A/N: Thank you all so much for all the reviews! You've inspired me so much! Thank you. I'm so glad you guys like this story and are continuing to read it. I promise that things we'll get messy but Kol will still be in this story. Thank you all again! :)
Finding a Place:
Beth opened her eyes to find herself in a familiar bedroom. Looking around, she saw that she was in her room at the boarding house. She felt a warm body besides her and found it was just Day. "Hey, what are you doing here, huh? How'd you get here?" She asked as he climbed in her lap, nuzzling up to her stomach. She looked around the room. How she got there was a mystery, but not for long as she heard footsteps coming towards the door.
She quickly made to stand before she felt a hand on hers. Looking up, her eyes met the oldest Original. She let out a sigh of relief. "Elijah." He gave her a soft smile as she wrapped her arms around his neck, embracing him. "I didn't know you'd be here so soon. W-why am I here?"
"You fainted. I was there and your nose was bleeding a lot, actually. You did require quite a bit of my blood. I brought you here and this cat was persistent." He said looking down at Day. Beth smiled weakly. "Are you alright, Elizabeth?" He asked her concern written all over his face. Seeing her like that gave him a fright, he was happy when he found that she was still breathing, but she looked a little sickly to him. She gave him a reassuring nod.
"I'm fine, Elijah. Did you get a chance to talk about getting Klaus' back?" She asked before he could go on about her. That wasn't the main reason why he was there. She wanted to make sure that he stopped them before they could get rid of the body. He glanced at her before shaking his head.
"No, I didn't. I brought you straight here and waited until you woke. I will see them soon. Are you sure that you're alright?" He asked her once more. She sighed and hugged him again, as a way to reassure him. He smiled as he held her close to him.
"I'm fine." He smoothed back her hair, as he nodded. Suddenly, the door to the room opened to reveal another Original. One that her heart leapt at just the sight of him. "Kol!" She breathed out. Slowly, pulling away from Elijah's embrace, she ran into Kol's awaiting arms, as he pulled her close to him. His arms wrapped around her as she leaned her head on his chest. Her arms went over his shoulders, holding onto him, letting his warmth engulf her. He nuzzled his nose in her hair, breathing in her scent, which slowly calmed him down. His embrace was comforting and relaxing as he kissed the top of her head, afraid to let her go.
He pulled back only slightly to look her over. When he got into town and couldn't find her at the loft, he was glad that Elijah had found her and brought her to the boarding house. He was scared seeing her eyes closed and unconscious. It didn't help that it reminded him of the time he saw her dead. It killed him to see her so immobilized. "Are you alright, love? What happened? Tell us." He told her desperately.
Kol sat her down on the bed, taking her side, never letting her hand leave his. She took a deep breath. "After I got off the phone with Elijah, Elena was unconscious and she was bleeding. I got the her to stop bleeding but before I could fully help her, I fainted as well and I woke up here." She told them. The brothers exchanged a look. Beth was surprised of how she realized how alike they really did look.
"What kind of magic were you doing, Elizabeth?" Kol asked her. He knew that she hadn't been feeling well for a while, but he was hoping it was just stress, but he could see now that she was looking sickly. That it was really taking a toll on her body. She avoided his gaze. He put a hand under her chin to make her look at him going. "Elizabeth?"
"I-I didn't think it would hurt to use a few spells that were a bit out of the range of magic I use." She looked down, ashamed. It was basically the most obvious rule not to use dark magic, but she knew that if she didn't that Kol and his family would have been killed. She was just happy that she wasn't too late.
Elijah sighed. He was afraid that it would be something like this. Elizabeth was knowing to sacrifice herself and her health for everyone else. It was both honorable and stupid."You used dark magic." She nodded. "How long has this been going on."
"It was only one spells, Elijah, but I first used it when I unlinked you all. I wasn't feeling well, but it passed eventually and I just felt more powerful. I don't know. Even with the spells that weren't dark magic, I just got so much power. It started after the night that Esther tried the ritual." She told them both. Kol kissed her head, as he rubbed her arm up and down.
He thought about it for a second before taking her talisman, around her neck, in his hand, twirling it around. "After the ritual, you said, love? When my mother used this in it?" He questioned her and she nodded, agreeing. He had a sneaking suspicion that it had a lot to do with his mother. "Have you been feeling tired lately? Or an dark ideas, or desires that have been tempting?"
Beth thought of how Elena was unconscious. There was something in her that just wanted to let her stay there, bleed out. "Yeah, um, I did. Just a few hours ago. Why?"
"That's what happens when you use dark magic, Elizabeth." Elijah interjected with a concerned look. He glanced over at his younger brother who also looked worried. Beth sigh. "Too much dealing with dark magic, you start to become as dark as it is." He nodded over at Kol. "The best thing for you to do is stay safe and keep your head down with Kol. Don't worry. I'll handle getting Klaus back, but you're not safe with Alaric our here."
Elijah gave her a small smile and stood up, placing a soft kiss on her head. Kol's grip tightened slightly, but said nothing. He owed Elijah. "Thank you. I'll go speak with them now. I trust that you'll be safe?" He looked at them and they both nodded. "I'll call you as soon as we have Klaus out of here."
"I'll keep in touch and I'll keep her somewhere safe. And brother?" Kol said after a thought. Elijah looked back at him. He cleared his throat before nodding over at him. "Thank you." He told him seriously. They both knew why he was thanking him. Elijah gave him a small nod before leaving the room, and them.
"You're sure that you're okay? Other than the magic issue?" Kol asked as soon as he knew they were alone. Beth wasn't surprised to see him so worried, but she felt better knowing that he was here with her. That she wasn't completely alone.
"I'm fine. I'm just a little tired and I have no idea how we're going to stay low here." She sighed as she laid her head on his chest. He wrapped his arms around her, keeping a tight grip on her, as though afraid to completely let her go.
"Elizabeth? Come away with me." He asked, his voice barely above a whisper. She looked up at him, her eyes wide with surprise at his request. He gave her a hopeful smile. "Please, you'll be safer away from here. You won't get hurt. I can keep you safe away from everyone and we'll help you with your magic."
"B-but where would we go? I have no money, I can't get back into my own home because Alaric might be there. H-how would we do this?" She asked him confused.
"Leave that all to me, darling. Please, we'll leave. We'll get away from all of this rubbish. I want you to be safe, and you're not here. The magic will get worst. Let's leave, and take a break from all of this. Trust me on this, Elizabeth." He told her, his eyes screaming with desperation. He needed to know he'd be away, safe where he could protect her.
Beth hesitated glancing over at Kol who looked over at her desperately. He needed her away from Mystic Falls. He knew that she could be used as bait for Damon to give Klaus up and he couldn't deal with her being captured like that. "Alright, we'll go." She agreed. "But only for a few days."
He smiled in happiness and surprised her by spinning her around, getting her to laugh for the first time that he was there. "You're bloody brilliant, thank you, Elizabeth." He smiled as he kissed her quickly.
xxxxx
Beth took a break from packing to get out her cell phone. Kol went downstairs to get some of his bags that he brought with him. She took a deep breath and dialed a number. "What is it, El? Where are you?" Damon asked her quickly. Beth could hear a car in the back, she figured he was still driving.
"Hey, um, Damon. I just called to make sure everything's okay. Did Elijah get to you?" She asked with a hopeful tone.
He scoffed. "Yeah, he got to us. And like an idiot Elena agreed. I'm on my way to meet Rebekah with Klaus' body now. "Where are you anyways? No one has seen you since earlier and Elijah was being all cryptic saying you were safe."
"I'm fine. I'm at the boarding house. I...I had an issue, but I'm fine. He suggested that I get out of town for a while since Alaric is still around. I just wanted to call you beforehand." She told him softly. They might not be on the best terms, but he deserved to know at least that.
"You're leaving? Now? What? So you can't leave with Klaus so now you're just going to take off to spite me?" He asked her accusingly.
"I'm not trying to spite you Damon, I'm just trying to get out of here. It's not like it's forever. I'll be fine. I just thought that you should know." She told him. She could practically see the anger. "Day-"
"No, you know what. Go ahead and leave. I have to go anyways. I have to drop Original off and get back to Elena. I don't care what you do, El." He snapped at her, hurt and angry,
"You know what? Fine! I will. Goodbye, Damon!" She snapped back hanging up the phone. She took a deep breath before getting up and going back to packing, hoping to take her mind off of their argument.
"Have you got everything, daring?" Kol asked as he came into her room with a bag of his. She nodded as she got some of her things from the room packed in her bag. He heard, but he knew she wouldn't want to talk about it. She hesitated, looking around her room. He wrapped an arm around her waist and she gave him a weak smile. "Hey, don't worry. You're going to be fine. I'll help you with the magic, love."
"I know you will. It's just, it's strange. I came here to live with Alaric and I found myself caught in between vampires, werewolves, and hybrids. Alaric, the man I knew that was a like a father to me, he's gone. I'm alone. And I...I lost the last family that I have, Kol. He's gone." She said softly, but with a twinge of pain.
Kol pulled her into his arms. "Listen to me, love. You're not alone. I won't leave you alone. And you didn't lose your family, you have me. I'll always be with you, even if I'm not physically by your side all the time. We'll leave for a bit and then come back, when you're better, alright? Besides I'm sure I'm better company than anyone around here." He told her, trying to make her laugh. He half succeeded in getting a smile out of her. "About ready to leave?"
Beth took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah, I'm ready. Where are we going anyways?" She asked him curiously as he picked up one of her bags and slung it over his shoulder, taking her hand with his, as they walked out of the still empty boarding house, as Day followed behind her. "You said that you were taking me somewhere safe."
"It's a surprise. You trust me right?" He winked at her and she rolled her eyes, but followed him out of the house just the same. Beth couldn't help, but wonder where the others were, especially Damon, but she didn't want to talk to them. Not after what they did to Klaus.
"With my life." She told him honestly with a smile. He kissed her head, as he loaded the trunk of her car with the bags. She got in the passenger seat and picked Day up so that he climbed in the backseat, as Kol claimed he would take care of her car and drive. He got in the driver's seat. "Kol, please tell me that you actually do know how to drive a car?"
He scoffed as he placed his own bag on the floor of the car. "Give me some credit, love. How hard could it be?" Kol laughed loudly at the shocked look on her face and kiss her quickly. "I'm kidding. I know how to drive. Don't worry. We'll get there in one piece. I promise."
She nudged him in the ribs. "That's not in the least bit funny, Kol."
"It was." He grinned over at her, as he started the car. "I do learn quickly with these things. It's amazing with what technology has offered nowadays, especially video games and computers. Speaking of which, what the bloody hell is an ipod? It sounds like a horrible torturing device for the eyes."
She laughed. "It's not. I have one. I'll show you later. I promise.
Beth couldn't believe that she was actually leaving with him. It didn't really count as running off, as they were coming back, but it was pretty close and absolutely not like her. "Thank you. Kol, for everything." She told him truthfully. She wanted to say something else. She was one the precipice of telling him, but she decided against it. Now, wasn't the time, especially if her words weren't reciprocated.
Kol began their drive out of town. Beth and Kol conversed for a while, before falling into a comfortable silence as she became tired. He smiled over at her, as she fell into a light sleep, which was disturbed as her phone rang. He rolled his eyes at whoever called her. She sat up before answering. "Hello? Yeah...yeah...what? N-No...no h-he...w-what?" She asked. Kol pulled over worried as her voice started to crack at whatever news she had. The phone slipped out of her hand.
"Elizabeth, love. What is it? Darling, talk to me." He begged her. He was scared. She wouldn't look at him. She seemed more shocked and upset than anything.
"H-he's dead. A-Alaric killed him. Klaus is dead, the others are fine, b-but he's dead. And n-now Alaric...he's dead too." She told him, her voice was barely above a whisper. Kol was as shocked she was, trying to register this information that his older brother died. He looked over at Elizabeth who was on the precipice of breaking down, as tears streamed down her face.
"Love, look at me. Look at me." He told her gently, as she turned her face to him. He gently wiped away her tears so she could see him. "This doesn't change anything. We're going to get out of town for a few days. This isn't going to help you. It's going to make you worst. We're going to leave. It's going to be okay. I promise." He told her, as he brought her into his arms, rubbing circles into her back. He only hoped that he was right. He lost his brother, if he lost his Elizabeth again? He didn't know what he would do. Kol held on tight, as he comforted her, in her time of need. He only hoped that he could protect her like he wanted to, but he knew the worst had yet to come.
