Dark Moon | Klaus Mikaelson

Chapter 33

"All we need to do is take that stake away from him."

The group had gathered at the kitchen table while they explained to Elijah what'd happened so far. Damon was on call while he continued to drive away with Klaus's body. "Once he's been disarmed," Elijah continued, "the weapon in my possession, my family will scatter to the ends of the Earth and Alaric will follow us."

"And you'll just run?" asked Stefan, coming closer to Elena.

Elijah nodded. "We've done it before. Klaus and Rebekah spent the better part of a thousand years evading my father. What's another half century while Elena is able to live out the rest of her natural life?"

Elena pursed her lips, looking at Esmeray as if this would grant her extra wisdom about the situation. "We've finally stopped him, Elijah. After everything that he's done to us, I can't just let you bring him back."

Elijah also thought to glance at Esmeray, but only briefly. "I give you my word, Elena. I will not revive Klaus within yours nor even within your children's lifetimes. Perhaps that will finally teach him some manners."

"Why should she trust you?" asked Matt. "All you've done is screw her over."

"And for that, I am deeply ashamed," said Elijah. "But know this— she could have been dead the instant I walked through that door tonight, so Elena, I leave it to you to make the decision whether to trust me or not."

"Not!" said Damon through the phone, making everyone look down at the table where it was placed. "Hello? Did that concussion give you brain damage?! His lunatic siblings will kill you the first chance they get!"

Elijah rolled his eyes. "Rebekah and Kol will honor the terms. If you return Klaus' body to us, Elena will come to no harm." He looked over at Elena. "Do we have a deal?"

"No!" Damon yelled. "No, no, no, no! Did I mention no?"

"Elena, it's up to you," said Stefan quietly.

"Oh, come on!" said the other Salvatore brother.

"Why do you want Klaus's body?" asked the doppelgänger.

"He's my brother," said Elijah, as if this explained everything. "We remain together."

Elena sighed before assenting. "We have a deal."

The group dispersed after that. Jeremy had returned by then, so Elijah and Esmeray moved outside.

"Is that really fair to your brother?" asked Esmeray. "I know that he daggered all of you— I don't condone that. But will he really learn patience from the same treatment? Will that help him understand that it was wrong to have done it? Or will that just irritate him more. And besides, if you do that..."

"You think you won't see him again," deduced Elijah knowingly, making her turn red. "I need to ask you, Esmeray, do you love Niklaus?"

Being put on the spot was unexpected. "I don't know if I love him romantically, Elijah," she said after nearly a minute of silence. "I know that I like him. I would like to try for some sort of relationship with him, in the future. But loving him as more than a friend? I don't think I'm at that point yet."

"I say this to you as your friend, not as his brother, and not as someone who had feelings for you before. I do not want to see you get hurt."

"Wouldn't you say the same thing even as his brother?"

"Yes, I suppose I would. I do not wish to see Niklaus be hurt, either. He doesn't deserve it."

"I know all about Aurora," said Esmeray, looking at her feet. "I wouldn't do something like that to him. I've done my best to be honest with him about what I feel and what I am and am not ready for. I haven't let us get... intimate or anything so that we don't forge a connection that will cause problems."