His protector

4

The burnt suit of the original vampire is rumpled and his body is starting to dislocate, the ashy green tint to his skin and prominent veins becoming less visible over time as he starts to reserect
" I'm waiting for you , little brother , we'll be back together soon ..... just wake up ", the familiar husky and deep voice of his brother in law whispers , as if he's speaking in his ears before he's gasping awake , seeing the crouched position of the man himself , who looks him over cautiously and in concern with a tilt of the head, then looking at him , smiling softly
" see you soon , lijah", he grins , then he's gone again

" arik", Elijah gasps out , before realising his throat is crushing him and his body is crushing in on itself as he tries to breathe , a body rushes over to him as he tries Sri find some air or some way to breathe without suffocating and killing him before he'd be respected once more , a figure of and face of Kathrine is beside him with wide eyes
" Elijah ", but it's not Kathrine , it's fucking elena Gilbert , and betrayal and anger sizzles into his slowly reforming veins
" Elijah ", he cracks at his bones in a odd way before swiftly standing up in an inhuman speed as he struggles to gasp out breathes
" I can't - I can't breathe", he pants , and elena gapes at him confused
" what's happening to me ", he coughs out , trueing not to .... Be sick , could he even still be sick , the last time he did was when he was human , he can't even remember the last time he was vomiting . Then he's speeding into the door , crashing into the wall as he missed his exits and he grunts in pain while still trying to gasp for breathe , and elena rushes over to try and support him , trying to help him stand
" I can't —— I can't ...... I can't be in this house ", he gasps out between struggling breathes , and her eyes widen in realisation
" you're not invited in ", she mutters
" get me out of here ", he croaks before speaking and smashing into the next wall he runs into as he tries to balance his mind , body, lack of energy and the fat he couldn't even breathe before trying to speed off once more , when elena finally catches up to him , he's stood outside in the porch , crouched down as he regained his breathing and composure
" what happened", he frowns after he rushes forward, gaze hard as he looked at the double ganger
" shh", she shushes him , then pointing shakily upstairs then to her ears in a guestured to stay quiet because of the others if they hear him
" I'll tell you . Not here ..."

.................

" I'll be back as soon as I can ", Maddox promises the couple as he opens the door to leave the apartment
" yes , please do , I'm anxious to get out of this body . And if you get hung up , call one of us , you know how impatient we get ", klaus mutters before closing the door after him, and arik smirks at klaus as he goes to take a seat on one of the stools
" where is he going ", Kathrine asks as she holds out a coffee to klaus , sliding another one over to arik
" to retrieve me , so I can get out of this bad hairdo", klaus huff was he takes the mug
" he's just sex deprived ", arik mutters under his breathe with a smirk , almost making Kathrine smile
" are you sure that's a good idea , klaus ", she asks him
" well , the full moon is almost upon us . We've killed the witch , we have the moonstone ... and the doubleganger is waiting in the wings , ohh I am ready to break this curse ", he breathes out , a desperate edge to his voice as he spoke that made ariks eyes soften
" and why would you do that here , there are so many people that would try to stop you ", Kathrine asks him curiously
" because I have to ", klaus tells her blankly
" it's the birthplace of the doppelgänger "
" didn't realise that was a requirement ", Kathrine mutters
" how could you , you ran before you could learn , Katerina , fear over curiosity, no ", arik chuckles heartlessly , making her hold hack a flinch as she clamped her eyes shut momentarily
" you betrayed me and fled England before I could give you the details . But , I did find your birthplace and slaughtered your family ..... so I guess we're cool ", klaus smiles at her as he runs a hand through her hair
" let's just hope that elena , isn't as stupid as you are ", he spits out before passing her as he goes towards the door
" she won't run . She'll die before she lets anyone that she loves her hurt ", Kathrine breathes out , swallowing thickly
" and that's exactly what we're counting on ", he smirks before looking at her in the eye
" you can't leave until I tell you to ", he compels before opening the door
" I love you , see you in a few hours , arik", he smiles at the dark haired man as he starts to leave
" I love you too , darling ", arik says back softly , only being heard due to both of kathrines and alarics enhanced hearing before the door shut after klaus and Kathrine glanced at arik , who twisted a bottle of dark blue nail polish between his fingers and rises a brow
" what , you want to paint your nails too", he scoffs , looking to his own as he started to do his nails , not expecting the girl to come over wearily , joining in and using his things with shaky hands , making him glance up with furrowed brows before sighing as he continued to do his nails
...........
Kathrine spun around on the stool where she sat to the loud music in the speakers , well aware arik would glance up from his writing every now and then to glance at her oddly while she drank and danced around , not letting loose around the man of half her nightmares but just bored out if her mind , when she opens the liquor cabinet, he glanced up once more , sighing when he saw her drinking from the bottle
" at least pour it in a glass , that-", arik cut himself off as he heard a voice outside the door and Kathrine stills as well , swallowing the gulp of whiskey that was in her mouth harshly and wiping her mouth with the back of her hand , gaining another look from arik as he stood , and she placed the bottle back away as she stood back , not getting in the man's way as he stands in front of her figure on the other side of the counter as he glared at the door
" hi , Alaric , you home ", a woman's voice rings out after a few knocks and arik looks over his shoulder to Kathrine , who shrugs in confusion , not really recognising the voice and steps back when ariks gaze hardens
" it's andie star , Jenna's friend ", the voice continues , not long after the door knob rattles then breaks , making arik go over to the door as it's pushed open , only for ariks body to disappear when the door travels two faces , and Kathrine looks at Damon stiffly
" you need to leave ", she swallows , confusing the vampire as andue steps in
" wow , you were right , she looks exactly like elena ", the woman , Andy says as she walks over to Kathrine , and Damon stuggles to enter at the door
" yup . Thought you might be dead ", Damon mutters out , almost jumping in shock when arik spears in front of him , looking over him curiously
" huh , you really did get my genes , didn't you ", he hums as he looked over Damon , who's face drops , confusion half filling his eyes but he tries to get in for Andy fur a moment , who's stock still as she stares at the man who seemed to come out of thin air
" I told you to leave ", Kathrine mumbles under her breathe
" arik , I'd love to say it's good to see you again , but that would be a lie ", Damon quips with a sarcastic edge as he looks at the taller man , who raises a brow with a dark look in his eyes
" yknow , there's a saying , don't mess with someone you can't take , I guess that applies to you , no ", arik smirks , snapping the man's neck before pushing him backwards
" what a pathetic use of my genes ", he sighs , pushing the blonde woman out harshly soon after then glaring over at Kathrine
" what did she give you ", he raises a brow , and she pushes her hands up , both empty , and he glanced down , seeing a small vile like bottle in Damon's limp hand fat outside the apartment before he slams the broken door shut

....................

A dark skinned girl , known as Greta , and Maddox , chanted in Latin to perform a spell , a open crate out in front of them with klaus's body inside , and Alaric was held up as his mind started to return to his own and klaus went back into his own body , arik stood behind the line of candles , eyes glued to the real body of his husband , pale skin , ashy blonde curls and long lashes , lean figure and shorter stature . As the changing stopped , the candle flames grew higher and Alaric gasps out as he regained consciousness, confused as he looked around the four people in front of him
" elena ", he whispered in confusion once he saw Kathrine , then passing out onto the floor with a thud as his knees hit the floor , then another thus as his head banged down on the wooden surface , and Maddox stood , going over to completely open the crate so klaus wouldn't be able to step out , which he does , which a gleefully sadistic smirk on his pink lips , glancing down to alarics body before looking down at his suit clad self
" now that's more like it ", he muses out , his old enlist accident more true to his low soft but husky voice as his gaze turns to arik , who opens his arms with a smile , one that grows into a happy and soft grin when klaus comes forward into his arms with content sigh , uncaring to the two witches and doppelgänger vampire watching them, he can do whatever he wished , especially get affection from his loving husband , who had left him touch starved since he was in alarics body
" let's keep you in your actual body for a few years , yeah ", arik chuckles , kissing the top of klaus's head softly