𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓥𝓸𝓲𝓭 𝓞𝓷𝓮 [𝓑𝓸𝓸𝓴 1]

Chapter 161

H A Y L E Y

I sat next to the sleeping figure of Stiles on the couch. He stirred before he opened his eyes to look at me. He looked at his wrists at the black veins. He looked at mine hoping to not see the same thing. He let out a sigh of relief when he didn't. "I can't be here." He said. "I'm a danger to everyone here." He said. "That's unfortunate. Because...I have some people here who would really like to talk to you." I said as I leaned down towards him. He instinctively closed his eyes before I pressed my lips to his. I pulled back as he opened his eyes furrowing his eyebrows. "Why is it that everytime we come back to New Orleans it's to check to see if you're actually dead or not?" A man announced. Foxy looked behind him to see Scott and the others. "Scotty?" Stiles croaked. "Hey, Buddy." Scott said with a smile. Scott walked over to him and gave him a hug. "If this is how you die...it'd be a cold day in hell before you do it without a goodbye this time. I was cheated out of it the first few times." Scott joked. Stiles scoffed with smile as he got to his feet. "I'm starting to believe that you actually like being possessed." Cassius said. Stiles looked over at his oldest friend. "Or...maybe I just like seeing your reactions?" Stiles shot back with a smirk. Cassius smirked back pulling him into a hug. I smiled before leaving the reunion in silence.

K L A U S

I stood on the balcony looking down at the streets below. "Don't make me murder you while you contemplate getting revenge on selfless brother." A woman said. I turned around and looked at the woman. "Caroline." I said with a smile. "If you're here for Stiles' get together, then..." I started. "I came here to collect a debt." Caroline said walking to me pulling out her phone. "Caroline, I'm standing in one of my favorite places in the world, surrounded by food, music, art, culture. And all I can think about is how much I want to show it to you. Maybe one day you'll let me." My voice stated on her phone. I smiled looking up at her. "You saved it." I said. "You owe me a tour." She replied.

N I G H T

"Would you even be here if my brother had longer to live?" I asked looking at Caroline in a bar. "I didn't come because of Stiles. I came because of you, Klaus...but...Maybe I'd let you chase me around for a few more centuries. That was always the fun part anyway." She said with a smile. I looked away from her and down at the glass in front of me. "Say goodbye to your brother, Klaus. This can't be easy for him. What he's doing is noble, Klaus, but if you don't say goodbye, if-if you let him leave and you still have questions and pain and anger, you'll never forgive yourself. And I don't think that's how he'd want to leave you." She said. I looked up at her with tears in my eyes. "I don't know how to say goodbye." I croaked. "Try this. One of you stands, walks to the door, but doesn't turn back, even if their heart aches for just one more look, one more moment. But you'll know that the not looking...just means...I'll never forget you." She whispered before pressing her lips to mine. She stood up and left.

O L I V E R

I sat on my bed in tears. "He has hours left...and he doesn't want to spend it with me." I said knowing that Dad has left to have some alone time. He hadn't come to check on me at all since he got his mind straight. "Your father cares very deeply for you, Ollie." A man said in the doorway to the room. I looked over to see Uncle Cassius. He walked in. "He cares for you more than you think. Without you...he wouldn't be able to do this. Do you understand that you've accomplished in 7 years what his family or friends or I couldn't in a thousand?" Cassius explained sitting down beside me on the bed. "This isn't abandonment, Ollie. He's afraid. Your father has never had to say goodbye to anyone because he's never permanently died before until tonight. Because of that...he doesn't know how to." Cassius whispered before turning his head to the door. I looked over to see Dad enter the room. "I'd like a moment alone with my son, please." Dad said. "Of course." Cassius said before leaving.

"Oliver, please, scream, yell, break something if you have to. Just don't look at me like that." Dad said. "This isn't right." I said. "A father protecting his son--I'd say that's exactly right." Dad said. "Elijah was willing to take the curse completely." I said. "What kind of father allows another man to due for his child?" Dad asked. "The kind that loves him!" I shouted. "I love you." Dad shot back with tears. "I love you, Ollie. It's the way of the world. Children bury their parents. It happens every day, every hour. It's a truth this family has avoided at a cost." Dad explained. "Yeah, well, I just got you back, so why does it have to be today?" I yelled crying. Dad walked to me sniffling. "Listen...I have not lived an honorable life, you know that. But doing this--taking the darkness into myself so no one else is afflicted by it--that is an honorable death, and I can do that. I can do it, Oliver...because you've helped me feel something that I never thought was possible. Unconditional love." Dad said placing his hands on my shoulders. "What about Hope? And Mom?" I asked. "Don't get me wrong. I love your mother like no one would believe. And your sister. But I had to earn that. Over time. Not with you. I was immediately enamored by you. As you were with me. You had no reason to hate me like the others did. You only saw me for what you knew me for...Your father. Not the monster everyone else has known me to be and was afraid of." Dad said. "You are my son. My heir. You're my heart." Dad added pulling me into a hug. Dad pulled away and looked at me. "Just know...what ever comes your way...I'll always be with you. You may not be able to see me...but I'll be with you. Watching your every move. Watching you get in trouble, make mistakes, fall in love. I'll be there for it all." Dad said smiling as tears streamed down his face. Dad hugged me again before leaving the room and closing the door behind him.