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Moment after moment, memories began flowing into Aurora Salvatore's mind. Like simple fragments of her imagination were slowly piecing together, forming a new puzzle with the satisfaction of being solved. Each piece was of a beautiful significance to angelize the making of her past, present, and future. Points in time were colliding, blank spots reiterating, and point stares, revitalized.
She remembered.
Not only did she remember, but she felt. She felt all the emotions, both of herself and of her family. Her family. Bonds that Rory had believed were only formed in the past few months, had made her come to realize that she had known them for so much longer. It's rather strange how time would take its own course, pulling into a full circle, coming into a complete stop at where they all began.
Rory was feeling, reliving, remembering everything for a nine year span.
She remembered the times she spent not only with Rebekah, Klaus, and Elijah, she remembers all the time she spent with Kol. The very vampire she thought was a stranger, just being able to somehow be seen, was more to her than she thought. All those times she saw him, she didn't even think twice about who he was, or what he meant, she simply overlooked him.
Her arms were fastened tightly around Kol's neck, holding him close to her, almost as if she were scared he was going to disappear away from her. Again. The reassurance of being able to touch him, that he was actually there with her. Not some ghost that appears out of thin air, but it was him. Kol was here.
Kol's right hand cradled the back of her head, holding her close to him, as his other arm went around her middle, clutching onto Rory tightly, as if it were the first time he had ever seen her in years. Because, in reality, it had been years. So many years.
They felt at home in each other's arms.
A hiraeth of fundamental motion, pushing towards the edge of the land, hovering closer to a life of no worry. No pain. Exclusions of foolery and management are constitutioned for a hearth moved along a man. A home never is limited to a building stationed on land. It can be a thought, and object, a person. One never necessarily chooses theirs. It comes with time and patience, building up trust and care.
When Rory pulled apart, her arms still around his neck, a smile grew on both of their faces, as happiness etched into their veins proving their euphoria to even the heavens above. And instead of saying something, anything, Kol just pulled her back into the embrace, holding her even tighter if such were possible.
They stayed that way, for who knows how long, the cold of the night still prickling lightly at their skins, but neither payed mind to it. Neither cared at all. The only thing that mattered was that they were together.
The moon had reached its apex, as the tress swayed to the wind, combining to make a meaningful point in history, almost as if the stars were watching from above, applauding as time made its course. For so long, people have been told that everything happens for a reason, that nothing is unexplained or unknown.
But the moment Rory pulls apart for the second time, and she looks Kol in the eye, somehow, in that moment, she made herself believe that maybe not everything happened for a reason.
And seeing as Rory's face fell, Kol's did too, both in confusion and worry. What he didn't know, was that, the longer the witch looked at him, the more she remembered from that night. The night that she was torn apart from the people she loved, and forced to start anew, returning on her search for two boys who could care less about her.
"You- you left me," Rory whispered, pulling apart from Kol, the coldness becoming much more noticeable through the space that was left between them. "I asked you not to leave me, and then you just- you left me!"
For a moment, Kol remained silent, and as he did so, he could see the sadness growing in her eyes. No, she wasn't crying. She just looked as if she were torn away from reality. In a sense, she was. Rory had lived almost a decade of her eternalized life, knowing the Mikaelsons. And in that time, she felt wanted, needed. But now, maybe Rory began to second guess herself.
Kol took a step toward her, lessening the gap between them. His expression pleading while he reached his hands out to grab her. But before he could even make contact with it, Rory took another small step backwards.
"I was trying to keep you safe!" he told her, his voice raising, but not in a way as if he were yelling, but as if he were reassuring. Trying his hardest to reassure Rory that it was for her own good. That she deserved better than what he had. He didn't want her hurt. Kol swore on his life he would rather die than her.
But Rory didn't know that.
In her mind, she was trying to compile a list of reasons as to why she was left behind. Where did she go wrong? What could she have done better? But it simply remains a long line of unanswered problems.
"Was I that easy to leave?" Rory whispered, looking at him with pained eyes, searching his begging ones. She wrapped her own arms around herself, protecting herself from the cold, but in a way, also protecting herself from any possible answer she could get back.
Almost as if her default was the expect the worst.
"No, no, no, Rora, please don't. Don't say that," begged Kol, reaching out for her hands once more. He had never hated himself more than in that moment. He made her feel like that. He made her feel like she wasn't enough.
"But that's true, isn't it? I wasn't enough for you? For any of you?" She responded, her words slowly becoming harsher, whether it was intended or not. And although she didn't move any farther away from him, she remained stiff in her spot. Not moving away from Kol, but also not giving into any of the attempts he made to move closer. Kol couldn't decide if it was worse or not.
"No, don't," Kol spoke softly, his emotions clear as the night sky watching over them. He didn't care if he looked weak. If anything, he was far from that. "Don't do that to yourself. If I could take it back, I swear I would. You didn't do anything, Aurora! None of it was because of you! It was all me, okay? I just- I just wanted you safe."
Rory's eyes softened the slightest bit, processing his words, registering in her mind. Hearing them wasn't the hard part, it was believing the words. Believing that maybe, she didn't do anything wrong. Kol's own eyes softened as well, watching her pause for a moment, trying to think of something to say.
"But you still left me alone," Rory reiterated after a silence, looking at the grass beneath her feet, before she looked up again, meeting his eye, "It's not really much better, is it? I went back to look for my brothers, which ended in nothing but me being left alone. Again."
Now it was Kol's turn to remain silent. He had never regretted anything more than doing this. Not just doing it, but doing it to her. Maybe it was worse to leave her alone. To try and forget about her and move on. But how would that even be possible? Was it possible to even look away from this little witch?
"I'm sorry," said Kol, the regret clear on his face as he looked at her, "I am so sorry."
Kol and Rory. Together once again. But in the end, how much has changed? They are tied closer together, now. But the knot was recklessly made. Both of them were quiet. No words were spoken. Kol looked into Rory's eyes, and Rory looked into Kol's. In that moment, there was no vampire, there was no witch, it was just them.
With a final attempt, Kol grabbed onto Rory's hand, and to his surprise, she didn't pull away. She didn't turn her back. But instead, she held back to his hand.
He could see tears that were building up in the back of her eyes. And the same happened for him. Who knew things could be so complicated? She gave his hand a small squeeze, and then without another word, Rory pushed past him, making her way back into the house.
Kol made an attempt to call her back, to come and talk to him, but she kept walking. A million thoughts were running through her mind. It was difficult having to decipher through them all, pulling apart the bad from the good. The weak from the strong.
And when she entered the back door, Elijah, Klaus, Rebekah, Katherine, and Finn were all in the living room, having a conversation of their own. When they heard someone come in, they all turned their heads towards Rory. But what they least expected her to do, was ignore them all, and walk up the stairs into her own room, closing the door behind her.
She just wanted to be left alone.
The minute she entered her own room, she did nothing but lie down on her bed, beginning to stare at the ceiling. She began to count the small details on it such as cracks, designs, images, all simply to distract herself from her own thoughts.
Sure, she knew there was no ill intent with what Kol had done. He wanted to keep her safe. But that doesn't mean it didn't hurt any less. That doesn't disregard all the negative thoughts flooding into her head, colliding with her rational ones. They were both right, in a way.
But maybe, Rory just wanted to be with Kol, no matter what had happened.
Seconds have passed, minutes even, and all Rory did was stare into the abyss above her, scenarios running through her mind of how things could have turned out. But when she dwelled further, what did it matter? He was here. Kol was here with her.
A slight breeze came in from her window, harnessing a wave of goosebumps on her skin. The wind smelt fresh. A kind that made it feel like nothing could go wrong in the world. But it remained unnoticed as Rory stayed in her own mind.
Pulling her out, she jumped when a soft knock was heard at her door, indicating someone on the other side. Not even moving a muscle, Rory stayed silent, not knowing who it was, and somehow not caring.
The person on the outside attempted to open the door, but ultimately failed as it was locked. Even considering she was currently in a house full of vampires, whoever was out there didn't care to make any further attempt to get in.
"Little witch?"
The voice was calm, soothing. It was Klaus.
"You don't have to say anything," he said, resting his forehead on the outter parts of the door, letting out a sigh, "But just- please just listen."
Rory still didn't say anything, but she walked over to the door, standing in front. She was listening.
"You know, when Kol and I were younger, we would get into fights all the time," said Klaus, letting out a small laugh, "Though, it was about fifty-fifty of who started it."
Rory had no clue as to what he was trying to get at, but she walked closer to the door, resting her back on it before sliding down into a sitting position, pulling her knees up to her chest. And by the sounds on the other side, Klaus did the same.
When she stayed quiet Klaus continued, "Even if it was the smallest things, we always found something to argue about. Gave me quite a nasty bruise once. Becoming a vampire never really was a problem for him, he was rather psychotic in his youth. He even convinced half of our village that there was going to be a storm just because he thought their frantic was funny."
"What's your point?" Rory finally spoke, leaning her head back to rest on the door from where it was on her knees. She could practically feel Klaus' smug face through the wall.
"What I'm trying to say, Aurora," he said, his tone still remaining soft, "Is that even when he was manic and crazy, even when we had the worst of arguments and fights, he was still our family. Kol still did what it took for our family. He would protect us. And in the end, when that night happened, he didn't do it just because, he did it because he was protecting you. He wanted you safe. We all wanted you safe. Because you're our family."
Silence overtook the two of them, the words melting into Rory's skin, images pulling apart and becoming much more clear in her mind. And then next thing heard was the sound of the door opening, both of them on their feet now. Before Klaus could even say anything, Rory enveloped him into an embrace. It took no time for Klaus to reciprocate that action. The two of them now wrapped up in each other's arms, standing outside of her door.
"I missed you," she whispered, making him hug her even tighter.
And when they pulled apart, Klaus gave her a small smile, Rory returning it, but twice as big. He nodded his head down the hallway, notioning to follow him. She didn't even have to think about it before she did so. They walked down, up until the made it to the top of the stairs, looking over the living room.
Everyone's attention quickly turned to them, all with the same unreadable expression.
Though Katherine seemed to find it quite amusing.
Rory looked through all of them, thoroughly watching their mannerisms, up until she came eye to eye with Kol once more. He wasn't crying, but he looked like a mess. He was clearly distraught, his hair messy from running his hands through it multiple times. But the moment he saw her smile at him, Kol visibly relaxed. Even if it was a small smile, it didn't seemed forced, it didn't seem pained, it was just Rory.
The girl made her way down the stairs, and when she stopped in front of Kol, neither of them were able to say a single word before the front door opened, its sound echoing off of the walls, and penetrating through the silence. Everyone turned their heads in that direction in confusion.
Kol and Rory instinctively grabbed onto each other's hands.
But what they all least expected, was to see a woman, resembling all of the Mikaelson siblings in separate ways walk in, clad in a timely green dress, clearly from a different time. The only two who didn't seem to know who it was, was Rory and Katherine. The two of them looked at the faces of the others, all of which held a large amount of shock. Kol gripped onto Rory's hand tighter, making her even more confused.
It stayed quiet, from all who were processing this woman's appearence in their home, up until Rebekah broke it, tears in her eyes.
"Mother."
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hello!
next chapter is the mikaelson ball, i am maybe a little too excited to write it. and ik i already asked abt rory's dress, but comment some links of what you think she would wear, just for some visuals.
i really am sorry all the posting schedule is messed up, but i promise i will work on it
have a wonderful day
-ef