Chapter 006

All the Future Holds

Friday, December 10, 2010, around 9:00 a.m.

The Salvatore Boarding House

It's been three days since Niklaus magickally reentered his body. He and Elijah both, unlike the others, seem to be able to recall that they were in the mirror and what happened to the mirror while they were in it. Elijah and I have both decided that is because they're originals and the others are not. Therefore, Niklaus remembers that Damon, Elena, Stefan and a witch they called Lucy did a spell to return him to his body and Kol to the mirror, information which he immediately shared with Elijah.

Elijah watches while Damon exits his house, gets into his Camaro, and then drives away from the boarding house without Elena. When he's certain Damon is gone and can't hear him, he walks to the door and turns the handle, which they still don't seem to lock.

Entering the house, Elijah follows his ears and his nose down to the basement cell where he finds 'the lovely' Elena locked inside the cell.

She doesn't appear to know that he's here, so he says her name, and as soon as her eyes connect with his, he compels her, "Where did you and Damon put the mirror with Kol inside it?"

She frowns but says, "We buried the pieces in the dump."

The always dressed to impress Elijah smiles and asks, "Is it in a container, and if so what sort of container is it in?"

She frowns deeper and says, "It's in a garbage bag inside a Fed-Ex box."

Elijah nods and tells the still crying Elena, "Good, now do you remember anything remarkable about the section of the landfill you buried it in?"

She shakes her head and tells him, "No, we went in through the south entrance and walked up the hill before digging and burying it."

Elijah frowns and thinks, 'That's not going to be much help, but it's better than my having to search the landfill in its entirety.'

Next, he asks, "What do you know about the witch who trapped my youngest brother inside the mirror?"

She frowns even more profoundly and is obviously trying to fight the compulsion, but the original is too strong for her, so she soon tells him everything she knows about my kin, "Her name is Lucy Bennett. She's Bonnie's cousin, and she lives in Baton Rouge."

Elijah smiles a not nice smile to match several I've seen Kol wear and thinks, 'Excellent that information should make finding her so much easier.'

On the off chance he can get Elena to do all his work for him, he smiles what he hopes is an encouraging and slightly comforting smile and asks, "Do you know her address?"

She shakes her head before telling him honestly, "No, but it's in Bonnie's phone which is upstairs on the bedside table in Damon's room."

His smile is genuine when he thinks, 'Well that's convenient,' so he tells her, "Very good, thank you, Elena. You won't remember that I was here or any of our conversation. So far as you know Niklaus and I have no idea what happened to Kol or how you removed him from Niklaus' body."

She repeats the compulsion, and by the time she says the last word Elijah has already added my cousin's contact information into his phone and is closing the front door and speeding away through the woods to where he parked his car on the other side of the forest behind the Salvatore's house.

I'm once again dragged along without my consent, and no matter how hard I try I can't leave a twenty-foot radius around Elijah. Once the original and I are in his car, he turns it around and heads towards the landfill. When we arrive, he goes in through the south entrance and compels the man guarding the gate to let him in and ignore his presence while we are here.

After Elijah parks the car, we get out, and he takes off his suit jacket. Rolling up the sleeves of his dress shirt he also takes off his tie before placing the coat and tie inside the car. Then we walk towards the mound of garbage and climb to the top.

Using vampire speed, Elijah digs for about an hour before he notices the top of a box sticking out of the pile with Jeremy Gilbert's name and address on the box.

Opening the box, we look inside and see a garbage bag, so he opens it as well and begins looking at each shard trying to find the one with his little brother inside it being sure not to touch his skin to any of the glass. Finally, he finds Kol and tells him, "Oh thank God. I wasn't sure I'd be able to find you here. Nod if you can hear and understand me."

Kol nods so Elijah tells him, "Matt Donovan, Tyler Lockwood, and Stefan Salvatore are all finally dead. Niklaus is back at our home awaiting us. We both think you should take control of me and head for the house and then jump into Niklaus and retake control of him while we figure out who you should possess permanently. Also, if I were you, I would take the entire box of mirror shards and hide it somewhere only you know about. According to what Niklaus told me the spell their witch did has made this mirror the only thing other than a dead body or your natural body that can trap your spirit. I would also find out where the Salvatore Brothers buried you and move your remains somewhere no one else knows about. Keep the mirror and your body safe and no one will be able to stop you again."

Kol nods so while Elijah places his finger on the glass, he tells his brother, "Then feel free to jump into my body whenever you're ready."

Those are the last words he says before Kol takes over his body and then looks down to the mirror shard to see the usually impeccably dressed vampire smiling up at him despite the older man being somewhat disheveled, not to mention covered in trash residue. Kol thinks, 'Well, I'll be damned, Elijah apparently really meant it when he said his loyalty is mine now. I mean I know he's only ever broken his word that one time to save the rest of the family, but I was certain he would wash himself of my dilemma and forget all about me, but instead he appears to have tracked me down and saved me from an eternity trapped in that damn mirror.'

He quickly realizes that Elijah is right about what he needs to do, too. He needs to go see Niklaus and take him over for a while so that he can have Elijah's active help. He is the efficient strategist that has kept Niklaus from getting into too much trouble over the centuries after all.

So Kol puts the shard back into the box and closes the box before he stands there contemplating his next move. On the one hand, burying the box right back where it was would make its discovery harder to happen, especially the more time that passes because the city will pile more and more garbage on top of it. However, that also means someday someone could dig it up either on purpose or by accident, so he decides to take Elijah's advice and take the box with him and hide it where no one else will be able to access it.

Decision made Kol walks down the mound of trash with the box in hand, and when he gets to the car, he places the box inside on the front passenger side seat and climbs into the car.

He says loud enough for his brother to hear him, "Thank you, Brother, for having had the foresight to teach me how to drive," then Kol leaves the dump and heads back to the Mikaelson's home.

When we arrive, he senses that his hybrid brother is in the back of the house, painting, so he grabs the box and Elijah's jacket and tie and quietly walks into the house as if everything is normal.

Walking up the stairs, Kol strides into his oldest brother's room, and after emptying his pockets onto the bedside table, he strips before tossing his shirt and pants into the trash because they're covered in garbage residue. He walks into the bathroom to wash the stench of a whole town's garbage off himself with the box in his hands, and then he places it on the counter in clear view of the shower, so he can keep an eye on it.

I try to not follow him into the other room but again have no luck, so I'm forced to watch as my sometime friend showers. He smiles while he looks in the mirror and thinks, 'My brothers are both well-endowed like me, so it seems none of the Mikaelson's are a disgrace to all men everywhere, unlike poor Stefan Salvatore who according to Elijah is now finally dead. I wish I could have watched Damon kill his brother. Oh well, I'll just have to live with the knowledge that he killed his own brother and the loved ones of the woman he loves are haunting her until they break The Hunter's Curse.'

He pauses his thought to turn on the water and then goes back to his inner monologue, 'If I'm lucky, I will be able to finagle a front row seat to watch Elena kill herself once the curse is broken. I'll allow Damon to live so that he will have to suffer for all of eternity with the knowledge that everyone he loves is dead because of his inadequacies.'

That decision made he opens the shower door after turning the water as hot as he can make it. While he showers I studiously avoid looking at Elijah's naked body. In the last week, I have seen far too many of mine and my granddaughter's friends in the nude. I send up a prayer that I won't continue to bear witness to anyone one else sans their clothes.

While I'm trying my best not to peek Kol considers his other problem, 'There is a witch who not only knows I'm supposedly trapped inside that mirror, but she knows how to return me to it. Plus, I want to pay her back for being kind enough to help Damon and Elena in the first place, so the first order of business once I take over Nik is to track down that Lucy witch.'

I sigh at his thoughts. I suppose it was too much to hope for to think he might leave Lucy alone despite her role in his becoming trapped. I decide her best bet is for her end to be quick and painless, so I offer up a prayer, 'Please, God, make my cousin's impending death as fast as possible.'

When the last of the suds slide down his body, and he can no longer smell the stench of garbage, Kol steps out of the shower and dries off. Dressing quickly in his older brother's standard dress shirt, tie, dress slacks, and jacket he grabs the box and leaves Elijah's room.

Kol walks down the hall to his own bedroom before entering and closing the door. Then opening the walk-in closet and walking to the back of it, the original lifts and moves the dresser to the side to avoid scratch marks telling anyone he has moved the furniture.

Then he leans down and pops up the floorboards where Kol hid the daggers and White Oak Ash he stole from Niklaus. He also added the White Oak Stake to the stash after he took it back from Jeremy's room before he left the boarding house the other day. So now, the vampire adds the box with the broken mirror and his severed finger in it, and then he pops the floorboards back in place and lifts the dresser putting it back where it belongs. Because Elijah is inside the closed box, not even he will know where Kol has hidden it when the older man returns to his body. Kol leaves the walk-in closet confident that no one will ever find his stash of all the items that can harm him and his.

Leaving his room, he walks down the stairs toward where he can hear Niklaus painting.

When Kol enters the room, the hybrid is facing away from his brother, but the older man says, "Kol, took your time."

Kol grins and says, "I figured Elijah would appreciate coming to without being covered in garbage residue."

Niklaus smiles back and says, "Probably right about that. Are you going to borrow my body, Brother?"

Kol sighs and asks, "You really don't mind?"

Niklaus walks to him and puts his hand on Kol's borrowed shoulder and says, "I really don't. Elijah showed me all the ways I have wronged you, and when I thought you were dead once and for all, well there was a hole in my heart I'd rather not experience ever again. So, if I need to give you use of my body until you can choose a better one then so be it. It's the least I owe you after all the times I daggered you. I'm looking at this as rightful payback. Always and forever, Kol. I seemed to have forgotten that that includes all of my siblings and not just the ones who always agree with me. When I thought I had lost you forever, well, I have now seen the error of my ways and will endeavor to uphold my vow to all of you and not just some when it's convenient for me."

Kol smiles, and it lights up his whole face at the knowledge that his siblings really do love him as much as they love each other. He places his hand on top of Niklaus' and says, "Thank you, Nik. That's all I ever wanted."

Niklaus pulls Kol into a hug and whispers into his ear, "I really am sorry, and I really will try to do better."

Kol returns the hug, and when they pull apart, Niklaus grins at him wolfishly and says, "You even have my permission to remind me how empty I felt when I thought I would never get to see you again if I lose my way again."

Kol smirks, "I'm going to hold you to that and remind you of what you just said."

Niklaus nods once and says, "Good, see that you do. I'm counting on you to help keep me on track."

Kol's eyes widen at that, but he inclines his head so Niklaus turns and picks up some paper off his desk, "I made a list of those that might be suitable to take over and everything I can remember about that witch that put you back in the mirror."

He hands the lists to Kol and says, "I caused you to miss out on over 400 years of history so I won't get upset if it takes a few centuries for you to find the right person to overtake and whatever you do, see to our family's revenge first. Elena and Damon should not be allowed to get away with killing yet another of my siblings, even if you did figure out a way to avoid going to the Otherside."

Kol's borrowed eyes are wide open again, but he nods and says, "I'm going to remind you that you said that too."

Niklaus just chuckles and then holds out his hand and says, "Whenever you're ready, Brother."

Kol grabs his hand and pulls him into another hug before whispering "Thank you brother, Always and forever."

Niklaus whispers the vow back to his brother, and that's all he knows because Kol brushes his hand along his brother's neck and jumps bodies.

Elijah stumbles for a moment, so Kol reaches out his hand and helps steady his older brother. The elder original smiles and asks Kol, "How long was I in the mirror?"

My body snatching former friend smiles back and tells him, "About an hour."

Elijah nods and moves to sit in a chair facing Kol before he says, "I assume your first order of business is tracking down the witch who helped trap you and removing her from the equation."

Kol nods and asks, "Yes, I know from when they trapped me in the mirror that her name is Lucy, but what else do we know about her?"

Elijah smiles and pats his pockets before asking, "Where is my phone?"

It was one of the items Kol took out of his pockets and left on the bedside table before throwing out the clothes he had on, so he tells his older brother, "Upstairs in your room."

Despite his penchant for always being polite Elijah speeds out of the room without uttering a word and then returns almost as fast. Holding up his phone he tells Kol, "Her last name is Bennett. She's Bonnie Bennett's cousin. I thought ahead and just happen to have Ms. Bennett's phone number and address. I thought it might prove useful to you."

Kol smiles widely and nods before he tells him, "I always knew you were instrumental in keeping Nik on track and gathering information for him, but I don't think I realized exactly how invaluable you are until just now. Thank you, Brother."

Elijah smiles before asking, "How do you want to handle her. She probably knows what you and Niklaus look like because she freed him and trapped you in the mirror," Kol nods so Elijah continues, "so a frontal assault won't work. Additionally, if we go at her from the front, she's likely to just use her magick to stop us in our tracks."

Kol inclines his head and scratches his chin while he tries to come up with a plan when his brother clears his throat and says, "If I may…"

He nods, so Elijah continues, "It might work to do what you have already done. Find someone she will never expect violence from and compel them to kill her."

Kol nods slowly and adds, "I could always possess them…"

His brother shakes his head, "I know Niklaus was honest and completely serious when he offered his body to you, but let me ask you this, would you willingly allow him to dagger you more than once?"

Kol doesn't hesitate and says, "If it helped or protected one of you absolutely."

Elijah smiles because he can see the truth shining in his brother's eyes. He nods and says, "Well, then perhaps Niklaus would be the same, either way, we should probably keep the number of times you free him to a minimum so as not to overextend his good will. He won't begrudge you taking the time you need, but I do fear that dangling freedom in front of him and then temporarily snatching it away again will strain your relationship more than it already is and I only wish for a united family again like we once were. Plus, while exacting our revenge, you couldn't find a safer body to be inside of if you tried."

He's correct, and Kol knows it. But he thinks, 'Still, I might track down an old witch friend and convince her to put me back in my body and resurrect me so we can all be together once more.'

He nods and tells his brother, "You are, of course, correct, so we compel someone close to her and have them kill her."

Elijah nods and then stands, "I'll go pack for a week in Baton Rouge, you might wish to do the same."

Kol stands and follows his older brother up the stairs. He passes Elijah's room and enters Niklaus' room to collect enough clothes to 'hold me over until we can end this Bennett bitch and then maybe I can go shopping for new clothes in Nik's size.'

He sighs because he can already hear Elijah telling him, 'Only buy your own style of clothes if you plan for us to go where no one is familiar with Niklaus' style.'

Because Kol fully plans to stick around here 'long enough to watch Nik's former blood bag be tortured until the curse is broken and then kill herself, which if I'm lucky will take many years to take place, my best course of action is to maintain the illusion that I am Nik.'

When he's done packing, Kol heads back downstairs to find Elijah waiting for him. The older original smiles and asks, "If you don't mind, I'll drive?"

Kol nods, so we go out to the car and settle in for the more than 15-hour drive.

We stop about nine hours into the drive at a hotel and stay the night, and then first thing in the morning, after both originals have fed, we get back in the car and finish the trip.

When we arrive, tracking my cousin down is relatively easy. They watch her for two days and nights before choosing to compel her boyfriend, Mike.

The next day, Kol and I follow Mike to work and then wait. When he's leaving the garage where he repairs cars, the vampire walks up to him and quickly catches his eye before telling him, "You will go see Lucy after you clean yourself up. You will take her biggest kitchen knife and slit her throat before stabbing her as many times as you can. You will not stop stabbing her until someone arrives and tells you to stop."

He nods and repeats Kol's words back to him. While we follow the oblivious man home, I scratch my head that Lucy didn't bother to slip Vervain into Mike's food every day. Kol calls his brother while Mike showers and tells the older original, "It's done, meet me at her house in about a half an hour."

We can both can hear the smile in Elijah's voice when he says, "I will see you soon, Brother."

When Mike, Kol, and I arrive at Lucy's house, Kol sees his older brother has beaten us there and is waiting down the street in his rental car, which he rented under an assumed name.

The younger original walks to the car and gets in while we wait for Lucy to answer her door. Once she lets Mike in, the two vampires get out of the car and sneak into her backyard and watch through a window.

Lucy is entirely unaware of the danger she is currently in, so she leads her lover into the kitchen where she is busy cooking dinner and when he passes the wood block full of knives he grabs the biggest one and walks up behind her before slitting her throat.

She turns her wide, surprised eyes on him and tries to grab for the knife before he knocks her to the ground and bends down and begins stabbing her over and over. She barely had a chance to scream so no one in the neighborhood has any idea what is happening while we stand and watch through the kitchen window until the two vampires hear her heartbeat stop, and then we leave. When we walk away, Mike is still busy stabbing her, and I know he will continue until the cops arrive and tell him to stop.

To that end, once we return the rental and are back inside Elijah's car, Kol waits until we're on the highway out of town before calling 911 with a burner phone and using a local accent he tells the operator that he heard screaming coming from his neighbor's house and he gives Lucy's address.

He then hangs up, turns the phone off, takes the sim card out, and wipes his fingerprints off the body of the phone with his shirt before opening the window and tossing the phone onto the side of the road. He smiles while he watches in the side mirror when it bounces and then rolls under the tire of the car behind us.

He thinks, 'All is almost right in my world. The only White Oak Stake, all but one of the White Oak Ash Daggers, most of the White Oak Ash, and the mirror used to trap me are all hidden where only I know their whereabouts and the person responsible for trying to trap me in the mirror is now dead. I have no desire or plan to use the White Oak Ash Daggers on Elijah or Rebekah, so the only things left to do are to retrieve the final White Oak Ash Dagger and the jar of Ashes and hide them, and then dig up and hide my body. Then we can sit back and watch the Elena and Damon show until they break the curse and Elena meets her fiery end. Then we just need to figure out who I should possess permanently, but maybe before that, I'll see about finding a witch to melt down and destroy the daggers once and for all, but for now, I'm just looking forward to all the future holds for my siblings and me. We should probably fill Rebekah in sooner rather than later, but I'll worry about that when we get back to Mystic Falls.'

For now, he closes his eyes and relives watching 'The Bennett Bitch's' last moments.