My nerves are bundled in my stomach almost to the point of being nauseous. I continually bounce my leg in anticipation in the front seat. Anxiety comes off my body in waves. I'm excited to see them. To hold them. However, terrified I won't live up to the expectations a great mother should. Scared that I won't be good enough.
It's a good thing Nik is the one driving and not me. I wouldn't be able to contain myself enough to follow the speed limit. The car is coated in silence. All of us caught up in our own heads. Hayley hasn't breathed a word about the important news that she needs to share with me, Nik, and Elijah. Nik hasn't said anything about where we're headed.
Nik sighs and reaches over to me and places his hand on my knee to stop it from bouncing, while sending electricity through my leg. The movement surprises me and I look from his hand to his face. He keeps his attention on the road, not looking at me. He glances in his rearview mirror at Hayley, who has a intrigued expression on her face having caught the interaction from the backseat.
"What was it that you need to tell us, Hayley?" Nik asks placing his eyes back on the road.
I slightly turn my body enough so I can look at Hayley from the corner of my eyes, Nik's hand not leaving my knee. Hayley gets a mischievous look in her eye as she leans forward, putting the upper part of her body between Nik and me.
"Okay." Hayley starts. "So, apparently there's this ritual that the Crescent Wolves have heard about, but never seen. At first, Jackson thought it was just a myth, a bedtime story. Until, Ansel told him that he saw it work with his own eyes."
"What ritual?" I ask her.
"A marriage with the Alpha. But there are certain steps that have to be taken." Hayley explains. "So, whoever marries the Alpha their abilities would be shared with the entire pack."
"And who would Jackson marry?" Nik inquires.
"A hybrid." Hayley says. "That way the pack can turn when they want and they wouldn't need the rings from Esther."
"You and I are the only hybrids, other than Nik." I deadpan. "Are you suggesting that one of us marries Jackson?" I scrunch my nose, as Nik hand tighten on my knee making me glance at him. His face void of emotion.
"Yes, then Esther loses the wolves and we have more reinforcements to protect the twins." Hayley says. "They can come home. Besides, we're apart of werewolf royalty anyway."
"So, one of us marries him and then what?"
"Well, it would have to be an actual marriage or the ritual won't work. So, whoever marries him has to be fully committed." Hayley tells me and Nik tightens his hand again.
"No." Nik states.
"What do you mean 'No'?" Hayley scoffs. "The twins could come home. Isn't that what we've been trying to do for months? I found a way to do it and you're just shooting it down."
"Elijah quite likes you and a marriage with Jackson will ruin that." Nik shrugs.
"Then Kelsey can do it." Hayley tells him with a glint in her eye.
"Absolutely not." Nik and I say in unison. My head snaps in his direction in surprise as Hayley smirks.
"What do you mean?" I ask him. "Why?"
"You just said no, too." He scoffs.
"Yeah, but why do you think you get to answer for me?" I fold my arms and he removes his hand from my leg, my skin instantly going cold at the lose of contact.
"More importantly, why would you say no?" Hayley continues to smirk at him.
"I will not have Jackson playing father to my children." Nik grits.
"First of all, he wouldn't being playing anything. Marrying him would make him their step-father. Secondly, it's not your decision." I reply.
"Are you say you want to marry Jackson?" Nik glances at me, anger written on his features.
"I'm saying, you're not my boss." I scoff. "The twins could come home, where they belong."
"We will find another way." Nik counters.
"When? When they're adults and we have missed they're entire lives?" I argue. "We've been searching for a solution for months. Shouldn't this solution at least be considered."
"No, it shouldn't. It's absurd." Nik snaps.
"It's not your life. It's mine."
"It affects me." Nik says as we pull into the drive of a huge off-white two-story house. Elijah and Rebekah standing with a baby in both their arms.
I scoff and roll my eyes at him. "How? Because you won't be able to kiss me and then pretend it didn't happen anymore?" I mutter, knowing both of them can hear me. I don't give Nik time to respond as I push the argument to the back of my head.
I open my door before the car can come to a complete stop, and jump out. I take off running across the yard towards my children. Nik and Hayley's door slam shut behind me. I stop in front of them and take in the two little girls looking at me. Little hair lays on both their heads. They're in two adorable dresses with one in a pink jacket and one in a blue. I slowly walk up to them, Rebekah meeting me with the twin in blue.
Shame floods through me when I can't tell which one is which. They don't look the same, but I haven't seen them since they were born and they've changed so much. Rebekah passes me my baby with a smile.
"Bexley, look it's Mommy." Rebekah says gently as she reads my expression.
I take her in my arms as she coos at me. A smile spreading across her face. "Hi." I whisper and bring her in closer with my right arm. Elijah, then places Hope in my left. "Hi." I repeat hugging them as tight as I can without hurting them. I breath them in as a huge weight, that has been crushing me for months, lifts.
I carefully turn around and face Nik. He had been watching the whole time, but he keeps his distance. I take a few steps closer to him and he let's out a couple shaky breaths as he looks at them in amazement. Hayley walks around us and goes to stand by Elijah and Rebekah. Nik gently grabs Hope from me and I shift Bexley so, we could both look at them together.
I take in every small feature and imprint them to my memory. A smile takes up my entire face. Nik has the same smile. Bigger then I've ever seen. My heart warms and my stomach flips. I glance at Elijah, Hayley, and Rebekah. The three of them watching us and grinning. All the anguish and pain that we have all endured since I got pregnant is suddenly forgotten as we look at the beautiful little girls. Everything we have worked so hard for is for them and it's all worth it, seeing them happy and safe.
_______________________________
We settled the twins down for a nap and we all headed outside to help Rebekah and Elijah finish their bonfire. Even though, I never wanted them to leave my sight ever again. I knew that we needed to catch Elijah and Rebekah up to speed.
"A curse on the firstborns?" Rebekah asks placing a stick on the pile. "What the hell is that suppose to be?"
"According to Finn, our sister Freya didn't die of the plague." Nik explains. "She was taken as payment by our Aunt Dahlia... who then cursed all Mikaelson firstborn's for eternity." Hayley and I add more logs, along with Elijah.
"Is any of this true?" Hayley inquires.
"It is if we're to believe Finn, who learned it from that bastion of truth, our mother." Elijah answers neatly rolling up the sleeves of his button up.
"I'd rather expect the worse." I shrug.
"No wonder Finn hates us." Rebekah comments. "He lost the sister he adored and instead got a judgey pack of siblings who found him unbearably dull."
"Doesn't explain his ridiculous devotion to your mother. She's the one that bargained Freya away." I scoff in disgust.
"Great, so is there any chance of us running into your loony Aunt Dahlia soon?" Hayley asks.
"With our luck." I say. "Probably."
"Fable's over a thousand years old." Elijah counters. "Dahlia's long dead."
"Like Esther?" Hayley points out and I nod at her in agreement.
"No one is going to hurt Hope and Bexley, because no one's going to find them." Nik reassures Hayley and I. "That's enough wood, Rebekah. You'll burn the whole state of Arkansas."
"We're just missing a key ingredient." Rebekah says brushing her hands off.
"No, we're not." Nik denies stubbornly.
"Yes, we are, Nik." Rebekah pushes as Elijah smirks. "Back me up, Elijah."
"I suspect Niklaus would rather choke on his own ashes." Elijah laughs.
"Then do what?" I ask them.
"Yeah, what are you all talking about?" Hayley adds, just as confused.
"Well, before we light it, we write down our wishes for each other, to burn for luck." Rebekah explains. "It's was Kol's favorite part when we were kids."
"Further evidence as to why we should ignore it." Nik says.
"The twins first bonfire season." Hayley comments putting her hands on her hips.
"It's cute." I confirm. "I love it and we're doing it." I demand smugly smiling at Rebekah and Hayley.
________________________________
We all went inside and Hayley grabbed Hope when she started to get fussy. Nik picked up Bexley and went to the dining room. Rebekah and I went to search for paper and pencils in the office.
"Thank you for taking care of them." I tell her as I shuffle though a draw pulling out a few pens.
"No thanks needed. It was the best few months of my life." She smiles. "I'm just sorry it was the worst of yours."
I shrug. "It was hard. But, necessary."
"What's going on with you and my brother?" I raise my eyebrows at her in question. "Oh, come on. There's definite tension. Did something happen?"
"When I know, I'll let you know." I sigh and she nods in understanding.
"He's stubborn, that one." She huffs.
"No kidding." I chuckle as she pulls out paper from the cabinet. "I'm so happy to see you."
"I happy to see you, too." She smiles. "I'm going to bring Hayley and Elijah theirs. You got Niklaus?"
I sigh dramatically. "If I must." I hand her three pens and she gives me two small pieces of papers.
Rebekah turns and leaves. I take a seat at the desk in the office and place my paper in front of me. I think about each person in the house and what I hope for them and I write it down.
Hayley: I wish her contentment in wherever she goes. That she will always feel she belongs.
Rebekah: I wish that she will find the love and happiness that she so desperately longs for.
Elijah: I wish he would start focusing on his happiness instead of always worrying about his siblings.
Hope and Bexley: I wish for them to always be safe, happy, and loved.
Niklaus: I wish for him to find peace. To know that he's never alone and to allow himself to relax, away from paranoia and fear.
I fold my paper and put it in my back pocket. I grab Nik's pen and paper and make my way into the dining room. He sits at the table, holding Bexley in front of him with a smile. Anxiety sits in my belly as I think of our small argument in the car. I take a deep breath and put the pen and paper on the table in front of him.
"Your turn." I tell him.
"I'm holding a small child, Kelsey." He smiles glancing at the paper. "The silly game will have to wait."
"Well, if you can't multitask, I'll hold her while you write." I smile with a shrug holding my hands out.
"You do realize it is not I who is to be the husband you can boss around." He counters hinting at our argument. I cross my arms and scoff.
"Says the one who tries to tell me what to do all the time." Then I begin to smirk at him. "Besides, you do realize I had to endure horrendous labor and actual death to have the child that you're holding." Bexley watches me with a smile. Nik smirks as I come closer and grab Bexley from him.
"Fine." Nik gives in. "I wish you would tell Hayley that you're not marrying your werewolf suitor..." Nik writes down. "at which point we will come up with a new solution and congratulate Jackson on the bullet he dodged." He folds the paper and passes it to me. I snatch it from him and crumble it before tossing it to the floor.
"You're such an ass." I scoff as he smirks at me.
I walk out of the room still holding Bexley. I go to the living room where Hayley is with Hope. I put Bexley in their Pak N Play with some toys and slump on the couch.
"You do know that marrying Jackson is absurd, right?" I inquire.
"It's definitely unconventional. But, being with these two perfect little girls just reconfirms it's the right thing to do." She tells me.
"I just don't know if it's the right decision. I want more than anything to have the girls home, but I barely know Jackson and I doubt he'll be opened to marrying me." I state.
"Oh, Kelsey." Hayley chuckles. "You aren't going to be marrying Jackson. You never were. I only suggested you for Klaus' reaction." I sit up straight and watch her as she places Hope with Bexley.
"So, there isn't a ritual?" I ask as she sits next to me.
"No, there is." She sighs. "Everything I said was true, but I will be marrying Jackson."
"No." I deny. "I can't let you do that, not for me. Bexley and Hope are my children. It's my responsibility to protect them. You have a thing with Elijah and this would ruined that."
"I was suppose to marry him anyway and I love the twins." She says. "Elijah and I aren't going anywhere and this brings your children home. You and Klaus have a family and it's time to make it whole. Besides, I already asked Jackson and he agreed. Don't worry about me. I like Jackson."
"But you don't love him." I mutter.
"No, but I could learn to." She reassures me. "He treats me well and he's not bad to look at." She smirks.
I chuckle. "No, I guess he isn't. Let's go outside."
Hayley and I stand. I pick up Hope and she grabs Bexley. We walk outside and join Nik and Elijah by the fire. Nik adds more wood as Rebekah excitedly exits the house.
"Hey, look what I found." She exclaims holding a polaroid camera above her head. I grin as I sway Hope. "I wonder if it'll work."
"Oh, bloody hell." Nik groans turning away from us as I laugh at him.
"Come on, let's try." Rebekah smiles at us before making her way to Nik. "Hey, Nik, do you think you can cram us into a selfie?"
"Niklaus is the virtuoso of cramming his siblings into confined spaces." Elijah says with a smirk as we approach Nik and Rebekah. I laugh as I stand between Nik and Rebekah.
"I'm so glad I traveled hundreds of miles to visit my mentally ill brother, only to have him insult me to my face." Nik comments sarcastically as he looks at the camera.
"Come on, just take the picture." Rebekah says.
Nik raises the camera and I scrunch in. I stand holding Hope by Nik's shoulder. Rebekah places her hands on my shoulders, Hayley is next to Rebekah holding Bexley and Elijah puts his arm around her. I smile widely, enjoying this perfectly normal mundane activity as Nik snaps the photo, the flash goes off and the picture prints immediately. We all get close so we can each see it. The picture slowly appears and it's perfect. Everyone is smiling, while besides Nik.
"See?" Rebekah says. "I wish that it could always be like this."
"Me too." I mumble.
"If wishes were horses..." Elijah starts.
"Beggars would ride." Nik finishes. We continue to take in the picture, before Nik sighs. "You realize we'll have to burn it. You want me to make a wish for the family, Rebekah. I wish it didn't have to be like this, but it does. We can't risk it falling into the wrong hands."
Nik passing the picture to me. I look at it carefully, burning it to my memory as I walk closer to the fire. I remove my wishes from my back pocket strategically, without dropping Hope. I sigh and tossing the photo and my wishes in the fire. We all watch as the picture burns to ash.
"No, this isn't right." Rebekah says to her brothers. "We deserve this. We've earned this. I won't let it slip away. I know what to do to stop Esther."
"Rebekah, no." Elijah denies.
"I'm gonna take her deal. And when I do, I'm taking her down with me." Rebekah declares.
________________________
I reluctantly leave the twins with Hayley to discuss Rebekah's decision, knowing she may need back up against Nik. Even though, I don't want her to take Esther's offer, it is her choice and I can't stand in the way of that.
"It'll work." Rebekah says as the four of us are gathered in the office. "She'll be distracted during the spell. She'll be vulnerable."
"No, if we kill her, she body jumps." Nik denies.
"Then stop her from jumping." Rebekah counters.
"If I knew how to bloody stop her from jumping, don't you think I'd happily murdered her ages ago." Nik stresses.
"Well, ages ago you didn't have a Harvest Girl or a Mikaelson witch." Rebekah argues. "Kol knows all her tricks."
"Are you both insane?" Elijah asks.
"Hardly, Elijah." Rebekah snaps. "It was your idea. You were the one who said she needed a win. If we get this right, she'll have one."
"If we get this wrong, you're no longer in your body." Elijah counters.
"Would that be the worse thing?" Rebekah questions. "You were ready to do it yourself."
"It was a foolish moment, and one that you sagely dissuaded me from." Elijah defends himself.
"Hopefully, we'll get lucky and stop the spell before I jump." Rebekah says nonchalantly.
"And if we're not, you'll get what you always wanted." Nik replies. "I mean, that's what you're saying, isn't it? You're willing to lose."
"I'm willing to risk losing, yes." She confirms honestly.
"Well, we need to find someone for her to jump into." Nik says surprising me. "Someone anonymous who can disappear with Hope and Bexley."
"Rebekah, we've been together for centuries." Elijah says. "If you were human..."
"When I'm old and wrinkly, you can dump me back into my old body." She assures him making me chuckle at her wording. "Nik already has a coffin he can store me in."
"But to trust Kol?" Elijah doubts.
"It's not about trust." Rebekah answers.
"You just need the right leverage." I finish and she smiles at me.
"Exactly."
"They're right." Nik sighs. "Kol will do what's best for Kol. We just have to meet his price."
Nik turns and call Marcel, so he can talk to Kol.
________________________
I decided to head back to New Orleans with Nik and Rebekah. I really hate the idea of leaving my babies again, but Rebekah was doing this to protect them and get rid of Esther. I can't let her do it alone. So, Hayley stays behind to look after the twins. That, also, gives Hayley some time with Elijah before she does her mystical ceremony with Jackson.
"Kelsey, you didn't have to come." Rebekah says looking at me from the front seat. I opted for the backseat so it wasn't so awkward with Nik and our unresolved issues.
"Us girls have to stick together, right?" I smile at her and she sends one back.
"You are mad to give Kol that diamond." Rebekah tells Nik, mentioning Kol's stipulation to helping find Rebekah a body to jump into.
"Our little brother has been plotting against me for years and he hasn't got a lick of it right." Nik replies. "I'll take my chances."
"He just wants to even the playing field." I shrug.
"Do you know what to do?" Nik asks her.
"Yes, but if it doesn't go to plan, will you handle my body with care, please?" Rebekah replies. "I may miss the old model."
"If everything goes south, I'll be there to pull you out." Nik assures her. I quietly smile in the back. No matter how much he tries to hide it sometimes, Nik cares deeply for his siblings. "We just have to take Esther down before she body-jumps. I don't want all this to have been for nothing."
"You and I on the same team." Rebekah smiles. "It must be Christmas."
"We take down Esther and get the wolves back, then the twins and you can come home." I smile at Rebekah.
"Oh yes, you'll have to come home and help Kelsey plan her wedding." Nik snips making Rebekah snap her head in my direction as I roll my eyes.
"What the bloody hell did I miss?" Rebekah inquires.
"Nothing." I deny. "Your brother is just being an ass."
"You haven't heard? Kelsey's going to marry Jackson." Nik smirks sarcastically.
"What? Why?"
"There's a ceremony that the wolves have. If a hybrid marries Jackson the whole pack shares the powers of the hybrid. They would be able to change at will." I explain. "We'd have an army to protect the twins."
"So, you're going to marry Jackson?" Rebekah asks scrunching up her nose. "No, that's not right."
"Good luck telling her that. I've tried, but she insists on marrying him." Nik sneers.
"What you've done is try to tell me what to do... again." I snap. "Without a plausible reason as to why."
"I've told you, he will not be playing father to my child." Nik argues, clearly not telling the full truth.
"That's your reason?" Rebekah scoffs. "That's the best you could come up with?"
"This argument is pointless." I groan. "I never even said I was marrying Jackson. I never gave an answer. I said it was worth thinking about if it meant our girls coming home."
"You could marry him." Rebekah shrugs. "It would just be a piece of paper. It doesn't have to dictate your life."
"Nope." I shake my head. "The marriage has to be real in every way or the ritual doesn't work. Not that it matters, I already told Hayley my answer."
"Great." Nik grumbles. "When's the wedding?"
"I don't know." I shrug. "You'll have to ask Hayley. She'll be marrying him."
Nik looks a me in the rearview mirror as I cross my arms. "Why argue with me if you were going to say no?"
"Because you aren't my boss. You don't get to order me around." I tell him. "Besides, if it's not obvious I barely know Jackson and half the time I'm annoyed at him. A marriage between the two of us would never work. Not to mention, Hayley had already told him she would marry him before we left New Orleans."
"Why are you so concerned with Kelsey's love life, Nik?" Rebekah smirks, but he ignores her.
____________________
The rest of the ride back was quiet. After a bit of pushing and reiterating to Nik that I make my own decisions, he drops me off at the cemetery with Rebekah. I left the twins to be here for Rebekah and I intend to do just that.
Rebekah and I approach the greenhouse the witches use to store their herbs and grow plants they might need for spells. Kol is talking to Esther as we enter.
"But I have made plans to assist him with that dilemma while I continue my search for Rebekah." Esther says with her back to us as she works on something on the table in front of her.
"Speak of the devil and the devil will come." Kol replies looking at us. He smirks and nods. "Hello, sister." Esther turns and faces us with shock written on her face.
"Kol, it really is you." Rebekah smiles at him. "I would know that smirk anywhere." I follow Rebekah as she walks to Esther and Kol. "Hello, mother. I believe you're offering a deal."
Esther begins to make tea. "And you've brought Kelsey. Am I to assume you have changed your mind about my offer?"
"Oh no." I deny. "I'm here as moral support for Bex."
"That's a shame." She responds pouring tea into a cup.
"You can't possibly expect me to discuss giving up eternal life over tea." Rebekah comments. "Give us some of that red over there. Well, where's the sales pitch?"
"I only offer what you already want." Esther says, her back to us as she pours the wine.
"How do you presume to know that?" Rebekah questions.
"Elijah is happiest when there is order and music. Klaus, when he is the center of attention and in control." Esther states making me scoff as she brings us a glass of wine. "But you are my only child capable of unfettered joy. And you're happiest amongst humans. I've seen you yearn for that life, for love."
"And when am I happiest then, Mother?" Kol inquires.
"When you're doing as you're told." Esther tells him. She walks over and grabs the tea tray, handing it to him. Rebekah slips something in her wine while she's distracted. Esther turns and look back at us. "Our wishes are aligned in this, my daughter. Mine to free you from this curse, and yours to be human."
"I'd be giving up everything I've ever known for a memory of something I once was." Rebekah says. "Power for weakness, strength for frailty. Eternal life for a brief human existence."
"The choice is simple." Esther assures her, placing her hands on Rebekah's biceps. "Another thousand years of never having what you want or a handful of years when you do."
"Well then, to the end of an era." Rebekah toasts raising her glass. "I'm in."
"Let's begin." Esther smirks turning her hour glass over.
Esther raises her glass of wine and takes a drink. She raises her eyebrows at us expectantly. I roll my eye and raise my glass with Rebekah. We both take a drink so that she doesn't think we are up to anything shady.
Esther then gathers all the things she needs and leads us to an alter outside. The same one the witches were using in their failed attempt at killing my babies. I stand by Rebekah as Esther lays everything out. Fire is lit to provide light since it's dark outside. She places the white oak stake on the alter making my eyes double in size and worry flood my body.
"What the bloody hell is that doing here?" Rebekah questions, nervousness hitting her too.
"As each of you comes to your senses and takes my offer I will destroy your vampire bodies." Esther smiles.
"Mother, you said you wanted the stake to protect them." Kol calls her out.
"Yes, but not in their current bodies. Once they accept my offer I will be righting two wrongs." Esther explains.
"No." Rebekah mutters.
"Having brought this evil into the world, then having subjected my own children to it."
"Wait." I demand. "That means that every vampire in their sire line dies, including our friends."
"Yes." Esther nods. "Expect you and Hayley. Which brings me to my next order of business."
Esther raises her hand at me and starts muttering a spell under her breath. I grasp as my chest starts to burn. Searing pain explodes in my heart as the pain radiates to my arms and legs. I clutch my chest and fall to my knees. My vision blurs as an imagine takes over my head. Nik gripping his chest and groaning in pain, much like me as Marcel, Cami, and Davina stand around him extremely confused. Rebekah falls to my side and I look at her gasping.
"Stop. What are you doing?" Rebekah pleads.
Esther finishes and the pain leaves my body. I groan and fall limp into Rebekah's side. I pant regaining my breath.
"I have bonded your soul to Niklaus'. All I had to do was get one of you to drink the potion." Esther says.
"The wine." I croak.
Esther nods with a smile. "Correct."
"Why?" I ask her as Rebekah helps me stand.
"Let's just say I'm taking care of two problems at once." Esther explains vaguely going back to the alter.
"This wasn't the deal. Stop the spell." Rebekah tells her.
"The spell is already done." Esther says. "I prepared it to be locked in the moment I turned over the hourglass."
"Mother, think this through." Rebekah tries to change her mind as I let her go, not needing her support to stand anymore. "You gave birth to this body. You can't destroy it."
"I am only destroying it's flesh." Esther counters coming around the alter with a smile. "Your beautiful soul will live on in the body of another. I have chosen well for you. A beautiful girl. Strong." Esther tells her standing in front of us.
"Mother!" Nik's voice cuts through. We all turn to him as he stands on top of a mausoleum. "Stop the spell." Nik vamp speeds down to us and walks quickly at us. "You and your traitorous son."
"Nik, I didn't know anything about it, I swear." Kol defends himself.
"Oh, good." Esther comments. "I'm glad you two boys are friends again." She turns and starts walking up to Kol. "I did wonder what you'd been up to in your time away. Now I know."
"Stop the blasted spell." Nik orders again.
"I'm afraid that's impossible." Esther denies.
"Anything is possible." Nik says approaching her. "Take me instead."
"Nik, no." Rebekah denies. "If she switches you, she switches Kelsey."
"If only you'd taken my offer when it was still mine to give." Esther replies before Nik can question Rebekah or I can say anything. "Unfortunately, you left me no choice but to make a deal with Mikael."
"Mikael?" Rebekah asks.
"When Finn and Kol went missing, I needed a new ally." Esther explains. Anger slowly fills my body not liking where this is going. "All he wanted is the right to kill you." She turns to Kol as Nik looks away. "Kol, I would ask you to deliver the stake to your father, but it seems you loyalties have been compromised."
"Loyalty?" I scoff taking a couple of steps forward. "What do you know about loyalty? You signed your daughter over to a witch. You cheated on your husband. You let Mikael torment Nik. You changed your children into vampires and have tried to kill them ever since. And now you want to hand Nik over to Mikael. You wouldn't know what loyalty is if it bit you in your ass."
"It's amazing that after everything he has put you through, you still stand here and defend him." Esther says scrunching her eyebrows.
"I will stand here and defend all of them, because obviously someone needs to." I snap. "They gave me a family."
"He is the reason your baby is dead." Esther jabs.
"No, you did that!"
"Don't worry child." She says softly. "Once Mikael kills him, you will follow. Then, you both will be reunited with your baby."
"What are you talking about?" Nik seethes. "What did you do?"
"She bonded your souls together." Rebekah tells him. "Whatever happens to you, happens to Kelsey and vice versa."
I don't turn to see Nik's reaction. I keep my glare on Esther. "Undo it." Nik demands. "Now!"
"I can't." Esther says. "The spell is permanent."
"You're such a bitch." I snarl.
"I'd rather be a bitch than in love with someone incapable of loving me back." Esther spits lowly, but everyone present heard her. Rage courses through my body as I clutch my fist. I draw back and punch her in her jaw. She stumbles back and Rebekah vamp speed to me and pulls me back.
"You shouldn't have done that." Esther says spitting out blood. She goes to raise her hand, but Nik cuts her off.
"Stop Rebekah's spell, Esther." Nik seethes.
"It's okay, Nik. I can do this." Rebekah tells him without looking at him. I grip her hand, wishing I could do something.
"So you're feeling murderous again." Esther throws at Nik. "You should know, I've already chosen another body."
"Now!" Kol yells as the sand falls in the hourglass.
Nik vamp speeds to Esther and stabs her in the throat. She falls with a smirk on her face, clearly thinking she is going to body jump. Rebekah starts convulsing next to me.
"Rebekah?" I catch her as her legs give in. Nik vamps to us and helps me lower her to the ground as the sand runs out. The hourglass explodes sending sparks and fire flying. Rebekah falls unconscious.
_______________________
We arrive at the Compound with Nik carrying Rebekah's body. Cami is passed out in a chair in the Courtyard and Nik lays Rebekah on the couch. Davina sits at Cami's side waiting for her to wake up.
"Cami's not awake yet either." Davina states the obvious.
"We need to get her out of the Quarter." Marcel stresses as he rushes in pointing at Cami. "She's not safe. Somebody busted Finn out."
"My mother is using Mikael to do her dirty work now." Nik says. Cami gasps, opening her eyes.
"Cami?" I ask at the same time Nik asks "Camille?" as we all gather around her. She looks around, taking in her surroundings.
"I suddenly love that stupid name." Cami chuckles and Davina and I quickly hug her.
I let go and turn to Rebekah. Marcel goes over and sits next to her. Cami straightens up and Davina watches from her spot.
"I couldn't stop the spell." Nik explains.
"Please tell me that your mother's dead." Marcel yells after Nik, who turns to leave.
"Rebekah and I took extra precautions." Nik says coming back. "Esther is exactly where she needs to be." Nik turns to Davina. "For now I need your help."
"With what?" She crosses her arms with a scoff.
I sigh. "Esther had another agenda, we didn't see coming." I tell her. "She bond my soul to Nik's. If he dies, I die. If I die, he dies."
"That's what that attack on you earlier was?" Marcel asks Nik and he nods in confirmation.
"What do you want me to do?" Davina asks.
"Remove it." Nik tells her. "Mikael is out and about. He'll come for me and if he succeeds in killing me I refuse to let Kelsey die with me."
Davina stands and takes mine and Nik's hands. She closes her eyes and mutters a spell I can't hear. She gasps, opening her eyes, and shaking her head.
"It's permanent, I can't." She informs us. "But, I can alter it until I can find a loophole."
"Alter it how?" I ask her.
"I can make it stronger. I can make it to where if one dies and the other is alive then you come back." She explains.
"So, if Kelsey gets staked she'll come back because of Klaus' life force?" Cami questions.
Davina nods. "And the same goes for him." She sighs. "I'll search for a way to break it, but this is all I can do right now."
"Do it." Nik and I say in unison.
"Join hands." Davina says. I grab her hand. Nik walks over and connects his hand to mine and Davina's. "This is going to hurt."
I nod at her to continue. She closes her eyes and mutters a spell. Just like in the cemetery my chest starts searing in pain, along with Nik's. I grunt and start breathing heavily as it spreads through my arms and legs. I close my eye, focusing on not letting my legs give out from under me. Davina stops and the pain leaves making me gasp. She then, grabs a knife and cuts Nik palm without warning. She quickly grabs my hand and does the same making me bite my tongue from the sting. Davina grabs our wrists and place our bleeding palms together, mixing our blood.
"It's done." Davina says.
"Thank you." I tell her.
"Are you kidding?" She replies. "I'm not going to let you die, just because he does. I might be able to reverse her spell, I just need time."
"Well, now you have it." Nik states. "Kelsey and I have matters to attend to." With that he walks off.
"That's apparently my que." I sigh. "I love you, Davina. I'm glad you're okay, Cami and thank you for all your help, Marcel." I wave, before following Nik.
_________________________
We wait for Esther to wake up. Nik placed her in a mausoleum that has a wall knocked down, revealing another room. She lays limp in the middle. Nik and I standing against the wall.
"You know we have to talk about what my mother said tonight." Nik says breaking the silence.
"You'll have to be more specific." I mutter, even though I know exactly what he's talking about. "She's said a lot tonight."
"Yes." He nods as we both avoid eye contact. "But I'm referring to her saying you're in love with me."
"Bold of you to assume she meant you, since she didn't say a name." I tease. "You were okay with ignoring the kiss, so why should this be any different?" I mumble with a shrug.
"It was never my intention to..." Nik goes to say but he is cut off by Esther gasping awake, her hand going straight to her throat. Nik throws a blood bag next to her. "Hello, Mother." He smirks.
"What have you done?" Esther asks apprehensive.
"The best thing he could've done." I smirk.
"You, who sold me to that butcher Mikael like I were nothing more than cattle, ask me what I have done?" Nik pushes off the wall as she sits up. Fear flashes across her face. "I've done what every good son does, Mother. I've followed the example of my parents. You taught me exactly how I should treat you."
"Usually when he does something that he's learned from you and Mikael, I try and show him a better way." I shrug. "But, for you I made an exception. You should, truly, have nothing less than you deserve."
"You must be feeling a little twitchy right about now. That's what happens when you're in transition." Nik reveals. Esther eyes lock on the blood bag.
"No." Esther says looking horrified, before her face changes to anger. "That's not possible."
"Oh, but it is." Nik tells her. "You see, you may have thought you were one step ahead of us, but the truth is Rebekah was two ahead of you."
"The wine." She says in realization.
"Funny how she poisoned you the same way you poisoned me." I smirk.
"You died with vampire blood in your system." Nik says. "It's delicious irony. Because, as you know, you cannot be both witch and vampire." Defeat and despair show on her face. "So now you can either be the thing you hate the most or you can be dead." He turns and walks out of the whole in the wall and then faces her again. "Your choice. Which is more than you ever gave us."
"Mikael will find you and he will kill Kelsey in front of you" Esther threatens. "And because of my spell, you will follow."
"Oh, we forgot to tell you." I smirk. "We altered your bonding spell. He can't die while I'm alive and I can't die while he's alive. So, let Mikael come, we'll be ready."
"NO! NO!" She pleads as I turn and step out of the wall. "He'll never be able to love you. He's violence and paranoia will always get the best of him."
"Good riddance, Esther." I sneer. I follow Nik out and he locks her in. "I'm glad that's over." I sigh in relief.
"Me too." Nik agrees. "Now there's Finn we need to deal with."
"Let's go home." I say leading the way.
"Kelsey, about what she said." He brings it up again.
"I don't put much stock in what your mother says and you shouldn't either." I shrug.
"You should turn your affections to someone else." He sighs. "I'm not good enough for you and you deserve so much better."
I roll my eyes and cross my eyes. "What I deserve is up to me. And I'm really getting tired of repeating that to everyone."
"I'm just saying, you'll be better off. I've done nothing but bring turmoil to your life." He replies.
"You didn't bring anything. Hayley and I showed up at your house. My choices brought me here not you." I argue.
"You're safer this way." He huffs. "These feelings will pass."
"Then why kiss me at all?" I inquire deflated.
"It was a mistake." Nik says looking away and to the ground. "One that won't happen again." With that he's gone.
Tears escape my eyes as soon as he's gone. My heart drops into my stomach and I realize I've been foolish, a complete idiot. There's no way I'm going back to the Compound tonight. So, I pull out my phone and message Marcel, knowing he'll still be there with Rebekah. I tell him I'll be staying with Davina if they need me. After I hit send, I call her.
"Kelsey?" She asks.
"Hey." I sniffle trying to not let her know I'm upset. "Can I stay with you tonight?"
"Of course." She answers immediately sensing something is off. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, totally." I nod even though she can't see me. "I just need some sister time."
"I'm always down for sister time. I'm in my old room above the church."
"I'll see you soon."
_____________________
I knock on Davina's door and she opens pretty quickly. I know my face is red and blotchy from crying, even though I've wiped all my tears away. Davina's eyebrows scrunch in concern and she grabs my wrist and yanks my into a hug.
"What happened?" She asks pulling away, but keeping me at arms length.
I shrug and sigh. "I'm just an idiot."
"No, you're not." She denies, shaking her head. "Come in here and we can talk about it."
I close the door behind me and she pulls me to her bed. We both lay down and face each other like we used to when we were kids. I place one hand under my face, while the other one plays with the string of my jacket.
"Why are you here?" Davina asks softly. "Not that I don't want you here."
"Something happened with Nik." I mutter. "I just couldn't go back to the Compound and face him again tonight."
"What happened?" She repeats from earlier.
"I got myself in too deep." I sigh. "Kol called me out tonight and Esther did it again in front of Nik and Rebekah."
"You mean about you being in love with him?"
"I hadn't even put my feelings together myself. I knew I had feelings for him, I just didn't realize the magnitude."
"So, he found out and now you're embarrassed." She states nodding.
"Oh beyond embarrassed, I'm mortified. I'm pathetic and such an idiot." I roll my eyes as tears begin to fall again. "He kissed me before I had the baby and then again a few nights ago. But, tonight he told me it was a mistake and it shouldn't have happened. I'm so stupid for thinking that maybe he felt the same."
"Kelsey, you are not stupid." She deadpans. "He is. You are amazing and his life is far better with you in it. If he can't see that then he doesn't deserve you. I actually don't think he deserves you anyway." She shrugs.
"You sound like him." I mumble.
"What do you mean?"
"He said I deserve better than him." I roll my eyes. "Everyone continues to tell me what I should do or what I deserve. It's so infuriating."
"We're Claire's. We aren't built to be bossed around." She smirks, making me chuckle.
"He thinks my feelings will pass. I'm scared he's wrong."
"You are so entuned with everyone's feeling and motives. You take the time to understand those around you. But, when it comes to you understanding yourself and other's feelings towards you, your stunted." She shakes her head in disbelief.
"Thanks a lot." I scoff sarcastically.
"I'm literally going to have to bleach my mouth after I tell you this, because I can't stand him." She groans. "That being said, I've been watching. I see how he looks at you and the concern on his face when you might be in danger. Like tonight, when Esther did the bonding spell. He hated having to ask for my help getting rid of it. But, he did it because he knows with Mikael out there he could die. Klaus couldn't stand that, especially knowing he'd take you down with him. He asked me, to protect you. He feels the same as you."
"Then why, basically, reject me?"
"Because the one person that stands in the way of Klaus is Klaus. You have told me several times there's another side to him." I nod in agreement. "I see that sometimes when he interacts with you. I think he is pushing you away because he is scared of what these feeling could mean for you and him."
"It doesn't matter." I sigh. "It's over."
"Or you fight for what you want and show him he's wrong." Davina shrugs and then starts gagging. "Please see my point. I can't talk nice about him much longer. It'll kill me."
She grabs her throat and starts dramatically fake choking. I roll my eyes and gently push her shoulder. We both start laughing at her antics.
"Fine. Let's talk Kol." I wiggle my eyebrows and her face brightens.
"He's just my friend." She replies.
"Tell that to your face." I grin.
"Okay. Okay. He kissed me tonight." She smiles wider. "I like him, a lot."
"Good." I tell her. "I'm happy for you."
We fall into random conversation and just enjoy each other's presence, until sleep overcomes us.