Marshall Twins [2 - Twins Series]

9 - The Map of Moments

Book: Marshall Twins
Chapter 9
Word Count: 1875

Elijah was sitting on the porch with Hope and Miracle, who were giggling together in baby seats. In the yard, Rebekah was setting up firewood.

"It's alright, Elijah. They won't break." Rebekah chuckled, walking over and picking up Hope. "Everything you did was in the name of protecting them. I'm not worried."

Elijah picked up Miracle and held her.

"Hi, sweetheart."

Elijah finally noticed the fire and looked at Rebekah in confusion.

"Is that what I think it is?"

Rebekah, who had been entertaining Hope and making her giggle loudly, also glanced at the fire. She turned back to Elijah and Miracle, and grinned happily.

"It's bonfire season! And I am reviving a family tradition! Especially since we're all going to be together."

"Only because we're fleeing from one of our deranged parents. Another Mikaelson family tradition." Elijah mentioned. "It's a peculiar thing — never to be tired, yet forever exhausted by the sameness of things. Why is our family always at war?"

Rebekah smiled slightly.

"I don't know. But, being away with them made me see things differently. We're not so bad. We're not the monsters that our parents think we are."

Suddenly, a black SUV sped down the driveway. Klaus didn't even get the chance to park before Avery rushed out of the car and sprinted toward Rebekah, Elijah, and her daughters.

She stopped in her tracks as soon as she saw Hope and Miracle, as though she couldn't believe her eyes. Rebekah and Elijah both smiled at her as Klaus and Hayley caught up with them, and Elijah wasted no time handing a smiling Miracle to Avery. Rebekah smiled at her older brother as she handed Hope to Klaus.

Avery hugged Miracle tightly and breathed a sigh of relief. Behind her, Klaus was near tears as he stared down at one of his daughters in his arms.

Avery turned so she could see Hope, too, and so Klaus could see Miracle. Both baby twins cooed happily. Klaus and Avery both laughed as they smother their daughters with kisses.

---

The Mikaelsons were discussing the newest revelations they'd just learned while they continued to build the bonfire. Avery now held Hope, and Miracle had been passed to Hayley.

"Curse on the first-born? What the bloody hell is that supposed to mean?" Rebekah questioned.

"Well, according to Finn, our sister Freya didn't die of plague. She was taken as payment by our aunt Dahlia, who then cursed all Mikaelson first-borns for eternity." Klaus stated.

"Is any of this true?" Avery wondered, concerned.

"It is if we are to believe Finn, who learned it from the bastion of truth — our mother." Elijah muttered.

"Well, no wonder Finn hates us. He lost the sister he adored, and instead got a judgy pack of siblings who found him unbearably dull." Rebekah sighed.

"Great." Hayley spoke sarcastically.

"So, is there any chance of us running into your loony aunt Dahlia any time soon?" Avery asked as Hope grabbed onto her thumb and wouldn't let go. Avery smiled lovingly down at one of her daughters.

"The fable's over a thousand years old. Dahlia is long dead." Elijah pointed out.

"...Like Esther?" Hayley whispered.