The Abbatoir.
So close, yet so far away. The taste of freedom was that of a sweet apple grown into perfection, but it was snatched away after the first bite, tossed into the trash and spoiled. Elena was so close to her exit and yet, something dragged her back. She thought beyond Hayley's kidnapping -the sole reason for their return- and delved into the inner workings of the universe, how everything happened for reason and it would seem it wasn't ready for her to be done with New Orleans just yet.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Fight Night! And, the first rule of Fight Night is: the vampire left standing at the end of the night is one step closer to the inner circle, and one of these--[He holds up the hand on which he wears his ring]-- a daylight ring. If you can impress me with a little ultra-violence, you too can enjoy the warmth of the sun on your face. All you got to do is kick a little ass. Here we go," Marcel announced across the entire courtyard of vampires, many had come to partake if only for the promise of a daylight ring.
But the festivities were brought to an abrupt end when Klaus and Elijah raced inside, bypassing the crowd and taking a firm spot in the centre of the courtyard. To prove a point, the hybrid came behind the first contender, snapping her neck and joining by Elijah's side.
"Good evening! I'd like a word," Klaus demanded with his typical malicious smirk and dark facade draped around him.
"What do you think you're doing?" Marcel was impatient, tested in his position as King and he would not stand down.
"It appears that we've interrupted a collection of filthy amateurs," Elijah, his evil and violent intent ever hidden behind his noble and collected self, "We've come here for the girl. Give her to us, or we kill everyone here... starting with you."
"You two got a lot of nerve, coming into my home and making demands," the need for dominance was apparent and he became defensive.
"Your home, is it?" Klaus plastered the fakest of smiles on his lips and gave a look of disapproval.
"The girl!" Elijah expressed angrily, "I will not ask again."
"I assume you're talking about Hayley? Yea high, dark hair, bitchy attitude? Who is she, anyway?"
"She's an old friend. You know how sentimental I am about old friends," there was a warning in his tone of voice, threatening and malicious, he would not stop until he saw Hayley returned.
The room was brought to a sudden standstill when a blast of wind swept through it and Elena sped into the courtyard, she appeared on the balcony before Marcel and sent him hurling back with an effortless push.
"Where is she, Marcel?" She yelled, eyes blackened and veins darkening, "And i'm warning you, I'm in no mood for lying."
She suddenly heard three of the fight club vampires attempt to speed towards her to defend their King but it took mere seconds for Klaus and Elijah to subdue them with a snap of their necks. Elena looked to them momentarily and they seemed pleasantly surprised by her return, dare she think, they looked happy. God!
"I'm glad you came back," Marcel said flirtatiously as he darted in front of her, attempting to intimidate by closing their distance, but it was not met in kind.
A small growl rumbled in her throat and in the blur of vampire speed, she grabbed his neck and lifted him from the ground to slam him against the stone wall behind him. He tried to free himself from her grip but she only shoved him back harder, which he didn't like, "I'm older and stronger than you, Elena,"
"Well, I'm feeling particularly violent and psychotic this evening, considering I'm currently supposed to be on a plane about now, so I'm at a clear advantage," She glared, tightening her grip more, "where is she?"
"I haven't got her," he admitted, allowing his body to relax and hang more loosely in an act of submission.
"Swear to me, Marcel."
"I swear! I wouldn't lie to you now, would I?" Although he meant that to come across as light-hearted and playful, she could still see he was serious and maybe she hadn't fully considered the impact she had on him either. Didn't care too.
She stared at him for a long moment before she flicked his neck free from her grip. She sped back to the courtyard, taking a place beside Klaus and with a look of relief and somewhat concern, he slipped his arm around her shoulders protectively and hovered near her, "you came back."
"Well, clearly you're all lost without me," she flashed him a smirk and their gaze was unbroken for a long moment as he pulled her in that touch closer.
His possessive nature was apparent, what looked like a kind and warm gesture -holding her so protectively- it wasn't, he was showing Marcel that the doppelgänger was his, her mind, strength and cunning belonged to him and she wouldn't be swayed by someone as futile as Marcel.
The three of them stood firm in their position, there wasn't a single move made against them and she had to admit, only to herself, that their was something empowering by standing with them, held in the arm of the hybrid that was meant to express that she was untouchable.
And no-one would dare to touch her now.
"Well, I ain't got her. And before you start whining, I did pay her a little visit earlier tonight. I was feeling nostalgic, so I took a trip out to the plantation where I used to be a slave. And, imagine my surprise when I realized that the Original family of vampires had taken up residence. Your girl, Hayley, answered the door, we exchanged hellos, that was it," he gestured his hand beside him, giving it a light sweep and dismissing them further.
"You don't believe me? Look around. Hell, I'll even help you find her. But the question that I'd ask is: if Hayley isn't here, then where is she?"
They sat around a table in the courtyard, watching as the vampires -the riff raff- all milled around and watched them with a careful eye. Elena found it far too amusing that they thought they stood even a modicum of a chance against the Original Family.
"Not the most attractive community, are they?" Elijah commented with an amusing judgy tone that she appreciated.
"I've seen more class in the Bayou," she retorted, both of them sharing in a look of amusement.
"You do realize they can hear you?"
"You do realize I don't care, Niklaus."
"Perhaps it will encourage them to partake in basic hygiene," she paused, tilting her head slightly as she inspected each of them as a whole, disappointingly, "and maybe a shopping trip."
They all looked at each other with a smile and they huddled in closer as Marcel walked towards them with several vampires at his back and the witch, Sabine.
"You know, Elijah, I liked you better in that box," he turned to look at Klaus, "But Klaus, my sire, you I owe the world, and I always show respect to my elders. If your special lady friend is missing, you could benefit from the help of a witch. And, since I control all the witches in this town, I'll grant you one little locator spell. Sabine's the best guide in the Quarter. Need to find someone? I guarantee, she's your girl."
Marcel turned to Elena, his serious demeanour dissipated and his usual charming grin curled up on his lips, "you're not still mad at me, are you, sweetheart?"
"Hardly," she said with a hint of spite and malice in her tone of voice and she folded her arms.
"I'd take that as a yes, Marcellus," Elijah clarified, radiating his strength and nobility and it clearly annoyed Marcel.
"And I feel I should warn you, our lovely Elena can be quite creative in her attack," when it came to Marcel and his flirtation, Klaus was possessive, asserting his claim on Elena and she thought it to be petty and out of character for him, maybe it was because she came back when she didn't have too, further proving her loyalty, "I've had to face the brunt of her wickedness and although I enjoy it, you will not."
"I'll make it up to you," he promised with a quick wink and sheepish grin, before he turned around and went to the exit.
"Where are you going?" Klaus quickly interjected, confused.
"I hate to cut this short, but the sun's coming up soon. My nightwalkers need to get inside, and I have got a city to run. I'll leave you to track down your lost sheep."
Elijah turned to look at Sabine, his concern growing, "Can you find her?"
"I can try."
The Bayou.
Sabine had managed to track down Hayley through her locator spell and blood connection Klaus had to the unborn baby growing in her stomach. She discovered she was in the back country. Way up past Houma and deep in the Bayou. Much to Elena's disappointment, she found herself on another mission through the wetland with the Original Brothers.
After a few hours of traipsing through the bayou with Klaus and Elijah, she found herself becoming excruciatingly bored and frustrated. It stretched for miles on end and there was many ways they could find themselves lost in the endless maze and hidden areas that seemingly saw them go around in circles.
She trudged through the leaves, dampened soil, branches and rocks, each leaving a mark on her once perfect Dior boots and she couldn't help but stop for a moment, frowning at the condition of them.
"Keep up, Elena," Klaus called out to her from atop a hill a short distance away and she huffed in response. He sped towards her, stopping just a foot away from her and raised his eyebrow, "please tell me you didn't stop to check the condition of your shoes?"
"Well," she huffed once again, her displeasure apparent as she popped her leg and pointed to her shoes, showcasing each damaged mark in full view, "can you blame me? Look at them! It's so sad."
He smirked in astonished amusement, "If I promise to buy you however many pair of shoes you desire, will you be so kind as to, hurry up?"
"I'm gonna circle around, we'll cover more ground if we split up," she glanced around the endless trees and bushes, finding another path to venture through before turning to face him with a smirk, "and yes, as a matter of fact, my compliance was always so easily bought at the promise of new shoes."
"And after all this time, she finally relents," He said with a wicked grin, pleased, "but I would prefer if you stay with me, we don't know who has Hayley and you could be putting yourself in danger."
"Spare me the feigned concern, Klaus, since when did you care for my safety?" She bit back.
"I would be less than satisfied if someone else killed you," he wasn't lying but it wasn't the whole truth either, "after months of torture, I feel I am owed the honour."
She simply tutted before vanishing from the area and he was left surprised at how abrupt she had been. No fightback or sarcastic comment to match, just a quick departure without so much as a second thought. Intriguing.
Elena made sure to double-back and take a different turn, the endless trees and overgrown foliage made it hard to differentiate between a place she had previously checked or if she was somewhere new. It all looked the same in some ways but she was starting to pick up on the subtle differences, the pattern of the foliage and the placement of the trees until she came across a clearing. This was definitely new and there was a scent in the area that she wasn't familiar with, it wasn't a vampire or a witch and she started slowly walking around, taking it all in when...
"Elena?!" A familiar voice blurted from behind her, it was shocked, surprised, astonished and she spun around, taking him in full view and she smiled coldly.
"Tyler," She took a few steps forward, tucking her hand in the pockets of her black trench coat and tilting her head slightly, "why are you here?"
"Funny, I was just about to ask you the same question," he went on the defence, "Caroline told me you left town, she wouldn't tell anyone any of the details about your departure but I was not expecting to find you here."
"I quite fancied the endless supply of tourists and cheap liquor," Her eyes were cold and her tone of voice was filled with a wicked delight. But that soon faded and turned into a defensive contemplation, "wait, don't tell me, you're the one who has Hayley?"
"How do you know Hayley?" He was quick to respond, his confusion heightening as he thought more into her surprise appearance and what potential place she could have in New Orleans. But it was obvious, painfully so, why Caroline wouldn't divulge her secrets and the only other connection she had to NOLA was in the form of the one family she knew well enough to travel too, "No..." he drawled shockingly and pensively.
Tyler had been her long time friend, they were children when they met. They played together, learned together, went to the same schools and their parents had been friends. He knew she was switched off but this felt like a betrayal, this family terrorised their lives, Klaus killed him and made him a hybrid, banished him from his home and set him on a path of eternal running for fear of his life. And to see her, standing in front of him, defending Hayley and them, he was hurt, angry...
"You couldn't possibly be here with them!" He yelled, louder than he had intended but he was in a state of shock.
"And you surely wouldn't be here to go against them?" She sniggered, quietly and humorously, in attempt to rile him up further, "Klaus will kill you without batting an eyelash."
"Are you in trouble, 'Lena? Did they take you?"
"Urgh, your concern is nauseating and misplaced, Tyler, if I didn't want to be here, then I wouldn't be."
"Have you lost your mind?" He yelled, "I know you switched off your humanity, but to do something as stupid and dangerous as involving yourself with them, seriously?!"
"It's actually fun, I think they're growing quite fond of me, it's cute," She scrunched her nose, feigning a sweet and amused expression at the impact she was having on the family, "but I'm bored, Ty, where's Hayley?"
"I can't tell you that, sweetheart."
"Give her to me and I won't kill you, simple."
"Not only am I one of your oldest friends, Elena, I'm a hybrid, I'm stronger," he became defensive, her intent clear and he knew she was all but lost to him. But he didn't know if he would be able to fight her, he still saw the kid that visited his house for dinner, that played with his toys and ran around his back garden carelessly.
"Irrelevant," Her voice was as cold as ice and she took an extra step forward, "there's nothing holding me back and I've got nothing to lose, quite a dangerous combination, wouldn't you say?" She said with a wicked smirk, "Now give Hayley back, I won't ask again."
"Why do you care so much about some werewolf you barely know? And more than me as well? We grew up together!"
"I don't care," She shrugged, "I know, it's weird, we can't figure it out either."
"Then you should probably get back to your new boyfriends, I have somewhere else I need to be."
Just as he turned around to leave, Elena's eyes blackened and the grey veins beneath her eyes crept across her skin, she sped towards him, jumping onto his back and placing both of her hands firmly on either side of his head. Just as she was about to land the neck break, she was sent hurling towards the ground in one swift motion but she found her feet and landed.
Tyler growled and leapt towards her, eyes golden and hybrid nature completely revealed. She picked up a thick tree branch and threw it at him lightening fast, he caught it but it gave her the extra few seconds distraction she needed to dart for him and kick him to the ground.
She wedged her foot against his throat and pushed down hard, he tried to retaliate by plunging the tree branch into her chest but she caught it fast and reciprocated, pushing it down into his stomach and wedging into the ground beneath him. He growled through the pain and he was seething, she only pushed down harder on his throat and watched as he started to become unhinged, "Where is Hayley, Tyler?!" She growled.
He didn't answer, he was far from civilised and he grabbed her leg, tossing her aside like she was as light as a feather and her back crashed against a tree. He pulled out the branch and flung it to the floor, just as she was about to lunge towards him, he zoomed in her path and caught a hold of her shoulders, sinking his teeth into her neck and drawing blood.
A loud gasp burst from her lips and she winced at the contact, when he pulled away, her hand instantly went onto the wound and she was full of shock, "You bit me, you jackass!"
A hybrid bite was stronger than that of your average werewolf bite and the wound was already burning, irritating her skin like someone had threw vervain over her neck but she fought through it, she had too. She went to attack once again but Tyler had the upper hand, he appeared behind her and snapped her neck in an instant, everything turned to an endless abyss of black and her body dropped onto the floor.
The Bayou - Klaus' POV.
A thousand years of building a name for himself, making enemies of those that dared to cross him or bring harm to his family and ensuring that all those who heard his name would quake in fear, yet the concern he felt for the safety of his unborn child made him the one to fear and quake.
He was like a fine painting, the intricate workings of each stroke clearly defined as it expressed the inner workings of the masterpiece, just like each of the dark thoughts and feelings he possessed, they contained a more complex sense of his inner workings.
But the darkest of all of his thoughts and feelings...
Niklaus Mikaelson was many things, fearless, monstrous, void of all humanity, prideful, possessive, some would even claim him to be pure evil but only those who truly knew him saw past the well-built wall he hid behind. He craved family, sought only to be never alone, to see the art and beauty the world had to offer and the one thing he wanted, that was far beyond his reach, was to be loved. Whether it be by family, friend, his child or another that truly understood him.
Klaus had found Tyler Lockwood's car abandoned deep in the Bayou and he had separated with his brother to seek him out whilst Elijah looked for Hayley. Once he had the scent of his first sired hybrid, he was easier to track and he followed it.
It was easy to distinguish the differences between his fresher scent than one he had left hours ago but Tyler was fast, he could smell him everywhere, along with the faint mix of werewolf that spread across the entire bayou and the swamp itself.
His phone began ringing in his pocket, he pulled it out and answered it, "Yes, Elijah?"
"Hayley has been found, she is safe and unharmed," Elijah updated, a sense of relief washing over the hybrid in an instant.
"Good, you should take her home, brother, I'm close to finding Tyler and she will be safer there," he paused for a moment, choosing his next words carefully as to avoid sounding like he cared, "take Elena too, I don't want her out here."
"Is Elena not with you?" His growing concern apparent in his tone of voice.
"No..." He trailed off, mind firing, "she didn't circle back to you?"
"No, Niklaus, and it's been over an hour, she would have returned to us by now."
"Find her, brother," he sighed frustratedly and hung up the phone abruptly. A small growl burst from his lips as he slid it back into his pocket and vanished from the area.
He wasn't overly invested in the life of his doppelgänger, he felt a sense of obligation towards her, purely from the arrangement made with his sister but whether he found her dead or alive was of no concern of him. She was strong, she challenged him and she was the most infuriating person he had come across in his thousand years because she still lived, anyone who had behaved in such a manner with him previously, didn't live to tell the tale.
Or perhaps he was just as good at lying to himself as he was with everyone in his life.
He heard the crack of a twig a short distance away, followed by loud thumping footsteps and the all too familiar voice of the one who had betrayed him. The one disappointment and failure in his life and he sped towards him...
"Hayley! Don't make this harder than it has to be! Give up now... I'll end it quick," Tyler spoke, as he searched the wooded area.
Klaus appeared behind him, "Quite an offer! Though, not one I'll be extending to you."
Tyler went instantly defensive, he braced himself for an attack and stood in the position of a beast ready to fight, "Klaus!"
"Hello, Tyler. You look well! I aim to change that," he paused, a smile filled with malice spread on his lips as he walked towards him, "Threatening a pregnant girl in order to exact revenge against me? I never expected you to sink so low! I admit, I'm impressed!"
"I used to hang out with you. I guess something must have rubbed off," for every step Klaus took towards him, he took one back and created a larger distance between them.
All Klaus ever wanted was to break his curse, sire an army of hybrids and create a family of his own. He feared being alone, to face an eternity of misery without someone by his side but the hybrids had been a severe disappointment, especially his first sired. Now he had his family returned to him, the promise of his own child and her, he couldn't care less about creating more of them.
"Where is Elena, Tyler?"
"Elena's here?" He played dumb, but Klaus was no fool, he saw right through him and it only angered him further. He could smell Elena on him, the sweet smell of the doppelgänger blood that coursed through her veins, the smell he was all too familiar with and his lies angered him further, "I had no idea."
Klaus' face went cold, his patience dwindled and in the blur of vampire speed, he grabbed Tyler and threw him with force into a nearby tree. His back hit the trunk with a thud and he groaned as he hit the floor.
"Where is she?" His voice was loud, rage unchecked and he grabbed his throat in an instant.
"Why do you care about what happens to Elena? Last time I checked, you were the monster that ruined her life," he antagonised, pushing the Original hybrid further to rile him up.
"She has proven herself useful in her emotionless state, quite the devious mastermind and you know how much I appreciate a good fighter," he paused to smile maliciously, "especially when they don't disappoint."
"She hates you, you know," last attempt at getting to him and it worked, he had considered this a few times and it did effect him more than he would admit, "or at least, she will when she switches it back on. She may show you loyalty now, that's just who she is, but the second she's back, she'll not only be ashamed of herself for helping you, she'll hate herself."
"I couldn't care less, once her emotions are back, she is of no consequence to me," lie, "now, tell me where she is, I won't ask again."
"Dead, somewhere in a clearing over that way," he pointed to his right, "or she will be, very soon."
Klaus, overcome with rage, glared mercilessly at Tyler and just as he was about to attack, Tyler sped away last minute. A small smile crept on his lips as he relished in the chase, the predator stalking his prey and beginning his hunt.
The Bayou - Elena's POV.
Elena's eyes slowly started to open, the glimpse of light in the crack between her eyelids stung as the sun pierced like a thousand needles. She groaned as she felt the pain in her neck and a sharp twinge in her stomach. In her weakened state, she couldn't move, couldn't free herself of the ropes that bound her hands around the tree and the branch that was impaled in her stomach.
She was going to kill Tyler Lockwood!
She was slipping in and out of consciousness, the more she felt the venom course through her veins and the throbbing headache alone was enough to think her brain was about to explode. But between the sound of her own erratic heartbeat and the blood rushing to her head, she heard him...
"Death offers more peace than you deserve. It's better to let you live. And each morning, you will wake knowing your wretched existence continues only by my will," his voice was sinister, dark and he began compulsion, "Now go, and live the rest of your days knowing that you are nothing to me."
Klaus removed his hand from inside Tyler's chest and tossed him aside as if he was nothing, just a thorn in his side that kept getting in his way and he vanished, then he sped towards Elena.
She felt his hands cup her cheeks and he raised her head slightly, checking to see if she was still alive and conscious, which she barely was but enough to know he was there, "Klaus..." she spoke weakly.
It was odd, to see her in such a vulnerable state, on the cusp between life and death and yet, even in her weakened state, riddled with pain, she still radiated strength, didn't care to ask for help or explain what happened. Simply spoke his name like she recognised him in a heartbeat, even between her fainting, she knew it was him, willed it to be him, and he would always come.
"I'm here, sweetheart, I got you," his voice was calm, soothing and oddly, she felt reassured, safe...
He continued to inspect her for wounds and he saw the edge of a violent and irritated puncture mark embedded by her collarbone, he traced his fingers down her neck and pushed away the collar on her coat, revealing the bite wound and the severity of it.
He sped behind the tree and broke the ropes that bound her hands and returned to her front within seconds, he pulled out the branch and threw it to the ground. She weakly fell forward with a small wince and he caught her instantly, his arm wrapped firmly around her waist but her whole body was limp and her back arched over his arm.
His eyes flashed golden and his fangs extended, he sunk them into his wrist and pressed the wound to her mouth, his blood trickled down her throat and at first, there was no response from her, "come on, love, drink up, before I change my mind and let you die," he smiled.
Little by little, she felt her strength return to her and she held onto his forearm, drawing blood faster and she heard him sigh in relief. Odd. He pulled his wrist away and smoothed his thumb over the corner of her lips, wiping away the stray droplet that escaped.
"I thought I lost you for a moment there," he smirked, smoothing his hand over hair, "I was already planning the celebration."
Her eyes fluttered open and closed weakly whilst his blood done it's job and she smiled, a genuine smile that surprised him and she unwittingly nuzzled her head against his chest for support, "it'll take more than Tyler Lockwood to kill me."
"Right you are," his eyes widened slightly when he felt her hold onto him, she grabbed the lapels on his jacket and he inhaled a quick breath.
She felt warm, vulnerable in her fragile state and he was taken aback by the trust she suddenly had for him. He could have easily left her to die, allowed her to suffer from the effects of the venom until he saw fit to heal her but he didn't, she meant nothing to him, yet he still wouldn't see her hurt.
He reminded himself that she was useful after all, and good soldiers were hard to find.
He took out his phone and dialled Elijah's number, he pressed it to his ear and he answered almost immediately, "Elijah-"
"Did you find her? Is she safe?"
"Yes, brother, she's perfectly fine," he hated how much Elijah cared about Elena, "she's weak, Tyler bit her."
"Have you healed her, Niklaus?" His voice sounded almost scolding as if he knew his brother all too well and the power he liked to lord over people, "Tell me you're not-"
He rolled his eyes, "calm down, I've healed her, she'll be back to her usual annoying self in a matter of minutes."
"Alrea-" he paused, almost sounding shocked, "Good! As soon as she's returned to strength, we need to talk, we're by the shack."
He hung up the phone and pushed it back into his pocket with force, his frustration apparent.
Elena's eyes shot open and a small gasp burst through her lips, her hand instantly went onto her neck and she found no wound. Her brow furrowed when she realised she was in Klaus' arms and she glanced up at him, "I never pegged you for a cuddler."
"And she's back," he smirked, bringing her back onto her feet and into a standing position. He held onto her waist for a few moments longer to ensure she was steady and kept a careful eye on her.
"What ha-" she pressed her fingers onto her neck and felt no pain, there was no blood on her hand and she was even more confused, "Did you heal me?"
"You're welcome," he turned around and started to walk away, she quickly followed behind him and grabbed his hand, pulling until he turned to face her and his gaze flickered from her hand to her eyes.
"I suppose I should say thank you, your nauseating affections saved my life," she smiled amusingly, before releasing his hand and continuing to walk. He watched each of her steps in astonishment, he had killed people for less, her courage alone sent him mad, never mind how she challenged him. But he just shook his head amusingly before following behind her.
"I'm never going to hear the end of this, am I?"
"No, it's fine, I'm making you soft, I tend to have that effect on people," she taunted, batting her eyelashes and showcasing a bright grin. She nudged her arm against his and made him stumble a step.
"Well, you were bested by Tyler Lockwood, you hold no argument here in terms of strength."
"He bit me, that's cheating," she pointed her finger, "otherwise I clearly would have won."
"I'm sure you would have, sweetheart," he said unconvincingly, if only to taunt her.
"I'll prove it to you when I eventually kill you."
In the blur of vampire speed, he appeared behind her, a small breath exhaled her lips sharply as he snaked his arm around her waist. He pulled her into him so abruptly and lingered his lips in the gap in her neck, dangerously close to her skin, with only a malicious smile curled up in the corner of lip, "I'll just bite you, that seems to render you powerless."
But she didn't fall prey to Klaus and his games, she only played harder. She vanished from his hold and spun around him faster than lightening. To his complete surprise, she jumped on his back, arms wrapped around his neck and legs clinging to his sides. She neared her lips to his neck, her curls flowing around him in the breeze and his breathing hitched ever so slightly as she trailed her lips so gingerly across his skin, "Ooh dirty talk, I like it."
"Insufferable," he commented so simply and amusingly, to mask the tiny effect she had on him and continued to walk, whether she was clung to him or not, "I should have left you to die."
"Can we go get a drink? I'm starving," she grinned, before jumping down from his back and speeding a short distance away, to stand atop the hill that was opposite and overlooking the bayou.
He watched her curiously, his composure settling as she furthered the distance between them and he couldn't help but think...
What kind of game was this?
Elena found herself stuck in an argument between brothers but it wasn't like there usual disagreements. On the topic of Klaus' child, came an accusation that would prove to become a strong wedge in their family.
"Tyler Lockwood brought Hayley here to test a theory. That the blood of her child could be used to sire hybrids. He claims that you knew that. Furthermore, that you intended to use this knowledge to build an army," Elijah accused, he was clearly doubtful of his brother's intentions and the thought alone made him angry.
"And, of course, you assume it's true. I mean, why else would I show interest in my own flesh and blood? A heartbroken little crybaby points his finger at me, and my own brother falls in line, eager to believe it! How quickly you believe the worst," he was clearly hurt by his brother's accusation, it angered him, his only response to hide vulnerability.
"Oh, spare me your indignation. When have you ever demonstrated any kind of concern towards Hayley or her child, beyond your own selfish pursuits? And what was it you once said to me?" He was annoyed, so much that he impersonated his brother, "Every king needs an heir!"
Elena looked blankly between brothers, watching their reactions and hearing the subtle emotions beneath their tones. She was the only one there that was impartial to this fight, so she saw it differently, the third party perspective that wasn't too closely attached and she knew in a heartbeat what the truth was. She knew their emotions to well, studied them for months as if she was a student and they were her topic.
Obviously something Hayley picked up on as she watched the doppelgänger contemplate, she saw the cogs turning ferociously in her mind and once her face settled into a flat line and bored expression, she took a step towards her, "You don't believe him, do you, Elena?"
"I just nearly died, I have not got enough patience to get involved in this fight," she answered, simply.
"Elena!" She yelled, practically demanding the opinion she had formed.
"What, Hayley?" God, it was infuriating, Hayley scolding her and seeing the two brothers look at her with a deafening stare, "If I told you I believed him, would that make you feel better? He has no reason to lie."
"Don't be naive, Elena," Elijah was quick to dismiss her, it was annoying, she was already tested today and his petty comments would only further irritate her.
"I am not in the mood, Elijah, Hayley wanted my opinion, she got it. Forgive me if it wasn't what you wanted to hear," she took a few steps forward, hands firmly tucked away in her pockets and she chose to ignore Klaus staring at her back, "unfortunately, I've spent enough time with the insane hybrid to know his intentions, he hasn't once mentioned this to me and I've heard no inkling of it. I'm the emotionless doppelgänger, remember? I'm sure my opinion would be valid on it, especially considering I couldn't care less about hybrids."
Elijah gave her a look, first of its kind to her, one filled with shock, disappointment and anger. Just as he took a step forward, ready to scold mercilessly...
"My big brother. So, you doubt my intentions?" He interjected, to save Elena from the fight that was about to be inflicted upon her from Elijah, "Well, I can't say I'm surprised, standing next to the noble Elijah, how can I be anything but the lesser brother? A liar, a manipulator, a bastard," oh, he was angry, hurt and enraged.
The brother's stared at each other, watching carefully and hanging on every word spoke between them as if they were looking for a clear indication of their true intent. Klaus approached him, his lips pursed as if to stop himself from revealing any further vulnerability. Elijah seemed to relent and reconsider his position, although she had a sinking feeling it was too late.
"That's all I am to you, isn't it? And Rebekah. And, judging by the way Hayley hangs on your every word, it's clear she feels the same way!" He paused briefly, his hurt growing, "No doubt my child will as well."
"Brother, if-"
"You've said all that needs to be said, brother," he took a few steps back, holding his arms out in defeat, "I'll play the role I've been given."
Klaus went to turn, should have turned to walk away but he didn't, instead, he darted towards Elijah in a blur and savagely bit into his neck. Elena gasped, she was shocked by the sudden attack and she froze slightly. Hayley screamed in shock horror and ran to his side.
The golden shade of his eyes faded and he wiped away the blood that dripped from his lips, offering only a scornful look to his brother, "You two enjoy each other's company. You'll have much to bond over, once the hallucinations and dementia set in. Consider that bite to be my parting gift to you both."
"Elijah-" just as Elena was about to speed towards him, Klaus caught her by the waist and vanished them from the area.
The Plantation.
Klaus had sped her back to the plantation quicker than she had anticipated, he was angry, so it shouldn't have been a surprise. It was a rage she knew well, the level of intensity that could only be brought on by family. No-one else was that close, knew him that well, knew his triggers as well as his siblings and they pushed the only buttons that she never could. They were meant for family alone.
Elena had showered and changed, wearing a lace tank and black shorts to match, she rid her body of the smell and dirt from the bayou - the place that she kept silently swearing to herself that she would never step foot in again. But much like her promise to never return to New Orleans, it was futile.
She sat in the living room, scotch in one hand and a copy of The Tempest in the other - she'd read this a few dozen times, she found a sense of calm in a storm, everything could be crashing down around her, submerging her in water and the erratic behaviour of the wind, but nothing could scare her anymore.
"You think I don't know about your engineered run-ins all over the Quarter? I know you've had private chats with him! Just tell me what secrets he's confided to you. Is he plotting against me?"
Of course, the storm that night was that of Klaus and Rebekah arguing in the other room. She was less than pleased that he bit Elijah but her temper seemed too unhinged, more over the top than Elena would have anticipated. She'd be withdrawn lately, avoiding family and sneaking around the Quarter with Marcel. Possibly doing something that would further anger Klaus and disrupt their family, but Elena knew better than to voice her opinion.
"My poor brother, so paranoid. Marcel knows nothing! He's not plotting against you, he simply thinks you're in a quarrel in need of making up."
"Perhaps we will. After all," his voice turned aggressive, "you know I'm capable of forgiving those who disappoint me. As soon as they've seen the error of their ways... and suffered for them. You'd do well to remember that."
Elena heard the front door slam and much to her relief, the fighting had ceased.
Klaus stormed in, angrily pouring himself another drink that he clearly didn't need and brought his fist down onto the cabinet, the bottle vibrated against the wood and fell onto the floor, shattering into a thousand tiny shards and floating around in the puddle of scotch.
"You seem angry, sweetie," Elena quipped sarcastically as she closed her book and set it down on the table, scotch beside it. She stood up, taking a few steps towards the exit and flashing him only the quickest of glances, "it's a good look on you."
She couldn't have picked a worse time to challenge him, he was already lost to his rage and she only heightened it. He was lightening fast, sped across the room to grab her by the shoulders and slam her against the wall. She didn't mind though, it was fun to see how far he could go in his rage, another emotion she had to test, if only to further her studies.
He was taller than her, it made his enraged stares upon her that much more intimidating when she had to look up at him, how he had to lean his head in closer to further his pursuit of instilling fear into her. It frustrated him to no end, that she couldn't be scared of him.
"Enough!" He was close to a roar, eyes golden and rage apparent, "I am in no mood for you or your games, Elena, if you're going to continue then you can leave."
"I'll happily leave. In fact, I never should have came here in the first place," she tried to break free, attempted to budge his arms away or push against him but god, he was strong, "let me go and you'll never have to see me again."
"Why would I care if you left? You mean nothing to me," his disdain and contempt was obvious, he was too tested to feel anything other than his negative emotions and it all was taken out on her.
"Ditto," she bit back, attempting one last time to push him but when it failed, she simply slumped in defeat, "But I don't exactly see anyone else lined up to be here with you."
Why was she?
"I don't need anyone."
"So let me go."
She stared at him curiously, like she could see the deep contemplation he was in. She was confused, he seemed to be considering both options, to let her leave to be free of Elena and her never ending torment, but then again, if she did leave, he wouldn't know how he would feel.
He didn't let go, in fact, he seemed to hold tighter.
A small sigh escaped her lips and she smoothed her hand over his, removing it gently from his grasp -which he seemingly allowed- and keeping a tight hold of it. He furrowed his brow and took a step back, gaze flickering from their hands to her eyes, "what are you doing?"
"You saved my life, the least I can do is help," she pulled him through the main room, there was a slight objection at first and she had to pull harder to lead him towards the exit but she very rarely relented. She grabbed a fresh bottle of scotch on the way, turning back to look at him in his confused state, "let's go out, I'll cheer you up."
"If this is another one of your games-"
"It's not," she actually meant it and she squeezed his hand just a touch tighter, much to his surprise, "let's call it self-preservation, I won't have you take your anger out on me and do something you'll regret."
"Why would I regret hurting you?"
"I'm useful, remember?"
If only that was the reason...
Elena took Klaus to Bourbon street, it was a night that seemed to be particularly popular as there was floods of people partying through to Jackson Square. There was an artist on each corner, painting their latest masterpiece, a band playing upbeat jazz music and everyone was dancing.
Elena twirled through the dancing crowd, arms extended out before she took a large swig of scotch from the bottle and embraced the chaos surrounding her. The crowd seemed to gravitate towards her, attracted to the energy she radiated and the darkness that people seem to be so drawn too.
Klaus walked a slow distance away, watching as she commanded the attention of those around her without even a word, laughing as she danced freely with the tourists that couldn't resist her and he saw her, the version of her that yearned to be free, to be the carefree and beautiful butterfly that could fly away at will, to flutter across the earth without being held back by obligation and battles, the person her bloodline -even in death- would never allow her to be. He understood. As much as they both hated to admit it, she was connected to their bloodline, as theirs was to her.
She caught his gaze, stopping briefly to flash him a smile and point the bottle at him, she took a quick sip and twirled into the group beside her. They danced around her, each of them craving her attention and it was amusing -intriguing- for him to watch. New Orleans was the place she matched with so well.
He had been so lost in thought, watching those around him and staring relentlessly at Elena that he didn't realise -until he snapped out of it- that she had vanished. There was a momentary set of panic before she appeared in front of him, a wide and amused grin spread on her lips.
"You need to loosen up," she finished the bottle of scotch and tossed it in the trash beside her, radiating that dark energy she felt buried within her chest and he enjoyed it, he'd even go as far as saying he liked it.
"This isn't exactly my idea of a good time, love," he said disapprovingly. Though his anger faded as soon as they left the Plantation, there was something else holding him back. Did he not want Elena to see him in any different state than the one she had become accustomed to? They played for control, manipulated each other constantly, he didn't see how this could be any different.
"You're just not letting yourself open up. Just for tonight, let's pretend we're not mortal enemies or have a war to fight, there's no family here to betray you. It's just me and you, be in the moment," she held her hand out towards him, watching him with a glint in her eyes and a smile he couldn't read beyond, "what are you afraid of?"
"I'm not afraid of anything, sweetheart."
"So, come on then."
A small breath emitted from his lips and he smirked, he looked at her hand and took it, within seconds, she flashed him through the crowd and took him to the centre, opposite the band. She twirled in front of him with her arms in the air, her hair catching in the breeze so eloquently as it fluttered naturally across her face. She slipped her arms around his neck and he caught her by the waist with one arm, bringing her into a dip and hovering over her.
He was still trying to figure out her angle, what she hoped to gain from leading him into a trap such as this one or maybe, he just didn't know why she was taking a chance on him, putting trust where there should be none. But she didn't seem to be calculating or attempting to garner control, she was just there, with him, and showing a side to her that he hadn't witnessed before.
Just be in the moment.
- something he wasn't very good at, he had to always be ten steps ahead for his own safety.
It's just you and me.
He submitted.
The hold she had of his neck tightened and he could feel the slow rise and fall of her chest, her shaky breath grazed across his skin like a soft and warm breeze and he slowly brought her back up. She didn't let go of him, not right away, and there was a moment, a tender moment where they both relinquished control, pausing the games and just remained frozen in a state of vulnerability.
There was something dangerously safe about being in his arms - more often than not, he was being intimidating, threatening and attempting to control her with force. But when it was like this, he held her tight, close, different to what she had come to expect and she knew no-one could touch her.
He smoothed his fingers down her arm and grasped her hand, a grin forming on his lips as he spun her out and back into him again, and she laughed at the surprise of the move. The way he looked at her was different, she saw no malice or wicked intent, just a softness and intrigue buried within his eyes. She mirrored him perfectly.
"Come with me," he kept a hold of her waist and lead her the rest of the way through the street until they came to the corner.
He stopped her in front of an artist and she watched each and every one of his brushstrokes, the passion and pain beneath each one and how he made his emotions so readily viewable in his work.
In the centre of the painting was a girl, dressed in white, her arms wrapped around her chest and surrounded by a mix of dark colours, violent brushstrokes and erratic splashes of red. She seemed lost, unobtainable, small, and surrounded by a flock of ravens, encircling her and glistening in the full moon. In the corner, there was a wolf, howling at the moon and trying to find its way back. So much dark, yet that glimmer of light.
"What do you think his story is?" Klaus asked, watching Elena become mesmerised by the work in front of her, her gaze unbroken as he spoke and she felt a shudder down her spine. This was far more intimate than she had expected, he was trying to delve into her mind, the one she closed off to him and everyone else around her. She was normally always calculating, working a plan, but this, it took her by surprise. He caught her in a moment where she was completely exposed, free from her mind and the games she played, so she did what she did best and clamped up.
"How am I supposed to know?" She said coldly, as she took a few steps forward and released herself from the hold he had of her. It was easier to isolate than be vulnerable in this kind of way.
"Don't deflect, you know art, I can see in your eyes, how close you are to it," he pried, taking a step forward and standing behind her. He was being soft, gentle as he smoothed his hands over her shoulders and landed them on the top of her arms, "Be in the moment, Elena, tell me what you see."
"I know what you're doing," She turned to look at him, offering only a knowing look and a smirk. She took a deep breath, she was very well aware of his intent, attempting to get her to feel the anguish in the painting, the rise she could get from touching her so tenderly. But she wouldn't let it work, she couldn't.
"Humour me."
Perhaps this could be an opportunity, one where she could show him just how set she was in being void, her refusal to switch on her emotions was one that annoyed everyone around her. Except him usually. He liked her without humanity, she was useful, fun, a challenge. This was out of character for him, so she tested him. She turned back around, facing the painting and she took a quick deep breath.
"The girl, she's lost, trapped in a never ending cycle of darkness and blood," she pointed weakly towards the red splashes of paint around the edge, "But he sees her as his light, the one in white, but she's suppressed, too far out of reach and the grey is nearing her, almost too far gone to be saved."
"Do you believe he can't save her?" His hands found their way back onto her waist, as if he had no control of them and he hovered dangerously close to her, his words spoke like whispers into her ear.
"I believe he wants too, he'll try - I think he's the wolf, the protector, but there's a reason why she's not here, the girl he's painting," she glanced up at him, eyes meeting and her voice soft but firm, "she doesn't want to be saved."
"Or maybe she's too scared to face her demons," a hint of emotion cracked in his voice and he softened ever so slightly. They where resonating too much, as much as they where different, there was a lot that was the same and in one night of closeness, it brought out a side to them they hadn't seen before.
"When you've spent so long in a violent darkness, trapped in its hold of loss and torment," she paused to face the painting once again, choosing her words carefully, "the demons become easier to ignore, I doubt she's scared of anything anymore."
"We're all scared of something, sweetheart," he pressed the side of his head against hers gently and she was almost wickedly entranced by him.
"What are you scared of?"
"Not a lot, certain things," he seemed indifferent, blank to fear and she didn't think he was scared of anything. She couldn't help but catch his gaze once again, to see the vulnerability, but he was distant in the most personal way, "perhaps one day I'll tell you."
"I'll hold you to it."
So dangerously close, still so far away, but she couldn't deny the heat.
"And lastly, what of the ravens?"
"Ravens can be symbolic for a lot of things. It depends on the culture, they can be an omen of death or rebirth, transformation, they embody both darkness and light, they're intelligent, wise, a mystery, protective spirits," so much knowledge from literature, she hardly knows when to stop her rambling, "In Norse Mythology, which I'm sure your aware of, they were messengers, some claimed them to be prophetic, protecters, helpers. I could go on all day, they're amazing creatures."
"That they are," he agreed whole-heartedly, "Did you know they are wolf-birds?"
"I do," she said with a suggestive smirk and narrowed eyes, wondering what game he was playing next, "One of the few animals a wolf gets along with."
"A raven alerts a wolf to enemies, then the wolf protects. Two souls entwined, side-by-side, for neither of them would survive as well without the other. The wolf kills, feeds himself and the raven, they would roam the forest, make the Kingdom their own," he spoke like he was reciting a passage from a scripture older than he was, words so deep and resonating.
He was many things, Niklaus Mikaelson, but never a liar, never one to give his word out freely, but when he did, he kept it, followed through in the end and made good on those around him.
"Look, I know what you're doing, you're trying to get me to feel and it's tedious, you're trying to show me that I'm the girl who's lost and needs saving, it's extremely insulting," she was as cold as ice, irritated by his closeness and attempt at bonding. He usually wasn't the one to get under her skin but tonight, he was.
"Not at all," He changed, voice more meaningful and he attempted to get closer, "I don't believe your lost and you certainly don't need saving, Elena, your strong, beautiful, loyal, creator of your own fate-"
"Wait..." she realised, god, it was worse, so painfully worse and right in so many ways, she held up her hand, urging him to stop as she voiced her opinion, "You're comparing me to the raven."
He swore to restore Elena's humanity and he was set to try, the moment felt right. She was here, safe, vulnerable, tucked away in his arms...
"Because a raven is symbolic of transformation, Elena, you're not that lost girl in the darkness anymore, you're not the same as you were in Mystic Falls and even if you did switch it back on, you wouldn't change, you'll be exactly the same as this but you'd get to feel it, the light and the dark, the love and the hate and everything in between, you won't succumb to grief or be defeated by your demons, they would bow to you, like the mighty Queen you rose to be," his voice was powerful, each word meant to give her strength, understanding, but her face was the opposite, she was unreadable, crumbling ever so slightly but she couldn't, wouldn't.
"Stop," she shook her head lightly, took a few steps away from him and closed herself off. Each word spoken to her tonight had been an act, a ploy to restore her and she didn't want games, not tonight. "Since when did you care about my humanity? You have to stop!"
But he grasped her hand still anyway, closed the distance that those few steps away made and practically demanded she face her demons. Her biggest one was right in front of her, the man that ruined her human life and although she challenged him daily, she'd never faced him, not truly.
"The girl in white was the you that died on Wickery Bridge, Elena, you were reborn, transformed into this, and though you are haunted, it's a strength, not a weakness," He paused, inhaled a sharp breath and stood firm, "you're the raven, the little raven, light and dark, strong, protector and protected, the death and rebirth, so be alive again, you won't change."
"You don't know that..."
"Perhaps not, but I am fairly confident."
She seemed close, her face was crumpled, mind racing faster than an F1 car during the final lap, and he thought he saw it, the flicker of emotion in her eyes, the pained look of a woman hurt but it vanished, buried away once again and her face went like fresh porcelain, smooth, unscathed, completely cold.
"The painting is exquisite," she said with a smile, before grasping his hand once again and pulling him along, "Come on, let's go to Rousseau's."
Utterly defeated.
Rousseau's.
The French Quarter had been positively lively, filled with people with an exuberant energy and wicked taste. It extended to Rousseau's, crowds of the desolate and the burdened, looking for an escape, a way to numb, and god, did she resonate.
She grabbed her usual bottle of scotch from behind the bar, she compelled Camille a long time ago to forget but she was sure Klaus paid for it anyway. He seemed defeated, like a King who'd lost a pivotal battle in the war - the war being Elena's humanity restored and the battle being one of a vulnerable nature, one he hadn't challenged before.
The night was having more of an effect on him than Elena, he felt more bonded to her, the side of her that loved art, could understand pain and the darkness that consumed them. But she refused to feel the torment, to open herself back up to it and he had failed, -that night- to keep his promise. It's not that he cared for Elena, -god, when was he going to stop convincing himself of this- but he had to do right by her and the misfortune he caused her, he had too.
Elena was dancing again, so easily could she forget the turmoil he had attempted to inflict upon her and she laughed, smiled, flirted with her potential meals for the night, a party she would likely bring home with her and the debauchery would never end.
A group of young tourists had managed to gravitate towards her, attempting to coerce her with free drinks and a good time if she joined them and she could hardly refuse.
The music was loud, the lights were dim and the bar was booming. The group of people surrounding her was growing bigger as the night progressed and she appeared to be a magnet to those with a sense of corruption and dissipation.
Amongst the group of people, she stood on a chair in the centre of them with a bottle of scotch, laughing as she poured the liquid into their hungry mouths and they all cheered. She flung her arms up when the bottle emptied and she cheered, twirling slightly and moving her hips to the music.
She scrunched her lips to the side with a hint of a smile in it when she noticed him watching her and sped over to the bar, sitting on the wooden surface beside where Klaus stood leaned against it and tossed the empty bottle in the bin behind the bar.
"You know, I brought you here to cheer you up but you seemed to have done the complete opposite," she said with an amused smirk and a nudge of his arm.
"You succeeded in putting my family dispute from my mind, if that counts?" He countered, his gaze shifting onto her.
"I'll take it," She held her hand out towards him, noticing the change in song and it had slowed down, "dance with me?"
"I must warn you, I am an excellent dancer," He smiled wickedly, arm catching her waist again and lifting her from the bar, "there have been many a woman who have become rather attached afterwards."
He landed her gracefully back on her feet and her arms found their way around his neck again. He encased his arms around her and they danced slowly, intimately, like they where two made one and the heat was undeniable - but she always fought back, "You don't have to worry about a single feeling gained after our dance, we're just in the moment, remember?"
"I must say, I have quite enjoyed your company tonight, Elena, I suppose being in the moment was just what I needed," He said, more formally than he spoke all night, "And I'm truly surprised by how well you can dance."
"You're kidding, right? I was in dance lessons since I was a kid, preparing to be a worthy member of the Mystic Falls Society for the young, sophisticated and completely dull," she put on her best pretentious and posh voice she could muster and it made him laugh, "I'm a Gilbert, after all."
"Of course, your elegance knows no bounds," he made her chuckle, even if it was sarcasm or genuine, it could apply either way.
"You were right," her gaze never faltered, remained looking up into the blue hues that stared down at her and it was intoxicating, "you are an excellent dancer."
"I very rarely lie," there faces neared that extra touch more, it was the way he held her, made her feel strong, unbreakable, safe, it drew her in for all the wrong reasons.
But the song changed, the dance and the intimacy ended and they were back to their usual wickedness. She danced on the bar, he compelled a few delectable tourists and they fed, drank, fed, danced, drank some more and fed the night away.
And what a night that was.
A/N: I'm sorry this one is so long, I was enjoying it too much, it got away from me!
A night of bonding for Klaus and Elena, I thought it was time! It was fun to write, like I said, it got away from me haha! I'm probably going to complicate a lot of Elena's relationships in the coming chapters, it will all make sense in the end.
What do you think of The Wolf and The Raven? I fell in love the second I thought it up, it seemed fitting for the two.
Perhaps it's Elijah's turn next? To attempt to restore her humanity. I wonder how that could turn out!
Let me know what you think!