―♡―
𝐖𝐀𝐑 𝐎𝐅 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐒
[ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ғᴏʀᴛʏ ғᴏᴜʀ - 𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘯]
'you dry my tears and make it pour,
you show me love and give me war'
♥♕♥♕♥
At the Mikaelson compound, Klaus and Elijah were having breakfast in the dining room where Klaus was drinking orange juice and champagne and looking pleased with himself. Elijah, however, was visibly unamused. "Is something the matter, brother? Can I fix you a drink, perhaps?" the hybrid mused, smirking towards his older brother as he took a sip of his own drink.
Elijah rolled his eyes in annoyance, "strangely enough, Klaus, I'm not in a mimosa mood," the original denied causing Klaus' smirk to broaden. "Fantastic! More for me," the hybrid commented, a gleeful tint in his eyes as he took another sip of his drink. Elijah sighed, annoyed by his brothers' care-free attitude and still mildly upset with the events that occurred the day before.
"Let's discuss strategy, shall we, Niklaus? Just wondering if you actually have one. We can begin with Mikael's ashes," Elijah spoke as he leaned forward in his seat, "given that they are the main ingredient in our weapon against Dahlia, would you care to tell me where they disappeared to?" the older Mikaelson brother asked accusingly as Klaus set down his drink, looking both annoyed and put-out.
"Elijah! I have compelled the city's finest pastry chef for your own personal edification, and yet, you ignore my efforts in favour of needless concerns!" Klaus retorted, smiling fakely at his brother just as Rebekah entered the room, looking tired and hung-over. "Can we stop talking so loudly?" she asked demandingly just as she spotted the pot of coffee and sighed in relief, "give me that."
Rebekah walked over to pour herself a glass as Klaus watched her in amusement, "what's the matter? New witch body not up to last night's bender?" the hybrid teased causing Rebekah to roll her eyes. "So? I had a few," the witch shrugged as she sat down at the opposite end of the table from Klaus, "it's not every day you lose your father at the hands of your brother. Again."
Klaus laughed heartily as Rebekah pouted, "whoever said opportunity only knocks once, eh?" the hybrid mused but Elijah and Rebekah simply stare at him blankly and silently, clearly unamused causing Klaus to scoff. "Oh, come on! We all fled Mikael's tyranny together for centuries! I would have thought the mood this morning might be a bit more jubilant!" Klaus muttered in annoyance.
"Under normal circumstances, the annihilation of our father would be rather commendable, Niklaus. Unfortunately, we have a greater threat to contend with," Elijah reminded him with a stern tone as Klaus stood to his feet to pour himself another mimosa. "You know, for someone who's been invited to a celebratory breakfast, you're proving quite the buzzkill," the hybrid commented causing Elijah to sigh deeply.
"Well, Niklaus, if anything indeed has killed the," Elijah began, making air quotes with his fingers, "'buzz', as you say, perhaps it was because murdering Father alienated the one person who truly knows how to defeat Dahlia!" the older Mikaelson retorted in annoyance as Klaus turned back to face his siblings. "If Freya wants to be part of this family, she should be willing to accept us, warts and all!" Klaus replied, somewhat sarcastically.
Rebekah rolled her eyes as she looked towards her older brother, "Elijah's right. Freya loved Mikael, and you've likely ruined everything," the witch scolded him. Klaus rolled his eyes petulantly, "pity. Whatever shall I do?" he remarked sarcastically causing Elijah to narrow his eyes at him in agitation. "Whatever you please, apparently!" the older brother retorted in aggravation.
Klaus glared back at him, slamming his hand angrily against the table, "do not mistake my high spirits for lack of clarity! I know full well the threat we face. And, I intend to deal with it...personally," the hybrid stated, looking between his brother and sister sternly. Elijah sighed, giving him an annoyed and skeptical look, but their conversation is interrupted by the sound of high heels clacking loudly against the stone floor outside.
"Someone's here," Klaus announced, unnerved and immediately suspicious at the sound of the noise. Standing from his seat, Klaus rushed into the courtyard as Elijah and Rebekah follow quickly behind him. Upon entering, they find Josephine, who was wearing a conspicuously placed velvet choker around her neck to hide the wounds on her throat that she sustained from Dahlia the previous day.
"Josephine?" Elijah called in confusion as the three siblings approached her. The older witch smiled at him politely, "forgive me for calling so early, Elijah, but I've come bearing a message from your aunt Dahlia," Josephine told him causing the older Mikaelson to look back at her in shock, "she is owed a debt, and she means to be paid."
Klaus smiled at the witch weakly, "she can writhe in hell first," the hybrid remarked causing Josephine's attention to turn towards him. "For merely taking what your mother promised her?" the witch asked causing Klaus' fake smile to fall from his face, "if you must harbor hatred, isn't it better spent on the one who traded your child away a thousand years ago? Blame Esther, if you must, but I seek only to fulfill a bargain. A bargain that, consequently resulted in your very existence. Perhaps you should be thanking me?"
Elijah, Klaus and Rebekah all began to scowl and glare at her as the older of the three siblings stepped towards her, staring at her intently. "Dahlia," Elijah concluded causing the older witch to grin. "My child, I prefer Aunt Dahlia," Dahlia remarked with a smirk. Klaus took a deep breath, walking towards her threateningly until they were face-to-face, "you dare enter my home?" the hybrid snarled viciously.
Dahlia sighed boredly, "I only came for what is mine," the witch remarked and as she spoke, the spell that reanimated Josephine's body began to weaken as her throat began to bleed profusely from underneath her choker. "The time has come to add the child's power to my own. I only need one, though, I do not detect her here," Dahlia continued, a far off look on her face as the Mikaelson siblings all glared at her menacingly.
"I see you've used a spell to cloak her. No matter. Such spells will yield, as will you. Say your farewells. You have til' nightfall tomorrow, and then the child shall be mine," Dahlia informed them, smirking slightly at her niece and nephews, "be a dear and inform the mother? No reason we can't be civilised about this."
Klaus smirked back at the witch, sending a look to Elijah before completely losing his temper and karate-chopping her in the neck, decapitating her and sending her head flying across the courtyard. Both Rebekah and Elijah looked horrified about what they'd just heard, but Klaus simply smiled, looking down at Josephine's lifeless body on the floor.
♥♕♥♕♥
Thea stood in the safe house, a beignet that Klaus had delivered to her earlier in one hand as she held Kaiden in her arms, "okay. Good news? Dahlia still doesn't know that we're here," the Lockwood teen announced as she walked back into the main room where Aiden, Noah, Jackson and Hayley were with Hope as the rest of the werewolf army milled around the outside and inside perimeter of the building.
"Bad news? She's given us until tomorrow night, and then she's coming for Hope," Thea sighed, bouncing a fussy Kaiden in her arms as the others looked back at her in confusion. "Why just Hope?" Noah questioned in confusion and concern as he held the sleeping older twin in his arms. Thea shrugged, looking overwhelmed with everything Rebekah had told her over the phone, "I don't know. Bekah said she just needed one and seeing as though Hope was technically the first born...?" the brunette trailed just as Jackson stood from his seat.
"Well, I say we get the hell out of here," the Alpha suggested causing Thea to sigh once again. "Look, Jack, I get that you're trying to protect me and the twins – and I'm grateful, truly. But Freya said that Dahlia was drawn to Hope and Kaiden's magic. No matter how far we go, she's still gonna be able to track us," the Lockwood teen replied causing Jackson's stern demeanour to fall slightly.
"At least this place is spelled – no one can do magic here, not Hope, not Kaiden. Not Dahlia," Thea continued, her tone strong in spite of the worry and fear that were currently overwhelming her emotions. Hayley sighed as she looked up at the Lockwood teen worriedly, "sure, this place is spelled. But we've seen bigger magic than this break, T. Jack has a point. We need to run while we can before its too late," the hybrid urged her friend gently.
Thea sighed, visibly conflicted as she moved to put Kaiden in the twins' play pen, watching with teary eyes as he cooed and looked around him. "It's a risk, and I know deep down that I should take it. But... I can't tear them away from their family. I can't tear them away from Nik," Thea concluded definitively as she watched Kaiden play with Mr Snugglebug before turning to Noah and taking her sleeping daughter from his arms.
"They're just so little. It's not fair – witchcraft, magical spells," the brunette continued, looking from her daughter back to the four Crescent wolves with a heartbroken expression, "they didn't ask for any of this." Hayley smiled at her friend sympathetically before suddenly getting an idea, "which means that they wouldn't miss it if it was gone..." the hybrid trailed as they all looked at her in confusion.
"Maybe that's it? Dahlia could only sense her when they're using magic. So, what if there's a way of stopping the twins from doing it in the first place?" Hayley explained as Thea's frown deepened. "They're just babies. How are we gonna do that?" Noah asked in confusion, sharing a concerned look with Thea before they both turned towards Hayley.
"I have an idea. Although...it's dangerous. Especially now," Hayley offered, a determined yet hesitant expression on her face. "Let me do it," Aiden abruptly butted in, standing to walk closer to Thea with a determined look. Jackson, Hayley, Noah and Thea all faced him with matching looks of concern, not wanting to put the Crescent wolf in any danger but Aiden simply sighed, "look, whatever it is, it's my fault you didn't get away yesterday."
Jackson shook his head, placing a hand on the wolf's shoulder, "no, that wasn't your fault Aiden," the Alpha assured him as Thea nodded in agreement. "Besides, I wouldn't have run anyway so you did yourself a favour staying out of it," the brunette told him, rocking Hope in her arms as she began to stir in her arms. "Please, just, give me a chance to make things right," Aiden begged anxiously, looking from Thea to the two Alphas pleadingly.
Thea knew that this was less about helping her, and more about proving himself to Jackson and Hayley and ridding himself of some of his guilt. She knew of the arrangement Klaus had made with Aiden, and she knew that Aiden felt guilty about it. Jackson sighed, sharing a look with Hayley before they both looked towards Thea who nodded in agreement.
♥♕♥♕♥
Thea was sat with Hope and Kaiden on the stage of the jazz club when she suddenly noticed green vines magically creeping up the outside and inside walls of the building. After a short while, the vines became so thick and numerous that eventually, they completely covered the entirety of the windows. Thea stood up, standing in front of the twins protectively as a handful of wolves joined her in the room, investigating the vines.
The Lockwood teen frowned as the vines began to bloom with blood-red flowers causing a feeling of dread to wash over her, "they're dahlias. She knows we're here," Thea stated fearfully, turning back to look at the twins who sat calmly on the stage. Outside, Dahlia walked down the stone stairs that lead to St. James Infirmary. As she noticed a nearby werewolf guard calling someone on a cell phone, the witch flicked her fingers to knock out the cell service.
"Vidau," Dahlia chanted as the werewolf took the phone away from his ear, staring at it in confusion. Dahlia flicked her fingers again, this time towards the safe house itself muttering the same chant. Inside, Thea had just picked up her phone to call for help as Hayley, Jackson and Noah had all left to help Aiden, but because of Dahlia's spell, the call doesn't go through.
Back outside, Dahlia was now sat on a stone wall, clenching her hands into fists before twisting them as though she were wringing out a wet washcloth, which snaps the spine of another werewolf guard who is pacing nearby. Inside, Thea tried to call Klaus on the landline phone, but the call still doesn't go through. Throwing the phone back down in a mixture of fear and frustration, Thea turns to one of the guards left in the room with her.
"I need you to go get help now. Go, go!" the Lockwood teen demanded hurriedly, making a shooing motion with her hands. Outside, Dahlia was now making her way towards the front entrance just as the werewolf guard rushes towards her. Looking almost bored, the witch thrusts her hand forward and twists her wrist, snapping the werewolf's neck as he screamed in pain.
As the werewolf fell dead to the floor, Dahlia stepped over his body with a smile as she finally reached the entrance to the jazz club/safe house. The witch stops right outside the threshold and holds her hand horizontally in front of her face as she whistles the tune that she hummed to Freya as a child, which travels across her flat hand and into the safe house where Thea instantly became frozen stiff in fear as she heard it echoingly loudly around the room.
♥♕♥♕♥
Thea moved back over to where the twins were sat, pacing anxiously in front of them with a nervous expression on her face as they remained completely oblivious, playing with their toys. "It's okay my little angels, I won't let her have you," the Lockwood teen swore as she crouched down in front of them, kissing both of them on their heads.
Dahlia had made it through the entrance of the jazz club and was walking into the front hall whose walls were now covered in vines and dahlia flowers. After a moment, she finally found the doorway to the room where Thea was with the twins, but stopped just outside the doorway. Thea stood upright, standing protectively in front of the twins as she glared at the witch.
As Dahlia caught a slight glimpse of the twins, she gasped, clutching her heart as she stared at them in amazement, "what beauties! Hello, my children. I..." the witch trailed as she began to walk into the room, but stopped when she noticed the thick line of sand that is spread over the entire length of the doorway that is sealing Josephine's disruption spell into the room.
"I was hoping for a more intimate chat, though I sense by entering you would have me at a considerable disadvantage," Dahlia spoke as she cast her attention towards Thea who scowled back at her menacingly. The Lockwood teen was terrified, though she made sure to keep her true emotions buried as she snarled threateningly at the witch before her, "why don't you come on in? I would love to show you some hybrid hospitality!"
Dahlia sighed, a calm expression on her face as she smiled at the hybrid, "I only wanted to see the little one who has been promised to me. Won't be long now. Surely, you've noticed the spell protecting you is growing weaker," the witch replied calmly. Thea's eyes narrowed at her words becoming even more frightened, "if you lay a finger on either of them, I swear I will make you suffer in ways even your evil mind can't imagine," the brunette threatened once again.
The witch laughed, "Thea, is it? I have no quarrel with you – in fact, I've even been kind enough to allow you to keep one of your children. A kindness that can be revoked should you continue to deny me," Dahlia remarked as if what she'd offered was the greatest kindness causing Thea to snarl, her anger rising. "Esther made this bargain long ago. It's most unfortunate you've been dragged into it," the witch frowned as Thea scowled at her.
"You talk like you don't have a choice, but this is your doing," the Lockwood teen snapped causing Dahlia to sigh. "When I give my word, I keep it, and I expect others to do the same. Esther and I made a bargain a long time ago, and so, you see that child is rightfully mine. The only question that you need ask yourself is would you deny me, knowing that it would mean your death?" Dahlia retorted, smiling at the hybrid chillingly.
Thea growled, "you're not taking any of them," the Lockwood teen snarled furiously causing Dahlia to sigh once again, trying to remain patient. "You're frightened for your children..." the witch trailed, rolling her eyes, "I can assure you, anything that Freya might have told you about our life together – well, she always had a flair for the dramatic," Dahlia shrugged, chuckling slightly as Thea remained unamused.
"Well, it seems to run in the family," the brunette remarked as she continued to glare at the witch. Dahlia smiled at the teen chillingly, "well, then of course, most of my troubles with Freya stemmed from the fact that I came for her so late in life. She had such a strong memory of the family that I took from her, but Hope is still young. She won't cling to the memory of you or cry for you in her sleep. You can take comfort in the fact that for her, it will be as if you never existed."
Thea's heart shattered at the witch's statement, her hybrid face exposing itself as she became even more enraged, "come closer. Let's see how a witch with no magic does against me," the Lockwood teen snarled ferociously. Suddenly, Hope began to cry causing Thea to frown in worry, turning her attention back to the twins who remained sat behind her.
Dahlia chuckled mockingly as Thea took Hope into her arms, "well...you've upset the child. Pity. You ought not to waste your last hours with her this way," the witch retorted teasingly causing Thea to glare at her as she rocked the crying infant in her arms whilst still standing protectively in front of Kaiden. "You should spend your time saying farewells. Nightfall tomorrow will come all too soon," Dahlia continued, moving her attention away from Thea towards Hope.
"Good-bye for now, little one," Dahlia smiled as Thea frowned, rocking Hope and kissing her forehead as she continued to glare at Dahlia. The witch gave them one last parting glance before she left, and as she did, Thea let the frightened tears fall from her eyes – now knowing exactly what she had to do to protect her children, even if she didn't like it.
♥♕♥♕♥
A little while later, Elijah had just made it to the safe house where Thea was updating him on what had happened. "Of course I tried to call you, Elijah, but since Dahlia was able to take down both Nik and Mikael, I am guessing that a cell phone tower was a piece of cake," the Lockwood teen commented sassily as she paced in front of the play pen where both Hope and Kaiden were playing happily.
Since Dahlia had left, Thea had not moved from their side. Elijah frowned unhappily, "and where were the wolves who stood guard?" the original asked causing Thea to sigh, throwing her hands up in the air in frustration. "Getting their asses handed to them by Dahlia, just like Nik did," the brunette retorted in agitation, overwhelmed with so many different emotions.
"That's it. You're coming back to the compound with me," Klaus ordered as he suddenly joined them in the jazz club causing Thea to direct her attention towards him. "Where Dahlia sent Josephine this morning?" the Lockwood teen retorted incredulously as she stared at her fiance in disbelief, "no way! We'd be sitting ducks, just like we will be here as soon as that spell breaks..." Thea trailed, sighing as she realised what she had to do.
She didn't want to leave – but it was the only option they had left. Thea was terrified; completely out of her mind with fear that Dahlia would take her children from her, even more so now that the witch knew where they were. The Lockwood teen knew that the only way to keep them safe now was to hide out in the bayou; at least until Klaus had put Dahlia down. Then she would return.
"Which is why we have to go..." Thea revealed causing Elijah to look up at her in alarm, "Jackson and Hayley are out getting supplies, and then we're taking the wolves and we're headed to the bayou. At least until this mess blows over," the Lockwood teen sighed. Klaus turned to her, glaring furiously, "the swamp? So my children can be protected by the very wolves Dahlia so easily defeated? Absolutely not!" the hybrid refused.
Thea scowled, shoving past Elijah, shoulder barging him in the process as she aggressively got in Klaus' face, "you know, I am so over people telling me how to protect my children. All it has done so far is put them in danger. From now on, I am going to do what I want to do. We're leaving," the brunette snarled at her fiancé, letting her fear control her anger as she pushed past Klaus as well.
Before she could move, Klaus grabbed hold of her arm, shoving her backwards to stop her, "you're not going anywhere unless I tell you to," the hybrid snapped as he pointed at her causing Thea to scoff, instantly becoming more furious. "I am not your prisoner, Klaus!" Thea snapped furiously, glaring at her fiancé in anger and frustration.
Elijah sighed, placing a comforting hand on Thea's shoulder as he moved to stand between the two soulmates, "both of you, please. We're playing into Dahlia's hands," the older Mikaelson attempted to diffuse the tension. "Not doing as I say plays into her hands. While you two have been kow-towing to Freya and devising ways to fell with your tail between your legs, I've been forging a new path. I know what Freya was planning, and I know how to kill Dahlia," Klaus informed them, causing Thea's glare to let up as she looked towards her fiancé in surprise.
♥♕♥♕♥
"Freya objected to us making a single weapon because it spoiled her plan," Klaus disclosed as he, Elijah and Thea stood in the jazz club, still discussing their plan when Jackson, Hayley and Noah suddenly arrived. "Klaus!" Jackson's angry voice cried out from the entrance hall causing Thea to frown as she and Elijah turned to look at the alpha who entered with Aiden's body slung over his shoulder and Hayley and Noah following behind him.
"Oh my god," Thea gasped, horrified as she caught sight of Aiden's dead body, just as Jackson placed his body down on a table at the other end of the room. "What the hell happened?" the Lockwood teen asked as she rushed over to the table, frowning sadly at Aiden's body before looking up towards Jackson, Noah and Hayley. Noah sighed weakly as Jackson's heated glare remained on the teen's fiancé.
"Klaus made Aiden spy on us. Instead he told me everything," Jackson revealed, glaring at Klaus as he and Elijah stepped closer towards them, "so you killed him!" Klaus looked at Aiden's body with a blank look as Hayley snarled at him, "you killed one of the wolves sworn to protect your children!" the hybrid snarled as Thea watched the exchange in shock.
Tearing her eyes away from Hayley, Thea looked towards Klaus who remained expressionless, "Nik?" the Lockwood teen called gently, looking at him pleadingly – desperate for him to tell her that Jackson and Hayley were wrong. Klaus glanced at the broken look on his fiance's face, feeling slightly hurt that she'd believe the wolves' accusations before he buried it, his expression becoming blank once again, "so what if I did? This is what happens to anyone who dare cross me!"
Thea sighed, noticing the clear hesitation in her fiancé's eyes and knowing for certain that he had lied. Though, she wasn't sure why he had. Before she had the chance to question him however, one of the werewolves growled menacingly, "just give us the word, Jackson!" the wolf snarled furiously as he glared at Klaus who smirked at them all in return, seemingly unbothered by the situation.
"Yes! Come and have a go! But you'll be putting your life on the line for one who was all too willing to betray you. Perhaps this never would have happened if he'd had a real Alpha," Klaus goaded the wolves causing Jackson to growl in anger as he lunged for the original, punching Klaus in the face which was all the invitation the hybrid needed to fight back with all his pent up rage.
Klaus pushed Jackson backwards into the other wolves who had stepped up to defend their Alpha, causing Hayley to growl as she sped over to Klaus to defend her husband. Klaus glared at her, punching Hayley in the stomach so hard that she was thrown to the other side of the room. Elijah narrowed his eyes as he saw Klaus strike Hayley, jumping into the fray as he stood between Klaus and Jackson, pushing each of them backwards with an arm.
"Do you wish to die?" Elijah remarked as he looked towards Jackson who glared at him in return. Furious, Hayley stood back to her feet, vamp-speeding over to Elijah and pushing him away from Jackson and the rest of the wolves. "You wanna kill me too, Elijah?" Hayley snapped causing a hurt expression to wash over Elijah's face as he moved to stand in front of Klaus, "if you come at him, you come at me."
Thea snarled, pushing out of Noah's hold that he had encased her in to stop her joining the fight, "and if you come at them, you come at me," the Lockwood teen growled warningly at Hayley, telling the brunette to back off as she stepped up to stand beside Klaus and Elijah. Hayley sighed, backing down as she saw the angered expression on the teen's face – knowing she'd been through so much trouble that day already.
Klaus smirked, looking please with the development of the fight, "you lot should make better use of your time. I suggest burying your dead," the original remarked heartlessly causing Thea to turn her attention back to him with a chilling glare. "Get out," the Lockwood teen snarled at her fiance who looked stunned by her tone just as Thea turned, glaring at everyone in the room, "get out! All of you! NOW!" the hybrid snapped, enraged with everything and everyone. Knowing not to tempt her fury, the Mikaelson siblings and Crescent wolves all left the room – leaving a majorly pissed off Thea alone in the room with her children.
♥♕♥♕♥
Noah wrapped the bracelets Davina had spelled around Hope and Kaiden's wrists as they slept in their cradle, staring down at them worry just as an exhausted Thea walked back into the room. The Lockwood teen was overwhelmed with fear, anger and hurt as a result of today's events and she knew that it was only about to get worse. But as she looked down at her sleeping babies, some of those emotions seemed to clear a little.
After a moment, Hayley and Jackson both entered the room, the Alpha walking over to join Noah and Thea as Hayley stormed straight over to Elijah who was stood in the corner. "Nice job, today. First Klaus kills Aiden, and then you defend him?" the hybrid snapped as she glared furiously at the original. Elijah sighed, looking back at her blankly, "I was defending Hope and Kaiden," the original responded easily, his tone calm.
Hayley rolled her eyes, folding her arms over her chest as she looked at the original in annoyance, "yeah? Well, if that's true, then what happens now? Somehow I don't think that Klaus is gonna be able to save us!" Elijah sighed, "he loves them," the original defended his brother, "I love them," Elijah commented as he shifted his attention towards the cradle where both his niece and nephew slept.
Thea sighed, turning away from the twins as she moved towards Hayley and Elijah, "I know you do, Lijah. Which is why I'm asking you to let us leave," the Lockwood teen stated, her voice low as to not alert any prying ears as she looked at the original desperately. Elijah looked up at her in shock, stunned before he frowned in concern, "if you went to the bayou, I can't protect you from Dahlia. Or Niklaus," he whispered back.
The Lockwood teen nodded, smiling at him sadly, "I know. But we have a way to keep the twins from doing magic. Dahlia won't be able to track us down," the hybrid told him. Elijah looked stunned by her admission as Thea carried on, tears gathering in her eyes, "Jackson knows every inch of the bayou – he can protect us. And, I know that Marcel will help us get out of the city. The only thing standing in our way is you."
Elijah looked up at her, a pained expression resting on his face, "what are you asking me to do?" the original asked brokenly as tears fell freely from Thea's eyes. The brunette was out of her mind with fear and worry, and as much as she didn't want to leave her fiancé and her family, her basic motherly instincts were screaming at her to run and hide with her children until Dahlia was dead. Reaching out, Thea grabbed Elijah's hand in her own, squeezing it as she stared him directly in the eyes.
"We can't run from Dahlia and hide from Nik at the same time. You wanna protect us? By us some time," the Lockwood teen sniffled as Elijah looked torn by her words. "Look, Lijah' – I'm not taking them away forever. I wouldn't do that to you or Beks, and I definitely wouldn't do that to Nik. But they're not safe here – Dahlia's already found us once, and if we go back to the compound then she'll find us again. at least out in the bayou we have a chance to hideout without her finding us – at least until you guys find a way to take her down," Thea assured him, a sincere and determined look in her eyes.
"This isn't easy for me, Lijah – and my heart is screaming at me not to do it. But I don't have any other option. I vowed to protect those children no matter the consequence. And if that consequence is Nik hating me, then so be it. No matter what, I will put my children first," Thea stated determinedly as tears continued to fall from her eyes.
"Just – just promise me that you'll find a way to take that psychotic bitch down so that we can be a family once again," the Lockwood teen pleaded as she looked up at Elijah desperately. Elijah sighed, stray tears gathering in his own eyes as he squeezed the teen's hand in reassurance. "We'll always be a family, Thea," the original promised as he looked down at her, placing a friendly kiss on her forehead, "always and forever."