Free of family

26

A few hours later, Ark headed back up to his room, having a quick shower. He walked down to Xavier.
"Hey, got everything packed?" He asked and Xavier nodded. "Need anything more?"
"Nah, I'm all good. And I'll get a job once I've moved in so you won't have to keep sending me money."
"Get a job, but I won't cut you off."
"Then what's the point of the job?"
"Responsibility." Arkyn grinned.
"Thanks, Ark. For everything. Thanks."
"Hey, come on. We've been through this already."
"I know, but-" Alexis interrupted walking in.
"What do you think of this?" She asked, holding up a suit.
"Why do you have my tux, Lex?"
"Uh, it's homecoming."
"I'm not going."
"What?"
"We're going to be leaving early tomorrow morning, remember? It's Xavier's last night before we drop him off in another state. I thought we could spend it together."
"But it's homecoming."
"She's right. We'll be spending ten and a half hours together in the car tomorrow. You can take the night off."
"Fine, but until then, we're spending the day together. Deal?"
"What colour's Bonnie's dress?"
"I don't know."
"Do I have to do everything myself?" She sighed walking out. Arkyn and Xavier exchanged humorous glance before Arkyn sped over, bringing Alexis back.
"Come on, Lex."
"Let go of me!" She squealed.
"No can do." Arkyn laughed, as she tried to get him to let go. The doorbell rang. "You got lucky this time." He warned before heading down.
"Ha!" She yelled after him as he shook his head.
"Bonnie." He greeted with a smile as she walked in.
"Okay, so please don't hate me because I didn't know anything about this until, like, five minutes ago and-"
"What's wrong?" He led her inside.
"Mikael's in town." She said.
"What?"
"They're plotting to kill Klaus. He, the Salvatores and Elena." She paused. "And Rebekah."
"What?"
"Elena just told me. She said Mikael wants to see you and it's one of his terms on helping them."
"Stay here." He demanded. "Stay indoors with Xavier and Alexis and do not, under any circumstances let anyone in."
"Are you going to go?"
"Not for him." He said. "I gotta talk to Rebekah."
"I want to come with you-"
"No. Absolutely not." He disagreed.
"But what if something happens? Let me come with you."
"Bonnie, there is no way you can ever be in the same room as Mikael. Ever. He will try to kill you and I can't watch that happen. Bonnie, please. Just stay here. Where it's safe."
"What about you?"
"There is nothing he can do that he hasn't already done. Okay?"
"I can protect myself."
"I know you can. But Mikael... please do me this favour?"
"Okay." She sighed.
"Thank you." He grabbed the sides of her head, looking at her in relief. "I should warn you, you'll have a battle of your own here."
"What do you mean?"
"Two words. Alexis. Homecoming."
"Be safe." She asked.
"Always." He grinned, before walking out.

Meanwhile, at the Salvatore boarding house, Rebekah was painting her toenails as she waited for Mikael to revive.
"Finally." She said as he began to cough and gasp. "Took you long enough."
"Rebekah." He started.
"Whatever fatherly rubbish you're thinking, save it. Nothing you say matters to me." She cut him off.
"I see. Where is my dagger?"
"Elena has it. So you can forget your plans to use it on me." She said.
"You were never what I was after."
"Nik was my family. If you were after him, you were after me."
"He blinded you, Rebekah. He killed your mother!"
"I know what he did, and he'll pay for it with his life. But Nik was not born a killer- none of us were! You did this to us when you turned us into vampires! You destroyed our family. Not him."
"Where's Arkyn?" Mikael looked around.
"We've sent for him, but I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you. He hates you just as much as he hates Nik. Maybe more. Why is that, by the way? What about you brings such hatred to his eyes?"
"You don't know." Mikael noted. "After all these decades, and still you have no idea just how much he loves you."
"What do you mean?"
"You must wonder why he's not helping the Salvatores kill the bastard."
"He has a deal with Nik. He leaves him alone, and Nik won't come after those he loves."
"But if Klaus were dead, he'd have nothing to worry about. Why hasn't he used his white oak stake in the past ninety years? He does have the upper hand, after all." Rebekah stayed silent. "And why do you think Klaus hasn't ever wondered how I'd found you? Back in New Orleans? He didn't look whatsoever, now did he?"
"What the hell, Rebekah?" Arkyn sped in to the house, pushing his sister against a wall, holding his arm to her neck.
"Let go of me." She struggled.
"You said you weren't going to help them. Help him. You said you'd stay away."
"Arkyn..."
"If I'm not mistaken doing the same thing over, expecting a different result is the very definition of insanity. The last time you called Mikael he burnt down the town. You think he'll succeed in killing Klaus? He's had a thousand years, and he's failed for a thousand years."
"Arkyn-" Mikael started.
"I do not want to hear a word from you. You have no right to say a thing." He glared, before turning back to his sister. "I won't watch you make the same bloody mistake again. Klaus is a cockroach. He won't die and we'll be left with him and Mikael on our hands."
"Maybe he will. Maybe he will die this time, Ark."
"Don't you get it, Rebekah? Klaus is bad enough. Mikael is just as bad, and you brought him here. This town was our home once, and now it's become my home again. Could you not respect that?"
"He killed our mother."
"He's killed a lot of mothers. He's always been evil, Rebekah. This town should not have to suffer the two of them. Just imagine the casualties." He let go. "And you're helping that."
"He needs to pay." She said.
"Not here. Not in this town. And not with Mikael." Arkyn scoffed. "You're not even listening to me. What Rebekah wants, right? Damn anyone else." He turned and walked away but she stopped him.
"Arkyn, stop. You don't even like him."
"So? I hate Klaus. I hate him with a passion. But I trust Mikael even less."
"I won't kill your lover." Mikael sighed and Arkyn glared at Rebekah.
"And I'm supposed to just take your word for it?"
"I just want to kill the bastard. You don't want to stand in my way again, do you?"
"Again?" Rebekah asked.
"It's nothing, Rebekah."
"Oh no. Please, do tell." Mikael said. "About why it took me five years to come to New Orleans."
"Arkyn, what is it?"
"I said it's nothing, Rebekah. And I never stood in your way of killing Klaus, Mikael." He scoffed. "You don't even care. You're just going to go through with this." He walked out, and Rebekah followed after him.
"What did he do?" She asked.
"Leave it, Rebekah."
"No. Tell me, what did Mikael do to you? Why did it take five years for him to come?"
"It's nothing. Mikael wanted me to help. I refused. He tried to persuade me. The end."
"He tortured you?" She asked softly.
"I said it's nothing, Rebekah. Just stay away from me. Leave me alone. I am not going to let anything happen to the people I care about and you've made it abundantly clear you'd do anything to get rid of Klaus." He told her, rather harshly. "So I'm done with all this. The sister I knew is long gone. She's been gone since the moment you chose to call on Mikael all those decades ago."
"Why did Mikael want you to help him?"
"Because he's psychotic. He's insane."
"You hate me because every time you see me, all you see is the reason Mikael tortured you. For a half decade, he did god knows what, and I'm the reason." She looked remorseful, and upset. Not wanting to see her look so vulnerable, Arkyn walked away.