The bonds of family

39

Kol was looking a lot healthier after Cassandra finished the spell. Of course, it wouldn't last for very long, but it worked. That's what mattered. Arkyn had told Kol to go find his girlfriend because he'd be daggered the next day. He headed back to the compound himself, to see his sister and Hope. He couldn't find Rebekah so he edged past the festivities and headed up. Cami was babysitting Hope. He knocked on the door, walking in after he heard a 'come in'.
"Hi." He greeted.
"Where's my sister?" She asked.
"With her roommate."
"Oh." She stood up. "I hear her roommate's a witch."
"Yeah."
"Should I be worried?"
"Definitely not. Cassie's a good person."
"So you know her."
"I've met her a couple times. Like you, she's not much of a fan of me but she does care about Caitlyn." He reported. He reached out for Hope. "Do you mind?"
"Uh, no. Of course." She handed over Hope who seemed to recognise him. She started gurgling and cooing and he smiled. "So you and Klaus are all good?"
"Yeah."
"What happened to family not being family after a certain point?"
"I got proved wrong. So how was your... trip with Elijah?"
"Your brother knows a surprising amount of obscure trivia."
"That's Elijah for you. The king of obscure trivia." She rolled her eyes.
"Why is my sister avoiding me?"
"I don't know."
"Is anything going on between the two of you? Honestly?"
"Definitely not. She reminds me too much of Alexis, and she really only flirts when you're around to annoy you. Neither of us care for each other in that way."
"She doesn't talk to me much anymore." She sighed.
"She's always talking about you. She adores you." Cami didn't look convinced.
"I can't remember the last time we had a real chat."
"To be fair, since she decided to stay, you were both keeping secrets about the supernatural from each other, and when you guys did come clean, you had to go with Elijah. And now you haven't even been back a day yet. Maybe just give each other time?"
"I just wanted to protect her." Cami said and Arkyn nodded understandingly.
"I know." She sat down on the bed.
"Aren't you going to join in on the party?"
"I'm not really in a partying mood. And besides I've met Hayley a handful of times. I don't really know her."
"Right."
"If you want, you should join in on the festivities. I'll stay up here with Hope."
"Uh, no that's fine." She shrugged and he nodded. There was an awkward silence until Arkyn's phone rang. He looked relieved for the interruption and tried to pull out his phone, manoeuvring Hope into one arm. "Here, I got her." Cami said taking Hope. He nodded thankfully and answered, walking out of the room.
"Lex, hi. How are you?"
"I'm fine, you?"
"I'm okay. Actually, I was thinking about going up to visit Xave this weekend. You in?"
"I'll be there for sure."
"Okay. And bring Kol."
"Uh, Lex. Kol's... gonna be preoccupied for a while."
"Is he dead?"
"No, he's not dead. He's alive."
"Okay, sure."
"Alexis, I will make him call you tomorrow. Just stay put."
"Fine."
"Lex..."
"I promise!"
"Good. Now get to bed. It's getting late."
"I'm really not a kid anymore."
"I know. Old habits."
"Well, I gotta get dinner with a couple others. See you at Xave's."
"Bye." He hung up.

The next morning, Arkyn tracked down his brother. He found him at the playhouse, with Davina, doing the exact same thing they'd done together just a day earlier.
"Transubstantiation. We can combine it with a protection spell." Davina was looking at a grimoire.
"Finn's spell blocks that. The body calls it, and then I die." Kol sounded bored. He noticed his brother. "Ark! Thank god. Tell her how futile it is to find a solution when I'm already living on borrowed time."
"We can risk another couple hours, before the curse actually spreads past the point of no return."
"She's looking through the exact same material you and Rebekah did."
"Speaking of material, I know you have archives all over the world. I'm going to need locations."
"He'll be dead before you get the chance to leave the country." Arkyn looked at Kol with a frown.
"Actually, Ark's given up on saving me today. He's looking for a spell to revive me from death." Kol said. Arkyn kept his face blank as he glanced at his brother. Kol was lying to his girlfriend.
"Great, so you're not going to be helpful either?" Davina glared at Arkyn.
"I wouldn't write me off so quickly. I'd rather my brother not die at all. But I also know that I've been through all the grimoires here, and I've had Xavier look through all the grimoires he has access to."
"Is there any way Finn could reverse it?"
"No. And even if he could, he wouldn't."
"There has to be something Finn cares about. Something that could force him to cooperate. Something he loves."
"There isn't. The only woman he's ever loved is dead and he has no sentiment of family loyalty to us." Kol said.
"We don't have time for this." Arkyn shook his head. "Kol, you can be the one to talk to Alexis."
"We don't have to tell Alexis." He said, looking hopeful.
"Yes, we do. You at least owe her a phone call to explain."
"You talk to her."
"Absolutely not. I had to tell her once that you died. I am not going to tell her of your current condition." Kol sighed, as Arkyn held out his phone. He took it and walked out of the playhouse.
"Why doesn't he want us to try to save him? He's so... casual about it."
"My brother may pretend to be a selfish arse only on the lookout for number one, but he cares. And he wants to protect those he cares about. Protect us, even from the fact that he's terrified to die." Davina fell silent, and turned back to reading through other passages.
"Okay, done. Lex knows I'm dying. But talking her out of coming to New Orleans can be your job." Kol said.
"I'll go do that." Arkyn snatched his phone back, sighing. He glared meaningfully at his brother. "Meanwhile, wasn't there something else you wanted to tell Davina?"