Hush, Little Baby
Hush, little girl, don't say a word.
Mama gonna buy you a mockingbird
And if that mockingbird won't sing,
Mama's gonna buy you a diamond ring
And if that diamond ring turns brass,
Mama's gonna buy you a looking glass
And if that looking glass gets broke,
Mama's gonna buy you a billy goat
And if that billy goat won't pull,
Mama's gonna buy you a cart and bull
And if that cart and bull turn over,
Mama's gonna buy you a dog named Rover
And if that dog named Rover won't bark
Mama's gonna buy you a horse and cart
And if that horse and cart fall down,
You'll still be the sweetest little girl in town.
Bring Me To Life
Après Moi, Le Déluge:
"The Italians call them strega. The Yoruba of West Africa call them aje, meaning mother. Where my mother was from, they called them häxa, and here we call them witch." Elijah explained in a tone that reminded Imogen of the days when she used to sit at the back of class with Sophie, passing notes back and forth when the teacher couldn't see.
The young witch bit her lower lip as she leaned back against the side of the armchair Hayley was sitting in from her position on the floor and looked up to where Elijah was standing by the table that pictured the sketched portrait of Celeste. Most the morning had been spent staring at the drawing, trying to find out what hidden mean Davina had unintentional delivered to them and if it was a forewarning to something worse coming their way.
Elijah crossed his arms over his chest with a confused frown on his lips as he studied the portrait as though it's drawn on lips would suddenly part and tell him everything he wanted to know. "Over the centuries, vampires have fought them and fought beside them, bedded them and burned them. Whether adversary or ally, they have been a force to be reckoned with. Their ancestral magic anchors this city. There's never been one all-powerful witch until Davina."
"Who is now tucked in safe and sound down the hall under my protection." Klaus informed them as he entered the room with a jovial bounce in his step and Imogen glowered at the sound of his voice as she pointedly looked at the fireplace instead of him.
All morning she had refused to even glance in Klaus' direction from the moment she walked into the same room as him and thankfully Rebekah had been there every time to be run interference so she didn't have to worry about him cornering her.
Unfortunately, the blonde wasn't there to play defence and the comment sparked anger inside Imogen as she turned her head to glare at him heatedly. "'Protection?' You literally killed her! How is that protecting her?"
Klaus turned his head around to look at Imogen at the sound of her voice, happy that she was no longer ignoring his presence, even if it was to display her anger at him over his actions and a smirk spread across his lips as he took a step forward. "Well, she's alive now, isn't she? Isn't that the glowing conclusion you all hoped for?"
Imogen glowered at him as she shook her head in disgust before turning her attention back to Elijah and Klaus followed her gaze as he sauntered forward, his focus going to the array of sketches on the table. "Your Celeste was quite beautiful and a portent of evil, according to our volatile artist in residence."
"Yes. Perhaps Davina's mistaken what she calls evil for power. Celeste was certainly very powerful in her day, but she's been dead for over two hundred years. I don't understand. Why all these sketches now?" Elijah asked himself quietly, his expression thoughtful as he crossed his arms over his chest and narrowed his oak brown eyes at the portrait of his lost love.
"Why does any witch do anything?"
"There are only six reasons anyone does anything. Love. Faith. Greed. Boredom. Fear. Revenge." Imogen informed them idly as she listed them off her fingers one by one until she was finished and she dropped her hands onto her lap as she lift both eyebrows at the mystified expressions directed her way. "Tell me I'm wrong."
"She's not wrong." The elder Mikaelson agreed softly as he studied her with an almost dazed look in his oak brown eyes and young witch glanced up at him with a small smile on her lips, a blush appearing on her cheeks when she noticed him staring.
Klaus looked between the pair with his light blue eyes narrowed thoughtfully, taking in the hasty way Imogen diverted her gaze and the way Elijah's eyes lingered momentarily. It was truly something else entirely to witness the beginning of a relationship, the awkward and tense atmosphere.
A loud crash sounded from somewhere upstairs on the second floor and Imogen immediately stood up without taking her gaze from the roof overhead, her heart beating rapidly in fright that something had happened to Davina. She was aware that Marcel was with her trying to make amends but that only eased her mind a fraction because while she somewhat trusted him with Davina's safety, there was no one she trusted more than herself.
"Davina is safe. That's her welcoming Marcel." Elijah assured the witch softly as he watched her tense with worry over her little sister and Imogen instantly relaxed as she nodded gently, sitting down on the arm of Hayley's chair in case she needed to take off at the moment's notice.
"Well, that's going well." Klaus murmured under his breath as he glanced up at the ceilings before turning his attention back to his older brother with a smirk on his lips.
Elijah lifted his gaze from the side of Imogen's face to glower at him and narrowed his oak brown eyes at the nonchalant tone in his brother's voice. "If you were trying to win the girl's trust, perhaps poisoning her one true love was not the most splendid idea."
"Oh. Are there any more inopportune deaths you'd like to wave in my face?"
"Give me a month. I'll get you list."
Imogen laughed in amusement at the eldest Originals sarcastic remark, her face relaxing into a bright smile as she looked over at him and his lips turned up slightly at the joyful sound he only had the pleasure of hearing a handful of times before. It was a contagious sound, so innocent and blissful like no one could see beyond the moment into the darkness inside.
Another loud crash echoed down the stairs from the second storey, making Imogen stand up with a slightly panicked expression on her face and her gaze locked onto the roof overhead as she silently assured herself that Davina was one causing the chaos, not the one being affected.
Klaus pressed himself up with his seat on an armchair with a disgruntled purse of his lips and he shot the young witch a tight smile as he walked passed her on his way out of the room, "Young, old, dead, or alive, witches are a pain in the ass."
"Oh, because you're so free and breezy." Imogen snapped at him in annoyance as she started following him out of the study, a scowl marring her lips as she hurried to keep up with his long strides.
The top floor of the Abattoir was basically empty as they rushed down the corridor towards Davina's bedroom, an occasional crash echoing throughout the house and that only made Imogen run faster as panic for her sister flooded her veins with adrenaline. The door to Davina's bedroom was open slightly and the light from inside the room streamed through the crack illuminated the darkened hallway, chasing away the shadows.
"Davina. Davina!" Marcel exclaimed in concern from inside the room, his voice rising slightly with anxiety and Imogen forced herself to move even faster, willed herself to go quicker. This was her sister, her light and promise of a better day. If anything were to happen to her, Imogen didn't know what she would do, how she would go on or get through the day knowing Davina wasn't in the world.
Imogen pushed open the door so hard that it hit the wall behind and bounced back quick enough that it almost smacked Klaus right in the face as he followed her into the room. Her eyes darted all around the room, looking for any sign of danger before her gaze landed on the large bed in the middle of the bedroom.
Davina was kneeling on the centre of the bed, her back hunched over as she coughed roughly and her brunette hair curtained her face from Imogen view. Marcel stood beside the side of the bed protectively, his dark brown eyes clouded with concern as he kept his gaze locked on the young girl and rubbed soothing circles on her back as she whimpered under her breath.
"What's with all the racket?" Klaus asked with irritation lacing his accented voice as he came to a stop at the end of the bed and Imogen rushed passed him faster than seemingly possible for a human, bumping his shoulder blindly on her way to Davina's other side. "Bloody hell."
Dirt was strewed all over the bedspread as Imogen sunk down on the edge of the bed, her hand instantly soothing back her younger sisters hair and she frowned in confusion as Davina started heaving soil, her whole body wracked of dry sobs that shook both of the sisters.
Tears burned Davina's eyes as she gagged on the dirt coming out of her mouth, confusion making the process even more painful. She tried to focus on the semi-coherent soothing words coming from Imogen, tried to pull confidence and strength from her older sister presence. Something was wrong, that much was clear to everyone in the room and Davina hated that she was once again at the centre of the problem. Sweat glistened on her forehead, her skin ashen as tendrils of brunette hair stuck to her face and her normally bright blue eyes were dull as she slumped her shoulders.
Marcel watched cautiously as Davina finally stopped heaving, exhaustion spreading across her expression as she collapsed backwards into her sisters arms and Imogen glanced up at him with a frown as she wrapped her arms tightly around the younger girl.
Suddenly the house began to shake violently as though there was an earthquake taking place, the windows were rattling as Imogen tightened her hold on Davina and she looked around wildly with a panicked expression on her pretty face. Marcel sat down on the edge of the bed as his arms went around both of the witches protectively, shielding them with his body from any falling debris.
"That's certainly not normal." Klaus murmured to himself as the shaking stopped just as suddenly as it started and he looked back at the three people huddled together on the bed, the two adults glancing around in confusion as the girl drifted off to sleep.
"Davina did that. What's happening?" Imogen asked in a fearful voice as she gazed down with tears in her eyes at the resting girl in arms, her voice cracking with emotion. The two vampires shared a indecipherable look, neither one of them wanting to admit that they didn't have a clue when she already appeared to be breaking.
"I don't know. But I swear I'm going to find out, sweetheart." Marcel vowed softly as he placed a lingering kiss to her forehead, making her lift her head to look at him with muted blue eyes but he could see the hope buried deep down. Imogen nodded her head absently as he gently lifted a sleeping Davina out of her arms and laid her down on the pillows at the top of the bed before pressing a kiss to her forehead. A blanket was placed over her body as Imogen tucked it underneath her arms, brushing some hair off of her face and sitting down next to her without taking her eyes off of Davina's peaceful expression.
Imogen didn't even notice when the vampires left the room, their footsteps were practically silent on the carpeted flooring. Her attention was on the seemingly peaceful expression, the subtle flickering of her eyelids as she dreamed, the gentle inhale and exhale of her breathing. She looked so innocent in moments like that, like she was the little girl who used to beg Imogen to attend tea parties with her stuffed animals. But the lives they lived did not go hand in hand with innocence and every minute Davina spent in the supernatural world was another minute she fought to hold on to the childhood she had left behind.
Gone were the days where the girls would play make believe in the backyard, pretending to be lions in the jungle or cowboys in the old west. Gone were the days where Imogen would allow Davina to raid her closet while playing dress up and let her act as if she worked in a beauty shop by suffering through a makeover.
Most people spend their whole childhood wishing that they were older, but when they're older they realise all they wanted to do is go back to being that carefree and innocent. Imogen wasn't one of those people. Her childhood was full of lies, bruises and cuts, and pushing boundaries. That was why she fought so passionately for Davina to have normal childhood full of hopes and dreams, imagination and freedom.
Imogen sighed to herself as she traced her fingers down Davina's cheek with a soft smile on her lips and the movement caused the younger girl's eyes to flutter open as she shifted sleepily. Her blue eyes slowly focused on the older sister's face, making a small smile spread across her lips as she stretched out on her back before realisation crossed her face and her breathing immediately started to become shallow as she began to panic.
"Hey, hey. It's okay, Pixie." Imogen assured her in a rush as she leaned forward to cup Davina's ace in her hands and offered her a small smile as she soothed her thumbs over her cheekbones in comfort.
Rebekah came rushing into the bedroom with a worried expression on her face as she closed the door behind her and quickly made her way over to the bed as she searched the sister's faces intently for answers. She gently sat down on the opposite edge of the bed from Imogen as she swept her gaze over Davina's pale face and sympathy flooded through her as she placed a hand on her arm. "Hey. What kind of game do you think you're playing? I said disrupt the household, not destroy the whole city."
"I didn't do it. Not on purpose. I - I don't know what's wrong with me." Davina stuttered weakly as her frantic gaze switched from the Original to her sister and she blindly reached out for Imogen's hand, seeking her strength in her time of need.
"I'm going to go find out." Imogen stated firmly with determination clear on her face as she stood up from the edge of the bed and bent down to kiss Davina's forehead gently before striding out of the room.
"I would not want to get in her way." she overhead Rebekah murmured in amusement to the younger girl as they watched her exit the bedroom and a smirk spread across her lips as she hurried down the corridor.
Heavy footsteps were muffled on the carpeted floor as Imogen strolled purposely towards the study on the ground level of the compound. Some of the vampires glanced at her as she passed them but didn't say a word, mostly because they recognised the resolute expression she wore and didn't want to suffer her wrath. They may be immortal creatures of the night with enhanced strength but they had either heard the rumours that circled around the French Quarter or had met her personally and knew not to get on her bad side.
The door to the study was partially opened as she entered the room silently, not wanting to draw attention to herself as the three vampires conferred in a slightly heated conversation. Klaus was slouched lazily on the couch while Marcel stood in front of the large window with his arms crossed over his chest and Elijah sat on the edge of one of the armchairs to the side of the room, his head snapping up when the witch snuck into the room.
"This is madness. How can a 16-year-old girl shake the entire French quarter?" Klaus asked incredulously with a frown on his lips as he sat up straighter and directed his question towards his former protégé.
"I've seen her rock the church, but I've never seen anything like this." Marcel replied in a confused yet worried tone of the voice as he stole a glance at Imogen before turning back to the hybrid with a frown.
"How did you control her when she was in the attic?"
"I didn't have to. But then, I never killed her boyfriend."
Klaus rolled his light blue eyes at the quip as he waved a hand dismissively in the air and ignored the accusing stare burning into the back of his head from where Imogen was standing by the door to the study. "Yes, yes. We've been over this part already. The point is in her present state she's useless as a tool against the witches."
"She's not a tool!" Imogen snapped angrily as she stepped forward, her blue eyes flashing fiercely and Marcel immediately walked over to her side with a consoling hand on the small of her back. The witch glanced at him as he gave her a look that neither Original could decipher and she started to calm down as she offered him a small nod.
"Something's wrong with her." Marcel admitted softly as he ducked his head slightly to meet her worried eyes and she searched his dark brown eyes for reassurance, hope surging through her even though she knew it was almost pointless to place all of that on him.
There was still so much unsaid between the two of them, so much they had to discuss since Marcel had broken her trust. Being able to forgive someone was easy but being able to trust them again was a completely different story. Their friendship hung in the balance, just waiting to either mend or shatter. At that moment it was fractured, but that didn't mean it was gone beyond repair. They needed each other. Whether they wanted to admit it or not, somehow in the months since the Harvest ritual they had become friends. They had become family.
"She has too much power that she cannot control. That much we already knew. But why is it manifesting itself in such an aggressive manner?" Elijah pondered quietly to himself as he diverted his gaze from the brunette witch standing so close to the former king, his blood burning with jealousy.
"Well, what do we know about the Harvest?" Klaus asked them in a slightly annoyed tone of voice as he looked at the three of occupants of the room and everyone snapped their heads around to look at Imogen for answers.
The witch's eyes widened in surprise as she glanced around wildly in confusion and pointed to herself as Marcel started leading her towards the vacant couch. "Oh, I wasn't exactly paying attention when we learnt about the Harvest. I thought it was complete bullshit."
"Well, what do you know?"
"The Harvest is a sacrificial ceremony that is commonly performed by witches of the French Quarter coven, i.e. my coven. The ritual is performed once every three hundred years as a means to strengthen the connection between the living witches of New Orleans and our deceased ancestors, from whom we draw magical power. Since our magic weakens over time, the ritual is meant to appease the ancestors by giving them an offering of power in exchange for the ancestors strengthening the coven's connection to our magic. The offering is meant to prove the coven's faith, not only in the Harvest ritual, but in the ancestors themselves. The Elders failed to mention the four young witches would be brutally killed via having their throats being slit."
Imogen whole body practically vibrated with fury as her hands curled into fists at her side and Marcel gently pried one of her hands open, lacing his fingers through hers as he soothed his thumb over her knuckles comfortingly. She offered him a small grateful smile as she tried to relax, to remind herself that Davina was fine even if the other girls were not.
"Where are you going?" Klaus asked his older brother as he watched Elijah stand up with a thoughtful expression and started strolling out of the room as he straightened his suit jacket.
"This is witch business. I'm going to go ask a witch." The Original stated calmly as he stopped in the doorway and looked back over at the brunette witch with a smirk on his lips, amusement dancing in his dark brown eyes. "One that paid better attention to her studies."
"Hey!" Imogen exclaimed in an affronted tone but there was humour in her eyes as she tried not to smile, pleased that Elijah was comfortable enough around her to tease. A small smirk played on the edge of his lips as he exited the room and she detangled her hand from Marcel's as she stood up from the couch.
She looked down at the man sitting next to her, forcing herself not to think of the problems between them and offered him a small smile as she started walking towards the door. "I'm going to go check on Davina. Let me know when you have some answers."
It felt strange walk through a house infested with creatures that could kill you without giving little if any effort and yet feeling perfectly at ease, save like you knew that no one could hurt you. It gave you a power rush, filling you with bravado and courage you didn't process. Imogen was used to being in the compound now after so many visits but in the begin she was hesitant to even breath in the wrong direction.
"Imogen!" she heard Marcel call out to her from down the hallway and she immediately turned towards him but no one was standing there. She slowly turned back around with a confused frown on her lips and she jumped in surprise when a familiar vampire stood right in front of her with a smirk on his lips.
"Don't do that! Some of us can still have heart attacks!" Imogen scolded him as she playfully slapped his arm in reprimand while he laughed at her and she couldn't help but giggle slightly because it was almost like nothing had changed.
"Sorry, but I just love your expression when you're surprised." He taunted her lightly with a wicked grin as he teasingly pretended to pinch her cheek and she brushed his hand away as she scrunched her nose up cutely.
"If you want to surprise me, buy me jewellery, or chocolate, or gummi bears. Don't give me grey hair prematurely!"
"You'd look good with grey hair."
The witch levelled him with a deadpanned look as she placed her hands on her hips and he grinned at her shamelessly as he leaned against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. Their relationship was easy, or it used to be. It worked almost effortlessly. They talked like best friends, shared the secrets they kept hidden from the world. They bickered like a married couple, playfully disagreeing without any real point. They flirted like first loves, almost crossing the line more than once.
But that was before. Before the betrayal and before the pain that came with lies. Now there was an invisible line keeping them apart and a tension that was definitely more than sexual. Imogen hated that she felt herself doubting Marcel's intentions but she couldn't help the lingering uncertainty. She wrapped an arm around her stomach, a subconscious barrier between her and the vampire that was studying her face intently with an expression of regret.
"Imogen, please. Talk to me. Tell what I can do to make this right between us." Marcel pleaded with her desperately as he stepped towards her and gently grasped her elbows in his hands as he met her gaze evenly.
"I don't trust easily." She admitted under her breath as she looked at him with a vulnerable expression he had only seen a few times before and he found himself nodding in understanding as she bit the corner of her lower lip.
"I know."
"No. You don't understand. I don't trust people, but I trusted you. I've never been able to rely on the people around me. My parents were worthless. None of my friends, except for Sophie, were real. I've tried to keep Davina sheltered from the truth. About our parents. About the French Quarter. All I've felt in my life in pain and betrayal and hurt. People always ask me why I don't open up to anyone anymore. The truth is, once you start to they either move, die or betray you. I didn't depend on anyone, because even your shadow leaves you when you're in darkness. But for some reason, I let myself trust you, to believe in you. Tell me I was right to. That this was a mistake and you regret what you did. Tell me you won't do it again."
"You were right to trust me. It was a mistake and I regret it. I won't do it again. I promise." Marcel told her honestly with sincerity drenching every word as he stepped forward until there was almost no space between them. His dark brown eyes swept over her face as he gently placed his hands on her cheeks and pressed his lips into a tight line as tears sprung into her blue eyes. "I wish I could say something that would make you trust me, but if you give me time I can prove it to you. Because if I had a second chance, I'm never gonna need a third."
Imogen rested her hands over his as her eyes fluttered closed and he leaned his forehead against hers as their noses barely brushed. It felt strange for her to be this close to him, but not wrong as she revelled in the warm his body was omitting.
"Seems I'm interrupting something." A familiar voice practically hissed angrily from down the hallway and the pair jumped apart as they turned their heads to look at the severely pissed off blonde.
Rebekah glanced between her friend and ex-boyfriend with rage burning in her blue eyes, her body shaking with jealousy she had no right to feel since she wasn't involved with Marcel any longer. "Elijah's back with Sophie."
"Right. Thanks." The witch murmured quietly with a blush heating her cheeks as she avoided the Originals glare and turned on her heel, already heading back to the study so that she could escape the tension.
There was a reason she hated high school, more than one reason, but the relationship drama that seemed to develop out of nowhere was definitely the main drawback. Whenever one of her semi-friends would come to her in tears over something involving a guy she would plaster on a fake sympathetic smile and tell them they deserved better but couldn't bring herself to empathise with problems they had brought on themselves. Her favourite moments from her teenage years, the ones that she'll look back on fondly and laugh or sigh with contentment, they had nothing to do with attending high school. It was the times where she and Sophie sneak out of the house, either to join in one of the parties held in the French Quarter or trip out to the bayou to drink bottles of vodka without fear of getting caught. It was the times where she and Davina would walk hand in hand to their favourite café for brunch or dance around in their pyjamas to Madonna, Frank Sinatra or Nirvana.
Footsteps hurried after her but she refused to turn around to face either the wrath of Rebekah or the apologetic eyes of Marcel. All she wanted to do was find out what was happening to Davina and fix it before it was too late.
"So you have stolen the remains of the very person that Davina's been drawing for months. Would you care to explain this startling coincidence?" Elijah asked Sophie pointedly as Imogen snuck into the room, glancing quickly at her ex-best friend before diverted her attention to the couch as she made her way over it sit down.
The eldest Original watched from his positon behind his desk as Imogen ignored the other witch as she gracefully sunk down onto the couch in the middle of the room, bringing one of her knees up to her chest. Rebekah sat down on the opposite side of the couch with her legs curled underneath herself and Klaus lounged lazily on his stool by the bar as he nursed a glass of bourbon without paying much attention.
"I can't. I didn't even know who Celeste Dubois was until I – " Sophie started to protest as she looked between the other occupants of the room but was interrupted when the house began shaking violently. The artwork hanging on the wall was nearly knocked off its nails, the glasses behind the bar shattered onto the ground and Sophie looked around wildly in alarm as everyone else merely seemed irritated.
The Deveraux witch's eyes were wide with shock as the earthquake came to a stop and she spun her head around to look at Imogen, who was trying her best to appear unconcerned. "Was that Davina?"
"Charming little habit she's developed." Klaus quipped drily as he sipped his drink with a forced nonchalance and Imogen tossed one of the throw pillows at him in annoyance but it bounced off his arm without making much of an impact.
"And the earthquake I felt today?"
"Also Davina. And, she's taken to vomiting dirt."
"Oh. We have a huge problem. I thought that we had more time, but we need to complete the Harvest now." Sophie stated in a panicked tone of voice as she focused her attention on the other witch, knowing that she was going to be the hardest to convince.
"Said the desperate witch, conveniently." Rebekah countered sarcastically with a roll of her eyes as she waved a hand dismissively in the air and Sophie snapped her head around to her glare at the blonde, her eyes flashing with desperation.
"I'm serious! That earthquake you just felt is a preview of the disaster movie that is about to hit us."
"Why should we believe you?" Elijah asked sagely, his voice steady compared to the flurry of emotions frenzying inside of him. Everything was coming apart at the seams because he didn't wish anything to hurt the youngest Claire sister but at the same time he didn't want New Orleans to become the scene of catastrophe if they couldn't find a solution.
"You know Davina, you know her story. For months now, she's been holding all the power of the three girls sacrificed in the Harvest ritual. A force that was meant to flow through her and back into the earth. One person was never meant to hold that much power. It's tearing her apart, and it will take us down with it." Sophie insisted passionately, her voice rising slightly as she spoke and her dark brown eyes narrowing anxiously as she turned to look at Imogen.
"Even this is true, how are you going to complete the Harvest without an Elder? Now that Agnes is dead, thank you Elijah, there's no one to lead the coven." Imogen pointed out angrily as she sat up straight on the couch, stealing a glance at the eldest Original when she mentioned his name but quickly turning back to Sophie.
"I figured out a way how to become one."
"Soph, you can't just become an Elder. That power has to be bestowed upon by the other Elders, all of whom are dead. Are you following my logic?"
"How about follow your history. I did research. In 1742, there was a witch massacre that wiped out all the Elders. So, they decided whoever consecrated the most powerful dead within the community became an Elder."
"That's why you were talking about Celeste before?" Imogen asked almost hesitantly with a frown on her lips as she looked over at Elijah, who was staring intently down at the desktop. "She died in 1821. How did you even find her body?"
"I maybe, kind of blackmailed Hayley into finding out where she was buried." Sophie admitted sheepishly as she looked away from her friends piercing gaze and Imogen scoffed out an unbelieving laugh as she pushed herself up from the couch to stand with her hands on her hips.
"Wow. Blackmail and grave robbing. The felonies keep piling up!"
"So, I bribed Hayley to read his journals, and then I dug her ass up so I could consecrate her bones and absorb her power. We only have a couple more weeks to complete the Harvest. And if we fail, the witches are done for in this town. Our power will fade for good. That includes you, Imogen. Those girls sacrificed will never resurrect. My niece will never come back. If digging up some creepy old bones means I get Monique back, I don't care about anything else!"
"Davina lives! I don't care about anything else!" Imogen shouted back at her as her blue eyes narrowed at the other witch, anger rolling off of her as she stood tense in the middle of the room.
"They'll be later reborn during the Reaping. Didn't you learn anything in class?"
"I thought the Harvest was bullshit. I had more interesting things to be doing."
"What? Like Toby McLaughlin?" Sophie called after her sarcastically as Imogen started walking towards the exit of the study and the brunette witch waved a hand in the air to show she had heard the taunt but didn't reply.
A small smiled spread across Imogen's lips regardless of the situation because for one small moment it was as though nothing had changed and they were still the same people they used to be instead of who they were now. Sophie and Imogen used to be sisters, close enough to tease or argue without fear of hurting the other. But things were different now and every word was covering a thousand different meanings.
Imogen shook her head to clear the mist of the past as she made her way to Davina's bedroom and she plastered a fake smile on her lips as she slowly opened the door, quietly in case her baby sister was still asleep but the younger girl was wide awake as she entered the room. "Hey, Pixie."
"Did you find out what's wrong with me?" Davina asked in a small voice as she rolled onto her back to look at her sister with a frown and Imogen offered her a smile as she walked over to sit on the edge of the bed.
"According to Sophie Deveraux, you're haemorrhaging magic."
"What? What does that mean?"
"If we are to believe the desperate pleadings of Sophie, you've been holding all the power of the three girls sacrificed in the Harvest ritual and one person was never meant to hold that much power. Apparently, you'll cycle through four stages that represent the four elements that bound together the Harvest." The older witch informed her gently as she took her hand in between both of hers and tucked one of her legs underneath of her as she tried not to look as concerned as she felt.
"The earthquake?" Davina asked nervously in a shaky voice as she pushed back the urge to cry and Imogen brushed a strand of brunette hair out of her eyes as she nodded sadly with a small quirk of her lips.
"Yes. And the vomiting up dirt. Earth stage comes first. Then comes wind, and since each stage is more intense than the last, let's just say you'll blow the roof off this place. Then after the wind is water. Rain, flood... The last stage is fire, and since it's the last...It will be by far the worst. They want to complete the Harvest."
"No!—"the young girl protested in a panic as she immediately started to sit up, struggling to get the blankets untangled from her legs.
Imogen leant forward as she cupped her sister's face with both of her hands, stopping her from moving as she stared into the watery eyes that matched her own and she rested her forehead against Davina's with a determined expression. "What makes you think I even considered it an option?"
Tears streamed down Davina's cheeks as she closed her eyes tightly, she never wanted this to happen. She never wanted to be the one that put everyone in danger. And now she was at the centre of a catastrophe waiting to happen. If Sophie Deveraux was to be believed, she would end up being the cause of the destruction of New Orleans and killing everyone within the city limits, including Imogen. Guilt coursed through her like a shock wave, making her shake slightly as she wrapped her arms around Imogen's waist and buried her face the crook of her sister's neck so that she wouldn't see the tears.
"I'm not going to let anything happen to you, Pixie. You are the only thing that matters to me and I'm not about to lose you to some stupid outdated ritual in honour of a bunch of dead people." Imogen murmured quietly, her voice riddled with purpose as she placed a hand on the back of Davina's head and she bit the inside of her cheek to stop from crying when she felt her sister's body shaking with silent sobs.
The only thing holding Imogen together was the hope that Sophie was wrong and this was just some drastic version of a witch's sickness, an illness that would be over and done with after a nice long nap. Hope was the little voice inside the back of your mind whispering maybe when it seemed the entire world was shouting no in the loudest voice possible and Imogen was determined to turn that no, that maybe into a yes.
The door to the bedroom opened slowly behind the sisters, making Imogen pull back from the embrace to look at the intruder and she tensed defensibly in case it was someone intent on harming Davina. Rebekah stood in the doorway with a sympathetic frown on her lips as she closed the door behind her and slowly made her way into the bedroom without taking her eyes off of Davina's pale face.
Imogen immediately stood up protectively in front of Davina, shielding her from the Original as she narrowed her eyes and curled her hands into fists as she pulled at the magical thread inside of her. "If you're here to – "
"I'm not." Rebekah interrupted softly as she lifted her gaze to the older brunette, her blue eyes giving away her sincerity and Imogen relaxed slightly as she moved out of the way so that Rebekah could approach Davina.
The Original swallowed roughly against the lump in her throat as she pulled the syringe out of her jacket pocket and Davina's eyes widened in terror as she tried to move as far away from Rebekah as possible. "What – what is that?"
"The more upset you become, the faster you deteriorate. I compelled up some sedative."
"No, no, no!" Davina repeated in protest, her voice rising with panic as she squirmed trying to get out of Rebekah's grasp and looked over at Imogen with tears in her blue eyes.
Rebekah watched as the older witch run around to the other side of the bed, crawling onto the mattress on her knees before pulling the struggling teenager into her arms. She diverted her gaze down to the needle in her hand as not to intrude on the intimate moment between siblings and she cleared her throat with a sympathy frown as she drew Davina's attention back to her. "We keep you calm; we keep you alive, Davina."
A large gush of wind blew through the room, rattling the glass in the window and knocking over one of the painting easels. Davina's breathing was laboured as she struggled to escape her sister's hold and weeping tears streamed down her cheeks as she tried to push away Rebekah's hands. Imogen brunette hair whipped around her in the wind as she held back the tears that filled her eyes when she heard Davina's whimpering protests but she still held onto her sister as Rebekah injected the sedative into the crook of her elbow.
The complaining words died on the tip of Davina's tongue as the medication started to take effect, her eyes fluttering closed as unconsciousness took over her and the winds stopped blowing shortly afterwards as the young witch collapsed into her sisters arms.
Imogen pulled Davina's body tighter against her body as she exhaled shakily, guilt causing her to close her eyes so that she didn't have to see the sympathetic look on Rebekah's face. Nothing in her life had prepared her for the torment of watching Davina in so much pain, in so much strive. She wanted this to be easy, to be simple, but it wasn't and she had the feeling nothing was going to be easy or simple ever again.
Elijah stared up at the empty balcony above, the closest point to Davina's bedroom that was visible from where he was standing in the middle of the courtyard and a faint frown played on the edge of his lips. "We sedated her too heavily."
"Well, if this is her sedated, I'd hate to see her otherwise." Klaus quipped from behind him, amusement and irritation lacing his voice in equal measure as he picked up a chair that had been knocked over by the wind. "We all agreed that Davina must be sacrificed. There's no need to let her blow the roof off our heads in the meantime."
"No way! You're not touching her!" Marcel's voice shouted from the balcony above, drawing both of the Originals attention as he jumped over the metal railing and landed on the ground before immediately punching Klaus in the face angrily.
"Okay, I'll let you have that one." The hybrid consented in an annoyed tone as he rubbed his cheek with his hand and narrowed his light blue eyes at the enraged vampire in front of him.
"Marcel, no one wishes to see Davina come to harm less than I, but there is no scenario here in which we simply wait this out. She's going to die." Elijah said sadly as he placed a hand on the younger vampire's chest to stop him from attacking, his oak brown eyes filled with regret.
"According to Sophie, the witch who screwed over everybody here." Marcel snapped heatedly as he roughly shoved the Originals hand away from his chest and narrowed his blazing dark brown eyes the mere suggestion.
"The Harvest was working before it was stopped. If a nonbeliever like Sophie Deveraux can come to have faith that these girls will be resurrected, then I, also, am a believer."
"I saved Davina from the Harvest, and now you want me to just hand her over? You want Imogen to hand her over? How do you think that's going to work out for everyone? How many people are going to go down trying to get by Imogen?"
Elijah sucked in a sharp breath at the mention of the older Claire sister, his lips turning down into a frown as he stepped back from the dark skinned vampire as though he had been burnt. The idea of hurting Imogen in any way, shape or form was afflicting him more than he desired but the destruction of the French Quarter was a matter that couldn't be taken lightly.
"Do you think that I'm happy about this? If the witches complete the Harvest, not only do they regain their power, we lose our weapon against them." Klaus reminded him angrily as he stalked forward a few steps until he was right in front of Marcel and then immediately softened when he saw the utter heartbreak in his adopted son's eyes.
There were only a few people in the world that Niklaus Mikaelson cared about, but Marcel Gerard was definitely one of them and to see the hopelessness plaguing the younger vampire made him want to fix the problem. But he knew that it was indeed a hopeless endeavour. "The earthquake I was willing to chalk up to hideous coincidence, but these winds? If Davina is not sacrificed, then every inch of earth that shook, everything blowing about now will soon be drenched in water and consumed by fire."
"Oh! Now you care about the city." Marcel retorted sharply as he used his hands to gesture wildly towards the hybrid in front of him and he scoffed under his breath as he started walking backwards, away from the glare Klaus directed at him.
"We ought to. We built it. And we all saw it burnt to the ground twice. I will not let that happen again. Do I make myself clear?"
The former king stared at him blankly for a moment, hiding his emotions from the hybrid with a mask he had mastered a long time along. He shook his head to himself as he waved a hand dismissively in the air and glared once more at Klaus before turning on his heel, angrily making his way towards the stairs that lead to the second floor.
The empty hallway made his heavy footsteps echo as he headed straight towards Davina's bedroom, where he saw two male vampires standing guard outside the door and he spared them a brief glace as he snuck into the bedroom.
An unconscious Davina was lying in the middle of the bed, a ghastly pale complexion as her brunette hair spread out on the pillow beneath her like a halo and an IV line connected to a drip set up besides the bed. Imogen sat next to her on one of the armchairs that had been moved to the bedside, one of her hands clasping one of her sisters and the other nestled under her chin as her eyes drifted closed in exhaustion.
Imogen lifted her head up to look over her shoulder as he walked further into the room, his arms crossed over his chest as he looked down at Davina with a concerned frown on his lips. "Marcel. What are you doing here?"
"How is she?" he asked her, ignoring the question completely as he looked over at her and Imogen sighed heavily as she turned her attention back to her little sister with the same miserable expression on her face.
"Rebekah set up an IV sedative. Apparently, she used to be a nurse. I honestly didn't see that one coming. She doesn't seem like the type. Davina's not going to get better. The only reason it's not blowing wind like a hurricane right now is because she's passed out. What am I going to do, Marcel? What am I going to do?"
Marcel watched helplessly as one of the strongest women he knew broke down in tears, leaning her head on her sister stomach as her shoulder shook with silent sobs and he slowly walked over to crouched down next to her armchair. She turned into his embrace almost immediately, resting her head on his shoulder as she cried and he cradled the back of her head with one hand as he forced himself not to cry along with her.
There was nothing he could say to help her through this. All he could do was hold her as she cried, listen to her as she ranted and be there for her through the trails that were sure to be coming. The thought of losing Davina was breaking his heart, but he knew that it would be a thousand times worse for Imogen.
"Alright, that's it." Marcel muttered under his breath as he pulled back from the embrace, stood up from the crouch as he pressed a lingering kiss to Imogen's forehead and she sniffled slightly as she wiped the fallen tears from her cheeks with the back of her hand.
"What are you doing?" she asked him curiously as she gracefully raised from the armchair with a frown and he stole a glance at her as he carefully removed the IV from the crook of her elbow but didn't respond.
"Hey. Klaus said not to—" one of the vampire guards started to protest as they stepped forward, ready to stop the former king and Imogen instantly gathered some of the magic settled in her stomach as she held her hand out towards them. Both of the vampires instantly gripped their heads in pain as the witch continuously gave them aneurisms, popping the blood vessels in their brains and let them heal before repeating the same treatment.
"I'm done caring what Klaus says." Marcel informed them darkly as he used his vampire speed to run behind them, snapping their necks one before the other and Imogen let her magic let go as she slowly dropped her hand back to her side.
"What's going on?" the witch asked in confusion as she watched him walked back over to the bedside and carefully slid his arms underneath Davina's petite body as he lifted her up off of the bed.
"We're getting out of here."
The distant sound of water hitting something was the first thing Davina heard when she came back into consciousness, the world was still dark but a cold breeze washed over her and she shivered slightly as she blinked open her eyes. Thunder resonated through the room as she moaned in the back of her throat, turning her head to look at the stacks of unperishable food stored against the wall and she heard indistinguishable voices coming from far away like they were coming from underwater. Confusion washed over her as she looked around the storage locker with an anxious frown on her lips until she gaze landed on Imogen standing across the room next to Marcel and she immediately sat up straight in the makeshift bed, furious that he had the nerve to be within a mile of her sister after what he did to them.
"Get away from her!" Davina shouted angrily as she outstretched her arm in front of her body, barely having to reach out for her magic because it was overflowing her veins and she telekinetically threw him against the metal wall behind the pair.
Marcel groaned in pain as he landed on the concrete ground at Imogen's feet and he pushed himself back up onto his feet as the witch stifled a laugh, making him glare at her playfully before turning his attention back to Davina with his hands raised in surrender. "I'm not gonna hurt you."
"I don't believe you! You want to kill me, just like everyone else."
"Marcel's the one who asked me to put a protection spell on you, Davina. That's why Tim's dead and you're not." Imogen interjected quickly as she stepped forward next to Marcel with a reassuring smile on her lips and Davina's frown deepened as she looked at her sister in confusion, her blue eyes brimming with tears.
"And before you throw me again, if I had known anything was gonna happen to your friend, I would have protected him, too." Marcel hurried to add when he saw her anger falter at her sister's comforting words and he glanced at Imogen as she placed a hand on his arm for a moment when she pasted him.
"You're the one who saved me?" Davina asked in surprise as she looked at him with wide eyes, curiosity building inside of her and she looked over at her older sister as she gracefully sat down on the edge of the makeshift bed before turning her focus back to Marcel.
"Yeah, but now the witches are even more worked up and ready to complete the Harvest, so I had to take you away."
"So you could use me as a weapon?"
"I'm trying to keep you safe." He insisted firmly as he took a step closer to the two girls, his dark brown eyes sweeping over them as they huddled together on the mattress and his heart constricted in his chest at the pain in both of their eyes. "Davina, look at me. I messed up. I've already spoken to Imogen, but I haven't apologised to you. All this power that you have, it gave me an advantage. It helped me punish the witches, and it let me run the city, and I let that mean too much. All right? But that's over with now. One survivor to another, all I want to do is keep you alive, I swear."
Davina stared at him for a moment in silence, her eyes glistening with unshed tears as she thought back over his words. They sounded sincere. They sounded apologetic. And Imogen wasn't maiming him where he stood, so maybe it was true. Marcel had saved her life, had sat with her as she cried in the attic after the Harvest, after she had been separated from Imogen. Maybe he had betrayed her, used her but she still loved him despite everything. After all, he and Imogen were long she had left in the world.
Thunder crashed outside the warehouse, causing Davina to jump in surprise as she snapped her head around to look at the opening of the storage area and she sucked in a sharp breath as she tried to stop herself from crying. "I'm scared. I don't know what's wrong with me."
Imogen exhaled shakily as she looked away from her sister for a moment before focusing her attention on Davina, taking one of her hands and plastering a smile on her lips as she leaned her forehead against her sister's temple. "You're not alone. We'll fix this."
"You won't let them hurt me?"
"No. Nobody's gonna touch you." Marcel assured her soothingly as he sat down on the edge of the makeshift bed in front of them and rested his hands on Davina's shoulders as he tried not to cry at the devastated expression on her face.
The younger witch's lip trembled as she threw herself into the vampires' arms, her face buried in the crook of his neck and he held her tightly as he closed his eyes in relief that she had forgiven him, hopelessness over the situation and to keep the tears from falling.
A tear ran down Imogen's cheek as she looked away from the pair, covering her mouth with her hand to stifle the sob from escaping her lips. No family was perfect, they argue and they fight. Even stop talking to one another at times, but in the end family was family and the love was still there. Family wasn't always blood. It was the people in your life who want you in theirs, the ones who accepted you for who you are. The ones who would do anything to see you smile and who love you no matter what. This was her family, right in front of her. Davina and Marcel.
"Hey, hey, hey. Come here." Marcel murmured softly as he gently pulled on Imogen's elbow until she overbalanced and tumbled into his arms with a startled laugh escaping her as Davina giggled along. A broad grin spread across the vampire's lips at the sound of their laughter as he wrapped his arms around both of them and Imogen rested her head on his shoulder as her arm wrapped around her sister's waist.
A round of coughing broke through the peaceful moment and the adults both pulled back to look at Davina in concern as she bent over the edge of the makeshift bed. Imogen gently rubbed circles on her back as she held back her brunette hair and shared an anxious frown with Marcel over the top of Davina's head.
"Alright, time to lie down, Pixie." Imogen whispered once the coughing had subsided, gently pushing Davina backwards until she was lying down on her back with her head on the pillow. Marcel rested one hand on the side of Davina's head, soothing her hair back from her face as he wrapped his opposite arm around Imogen's waist.
"If I can just wait it out a few more weeks... Help me, please?" Davina asked in a broken whisper as she looked up at the two people she loved most in the world pleadingly, her blue eyes threatening to leak tears.
"We will, and when it's over, I'll do what I should have done – get you both out of town." Marcel promised her determinedly as he subconsciously tightened his hold on the older brunette and she nodded along with his words as she reached out to grip Davina's hand in her own.
"We'll get an apartment somewhere. Anywhere you want. Paris. London. New York. Or somewhere small in backwater Pennsylvania." Imogen told her in a falsely cheerful voice as she tried her best to smile like nothing was wrong, even though she felt like she was falling apart inside. "You can finish high school. Go to art school. Meet boys. College. Anything you want. You can be anything you want."
Davina closed her eyes for a moment, letting herself believe in the picture her sister words had inspired even though she knew it was a pointless attempt. She breathed out shakily as she opened her eyes, looking at the adults in front of her and tried to smile encouragingly as she gripped Imogen's hand. "I had a dream that Tim wasn't dead. He played a song that he wrote for me, and he kissed me, and we were just normal."
"That sounds like a beautiful dream." A familiar female voice stated sadly from the doorway, causing the occupants to look over at Rebekah in shock and Imogen stood up protectively in front Davina as she curled her hands into fists at her side.
"What are you doing here?" the older Claire sister asked defensibly as she gathered the magical energy resting idly in her veins but Rebekah ignored her as she stepped further into the room with a sympathetic frown.
"But it was just a dream."
"Get out!" Marcel shouted at her in a distressed voice as he stood up in front of both of the witches, ready to defend the girls in case Rebekah felt the need to forcibly collect Davina for the Harvest ritual.
A strangled cry escaped Davina's lips as she arched her back in pain and she launched herself over the edge of the bed at the waist as Imogen climbed onto the mattress behind her. Water spilled from Davina's mouth as she coughed roughly, her shoulders heaving and her older sister gather her brunette hair back from her face so that it didn't get in the way.
Marcel jumped to his feet in shock as he frowned in confusion and Rebekah stumbled forward a few feet with a grimace on her lips as she watched. "This is killing her. Your stubbornness will mean her death."
"I promised her I'd fight for her. I'm not breaking that promise."
"No one is asking you not to fight. You two are the only family that this girl has. You owe it to her to fight for her to live."
"Hey! If neither of you can say anything helpful, leave!" Imogen snapped at them both angrily as she looked over at them with a scowl on her lips and the former king instantly fell to his knees next to the young sister as he rested his hand on her back comfortingly, hoping to levitate some of her stress.
Davina panted for breath once the waterfall erupting from her mouth had come to an end, her whole body shaking with sobs as she collapsed back into Imogen's arms and Marcel quickly got a towel from the side of the storage unit to dry her now saturated clothes. He sat down on the mattress next to the witches as he wrapped the towel around Davina's shoulders and pulled the teen into his arms, cradling her to his chest as Imogen knelt next to him with her hand grasping her sisters.
"Imogen, Marcel, it's okay." Davina assured them in a weak voice as she leaned her head on the vampire's shoulder, tears streaming down her cheeks and Imogen shook her head in denial as she sniffled back her own tears.
"No. I failed you." the older witch murmured in a devastated tone as she closed her eyes, not wanting to see the acceptance in her little sister eyes because this wasn't something she wanted to accept.
"I'll die whether I do this or not. I mean, now the only option is – is whether I take everyone with me. If you look at it that way, it's kind of selfish not to do it."
"You can be selfish. I'm totally supportive of you being selfish. Right, Marcel?" Imogen asked with a forced playfulness as she looked up at the vampire, a small smile on her lips even though tears were rolling down her cheeks.
"There has to be another way. This is not how it ends." Marcel said firmly with a shake of his head as he tightened his hold on the young brunette and leaned his forehead against her temple as he tried not to let his own emotions overwhelm him.
"And if it is... If this is all I have, I've had a lot. I had Monique, and I had Tim, and I had someone who fought for me from the moment you met me." Davina stated resolutely as she looked up at Marcel with a sad smile on her lips, absolute affection in her eyes and he exhaled sharply as a single tear rolled down his cheek while he shook his head silently.
The younger witch turned her attention to the other brunette with such affection in her blue eyes that Imogen's heart clenched in her chest and she leaned her head on Marcel's other shoulder as her lower lip trembled. "And I had someone that loved me more than they loved themselves."
"Please stop." Imogen whispered to herself, speaking to the universe or the spirits of the ancestors or god, anyone who would listen in her time of need. She didn't feel strong enough for this. She felt like she was crumbling, falling to pieces from the inside out.
"Most people don't get that even if they live to be a hundred."
"This isn't fair. None of this is fair." The older sister murmured under her breath, anger taking over her body as she stood up abruptly from the makeshift bed and she covered her mouth with both hands to stifle the scream that escaped her lips. She dropped her hands to her sides helplessly as she spun around to face her little sister and she fell to her knees in the puddle of water beside the bed. "You deserve to live, Davina. None of this is your fault. I – I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry."
"It's not your fault, Immy. Everything you did, you did for me. You gave up your childhood to raise me. You gave up your happiness for mine. You took someone's life to save mine more than once. No one could've asked for a better mother." Davina told her honestly as tears cascaded down her cheeks with a sad smile on her lips and Imogen leaned her forehead on her sister's lap as she sobbed brokenheartedly, those words shattering her already weakened heart. "I love you. I love you, mom."
"Oh, god." She mumbled, her voice muffled by the material of Davina' blanket and she slowly lifted her head to look at her sister with a shaky smile as she sniffled. She lifted Davina's hand up to her lips, pressing a kiss to the palm and then leaning into it as she tried not to burst into tears once more. "I love you too. So much."
"I'm ready." Davina admitted in determination, without taking her eyes off of her sister face and Imogen nodded once in understanding when Marcel looked over at her for confirmation with tears in his dark brown eyes.
Lightning illuminated the night sky as rain poured down from the thunderclouds overhead, leaving the occupants of Lafayette Cemetery drenched from head to toe. The Mikaelson siblings and Hayley stood off to the side of the cement alter underneath umbrellas, watching Sophie carefully lie the last of the already sacrificed Harvest girls down on the ground.
None of them wanted to be there, none of them wanted to watch an innocent girl get her throat slit but they knew it was for the best that the Harvest be completed. A wealth of natural disasters were not worth one person's life, no matter how young or innocent.
Flames erupted near the entrance of the cemetery, causing everyone to snap their heads around in surprise and Sophie sucked in a sharp breath as she watched the wild flames grow higher with each mausoleum passed. "Fire."
After a drawn out moment filled with only the sound of fire crackling in the distance and raindrops hitting the pavement, Imogen and Marcel appeared from around the corner with Davina cradled in the former king's arms.
The flames followed after them in a trail that licked at Marcel's heels as they walked towards the alter and Imogen used the free hand that wasn't holding her sister's to roughly push a strand of saturated hair out of her eyes. The brunette hair was stuck to her forehead as she reluctantly allowed Davina to release her hand and Marcel set the younger girl down on her feet on the cement altar where the three deceased girls were placed.
Sophie held the ceremonial athame over the flames inside one of the ceramic monuments with a determined expression before she stepped up onto the altar and walked over to stand right in front of Davina.
Imogen let her tears flow freely down her cheeks, glad that the rain hid them from view and she allowed Marcel to pull her into his arms because he was the only thing keeping her from collapsing onto her knees.
"Do you believe in the harvest?" Sophie asked the teenage girl, her voice unwavering as she looked into Davina's blue eyes and swallowed back her own fear as she lifted her chin with confidence she didn't necessarily feel.
Davina turned her head to glance over her shoulder at Marcel and Imogen behind her as she offered them a half-hearted upturn of her lips and then looked back at Sophie as she nodded her head nervously, "I believe."
One the words had left her lips, Sophie raised the sharpened blade to the base of the young witch's throat and she swallowed roughly as she used her strength to drag the knife across Davina's neck. A line of scarlet red blood appeared as the Claire witch gasped in shock and reached up to clutch the wound as she stumbled backwards on shaky legs.
Marcel dropped his arm from around Imogen as she let out a horrified sound and he grabbed Davina around the waist before she could fall, slowly lowering them both to the ground. A strangled gargle passed Davina's lips as her blue eyes went wide, blood appeared on her parted lips and Imogen collapsed onto her knees as she crawled over to her sisters' side with a dismayed cry vibrating from her chest.
The light in the younger girl's once bright blue eyes faded into a deadened glaze as she stopped breathing and every vampire in attendance listened intently to the faint thump, thump, thump of her heart until it stopped completely.
"No, no, no, no." Imogen stuttered lowly as she cupped Davina's blank face in between her hands, devastation clear on the face and Marcel held back a sob as he gently closed the deceased girl's eyelids.
The rain abruptly stopped pouring from above and the fire slowly faded into embers but Imogen didn't notice as she stared at her sister's blank face. Davina's tan skin began glowing gold as the magic contain inside of her since the beginning of the Harvest moved down her arm and then flowed back into the earth.
"Hey." Marcel whispered cautiously as he glanced over at Imogen with a small frown on his lips and she looked over at him with a distraught expression that nearly tore him apart even more so than he was already. "We have to move her. Put with the other girls."
The brunette stared at him blankly for a long moment, then nodded jerkily as she pushed herself away from her sister's body and sat on the concrete ground with one knee brought up to her chest. Marcel carefully lifted Davina's body into his arms, his dark brown eyes glued to the girls face and he carried her up onto the altar before lying her down next to the other Harvest girls.
"After the Harvest comes the Reaping. Their sacrifices made and accepted. We call upon our Elders to resurrect the chosen ones." Sophie recited in a voice mixture with hope and resolve as she stood over the sacrificed teenagers, her dark eyes focusing on the peaceful expression on her nieces face.
There was nothing but eerie silence following her words, the wind subtly blowing in the background of the ritual. Marcel crossed his arms over his chest with a worried frown on his lips when nothing happened and Imogen leant forward slightly in hopeful anticipation as the Originals looked around at each other uneasily.
Sophie let out a disgruntled sigh as she looked up at the sky, her eyes pleading with the spirit of her ancestors she couldn't see and she cleared her throat carefully with a frown on her lips. "We call upon our Elders to resurrect the chosen ones... "
Imogen around wildly as though someone would appear out of thin air and fix everything that had gone wrong with the Harvest, her lips trembling uncontrollably. She rolled forward onto her knees at the base of the altar as she clasped her hands in front of her chest and she pursed her lips into a straight line as she closed her eyes tightly. "Resurrect your chosen ones... Please?"
Everyone looked over at her in surprise, even though they knew she would do anything for her little sister and when nothing happened in response to her pleading she bowed her head in dejection as her body wracked with sobs. Sophie fell to her knees in despair next to her niece's body, her cries mixing with Imogen's in the silent night air and gripped Monique's dress in her clenched fists as she leaned her forehead on her stomach.
The Claire witch wrapped an arm around her stomach, trying to keep herself from completely falling apart at the seams as she bent over at the waist so her forehead touched the wet concrete ground. Her chest was constricting with pain, feeling like her heart was literally breaking in half and her skin felt like it was on fire, each and other touch five times stronger than normal.
She felt like she was floating outside her body. Like she was staring down at herself as she lost control and finally snapped. After everything she had been through in her short life, she finally broke into a million pieces. And she didn't care who witnessed her breakdown. She had been acting so strong for so long that she didn't know how to handle it when her world collapsed around her.
The sound of the two witches sobbing was the only sound in the cemetery as Imogen sat back up straight with tears streaming down her cheeks and she crawled up the concrete steps of the altar, her vision blurring with water. Her shaking hands gently lifted Davina's head into her lap, the younger girl's face completely vacant of emotion and she wept brokenheartedly as she carefully traced down the side of her sister's cheek.
Imogen didn't know how to live without Davina. The concept was impossible for her to grasp.