A New Beginning (sequel to Coming Home)

6. The Real Leverage

3rd POV

Nik and Rebekah entered the house. Rebekah, although still worried about Jennifer, was in a slightly happier mood now than when she left for the party. Nik was getting Elijah back, as she had found out when she argued with her brother earlier in the evening after Jennifer had left the party. Nik had always intended on getting the oldest Mikaelson back, he had just said otherwise because he was hurt by the relationship Jennifer and Elijah had.

Nik had finally explained his plan to not only get Elijah back but also his plan to take down Marcel. Rebekah had even managed to get his promise that he would tell Jennifer.

"What has you so happy sister?" Nik asked as he closed the front door behind them. Rebekah was making her way to the staircase, as much as she loved the gown she wore she couldn't wait to be out of it.

"You know why, our family is to be..." Rebekah's voice trailed off as she noticed the small slip of paper taped to the end of the banister by the stairs. She picked it up and recognising Jennifer's handwriting read the one sentence aloud.

"I will not be kept in a box."

Her eyes lifted from the paper to Nik. Before she could ask her brother what it meant he took off. Rebekah, still clutching the piece of paper followed him to the basement. There she saw the coffin she hated so much. That however was not what Nik had come down here for.

Next to Rebekah's coffin lay a large pile of broken wood. Ignoring her brother for a moment Rebekah walked over the debris, she had noticed a small gold name plate still attached to a splintered piece of wood. She picked it and upon seeing the name dropped it like it had bitten her.

Now she turned to her brother who was just staring at the destroyed coffin.

"What the bloody hell is wrong with you Niklaus?" She all but screamed at him. He didn't answer her, didn't even look away from the wood.

Rebekah ran past him and up to the room her friend and brother shared. There were clothes strewn about the place, like someone had packed in a hurry.

Rebekah turned to find Nik standing there, a look she had never before seen on his face. It was almost like defeat, like he had given up. She opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by the front door opening.

Thinking it was Jennifer she raced down, only it wasn't her friend who stood before her.

"Sophie Deveraux, what the bloody hell do you want?" Rebekah had to restrain herself from attacking the witch. The original blonde couldn't help but blame the witches for the mess they were currently in.

Sophie ignored the question, instead asking one of her own, "Where is she? Where is Jennifer? I can no longer sense her presence."

"She's gone." Nik's voice was cold and empty as he walked down the stairs. He came to stand beside his sister, continuing to speak. "It appears that she has left me. So of course this means you witches no longer have your leverage over me."

Sophie didn't even bat an eyelid. "I don't think so."

Rebekah was getting bored with this conversation. She was now missing her best friend as well as her oldest brother. Jennifer wasn't going to be found this way. She started to walk away when Sophie's words stopped her. "Tell me, has Jennifer changed in the last few weeks? Angrier, happier, more emotional in any way?"

Rebekah turned back to face Sophie but it was Nik that spoke, "What exactly are you talking about witch?" His words were almost a growl.

Rebekah quickly glanced at her brother. It was true that lately Jennifer seemed to take everything so... serious? But what had that to do with the witches. Sophie rushed on, "We needed you on our side Klaus. You not wanting people to know about your little girlfriend was just our way in." Sophie paused for a moment and Rebekah felt herself getting nervous. Nik just stood, unmoving as Sophie kept talking.