Chapter 17

Don't fade away

Elijah was trying to find Zora but there was no sight of her. Maybe she was with Nathan. Klaus had asked Garret to cast a spell that prevented him from leaving the house. As far as Elijah knew Nathan had staid mainly in his room. Elijah knocked his door.

"What?" Nathan asked angrily.

Elijah opened the door.

"I'm sorry for disturbing you but I'm looking for Zora. Have you seen her?"

"Not since this morning", Nathan replied.

There was a strange expression on his face. Guilt maybe? Elijah wasn't sure.

"Ok, if you see Zora could you tell her that I'm looking for her?"

"Hmm."

Elijah was just about to close the door when Nathan suddenly stood up.

"Wait, I'm coming with you."

"Sure."

"Why are you looking for her?"

Elijah hesitated.

"I think something is wrong with her."

Nathan stopped.

"What do you mean?"

"She was… I don't know, different."

Nathan didn't say anything. They looked room after room but she wasn't anywhere. Then Elijah smelled it. Blood.

"There", Elijah said and pointed a bathroom door.

Elijah knocked quickly but there was no answer so he broke the door. Zora was lying on the floor in the puddle of blood.

"No, no, no!" Nathan shouted and ran to her.

Elijah followed him.

"What did you do?" Nathan said horrified. He was holding her.

Elijah took towels and wrapped them around her wrists. Despite of a massive blood loss, Elijah found a weak pulse.

"Will my blood help her?" he asked.

Nathan was trying to pull himself together. He was shocked.

"No… no, we need to take her outside. She needs a natural energy… She can have mine. Zora, please wake up. Shit! Damn!"

"Hey! Calm down", Elijah said firmly. "Just a moment."

Elijah went to the hallway and ordered first person he saw to get Klaus.

"You have to tell me what to do", Elijah said calmly.

"I don't know, I don't know… She can't heal herself when she's not awake. I don't know…"

"Think", Elijah ordered determinedly.

"Maybe… We have to get her outside. There have to be life, plants, trees, something like that."

"Ok, then what?"

"Place her to the ground."

"Ok."

Elijah lifted Zora up as gently as he could.

"What the hell?" Klaus asked disbelievingly. He had just appeared to the door.

"There's no time to explain", Elijah said firmly.

He moved with his vampire speed to a backdoor. Fortunately all the guests were in the other side of the house. Klaus followed him. Elijah didn't stop before the house had disappeared behind a hill. There were trees, grass and plants here. Hopefully it would be enough. Elijah placed Zora to the ground.

"Come on Zora…" he murmured.

"What happened?" Klaus asked furiously.

"She tried to kill herself", Elijah replied without looking at him.

"What? Move, I'm giving her my blood!"

"Just calm down Niklaus. That's not what she needs."

"What the hell are you doing then?" Klaus yelled.

Before Elijah could answer, he felt something strange and stood up. The grass was turning black around Zora. Elijah backed away instinctively. The trees and plants were dying. Elijah couldn't do anything but stare. Klaus was standing next to him. He didn't say anything either. Finally Elijah felt it was save to approach her. He unwrapped one of the towels carefully. Her wrist was healed. So was the other one.

"Amazing…" Elijah murmured.

Klaus kneeled next to Zora and checked her pulse.

"She seems fine", Klaus said emotionlessly.

Elijah nodded.

"We better take her back to the house."

Elijah was just about to lift her up when Klaus stopped him.

"I'll do that", he said and took her in his arms.

Elijah didn't say anything. He just followed Klaus. Nathan was standing at the backdoor. He couldn't step outside.

"She's fine", Elijah said before he could ask anything.

Nathan looked extremely relieved.

"Could you ask everyone to leave", Klaus said. He didn't pay any attention to Nathan.

"Sure", Elijah replied.

Klaus carried Zora to his own bedroom and placed her carefully to his bed. He didn't know what to think. He was furious that she had dared to do that but at the same time he was relieved that she was still alive. She looked so vulnerable laying there. What the hell had she been thinking? She had almost ruined everything. Klaus didn't even notice Nathan entering the room. He sat to the bed and took Zora's hand.

"I'm so sorry…" he mumbled.

"What are you talking about?" Klaus asked.

Nathan didn't say anything.

"Did you make her do this?" Klaus asked angrily.

Nathan turned to him.

"That's rich coming from you! What have you done?"

Klaus grabbed Nathan and threw him against a wall.

"Now is not a good time to annoy me!" he yelled.

Nathan stood up and looked at him venomously.

"This isn't about you, you arrogant bastard!" he shouted.

"Careful, I'm this close to break your neck."

"Go ahead then!"

"Enough!" Elijah said firmly. "What the hell is wrong with you two? This isn't the time or place for that."

"Get him out of here", Klaus murmured.

"I'm staying with Zora", Nathan said.

"Ok, time out", Elijah said calmly. "Nathan, come with me, let's get Zora some clean clothes."

"I'm not leaving her with him…" Nathan started but Elijah's demanding look stopped him.

"Please", Elijah said.

Nathan didn't seem pleased but he followed Elijah. Klaus sat next to Zora and touched her hair. There was blood all over her. Still she looked so peaceful. He would definitely have a little chat with her when she would wake up. She had broken their agreement. How would he punish her? Killing that warlock would be the obvious answer but then he would lose his leverage. How about hurting that warlock? Obviously Klaus wasn't going to hurt her, physically that was, but she had to be punished. Klaus was just trying to think of some appropriate punishment when Elijah came back. He had one of Zora's nightgowns.

"I thought it would be best if one of the maids will clean her up", Elijah said.

Klaus turned to him.

"Why?"

"It's polite to respect her privacy."

"She lost all the politeness she's going to get when she did this", Klaus said coldly.

"And why do you think she did this?" Elijah asked calmly.

"I don't know or care. We had an agreement…"

"She's not a toy, Niklaus", Elijah interrupted him determinedly. "She's a person with thoughts and feelings. And no matter how much this "emotional stuff" annoys you, that's something you have to deal with."

Klaus was quiet for a while.

"She still has to be punished for this."

"Do you really want her to hate you more? How about you try compassion."

"What?"

"Be kind to her, listen if she wants to talk."

"I don't know…"

"Trust me Niklaus, that will work much better than being cruel after what she has being trough."

"Maybe you have a point. I'll think about it."

"You do that. Now come on, it's time to give her some privacy."

Klaus decided to listen to his brother. They left when the maid came in. Compassion… It wasn't really Klaus' thing but maybe it wouldn't hurt to try. First he just had to figure out how to do that.