Klaus, Dahlia and I were in the Pale River Orchard where she was preparing to link herself to Klaus, Hope sat in her car seat in the trunk bed while Klaus and I sat in front of her, leaning against the truck. My gaze darted between Dahlia and Klaus, I was worried. What if this didn't work? What if she finds out what we're up to? Would she kill us to get to our baby?
I shook my head. Stop it, NIna. Don't even think like that! This will work, it has to.
Noticing my anxiety, Klaus turned to me and placed his hand on top of mine and squeezed it, comfortingly. I looked at him and he nodded as he gave me a reassuring smile, I smiled back before my gaze returned to Dahlia.
"You're quiet," Dahlia commented as she looked at Klaus. "Are you having misgivings?"
"I was just looking for a polite way to ask, 'What the hell is taking so long?'" He told her.
"Well, we can begin now," she said as she gestured to the table. "Once we're linked, I will no longer have to sleep a hundred years again. Your concerns for my status will ease, and I'll finally be able to focus on Hope."
We all turned our heads to look at Hope, then Dahlia started to approach us.
"I will only need a single drop of her blood."
Both Klaus and I stood protectively in front of our daughter to prevent her from getting any closer.
"And then her power shall be mine also."
"What do you want to do about Freya?" I asked, making her look at me.
Freya was also with us, she was lying unconscious behind Hope. During their confrontation, Dahlia had forced Freya into falling under the sleep spell and brought her here.
"She served her purpose," Dahlia replied. "So tonight, at the moon's apex, I'll end her life and once our link is severed, the bond that I share with your daughter will become permanent."
I wasn't liking this one bit, but I trusted Klaus, so I hid my emotions under a mask of indifference, when in truth, I felt regret over Freya. She wasn't really that different from me, she had spent her entire life looking for the family she had been taken from, just like I had.
"Best get on with it, then," Klaus said before he pushed past her to go over to the table.
I sat back down and stayed with Hope while Dahlia followed Klaus. The two then held hands as Dahlia prepared to link them and I watch them with wary eyes.
"Medareno sometswar," the witch chanted. "Medareno sometswar."
When Hope started to fuss, I shifted closer and comforted her.
"It's okay, baby. Mama's here."
When the spell came to an end, both Dahlia and Klaus gasped. I quickly stood up, concerned and watched Klaus turn and take a few steps towards me.
"Klaus?" I rushed forward, putting my hand on either side of his face.
He looked at me and whispered, "I'm alright, love."
I let out a sigh of relief and let my hands fall to my sides as Dahlia laughed, happily.
"With your strength, I will never need to sleep for a century again."
Klaus grabbed my hand and placed the gold dagger in my palm, I looked up at him, unsure. He gave me a curt nod to communicate that he wanted me to do this before addressing Dahlia.
"Well, perhaps one more nap."
Dahlia had turned just in time to see me stab Klaus in the heart with the golden dagger, she tried to stop me using magic but was powerless as the dagger had her neutralized. I watched as they both fell to the ground, a hard expression on my face when I looked at Dahlia but one of guilt when I looked at Klaus.
Seconds later, I heard a gasp as Freya woke up and I went to the truck to comfort my crying daughter.
~*~*~
It was morning now and I was holding Hope while looking down at Klaus' desiccated body, Freya stood behind me and I turned my head when I heard a whoosh. It was Elijah.
"Nina," he sounded relieved to see me.
"Elijah," I greeted him.
He walked closer to us. "I thought--Marcel said that Klaus stole the Crescent Curse from him."
I furrowed him in confusion. "What?"
"I was afraid you had suffered his wrath."
I looked around the woods for a moment before I realized what had happened last night when I was fighting Hayley.
"No," I shook my head, tears threatening to spill. "Jackson . . ."
That's why it felt like I was turning, because I was feeling what Jackson was going through, Klaus had cursed him. Which means that all the Crescents are cursed as well, because of the Unification Ceremony. But why wasn't I? Was it because I'm a hybrid and my vampire side prevented the curse from taking effect?
"What are you doing here, Nina?" Elijah asked me.
"I came here with Klaus," I told him, still processing what happened to my brother.
Now it was his turn to be confused. "I don't understand."
"I helped him, Elijah," I told him. "I was with him when he attacked Jackson and the wolves."
"You attacked your own people?" He was shocked.
"They're not my people anymore!" I snapped.
Freya cleared her throat to interrupt us. "Well, my adage holds. Nothing good ever happens in a clearing in the woods."
"Nothing good ever happens when my brother is concerned," Elijah said as he glanced at me and walked closer to Hope and I. "With one exception. How is she?"
"She's a Mikaelson, she's resilient," I told him as she cried. "Shh, baby. It's okay."
Elijah walked towards Dahlia's unconscious body.
"When I woke, they were like this," Freya informed her brother.
"Klaus told me to dagger him," I revealed, causing Elijah to look at me with surprise. "He knew your plan wouldn't work, so he had to enact one of his own."
"Yes, Camille said the same thing. According to him, our ingredients were incorrect. Niklaus infiltrated Dahlia's mind. You didn't break her heart," he looked at Freya. "We needed the blood of the witch she loved the most and you are not that witch, that honor goes to our beloved mother."
"So we need Esther's blood. Well, that's impossible. I killed her," Freya told us.
"One incarnation."
"Your mother is buried in New Orleans," I told her. "Klaus wants us to revive the original body."
~*~*~
We were now back at the compound, I had taken Hope to her room and when she fell asleep, I went back downstairs to join the Mikaelsons and Marcel. I was happy to see Rebekah in her original body, I had missed her but she was still pissed at me for siding with Klaus.
"Nik is demented!" She complained. "Are we really to dig up our mother, burn her to ash, swap said ash with Kol's and then trick Davina into using up her last chance to bring someone back from the dead? Not to mention we lose the opportunity to save Kol if Davina doesn't turn us inside out!"
"Or we dig a big hole and leave both our problems at the bottom of it," Elijah suggested.
"I say we choose a more permanent option," Freya said. "Find the white oak stake, kill Klaus, Dahlia dies with him."
Marcel scoffed. "Well, yeah and so do I and every other vampire that Klaus has turned."
"We are not killing him!" I glared at Freya.
"The dagger," Rebekah muttered, causing me to look back at Klaus. "It's bloody melting."
I took a closer look and realized that Rebekah was right, was Dahlia doing that?
Elijah sighed. "We have no choice but to finish the task Niklaus has set."
~*~*~
While Rebekah and Elijah went to dig up Esther's corpse at the old plantation house, Marcel and Freya were searching the house for Kol's ashes so that they could switch them for Esther's and I sat by Klaus' side. My eyes were focused on the dagger, which was still slowing melting away as I listened to Marcel and Freya talk.
"Elijah said Klaus kept Kol's ashes in a blue urn," Marcel said as he searched through some drawers. "What he didn't do is narrow the field, heaven forbid one thing not to be a damn secret in this family."
"Yet, despite your anger, here you are, casting your lot with Klaus," Freya said. "Is that because you think his plan is going to work?"
"That is the Mikaelson paradox," Marcel replied. "You wanna love and kill each other at the same time."
I smiled at the truth of his statement as my eyes moved from the gold dagger to Klaus' face. I have that problem as well, not matter how upset I am with him for cursing my brother, I still love him.
Ugh, story of my life.
"Nina, do you mind giving us a hand here?" I heard the annoyance in Marcel's voice.
"No," I smirked in reply. "I think you got it handled."
I heard him sigh, exasperated as he continued to search for the ashes. After a few moments, I heard him chuckle in triumph.
"Look who got lucky!"
I left Klaus' side to join them and saw Marcel holding an old blue urn, his smile faltered when he looked inside. He then turned it upside down and when nothing fell out, we all knew that there were no ashes inside.
I raised my brows. "Either you have a curious definition of luck or someone got to those ashes before we did."
"Alright, we better find a way to stop that dagger from melting," Marcel said. "Because if the thief is who I think it is, we've got a problem."
I sighed, knowing he was thinking that Davina was the one with Kol's ashes and if that was the case, there was no way we were gonna be able to get her to help us resurrect Esther.
~*~*~
Marcel and I watched Freya trying to cast a spell to prevent the dagger from melting. So far, she was having no such luck.
She sighed. "It's no use, I can't slow her magic. Everything I'm trying fails."
We all looked up when vines started to grow inside the compound, the flowers were black dahlias and we knew that it wouldn't be long before she was awakened.
"There's gotta be a way to kill her," Marcel said.
"There is," Freya said as she pulled out the white oak stake.
"No, Freya!" I launched towards her to stop her but she used magic to immobilize me.
When Marcel moved to intervene, she did the same to him.
"Freya, we can find another way!" Marcel said as he struggled to move.
"I'm sorry, but I see no other way," she told us.
I tried to fight through the spell that held me but it was useless.
"No, no, no!" I pleaded. "Please, Freya, you don't have to do this! Please, don't kill him!"
"You kill him, you kill me too!" Marcel added.
"I don't want to kill you!" She yelled, desperately. "I don't want to kill him! This is the family I longed for and because of her, I'll forever be alone."
"NO!!!" I screamed as she raised her hand and thrust the stake towards his heart.
We all stared in shock as Klaus stopped her, he was no longer desiccated and I felt relief wash over me.
"Sister," I heard him murmur and he lowered her hand and the stake.
Seconds later, Dahlia awakens and Klaus glared at her as he sat up.
~*~*~
With Freya's spell no longer binding us, Marcel and I could now move freely and Klaus was now on his feet. He leaned on Freya for support as we all looked at Dahlia.
"I'm almost impressed by the lengths you'd go for your little girl," she said, looking at both me and Klaus. "Though, not enough to let bygones be."
Dahlia raised her hand to obtain the stake from Freya, telekinetically.
"We are still linked, dear aunt," Klaus reminded her. "You may not want to punish me with that particular weapon."
"Hmm, I made sure that the link between us melted along with that dagger. Meaning I'm quite free to kill you, but first . . ."
Dahlia thrust her hand towards me as she used magic, I let out a scream as my bones broke and I fell to my knees.
"What are you doing?" Klaus yelled, enraged as he looked at me with concern.
"I'm punishing her the same way you punished her brother, with the Crescent Curse," Dahlia explained.
My eyes glowed gold and my bones shifted, causing me to grunt and cry out in pain.
"I made some adjustments to accommodate her hybrid nature. Now, she will be trapped in wolf form with the rest of her pack, save for the full moon, leaving her very little time to cause any further mischief."
I looked at Klaus, terrified as the curse forced me to turn, my fangs coming out involuntarily as I relived the pain I felt when my brother was cursed.
"Klaus," I pleaded.
When he looked at me, his eyes filled with tears and he rushed towards Dahlia to stop her but she used magic to immobilize him, like Freya had done to me and Marcel.
"When you aligned with me, you told me that you never cared for Nina. Your actions just proved otherwise, you do care about her. Now, watch as I take away something you love."
I continued to scream as my bones broke and shifted and I slowly turned into a wolf. Klaus was yelling as well as he watched, helpless. He struggled to help me but Dahlia's spell prevented him from moving a muscle.
"No! Nina!" He yelled, desperately.
"Klaus!" I cried as I endured the pain of turning into a wolf.
I knew that when this was over, I wouldn't be able to see my daughter. Only once a month and that would be more painful than what I was currently going through.
Dahlia had won, instead of taking Hope from me, she had taken me away from my daughter.
~*~*~
- Third Person POV -
Once Nina's screams no longer filled the compound, Klaus stared at the spot she was standing to find a wolf staring back at him. After a moment of looking around the room, the wolf gazed at Klaus one more time before running away using supernatural speed.
Dahlia then looked at Klaus, pointing the white oak stake towards him and used magic to bring him closer. Before she could kill him, Marcel intervened by knocking Klaus to the ground. When they got up, Dahlia was gone. Klaus used vamp-hearing to locate her and heard Hope crying, he quickly rushed to the nursery.
There were vines everywhere and one of the thorn pricked Hope, drawing blood. Klaus instantly held his daughter and soothed her.
"Why didn't she take Hope?" Marcel asked.
"Because all she needed was a drop of her blood," Klaus said, unhappily. "Unfortunately, I have no idea where the vile harpy has fled to."
"All right, go. Get Hope someplace safe, I'll track down your witch and when this is over, you and I are gonna settle up."
"Provided we survive what's to come tonight, I look forward to it."
Marcel then left to find Dahlia.
~*~*~
Klaus had taken Hope back to the jazz club and asked Cami to look after her while they dealt with Dahlia, Elijah and a newly resurrected Esther sat in the back room. Esther had the spelled shackles around her wrists to prevent her from doing any magic and her son sat behind her, casually spinning a knife on the table.
"Let me guess, you brought me back from the dead to torture me," she said, amused.
Elijah rolled his eyes in annoyance. "My dear mother, we simply need your blood. Though, in the event that you should suffer horribly, I can't promise I won't enjoy it immensely."
A moment later, Klaus burst into the room.
"Ah, Mother. I've arrived just in time for another one of your deaths and as much as I appreciate the front-row seat, I'm afraid I'm going to have to postpone the festivities."
Elijah stood up and walked around his mother towards Klaus. "You're in excellent spirits."
"Lucky for you, as I'm the one needed to save the day."
"Is that what it's called?"
"Why not? My plan's worked."
Enraged, Elijah lunged towards his brother before Klaus put a hand out to stop him.
"Easy, Elijah, I can see your red door swinging wide open, but our job's not done yet."
"So, we kill her and be done with it."
"To be clear, I do want her blood, but I want it on this blade . . ." Klaus told his brother as he approached Esther. "Which I've had bound with the soil from Dahlia's homeland, not to mention Viking Ash. Mother's demise will have to wait. You see, I need her to weaken Dahlia's defences."
He then leaned close to whisper into Esther's ear.
"Bit of psychological warfare before I slaughter the both of you."
Esther nodded, sarcastically. "Ah, yes. You expect me to walk willingly to my death."
"Well, your willing participation would have been a bonus, but it's far from necessary. If need be, I'll drag you there myself."
"Yes, dear mother, you do not have a choice," Rebekah said as she joined them.
Both Klaus and Esther were surprised to see her in her original body.
"Then again, why should you be any different from the rest of us? We're all dancing puppets in Nik's end-of-days marionette show. He forces every move we make."
"And how long are you gonna stand there and pretend you don't need me to?" Klaus asked his sister. "The both of you have fought me at every turn, leaving me no choice but to act alone! We're no strangers to disagreements on the battlefield, but we also have a very long history of doing whatever it takes to win the war!"
"And what of Gia?" Elijah asked.
Klaus looks at his brother, surprised to find that he is genuinely upset about her death. Elijah then slowly approaches his brother.
"Where is Nina?"
Klaus' smile faded and he felt a pang of guilt as he thought of her fate. Elijah grew suspicious when he brother didn't reply.
"Niklaus, where is Nina?" He repeated, more firmly.
"She's gone, Dahlia cursed her."
Both Elijah and Rebekah looked at Klaus in shock with wide eyes.
"She stood by your side, she went along with your ridiculous plan and yet, she still paid the price," Rebekah shook her head.
Klaus tried to hide how much this bothered him. "Collateral damage."
Infuriated, Elijah smiled fakely before swinging his fist to punch his brother.
"You claim your actions are part of some ruse, this was punishment," Elijah told him as he circled Klaus.
"Punishment? Whatever for? Perhaps the dagger you put in my heart!"
"You brought that upon yourself!" Elijah shouted. "No, we have fought together for centuries and once again, to break your enemy, you broke your family."
HIs words surprised and hurt Klaus.
"Well, know this, whatever the outcome tonight, you will no longer see me by your side," Elijah told Klaus, still angry. "You want to be alone? Well, congratulations. You have your wish."
Elijah then grabbed Esther by the chain of the shackles before leaving the room with her.
~*~*~
After defeating Dahlia and Esther, Klaus returned to the compound and sat in the dining room as the compelled human next to him fed him his blood. Just then, Rebekah walked in.
"The spoils of war, eh?"
"A family tradition," Klaus said.
"Minus the family."
"Well, you're here," Klaus passed Rebekah a glass of blood.
"In the skin of your choosing, no less," Rebekah sat down.
"Oh, poor you because that body is such a hardship. Meanwhile the rest of the family enjoys the fruits of my labor. Freya has her freedom from Dahlia and Marcel will forgive me once I hand him back the reins of the city. I was done with it, anyway."
Rebekah furrowed her brows. "You would hand over your crown? And do what?"
"Raise my daughter," Klaus replied. "With the help of my sisters. One big, happy family."
Rebekah smiled, sarcastically. "Well, that does sound grand, minus the giant Elijah-sized hole in the room. And whilst your sisters raise your child, what will the child's mother be doing exactly?"
Klaus' smile is quickly wiped off at the mention of Nina. He never intended for her to suffer, not when she was the only one to stand by his side. Guilt consumed him as he thought of where she could be right now.
When Klaus remained silent, Rebekah stood up. "This, dear brother, is not what happiness looks like."
When his sister left, Klaus drank from his glass of blood, unhappily.
~*~*~
- Nina's POV -
After leaving the compound, I ran to the Bayou. I didn't know where else to go, I had nowhere else to go. I had been trapped as a wolf for an entire day and already I hated it. How the hell was I suppose to endure this for an entire month?
When the moon was full in the sky and I became human once more, I made my way towards the shack I used to live in and found Elijah waiting for me. He wrapped his jacket around my naked body and we stared at each other for a moment before embracing.
"How is she?" I asked.
"She's safe and well, according to Freya."
I let out a sigh, I already missed her and it's only been one day. Klaus had succeeded in killing Dahlia but I expected him to come to tell me himself, he was the one I wanted to see standing in front of me. It surprised me how hurt I felt when he didn't.
Elijah tucked my hair away from my face as he caressed my cheek. "Nina, I promise you, by whatever means necessary, I will release you from this."
"I want you to make me another promise, Elijah," I said, trying not to cry. "I can't let Klaus be the only thing that she knows, I need you to be there for her. Promise me that, she needs you."
When Elijah left, I instantly broke down in tears. I was hurt and angry, once again I was all alone. I was separated from my daughter, from Klaus, and from my family. I had no one.