The burdens of family

48

Klaus managed to get Stefan to agree to do everything he said in exchange for the cure. Then he turned to Arkyn.
"How about you, brother?" He taunted. "You, me and Stefan. Damon lives."
"There is nothing you could say to make me go with you." Arkyn scoffed
"Are you sure? I mean, it'd be a shame if Stefan lost his brother because you didn't want to hang out."
"You severely overestimate my care for the older Salvatore. Besides, you and I already have a deal. Unless you want to go back on your word."
"Being evil would suit you, brother."
"I'm not your brother."
"Ouch."
"Stefan- you don't have to do this." Arkyn turned to the younger vampire. "I can work something out with Klaus."
"Like what?" Stefan frowned. "He's been planning this since the sacrifice." He looked at Klaus. "It's what you meant, isn't it? When you said you had plans for me?"
"Klaus wasn't aware about his blood's healing properties."
"True, but that just made things easier. I was planning on just threatening everyone he cared about. The wolf and the vampire. The history teacher. So many to choose from."
"Except you've promised not to."
"Well, it's all too late now, isn't it?"
"Maybe not." Arkyn looked around at Katherine and Stefan. "Join me for a walk?"
"And why would I do so?"
"There might be something you'd want more than Stefan's company." Arkyn said.
"I'm all ears."
"It's sensitive." Arkyn said. Klaus looked at him curiously.
"Five minutes." He said, picking up the vial of blood, and sped out of the apartment, grabbing Arkyn on his way. He took him out to the woods and looked around. They were alone. "What is it?"
"Location of Mikael." Arkyn said. "I met a witch who knew where his body was stashed. Leave Stefan alone, I'll give you his location, you can take his body and dagger him or whatever you want. He'd be yours to do as you wish."
"You're bluffing."
"It's the truth. You leave Stefan Salvatore alone, give Damon your blood, and you can have your tormentor locked in a box. You can undagger our siblings."
"Who's the witch?"
"She's dead now. What do you say?"
"You don't want him revived. And if you're the only other one who knows where he is, then I suppose we're all pretty safe." The hybrid mused aloud.
"And if someone stumbles across his body? Or an enemy of yours seeks him out? Something will go wrong. Something always goes wrong. Wouldn't you rather be in control of the very man who instilled true fear in you your entire life?"
"One year." Klaus negotiated.
"What?"
"Stefan's with me for a year. You give me his location, he only stays with me a year. Deal?"
"I can't bargain away any of Stefan's life. It's not mine to give. But what I can do, in exchange for your blood, is give you Mikael's location."
"Let's see what Stefan has to say." Klaus sped back to Alaric's apartment. Arkyn followed, once again standing outside the door. "My brother-"
"You don't get to call me that." Arkyn scowled.
"Arkyn has been trying to bargain your freedom. Why is that, Stefan? I get Katerina. She was a really good friend of his and he didn't want her dead, although I suspect he wouldn't care much anymore."
"Klaus." Arkyn said warningly.
"What are you talking about?" Katherine asked, standing up in interest.
"Oh." Klaus looked at Arkyn. "She doesn't know?"
"Klaus still wants to take you out of town, Stefan."
"Fine." Stefan said.
"I would have preferred indefinitely, but Arkyn fought hard. Two years, on the road with me and you can go back to your brother. That is if you still want to." Klaus said.
"Two years?"
"Six months." Arkyn said.
"We didn't agree on that."
"We didn't agree. But if you're going to force him out with you, then six months."
"One year and a half."
"I can go down, if you'd prefer Klaus. I'm the one with the upper hand."
"Six months." Klaus said. "Deal."
"The blood..?" Arkyn asked but Klaus shook his head. He picked up a blood bag and threw it to Stefan.
"Drink." Klaus said. Stefan slowly took a small sip. "All of it." He demanded.
"Klaus."
"You stay out of it. You talked me out of a lot, already. We've bargained."
"It's okay." Stefan said. He finished the bag and Klaus threw him another. Stefan finished it as well, and Klaus threw him another. "The cure, first."
"Not until we make the deal. It's your choice, Stefan. You can either remain here living your life in Mystic Falls, or you can embrace what you truly are, leave town with me, and save your brother's life." Stefan took the bag and drank it, and another, and another.
"That's the spirit." Klaus picked up his vial of blood and looked to the doppelgänger and compelled her. "Sweetheart, take this over to Damon and come right back."
"You want me to leave?"
"No!" Stefan called, and Arkyn frowned. Why was Stefan opposed to the idea.
"Yes." Klaus ignored the Salvatore. "And if I were you..." Katherine took the vial and sped away. "I'd hurry." He finished. Arkyn glared at his brother.
"Klaus."
"What?"
"I want another vial."
"For what?"
"In case of emergencies. In case something happens to the one Katerina has. Just in case."
"And why should I? You have nothing left to bargain with. Nothing I really care for."
"Out of the goodness of your heart." Arkyn rolled his eyes.
"I thought we've already established I don't have any goodness in my heart."
"That's true."
"And if I did, I would only show it to family. You've said it yourself. We are no longer family."
"Also true."
"So why should I?"
"Because I asked instead of just taking."
"You can't even come inside."
"I could change that with one phone call. Or I could wait you out, unless you plan on staying in there until the end of time."
"You've certainly become melodramatic. Threats are okay, but over the years you've become soft."
"Well, it's not like you can go after those I care about, so I don't have much to lose."
"I could always dagger you again."
"You don't have enough daggers. You'd have to undagger somebody in order to."
"You really have changed, little brother. I'm almost proud." Arkyn rolled his eyes.
"Cure."
"There's one thing I do want."
"What?"
"An apology."
"Excuse me?"
"I want you to acknowledge you were in the wrong."
"Like you were innocent."
"You tried to get me killed."
"You killed everyone I cared about."
"And what about the people I cared about?"
"You didn't come after me for vengeance. You came after me because you were upset and you wanted me to suffer."
"That doesn't change what you did."
"Nor does it change what you did."
"I just want to hear you say it."
"Fine," Arkyn sighed. "I'm sorry you almost died and I took part in it." Klaus looked at him, before nodding. He got another vial out of his pocket. He used the knife and cut his palm, pouring his blood into the bottle before closing it with a stopper. "Why do you have empty vials on you?" Klaus just glared him before throwing him the vial.
"It's time for you to leave." Klaus said.
"Stefan-" he started but the Salvatore shook his head.
"It's okay. Thank you, Ark." Arkyn smiled, guiltily but sped away to the boarding house. Katherine was leaving.
"Arkyn..." she said but he just walked past her.
"Is Damon okay?" He asked Elena as he stood in the doorway.
"Yes." Elena said. "Where's Stefan?"
"Stefan's with Klaus."
"That's what Katherine said, but what does it mean?"
"It means Klaus blackmailed him into leaving town with him for six months in exchange for the cure."
"Six months? Stefan can't survive six months with Klaus." Damon frowned.
"Klaus doesn't want to kill him." Arkyn shook his head. "He just wants... it's a long story. Just leave it, alright. He can hold on for six months. It was either that or indefinitely."