"I'm sorry, kiddo, but Aunt V has to go for a little while." I explain to my toddler nephew as I set him down with one last kiss on the cheek. "I'll be back before you know it. I promise." Jack watches me over his mother's shoulder as she carries him off to bed.
Theo nods solemnly as he stands in front of me, and I know he doesn't believe that the call from Jade is my whole reason for leaving. It's not, the call was just conveniently timed. Right now, I need to leave New Orleans for a little bit—well, I need to escape Kaleb for a bit.
Not to mention that if what I think actually happened is true; they're gonna need my help now more than ever before.
"Hey, be safe." Theo warns as he grabs my arm before I can leave. "You just started getting to be a part of this family, and we'd like to keep it that way."
"I'll do my best." I want to tell him everything will be perfectly fine, but I can't make promises when I know they're lies. This is going to be dangerous, and I know I'm far too prone to taking unnecessary risks to guaranteeing my return.
Still, that doesn't keep me from taking a lingering look over my shoulder to remember what I have to return to and what I keep fighting for. It's their faces that burn into my mind as I drive away from home and safety back to the place where I lost myself and my heart—back to Mystic Falls.
...
My muscles are frozen stiff as I look at the Mikaelson mansion. Nothing about it has changed, and it physically hurts me to be back here. I keep expecting another hallucination of Kol to appear out of nowhere, to tease and lecture me like he always did.
I let my head fall against the wheel as I wonder if coming back here was a mistake. Of course, they're definitely needing me, but I don't know if I'll be any use to them like this. The only thing coming back here has done so far is brought back all of my grief that I've spent so long processing.
One touch and I might just shatter all over again, and this time, I doubt I have the strength to put myself back together again.
Still, I manage the strength to actually leave my car and head into the house. It seems so empty, more so than when I last left it. The silence that used to wrap around me like a comfortable blanket smothers me now. It becomes a horrifying ring in my ears as it pounds in between my footsteps.
There's only one person I can find as I search through the house, and I have to keep myself from walking away the moment I see him. "I'm surprised you came." Klaus speaks as he raises his glass to his lips. All the while, he doesn't turn around. Instead, he stares at the fire in front of him.
"I'm more surprised you told Jade to have me come." I reply as I lean against the doorway. "After your lovely goodbye and the fact that you still didn't listen to me, I figured you would have the situation under control."
There's no point in lying or hiding it. I am enjoying rubbing this in Klaus's smug face. He made it very clear that he didn't want or need me around; not to mention he ignored every single warning and piece of advice I gave on how not to wake up Silas. Yet, here I am. So, yes, I think I deserve the right to be a little bit smug.
"Yes, rub it in." The frustration and pride radiates from him. "Now, did you come to gloat or to help me?"
"Depends."
"On what?"
"What I get out of this." A smirk slowly emerges across my lips as I saunter over to him. His eyes drill into the side of my head, and it only increases as I steal his glass and finish it in one swig. "Because, I'm tired of doing dirty work for vampires. First I have a vampire in New Orleans who wants me to help him keep witches in line, and now you want me to help take down the oldest, strongest immortal. I don't think so. If you're serious about needing my help, I want a few things in return."
Klaus grinds his teeth together and snatches the glass from my hands. "And what, pray tell, are your conditions?"
"First, you have to apologize." I hold up a finger to keep him from cutting me off. "Second, I want access to Kol's ashes. Lastly, you will owe me a gigantic favor, which will only be limited by when and what I ask you to do. If you agree, I'll help you stop Silas. Otherwise, have fun dying. I'm sure he'll make it long and miserable." I tap my hand against his shoulder in mock compassion as I start to walk away.
One, two, three. "Fine." Klaus stops me. He clenches his jaws as he barely manages to get the words out. "I am sorry for what I did to you." Then after a long moment, his expression softens. "Truly, sorry. I should have believed you, and I reacted poorly. It was wrong of me to hurt you and even worse for me to force you to leave."
He stops for a moment and avoids my eyes as he stares down at the empty glass in his hands. A small, true smile makes it onto my face. "Good. I forgive you by the way. I just needed to hear you actually apologize for once in your life." I collapse in one of the chairs. "Now, where do you want to start?"
"Let's start with what you know."
"You're in luck. Because Kol told me quite a bit, and after—everything—I started doing my own research. Not to mention, when I realized you weren't going to give up, I started to take some precautions and planned ahead. So, I suggest you pour both of us a drink, because this is gonna be a long night."
...
The rug in the Mikaelson's front room turned out to be perfect for pacing. At least, it was better than hearing my feet rhythmically hit the floor. I was told to stay back at the mansion and remain everyone's 'secret weapon' against Silas.
Why they made a whole ordeal of keeping me locked away is beyond me. I don't see why I can't at least go outside every once in a while. Everyone has determined to be overly cautious for once in their lives. Although, from what I've heard in everyone's reports this past week, Silas is crazier than I thought.
I force myself to stop pacing and plop down on the couch. Klaus was supposed to call me with an update on the latest maneuver against Silas an hour ago, but it's been complete radio silence. Despite everything that has happened between us before, it's hard to not worry about everyone So now, I have to focus on something else— like perfecting keeping people out of my mind. It was a skill I started to develop in New Orleans. After all, you can never be too careful when your secretly working with a vampire and against a whole coven who would kill you without hesitation.
Brick walls, high, thick, and sturdy enough to withstand any attack. I imagine them in every detail. The discoloration of some of the bricks, the feel of them beneath my fingers, and any cracks that need my repairing. It's all part of my daily routine, which also helps me feel a little more sane.
My phone rings out against the silence and shatters my concentration. I scramble off the couch in a dive to reach it. "Hello? Klaus, what happened? Is everything okay?"
"Depends on your definition of 'okay.'" His words are mangled between his ragged breathing. "Open the door, would you?"
I don't even think as I run to the front door and nearly collapse under the weight of Klaus as he falls onto me. "What happened to you?" I question as I help him stumble inside. "Why are you bleeding?"
"Silas." He wheezes and cries out in pain as he leans against a table. "He stabbed me with a white oak stake, and there's still a piece left."
The words 'white oak stake' send a chill straight through me. This week has already been hellish enough with the constant reminders and impending doom, but the idea of losing someone else to this foolish chase is infuriating. "Stay still. I need to get it out quickly."
It takes everything in me to not throw up as I reach in and try to feel around for a sliver of the stake. Klaus continues to wail from the pain, but I have to do my best to ignore it and focus. "I can't find it. It's like there's nothing there."
"Trust me, it's there." He snaps through gritted teeth.
I search for another few moments before the realization smacks me in the face. Still, I don't bother to try to explain to Klaus, instead, I use the opportunity to get in his head. It doesn't take much to realize that he and I aren't the only ones in there. A shadow darker than night twists and prods at his mind.
A part of me wants nothing more than to shut it out—to block Klaus's mind from further torment, but the shadow releases before I get the chance to.
"Did you?" Klaus questions in shock. "Or was that?"
"Silas. He was messing with your head, making you believe that there was a piece of the stake still in you." I sigh and shake my head. "I warned you, he's powerful and more ruthless than even you."
Klaus watches me for a long moment, and I can see in his eyes there's something he's not telling me. Although, knowing him, he'll keep that secret until he deems it necessary to tell me. "I think it's time we accelerate our time table and test out our secret weapon."
A sigh passes my lips. "Well, this is gonna be good." I whisper to myself as I leave to clean off my hands and prepare for whatever mess I'm about to get into now.