Chapter Text
A curious prophecy about the end of the Original family spread around the world, like many other rumours that surrounded this family. As soon as it reached my ears, I packed my bags and got ready to head back, telling myself that I was only breaking this curse to see if my sire line was safe, but deep down I knew that was just an excuse.
When I looked at that sign of “Welcome to New Orleans" my breath stopped for a few seconds as millions of doubts came to me, but it was not the moment to look back. I had already made my decision and could only follow the plan.
I closed my eyes, breathing to calm the butterflies in my stomach. New Orleans was different, but still had that special thing that screamed I was home, finally. I felt my eyes get wet at that feeling that I thought I would never experience again, but I shook my head to not to cry.
I fixed my black leather jacket and walked into the bar in front of me, hoping to find him in there as planned.
It was an excellent night to business, from what I could see: Loud music, people dancing and drinking like it was their last day… I admit I was expecting something calmer for a Wednesday night.
I sat at the bar, looking for him among the people, and ordered some water while I waited for him to show up.
“¿K?” He smiled at me and hugged me tight, while I giggled hugging him back while a few tears rolled down my cheek. “I missed you so much, little sister,” He said stroking my hair before sitting next to me, wiping my tears with his thumb.
“I missed you too, big brother,” I responded the joke, watching him as he asks for a bottle of Champagne “It’s been a long time… But now I’m here,” I looked around me “I’m home.”
“So, I see that those witches helped you …” He said, pointing at me, “I could have helped you with some witches in the French Quarter a while ago… Why now? Why not before?” He asked me, taking a somewhat defensive stance.
"Of course they helped me, they are my friends …” I started to say, looking into his eyes “And I didn’t want any witch in New Orleans to help me, because the Mikaelsons could have found out that I was trying to return …” I crossed my arms, staring at an inaccurate point in the bar. “Also, if I asked my friends to break the spell earlier, they would have; However, before there was no threat of mass death from vampires, so … “
"So you’re telling me that the only reason you just go back is to see if the Mikaelsons are okay?” He asked, crossing his arm with a mocking smile, “Didn’t you come back to see me? Not a bit?“ That comment made me laugh a little, and I hit him lightly on the arm.
“I didn’t come for all of them, just for one of them. And of course, I also came to see you, I just didn’t feel ready before… ” I said looking down, feeling ashamed.
“Welcome back to New Orleans,” Marcellus said, grabbing the bottle and pouring two cups, offering me one “Let’s celebrate, K!”
We spend some time together just laughing and catching up about everything that happened. He also took a little time to introduced me to some of his vampire friends, the one I liked the most was Josh, he seemed a friendly person.
“So you are siblings?” The youngest vampire finally asked after he was trying to decipher my relation with Cellus. I nodded, pressing one of Marcellus’s cheeks.
“Not by blood, obviously, because I’m prettier than him, but does that matter? He’s always been my brother, ” I said, laughing as Cellus wanted to get rid of my grip on his cheeks.
The three of us were drinking for a while, and telling stories about when Marcel, as everyone called him, and I lived in here, happily and together, before the events of that horrible night tore us apart.
“Yeah, whatever. I know the truth, boys,” I said pointing a finger on Marcel “And the truth, Josh, is that Cellus kissed the ass of that horse for three dollars!” We all laughed, before I got up, placing a hand on my brother’s shoulder and smiling at Josh, “Well, it’s been a pleasure hanging out with you, guys. But now I have some… Business to attend,” I said, biting my lower lip as both vampires nodded, “I hope I see you another day, Josh!” I told Josh before Marcel guided me to the exit of the bar.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to go with you?” He asked looking me with concern, “I could take yo…”
“I think this is something I need to do by myself, you know? No big brother for this,” I looked at my hands, not trusting in my words, “After all, this is between him and me.”
“If things get too complicated, don’t hesitate to call me or run straight to my place, ok?” He kissed my forehead before I agreed and went to the Mikaelson Compound.
I entered the place looking at every corner and small detail of the compound. That place that was once my home was the same as I remembered it, the same as I always imagined it.
Thousands of memories filled my mind with each step I took inside the place: The first time they brought me here after I became a vampire; every time Cellus and I ran around, playing like the kids we used to be; All the balls that the family always organised on special dates… All that was still beating in my heart.
Everything vanished when I heard two well-known voices coming from one room on the first floor. They were the two most popular brothers in the family, Niklaus and Elijah, discussing something while looking at the fire in the fireplace. My presence was silent, no one had noticed me under the threshold of the door, looking at them, feeling the fear fill my body; But, just when I was about to turn around, regretting the idea of confronting them, the floor creaked under the sole of my shoe. The gazes of Elijah and Niklaus settled on me, both filled with surprise and doubt.
“Nikole?” Asked the older brother, approaching me and placing a hand on my cheek, to confirm that I was real. Placing my hand on his on my face, I gave him a small smile, nodding “I thought… I thought you were dead" He said, pressing me against his chest like if I would disappear in any second.
It took a few seconds for my gaze to shift to Niklaus, who was observing us from across the room. The pain in my heart and the questions in my head showed up when I looked at him: He was the same as the last time I saw him, although being a vampire that was not surprising. He seemed fine, and that infuriated me but it also made me feel relieved. I wanted to yell at him, to punch him in the face, to torture him in every possible way for what he did… But I knew I wouldn’t, and I shouldn’t, because I was not like him.
“How is that you’re here? Niklaus and Marcel told us you died in that fire…” He said when we separated. I knew he was confused and angry when he turned to face his brother, understanding he lied to him.
“Well, that it’s kind of a long story, ‘Lijah,” I spoke, interrupting him and entering the room “But I’m pretty sure your brother is the one who should explain the first part of it, am I right?” I gave Klaus a small smile with no joy, while he gulps with obvious nervousness.
The silence that filled the place was sepulchral. The tension in the space got awfully heavy and could be destroyed with the simple flapping of a fly. The two brothers looked at each other with rivalry, exchanging glances with me in the middle.
Niklaus was becoming impatient. His fist and his jaw tensed as he turned around, his back to us, letting out a frustrated sigh before turning aggressively towards me again.
“What do you want?” He asked, waving his arm towards me to point out, “You arrive at my house, disturbing me and my brother, and you don’t even say why you are here," The words came out with hints of impatience and annoyance. My presence bothered him. Why? Was he not glad to receive me? Was he not glad to know that I am fine and alive after he left me to my fate over two decades ago? In any case, I am the one who may be annoyed and upset even with his simple presence.
"I think the reason for my return is quite obvious…” I answered in a soft voice, looking Klaus in the eye for the first time since I arrived. His eyes widened, it was not particularly perceptible, and he lifted his chin, wanting to appear superior. There I noticed that he expected me to mention him. “A horrible prophecy about the sire lines spread throughout the world,” I said, playing with my fingers, now lowering my gaze to my hands and taking a small breath. I was just trying to stay calm so as not to say or do something to the hybrid that could make the situation worse, I was holding back “So I came back to make sure everything was okay around here,” my eyes turned to him again, who now seemed somewhat disappointed; however, that characteristic smug smile returned to his face.
“How considerate of you, but we’re fine, so you can go where you came from,” the younger brother spoke, waving their hands for me to leave as if I were a puppy.
“Niklaus …" the older brother spoke in a warning tone. I turned to see him with a small smile so he would drop the subject, I was ready to leave because I was already reaching my limit and I knew that Klaus was going to act this way no matter what I or Elijah said.
“Maybe tomorrow we can meet and talk… Alone, 'Lijah” I offered, gently stroking the shoulder of the aforementioned, who nodded and then walked towards the exit of the room. I was about to take the last step to leave, but Klaus’s voice stopped me.
"And please don’t try to flirt with my incredibly loyal brother, he already has an exquisite girl in his sights,” My body literally stopped reacting the moment my brain decoded those words. “Besides, he is not like your little toy Damon, who is no longer available either.” Once he finished speaking, I could feel the smile on his face, that smile I hated so much right now. I turned slowly to face him, not believing what he was saying and implying.
“Excuse me?” I brought my hand to my chest, looking at him in disbelief, taking slow steps in his direction.
“Oh yes, I forgot your other toy, the wolf boy, didn’t I? I think he’s still waiting for you to come back, so you should go. I think you know how difficult it is to wait, right? " The sarcasm in his voice was too much for me, had he really dared to say those things to me? He? What a shameless person. “Oh, but I think I heard that he was unfaithful to you… I guess it’s the karma, then.”
“Are you seriously doing this? Believe me, Klaus, you don’t want to” I threatened in a soft voice, even though it was obvious the anger that was dominating me. Elijah was silent, positioning himself behind the sofa and I didn’t blame him, after all, he had nothing to do with this discussion.
“What does it look like to you, love?” He opened his arms, inviting me to say whatever I had in mind. He knew that I was angry and that I had many things to say to him; however, he did not know that I was no longer the same Nikole from years ago, but he was about to find out. Elijah made a move to come between us, but I gave him a heavy look, warning him not to interfere. “Are you going to talk or are you going to stare at us? Because I have better things to d… ” His words were interrupted by the cushion that flew in his direction, but which he evaded, causing it to fall into the fireplace, into the flames of the fire. The gazes of both returned to me.
“You abandoned me, you idiot!" I yelled furiously at him, knocking over another of the cushions, which he stopped with his hand this time. They both seemed to be processing the aggressiveness that I was distilling at the moment, they were both silent and surprise overflowed their faces “I waited for you! For years! And do you think you have the right to speak to me like that? ” I brought my hand to my hair to fix it, still not believing the hybrid’s bold words.
“Well, among so many guys I don’t think that waiting was so depressing,” he spoke, trying to maintain his composure, not to appear unsettled before me. Another small smile settled on my lips as I shook my head.
“You know what? Yes, I was with Damon Salvatore,” I admitted, taking another cushion in hand, ready to throw it at any moment “He was there for me when I needed someone the most. Not like you. And yes, I was also with that sweet wolf boy, and it was the closest to normal adolescence that I have had in my years of life,” I felt the tears accumulate in my eyes, as I kept talking “I waited for you in all the places we visit together!, and close to Louisiana! But you never came, and you just want to say I wasn’t loyal to you?“ I threw the cushion which this time was stopped by the hand of Elijah, who stood by his brother’s side when he noticed how I approached him slowly and dangerously, “Who do you think you are to talk? You are angry with me for having been with two boys after you left me, but you are the one who had a daughter!” I pointed accusingly with my finger, making a fist with my other hand, "You were also with those two blondes. What were they called? Oh yeah! Caroline and Camille.” My tone of voice became more bitter with each word I spoke, and I couldn’t stop myself. All the accumulated pain wanted to be released. "And who knows how many more girls have been in your life since we last saw each other!” I felt Elijah’s arm rest on my shoulder once I was close enough to both of them, I knew that was a sign that I should calm down, but I didn’t want to; however, when I was about to continue, someone else entered the room.
“Hope is sleeping, could you please stop…" We all turned to see the thin, pretty brunette girl who appeared in the middle of the discussion. I assumed she was Hayley, the mother of Klaus’s daughter and the one who had captured Elijah’s heart. Her eyes travelled the entire room, resting on me for a little longer. It was obvious she didn’t know who I was.
Suddenly, all the energy I’d had to yell at and hit Klaus was gone by the girl’s presence, so I decided it would be best to leave.
“The little girl is sleeping, we shouldn’t wake her up.” I sighed, then left at vampire speed, ignoring Elijah, who called my name just before I disappeared.
The streets of New Orleans were still alive, and usually, that would have made me happy, but I wasn’t in the mood for the party. I immediately made my way to Marcel’s loft, needing my older brother to comfort me.
I spent so many years waiting for him, dreaming of the day when I would see him again… And I knew things wouldn’t work out with Klaus, but inside of me, I expected the opposite.