𝐅𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆; 𝐞. 𝐦𝐢𝐤𝐚𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐨𝐧

part fifteen, the scream for help

         𝐀𝐒 𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐉𝐀𝐇 𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐃 Mystic Falls seemed to change for Veronika. The birds stopped singing the calm tunes of a pure love song, the thick cotton balls in the sky didn't disappear anymore and kept the weather rainy or cold. She didn't know if the world has truly changed with the departure of the vampire, or if the ever-changing weather of autumn slowly settled in.

Daphne's constant reassuring comments stopped working on Veronika. A week has gone by, another seven days have passed and she hasn't hear the slightest word from the Original. Gone for more than fourteen nights, somewhere in the world Elijah kept staring at his watch, waiting endless hours to receive at least a life sign of the witch. Without his presence around town, Niklaus had an uncomplicated path to the destructive force in Veronika's body.

Most importantly, the painful shouts and high-pitched tones echoed in the ears more often. Spirits tortured the witch for tapping into the darkest sides of magic for a second time, and for breaking a ritual which would balance the nature again. While Veronika saved the Mikaelsons in her own way, Damon and Stefan had a very disparate and incorrect kind of idea. If Esther wouldn't be able to channel the Bennett bloodline, the power for the spell wouldn't be strong enough and Elena's safety assured. Bonnie's broken heart about the transformation of her mother was collateral damage.

Brown strands tied back to a tight ponytail, Veronika stared at the reflection in the small mirror. Bags underneath her eyes have darkened from the long and exhausting nights awake. Not even the thickest layer of concealer covered the evidence of the sleepless hours. Murderous premonitions tormented the calmness in the mind, the darkness already had its secure place. Today, Daphne awaited the arrival of the brunette at the Grill.

The meeting would be the same as the past ones. Questions about Elijah, and in the end, reassuring sentences about the possible return of the Original once the problems were solved. A deep sigh escaped through the parted lips, a disgusting feeling settled in the pit of the stomach the longer she stared at the mirror. Music started to play from behind her back, the phone vibrated on the dark purple blanket. Hurrying towards the device, Veronika answered the call quickly with a tad of hope to receive a sign from Elijah.

„Hello? Who's there?" The number on the enlightened display was an unknown one, she's never used the chance to ask Elijah for his. Treated with silence from the other side of the line, Veronika's hand was placed on the chest, the heartbeat increasing rapidly.

„Love, it's a decent pleasure to hear that you're still alive." The known and despised voice crashed the hopes of the brunette in a split second. A Mikaelson was on the other side of the line, but instead of Elijah's gentle words, Veronika was harassed by the smugness in Niklaus syllables.

„What do you want from me?" The witch hissed, holding the phone between shoulder and ear while gathering the essentials for the purse.

„I need a favor, and since Elijah declined the needs to forcefully get what I want, I have to play nice for once."

Before the male left Mystic Falls, he spoke to the siblings about their unnecessarily gruesome behaviour towards Veronika. Damon disconnected Esther from the Bennett's after the moon already reached its peak. The one part that saved the Mikaelsons from dieing in pain was Veronika's choice to offer a small part of her soul to the darkness and letting the black smoke take more important memories. She deserved the rightful treatment by the Original Family.

„I'm about to meet Daphne at the Mystic Grill, can the favor wait?" After the unpleasant display of the Mikaelsons behaviour at the ball, Veronika wanted to run away from associating with any of them. When the Ancestors decided that the witch deserved a more painful consequence for the helping hands in breaking the curse, Elijah stayed in his place and brought the weakened female home to Elliot; even after she attacked him unwillingly.