𝑰𝑵𝑻𝑶𝑿𝑰𝑪𝑨𝑻𝑬𝑫 - 𝘯𝘪𝘬𝘭𝘢𝘶𝘴 𝘮𝘪𝘬𝘢𝘦𝘭𝘴𝘰𝘯

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴛʜʀᴇᴇ

     ➳

Elijah finds Klaus sprinting through the dark streets of New Orleans. He catches up to his brother, stopping the Hybrid in his tracks. "Niklaus."

Klaus stops. "It's a trick, Elijah." He replies, voice void of emotion.

"No brother, it's a gift. It's your chance - it's our chance." Elijah tells him.

"To what?" Nik retorts.

"To start over. Take back everything we lost, everything that was taken from us. Niklaus, our own parents came to despise us. Our family was ruined - we were ruined." He pauses before continuing. "And since then, all that you have ever wanted, all that we have ever wanted is a family."

"I will not be manipulated." Klaus simply states, refusing to listen to his brothers sentimental drivel. He turns away, but Elijah speeds over to block his path.

"So their manipulating you. So what? With them, this girl and her child; your child get to live." Elijah tries to reason.

"I'm gonna kill every last one of them." Klaus snaps, shoving Elijah before attempting to speed away in the opposite direction. Instead, he's once again met by Elijah's face.

"And then what? Then you return to Mystic Falls to resume your life as the hated one, the evil hybrid?" Elijah questions, searching his brothers face. "Is it so important to you that people quake with fear at the sound of your name?"

"People quake with fear because I have the power to make them afraid." Klaus shoots back. "What will this child offer me? Will it guarantee me power?"

"Family is power, Niklaus. Love, loyalty - that's power. This is what we swore to one another a thousand years ago, before life tore away what little humanity you had left, before ego, before anger; before paranoia created in this person before me someone I can barely even recognise as my own brother. This is us, the Original family, and we remain together; always and forever." Elijah said. "I am asking you to stay here. I will help you and I will stand by you. I will be your brother. We will build a home here together. So save this girl, save your child."

Elijah reaches forwards, placing a hand on Klaus' shoulder. He too, brings his own hand up to touch Elijah's neck. Lowering his voice to a whisper, "no." Klaus says, standing up and walking away.

—————

"What makes you think you can control the Hybrid?" Agnes, one of the older witches asked Sophie.

Lunar was leaning against the wall of Mausoleum, picking at her finger nails, bored. Of course, she hadn't gone down without a fight; but the witches only continued their nonsense chanting whenever she got too close to the doorway.

"She can't." Lunar looked up now at the voice, seeing Elijah standing in the doorway. She didn't want to be the damsel in distress, but she hoped he'd at least kill the witches for her.

"I'm not entirely certain I can, either." He admitted. "But now that your coven has drawn his ire, I have a question: what prevents my brother from murdering you instead of cooperating?"

Lunar raised a hand, like a school girl asking to speak. Sophie shot her a glare. "I think that's a good question." She pointed at Elijah, grinning. "Tell us Sophie." She moved towards the witch and shoved her back against the damp, stone walls. "Why shouldn't Klaus, or hell even me, kill you?" Lunar whispered, waiting for the horror and fear to flood into Sophie's eyes.

Growing impatient Lunar raised a hand, grabbing the witch by the throat and watching as she began to cough and gag. But then, the thrill of the kill didn't come, because she felt her own chest becoming compressed.