The Mikaelson compound is a mess of anxiety and concern. Kol fidgets in his spot before the fireplace, his leg bouncing. Elijah stands behind the couch Cora sits at. Lexi and Derek are opposite Cora, the beta's arm around Lexi's shoulders.
Lexi leans forward, trying to take in what Kol had told them. "Are you absolutely sure?" She asks, her voice barely rising above a whisper.
"I saw him with my own eyes," Kol replies. "Finn must have come back when Davina resurrected me. The spell was tied to the blood of the Mikaelson line. Either it worked on him, or he found a way to hijack it. Either way, the only how I care about right now is how long I'm going to make him suffer before I kill him."
Kol begins to paces, his mind working a million thoughts a second. Elijah extends a hand. "Restraint, brother. For now."
"Why?" Kol hisses, his anger threatening to show.
"Kol's right," Cora speaks up, crossing her arms and leaning back on the couch. "Finn's probably the one spreading rumors about missing white oak. He's luring Klaus' enemies out of the woodwork."
"It could all be part of some tedious revenge fantasy," Derek adds, his hand moving to Lexi's. She squeezes tightly, clenching her jaw.
"You're wrong," Freya states, walking into the study and leaning against the desk. "Those rumors of white oak began before either Kol or Finn returned. Finn's innocent."
"Innocent?" Lexi snaps, her eyes flickering red. "He is far from innocent."
"Pardon me, love, but Finn tried to kill the rest of us more than once!" Kol exclaims. "He is an enemy of our family."
"He is our family." Freya glares at Kol for even suggesting Finn be an enemy. "Finn's return is an opportunity to mend old wounds and fix what's broken."
"He didn't just drop a bloody vase!" Kol yells.
"He murdered Kol," Lexi reminds them, standing from her spot as she drops Derek's hand.
Elijah glances between his two youngest siblings and his oldest. "You seem certain..." Elijah trails off, his mind torn. On one hand, Finn had betrayed them all. He had hexed Kol, played sacrificial lamb when Esther wanted them dead, poisoned Lexi and channeled her, and so much more. On the other hand... Freya believes in him.
"Are you honestly siding with her?" Cora demands, her eyes wide.
"You are only talking because you always side with Alexis," Freya snaps. "You have no opinion other than hers."
"I'm not stupid, Freya. I know what Finn's done. Shall we do a recap?" Cora sasses, loving the anger flash across the witch's face.
"Elijah," Lexi calls, making him turn to face her. "Finn did more than just murder Kol. Not once since you removed that dagger has he showed us that he is our brother. Not once. I believed in him, and he made me watch Kol die, again. Three times, Elijah," Her voice barely cracks, but Elijah hears it. "He made me watch, again."
Elijah turns back to Freya, whose anger had dissipated. "Alexis is right. Time and time again, Finn has demonstrated nothing but contempt towards his family. So, you tell me— how can you be so certain that he would return to us in peace?"
Behind him, Lexi goes rigid. Her nostrils flare and her eyes widen. Derek stands, his hand on her arm. He silently asks what's wrong before the unfamiliar scent reaches him. When he turns to the door, his blue eyes surface. He takes a step in front of Lexi, his muscles tensing.
Finn leans against the doorway, his arms crossed. "Our sister knows me well. Though, perhaps you're right to doubt my intentions. By all means, let's discuss our family quarrels. I believe we're long overdue."
Cora growls from her seat. Kol takes a step forward, slightly blocking the spunky werewolf from his insane brother. "I don't believe we've met," Finn smirks, catching Cora's eye. "I'm Finn."
Elijah's phone dings and he grits his teeth. "Do not kill each other," he orders, answering the phone and moving out of the room.
Finn glances between his glaring siblings. "Well, last time I saw you, Alexis, you were with our beloved Freya."
"You killed Kol," Lexi snarls.
"And you are with the wolves again," Finn retorts, glancing between Lexi's pack. "A killer and an innocent."
"I am far from innocent," Cora says. "In fact, why don't you come closer. I'll show you exactly how much of a Hale I am." She snaps her teeth for emphasis.
Finn chuckles before completely ignoring her. "And you, Kol..." Finn clicks his tongue. "Last time I saw you, I taught you a little lesson, hmm?"
Kol lunges forward, throwing Finn into the fireplace. He starts to yell as Freya steps between them. Finn just moves out of the way of Kol's fists. "Take a swing at me, huh?" Kol prompts. Lexi orders the Hales to back away with only a look before she helps Freya, trying to tug the much stronger Kol away from Finn. "All these side-steps and parries—even the way you fight is boring!"
Kol realizes Lexi next to him, his actions becoming smaller and less powerful. He doesn't want her caught in the crossfire sure to come. Lexi silently switches with Freya, sending her a look that says, "Not your fight."
"It's an odd critique, considering all your flair and flourish couldn't keep you from being bested by me the last time we faced each other." Finn mocks. Kol slams his hands into Finn's chest only for Freya to glare at him. Lexi grabs Kol's hands, bringing them back to his sides.
The anger gets the better of him. Kol's vampiric features surface as he pushes Lexi away so he can get to Finn. Lexi doesn't scream as her body hits the nearby couch, her knees slipping down to the floor. She groans as a figure rushes into the room. Derek quickly helps her up so they can both assess the new threat.
Lucien stands before Kol, his hands around the Original's neck. The normal vampire glances back at Lexi, his eyes softening slightly. "Perhaps we should let them fight? After all, they can't actually kill each other."
Elijah bursts back into the room, yelling, "Behave yourselves! Particularly considering we'll be confined here together for the foreseeable future."
Kol pushes Lucien off, marching up to Elijah with a furious expression. "What does that mean?"
"We will all be staying here. No one in, no one out."
"I believe the term is 'staycation.'" Cora adds, a smirk on her lips. She glances at Lexi and Derek, seeing them as close as they can be.
"You see," Elijah continues, sending Cora an annoyed look. "Niklaus isn't the only one who's inspired revenge fantasies. Right now, we are all at risk."
Kol spins on his heel, glaring at Finn. Freya closes her eyes, sighing frustratedly. Lexi just slumps in Derek's arms, burying her face in his chest. "So, while Marcel works to retrieve the white oak, I recommend we dispense of the posturing and get down to some good, old-fashioned family bonding."
"See?" Cora exclaims, looking at Derek and Lexi. They both send her confused glances. "It's times like these I'm so happy I'm not immortal. Or have too much family left to bicker with."
Lexi's eyes widen as she scolds, "Cora!"
"What?"
—|—|—|—
Kol, Lexi, and the Hales all wait in one of the many studies. Lexi and Kol both have glasses of bourbon in their hands. Derek sits with Lexi, murmuring sweet nothings against her temple. Cora is lounging on the couch, her eyes closed. Even Lexi has to admit, the little wolf fits in perfectly with the crazy Mikaelsons.
From across the room, Lexi and Kol had been eying each other. As Mikaelsons, they have gotten used to making up plans on the spot through only eye contact. Lexi and Elijah do it best, but Kol had always been the person Lexi went to with half-thought-out plans. Through the past few minutes, a plan had formed. Lexi had informed Derek through slight hand motions and facial expressions.
"Whatever it is you're planning..." Elijah says, walking into the tense room. Cora sits up on her elbows, her eyes open. "Don't."
"We've been silent. There is no plan," Cora deadpans.
Elijah looks at her before leaning down, resting his elbows on the back of the couch she lies on. "Look at their faces."
Cora glances at Kol, his expression carefully crafted to seem neutral. Lexi has her lips pursed as she shifts in her seat. Derek just stares at Lexi's neck.
"We Mikaelsons excel at many things, Cora dear." Elijah straightens up, adjusting his jacket. "One thing is making plans in silence."
"You little..." Cora clenches her jaw. "Next time, include me!"
Lexi holds back a snort. Derek just says, "No."
"Please—"
"No."
"He cursed me to die, Elijah," Kol hisses, anger covering his expression. "Slowly. In front of Lexi and Davina."
"If nothing else, we owe him for that," Derek says monotonously. He had personally seen Lexi's grief when Kol had died. It nearly killed him. Elijah knows this too.
"Perhaps," Elijah shrugs. "And perhaps the best revenge is to simply expel him from our lives altogether?"
"No," Lexi shakes her head. "He doesn't get to live happily ever after! Especially when none of us can seem to escape this!"
Elijah raises his hand as if that would quell the anger in the room. "I haven't made my final decision— I only ask that you stay your hand."
"That isn't your decision to make!" Kol yells, his glass shattering in his grasp. Cora sits up fully, avoiding pieces of glass.
Lexi slowly gets up, placing a hand on Cora's shoulder. "Take Derek. Wait in another room."
Both Hales know better than to argue when that much Mikaelson anger is about to burst. Derek ends up being the one to drag Cora out, shushing her in an attempt to keep her from inciting more violence.
"Kol, control yourself," Lexi orders.
In response, Kol picks up a chair and throws it across the room.
"Unless you can't," Lexi realizes, a strange expression crossing her features.
The veins under Kol's eyes disappear as he takes in his sister's face. "It's worse than I remember. The rage. The hunger." Silver lines his eyes as he glances between his siblings: the one who is like him and the one who escaped. "I'd like to blame my anger on Finn, but it's been growing worse since I came back." His voice threatens to crack. "I never did learn how to keep it in check. I never really cared to."
"But now you do," Elijah sighs, resting his hands on the couch in front of him. Kol drops into the not broken chair, more tears filling his eyes.
"I couldn't live with myself if I hurt Davina. But, hurting the ones we love, whether we mean to or not... That's just what we do, isn't it?"
Lexi watches as Elijah squeezes Kol's shoulder, failing to come up with words. "It is who we are," Elijah finally says.
He leaves the room as a tear falls down Kol's face. "It is who we are," he repeated to himself, slouching his shoulders. "It is who we are."
I love Cora... So much... Hope you enjoyed!