The next morning, I awoke to the sound of a cardinal chirping. The morning was unusually warm, the sunlight pouring in Rebekah's room. Rebekah had never returned to her room last night. I guess that she decided to sleep somewhere else, but I honestly don't know. I put on some jeans and a dull pink sweater and walk down the stairs. From the silence of a single beating heart, I know that Esther isn't here. When I walk into the dining room, I find Elijah, Kol, and Finn sitting at the table.
"Morning," Kol says. There's an empty seat next to him, but I avoid it.
I sigh, "Morning." I see that Klaus, Rebekah, and Gwen are absent, but it doesn't surprise me.
"My mother was looking for you before she left this morning," Elijah says, "any idea why?"
I shake my head, "No." I meet Finn's eyes briefly before I look down at the table. Someone had taken the liberty to make strawberry pancakes and bacon. I sit down in the chair next to Elijah and stare at the food. I remember that I can't eat regular food, not since I became a hybrid. I'm about to get up and walk over to the kitchen when Elijah's phone rings. He sighs and takes it out of his pocket. He stares at it, hesitating. "Who is it," I ask.
"No one you want to talk to," Elijah says, getting up from the table to answer it. I attune my ears and listen. "What do you want," Elijah asks, answering it.
"Elijah, let me explain," Damon says on the other line.
"I have no intention to listen to what you have to say and I'm sure Cordelia doesn't either," Elijah answers.
"I screwed up Elijah, ok," Damon asks, "I made a mistake and now Cecily's paying the price."
"You destroyed her," Elijah says sternly, "you have no right to make demands from her. She owes you nothing."
"You're right she doesn't, but I owe her an apology," Damon says.
"I doubt she'd want to hear it," Elijah answers.
"Please Elijah," Damon pleads, "Just let me talk to her." I get up from the table and go to Elijah. He sighs before he hands me the phone.
"I'm here for your apology and your apology only," I say into the speaker.
Damon sighs, "I'm sorry Cordelia. I didn't mean to hurt you. I screwed up and now you're suffering."
"Did you ever love me," I ask him.
"What kind of question is that," he asks.
"One that you don't get to question," I snap, "just answer it."
He sighs, "I did before I met Katherine."
"So what, you used me," I ask, my voice rising, "is that all I ever was to you? Someone you could use because you couldn't get what you really wanted?"
"No of course not," Damon says, "I did love you."
"You just contradicted yourself," I yell.
He sighs, "at least listen to what I have to say about Esther."
I stop myself, "what do you know?"
"Elena told us what she's planning to do," Damon says, "she doesn't believe that killing Elijah is right, even though it gets rid of Klaus."
"I don't care about what Elena has to say, Damon," I say to him.
"She's gonna try to stop Esther and you," Damon says, "She's on her way to the house right now."
"She's what," I demand.
"She left here after Stefan and I told her to stay out of it," Damon says.
"Which is why you should lock her in the cell," I say, "really Damon, are you that stupid?"
Damon sighs, "I've done what I can."
"Which has done nothing but cause damage," I say, "don't ever call me again." I hang up the phone and walk back to the table. I hand Elijah his phone and sit back down in my chair. Suddenly, as if right on cue, the doorbell rings. Everyone gets up to answer it, but I pull Finn back. "We need to leave," I say to him.
"Why," he asks.
"It's Elena," I say, "she's going to tell them about Esther's plan." He nods and follows me out the back door. Finn takes the lead as we run through the forest. He leads me to the witch house where I find Esther. She's laid down a pentagram made of salt. Four torches were standing in each direction. Esther's placing the salt bag on the ground when we get there. She looks to us with confusion.
"What are you doing here," she asks us.
"Elena's going to tell them about our plan," Finn says.
She sighs, "I should've put a spell on her that would've made her forget everything."
"It doesn't matter now," I say, "all of your children will soon learn the truth and they'll try to stop us. We have to start the spell now."
"We can't," Esther says, "I need the moon to draw power from."
I sigh, "Then we'll need a cloaking spell to keep us hidden from them. Elijah's smart, he'll try to use Bonnie to try to find us." She nods and turns towards the house. She chants in Latin as Finn and I pace nervously. We have 13 hours before the moon reaches its apex and a lot can happen in 13 hours. When Esther's done, she turns to us and smiles.
"It's done," she says, "it'll hold them off for a while, but it won't stop them from finding us. The Bennett witch will lead them here if we don't hurry when the time comes."
"Then we mustn't sit out here in the open," Finn says.
"We can hide in the house," I say. They both nod and we walk towards the house. When I walk in, I'm not surprised to find that the witches no longer hold a grudge against me. Esther goes down into the basement while Finn and I stay on the first floor. The hours pass slowly, but soon night falls and the moon is reaching its apex. "What time is it," I ask Finn.
"I don't know," Finn says. I eye him and he smiles. "I haven't gotten around to learning how to use a cell phone," Finn admits, "I haven't been awake long enough."
I smile, "well, maybe I could teach you if you..."
He nods, "I'm doing this for my family, Cordelia. I'm ready to die. I've had a long life and I don't want to be around long enough for Niklaus to dagger me again."
I sigh, "I understand, but still. You're my family Finn, that's not something that I can let go of easily."
"You'll be ok," Esther says, walking into the room. Finn and I turn to face her and we see her sigh. "It's time," she says, "light the torches." Finn nods and heads out into the yard to light the torches. Esther places her hands on my shoulders and sighs, "my children will try to kill me tonight."
I sigh, "They'll try to kill me as well."
"If I do die tonight, I want you to have my grimiore," Esther says, "I have it hidden in Elijah's room."
I nod, "thank you."
She smiles, "let's go and get this over with then." I follow her out to the yard where Finn has lit the torches. The fire provides us with light and warmth. "Step into the circle," Esther instructs. We do as she says and step into the salt circle. Esther walks to the edge of the circle and sighs. I hear something in the distance and I turn to Finn. The expression on his face says that he heard it too.
He turns to Esther, "they're coming Mother."
She turns to us, "no, it's too soon. The moon is not high enough." I heard the crunching of twigs and turn to see Elijah, Klaus, Kol, and Gwen walking towards us. I take a mental note that Rebekah is not among them. "My children come forward," Esther says to them.
"Stay beside me," Finn instructs his mother.
Esther walks in the circle, "it's ok. They can't enter." As if to test Esther's honesty, Kol walks towards the circle. When he gets to the edge, the flames in the torches flare up. Kol steps back in surprise and rejoins his siblings.
"That's lovely," Kol says, "we're stuck out here while the favorite son plays sacrificial lamb. How pathetic you are, Finn." He looks at me, his eyes pleading with me to stop this, but I can't.
"Be quiet Kol," Esther says, "your brother knows virtue even more than you can imagine."
"Whatever you think of us, killing us would be an atrocity," Elijah says.
"My only regret is that I did not let you die a thousand years ago," Esther says.
"Enough, all this talk is boring me," Klaus says, "end this now, Mother, or I'll send you back to hell."
"For a thousand years, I've been forced to watch you, felt the pain of every victim, suffered while you shed blood. Even you, Elijah, with your claim to nobility, you're no better. All of you, you're a curse on this earth stretched out over generations. If you've come to plead for your life, I'm sorry. You've wasted your time." Esther starts to chant in Latin as the moon reaches its apex. I walk over to the edge of the circle and hesitate. I look up at the Originals and see their pleading faces.
"Cordelia, please," Klaus pleads, "don't do this."
"I'm not doing anything," I say, "I'm here because if your mother dies, then her powers come to me so I can finish the spell."
"That's impossible," Elijah says, "you're a hybrid."
"She wants to turn me into a vampire-werewolf-witch hybrid," I say, "I'm sorry."
"So am I," someone says, walking towards us. He's an English man, with very little, grey hair. He has a beard and he's wearing a suit. I watch as the Originals stare in fear and back away from him. Even Esther backs away from him.
"Mikael," she breathes.
"Hello, my dear wife," Mikael says, walking towards us. He stops at the edge of the circle and looks around, "doing another spell?"
"He can't come in the circle can he," Finn asks.
"I didn't bind his blood," Esther says, "he can enter."
"I applaud you for finally wanting to kill your bastard child," Mikael says, "but I will not tolerate you killing my children." With that, he steps inside the circle. Esther and Finn back away from him, but it's not use. Mikael suddenly appears behind Esther and snaps her neck.
"No," I scream. Esther's body falls to the ground and the torches die out immediately. I wait for Esther's powers to hit me, but they don't come. I see Mikael look at me with confusion.
"I recognize your face," he says, almost to himself.
"New Orleans, 1919," I fill in the blanks for him and he smiles.
"Ah, you were the one who was bravely defended the bastard and my children," he says, "I was sure I left you for dead. I guess this time, I'll have to make sure."
"I am also your great great great granddaughter," I say, "but not really. Let me fill you in. Klaus had a twin named Kadir. Kadir was sent off so the Mikaelson line would continue. Kadir is my great great grandfather."
"So you're another bastard child like Niklaus," Mikael asks, glaring at Klaus.
"Yes," I nod, "so if you want someone to kill, it's me. Don't kill Klaus; he's done nothing to deserve it."
"Oh, but he has," Mikael says, "he shouldn't even be alive."
"Neither should I," I retort. Suddenly, it hits me. Esther's powers flow through my body, causing excruciating pain. I drop to the ground, clutching my head. There's so much power and it's filling my body.
"What's happening," Mikael demands.
"Mother put a spell on her," Elijah says, "so that if she died, all her powers would go to Cordelia."
"Why," Mikael asks.
"So she could finish the spell," Klaus says.
"Well I'm not going to let that happen," Mikael says, walking towards me. I feel the pain diminish from my body, leaving nothing but power. I stand up on my feet and raise my right hand. I focus on Mikael's brain and watch as he drops to his knees, clutching his head.
"You could try to kill me," I say, "but with the powers of a werewolf, vampire, witch, and the blood of an Original, you don't stand a chance."
"No," Mikael says through his pain, "But I do have this." He pulls something out of his jacket and I see that it's a stake. But there was something about the stake that didn't add up. There was a dark power in it, making it seem deadly. The stake is about the length of Mikael's forearm with a sharp point.
"Where did you get that," Finn asks.
"There was a sapling from the great white oak tree that survived after I burned the first one to the ground," Mikael says, "this is the last remaining white oak stake in the world and the only thing that can kill one of us." I twist my wrist and watch as Mikael's wrist twists, making him drop the stake.
"Get the stake," I tell them, "I got him." I watch as Elijah walks cautiously over towards his father and the stake. He bends down to get the stake and walks away to rejoin his siblings.
"You're going to kill them aren't you," Mikael asks me, "complete my wife's spell?"
I smile, "no, I don't kill my family."
Mikael laughs, "They're not your family girl. Your family are a bunch of werewolves that are long dead."
"And you just happen to know this how," I ask him.
"You're going to kill me," Mikael says, "I might as well twist your nerves before I go."
"You're right," I say, "I am going to kill you. Unlike your children, I have no relation to you whatsoever. You're not my family and you're never going to be."
"I'm glad you've made that decision," Mikael says, "I wouldn't want to be related to an abomination." I smile as I raise my hand. I watch as Mikael soon starts to choke on his own blood. He drops to his knees just as the fire in the torches light up again. I feel a wave of dizziness pass over me as I work closer to draining Mikael's body.
"Cordelia," Klaus warns.
"What," I hiss, not taking my concentration off of Mikael.
"This is killing you," Klaus says. I break my concentration from Mikael, but keep the containment spell up.
"What do you mean," I ask.
"You're bleeding," Elijah says. I hesitate before I lift my hand to my nose. When I pull it back, I find that it's coated in blood.
"This is killing you," Klaus repeats, "Killing Mikael will kill you if you don't stop."
"I have to do this," I say, "If I don't then Mikael will be free and he'll never stop hunting you, hunting us."
"If you do this, then you'll die," Elijah says, "Killing our father isn't worth losing you." I sigh before I turn back to Mikael. He gets up to his feet and smiles.
"Look at what you've done to my children," Mikael says, "You've trained them to love you. And that's what I needed to confirm that you have, indeed, broken them."
"I didn't break them," I say, "you did." I flick my wrist and watch as Mikael's neck snaps. He falls to the ground, the flames in the torches diminishing as he hits the ground. I sigh and turn to the Originals. "Have it your way," I tell them. None of the Originals move, which worries me. "Everything ok," I ask them.
"Our mother puts a spell on you so all her powers go to you in her death," Gwen says, "excuse us for wondering if you're going to kill us."
I scuff, "was me telling Mikael not enough for you? I'm not going to kill you. You're my family, the last one I have left. I'm not going to lose that."
"And if our mother decides to come back and haunt us because you failed her, what will you do then," Kol asks.
"I'll send her back to hell," I say smiling. I see Klaus smile and sigh.
"Well, it looks like I should give Rebekah a call," Klaus says, "have her release the doppelganger."
"Rebekah's holding Elena hostage," I ask, "Why?"
"Insurance that the Salvatores would stay out of family business," Elijah says.
"There's no need for you to make the call," I say, "I'll deliver the message myself; after all I have some unfinished business with Elena. Where are they?"
"In the Lockwood cellar," Elijah answers, "what should we do with our father?"
"Bring him to the house and stick him in the sitting room," I say, "I'll stop by there on my way to the cellar and put a containment spell on it. Just throw Mikael's body in so you don't get stuck with him."
"Don't kill Elena," Klaus says, "we still need her blood if we want to make more hybrids."
"And not to mention she's the one thing keeping you from Damon," Elijah adds.
I smile, "don't worry. I'm not going to kill her." Klaus and Elijah sigh, but I start to walk towards the Mikaelson house. When I pass the Originals, I notice that Finn was nowhere in sight. I continue walking and reach the house. I walk in and find the sitting room. There's only one entrance, so I open the doors. I raise my hands and focus on Esther's power. I feel the enchantment rise in the room and soon, the spell's complete. I take a look around at my accomplishment before I head out of the house towards the Lockwood cellar. It's been a long time since I've been to the Lockwood cellar, but it looks like nothing has changed. The trees have lost their leaves, making them bare. The ground is covered in leaves and the air is brisk. I walk down into the cellar and open the door. When I walk in, I can hear Rebekah's voice. I follow it to the end of the corridor where I find Rebekah and Elena. Rebekah is standing while Elena is sitting on the ground against the wall. Both of them look to me as I walk in.
"Cordelia," Rebekah says, surprised, "What are you doing here?"
"Klaus sent me," I say, "He said to let Elena go."
"So it's done," Rebekah asks.
I sigh, "not exactly. Your father's here, he killed your mother and Finn fled."
"But that would mean," Elena says.
I turn my attention to her, "that I'm the world's first werewolf-vampire-witch hybrid? Yeah, so don't piss me off while I'm here."
"Mikael's here," Rebekah asks.
I nod, "he's at the house in the sitting room. I've put up a containment spell so he can't leave. Don't let them kill him until I get back."
"You want a few minutes with her," Rebekah asks, smiling.
I nod, "wouldn't be here if I didn't." Rebekah nods and starts to walk down the corridor.
She stops just before the door, "you should know that the Salvatores are on their way here."
"Perfect," I yell back, "I need to talk to them too." I hear Rebekah shut the door and walk up the stairs. I turn back to Elena to find that she's on her feet. Her heart's beating fast and from the look on her face, I know she's afraid to be here with me, alone. "I've been wanting to talk to you, Elena," I say, "after all you did ruin my relationship with Damon."
"I never wanted that," Elena says, "I never wanted to hurt you."
"You see I find that hard to believe," I say, "two months ago, I walk in and find you kissing Damon on his deathbed. And then I hear from Tyler that he saw you and Damon together the day I met Jeremy at the Grill. You see why I don't believe you?"
"I feel nothing for him," Elena says, "I love Stefan."
"I don't care about what you feel for Damon or Stefan," I say, "it doesn't matter. You've already done the damage and nothing can change that."
"Cecily you have to believe me," Elena pleads, "I would never hurt you."
"Elena, my trust in you has disappeared since Damon told me that he loved you," I say, "I'll believe you if you can do this one thing however."
"What do you want me to do," Elena asks.
"I want you to look me in the eye and tell me that you feel absolutely nothing for Damon," I say. I wait for her response, but it doesn't come. I sigh and laugh, "You see now? I can't trust you anymore. I promised Klaus that I wouldn't kill you, but I never said anything about hurting you." I wave my hand and watch as Elena is thrown against the stone wall. She collapses to the ground and I smell blood. She must've hit her head, causing a gash. She tries to pick herself up, but I do it for her. I pin her against the wall and watch as she struggles. I walk over to her and laugh, "My new powers don't seem to be giving me the satisfaction that I want from hurting you. I guess I'll have to do it myself." I place my hand around her throat and squeeze. The satisfaction of watching her struggle to breath is amazing.
"Cordelia," someone shouts behind me. I turn and see Damon and Stefan walk into the cellar. I flick my wrist and watch as Damon's neck snaps, his body falling to the ground.
"Never get tired of doing that," I say. I loosen my grip on Elena, allowing her to breathe, but I don't remove my hand.
"How'd you do that," Stefan asks me.
"Did Elena not tell you that part," I ask him, "Esther put a spell on me so that if she died before the spell was completed, her powers would come to me so that I may finish it."
"But you're not going to finish it," Stefan says, "you're not going to kill your family."
"I'm not Esther," I say, "I don't kill my only family."
"They're not your only family," Stefan says, "We're your family too."
I laugh, "You still don't get it Stefan. You guys stopped being my family when Damon admitted his love for Elena."
"The actions of one don't speak for everyone," Stefan says, "I'm still your family. Alaric and Lexi are still your family."
"Lexi is dead," I snap, "no one can replace her."
"You're right, no one can," Stefan says, "but ask yourself. What would Lexi say to you if she saw you like this?"
"She'd tell me that Damon was never worth it," I say.
"I'm serious," Stefan says, "what would Lexi want you to do if she saw you right now?"
I sigh, "She'd want me to go home to you."
Stefan nods, "that's right, so why don't you come home with us?"
"And what," I ask, "live back at the Salvatore boarding house where my ex-boyfriend lives?"
"No, you're going to come back and live where you belong," Stefan shouts.
"Where I belong is with my family," I say, "and right now, my family's dealing with a crisis. I need to be there to help them."
"What crisis," Stefan asks.
"Mikael's in town," I say, "the vampire who hunts vampires. Someone woke him up and told him where he could find Klaus." Stefan says nothing and I tilt my head, "do you know who woke him up?"
Stefan sighs and nods, "it was Katherine."
"Katherine," I ask incredulously. I let go of Elena and turn to Stefan fully, "what do you mean Katherine woke Mikael up?"
"She figured that Mikael could kill Klaus," Stefan says.
"And kill the rest of the Originals in the process," I yell, "not to mention that Mikael would find me and figure out who I am."
"Mikael found out who you are," Stefan asks.
I nod, "he's hell-bent on killing me now, thank you very much. I barely survived him in 1919."
"I doubt Katherine wants you dead," Stefan says.
"Did you forget that Katherine's that one who put out a price on my head," I yell, "of course she wants me dead."
"She's changed," Stefan says.
"Katherine, the backstabbing, lying bitch has changed," I asked, "I find that hard to believe." Damon stirs and we both stop to look at him. I raise my hand to snap his neck again, but Stefan glares at me.
"Don't you think you've done that enough," Stefan says.
I sigh and put my hand down, "fine." I watch as Damon gets up off the ground and looks at the three of us.
"I guess I didn't miss much," Damon says.
"No," I say without meeting his eyes.
Damon sighs, "How are you Cordelia?"
"I'm great," I say with a smile, "thanks for asking."
"Are we free to go," Stefan asks.
I scuff, "you two are. Elena will be after I'm done with her."
"You mean after you kill her," Stefan says.
"I'm not going to kill her," I say, "I promised Klaus I wouldn't. Besides, we need her blood if we want to make more hybrids."
"So what," Damon asks, "you're going to hurt her because of what I said? Cordelia, this is between you and me. Let Elena go."
"She was always free to go," I say, "I just wanted to see if she would put up a fight."
"You mean I could've left before I got this," Elena says, pointing to her head.
I nod, "all you had to do was admit what I wanted you to admit, but you didn't."
"Enough Cordelia," Klaus says, walking in. I straighten up as he walks over to me.
"Klaus, what are you doing here," I ask.
"Well after Rebekah said you wanted time alone with Elena, I figured this is what you had in mind," Klaus says.
"I wasn't going to kill her," I say.
"Oh, I know you weren't," Klaus says, "I'm just here to make sure no one pisses you off so much that you do." I sigh and look to Damon and Stefan.
"Klaus," Damon says, "been keeping busy I hear."
"I have nothing to say to you," Klaus snaps, "You can take your lying mouth and leave."
"What did I do to you," Damon asks.
"It's not what you did to me," Klaus says, "It's what you did to Cordelia." Damon remains silent and I know I've won.
"You see Stefan," I say, "This is what family is. Sticking up for each other, being there for each other, not using each other. Let's go Klaus; we have a vampire to deal with."
"Let us come with you," Damon says.
"Why would you want to come to the home where four Originals await the chance to kill you," Klaus asks.
"Are you serious," Damon asks, "They want to kill me too?"
"That's what family is," Klaus says, looking to me, "we protect each other, not hurt them."
"We'll leave you to it," Stefan says before Damon can respond. I lead the way out of the cellar, Klaus on my heels. We emerge from the stairs and walk back to the house.
"Thank you Klaus," I say on our way back.
He eyes me, "for what?"
"For never leaving me," I say.
"But I have," Klaus says, "New Orleans, 1919, I left you."
"You had to," I say, "Mikael was going to kill you if you had stuck around."
Klaus smiles lightly, "you're welcome."
"So what do you say we find a spell to unbind you and then we kill Mikael, together," I say.
Klaus nods, "that sounds like an excellent plan." We walk back to the house together in silence. When we get back to the house, we find all the Originals out in the driveway. "What's going on," Klaus asks them.
"It's Father," Elijah says, "He woke up as we threw him in the room. He grabbed the stake out of my pocket."
"He has the stake," I ask.
Gwen nods, "you're the only who can go in and get it from him."
I sigh, "The spell will lift as soon as the sun comes up. I won't have enough power to hold Mikael off."
"Just get the stake," Rebekah says, "we'll help you do the rest."
"You do understand that if we step in the room, we won't be able to get out," I say, "I can't take the spell down, not while holding Mikael off."
"We understand," Kol says, "we'll do everything we can to protect you." All of the Originals look at him oddly, but I ignore them.
I nod, "let's go then." We all walk in the house and find our way to the sitting room. We stop in front of the door frame and look inside. Mikael is sitting in one of the chairs, twirling the white oak stake in his hand.
"Come to fail at killing me again, have you," Mikael asks, "you couldn't do it in 1919. What makes you think you can do it now?"
"We wouldn't have to kill you if promise to end your hunt for Klaus," I say.
Mikael laughs, "I will never stop until Niklaus is dead." I look to Klaus and see that there are tears in his eyes.
"Do you really hate me that much," Klaus asks.
Mikael stands and walk over to the edge of the door frame, "I will hate you until the day I die, do you hear me? You are not my son, you are an abomination." I step in between Klaus and Mikael and raise my hand. Mikael drops to his feet, choking on his tongue.
"You will hold your tongue," I hiss, "Klaus is ten times the man you are." I release Mikael and watch as he gasps.
"Well what would I expect to hear from another abomination," Mikael says. I fling my hand out and watch as Mikael's body flies across the room, slamming into the far wall. I step into the room and look back. All the Originals nod to me and smile.
"We got your back," Elijah assures. I nod and raise my hand. I ball my hand into a fist and watch as Mikael starts to gag. I get close enough to him that I can see the stake. I bend down to pick it up as I make sure Mikael stays where he is. I grab it and walk over to Klaus. I hand him the stake and look back. Mikael's still gagging on his blood.
"We need to do this now," I tell them.
"Cecily," someone yells from behind the Originals. We all turn and see Damon and Stefan standing there.
"Damon," I whisper. Suddenly, I feel a white hot pain in my chest. I gasp loudly and look down at my chest. I can see a hand plunging out with a heart in the hand.
"Have fun trying to come back from the dead," Mikael says, pulling his hand out. I crumble to my knees before my head bangs on the corner of the coffee table.