AN: ARE Y'ALL READY FOR SOME JEALOUS CAMI? This chapter explains exactly how Caroline will fit into this story. Enjoy!
And FYI: I've decided not to add any Kol or Rebekah ships. There's too much confliction between Kennett and Kolvina, for one thing, but I also think it will be best not to add any more characters to overshadow the ones we already have. Kolvina will still be included in later chapter bc that's what happens in The Originals anyway, but I'm not planning on changing anything like her death. -Izzy x
Chapter Seven – The Originals 3x08
Elijah found Katerina leaning against the doorframe of the room where they were keeping the new Tristan, tied up and bitten, softly moaning in pain. She looked sad, watching him there. An emotion he hadn't seen on her for so long.
Elijah came up behind her and rested a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay?" He asked, gently.
She shrugged his hand off and scoffed. "I'm fine. Don't be a bitch."
"Yeah, I thought so." He smirked and moved around to stand next to her, looking at Markos, the man she protected. "Why didn't you tell me about your solution to our Tristan problem?" He asked, his eyes flicking back to her. It was a clever plan, and very useful in their situation, so he couldn't think of any possible reason for her to conceal it from him.
"I wanted you to trust me," she admitted, refusing to meet his eye. But he wouldn't stop gazing.
"I did," he assured her. Still, she didn't turn to him, so he continued. "It was a new feeling, trusting you. I enjoyed it. And you came through in the end, so thank you."
"This isn't the end, Elijah," she corrected.
There was a particularly long pause as her eyes saddened increasingly as she watched Tristan. She rarely cared this much about anybody. He must have been something very special to her. But apart from boyfriend, Elijah couldn't guess what, until she explained, breaking the silence with her sad story.
"I met Markos when I was a human," she told him softly, "in Bulgaria. The first time. By then he was already a thousand years old and in a body not of his own. But he took me dancing and I thought it was love. Markos… he's the father of the child I was banished for."
Elijah felt his face fall at the realisation.
Oh.
The only pair he could relate it to was Hayley and Klaus. They hated each other's guts for the majority of the time, but they would kill to protect each other. He had believed it was to raise Hope with both parents, but maybe it was different. Maybe it was because they owed Hope the safety of her parent. Maybe it was because they owed each other.
Katerina's breathing began to get shaky and uneven and her eyes began to glisten.
"Katerina," he started, but she interrupted.
"I met her," she said, her voice choking on the words and her eyes welling up at the memory. "My daughter. She turned herself into a vampire to find me and she did. For months, I got to… to share her secrets," she spat, her voice breaking, "and watch her cry. I got to be her mother for a few short months."
Elijah didn't try and comfort or console her, knowing that would be unwelcome. "What happened?" He asked instead.
Katherine shrugged, forcing down any emotion that had been building up. "They killed her to save Elena," she snapped, angrily. "And I allowed them to kill me so I could say goodbye. I landed myself in Hell for my sins."
Elijah paused, blinking. "Hell is real," he summarised, nodding. "That makes sense."
"Yeah, well if people can find peace, then people can find eternal damnation," she mused. "But I found Markos. He was there too. And I told him all about Nadia Petrova, the daughter we both lost." There was another pause as she kicked a speck of dust. "Him and I… we escaped Hell together. It's a long story how, but we did. And we ran together."
"From whom?" Elijah asked, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Katherine just shrugged. "I don't know," she answered. "I haven't heard from any of Hell's bitches since." She turned to Elijah for the first time since he approached her and sighed. "This… solution?" She gestured towards Tristan. "This can't be permanent. I owe him more than that. When this prophecy passes, Klaus will have to lift the compulsion, and I'll put Markos somewhere else. Okay?"
He blinked. "I didn't think you owed anybody anything," he said. "I thought you looked out for yourself, and yourself alone."
She cocked her head at him, rolling her eyes. "Elijah, since we broke up, I met and lost my daughter and spent a year in hell. Things are… changing. Not everything. The big picture remains the same. But these little things inside of me, aren't what you remember. Aren't what I remember."
Elijah nodded to himself, realising. Katherine Pierce has never been in New Orleans with him. It's been Katerina Petrova all along.
Aurora pulled the car up in the back alley behind the church and climbed out, stretching her legs. She'd gotten a lot done in the last couple hours, including getting changed into regular clothes instead of that fancy Thanksgiving thing.
She strutted around to the of the car and opened up the trunk, taking a look at Camille, still in her purple dress, still unconscious, and still bleeding from the neck. "Aw, poor dear," Aurora mused, smirking. "Still sleeping. Well, you have a big day ahead of you, so we should get started."
She leaned down to pick the blonde up, but felt something strong and metal hit her over the head. Camille, who had been faking unconsciousness, got to her feet and started running, making Aurora roll her eyes and flash in front of her.
"That was not nice," Aurora scolded, snarling. "Okay, you and I need to have a little heart-to-heart conversation." She grabbed the blonde's arm and started dragging her to the church backdoor. "Come along."
Inside was the vampire wrestling ring that Marcel had set up, and the punching bags littered around the room. There were big human boys around the room, practising their moves and flexing their muscles, which made Aurora smile.
"What are we doing here?" Camille asked, nervous.
"I heard a little rumour that these men train here, hoping to be turned into vampires," Aurora mused, looking around. "So I'm going to grant them their wish."
"Wait, please," Camille said, sounding desperate. "I don't know who you are. And if you have a problem with me, then fine. But let them go."
"Huh." Aurora's face fell, disappointed. Had nobody told the poor darling yet? Did that mean that Camille was out of the loop, or Aurora wasn't important? "I assumed you knew who I was. No matter. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Aurora de Martel." She did a little curtsey for Camille. "Long lost love of Niklaus Mikaelson. He and I are having a little spat at the moment, as he took my brother captive. Now it's come to my attention that you are quite precious to him. So, I'm taking you. And these lovely little specimens are to provide incentive. Once they're in transition, they'll need to feed. And since you will be the only human blood available… well… Nik had better give me what I want."
"Are you kidding me?" Camille exclaimed, looking hurt.
Aurora just ignored her, pushing her to the floor and turning to the men in the ring. "Gentlemen!" She called. "Come down. Quick, quick. Off you pop." They paused, studying her before obliging, jumping down to talk. "Thank you! Hallo." She turned to two men on the machines and gestured them over as well. "You too, come on." When they all gathered around, she smiled. "Congratulations. You have all been chosen to claim the highest honour bestowed upon your pitiful species."
"Don't do this," Camille pleased from the floor. "Klaus doesn't even like me!"
Aurora rolled her eyes. "You're lying," she claimed. "I heard them talk about you."
"Did you hear Katherine Piece?" Camille asked, sitting up and scowling unhappily.
Aurora blinked, deciding to listen. "I met her briefly," she said, remembering the little spat at the Thanksgiving dinner, where her and Freya came downstairs to be mean to her. "We had better things to discuss than you."
Camille pouted. "Well, you should listen to what she has to say before coming to any rash decision," she suggested, looking like she was about to get emotional. "Because according to her, I'm nothing but a rebound."
Aurora scowled. "You're lying, to save these men."
"Why would I speak so low of myself?" Camille snapped, angrily. Yeah, she was definitely getting emotional. "Apparently, I remind Klaus of a perky blonde in Mystic Falls. That's all I know about her. That's who you should be playing with."
Aurora paused, thinking to herself. Klaus did have a history in Mystic Falls, and if there was someone special there… well it would explain his relationship with this bore. "Interesting," Aurora admitted. "Well. It looks like I'm going to have to investigate both options. Let's do this one first."
Aurora bit open her wrist and ran around the men, feeding them all her blood before snapping their necks and watching them fall. When she did, she took a breath, beginning to pace around the room, amongst a large pile of dead bodies. Camille had gotten to her feet, and looked sad about all the death, which made Aurora want to laugh.
"It's rather odd, you being Nik's therapist," she said instead, walking to a specific point and tapping it with her foot. "Didn't he kill your uncle right around… here?"
Camille paused before nodding. "Yeah. It was a mercy killing."
Aurora laughed. "Mercy? That is such an odd little word. Tell me… was it difficult to watch?"
Camille took a deep breath before answering. "Yes."
"Hm." Aurora nodded, not quite satisfied. "This church hasn't been much luck to your family, has it?"
There was a slight pause as Camille realised what the vampire meant. "You know about my brother?"
Aurora nodded, gleefully. "I confess, when I first heard your name, I was intrigued. Nik cares for so little people. So, I looked you up. The internet is such a marvel. I learned all about your past. The insane twin brother kills nine students and then does himself in? Wow."
"Why are you doing this?" Camille asked, crossing her arms. "I told you. I'm not the one you're looking for."
Aurora smirked. "No, Klaus really cares about someone in Virginia, apparently, but that's a long drive, and these new vampires are here, and I already sent a message to Klaus… This perky blonde will just have to wait."
Camille rolled her eyes. "Do you get off on being cruel to me?"
Aurora narrowed her eyes, moving to sit down. "Perhaps I'm looking for the ways in which we are alike. You see, Nik's been obsessed with me for centuries. And now, he's infatuated with you. What do you think the overlap is between us? Is it… crazy brothers? Yours was quite mad. And mine? Tristan… I love him but he can be a bit daft sometimes. You know he likes to have me committed every so often? Hoping to cure my dispositions. Thanks to him, I've been plunged into ice bars, bled for melancholier, and exorcised for demons five – no, six. Six times. You know, my latest diagnosis is bipolar disorder. I imagine, with your credentials, you're familiar with it."
The blonde's eyes softened. "There have been great strides to-"
"Shut up, Camille," Aurora snapped. "I prefer not to be condescended by someone who only just got her degree. Now, tell me a little more about you, starting with how you feel about Nik. And do bear in mind, that I appreciate honesty."
Werewolf venom was always a reliable form of torture to any vampire, so Katherine chose to step outside while Hayley bit and bit Tristan, trying to force him to talk to Elijah, which he didn't do, obviously. But they didn't really need him too.
"I have a question," Hayley mused, joining Katherine at the newly rebuilt bar downstairs. "What are you and Elijah hiding about Tristan? I didn't taste any vervain in his system, yet Elijah doesn't want to compel him. Why?"
Katherine paused, before smirking. "Insightful," she commented. "Tristan thinks he's on vervain, but he's not, you're right. Klaus already got answers from him, and compelled him to forget about it. He doesn't know that we know, which gives us an advantage. But torturing him fools both him, and his sister, and gets Aurora to talk."
Hayley looked impressed as she poured herself a drink. "Your plan, I'm assuming?"
Katherine just shrugged, proudly. "Yeah, I'm clever that way," she claimed.
Hayley's phone rang, and she excused herself to take a call from Freya. Katherine went back upstairs to get an update of the Tristan situation, but cringed slightly at the bloody mess. It was Tristan's body, sure. And the mind was all Tristan, thanks to Klaus's compulsion. There was nothing left of Markos in there. But she still felt guilty for letting it happen.
Elijah noticed her discomfort and pulled her closer, kissing her forehead. "It needs to be done," he assured her, regretfully.
Hayley returned just as Elijah's lips left Katherine's skin, and her face fell in shock. Now Elijah looked guilty, and Katherine didn't have an opinion on the situation. "Sorry for interrupting," the wolf said, awkwardly. "I didn't know you two fixed your shit." Neither of them replied, and Hayley quickly excused herself.
Katherine paused before following her, hoping their newfound alliances wasn't screwed up because of it. But she found Hayley leaning against a railing outside, and trying to stop her eyes from leaking.
Katherine's own eyes widened as she walked over to her. "Hayley, are you-"
"Crying about Elijah?" Hayley finished. "No, I promise. You two are fine. I was just… You guys fixed your shit, but I got into some of my own."
Katherine paused, moving to stand next to her, awkwardly. "You're husband. Jackson or something? Is everything okay?"
Hayley shook her head, her eyes turning slightly red. "No, he… he left. And I'm not sure if he's coming back." She took a deep, shaky breath, trying to control herself. "I've been spending too much time with the Mikaelsons, and neglecting him. Jackson's become a full-time babysitter, and he doesn't understand that everything I'm doing, I'm doing for her. When she's older, I can't tell her I did nothing while all of this-"
"Hayley," Katherine interrupted, before the wolf got too worked up. "Kids don't understand vampire politics. All they understand is who's there, and who's not. And it does seem like you're always trying to find a babysitter."
"But when she's older-"
"She still won't understand," Katherine interrupted. "Trust me, I know. Look, go and find Jackson. Elijah and I got it from here. Take Hope, and just… take a little staycation. You need it."
Hayley paused before nodding and rubbing Katherine's arm. "Thank you," she whispered, before flashing away to find her family.
Almost seconds after Hayley disappeared, Marcel ran up to them, looking grim. Elijah came out to greet him, looking suspicious. "I'm here on the behalf of the Strix," Marcel announced to the pair. "And I'm not leaving without Tristan."
Elijah smirked. "Well, it seems you won't be leaving for a while," he claimed. "Do make yourself at home. There is a guest bedroom, should you refuse to relent."
Marcel rolled his eyes. "Elijah, look, the way I see it, you don't have a choice."
Elijah raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?"
"Any minute now, the Strix will come along to get their guy," Marcel informed him. "And destroy half the Quarter in the process."
"I can handle the Strix," Elijah insisted.
"Oh, you can't even handle Tristan," Marcel scoffed. "He's about to OD on wolf venom, and you can't get a thing out of him. The guy's been around for a millennium; he can handle your mind games. And if you end up killing him, we lose Rebekah for good.
"So, you suggest what, Marcel?" Elijah asked. "That I hand over this wretched fiend and stand idly by as you set him free?"
Marcel held up his hands, as if ready to share a fool-proof plan. "I take Tristan and make it look like I bust him out. I get praise from the Strix, and a bunch of trust. I find out where Rebekah is and keep them from declaring war on the Quarter. If you trust me-"
"I will not," Elijah said, interrupting him, "release that filth."
When Klaus arrived, he just managed to overhear the ending of Aurora's conversation with Camille, which proved Auroras knowledge of his whereabouts. "My respect for you is overshadowed by my harsh jealousy," Aurora was saying. "So I believe the inevitable has arrived. Wouldn't you say my love?"
Klaus paused before walking into the line of sight of both women, his hands behind his back as he studied the situation. "Aurora," he greeted. "Stop this game."
"This is not a game, Nik, this is an intervention," Aurora claimed, beginning to get even angrier than before. "You're in danger of losing the love of your life. Me. We're finally together after so long apart – the world before us! If we can just dodge a few minor obstacles. Like this nuisance of a prophecy. My brother's internment. The insufferable influence of Elijah. But what I can't overlook is your feelings for somebody else. Whether it be for this wench, or for some perky blonde in Mystic Falls!"
Klaus paused, his face falling. He had walked in there with a plan: convince Aurora he didn't care about Camille, to have her spared. But he had not been expecting this turn of events. "What do you know about Caroline?"
Aurora's face fell, sadly. "Caroline? Is that her name?"
"So it's true?" Camille whispered, sounding heartbroken. "I'm just a rebound?"
Okay, time called for a specific change in the plan. "I assure you, Caroline was simply a fling. A one-night stand against a particularly unstable tree, which is now but a stump. Before you, stands Camille. She's the one I truly care about; the one I struggle to find myself without. Aurora, please. If you value our relationship, let her go."
Aurora scoffed, gesturing to Camille. "Do you actually love her?"
Klaus shrugged, trying to look sheepish. "I know it's odd, and it shouldn't be, but I can't stop thinking about Camille. She brings out the best in me. Aurora, if you kill her, it would be nothing but darkness inside. Do not break me like this."
Aurora stepped behind Camille and held her nails to her throats, clearly testing Klaus's statement. "You're lying!" She exclaimed. "I can tell. Do you hear that, Camille? He's trying to get me to kill you. Why? To protect Caroline?"
Klaus feigned a look of desperation. "Camille! Don't listen to her. Caroline means nothing to me."
Aurora looked shocked. "You're genuine, aren't you?" She knocked Camille out and headed towards the door. "Klaus, step outside with me, a moment." He followed her and smirked, considering his plan to be successful.
"Elijah!" Marcel exclaimed, following Elijah around the compound refusing to relent. "You gotta help me out here. You know I'd never do anything to harm Rebekah-"
"Marcel, I said no," Elijah said, scolding. "And unless you plan on betraying me and bringing the Strix here, then I suggest you give it up."
There was a pause before Marcel smirked. "Nah, you see… I already betrayed you before I got here."
In an instant, the courtyard was swarming with members of the Strix, cornering Elijah. Fangs out, shoulder squared, and ready for a fight. Elijah raised an eyebrow and fixed her cuffs, beckoning them forward.
The next few minutes were filled with broken bones and blood shed, ripped out hearts and decapitated heads, strewn across the courtyard. He noticed the faint sound of Freya being stabbed upstairs by Aya, and made a mental note to heal her as soon as the threat was gone. He was seconds away from finishing them off when reinforcements came.
He discarded of the majority of them before he noticed the final three. Two of them approached him, and the third held Katerina still, holding her neck at an uncomfortable angle, one tiny movement away from snapping it.
Elijah's face fell as he considered his options. Surrender, or flash forward and try to save her, risking her life in the process.
During that second to think, he felt his heart being pierced by wood, and the burning sensation spread through his body. He stiffened dropping to the floor.
-0-0-0-0-0-
When Elijah woke up, Freya and Katherine was gathered in the living room and Katherine was serving drinks. He pulled the stake out of him and got to his feet, angrily grumbling. Freya was holding another stake that could have been used, but had been simply left with them.
"It's embedded with dark magic," she explained as Elijah took a drink from Katherine, downed it, and then handed the glass back to her to fill up. "So it can take even an original down."
"Well the Strix have no shortage of weapons," Elijah claimed.
"They don't have Marcel," Katherine said.
Elijah shot her an unhappy glare, so she could see the extent of his anger. "I'm not so sure about that," he said.
Katherine rolled her eyes. "Yeah, he attacked you, but he could have used that thing on you," she gestured to the stake in Freya's hands, "and he didn't. And after you died, he killed other members of the Strix to save me."
"And he healed me," Freya informed them, her hand falling to the wound on her stomach. "A few minutes more and I would have been dead."
"As far as Marcel knows, he's just taken our last chance of finding Rebekah," Elijah reminded them. "He wouldn't have done that, had he not been working against us."
Katherine blinked before replying. "Elijah… why are you so mad? We have the information we needed, and Tristan won't be working against us at all, anymore. So what is Marcel had another plan? He still has a plan."
Before Elijah could reply, Klaus joined them, grinning slightly. He took a drink from Katherine and winked, merrily. "Good news," he announced, sitting down next to Freya. "I have the longitude coordinates. I saw inside Aurora's mind. Katerina's memorised the latitude ones, so we now have everything we need to bring Rebekah home." He paused when he noticed the blood stain on Elijah's portrait, just like in Alexis's vision. "Oh. Well that's unnerving. But never mind. Lots of work to be done."
Hayley stopped in the street, bags and diapers falling out of the pram. The one she hadn't even folded out yet. "Crap," she whispered, trying to pick bags up and hold Hope – who started crying – all at once. She was taking her for a little visit to the bayou to see Jackson and convince him to come home, and apparently it was harder than it seemed.
"Here, let me help," came a comforting voice at her side.
Hayley checked the guy out quickly before handing Hope to him. "Try anything," she threatened, "and I'll tear your intestines out your ass and hang you with them."
The man just chuckled. "I don't doubt it. I'm Cade, by the way."
"That's a stupid name," Hayley grumbled. She looked across the road as she finished picking up her stuff and saw Katherine watching them. Cade raised Hope's arm to wave at her from across the street, and she took off, walking at a brisk pace.
Hayley paused before snatching Hope back and strapping her into the pram. "Thanks," she said, under her breath.
After the crowd dispersed, Freya found Klaus by the bar and sat next to him, refusing a drink when he offered. "Hey, Klaus," she mused, thinking deeply. "Something Tristan said today kind of stuck with me. Elijah's been confidently looking for your redemption for centuries. And Rebekah's, and Kol's. He started trying to trust me for no reason other than the blood in my veins. But he has completely given up on Finn. Why? Is it just because he tried to kill you or…"
Klaus paused, lowering his drink and turning to Freya. "Finn didn't just try to kill us," Klaus replied. "He succeeded."
"Kol?" Freya asked, remembering the curse that was placed on her youngest brother the year before.
Klaus shook his head. "No, before that. One thousand years ago, Finn killed our own. That's not something we could ever forgive him for." He got to his feet and sighed. "It's been a long day, Freya, and this isn't a story I like to tell. So, if you forgive me, I'll refrain from doing so until a later date."
He walked off to bed, and Freya chewed her lip, trying to figure out which Mikaelson Finn could have killed. Klaus killed Esther, and Henrik was killed by wolves, not Finn. The rest were alive for the next thousand years.
Katherine was speeding down the highway out of New Orleans when her phone started ringing. She paused, doubting herself before putting it on speaker and answering. "Hey, sweetie," she cooed. "What's up?"
"I'm at your condo," Elijah informed her, sounding worried. "Where are you?"
Katherine sighed. "I was just about to call you," she told him. "To say goodbye." There was a long pause as Elijah took in what Katherine said. She was running again. "I don't know what to tell you, Elijah. These last few weeks have been fun. But Klaus forgot that witches can't be mind-fucked when he compelled me to stay in town, so I'm leaving."
"Going back into hiding?" Elijah asked, sounding particularly cold.
"At least my life's not boring," she claimed.
"Why, Katerina?" He asked, the sadness just recognisable in his voice. "Why leave now?"
She took a deep breath, wondering how to break it to him without hurting him. "When I arrived in New Orleans, I was expecting you to be playing Three Men and a Baby. Not to be weighed down with a prophecy and the Strix. Things have gotten complicated for us both."
"I don't believe you," he whispered. "You opened up to me," he said, a little louder. "We talked. You listened. I saw the change in you."
Katherine paused again, finding this just as hard as he did. "Nadia Petrova died in 1542, with eight children. She lived in poverty, and Markos and I were having sex after meeting in Hell. I lied to you, Elijah. I always do."
"I don't believe you. You wouldn't-"
"I don't love you anymore, Elijah!" She exclaimed, interrupting him and yelling through her teeth. They hadn't said the 'L' word since she arrived in New Orleans, but he knew it was true once before. "I used to. A long time ago. But those feelings didn't come back."
"You don't love me anymore?" He asked, accusingly. "Isn't that convenient for you? So when my life puts you in danger for a second, after I've done everything to protect you, that's when you decide you don't love me anymore?"
Katherine sucked her teeth. To be fair, he knew her well, and she knew this wasn't going to be easy. "I'm in danger anyway, Elijah – this has nothing to do with that. I'm just safer on my own, and you're better off with my troubles on your plate as well."
Elijah didn't reply, and after a few minutes, Katherine relented and finished the conversation. "Goodbye, Elijah."
"Goodbye, Katherine." He hung up first and Katherine continued down the road.
She couldn't fit a casket in her Porsche, but she'd shoved Markos in a body bag in the trunk. The plan was complicated from there, incredibly so, but at least Elijah's family would be safe from here. Not of the prophecy, but maybe of Cade.
But she hadn't had the opportunity to tell Elijah how much she really would miss him.
"Hey Siri," Aurora called to her phone in the shotgun seat, as she pelted down the highway leaving New Orleans. "Give me a fast route to Mystic Falls."
"Directing a route to Mystic Falls," her phone replied, and started spouting directions.
"Time to meet that perky blonde Caroline," Aurora mused, smirking widely.
AN: There we go.
Let me know what you think, and I'll love you forever!-Izzy x
