Now or Never:
"I'm fine," Beth insisted for the umpteenth time to Kol The others walked ahead, to find their mother and Finn, but Kol didn't want her to come. With her still weak and the last thing he wanted was for her to get worst.
"Elizabeth, please, I can take you home. I don't want you to get hurt again." He pleaded with her. Seeing her in pain right now was killing him, but he knew he couldn't do anything to help if he didn't deal with his mother first.
"Kol, I promise that I'll be fine. You'll be there to protect me. I trust that you won't let anything happen to me." She said seriously. To wait at home to find out whether or not they were dead, wasn't' an option for her. They had become a family to her and she wasn't going to abandon them when they needed her the most.
Kol knew there would be nothing to convince her to stay away. At least with her close to him, he could keep an eye on her and he knew Elijah and Nik would too. "Fine, but you stay right behind me and close to me." He warned her sharply and she nodded.
Beth took his hand as they walked to catch up with his brothers. "It's going to be alright. Damon will stop it." She said assured. Elena's life was on the line, she knew that he would do anything to make sure she was safe. He nodded, but she could still see the anger and how tense he was. "Hey, you're going to be okay, we'll be okay."
He sighed and nodded. "I'll believe that when this is over." He told her as he pulled her along behind him. They soon caught up with his brothers before they hit the witch's house. Klaus and Elijah both gave her a concerned look, but she nodded them away. They both walked behind her, and Kol in front of her.
Their pace didn't falter as they reached the house. It was like something in the wind changed. As soon as they saw their mother and brother in the star within a circle, they all became rigid and strict, not letting a single emotion save for anger, pass through their faces. "My sons, come forward." She greeted them.
"Stay besides me, mother." Finn said concerned.
"It's okay, they can't enter." She told him as she took a few steps forward. Beth glanced around the circle and saw Esther holding her pendant in her hand, making her angry at her stealing it.
Kol walked right up to the circle, but the flames around it increased, and she was right. He couldn't enter. "That's lovely." He said with a sarcasm in his voice as he took a step back. He kept his glare directed at his brother. "We're stuck out here, while the favorite son plays sacrificial lamb. How pathetic you are, Finn."
"Be quiet, Kol. Your brother knows virtue you cannot even imagine." Esther said coldly to her youngest son.
"Whatever you think of us, killing your own children will be an atrocity." Elijah told her firmly.
Esther turned her eyes to Beth. "My only regret..." She began. Klaus walked calmly over to the other side of Elizabeth, not liking the way she was looking pale. He wanted to make sure he was close to her in case she felt weak again. "Is that I did not let you die a thousand years ago."
"Enough," Klaus said, as Esther and Finn turned their attention on him. "End this now, mother. Or I'll send you back to hell." He told her with a smile that sent a shiver up Beth's spine.
Esther faced her hybrid son. "For a thousand years, I've been forced to watch you. Felt the pain of every victim, suffered while you shed blood." Klaus kept a straight fact, even if his mother's words affected him, he wouldn't let it show. She turned to her older son. "Even you, Elijah, with your claim to nobility, you're no better. All of you." She said to her sons. "You're a curse on this earth, stretched out over generations. You, Elizabeth," All of the brothers turned to her as their mother talked. " You can surely see that their very existence on the earth is a curse. They plagued the earth, it's barbaric. Join me." She said lifting her hand out.
Kol let out a low growl and moved slightly in front of her. Beth put a hand on his arm, gently, even though moving made the pain worst. "And you killing your own children, no matter what they have done is barbaric. And you're crazy if you think I'd turn against my own family like you would." Beth swear she could have heard a dime drop even in the woods as everyone got quiet at her words. She was sure it was mostly because they were surprised, but she saw Kol smile slightly over at her. And she felt better sensing Klaus and Elijah come closer to her for support.
"Well, your loyalty is commendable, but if you've come to plead for their lives, I'm sorry. You've wasted your time." She said not sounding apologetic at all. Suddenly a rush of pain went through her head as she struggled to keep standing. Kol was automatically by her side, letting her lean on him. Beth wanted to try and grab her talisman, but she saw Kol give his head a small shake. They could only wait and hope that Damon and Stefan came through.
Suddenly, Beth could feel the energy of the witches slowly leaving the circle. "No!" Esther cried out. She could feel it too. "Sisters! Do not abandon me!" She yelled into the air.
"Mother!" Finn grabbed her and pulled her back just as the fire rose higher, the flames close to licking Beth's bare skin, but Kol pulled her back and covered her quickly until the flames died down, as his brothers did the same to themselves. They heard and felt the flames die down as they slowly stood back up straight, and looked around. Beth knew what Damon had to do to break the connection.
Kol and her stepped inside of the circle, with his brothers falling them. Kol picked up her talisman that Esther must have dropped in a rush. He gently put it in a hand and looked up at her worried. She gave him a small smile, silently telling him she was fine. The pain was gone. It was over, but only for now.
"'Are you alright, Elizabeth?" Elijah asked her concerned as he took a step towards her. She swallowed hard, but nodded. He still seemed worried about her, but she just waved it off.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just feel a little weak that's all. It seems like Damon and Stefan came through though." She commented glancing at the now diminished flames. Kol stood by her side, not wanting anything to happen as Klaus kept his eye on the circle.
"Yes, they did. I apologize for using such uncivilized techniques to get them to help." He apologized to her. Beth could tell that his mother's words really did hit him. She knew they weren't saints, but no one was perfect. She grabbed his hands without thinking, surprising him.
"I understand. You're family was in danger. It's okay, Elijah." She told him calmly. She honestly knew that he was desperate to save his family. If she were in his position, she probably would have been tempted to do the same thing.
"What should we do now?" She asked the brothers. Klaus sighed and turned to her.
"Now, that we're all linked together, it's dangerous for us to be in one place." He told them taking a step forward and he glance at his brothers. They knew what this meant, some of them would have to leave. Their mother would surely try again. "Until we're unlinked we should split up. And you should get home, Elizabeth and rest." She nodded.
"I believe you're right, brother, on both accounts." Elijah agreed.
"I'll take you home, darling." Kol said to her comfortingly and she smiled over at him as took his hand. Elijah stopped them though,
"Thank you, Elizabeth, for your help in protecting my family." Elijah thanked her sincerely. "Our family. " He corrected making her smile. 'I must leave, but if you need anything, please, don't hesitate to call me." She nodded and hugged him, surprising him, but he gently hugged her back. Kol wanted to yank him away from her, but he restrained himself.
"Be careful." She warned him seriously and he nodded, before pulling back. She nodded over at Klaus, who returned it and smiled at her, and left with Kol.
xxxxx
Kol and Beth were walking in silence through the woods. She was still trying to process everything that has just happened and Kol was still worried about her, but he didn't want to push her. Though, the first words out of her mouth surprised her. "Do you really have to leave?" She asked him sadly.
He sighed and squeezed her hand. "I'm afraid so, love. I wish I didn't have to go, but it's dangerous if we're all here. Until, we're unlinked we have to be separated." He explained and she nodded and leaned on him as they walked.
"I wish you could stay." She sighed as they walked by the park.
Kol kissed her head. "I wish I could too." He told her truthfully as he stopped. He turned to her with a smile on his face. "Come with me." He asked with a grin. Beth looked at him in shock. He couldn't seriously be asking what she thought he was, but the smile on his face said differently. She was speechless as he pulled her closer. "Come with me, Elizabeth. Come on, we could get out of here, you and me. We'll go anywhere that you want. I'll take you anywhere, just you and me."
She let out a nervous laugh. "Kol, I...I want to. I do, but I can't just leave." She told him seriously. She had to admit leaving after everything that has been happening seemed like a good idea, but she has Alaric and even Damon still there. She couldn't just leave them. Kol sighed, looking disheartened. She touched his cheek. "I'm sorry, Kol. I do want to, but my family needs me too."
Kol sighed and gave her a weak smile, kissing her hand. "I know, darling. It was worth a shot."
She smiled back at him. Her eye caught something in the park that the streetlamp shined on, making her stop. He looked at her confused. She nodded over to the bench that carried a baseball and bat. "You owe me a date remember?" She winked at him.
He chuckled as he followed her to grab the baseball bat. Beth knew they were there for a few hours, but she couldn't bear to let him leave yet. He made her smile and happy. She didn't want that gone. It was fine, because he didn't want to leave either. Instead, they ignore the topic of him leaving and settled for a happier one, as they walked to her apartment. "Well, you could have been worse, darling. Actually, you have been." He teased her. She rolled her eyes and pushed him a little, but he just wrapped his arm around her waist. "Seriously, I taught you when the sport first started and you were bloody awful."
Beth stuck her tongue out at him, in a playful way. He grinned over at her, "I'm sure I would have remembered seeing you with a bat and not threatening anyone."
Kol laughed. "Believe me, sweetheart. You're the one who was threatening me with the bat. You almost took my head off with it, on ,multiple times. Some, I think on purpose." He winked at her making her laugh with him. He smiled over at her, not being able to help thinking how much he was going to miss that sound.
"I probably had a good reason." She reasoned as they walked.
"No, love. You just kept your bloody eyes closed." Beth rolled her eyes at him, but his arm never left her waist. "You seem to have a better jab than you did playing baseball."
"Guess it's just easier using my hands than a bat."
"Still as feisty, as ever I see."
"And you've grown more arrogant with age." She shot back, playfully.
Kol chuckled. "Low blow, love. Low blow." Yet, he couldn't help, but grin at her. Another reason he liked her so much was that she always countered with something witty. She'd never let him have the last word. "You were as stubborn then as you are now, though. You would never give up, it was so much fun to watch. You use to practice in the rain, in your bloomers once."
Beth scoffed at that. "Liar."
He shook his head. "True story, love." She turned to him, interested as he continued with his story. "I believe it was in the summer of 1867. It was pouring as hard as they came. You were so determined to hit that bloody baseball." He chuckled at the memory. "You striped out of your dress, after Bekah complained you'd ruin it and went outside to practice. No one could make you come in. Nik and I had to carry you inside. You were as cold as ice, and nearly died of fever come next week. All you cared was that you finally hit that ball, though."
"I did that?" She looked up at him, smiling as they stopped in front of the door of her apartment. Kol smiled sweetly back at her. Seeing her light up, seriously made him consider staying, but he knew he couldn't.
"Yes, you did. Not to mention, giving me a bloody heart attack that night. You, of course went out when I wasn't home or else you wouldn't have. After a week, of being sick you finally let me heal you with my blood. Honestly, I have never met anyone as stubborn as you." Beth rolled her eyes at him, but he kissed her quickly, surprised her. "And I wouldn't have it any other way."
Beth looked up at him and before she could stop herself, she kissed him deeply. It was probably a bad idea, seeing as he was leaving, but she just wanted to kiss him once more. Kol was all too happy to reciprocate it, even if he knew it would be harder to leave her. She pulled back, leaving them both breathless. "I wish you could stay," She admitted softly.
He kissed her head. "I wish I could too, trust me."
Beth wanted the moment to last, but she knew it wouldn't. She pulled away as she opened the door and peeked in. Alaric wasn't home. He probably was going to stay with Elena, where she should be, but she was too angry with them. "Would you come in and stay tonight? I know that you have to leave, but just for tonight?" She asked him hopefully.
He smiled and nodded, he was surprised she invited him in, though he took this as a sign of trust. He wouldn't screw that up. "Of course I will." He followed her inside. They walked in silence to her bedroom, when her cat popped up and started walking around Kol's leg. "I'm guessing this is yours?" He asked her amused.
"Yeah, his name's Day. He'll stop. He just wanted to get used to you." She left the room quickly and came back, changed into a shirt and shorts with a pair of sweatpants and handed it to him. "Here, um, I know that you said that you don't want to feel too constricted when you sleep."
"Or you just wanted me half-naked." He smirked at her as he took them, making her blush. "That's okay, you can admit it, love."
Beth rolled her eyes and turned away to get in the bed. "I have nothing to admit, because that's your ego talking." She corrected him and she heard him chuckle. She turned and saw he was already in the bed besides her, changed. Beth pulled her gaze away from his chest, knowing it'd only inflate his already big head.
He wrapped his arms around her waist and pull her closer. "Whatever you say, love." Beth rested her head against his chest, wanting to be as close to him as possible. Kol, subconsciously played with her hair. "I'm going to come back." He told her. She looked up at him surprised. "When this is all over, I'll come back to you. I promise." He said seriously.
Beth kissed him quickly. "I know." She sighed. Beth could tell he was serious, something that he wasn't a lot of the time, but he'd come back. She knew that. He smiled in relief that she believed him as he kissed her head as she slowly fell into a dreamless sleep.
