Chapter Sixteen
Mystic Falls, Virginia
Two Months Later
Tyler had nowhere to turn except home. He had nothing and no one. After he and Bonnie exchanged their goodbyes, he returned home with his tail between his legs. He craved familiarity and if he was being honest, he needed a piece of Bonnie to cling to. Each morning on his jog, he made sure to pass her childhood home; both of them. The one she shared with her dad and her Gram's house. He thought about the years they spent in high school, running from the one man she was now tethered to for life. It was disheartening to think about. Klaus had taken everything from him and the thought left a bitter taste in his mouth. Still, he felt the need to honor Bonnie by remaining alive, so revenge was no longer on the table.
Whatever bond they shared was dwindling by the day and it was beginning to grow increasingly harder to hold on to. Still, Tyler was always a stubborn bastard and would do everything he could to keep hope alive. Even as he stood across the street from Sheila Bennett's old house, dreaming of what could have been.
"Still carrying a torch, I see." Even with his heightened ability to sense anything within a two-mile radius, Elijah had stealth that was rivaled only by his insufferable brother. Tyler felt the ghost of his undead heart skip a beat as he turned to meet Elijah's stoic gaze. He bristled just a bit, unnerved by how close he could get without detection. "I assure you, I mean no harm," Elijah reassured. Tyler didn't relax. Instead, he waited for Elijah to state his case.
"Did your brother send you to take care of his light work?" The bitterness didn't go unnoticed by Elijah. Still, he offered a humorless smile.
"My brother and I are not on speaking terms," Elijah revealed. The revelation gave Tyler pause. "He discovered that I knew of Bonnie's discretions. Shunning me was his way of letting me off lightly." Tyler made a noise in his throat.
"That makes two of us." Tyler paused as a sense of dread overtook him. "Which means she's been left to deal with that monster alone," Tyler surmised. The thought made him sick. He'd thought that at least if Elijah was there with her, she'd stand a chance. Again, he bristled.
"My brother is a monster indeed, but I assure you, he would not harm the mother of his children," Elijah reassured. Tyler rolled his eyes.
"Physically, at best. God forbid he does something in front of them." Tyler let out a heavy sigh. "How are you still defending him? Are you brainwashed?" Elijah did not respond. Tyler wondered if he was honestly contemplating the answer to that.
"I have watched you come out here for months, watching the house." The switch of topics left Tyler reeling. "How do you cope?" Tyler and Elijah had a strained relationship. They didn't trust one another as far as they could throw each other; yet, they had a vested interest in keeping Bonnie Bennett safe from harm. Now, it seems, they both failed.
"I don't. I let myself mourn. I can't say it's working, but as time marches, the urge I feel to risk it all, weakens." A small part of Tyler empathized with Elijah. The man was repressed in every sense of the word, but he always came alive around Bonnie. During his visits, Tyler noticed how Elijah's eyes remained glued to Bonnie. The silent pining, the tender touches, the soft words of encouragement. Based on the Vampire's disheveled appearance, Tyler surmised that Elijah was worst off than he was.
The first jarring detail was the lack of a suit. Tyler always joked that Elijah had each of his suits surgically installed. The man could hunt a bear and remain in pristine condition. It was uncanny. The other thing he noticed was the five o'clock shadow and the darkened circles under his eyes. From experience, he knew how long it took for a vampire to look in such disarray, which made Elijah's appearance more alarming. Years ago, during Tyler's first few months on the run, he looked a hot mess. He hadn't slept in weeks, and although vampires couldn't age like the common man, stress did affect them, albeit slowly.
"Man, you look like shit," Tyler couldn't help but comment. Elijah peered down at his denim-clad body and scoffed at his appearance; a far cry from the man he once was.
"I feel it," he agreed.
"I'd say there are plenty of other women out there but none seem to measure up," Tyler said ruefully. When Bonnie sent him away the first time, he tried the philosophy of getting under a new woman to get over the old, but it didn't work. They all were poor imitations of the Bonnie he craved. Now, the thought was laughable. He felt ruined. As though life had been lived and it was time for him to call it quits. It was a dangerous thought but one that persisted.
"It sucks that your brother always makes it out on top every time." It was both admirable and enviable. Oh, what fun it was to be the great Klaus Mikaelson.
The thought left a bitter taste in Elijah's mouth. For centuries, he'd watched as his brother cast lesser men to the side, never to be thought of again. This time was the first he'd ever been subject to such a harsh reality. It was now that he finally understood the rage of his brother's enemies.
"I must say, I never envisioned myself here," Elijah confessed. 'Always and forever', was engraved in his psyche. Maybe they should have coined the phrase 'Always and together', instead.
"Welcome to the club," Tyler greeted sarcastically. "I take it you didn't come for the chips and dip, though." Elijah gave a soft smile but failed to respond. The silence between them stretched for several beats and for a moment, Tyler was tempted to check for any signs of life beside him. In a sudden motion, Elijah reached into his jacket and brandished what Tyler could only guess to be a white-oak stake. It was rumored that the Mikaelsons destroyed them all, but that was obviously not the case. Tyler's breath nearly caught in his throat. That one stake could solve all of his problems, but it was a dream he could never realize. Staking Klaus meant that he'd die, and possibly the twins too.
Tyler shuddered to think.
"I had hoped to find you in a worsened mental state and thought you would want to do the honors. Two birds, one stone," Elijah paused as he contemplated the weapon. "However, you seem to be well adjusted."
"This is a joke, right? Come on dude, seriously." He'd always given the title of Mr. Dramatic to Klaus, not Elijah. Elijah always seemed to be level-headed. This was absolutely ludicrous. "Bonnie wouldn't want this," Tyler said, attempting to talk some sense into the original. "After all she's done to ensure both of our safety, this would destroy her." Bonnie didn't speak much about what happened between Elijah and Klaus, but Tyler had an inkling suspicion that Elijah made it out alive because of her.
"I destroyed my relationship with the one person I vowed to protect. My brother is not forgiving, therefore, I can never hope to repair things between us. I cannot be redeemed." It was hard for Tyler to fathom what Elijah was saying.
"Listen. I get that, but you can't just give up. This will probably be the only time I'll ever say anything remotely nice about your brother, but if he can forgive Bonnie, he can forgive you. Just give him about seventy years to cool off first," Tyler joked lightheartedly.
"It is not that simple," Elijah said ruefully. "I, who speak of family above all else, aided in keeping my brother's best shot at redemption away from him."
"It wouldn't have ended any better if you'd told him sooner. A slight is a slight to Klaus. The details don't matter to him."
"It is easy to view my brother as a monolithic creature with only one dimension to his wrath and anger, but I have known him for over a millennium. There is more to him than just that. Because of our extensive history, I managed to hurt him in ways not even Bonnie could. I was the only person he could trust," Elijah paused at the look Tyler gave. "As much as my brother could trust anyone," he clarified. "I knew him intimately, and I foolishly let my heart get in the way of my commitment. Therefore, I cannot be redeemed."
"Pish-fucking-posh. If your brother is all that you claim he is, do you really think killing yourself is what he'd really want? Klaus is a dramatic bitch. It may take centuries of groveling, but if there is one thing I know about that miserable bastard, he despises being alone. Why do you think his worst conceivable punishment is banishment? He craves loneliness just as much as he loathes it. He's romanticized loneliness so much that he's obsessed with it. He wants you to feel what he feels. This is your punishment, our punishment. He created hybrids to replace the family he coffined for centuries and when we broke free, he banished me to a similar fate after murdering my mother and my entire pack. He wants us alone, but he needs to keep us alive for his sake. He's waiting on us to fight for our spot in his life, and while that's not an option for me, it is for you."
Tyler breathed heavily as he allowed time for his words to process. The urgency to talk Elijah off the edge was foreign to him. For a being as old as Elijah to be defeated by Klaus Mikaelson meant that Tyler didn't stand a chance, and he'd be damned before he let that happen. Someone, if not both of them, was going to make it out of this condemnation alive and intact.
Elijah processed what Tyler said silently. It was a hard pill to swallow, but he was right. His thoughts of ending his life didn't come from emotional turmoil, it came from having no foreseeable way out of his situation. But Tyler had just proven him wrong. "It seems you understand my brother better than I do, Lockwood."
"I've had time to think," he agrees. "Finding out that I wasn't alone and rotting like he intended drove Klaus nuts. The people he holds closest created a family without him; that's why he's so bitter. We managed to achieve something he could never seem to grasp. Why do you think he goes ballistic every time you or Rebekah find love? It's a direct betrayal to the thing he's trying to create." Tyler moved slowly and pushed the hand holding the white-oak stake down. Elijah wasn't aware of how tightly he was gripping it until then.
"This is not the answer," Tyler assured. "If you want to die, that's fine, but go out with a bang. Fight against everything Klaus commanded. Fight for your family. Stand up to that bastard or die trying." If only Tyler could follow his own advice. If anyone could stand a chance against Klaus, it was Elijah. Strength-wise, Klaus had him, but Klaus's emotions were always his Achilles heel.
Elijah felt his emotions stir and swell within his chest. Who knew that the answer to his questions could be found in the meaty body of a teenage hybrid. "Oh, out of the mouths of babes," he chuckled lightly. Unceremoniously, Elijah cupped Tyler's shoulder and gave a gruff pat on the back. "I wasn't always gracious towards you, Lockwood, but—" Tyler cut him off.
"Yeah yeah, you're welcome. Just note, if you ever see me in a forest fighting with your brother, send help."
"Duly noted, Tyler." Without a moment to spare, Elijah took a step back. His only goodbye was a gust of wind which caused Tyler to smile a bit. He hoped Elijah would triumph on the other side of his high-school educated advice and also that Bonnie would somehow benefit from it.
With a deep sigh, Tyler turned to face Sheila Bennett's cottage one last time before vanishing. He had a feeling that he wouldn't be returning for a while.
-X-
New Orleans
The Abattoir
One Month Later
In approximately three months, Bonnie's life had transformed so dramatically that she could barely remember what her life was like before Klaus showed up on her doorstep raging for blood, her blood. After Klaus kicked her out of the Abattoir three months prior, she was sure that the only way out of this toxic relationship was death. It was going to be either she or Klaus and at the rate things were going, her children would be orphaned before their 11th birthday.
Speaking of that fateful day was just days away. She wanted to comment about how over-the-top Klaus was being, but considering that this was his first birthday with them, she thought it best to keep quiet. She watched as he paced back and forth through the courtyard as whoever was on the phone delivered news he wasn't planning to hear.
"I don't care what you have to do. Compel someone if you have to, but I know one thing to be certain. If I don't have at least three trapeze artists hanging from various corners of this courtyard by Friday night, someone is going to die." He paused at the disapproving look on Bonnie's face before doubling down spitefully. "Violently." The phone snapped shut, and Bonnie tried her best not to laugh at the nostalgic sound.
"You are not murdering anyone at our children's birthday party," Bonnie deadpanned.
"And who's going to stop me," he challenged.
"Me," Bonnie asserted. When Klaus's eyes glowed threateningly, she responded, in kind, with a rigid middle finger. Every joke Klaus was about to make died at the sight of Aurora prancing in across the threshold.
"What is it now?" The irritation in his voice could not be staved. Aurora was increasingly grating his nerves with her refusal to give him any type of space. He caught Bonnie rolling her eyes in annoyance and smiled to himself. The day she snapped on them was just around the corner, and he couldn't wait. Her anger was enticing.
"I think I may be able to solve your circus dilemma. I happen to know of several fine aerialists," Aurora bragged, attempting to make herself look like a hero.
"Good, make yourself useful," Klaus muttered as if Aurora didn't have enhanced hearing. Bonnie cringed. The way he spoke to her was dastardly, and if Aurora had any self-worth, she'd be long gone by now.
Bonnie pitied her.
"Only, I'd need your help with something else first." The suggestive tone in her voice did not go unnoticed. Klaus gave a forced smile before reaching out to grip Aurora's shoulder.
"Love, we've been through this already." Before Klaus could say another demeaning thing, Lina appeared with the darkest scowl on her face. "Love Bug! How are you on this lovely morning?"
"Why is she here," Lina barked, glaring at Aurora. Her disdain for the woman never waned, and Bonnie couldn't lie and say she didn't get a kick out of it.
"Nikolina, watch it," Bonnie warned. If it was one thing Sheila taught her, it was grace and civility. Lina sighed, releasing a low register growl that only her father and Aurora could hear. Just as quickly as her eyes flashed with gold, they returned to their natural color. Klaus smiled, in awe of his daughter's beauty even when she was being a little snark.
"Aurora here is helping me plan for your party." Klaus appeared before his eldest and smiled brightly at her. "Don't worry, Little Wolf. You'll have me all to yourself later on. Is that alright?" When the scowl on Lina's face remained, Klaus softened. He reached out and poked her side in rapid succession until a loud giggle escaped her lips. The smile on her face made Klaus's own grow wider. Bonnie watched the exchange quietly but could see the put-off expression on Aurora's face. Bonnie hid her smile with a bite of her lips.
"How about I tag along? Nicky's in a mood, and I don't want to deal with his whining." Klaus smiled and stood to his full height, sending a sinister smirk toward Aurora.
"The more, the merrier, isn't that right, Pudding?" Klaus didn't give Aurora a chance to answer. "Just give me a moment to check on your brother, and then we'll be on our way."
"Actually," Bonnie closed her grimoire and stood to her feet. "I'll check on Nicky. You two have fun," Bonnie offered. She hadn't meant to cut Aurora out of her sentiments, but it was a happy accident.
Klaus and Bonnie shared a look, but he ultimately relented. He and Nikolina were more alike, which surprisingly made bonding much easier. Nicky, on the other hand, was every bit of Bonnie and thus, was a harder nut to crack. They had their moments, but Nicky was moody… and not so different from his father, whether Klaus wanted to admit it.
"Very well then, we'll be back before dusk." Bonnie waited until she heard Klaus's obnoxiously loud sports car drive off before making her way to Nicky's room. Inside, she found him staring out the window with his sketch pad on his lap. The look on his face tugged at Bonnie's heartstrings. She would destroy the world if it meant making him feel better, which scared her most about parenting. There were no limitations to what she wouldn't do to keep her babies safe. It wasn't until they were born that she suddenly understood the Mikaelson's psychotic reasoning behind 'family above all else'. It was a scary thought, but she had to admit that she was doing okay with keeping the balance thus far.
"He's coming," Nicky murmured before Bonnie could say a word. She didn't have to ask who 'he' was.
"Nicky, I've explained to you why he can't." Bonnie felt her chest tighten with anxiety.
"He comes every year. He can't miss our birthday this year; he can't." The urgency in Nicky's voice made Bonnie's heart lunge forward. "If dad wants to kill him, he'll have to go through me." Nicky's jaw ticked as he squared his shoulders, and Bonnie nearly fainted at the similarities.
"I think, if you spoke to your father, he may be inclined to listen." There was nothing Klaus wouldn't deny their children. She knew that now. However, she wondered if his pride would allow their uncle Elijah to attend their birthday celebration.
Bonnie wasn't hopeful.
"No. He's mean and never wants to hear what I have to say!" Bonnie closed her eyes and wondered briefly if the history between Mikael and Klaus would repeat itself. After a silent moment of retrospect, she was determined that it wouldn't. She was not Esther, and although he was severely damaged, Klaus was not Mikael.
"I'm not excusing your father. I think he should consider your feelings. However, don't you think that, for this one year, you could give your father a chance to prove that he can throw you a good birthday party as well? Elijah has had ten birthdays with you. I think your father could use one of his own; what do you think?" Bonnie could see the features of Nicky's face visibly relax as realization dawned on him.
"I guess," Nicky said after a long moment of silence. "But I miss him," Nicky confessed.
Bonnie nodded and pulled her baby boy into a tight hug. "So do I." She kissed the top of his head and smiled gently. "We can try talking to your father when he returns, okay?" It was a long shot but was worth a try.
"Okay," Nicky agreed. Bonnie relaxed a bit. She did not anticipate having this conversation with Klaus, but if it meant her son's happiness, she'd walk on lava if she had to.
Things between her and Klaus were still strained but bearable. Any mention of Elijah was sure to set their progression back several months. Although she was worried, she couldn't focus on the negative and only hoped that something positive came from this, for Nicky's sake.
The doorbell sounded, prompting the two of them to pull apart. They shared a confused look. It was an odd sound since the only people who dared to visit usually waltzed with a dramatic entrance. Hell, Bonnie wasn't even aware there was a doorbell installed.
"Stay here, I'll be right back," Bonnie instructed, though she knew she had about thirty seconds before Nicky would follow. Bonnie made it to the bottom of the stairs and into the courtyard before she stopped in her tracks. Her senses were acutely aware of who was on the other side of the door, although her mind rationalized why that couldn't be. Her heart rate increased, and so did her pace until she was sprinting across the courtyard.
By the time she reached, she was out of breath. The door swung open and her suspicions were confirmed. The ache she felt from his absence throbbed with the need to fill her arms with his embrace. A sob pierced her chest as she launched herself forward, throwing her arms around him. With each sob, her body shook as the yearning eased the moment he wrapped his arms around her, cupping the back of her head ever so gently. Her vision blurred as tears streamed down her face.
"How are you here right now," she managed to croak. Elijah shushed her gently and simply held on to her as tight he could without breaking her. He wanted to live in this moment as long as possible before his brother came and busted up the party.
"Uncle 'Lijah?" Nicky's hopeful voice was the only thing that could successfully pull them apart. Bonnie reluctantly tore herself away from him to allow room for Nicky to crash into him with full force. Elijah caught him with ease and lifted him in the air, pulling him into a tight embrace. An act that would have seemed out of character for the ancient being if Bonnie hadn't seen it a dozen times before.
"I knew it! I knew you'd make it." Nicky beamed with joy. Bonnie's joy began to wane as fear crept in. Elijah sensed her trepidation immediately and turned to face her. He gave a reassuring look that did little to calm her.
"My word is all I have, Nick," he responded in kind. Bonnie closed her eyes. She missed everything about him. The soft timbre of his voice, the ease of which words effortlessly rolled off his tongue. She hadn't realized how much she associated home with the elder Mikaelson until now. He was their comfort, their safety, for so many years.
Her heart ached at the thought. If only she'd allowed Klaus that luxury.
"Klaus left not too long ago," Bonnie began. Her own voice sounded foreign in her ears. "But, I have no doubt he'll double back the minute he suspects something." And she was right. She was too emotionally triggered to close herself off, meaning their bond would alert him that something wasn't right. The moment he suspected, he'd be on her like white on rice. She still wasn't versed in the bond they shared, but she knew enough to know how to shut him out. Right now, though, she was a basket of emotions that she couldn't bother to sort.
"I'm done hiding from him. I want to settle things, once and for all," Elijah stated gallantly. "I'd rather die," Elijah resolved. It was an outcome he'd come to grips with.
The finality in his tone brokered no argument, and Bonnie tried her best to stomp out the panic growing in her chest. She knew Elijah could only stay away for so long. "Let's just pray no one dies, okay? Jesus." Bonnie stepped to the side and watched as Elijah crossed the threshold. She could only pray that whatever came next, they would all survive.
-X-
He knew. The moment Elijah walked back into their lives, Klaus knew. That warm and fuzzy feeling in the center of his chest did not come from him. It was a feeling of adoration and hope, and though he hated to admit it, longing. For what, he wasn't quite sure, but he felt everything she was feeling.
Since he bit Bonnie, neither of them explored the bond they now shared, but Klaus was better at reading their emotions than she. He knew when she was happy, sad, depressed, jealous, annoyed, and even when she was closing him out. It was second nature to him. Like an appendage he'd grown naturally or a sixth sense that was as real as the other five. He knew her just as he knew himself, so it calmed him, only a tad, that there was a level of anxiety and fear mixed in with her other emotions.
She was waiting on him to come back and bust up their little family reunion; and knew that at any moment, he'd show up in all of his villainous glory and play the bad guy they knew and loathed. He wanted to give in to the temptation and be the man they knew him to be.
Instead, he forced himself to dote on his moody daughter and pretend that the woman next to him wasn't getting on his absolute nerves. Getting rid of Aurora safely never seemed to make it to the top of his to-do list. The woman was psychotic at best and downright vindictive at her worst. For now, it was easier to deal with her, and if he was being honest, she had grown on him in the most unpredictable ways in Bonnie's absence. He did not wish her harm, but he did not want her to remain in his presence any longer.
There was also part of him that loved that tiny pang of jealousy he felt whenever Bonnie noticed Aurora was still sniffing about. Try as she might, she couldn't hide it. The way her green eyes sparkled with an unspoken emotion that he could only describe as 'possessiveness' made him tingle with joy. He knew that look and wore it well.
He knew it was a dangerous game to play. Having the two women near each other was asking for trouble, and if Aurora wasn't careful, she would find herself at the mercy of a pissed-off Bennett Witch—a vision Klaus would pay handsomely for.
"Hey, Dad?" Lina's sweet voice pulled him from his thoughts. They were currently walking through the quarter. Klaus's arm was draped lazily on Lina's shoulders as she picked at a flower he'd picked for her earlier. Klaus glanced down and raised his eyebrows, silently goading her to continue. In the months since they were united, their relationship was beginning to flourish. And while they still argued like Sanford and Son, Klaus realized this was just the dynamics of their relationship. Lina felt comfortable with him enough to piss him off to the brink of extinction. He only hoped that his son would warm up to him as well.
"I know you hate him, but can we invite Uncle Lijah?" Klaus tried to ignore the bitter taste in his mouth that formed every time his brother was mentioned. Klaus could feel Lina tense beneath him, waiting for the inevitable battle that would soon come. He rolled his eyes mentally. It was becoming quite exhausting to have everyone automatically assume the worst of him.
Not that he gave them a reason or anything.
"You all just love Elijah, don't you?" His voice sounded grave, even to him.
"Yes, but you're the reason I exist so naturally, I love you too," she said with a bright smile before skipping away from him. To his dismay, he found himself smiling as well. "Just think about it," she shouted over her shoulder. Klaus growled as he tried to contend with the fact that he'd been handled by a ten-year-old girl.
-X-
Perhaps it was their natural intuition as a witch or their uncle's consistency, but the twins managed to manifest Elijah into their lives. Klaus tried to stave off his anger and jealousy as he watched his daughter fly into the arms of the very man that had stolen her from him. Klaus's gaze met Bonnie's. He tried to read her emotions but conveniently, she shut him out. To add fuel to the fire, Rebekah and Marcel were present; undoubtedly Bonnie's doing. They were meant to play referee should he get out of line. Klaus bristled. If he wanted to get out of line, there wasn't a fucking thing any of them could do about it.
"For me?" He touched his chest with faux concern. "You shouldn't have," he grinned devilishly.
"We both know what happened last time you two were left alone. I figured it couldn't hurt." Bonnie voiced.
"Oh ye of little faith," he deadpanned.
"Mom, Dad, play nice," Marcel offered with a cocksure grin. Klaus ignored his quip.
"If you continue to treat a man like a beast, someday he'll play the part." All heads turned towards Aurora.
"Will someone tell me why she's still around," Rebekah sighed with exasperation.
"Never mind all that," Klaus cut in. The smile on his face was painted and artificial. "I'd like to know why my brother has returned after I specifically told him not to." Elijah, who'd been silent since Klaus's return, chose this moment to state his case. Reluctantly, he released his hold on both twins and stepped forward with confidence he did not feel.
"If ending me is what you truly desire, please wait until after their birthday. I tried to stay away per your wishes, Niklaus, but I refuse to run any longer. I can never atone for what I've done to you. It was the ultimate betrayal. I let my feelings for Bonnie cloud my judgment and destroy our relationship. But like it or not, your children mean the world to me, and I mean a lot to them, so can you set aside your hatred of me? For them?"
Klaus's jaw ticked with agitation. "Do not use my children to pull on my nonexistent heartstrings," He said gravely. "I have no desire to see your demise," Klaus began. Elijah visibly relaxed but tensed at his next revelation. "I have no desire to see you, period. What we had has been shattered beyond repair. The fact that you continue to stick around is rather pathetic."
The cruelty of his brother's words burned Elijah to the core. He swallowed a lump in his throat and trained his focus on not allowing his emotions to get the best of him. It would be easy to give in to what he wanted, but Tyler's advice fueled him.
"I understand," Elijah began. "Your immediate response to betrayal is to cut out the offender like a form of cancer, but Brother," Klaus flinched at the moniker. "The more you cut, you'll be reduced to nothing. I understand now. I understand what I've done and though I never wished to admit this aloud, a part of me has always coveted what you have. Whether I was aware of it or not makes no difference, but I am truly sorry, Niklaus."
The room fell silent as everyone waited on bated breath for Klaus's next move. The emotions that overcame him caught him off guard. He was ready to disregard everything his brother said, but oddly, he was affected by Elijah's apology.
Feeling the sudden surge of emotions, Bonnie took a step toward Klaus, reaching out instinctively. Immediately, Klaus pulled away from her and disappeared. The room fell silent as everyone tried to process what exactly happened.
"Did I say something wrong?" Elijah asked finally. They all exchanged clueless expressions while Bonnie stared at the spot Niklaus once stood.
"No. You said everything right," Bonnie muttered, knowing they could hear her perfectly. She began making her way towards the door, not sparing anyone a glance. "I'll be back."
-X-
Bonnie walked tirelessly throughout the French Quarter, following the pull of their bond. She hoped he wouldn't decide at any given moment to shut her off, leaving her to search aimlessly until she gave up or passed out from heat exhaustion. She finally found him sitting on a bench in Jackson Square. He showed no signs that he was aware of her arrival, but she knew he knew she was there. She rounded the bench and sat beside him. His presence overwhelmed her, even to this day. She felt small next to him.
Not knowing what to say, she stared out at St. Anne's Church, enjoying the view of the grand architecture. When Klaus spoke, she gave a startled flinch that almost made him chuckle. "My brother never missed a birthday, yet I never seemed to notice he left around the same time every year." It wasn't a question, nor was it a jab. Just a simple observation.
"Well, when you shut off your emotions, he could've walked on water without you noticing," Bonnie offered. "So technically, it was only the last five years he had to get creative. Sometimes he'd show up the day of their birthday and stay a few weeks after. Other times he came a week before and stayed for a week after. Then there were times he'd show up two weeks before and leave immediately after. He also threw in other trips around the year to make it less noticeable." It made him cringe at how casually she was able to talk about their deceit, but he refrained from commenting on it.
"I guess," was all he could manage.
"Accepting his apology doesn't mean you have to forget what we did. It also doesn't make what we did any less terrible. I know you, and I know how lost you must feel not having Elijah at your side. I'm not saying it'll be soon, but someday it will hurt a little less, and eventually, you'll release the pain we've caused. You just have to let it happen." It pained her to see him struggle with so many different versions of himself. Part of him wanted to lash out and kill everyone. Another wanted to sulk in his tears or not feel at all.
Niklaus didn't offer to say anything in response. Bonnie took his silence as a cue to continue. If he wanted her to hush, he would have told her by now. "Elijah gave me the wake-up call I needed when he found me." Bonnie smiled weakly at the thought. "I was working at a restaurant owned by this nice French family who took pity on the poor, dense American girl who was unwed and knocked up that no one else would hire. I killed myself at that job to save enough money so I could give birth and live comfortably for at least a year until I could work again and take care of them. But I didn't have anything planned beyond that." Bonnie wiped at her eyes as she thought of how she wouldn't have been able to sustain herself and two children.
"He was so annoyed with me. We fought tooth and nail about how I needed to suck it up and come back to New Orleans with him, but I dug my heels in. I was planning to live life on the run from you forever if I had to." Bonnie scoffed at how stupid and naive she was. The twenty-year-old version of herself would have definitely gotten killed had she gone back when Elijah begged her to.
"Elijah so eloquently explained how I was raising children, not cattle, and that you all spent a thousand years running from Mikael and he would not have it. He offered to care of us because I couldn't and I wouldn't allow anyone else to help me. I made my bed, and I felt I needed to lay in it alone. Your brother argued with me every visit to come back with him, but I refused. He could have given us up long ago, but Elijah's heart is big when he allows it, and I wore him down because of my own fears. As the twins grew older, it became harder for me to disrupt their security. This is not an excuse, but maybe if you could understand our reasoning, it would help you understand where we were coming from. Those ten years went by faster than I expected and just when I finally was coming around to the idea of returning, time ran out. I never wanted you to find me. I always wanted to come back on my own so that maybe you wouldn't be so devastated."
And it was true. She'd always envisioned returning on her own. In a perfect world, they would settle their unresolved relationship before she involved the children. Knowing what she knew about Klaus, this would have been a better approach. Leaving him alone to process any conceivable betrayal never came with a good ending. His imagination was wild, and once he believed in something, true or not, he took it and ran with it.
"Despite your past and whatever I thought of you, you deserved better than that. You didn't deserve to find out about them that way. You also didn't deserve to have yet another woman come between you and your brother, no matter what my intentions were." As she spoke, she stared at his profile. He refused to look at her, but she knew he was listening. Each tick of his jaw made her want to flinch, but she remained unmovable. She watched as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. Without looking at her, he spoke.
"I never understood why humans smoked." He placed the cigarette in his mouth and paused to light it. The smell of nicotine burned her nostrils, and she wondered where he was going with this. "A little habit I picked up when you left." It wasn't a jab but still, it made her feel small. "It was right before I flipped my switch. I was going to kill this bloke and he was so afraid, he pulled out a cigarette and begged me to let him finish it before I finished him. I guess he was nervous or maybe he was stalling but he offered me one and jokingly, I accepted." He'd always loved playing with his food. "I thought it was absurd. Here he is about to die, and all he wanted was a fucking cigarette. I'd only ever smoked herbs and cigars at that point so I was curious. Ironically, it was therapeutic and calmed my nerves. I think it's the breathing."
Bonnie tried not to look as perplexed as she felt. "Did he survive? The guy." She clarified. Klaus gave her a pointed look. Of course, that's what she'd focus on.
"As poetic as it would have been to kill him, I let him go. Maybe I was happy to have tried something new. I hadn't felt that in a long time." He hadn't felt it since she left, he refused to say. "I never flipped my switch before, so in honor of trying new things, I finished my cigarette and shut it off." He exhaled a plume of smoke while staring up at the church steeple looming above them. "When I turned it back on, I took to smoking. Not because I needed to but, it forced me to slow down and breathe. Figuratively." He wasn't sure why he was sharing all of this and neither was Bonnie. Still, she encouraged it.
"What caused you to turn it back on?" Klaus took a few puffs as he contemplated her question. The answer was complicated.
"I'm not entirely sure. Most Vampires have to be tricked into turning it on, but I guess Originals are different. We rarely turn ours off. I'm not even sure Kol has one. He's always been unhinged, even as a human." That's rich coming from him, he recognized. "For me, I guess I was tired of not feeling. It became mundane. It kept the wolf silent for a while, but the wolf always wins. He was there first, after all."
"What on Earth were you tired of not feeling? From what Elijah told me, you were miserable up to that point." She couldn't fathom what he could possibly miss about that. Her confusion almost made him laugh.
"I was tired of not feeling you." His answer felt like a splash of cold water. Klaus turned to finally meet her gaze. His stare was intense and made her want to squirm. Her jaw tightened as she tried to keep the tears from falling. "I couldn't find you but I also didn't want to. I didn't want to find you and have you confirm that you left because of me. I couldn't face that rejection—not from you. So, while I knew that I couldn't have you, I couldn't live with not feeling what I felt about you. It was the only way I could keep you with me, so I turned it back on." His vulnerability was overwhelming. Pain gripped her chest and the tears began free-falling in rapid succession. Her heart was shattered. Klaus watched as she held her chest and cried. He wanted to hold her and offer her the rest of his cigarette but didn't want to pass his habit on to her. She was human after all.
Instead, he sat beside her, offering strength he didn't feel. They were two broken souls, sitting in front of a place that provided refuge for the broken-hearted. He wanted nothing more than to run away, but instead, he sat in silence, drowning in pain with her.
"You are the source of my misery, yet, all I want and need is inside you. Some days I don't even care about the things you've done because all I want is to be with you. But, I can't allow myself to go there with you." Allowing himself to let go would mean allowing her the chance to hurt him again. If that happened, neither of them would make it out alive.
The emotional rollercoaster was never-ending. His words left her reeling, making it hard to focus. With a deep inhale, she collected herself, turning to meet his sunken gaze. "You're traumatized," she realizes. He rolls his eyes.
"That's a bit dramatic," he scoffs.
"Dramatic but true. Pain yields trauma. You associate trust with trauma and so your response is to never trust anyone. Sadly, no one has proven you wrong."
"What is your trauma response, then? Running?" Bonnie ignored the slight.
"Possibly, I never ran from anything before then. I would rather fight to the death." She paused as a horrible realization settled. "Maybe I'm more like my mother than I realize." Though she prided herself on being the mother she never knew, she realizes now that just as Abby ran from Rudy, she ran from Klaus. The only difference was that she took her children with her and Abby left hers behind.
Bonnie honestly couldn't say which was worse.
"I tried to compel her, you know. To get her to tell me where you were. She didn't even know you were gone. I knew it was a long shot, but damn." Bonnie winced. She hadn't spoken to Abby since she left. No one could know where she was, including Abby and Caroline. Although Bonnie had spoken to Caroline since leaving, she didn't know about the twins.
That conversation was long overdue and was sure to be filled with profanity and tears.
"Wow. I really am a horrible person." She picked a fine time to be selfish.
"Nevermind Abby," Klaus said dismissively. "At least I wasn't the only one cut off."
"Of all the things to be optimistic about…" She chuckled through her sniffles. A comfortable silence washed over them and Bonnie allowed herself to enjoy it. They weren't screaming or insulting one another, and it was all she could ask for.
She stood to her feet. "I don't expect us to be the Brady Bunch, but I want to coexist peacefully." She stared down at him, longing to touch him but too afraid to cross those lines. The need for physical contact was unexpected, yet since she was bitten, the urge increased.
The fact that another full moon was nearing its peak didn't help.
Niklaus stood to his full height, and Bonnie craned her neck to meet his gaze. "My grievances with Elijah can wait until after the party." The proverbial breath she was holding released, and relief flooded her.
"I know you're not doing it for me but—"
"No. I'm not." She nodded, ignoring the sting from his comment and the way her heart skipped a beat when he stepped closer to her, blocking out the sun. She moved to back away but was halted by his hand as it pressed against her back. "I'm doing it for us." She leaned into his embrace and immediately reciprocated the hug. She had no idea what he meant by 'us' but felt it was safe to include everyone.
"Thank you," she murmured into his chest. She closed her eyes to savor the moment because his mood changed with the wind. An hour from now he could be screaming at her again.
Her phone began to vibrate against them and she step back to pull it from the side of her bra, ignoring Klaus's scoffs and judgmental comments about 'boob sweat'.
"Hey, Junebug," she cooed in a voice reserved for Baby B.
"Hi, Mommy. Put dad on the phone." It was then that Klaus realized his phone was back at the house. Bonnie raised her brows at her son's tenacity but did as she was commanded. "Yes sir," she mocked lightly before passing the phone to Klaus, but not before placing it on speakerphone. This was bound to be good.
"This is Klaus the Senior, speaking."
Nicky took a deep breath before speaking his truth. "Uncle 'Lijah is staying and that's final. You are going to be nice to him, or else. I mean it." Klaus bit his lip to keep from laughing but kept up the act for his son's sake.
"Or else what?"
"I will shift into a werewolf and hunt you for a month! Lina agrees and she's willing to help me." Klaus's eyebrows raised as Bonnie stepped away to conceal her giggles.
"Okay," was all he could say in response, but Nicky wasn't through.
"I'm tired of the fighting. We want to have a good birthday." Klaus could feel his chest twist with guilt. The fact that his behavior worried them didn't sit well with him.
"Yes sir, I understand." The line grew quiet as if Nicky didn't believe how well their talk went. He'd prepared his speech for twenty minutes and spent another twenty gathering up the courage to confront his father. It went better than expected. He smiled and gave Lina a thumbs up.
"Good. Now come home." Klaus was met with a dial tone before he could answer and stared at Bonnie in disbelief. "What just happened?"
"Right. You haven't seen this side of him," Bonnie confirmed with a laugh. "Once he puts his foot down, it stays down." Klaus smiled, overcome with something he hadn't felt in a long time. Proud.
"Well, he's talking to me, at least." It had been easy bonding with Nikolina. She was just as expressive as he and was very verbal about what she was feeling, whereas Nicky was just as distant as his mother. He shied away from Klaus. Whether he was intimidated or afraid, Klaus couldn't guess, but it made him uneasy. Perhaps it was Klaus who was intimidated. He didn't want to repeat Mikael's mistakes and therefore, didn't know the best approach with Nicky. It was a tooth extraction just to get simple answers from the boy, but he had to try harder.
"Now that he's stood up to you, I think he'll come around. Don't let him intimidate you." With a smile, she began walking in the direction of 'home'. Klaus promptly followed.
"No one's intimidated. Just cautious." He clarified. Bonnie laughed and waved him off.
"Mmmhmm, let's go home."
He smiles at the warmth in the center of his chest. He liked the sound of that.
A/N: Hey guys! I'm so sorry it's taken so long but still, I rise. So much has happened since I last updated any of my stories but the biggest thing was moving out on my own for the first time ever. It's taking a while to get back into the swing of things. I've lived in the same house since I was 12 so the adjustment was REAL. Being taken out of my element was shocking and abrupt which is bad for writers lol. I had to find my desire for writing in a new space so, please know, if you're still here and reading, that I do not take your patience for granted. Thank you to whoever is still out there and if you're reading any other of my stories, I am diligently working to update those as well but it may take a while. Just know that it IS coming.
As always, thank you so much for reading. And to those that have watched season 2 of Bridgerton, if "You are the bane of my existence and the object of my desires' was a couple, it'd be these two, lol.