Me?" Klaus pretended to be shocked. "I would never."
Cami merely rolled her eyes at him and continued to sip on her coffee. The Mikaelsons once again had a feast laid out on their table but the thought of eating made her stomach turn.
"Just a little blood would fix you right up." Klaus held up a knife to his finger and pricked it, the blood swelling on the tip.
Cami stared at the drop for a moment. Something so inconspicuous could be so life altering.
"Promise you won't let me get killed today?" She gave him a leveled look.
His eyes widened at the request as if the thought hadn't crossed his mind.
"Always." He vowed and the sincerity of the words made her heart stutter. But she pushed those feelings down and held out her coffee so he could help relieve the consequences of last night. Klaus watched as she brought the mug back up to her mouth and drank the hot liquid, his blood now mixed with it. He saw the immediate impact it had on her as the color seemed to return to her face and she sat up slightly.
"Better?" Klaus gave her a half smile which she readily returned.
"Much." She reached out and gripped his hand in her own. "Thank you."
Klaus' smile widened and turned his hand over so he was holding her's.
"Good morning." Hayley walked into the room, holding Hope with Jackson trailing behind her. They had just gotten back from the bayou where they had breakfast with Mary and some of the wolves. Hope had spent the night out in the bayou with Mary, as well as with many protective wards from Freya and Astra.
"Hi sweetheart." Cami instantly got up to see Hope and Hayley gladly passed her daughter off to Cami. She would never be able to thank her friend for taking care of her daughter while she couldn't. And Hope definitely remembered Cami, her little face lighting up at the sight of the blonde woman.
"How did she sleep out in the woods?" Klaus asked as he came around to see his daughter, reaching out his hand so she could grip onto it.
"She slept fine." Hayley narrowed her eyes at Klaus' implications.
"She likes it out there." Jackson added. "She'll love it when we finally move back out there."
Klaus' eyes flashed to Hayley's, anger radiating off of him. But Cami put her hand on his arm, trying to calm him down before a fight broke out.
"Is that something you've planned on doing?" Cami asked, trying to make the question seem casual.
"No," Hayley answered immediately. They hadn't talked about it since the curse had been broken. "We haven't talked about that."
She threw a look back at Jackson who returned it with an exacerbated one of his own.
While the wolves were having a silent conversation, Cami shifted Hope so she was reaching out to her father, who immediately took her into his arms. Although he gave her a look that told her he knew what she was doing.
Before Klaus could re-engage the married couple, his older brother strode into the room with Astra following closely behind.
"If you both plan to stay here, would you at least close the door before you carry on." Klaus grinned at Hayley as he saw her jaw tighten at what he was implying. "I really don't need to hear that as I am trying to sleep."
Astra raised her eyebrows at Nik but Elijah's eyes narrowed as if he picked up on the tension in the room and knew what his brother was about.
"I will keep that in mind brother." Elijah fixed himself a drink. "However, that was not me last night. I half thought it was you."
Elijah allowed his eyes to shift from his brother to Camille whose face turned a bright shade of red under his gaze.
"Although it seems I was mistaken as well." Elijah was back in his suit, although he didn't seem to be as stifled as he had been in the days before. "Good morning Freya."
Elijah had raised his voice slightly as the two women had been attempting to sneak out past the gathered family.
"Brother." Freya entered the room, still in a t-shirt and shorts. The woman from the night before looked as if she would rather be anywhere else.
"I didn't know your whole family would be here." She whispered from where she stood behind Freya.
Klaus raised his eyebrows at his older sister, a cheshire grin breaking out across his face.
"Keelin, is it? I don't believe we had the pleasure last night." Klaus' words were friendly enough, but between his expression and his reputation, it made Keelin want to flee from the house. "We were just sitting down for breakfast."
He gestured for the women to join the family and Freya and Keelin looked hesitantly at each other before agreeing to join.
"So Keelin, Astra tells me you are a doctor?" Elijah smiled, reassuringly at her, attempting to put her at ease.
"I'm a resident at the moment." Keelin offered, smiling slightly at Astra.
"She's brilliant." Astra leaned forward to try and ease her friend's fears. She often forgot just how intimidating this family was for outsiders. She was so accustomed to it. "A true hero."
"I don't know about that." She demurred. "Astra was the true hero. Our work doesn't mean anything without people working for change."
Cami was happy to talk with people about anything other than the supernatural world. She had promised herself after her uncle had died that she would not let this world consume her, however, in the past year she had failed at that miserably.
"So do you all have breakfast together every morning?" Keelin asked when there was a lull in the conversation. "I'm sorry, that was rude. I guess it just surprised me that you're such a normal family."
The room broke out in a chorus of laughter. Even Elijah found himself laughing at the sentiment.
"Forgive us, Keelin," Elijah tried to calm his family down so as to not offend their guest. "It has been a while since someone has referred to our family as normal."
"Toxic, codependent, obsessive," Astra listed off, "those are all words I've heard used, but not normal."
"Our family is normal." Klaus argued and everyone turned to him in shock. "All families have problems, but at the end of the day we fight for each other and that's what family does."