Immortals [Klaus Mikaelson]

39

All of the air simply leaves my lungs. The throbbing pain in my hand and side, the sight of flames erupting from Klaus's body and the terrible screams of Rebekah all happen in slow motion before me. I feel like I should join her in panicking, but I'm just... frozen.

Alaric looks between Rebekah and I, his intent clear. Damon pushes her towards the door, and she disappears reluctantly, but I can't find the strength to follow.

"Clara, you gotta go," Damon hurries as he tries to pull me up. "Come on, Clara! Get up!"

"He's dead!" I sob, "Just kill me! Please, just kill me!"

I know that I sound psychotic, but this is exactly what I want. If Alaric is able to kill originals with his white oak, then he might be able to end my suffering... at least for a little while.

"Please!" I scream.

Damon's arms squeeze me against him so that I have to stop struggling. Alaric has gone after Rebekah now, taking my only chance of salvation with him.

The flames have settled in the casket and I'm afraid to see what has become of Klaus. I'm sure the reality is much better than the images in my head, but I can't bring myself to even glance in that direction. Damon unconsciously helps by placing me in the car, out of sight from the dying fire.

"Elijah is on his way," Damon informs me. "Let me see your hand."

He reaches for it, but I pull away quickly. I had forgotten it for a brief second, but the reminder quickly brings back some of the pain. For some reason, my magic is helping me, maybe even healing it. With the little amount of control that I have right now, it's a miracle that it's working for me at all.

"Don't worry about me," I whisper, my voice not quite ready to be used. "My god, Damon. What are we going to do?"

Damon's gaze shifts to the floor, "Not right now, Clara. I've gotta think about something other than what's about to happen."

I place my good hand against his cheek while he leans forward and touches his forehead with mine. I can feel even more tears running down my face, but there's no point in trying to suppress them now. My heart is slowly shattering and there's nothing anyone can do about it.

"Does it hurt? You know... the dying part."

I blink only to find that Damon's piercing blue eyes are carefully surveying my face. I can't imagine my expression in reaction to his question, but I just hope it's not frightening to him at all.

"Dying is... It's scarier to face than it is painful," I inform him softly. "That's just what the mind does, but you don't need be scared. It happened fast with Sage, right?"

He nods slightly, "That's what Elena said."

His eyes glisten at the mention of the doppelgänger's name. I pull out my phone from my jeans pocket and place it in the palm of his hand.

"Call her... and call your brother. It's better to go knowing you're loved."

I glance over at the dying flames for a second as my mind recalls my own death in Klaus's arms. The first one, anyway. Despite having come back, I will never forget how loved I felt in that moment by not only him, but also my family that had been surrounding us. I can only hope that Klaus felt that way... before...

A small sigh releases from my lips at the thought, "Go. Call them."

Damon releases me after checking that I'm alright one more time. It takes a second to get used to the cold of his absence, but I cannot blame him for leaving me. If Klaus died, then all of the vampires in his sire line will soon die too. At least Damon, Elena and Stefan know enough to be able to say goodbye.