After consuming a number of blood bags, Niklaus insisted I chill out in his study that is attached to his bedroom. We didn't have any leads on where to find Oliver and Elijah, so Nik needed to 'persuade' someone to talk. Screams could be heard throughout the Compound. Nik enters the room covered in blood. He walks over to his sink and starts to clean himself up, leaving the bathroom door open.
"So, you're interrogation went well?" I ask rhetorically.
"Turns out, these witches are delicate creatures." He says as Hayley walks in. "No matter. As I suspected, my mother has Elijah captive."
"Great." Hayley comments. "Let's go find them."
"Esther is too powerful." Nik replies, wiping his hands dry. "She won't easily be found. I need to draw her out."
He goes to close the French Doors that separate the study and his room. "Wait." I call out. "Where are you going?"
"I'm going to change my shirt, and then I'm gonna find my brother." Nik answers.
"Klaus, let us come with you." Hayley stops him from closing the doors again.
"I know you guys want to help, but you can't." Nik sighs. "My mother is wretched. She will target you both in order to thwart me, and I can't very well save Elijah if I'm busy saving you, can I?" Then, he shuts the doors.
"Even though it's annoying, he's right." I shrug.
She rolls her eyes. "Are you rested up?"
"Good as new." I nod smirking. Hayley glances at Nik's room before waving at me to quickly follow her.
______________________
Hayley and I arrive at Marcel's and walk in on him talking to a thin black haired girl, that I assume is Gia. Hayley had explained her plan to me on the way over. Now, we just needed reinforcements.
"...went all over the city." The girl says. "There's no sign of Elijah anywhere."
"Yeah. The humans I know said the same thing." Marcel tells her. "Maybe, Klaus is having better luck.
"No. He's not, which sucks, considering how low the bar is around here." Hayley says announcing our presence. "Listen. You two up for a rescue mission?"
"Are we going after Elijah?" The girl asks, sounding almost hopeful.
"Nope." Hayley denies. "That's all Klaus. I'm talking about Oliver. He and Elijah were fighting the werewolves together. I've heard that Oliver has been captured and he's about to be executed. Now, look. If we save Oliver, then we might be able to find out where Elijah is."
"Okay." Marcel says. "So what do you want from us?"
"A distraction." I shrug.
"Esther's son Finn, he's the one that's controlling the werewolves." Hayley explains. "If you can keep him out of the way, Kelsey and I can go get Ollie yourselves." We turn and start heading out. But, Marcel vamps in front of us blocking our way.
"You both can't take on all those wolves by yourselves." Marcel says. "You'll get killed, and I'll get killed for letting it happen."
"We're not going in alone." Hayley counters. "The werewolves may be answering to the witches, but they still have an Alpha."
"We just have to find him." I add.
______________________
Hayley and I trek through the Bayou in search of Jackson in silence. We walk up and down hills and around trees. Hayley stops and nods in the direction of an old trailer. Suddenly, something cuts through the air behind us. I turn just in time to catch an arrow headed for my face and Hayley does the same, catching another one at her face. A man lowers his bow and stares at us.
"Is that your best shot?" Hayley inquires. "You're gonna have to do a lot better than that if you're gonna kill two hybrids."
The man emerges through the trees, pulling out a decently sized knife. His demeanor and his features scream familiar, however I'm positive I've never met him. He raises the knife, ready to strike.
"Stop." A voice says behind Hayley and I. Jackson comes out from behind some trees.
"Jackson." Hayley says as he walks closer.
"Hayley." He replies keeping his eyes on her.
"And Kelsey." I add raise my hand, making Jackson let out a breathy chuckle.
"I see you met my friend Ansel." Jackson tells us.
"Very welcoming, this one." I comment sarcastically.
"You know them?" Ansel questions Jackson.
"What gave that away? Was it when they both addressed the other by name?" I deadpanned.
"Kelsey." Hayley nudges me.
"Yeah. Actually, I do." Jackson answers Ansel, keeping his eyes on Hayley. "She was supposed to be my wife."
_____________________
Jackson put a few chairs around a camp fire, that is by the trailer. He and Hayley sit next to each other and I sit on the other side, near Ansel, who sits on a log.
"After Francesca Guerrera took over the wolves, she offered me a moonlight ring as long as I'd call her Alpha." Jackson explains his absence. "I declined. So a couple of her brothers dragged me out here and left me for dead. By the time I healed up, word had spread about what happened to you both" He looks at me. "and to your baby." I look down. Ansel looks at me with something that looks close to realization. "So I knew it was over, and I just drifted, and that's when I met Ansel. See, he's been teaching me the old ways, the traditions, what it means to be a wolf."
"You mean, by living out in the ass end of nowhere?" Hayley comments.
"Hey, easy." Jackson warns. "Your kind makes him ornery."
"My kind?" Hayley scoffs. "Jack, whatever you and your friend think of me, my kind is the wolves. Even if they did pledge allegiance to a witch, all that means is, they need an Alpha. I need one, too."
"And you?" Ansel nods at me. "What's your kind?"
"My family." I shrug. "Hayley's my cousin, my sister's a witch, Cami's a human, Marcel, Elijah, and Rebekah their vampires, and Nik is a hybrid. My loyalty goes to them. My support goes to them." He raises his eyebrows. "Hayley cares about the wolves so I care about the wolves."
"We need your help." Hayley tells Jackson.
"Yeah." He replies. "I heard about that. Thing is, Ollie betrayed me. He plotted with the Guerrera's. He spilled his own people's blood."
"He was trying to make up for that." Hayley defends.
"Yeah." I snap. "Now I don't like Oliver. He sided and helped the bitch that had a hand in killing my baby. But, he's been playing double agent to help us end the witches control, while you've been out here with your tail between your legs. So, man up and get off your ass."
"It doesn't matter." Jackson says looking at me. "The witches have him. He's dead, not that I care."
"Hayley, let's go." I tell her standing. "We will go get them ourselves." I look at Jackson. "Have fun with your pity party." I scoff.
"You don't want to be Alpha, fine." Hayley says standing. Ansel stands, as well, walking towards us with his bow in his hand. "You got a problem, old man?" She questions.
"I have no love of vampires, but I will not allow a wolf to be killed by witches." He says, before leading the way through the woods. Hayley looks at Jackson.
"At least someone is interested." We both follow after Ansel.
I dial Marcel's number.
"Tell me you got your Alpha." He answers.
"He's indisposed, but we got the next best thing." I tell him. "I'm hoping you have a way to keep Finn busy."
"Yeah. Yeah. I think I might have an idea." He replies, before hanging up.
______________________
Hayley, Ansel, and I walk through the deserted cemetery. Night had fallen and the fog gathers thickly at our feet.
"So, you're with the Original Hybrid?" Ansel asks me.
"We had and lost a baby together, if that's what you mean." I answer glancing at him. "But that's it."
Hayley scoffs. "That's definitely not it." Hayley looks at Ansel. "They're in love with each other, but both refuse to admit it."
"Hayley." I hiss with wide eyes. "That's not true."
"It is." She argues. "We all saw how worried he was after Mikael's attack, when you collapsed. I mean, even Davina saw it or she would have never allowed him to pick you up. And don't think Cami didn't tell me your reaction when you thought Mikael had killed Klaus. She said you were devastated."
"Just because I don't want him to die, doesn't mean I'm in love with him." I grunt.
"Who's Mikael?" Ansel questions.
"Nik's psychotic father." I explain. "Though not his biological father."
"Why would his father want to kill you both?"
"He's an ass." I deadpan. "His mother's no picnic either. They both suck."
"I'm sorry about your baby." He says sincerely.
"You and me, both." I mutter as we enter the mausoleum where Oliver is being held.
Oliver is suspended by his wrists. Candles litter the room, providing light. Blood coats Oliver's body. He is unconscious and visibly weak.
"Ollie, Ollie, wake up." Hayley says stirring him awake.
"What the hell are you doing?" He grumbles. "Who the hell is that?" He looks at Ansel, who is looking from a way to get him down.
"We're here to save your ass." Hayley tells him.
"Even you?" He weakly nods at me.
"You don't deserve to die for helping us and your people." I shrug.
"Please tell me you know where Elijah is." Hayley says and Oliver shakes his head in denial.
"They know where here." Ansel informs us.
Using my hearing I hear the wolves getting closer. "Sorry. No time to be gentle." Hayley warns Oliver. She and I reach up and grab his hands and yank him down, breaking the rope. Oliver falls to the ground.
"Just leave me here." Oliver demands not able to stand on his own. He is seated at on a stool, holding himself up on a table. "Go."
"Just because you said that, I'm definitely not leaving now." I tell him.
"To hell with that." Hayley agrees walking closer to the door. "If they want a fight, I'll give them a fight."
"No." Ansel interjects, blocking her. "I came with you to save one of my own, not watch you kill scores of them."
"No one said anything about killing them." I tell him, but he ignores me and continues.
"Take your friend out the back. Move as fast as you can. I'll hold them off."
"You got him?" I nod to Oliver, asking Hayley.
"Yeah." She replies. "What about you?"
"I can't very well allow him to hold off an entire pack alone." I shrug.
"Be safe." She tells me.
"You too."
Hayley quickly walks over to Oliver and helps him up. They both exit leaving me with Ansel.
"No killing." I say nodding at him and he nods back. He passes me a large knife like the one he held earlier when we first met him.
Both of us now being armed we exit the mausoleum. A horde of wolves charging at us. Ansel slashes the first one and I follow his actions on the second, making sure I wound and not kill.
_______________________
We continue to slash and stab through the army. Ansel finally does the last wolf. I pant in slight exhaustion, finally relaxing my stance. I lower the knife and nod at Ansel. Suddenly, a growl sounds behind me. I spin around just in enough time for a wolf to catch me off guard. However, before he can attack me, Nik appears behind him and snaps his neck.
The wolf falls to the ground and I sigh. "Thanks." I nod at Nik. Ansel points his knife at Nik in defense. "Hey." I tell him. "It's okay. Put it down."
Ansel doesn't listen, he just stares at Nik. Nik has the same look of disbelief on his face as he holds Ansel's stare. Nik's slowly turns to shock with a hint of grief.
"Niklaus." Ansel breathes out. He lowers his weapon and tries to approach Nik.
"You're not real." Nik starts to panic a bit backing up.
"Niklaus." Ansel tries again and takes a step forward.
"Hey." I warn him stepping slightly between them, facing Ansel. "I don't know what's going on, but maybe you should back up."
"No!" Nik tells him. "You're a phantom conjured by Esther. That is all you are." Nik walks passed Ansel and me and starts yelling. "Mother, stop the charade. I know that thing is not real."
I follow after him scrunching my eyebrows. I grab his shoulder and turn him to face me. "Nik? What's going on?"
"Look at me, Niklaus." Ansel says walking closer slowly with his arms wide. Nik's eyes leave mine and go to him. "I am flesh and blood... Your flesh and blood."
Nik grabs my hand and squeezes. I squeeze back, trying to provide him some comfort. He approaches Ansel, pulling me with him. "You've been dead a thousand years." Nik replies, his voice filled with pain.
"Through that time, I lingered on the other side watching as the world falls apart until I woke four moons past in a land of wolves like myself." Ansel explains.
"No. No. No." Niklaus stresses in denial, tightening his grip on my hand. I watch him in concern. "You're just in my head. You're an illusion meant by my mother to sway me to accept her bargain."
"Nik." I get his attention. "Ansel's not an illusion. He helped me and Hayley. He's been with us all day." Nik's eyebrows scrunch in confusion, before sending the same look to Ansel.
"She speaks the truth." Ansel confirms. "I do not speak for Esther. I know nothing of her bargains..." Ansel walks up to Nik and I, stopping right in front of Nik. "But you are my son." Ansel raises his hand to place it on Nik's face.
However, before his hand makes contact, Nik catches Ansel by his forearm with his free hand. Ansel's sleeve had been ripped when fighting the wolves, to reveal a tattoo on his inner arm. Nik stares at it, before speaking much more calmly and releasing my hand.
"Even if what you say is real..." Nik still holds his arm. "You are nothing to me. For all I care, you can crawl back to hell."
"Nik." I say with sympathy, but he vamps away. I turn back to Ansel. "He didn't mean that. You can't even begin to understand the damage his parents did to him. He has severe abandonment issues."
"It's okay. I get it." Ansel nods.
"Thank you for your help. Even though, you didn't do it just because we asked. I still appreciate it." I shake his hand.
"Kelsey." Nik's voice sounds, behind me. I jump, startled. "Let's go."
"Don't sneak up on me like that." I smack his shoulder.
He rolls his eyes and grips my wrist pulling me away from Ansel. "You were suppose to follow me."
"I'm not suppose to do anything." I mutter. "And how am I suppose to know that if you don't say anything."
"Just come on." This time he doesn't let go and we vamp to another mausoleum in the cemetery.
"Why are we here?" I question.
"Elijah." Nik replies.
I nod in understanding and follow him inside. Elijah in unconscious and covered in blood, much like Oliver. Chains held his wrist, arms spread out, as he sits on his knees. His head dropped in front of him. Niklaus immediately pulled down some kind of witchy voodoo doll and then, he breaks the chains. Nik kneels in front of him and holds him up, looking at his face.
"Wake up, brother." He pleads. "Elijah..."
"He won't wake, not yet." Esther says as she enters the mausoleum. I turn around quickly and walk backwards, towards Niklaus and Elijah. "Which gives you and I one last chance to discuss my offer. You too, Kelsey."
Nik gently lays Elijah down. "You promised me Elijah's safe return..." He tells her are he takes the chain cuffs off his wrist. "Or was that a lie just like that ghoulish atrocity outside claiming to be my father back from the dead?"
"Your father's return is real." Esther replies. "I pulled him from the other side before it collapsed, left him in the Bayou to join the wolves, and I used the execution of one of his own to draw him here, where I knew he'd find you."
"To what end besides my torment?" Nik questions.
"I brought him here to be the father you never had, to teach you to become the man you always longed to be. Once you are remade as a werewolf, you can join him." Esther explains and then she glances at me. "I can remake you both into werewolves. Kelsey, you can have more children and Niklaus, you can learn to be worthy of Kelsey's loyalty and you both can be happy."
"You don't get to decide who is worthy of anything from me." I snap at her. "I do. I wouldn't stay around Nik if I thought he didn't deserve it. You see, instead of you and your husband actually taking the time to get to know your children, you just continued to condemn them."
Esther shakes her head. "Monsters. That's what they've turn into."
"You don't know how wrong you are." I deny glaring at her.
"Ansel was a gift." She tells Nik.
"His return changes nothing." Nik sneers.
"It changes everything." She contradicts him. "It is my gift to you, Niklaus. This offer is your last chance at salvation. Reject me now, and you will live out your endless days unloved and alone. Do not refuse me out of ancient spite."
I scoff loudly, going to defend him, but Nik beats me to it. "Not spite, hatred, a pure and perfect hatred that's greater now than the day I first took your life." He spits at her.
"Why?" She exclaims. "After all I've done to explain to you, why must you persist..." Frustration and rage overcome Nik's face and he loses his cool. He vamp speeds at her, gripping her throat and shoving her into the stone wall.
"Because you came for my child, my daughter, your own blood!" Niklaus screams, keeping her against the wall as she struggles to breath.
"You don't understand." Esther chokes out, unable to move.
"My child!" Nik reiterates.
"Niklaus, I had to..." She raise her head and Nik faces to ceiling, blood starting to pour from his nose as she casts a spell. However, Nik's hold doesn't falter.
"You declared war when you came after my family, and for that, I will make you suffer as only I can." Nik tells her. "After all, I am my mother's son." He tosses her on the ground, where she stays struggling to regain her breath as she holds her throat.
Niklaus heaves Elijah up, wrapping his arm around Elijah's waist and putting Elijah's arm around his neck. I walk forward and copy his actions to Elijah's other side. We left Esther alone on the ground as we carried an unconscious Elijah home.
______________________
Niklaus and I place Elijah on his bed. He is still unconscious and we don't know the full extent of what exactly Esther did to him. All we know is it's definitely torture, since blood coated his skin and his clothes. Nik and I stand side by side at the foot of his bed examining him.
"I know I've never been Elijah's biggest fan, but Esther a crazy bitch for doing this to him." I fold my arms over my chest.
"The evil in her and Mikael's bones runs deeper than any living thing I've come across." Nik agrees.
"Even though Ansel was Esther's manipulative way of getting you to take her offer, he is real and he is alive" I tell him turning my attention to Nik. "I think you should at least consider giving him at chance."
"No." He says simply. "I will not be pulled into or tricked by Esther's antics."
"I'm not saying don't be cautious. I'm just saying he didn't know anything about Esther's plans and I believe his intention regarding you are genuine. He did help Hayley and me and he didn't have to." I explain. "I just think you should think about it."
"Okay." He gives in without much fight. "I'll think about it."
"Good." I nod. "Because Esther was wrong."
"You have to be more specific, Love." He smirks. "Mother is typically wrong about a number of things."
I nudge him jokingly and he lightly chuckles at me with his hands clasped behind his back. "She said if you didn't agree to what she is offering that you will be alone and unloved forever." His smile leaves his face and he looks down at me. "Elijah will wake up and when he does he will deny her, too. He and Rebekah won't leave you. I've already denied Esther and I'm not going anywhere, and neither is Hayley. Besides, our twins need you, too. So, you'll never be alone. Your family loves you, even if you don't always choose to see it. That goes for Marcel, too."
Niklaus puts his arm around my shoulders and pulls me into his side. Then, he places a kiss on top of my head. My face burns as I look forward so he won't notice.
"Thank you." He breaths out, squeezing my shoulders again.
"Always." I nod turning my face up to his.
Hayley enters the room grabbing both our attention. Her eyebrows raise as she shoots me a look. I roll my eye, but making no effort to pull away from Nik and he doesn't remove his arm from me. Hayley approaches Elijah's bed and looks down at him in concern.