I LOVE YOU, GOODBYE
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I WAS IN MY BEDROOM AT THE COMPOUND, PACKING MY CLOTHES. Yesterday, Finn had shown up at the safe house and Elijah had blown it up to prevent his brother from finding the babies.
"You're not getting cold feet, are you?" I heard Klaus ask
I continued to pack my bag, "Elijah said they're on the road. So, I'm going to go to them and get my son and daughter"
He shook his head, "Thalia, it's not—"
"Don't tell me it isn't safe" I cut him off, "I'll tell you what's not safe— blowing up a house just to keep your evil brother from finding them!"
"We will deal with Finn," Klaus told me
"And then what?" I asked, "Every time you kill him, he's just going to jump into another body"
"We tried running. We tried hiding. Neither will work"
"So what's your bright idea?" I asked
Klaus sighed, "As it happens, I am working on a plan as we speak. One which will be bolstered greatly if you just calm down and keep your eye on the prize"
"Don't manage me" I told him, "I have every right to—"
Klaus placed his hands on my shoulders, "Calm down. . . We're getting married today. I'm doing this not only for our children but because I love you" I felt my lips curve into a smile as he continued, "You will be the queen to an army, seal the loyalty of all the wolves that answer to Finn"
He took the bag from my hands and set it on the bed, "And a queen does not run away, especially not from her king" I raised a brow, letting out a chuckle.
⌑
HAYLEY HAD FINALLY GOTTEN TO THE COMPOUND. We were searching for an appropriate dress that I could wear to my wedding but found nothing.
"See this wouldn't happen if you bothered to, oh, I don't know, buy a wedding dress or clothes in colors that aren't as dark as your soul" Hayley said before she laughed.
I glared at her, "It's not like I had the time to go shopping"
"Alright, bad news first" Rebekah spoke as she appeared in the doorway, "I will have to miss your nuptials. Kol has a bit of a life-and-death matter he needs help dealing with"
"Anything I can do, Rebekah?" I asked
"It's witch business. Which now seems to be my thing" She replied, "Besides, you have enough to deal with. On that note. . ."
Rebekah entered the room, holding a white lace dress, "It's white, which won't fool anyone but you can't get married to my brother in skinny jeans and combat boots"
She handed me the dress and I happily took it, "Oh, Rebekah. It's beautiful. . . Thank you"
I stood in front of my full-length mirror, holding the dress against my body to see how it looked.
"It really is beautiful" Hayley said
"Well, I happen to be the only woman alive who's commissioned wedding dresses in five different centuries" Rebekah told us, "Never made it down the aisle, of course"
"Well, it's not too late," Hayley smiled, "From what I understand, Marcel is still single" Rebekah smiled shyly and licked her lips.
"Have you told him yet that you're. . . you?" I asked
"I thought I'd hold off on that for the moment. Only complicates matters and I'm not exactly sure how long this—" She gestured to her new body, "—is going to last"
"Right" I chuckled
"Thalia" Rebekah walked towards me, "I wanted to tell you. . . I'm really happy that you're marrying Nik and not just because you'll become my sister but because it's what my brother needs. He deserves to be happy, even after all the horrible things he has done"
Rebekah's phone started to vibrate and she sighed, "Before I leave, let me be the first one to officially welcome you to the family sister"
I smiled.
"That would be such a nice welcome if it didn't link Tal to so so many homicidal lunatics," Hayley said
Rebekah smiled before she walked out. I turned to Hayley with a smile, "So, any plans to marry my brother?"
⌑
JACKSON HAD JUST GOTTEN TO THE COMPOUND. I was showing him around in the ballroom that was full of decorators and caterers who were setting up for the wedding.
"Oh, I so do not belong in your world," Jackson said
"My world?" I scoffed, "Give me some credit. I'm not exactly the girl who sat around fantasizing about her wedding day"
"But it sure looks like Klaus did" He chuckled
"Yeah. . . he's going all out tonight" I turned to my brother, "You don't think it's too much do you?"
"You're not getting cold feet, are you?" Jack asked
I shook my head, "No, I'm not. This is what's right for my babies, for our pack, for everyone"
"And for your relationship with the hybrid" Jackson said.
Before I had the chance to say anything, Klaus entered, "Thalia. If I might intrude, you have guests who wish to say hello"
I looked at him strangely before he gestured towards the courtyard. I walked past him, into the courtyard. Jackson and Klaus followed.
I stopped when I saw Cami and Elijah holding my babies. My breath hitched, "You brought them here?" I asked, turning to Klaus, "Finn could be anywhere"
"I've taken precautions" He assured me, "There'll be no uninvited guests at our wedding and after, your pack will be the first line of defense to this home. No more running, Queen"
I looked at Klaus, unsure. He smiled and nodded. I just wanted to hold the twins at the same time. I took Hope out of Cami's arms and Liam out of Elijah's. They both started cooing and babbling happily. I smiled, my babies were just as happy to see me as I was to see them.
"Careful," Jackson told me. He held his arms out for one of the twins, I handed him Hope.
"This is your uncle Jack," I told the babies, "Uncle Jack, this is your niece Hope and your nephew Liam"
⌑
LATER, I WAS IN MY BEDROOM, GETTING READY. I had gotten dressed in the beautiful white dress that Rebekah left me and Hayley had helped me with my hair and makeup.
I watched Hope and Liam as they cooed happily with their toys in hand, "I still can't believe that you're here!"
I kneeled down in front of them, "Now, Mommy has to go and do this big thing with daddy but don't worry because you'll have each other and Cami will watch you. After that, I'm not letting you out of my sight"
"Don't wear yourself out playing with the children" I looked back and saw Klaus standing in the doorway, in a tux.
"You look handsome and definitely not like a lawyer" I spoke as I got to my feet. I had heard him a few days ago when he was meeting with his mother complaining to his brother about looking like a lawyer in a tux.
Klaus chuckled, "You look perfect"
I looked at him, "I don't think we're supposed to see each other until the ceremony"
He entered the room and crouched down beside our son and daughter.
"Thank you for doing this" I said
"Stop thanking me" He said
I looked down, "I love you"
"What?" Klaus turned to face me
I nodded, "You told me that you loved me this morning and I realized that I never replied. I was so busy worrying about Finn finding the twins—"
Klaus stood up. He walked over to where I stood, "It's alright, love. You don't need to say it because I did"
"That's not why I said it" I told him, "I said it cause I love you and I just wanted you to know tha—" A knock on the door interrupted me, I hadn't even noticed that Klaus had shut the door behind him when he entered.
Klaus looked at me for a moment before he walked over and opened the door.
"Is Thalia here?" I heard my brother ask, "I need her help"
I handed Liam his teddy bear, "Jack, if you're wearing a flannel tux you're welcome to leave"
Klaus chuckled. He faced me, "The ceremony will begin soon. I'll be waiting for you downstairs"
Klaus left and Jackson entered the room in a suit and tie, "Who knew that you could clean up well?" He joked, "I've never seen you in a dress"
"Why would you see me in a dress? A dress prevents me from doing a lot of stuff—" I stopped myself, "That came out wrong so let's ignore it"
I watched Jackson stand in front of my mirror, trying to tie his tie, "Need help?"
"That obvious?"
I nodded and he laughed. I tied his tie and straightened his collar, "There you go"
"Thank you"
I smiled at my brother, "I'm really glad that you're here"
"Me too"
Aiden appeared in the doorway with a smile. "Is the bride ready?"
"One second"
I kissed Liam's forehead and then Hope's. I grabbed my heels and sat down on the bed.
"You know that you can still back out, right?" Aiden spoke, "I mean there's a car outside, I can help sneak you out—"
I shook my head as I put my heels on, "Thank you, Aiden, but that won't be necessary"
"You done?" Jack asked
I nodded, "Yeah, let's just get this over with so I can stop sweating"
Aiden took a step back, "You're sweating?"
I shook my head, "Not yet. . . I'm just nervous"
"You know what they say, anything can happen" Jackson said.
My eyes widened, I took him and Aiden by their hands and pulled them with me, "You just damned my marriage to hell. Let's go, quickly"
⌑
JACKSON, AIDEN AND I MADE OUR WAY DOWNSTAIRS. We watched from the side as the guests entered the ballroom.
"Oh wow okay. That's a lot of people" I turned to the boys, "Are they staying for the whole thing?"
Jackson chuckled, "You ever been to a wedding where the guests watch for a second or two?"
"Maybe they just wanna watch the bride enter and then leave? I haven't been married let alone been to a wolf wedding before so I don't know how these things work" I said, not even realizing how stupid I sounded.
I grabbed Aiden and Jackson by their arms again before we made our way towards the doors that were now shut, "I'm gonna fall," I told them
"I'm going to pee myself and die of laughter if you fall" Aiden admitted.
I glared at him, "You wouldn't want to get bitten before the ceremony, would you?"
Aiden quickly excused himself and entered the ballroom, he sat down with Josh and the vampires. The door closed behind him. "Thought so"
"Now or never Tal" Jackson spoke. I sighed, there was no going back now.
"Now or never"
⌑
THE DOORS OPENED AND THE KENNER SIBLINGS STEPPED INTO THE BALLROOM. An orchestra played. The guests rose from their seats and watched as the brother of the bride walked his sister down the aisle.
Jackson planted a kiss on his sister's forehead before letting go of her hand and leaving her side. He sat down beside Hayley.
Thalia stood in front of the staircase, she took a deep breath before walking up the steps to meet her husband-to-be. He stood on the balcony with his wife-to-be's grandmother.
The brunette looked at the man in front of her, the one she'd come to call the love of her life, "Nervous?" Klaus asked and she nodded.
He had only asked his bride if she was nervous because he himself was nervous, she was beautiful, breathtaking.
"Please, be seated" Mary said and the guests sat back down in their chairs.
"We gather together as a community seeking peace, inspired by this couple standing before you. There was a time when werewolves saw themselves not as cursed but blessed with connection to our most pure selves. Tonight, we honor that blessing with a long-awaited unification" Mary performed a hand-fasting by binding Thalia's and Klaus' hands together.
"In doing so, we choose to embrace this couple's vampire nature. With this union, our bride and her husband will share their unique gifts with the pack" She continued
Mary placed a long lit match into Klaus and Thalia's linked hands to light their ceremonial candle, "And now, your vows"
"I pledge to honor you and defend you and yours above all others. To share in blessings and burdens" Klaus started
"To be your advocate, your champion. To be your comfort, your sanctuary and for as long as we both shall live. . ." Thalia trailed off
"To be your family" The pair finished in unison.
Together with their hands bound, they lit a candle that had been placed before them.
"You two have endured all the traditional werewolf rituals and trials. There is only one remaining" Mary turned to Klaus, "You may kiss your bride"
The hybrid wasted no time. He cupped the she-wolf's face in his hands and kissed her. When the married couple finally pulled away, both of their eyes glowed gold. They smiled at each other and turned to look out at the crowd.
The guests all looked at each other curiously. Thalia caught the golden eyes of her brother, Hayley and the wolves staring up at her. Thalia smiled, the unification ceremony had worked and the Crescents were now evolved wolves.
⌑
THE GUESTS WERE DANCING AND CELEBRATING IN THE COURTYARD. I watched from the side as Jackson and Hayley danced. Aiden and Josh had stepped out on the dance floor too.
"A lovely ceremony" I turned around to see Elijah standing there, "Congratulations"
"Thanks" I smiled
He looked around, "Where is your husband?"
"Beats me. He disappeared right after the ceremony" I told him
"There he is" Elijah nodded towards the top of the stairs where Klaus stood, holding the twins.
I left his side and made my way over to my family. I met Klaus at the bottom of the stairs, "What are you doing?"
Klaus gestured for the band that played to stop. He stepped forward to stand in the front
so that everyone could see, I followed. I took Hope from him so that he wouldn't have to carry both babies.
"Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention, please? I would like to propose a toast" Klaus called out
The guests stopped what they were doing and turned to face us. Klaus smiled, "I want to welcome you all. As you know, last spring, Thalia and I had twins. Due to tragic circumstance, they were lost. Now, they have returned home. Meet Hope and Liam"
The guests began to murmur amongst themselves about this revelation but Klais continued, "They will live here among you, their pack. Their family. We implore you. . . protect our children, teach them, love them as if they're your own"
I watched as Klaus and my brother nodded at eachother. The guests all grabbed a glass of champagne from trays nearby, "Jackson. I invite you and your. . . Hayley to live here" Klaus smiled, "Welcome to the family, mate"
I was stunned, he just invited Jack and Hayley to live with us.
Hayley smiled and raised her glass, "To Thalia!" I gave her a look and she returned an annoyed one. Hayley rolled her eyes before raising her glass once again, "To Thalia and Klaus!"
"Cheers!"
⌑
AFTER CELEBRATING FOR A WHILE, THE GUESTS STARTED TO LEAVE. I had said goodbye to everyone before I leaving to g upstairs
I entered the nursery to put the babies to sleep when I saw Klaus standing between the two cribs, the twins were already asleep.
"Everybody's headed home" I told him
"Good" Klaus turned around to leave the nursery.
"Klaus" I spoke softly, putting a hand out to stop, "When I first got to New Orleans, I was terrified and pregnant. I felt alone. And being around you Mikaelsons, even with all the crazy stuff that went down. . . I've never felt alone or scared. Not when I've been with you"
He opened his mouth to speak but I didn't let him. I wasn't finished, "And that day. The day you told me that you loved me back. . . I— that was the first time anyone said that to me. I want you to know that I didn't marry you for the pack. I married you for me"
Klaus chuckled, "I figured that out when you asked me to marry you instead of the alphas who had been waiting to marry you since they were nothing but boys" He stepped closer,
"You're not alone, Thalia, and you never will be"
I smiled, gently placing my hands on his neck. I pulled him towards me and we kissed. He pulled away with a sigh, "Must you intrude on every moment?" Klaus asked
I furrowed my brows and looked behind me to see Rebekah and Elijah standing in the doorway.
"I'm not here to quarrel, brother" Elijah said.
Klaus looked at him, "Then why are you here?"
"It's Kol" Rebekah spoke, "H-he's not gonna last the night"