Nothing Dark Can Stay, Either

Chapter 34

At the one month mark, everyone could finally exhale when it came to Beatrix.

Their problems were far from over, but by the time the full moon hit in October, there was no denying that at long last, there was no need to be worried she might spiral downward again.

She had cried profusely the first few days afterward. For just a few moments, Klaus and Elijah had set aside their feud to comfort her, bringing her all the food they knew she'd enjoy, and leaving her alone whenever she asked. Klaus had been exceptionally intent on pampering her, bringing Hope along to let her cry while hugging the little girl, who would affectionately rub Beatrix's arms as if understanding what she was feeling, and knowing that her presence was making it better.

When she'd stopped crying, she'd started fighting, but not in a negative way. She made it a habit to go to Marcel's fight gym in the St. Anne's Church daily. She'd fight once, then go out for a run, return to fight again, then run some more, tiring herself out as much as she could and getting herself in better shape than she'd been in for a long time. She and Elijah hadn't yet had a formal conversation, but seeing as he was a regular there too, they found themselves training with each other most times.

Before, Elijah was accustomed to sparring with Marcel. He was a good match, but Beatrix was better. She was a century and a half older than Marcel, and though she hadn't trained so hard in awhile, she was much stronger by default, and proved to be a much better match for Elijah.

The younger vampires that Marcel was training were fascinated. They found with such speed and intensity that it was ridiculously entertaining, even for those who had no idea that Elijah and Beatrix were currently not really on speaking terms. And for those who did know, it was more fun to make bets on who would win.

Most times, it was Elijah. He was an Original, obviously, and much older and stronger than Beatrix. However, both were clever, and Beatrix could find ways to pin him down pretty well sometimes. It didn't matter to either of them who won or who lost— in the end, it helped them get their anger out and simultaneously serve as examples for the new vampires that aspired to be just like them.

They each wanted to have a civil conversation. But Beatrix knew herself. She was still quite bitter with Elijah, and she knew she wouldn't be able to keep herself from snarling. As for Elijah, he was paranoid he would say the wrong thing.

He'd been trying to be better, he really had. He kept his distance from her respectfully, but doted on her without end even though he hated being in the safe room as his brother to do so. He was trying to figure out a way to show her that he wanted to choose her, without having a second option. However, it was difficult to discern the correct manner to do so. Hayley wasn't around, and he knew that she might take this as an insult that he was only telling her his feelings after the hybrid was forced to remain a wolf. Additionally, the loss of Kai was still fresh, and he didn't want to move in and impose himself when she was still grieving. He felt it disrespectful to both Beatrix and Kai, and he knew Beatrix wouldn't take it well, granted the fact that the one time Elijah met Kai, he tried to kill him.

At the very least, she was better. She was eating and thriving, connecting with Freya as they both helped to raise Hope in Hayley's absence. The two shared a fiery nature when it came to magic, and with so much power, it was only natural that after everything, they were finally becoming friends.

Beatrix wanted to be healthy and intact, for Hope's sake. She was already walking, and it pained the Heretic to know that her mother wasn't around to see it. She hoped, at least, that she could fulfill her duties as a nurturing aunt. She was trying hard to be a good example. Cami had been a huge help in that area, helping her to cope with the parts of herself she couldn't change, for the purpose of being strong for her niece.