The arguing that ensued after my revelation of Silas's plan is making my head hurt. I roll my eyes as I slip out without anyone noticing. Maybe I was wrong. They can barely make a decision, at this rate, I'll be the one handling this mess by myself after all.
I pull my phone out of my pocket, and dial the phone number I know will help me reach the person who can help with this mess. I can hear the phone ringing over and over again. Maybe they won't pick up, but there's a hope that tells me one more ring.
Sure enough, she picks up. Despite the silence, I know she's there. I can hear her breathing below the quiet static. "Hi, Tess. Do you have a minute?"
"Well, I'm in the middle of something right now. Is it important?"
"Silas knows." That's the only thing I need to say. "I would get out of there while you can. He'll probably lock you in any second now."
A quick curse comes from her side of the line. "You're right. I'm stuck in here until sundown."
"What do you need me to do?" I inquire. "Should we stick to the plan?"
"Yeah. Stick with it. I'll take care of the rest." That's all I hear her say before the line cuts off. I can't help but roll my eyes as I shove my phone back in my pocket. If there's one thing I learned fairly quickly, it's that playing both sides is utterly exhausting.
Still, there's no other way for me to get what has to be done and get what I need. I would never be able to live with myself if I let Silas win, but Quetsiyah, or 'Tess' as she now insists on being called, will never agree to help me get Kol back. So, the double agent game is my best option. I play both sides for what has to be done.
I head back into the boarding house and walk straight into the center of the argument. "Okay, so—" I drag out the syllable as I piece tougher exactly how to tell them. "—don't hate me, but I called Tess."
"You what?" Elena practically screams at me. She still hates her after the wiping Stefan's memory debacle.
"Yes, because if we're going to stop this we need her help." I snap back at her. "Now, our best chance is to ask the stupid travelers for help. Unfortunately, that means you guys, because let's be honest—they hate me."
"Hmm. Maybe I should start a club." Damon whispers, until he feels an invisible hand choking him. I offer him a shrug and fake innocence. "Fine. We'll try to talk to them, but you have to stay here."
I raise my hands and plop down on the couch. "Don't worry. The only place I plan on going is to the Mikaelson's." The group seems to be satisfied with my answer, because they turn their attention away from me to focus on what they're going to do next.
...
My notes litter every inch of the desk. I've spent every second since I got back at the mansion is being spent writing down and trying to determine the validity behind what Silas told me. Piece after piece of paper is slowly filled with my rushed handwriting.
I hate myself for the glimmer of hope that emerges as the plan starts to make sense. Maybe the grief that has haunted me since Kol died really has made me snap. Because this crazy, almost nonsensical plan is actually making a bit of sense. "Please, please, let this work." I whisper to myself. "This has to work."
"Does it really, darling?" HIs voice calls from behind me.
I sigh and let my head fall against the desk. "No. Please, not now."
"What? I thought you'd be happy to see me."
"Happy?" I shout and stand up with such force that the chair topples to the floor with a clatter behind me. "Why would I happy to see another cruel hallucination of you?"
The hallucination doesn't get a chance to say anything before I go on a long pent up rampage. I rage and scream until the pressure finally seems to ease. When it's gone, there's nothing left in me.
I fall onto my knees in tears. A strong pair of hands pull mine away from my face. "There's no more need to cry, Ace. I'm right here." Kol whispers and brushes away a stray tear.
Then it hits me like a meteorite crashing into the earth. He brushed away my tears. He's really here. My whole body begins to tremble, and I instinctively reach out with shaky fingers that gently brush against his cheek. "It's really you?"
Tears well up in Kol's eyes too as he cups my face in his hands. "Yeah, Ace. It's me."
The words catch in my throat, stuck behind the emotions and tears that are packed in too tightly for me to breathe. I manage them in stuttering bits between the waves of shock. "I—you—h-how are you here?"
Kol lets out a hollow laugh accompanied with a stuff smile. "Silas. He lowered the veil."
"He's going to do more. This is only the beginning." I whisper. We both know what Silas has planned, and it will end horribly for all of us. "I don't know how to stop him, Kol. I can't do this anymore, not by myself."
"Hey, who said you were by yourself?" He asks with the grin that always brought out a smile of my own. "Come on, you should probably get some sleep first."
I can't find the strength to argue with him as he lifts me from the floor and tucks me under the sheets. "Don't leave."
"Never again, Ace." He whispers with his arms wrapped around me like always, and I fall asleep to the sound of his breathing in time with mine.
...
I wake up to the feeling of his fingers brushing against the skin of my arm. It takes me a moment to remember this isn't a dream. Kol is really here with me right now. "Good morning, darling." He whispers as I turn over to face him.
"Morning." I whisper blearily and move closer to him. "I still can't believe it's really you."
"I can't believe it either." His smile sends another flurry of emotions through me like they used to when we first started dating. Although, the change in Kol's expression sobers up the moment. "We need to talk though."
I sigh and sit up. "I know. There's no way to know how much time we have." The cold floor sends a shiver up my spine as my bare feet hit the floor. "I have a plan, but I could still use another opinion on it."
"Is this your plan to stop Silas or bring me back?" Kol questions with that devious smirk he was always wearing. The same one that all the Mikaelson's seem to have in their repertoire.
"Well, I was thinking two birds one stone. I'll admit one giant stone, but still, I think it's worth at least trying." I turn back to face him but struggle to meet his eyes. "You know I'm not going to stop until you're back."
"I know. You always were stubborn like that; one of the many, many reasons I love you." He tells me with a smile as he gets up and wraps his arms around my waist. His chin rests against my shoulder as he looks over the scattered mess of notes on the desk. "So, talk me through it. Let's see if we can figure this out."
...
All it took was twenty minutes.
Twenty minutes for us to disagree on the plan. Of course, we both know that the there is inevitable risk no matter what we do. Bringing someone back from the other side is no easy task, and it comes with it's own set of dangers.
"Lee, you can't. There's too much risk involved."
"And I'm fine with that. We can plan ahead, account for different outcomes." I pull at my hair in frustration. "Honestly, I thought you wouldn't be this against it. Do you ever want me to bring you back?"
"Of course, I do, but not at the risk of your life." Kol's hands tightly grip my shoulders as he forces me to look and listen to him. "If you link us together and Silas succeeds, you would die, and I would still be gone."
"And if Silas fails, the link will act as an anchor to keep you here when the veil is restored." I place my hand on his cheek, and even he can't hide the smile or the way he leans into the contact. "Please, don't we at least owe it to ourselves to take this chance?"
The battle of worry and wanting to be alive again rages across his face. He sighs and rests his head against my own. "I think we owe ourselves a lot more than a chance for everything we've been through."
"Then let me do this." I plead as I stare into his eyes searching for any sign that he will agree. Although, I'm doing this with or without his approval. If it works, at least, he'll be around to have an argument with me about it.
Kol's eyes close for a second as he sighs in frustration. "Fine, but promise me that you'll be careful. Okay? Take every precaution."
"Of course." I manage a faint smile and chuckle. "After all, I have a family waiting for me."
"So you really found them?" He questions, and I nod excitedly. He pulls me onto the bed and forces me to sit down and tell him every detail of life since he—left. At least, that's how we phrase it for our own sake.
It feels like everything slows down in our little bubble as we talk and laugh in each others arms. My fingers tangle with his as a small laugh brushes past my lips. "You'll have to meet Jacques and Theo when we get back. Oh, and Judah too. I'm sure they'll love you and vice versa."
"Well, if they're anything like you, I'm sure I will." Kol smiles despite my elbow jamming into his ribs at the cheesy comment. "And what about Kaleb?"
Our little bubble pops in that moment. I try to hide the tremor from my voice as I question. "What about him?"
"Nothing, you just mentioned that he was a friend of yours but didn't say much about him." Kol pauses for a split second, his voice dropping. "Are you two—close?"
I force myself up and turn to face Kol at the comment. Kol watches me with a nearly blank expression, but I can see his emotions showing themselves in his eyes. "Not very. I mean he's never been anything more to me than a friend."
There's a flicker of relief and anger in Kol's eyes, which confirms my worst suspicion. "You know don't you? How?"
"Know about what?" He tries to feign innocence, but the edge in his voice betrays him.
"You should know by now Kol, you can't lie to me." I snap. My lip curls in anger as I ask again. "How did you know?"
"I was there." He sighs and breaks eye contact for a split second. "I was there for almost everything. You weren't hallucinating—most of the time at least. It was me."
My heart shudders in my chest as he continues. "I never left you, Ace."