While Annabelle did everything she could to ignore the sound of her half-brother's yells and the movement of Aurora as she walked around the room, Lucien said to Klaus, "That does look uncomfortable. Is it too tight?"
It was then that Aurora said to Lucien, "No, I think it fits just fine."
As he went to stand up, Lucien told Klaus, "Those chains and that wood were crafted by ancient Egyptians keen on suppressing all sorts of evil. Nothing supernatural can escape. Not even you." While Klaus looked between Aurora and Annabelle, who had several healing burns on her from the attempts she made to escape from the cage before he awoke, Lucien said, "You see, I've been stockpiling such items for a long, long time, planning this moment for centuries."
After he stopped behind Klaus, Lucien asked him, "Tell me, how does it feel knowing you've been outdone by your better?"
Klaus replied, "You think you are my better? I think your upgrade has infected your head, made you as delusional as her. At least now you're truly a pair. I'll be sure to scatter both your ashes in the same patch of bog."
After glancing over at Annabelle, who had her eyes scrunched shut and her hands clenched into fists, Lucien looked back at Aurora and asked her, "Was that a hint of fear in his voice?"
Aurora said with a nod of her head, "Yeah."
Then Lucien looked back at Klaus and said to him, "Usually your taunts and threats are so much more convincing."
After Klaus only let out a groan in response, Aurora said to Lucien, "I think he's beaten, my darling. Just not yet broken." As she went to take a couple steps towards them, she said, "But then, we're just getting started."
After pulling out the replica of the same jar Lucien had filled up the same day he had Finn killed, Aurora said, "All I have to do is take this, and then I too shall be your better. Have you any idea what torment you'll endure then? For what you did to my brother? And to me?" After chuckling to herself, she told Klaus, "I will take such exquisite joy in killing you myself and forcing your own sister to watch as you die at my hand."
When Klaus only groaned in response, Lucien said as he made his way around the two of them, "Well, clearly, you two have much to discuss. So if you'll excuse me, I have business elsewhere." As he stood in front of the mirror, he said, "Annabelle, do be sure to behave while I'm gone. The last thing I need is to come back and find you without an arm because of all your yelling."
When Annabelle only scoffed in response, he quickly sped towards her cage and grabbed her by the front of her neck and pulled her towards the bars, which got her to let out a yell when she felt the now all too familiar feeling of the burning vervain on her face before he asked her, "What was that? I'm afraid I didn't quite catch what you meant to say."
With a scowl on her face, Annabelle said to him, "Piss off, Lucien, and go find yourself a bloody hole to crawl into and die inside of."
With his head tilted to the side, he said to her, "Oh, that's not very friendly of you to say."
In turn, Annabelle said to him, "Bite me."
After rolling his eyes to himself, Lucien made his way over towards Aurora and said to her, "And, darling, you may have your fun, but please keep Nik alive. I would so hate to miss his death."
Not long after he said that, Lucien quickly walked out the door and left Aurora to turn around and bring her attention back over towards Klaus, while Annabelle started to heavily shake from inside of her cage.
* * *
While Annabelle stared ahead of herself with a blank look on her face and started to think of all the ways she could get herself out of the cage, Aurora asked Klaus, "I wonder when you decided to brick me into that dreadful tomb, did it ever occur to you that our roles might one day be reversed?"
After Aurora turned around to look back at him, Klaus replied, "We both know that I buried you alive because I could not bring myself to kill you."
With a chuckle, Aurora said to him, "No doubt you intended to free me after a suitable period of time."
Klaus told her, "In fact, my methods were not unlike Tristan's after all. Did he not hide you away in a mountain monastery?" As Aurora started to walk towards him, he said to her, "The truth is, I still had hopes for us."
After stopping just in front of him, Aurora said to him, "Your affections for me must run deep indeed." After she crouched down in front of him, she said to him, "Tell me, if I were to kiss you now, would you feel those affections stir? Because I would feel nothing."
As he started to lean in towards Aurora, Klaus asked her, "Are you so certain? We are flames in the darkness of each other's worlds. We burn brighter together than we ever did alone." After she straightened her back and took a couple steps away from him, he told her, "And I would forgive everything, if you would only forgive me, my love."
After laughing to herself, Aurora asked him as she sat down on one of the steps in the room, "Wow, you really are quite desperate, aren't you? It's quite pathetic, seeing you resort to this failed seduction. I mean, it's comical even."
Klaus replied, "And yet you would entertain Lucien's brazen advances."
With a tilt of her head, Aurora said, "Well..."
Klaus asked her, "Do you really think you could ever love that imbecile?"
With a sigh, Aurora said, "Poor sweet, Lucien." As she started to make her way over towards Klaus, she said, "After all these years, he still remains such a dedicated suitor. Such a shame I'll never see him as more than a means to an end. But if he wants to save my brother in a bid to win my heart, why shouldn't I let him? It wouldn't be the first of his gifts I've accepted." As she went to grab the very same jar she was holding earlier, she said, "After all, he gave me this. The means to remake myself. So that I might become a creature of such pure and unbridled power, that I can kill even you."
It was then that Klaus said to her, "Whatever has passed between us, whatever hatred you're holding onto, in me you see the kindred you've always longed for. To spend an eternity without me? It would be a curse your frail heart could not endure."
With a nod of her head, Aurora replied, "You're wrong. You see, Nik, whatever terrors may await me in the endless time to come pale in comparison to the joy I will take in ending you. Cheers."
And as Aurora started to drink the serum, Annabelle did nothing but sigh to herself as her shaking only worsened and she repeatedly threw herself against the bars in an attempt to get out of the cage, despite having done this over a dozen times beforehand after she had been taken hostage by Lucien.
* * *
While Annabelle kept her face pressed up against the bars of the cage, despite the continuous burning pain of the vervain that was currently burning her face in hopes that it would take her mind off the dreadful conversation between Aurora and Klaus, Aurora asked Klaus, "Darling, how would you like to watch me burn? That way you have the thrill of watching me rise from the ashes like a phoenix reborn."
Klaus said to her, "A lovely image. But I think you might ruin Lucien's carpet. Wouldn't you rather torture me a bit more before you end yourself?"
As she started to make her way over towards Klaus, Aurora replied, "Are you stalling me? Perhaps plotting some strategy for escape? But even if you got free, what then? Kill me? Enact the serum? Make me into Lucien's equal?" After chuckling to herself, she said to him, "Not the wisest strategy for your survival."
Then she turned to Annabelle, who was practically leaning into the bars to her cage at this point, before she asked, "What say you, Annabelle? Hmm?"
After sighing to herself, Annabelle told her, "I'd say that if Niklaus were to escape that, instead of tearing your heart out of your chest or driving a stake into your heart, that he should just tear your bloody head off. That way if you do end up being brought back to life anyways, I'll at least be a bit amused at seeing you run around this city without a head."
Just as Aurora started to narrow her eyes at Annabelle, Klaus asked her, "Is this what you want? You do realize that becoming like him will only add to your already substantial misery. Lucien cannot save you from yourself, nor could Tristan, nor could I, for that matter. You've spent centuries trying to cure your madness, and yet you're still no closer. Annabelle, however, has become far much, much saner over the years and that is something that you will never be able to do."
After quickly turning around and making her way over towards Klaus, Aurora said to him, "You hold your wicked tongue or I shall pluck it from your wicked skull!"
With a raise of his head, Klaus replied, "Yes, more threats. So go on then, tear me apart a bit at a time. I may die by days end but you will live forever. Unloved. Pathetic. Your life a perpetual slog of soul-crushing despair, and you unable to end it."
In turn, Aurora said to him, "Talking, talking, all this talking. Well, if I'm to suffer through it, so should you."
Then she shoved the piece of wood deep into Klaus's throat, while Annabelle started to close her eyes and wondered just how much longer she would have to listen to this nonsense.
* * *
After ripping the wood out of his throat, Aurora asked him, "That's it? Nothing more to say? No more taunts tripping from your tongue? Well, then, I suppose it's time I finished this."
After she turned the piece of wood around and pointed it at herself, Klaus asked her, "What are you doing?"
Aurora told him, "I'm going to drive this into my heart, die and be reborn. And then with the aid of my newfound power, I'm going to silence you permanently."
After closing her eyes, she was about to do just as she said she would, only to stop when she heard the ding of an elevator.
With a chuckle, Aurora said after she dropped the wooden stick, "Well, it appears we have company."
After making her way over towards the doors and opening, Aurora found herself face-to-face with Cami, which got Aurora to let out a gasp before she said, "Oh, my. This day just gets better and better. Cami, it's been a while. How's vampirism treating you?"
Cami told her, "As a matter of fact, I'm enjoying it. That's why I'm here. To express my gratitude."
After looking down at the knife Cami was holding, Aurora said to her, "Ooh, you cheeky little minx. You come to have a go at me?"
It was then that Klaus said to Cami, "Get out of here, Camille."
Then Aurora turned to Klaus and said to him, "Shut up, Nik. This is between us girls. Though I suppose I will let you listen to her cries as I tear off her limbs like the wings of a pretty little butterfly."
As she raised the knife, Cami replied, "I'd like to see you try."
With a wave of her hand, Aurora said, "Ooh! You're brandishing your antiques at me. I suppose I would be scared if I thought you were quick enough to use them." As she continued to walk towards Cami, Aurora asked her, "You really did not think this through, did you?"
Cami told her, "Actually, we did."
Then the elevator dinged once more before Hayley quickly sped out of the elevator and threw herself and Aurora back into the room.
With a raised eyebrow, Annabelle watched as they both started to fight each other before eventually letting out a sigh when Klaus yelled, "Stop! She drank the serum."
It wasn't until after Hayley let go of Aurora's heart and pulled her hand out of the vampire's chest that Aurora quickly reached up and snapped Hayley's neck before carelessly tossing Hayley aside and into a wall.
* * *
As she started to walk back over towards Klaus, Aurora said, "Nik, what a conundrum. Mother of your child over here. Woman of your dreams over here. Which one should I kill first?"
Klaus replied, "I'm the one who betrayed you. I'm the one you hate."
Aurora retorted, "And they're the ones you care for. So what a pleasure for me to watch your face as I rip them apart."
It was then that Cami yelled, "Hey! I'm right here, ready and waiting."
As she started to walk back towards Cami, Aurora said to her, "Cami, the hero was never a good look on you. Trembling and helpless is more your style."
After quickly going towards Cami and forcing her to drop the knife, she shoved Cami towards the barrier on the door before she asked Cami, "Cami, did Nik ever mention to you what happens when a vampire goes into a room without being invited in?"
A couple of seconds after she asked that, she shoved Cami into the barrier, which got Cami to let out a yell and Klaus to yell, "Aurora! Please."
A couple of seconds after he said that, Aurora shoved Cami into the room, which resulted in Cami starting to scream and Annabelle to close her eyes and cover her ears in an attempt to drown out the sound of Cami's screaming.
* * *
While Cami continued to scream, Aurora said to her, "Darling, I almost feel sorry for you. Blinded by love as I once was, ready to give everything, even your life, for one who is, and always will be, unworthy."
With a shaky hand, Cami punched Aurora in the face, which resulted in Aurora grabbing her by the front of her neck and holding her there before being slapped in the face by Hayley, who said, "Cami, now."
Then Cami shoved the needle into the side of Aurora's neck and injected whatever it was into her bloodstream.
And while Cami simply panted to herself and Annabelle brought her hands up to her own neck in an attempt to snap it, Hayley said to Aurora, "Good night, sunshine." Then she brought her attention over towards the cage Annabelle was in before she said, "Now time to get Annabelle and Klaus the hell out of here."
After successfully managing to get Klaus down, Hayley quickly made her way over towards the cage and went to pull the bars apart, only to stop and let out a hiss before she said, "What the hell?"
After forcing out a chuckle, Annabelle said, "I guess Lucien managed to get himself some wolfsbane in liquid form and poured them both inside and outside of this cage. Well, that and it seems he found himself a witch to make it so I can't get out of here, no matter who tries to let me out." When Hayley went to kick at the cage, only to let out a yell as she was thrown back, Annabelle sighed to herself before she said, "Looks like I won't be getting out of here for a while, Hayley."
In turn, Hayley said to her, "Hey, don't give up on us yet, Annabelle. One way or another, I'm going to find a way to get you the hell out of here and back home. You hear me?"
Instead of responding, Annabelle asked her, "Do you happen to have a blood bag on you? I'm starved." When Hayley only shook her head in response, Annabelle sighed to herself before she said, "Yeah, I figured you wouldn't. I'll see you around, Hayley. Well, unless Lucien kills you for breaking Klaus out of here."
It was then that Klaus said to her, "Don't worry, little sister. We will break you out of this cage. It doesn't matter if it takes us a hundred years to get you out of here. It will happen."
After scoffing to herself, Annabelle replied, "That's if Lucien hasn't already killed me by then."
The most Klaus, Hayley and Cami did was exchange looks with one another as they tried to think of a way to get Annabelle out of the cage.
* * *
After picking up a bit of a needle, Lucien slowly stood up and made his way back into his penthouse before coming to a halt when he saw the empty vial that sat on a desk.
Not long after he saw that, he quickly made his way over towards his mirror and started to pull at a wire before he pulled out a black device and looked over at the cage to see that Annabelle was still inside of it with her eyes closed and her face still pressed up against the bars.
After setting up the device, he found himself staring at the video of Klaus, who asked Aurora, "Do you really think you could ever love that imbecile?"
In response, Aurora said to him, "Aw! Poor, sweet Lucien." As she started to walk towards Klaus, she said, "After all this time, he remains such a dedicated suitor. Such a shame I'll never see him as more than a means to an end."
While Lucien shakenly stared at the screen, Annabelle said with a sigh, "I take it things didn't go as planned as you would have liked them to?"
With a scowl now on his face, he said to her, "Shut up, Annabelle." When she only scoffed in response, he quickly sped towards her cage and grabbed the back of her head and started to press her face even more into the bars before he said, "Oh, I'm sorry, it sounds as if you meant to say something else. Care to share?"
She replied, "Only how sad it is that you've spent over a thousand years pining for someone that isn't even the least bit interested in you." After chuckling to herself, she said, "At least I never did that. I only mourned the loss of those I loved, or at least thought I loved in regard to William. While you spent your whole life pining after Aurora de Martel, and she spent over a thousand years obsessing over being with my brother just like she was when you were still human. How does hearing such news affect the one and only Lucien Castle? Hmm? Does it make you angry? Does it make you regret ever becoming attached with her?"
When he still didn't respond, she said to him, "It's funny how you were giving me grief for attaching myself to others when it was you who attached yourself to some woman that hasn't even given you so much as a second glance. At least I actually knew how it felt to be loved before my husband died and before William had lost his bloody mind. But you? You've never known how it feels to be loved by a woman that could possibly feel the same for you and you never will. You will remain alone for all time until someone somewhere down the line finds a way to destroy you for once and for all."
Just as she was about to say something more to him, she suddenly stopped when he told her, "Either you shut your mouth, Annabelle, or I will go after every single person you love and then make sure you're driven even more mad than you already are before killing you myself."
After forcing a chuckle, she asked him, "Do you really think you're able to drive me even more mad? Hmm?" When he didn't respond, she told him, "Lucien, I started to be tortured by my parents when I was six years old and it didn't stop until I left my childhood home at the age of sixteen. I spent ten whole years of being tortured by them. What could you possibly do to make me become even more mad than I already am? Hmm?"
With a shrug of his shoulders, he said, "I could always bring here everyone you love and kill them right in front of you. After all, from what I heard, you lost your mind when you watched Kol get killed in front of you three years ago. How much are you willing to bet that the same will happen after watching your witch friends, your siblings and your new potential lover die right in front of you? Hmm?" When she didn't respond, he sighed before he raised his other hand and lightly caressed the side of her face as he said to her, "You really chose the wrong person to divulge everything about your life to when we met over a thousand years ago. Because of your choice to tell me everything about you, I know all your weak spots and know just how to make you succumb to my own form of torture and I know just how to hurt you."
While Lucien silently eyed her, she replied, "Well perhaps if I knew how much of a bloody lunatic you would grow to be all these years later, I wouldn't have even bothered and left you to possibly die at the hands of Kol while you were still human."
As he tilted his head, he asked her, "Would you have?" When she did nothing but stare at him with a scowl on her face, he said to her, "Because I think you wouldn't have. And you know why? Because out of all the people you could have talked to first after the deaths of your husband and children, you chose me, a mere human, to talk to. You even chose to talk to me, despite having Kol by your side. I wonder why."
Instead of responding, Annabelle remained silent, which got him to chuckle to himself before he said to her, "I'm going to get that answer out of you eventually and when I do..."
After scoffing to herself, she asked him, "You'll what? Talk me to death? Threaten my loved ones, just like you've been doing since you chose to take me hostage? Because if that's the case, I'd rather some witch find a way to put me out of my misery so I don't have to listen to you and your nonsense."
After nodding to himself, he replied, "And I wonder how your dear friend Kai Parker would respond to your constant wish to be killed. Hmm? You know, seeing as how his one and only daughter is in your sire line, after all. I imagine he would become far more mad than he is now and do something drastic that would get him killed in the process."
In response to his words, Annabelle glared at him and attempted to break free out of his grip, only to stop when Lucien raised his gloved hand and lightly traced a thing of vervain down the side of her face, which made her wince to herself as he continued to do just that, while he stared into her eyes.
While clenching her hands into fists, she told him, "One of these days, Lucien, I am going to find a way to kill you and I will be enjoying every single second of it."
With a grin on his face, Lucien replied, "I look forward to it, dearest Annabelle."
Then he quickly released the back of her head and shoved her further back into the cage, which got the back of her head to hit another one of the bars before she slumped forward and her arms were lying limply by her side.
And the most Lucien did was narrow his eyes as he stared into the cell and at a currently unconscious Annabelle Mikaelson.