𝟒𝟗' 𝐀𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐬

꧁꧂

Wanda was by Kol's side as she watched Elijah cover Gia's body with a sheet. The Original had a broken expression.

Cami was drinking a glass of Elijah's blood to heal her up.

"So, now that you have healed, what do you mean, Niklaus had a plan?!" Elijah growled.

Wanda covered her ears since the ringing was still there and her ears at the moment were sensitive. Kol noticed immediately, "Lower your tone." he snapped at his older brother.

"We had a plan! A plan he has mercilessly destroyed-" Elijah said but Cami cut him off, "Your plan wouldn't have worked, Elijah! When Klaus got into my head, he said your plan would fail, so he had to enact one of his own."

Elijah sighed, frustrated. "And what might that be?"

"He has to get her to link to him." Cami said.

"He's out of his mad mind!" Kol shouted then mentally slapped himself as he remembered Wanda who winced quietly.

"My brother wishes to bind himself to our enemy? She'll be virtually indestructible!" Elijah said.

"He said I had to convince you that everything he had to do, he had to do alone. You had the wrong ingredients to kill Dahlia, and he has to buy time before he finds the right ones." Cami explained.

"How?" Wanda asked regaining her ability to hear slowly.

▵▿▵▿▵▿▵▿

Wanda saw Elijah sat by the end of the fountain, the girl made her way over to him and sat. "If you're here to pity me, leave." the vampire snapped.

"Well good thing that's not why I'm here. Pity is one feeling I completely hate, some people act like their sorry for your lost one but they're only saying it because at this point it feels like an obligation." Wanda said.

"You speak from experience." Elijah stated.

Wanda nodded, "When you lose someone, you don't want people to feel sorry for you, because in the end nothing can take away the pain of losing that person. Not even killing their murderer."

Elijah looked at the girl with curious eyes, "You killed the person who took your brother?"

"Mhm... but I didn't feel better. All I was reminded is that in the end, we really are alone." Wanda said. The girl rested her head on Elijah's shoulder, sighing.

Kol was happy, for some reason seeing his brother and girlfriend act like siblings made him feel... hope. That one day she could actually become a Mikaelson.

Cami walked up to the two, "I'm sorry about your friend." she said to Elijah.

"Are you?" the vampire skeptically asked.

"I don't condone Klaus' actions. I'm trying to help you." Cami replied.

Elijah held a hurt expression as Wanda sat up. "All I know is Klaus will do whatever he has to do-" Cami started but Elijah lost it.

"KLAUS WILL DO WHATEVER HE HAS TO DO FOR KLAUS."

Elijah took out his phone and rang Hayley but it went to voicemail.

"Hayley isn't answering her phone."

Elijah becomes overwhelmed by fear and anger, "NOW WHAT HAS HE DONE?"

Rebekah and Marcel suddenly walk in, "Don't blame the messenger." Rebekah sheepishly said.

The four looked at Rebekah in shock that she was in her Original body now. "How-" Wanda started. "Looks like Niklaus had a lot on his to-do list last night." the blonde shrugged.

Rebekah looked back at Elijah, "And as for Hayley-"

"What is it?" Elijah asked worried.

"When Klaus attacked me, he stole the spell that I used on the Crescent wolves-" Marcel said.

"So he would condemn her to the body of a beast?" Elijah shouts.

Rebekah, who looks overwhelmed and worried, rushes over to Elijah and grasps his shoulders so she can look him in the eyes.

"Elijah. Hayley will be human once a month. We will find her and we will help her." Rebekah told her brother.

Elijah shook his head and tries to push away from Rebekah.

"We need to focus on who needs saving today." the blonde gently said. Kol hadn't seen his older brother this wrecked in a long time, maybe when he first thought Hayley had died.

"Freya called, Dahlia is... incapacitated. They are two hours north at an orchard near Pale River. She has Hope." Rebekah said but before she could speak again Elijah was gone.

▵▿▵▿▵▿▵▿

Elijah and Freya made it back with Hope along with Dahlia and Klaus who were daggered. Elijah hands Wanda Hope who gladly takes her.

"Nik is demented! Are we really to dig up our mother, burn her to ash, swap said ash with Kaleb's, and then trick Davina into using up her last chance to bring someone back from the dead? Not to mention we lose the opportunity to save Kaleb... if Davina doesn't turn us inside out!" Rebekah yelled.

"Or, we dig a deep hole and leave both our problems at the bottom of it." Elijah suggested.

"I vouch for that plan." Kol said.

Wanda elbowed his ribs making the vampire pout. "I say we choose a more permanent option, find the white oak stake, kill Klaus, Dahlia dies with him." Freya said.

Marcel scoffed, "Well, yeah, and so do I, and every other vampire that Klaus has turned!"

Rebekah hears a strange sound and frowns before turning back toward the bodies. When she looks back at Klaus, she notices that the golden dagger in his chest is beginning to melt.

"The dagger!" she shouted.

The rest of them turn toward Klaus and see the end of the dagger begin to slowly but surely melt, so that the handle becomes shorter and shorter, presumably from Dahlia's magic.

"It's bloody melting!" Rebekah said.

"We have no choice but to finish the task that Niklaus has set." Elijah sighed.

They all looked at the melting dagger, considering their options.

▵▿▵▿▵▿▵▿

Wanda was taking care of Hope while Marcel, Kol, and Freya looked for Kaleb's ashes that Klaus took from Davina.

Hope was cooing and smiling, Wanda smiled and put the baby in her crib in the nursery and walked back downstairs when again a orange spark appeared but this time, Wanda saw it. Narrowing her eyes the girl walked towards the spot and immediately heard whispers.

"I still can't get the spell right." one voice said.

"You will get it Strange, it's not an easy task to perfect." another person said.

There was that name again, Strange. But who was that?

"I have to, because I feel something coming... and if I'm right, we're going to need her."

Hope's cries suddenly drew Wanda out, the girl ran into the nursery and saw vines completely covering the room, Klaus and Marcel ran in after.

A thorn prickled the baby drawing out a bit of blood, the vines disappeared and Klaus picked up Hope as Marcel and Wanda looked around for the vile of blood.

"It's gone." Wanda said.

"Why didn't she take Hope?" Marcel questioned.

"Because all she needed was a drop of her blood. Unfortunately, I have no idea where the vile harpy has fled to." Klaus bitterly said.

"All right, go. Get Hope someplace safe. I'll track down your witch." Marcel said.

Wanda doesn't even make eye contact with Klaus, Marcel, though, sends the hybrid a hard look.

"And, when this is over, you and I are gonna settle up." the vampire said.

"Provided we survive what's to come tonight, I look forward to it." Klaus says.

Marcel walked out, Wanda turned to leave as well "Where are you going?" Klaus asked her.

"Away from here." Wanda stated as she walked out and went to the Jazz club where Rebekah, Kol, and Elijah were.

The girl walked to the back where Kol and Elijah were.

"Ah if it isn't Kol's little soulmate." Esther said. Elijah furrowed his brows at what his mother called Wanda.

Kol grew protective and stood by her side.

"Let me guess, you brought me back from the dead to torture me." Esther said amusingly.

"If you'd like I can make that the reason." Wanda snapped but was held back by Kol.

"My dear mother, we simply need your blood. Though, in the event that you should suffer horribly, I can't promise I won't enjoy it immensely." Elijah said.

Klaus suddenly walked in with a grin. Kol clenched his fists at the sight of the hybrid. Elijah becomes enraged at the sight of him.

Kol immediately lunges at the hybrid pinning him to the wall with his hand plunged into Klaus' chest. "Kol!" Wanda shouted.

"You bloody bastard." Kol growled.

Klaus grinned, "You kept that damn collar." Kol said.

"I had to take precautions" Klaus replied.

Kol had a deathly look in his eyes, "You claim everything you do is in the name of family, but it will always be for yourself."

"You knew what that thing did to her, did to her mind." Kol said.

"But did you care, no, because being alone is better then caring, isn't it brother?" the youngest Mikaelson brother said.

"Kol let him go, this won't change anything." Wanda said.

Kol scoffed and shoved Klaus' body back before letting him go. Klaus got up patting his chest and turned his attention towards Esther.

"Ah, Mother. I've arrived just in time for another one of your deaths, and as much as I appreciate the front-row seat, I'm afraid I'm going to have to postpone the festivities." Klaus said.

"You're in excellent spirits." Elijah growled.

"Lucky for you, as I'm the one needed to save the day." Klaus grinned.

Wanda had a tight grip on Kol's hand so he wouldn't lunge at the hybrid. "So that's what it's called?" Kol snapped.

"Why not? My plan's worked perfectly." Klaus said.

Kol gripped Wanda's hand tighter and the girl could feel it going numb.

Elijah was about to explode, "Easy, Elijah- I can see your red door swinging wide open, but our job's not yet done." Klaus said.

"So, we kill her and be done with it." Elijah said.

"To be clear, I do want her blood, but I want it on this blade, Which I've had bound with the soil from Dahlia's homeland, not to mention Viking ash. Mother's demise will have to wait. You see, I need her to weaken Dahlia's defenses." Klaus told them with a silver knife in his hands.

"Well, your willing participation would have been a bonus, but it's far from necessary. If needs be, I'll drag you there myself." Klaus grinned.

Rebekah suddenly walked in, Esther and Klaus looked at the blonde in shock. "Yes, dear Mother, you do not have a choice. Then again, why should you be any different from the rest of us? We're all dancing puppets in Nik's end-of-days marionette show. He forces every move we make."

Klaus became upset, "And how long are you gonna stand there and pretend you don't need me to? The both of you have fought me at every turn, leaving me no choice but to act alone! We're no strangers to disagreements on the battlefield, but we also have a very long history of doing whatever it takes to win the war."

"And what of Gia?" Elijah asked, furious.

Klaus seems surprised by how upset Elijah is as his brother walks toward him. Once they're standing face-to-face, Elijah smiles fakely at him before continuing "Hayley?"

Klaus' smiles wavers, "Collateral damage" he replied.

This infuriates Elijah so much that he punches Klaus forcefully in the face. Klaus takes a moment to recover while Rebekah and Elijah glare angrily at him.

"You claim your actions are part of some ruse- this was punishment." Elijah said.

"Punishment? Whatever for? Perhaps the dagger you put in my heart?" Klaus asked playing dumb.

"You brought that upon yourself! No, we have fought together for centuries, and once again, to break your enemy, you broke your family." Elijah yelled.

Klaus looks both surprised and hurt by this reaction, but Elijah is more enraged than he has ever been.

"Well, know this- whatever the outcome tonight, you will no longer see me by your side. You want to be alone? Well, congratulations. You have your wish." Elijah told his younger brother.

Elijah turns to Esther and grabs her by the shackles as he drags her out the door.

▵▿▵▿▵▿▵▿

Klaus, Kol, and Rebekah appear in the warehouse behind Dahlia. "Isn't there a saying about stones and glass houses?" Klaus asked.

"In case the analogy is lost on you, I believe my brother is calling you a hypocritical bitch." Rebekah said.

"Hmm. Bringing vampires to a witch fight. Someone hasn't learned their lesson." Dahlia laughed.

Wanda suddenly appeared as she flew in, "I'm gonna enjoy this." she grinned.

"You were saying?" Klaus smirked.

The sound of chains rattling can be heard behind him, and after a moment, Esther appears with Elijah and joins Klaus and Rebekah in circling around Dahlia.

"My sister... in chains? Hahaha! Is... is she to be a gift to buy your freedom? Because I brought something." Dahlia laughed.

She pulls out the white oak stake and holds it up, causing thunder to crash overhead.

"One stake, four of us, plus we have Wanda. Even if you don't hesitate, the other four will rip you in half." Klaus said

"Sound thinking. But... small thinking." Dahlia said.

She holds up the stake again and causes thunder and lighting to rumble in the sky above again. After a moment, the stake is telekinetically thrown up into the air, where it explodes into such tiny pieces that they look like snowflakes falling down around them. She then uses magic to direct the stake fragments into the mouths of Elijah, Kol, Klaus, and Rebekah as they breathe, and they all begin to cough and gasp in pain as their veins become visibly red and irritated.

Dahlia focuses some of her magic onto Wanda making a high pitch noise plague her mind.

"You're killing them!" Freya shouted.

The four Original vampires fall to their knees and cough forcefully, clearly in agony from the fragments of white oak in their lungs. Dahlia smirks gleefully at Esther, who seems surprisingly upset to see her children hurting.

Wanda screams as she clutches her head, Kol feels more pain in seeing her hurt.

"Let her go!" Kol yelled as he coughed.

"I think not, plus I would be doing your family a favor ridding you of her." Dahlia smiled.

Klaus jumps toward Dahlia with the blade in hand, but she telekinetically throws him backward, which causes him to drop the blade. Dahlia looks up at the ceiling's skylight, where she can see the waning crescent moon has hit its apex. She smiles and looks down at Esther.

"Now, Esther, say goodbye to the last of your children." Dahlia smiled.

Dahlia thrusts her hand forward and puts Freya in a telekinetic choke-hold, which causes her to gasp desperately for breath.

Wanda closes her eyes and breathes.

She snaps them back open to have them glowing a vibrant red. Wanda sent her powers towards Dahlia knocking her away from Freya and towards Esther who immediately wrapped her chains around her throat.

Wanda sent her energy webs into the air and rid the atmosphere of the ash. They all begin to cough up blood and sawdust, but otherwise, they seem to be healed. Esther is struggling to keep strangling Dahlia, and turns back toward her children.

"Elijah?" Esther says.

Elijah picks up the blade, and when Esther nods in encouragement, he tosses it to Klaus. Armed with the blade, Klaus vamp-speeds toward them and stabs Esther in the back with the blade, which goes through her and into Dahlia's heart as well, killing them both.

Dahlia and Esther, whose bodies have both turned to ash, are still standing in an embrace, both looking more content as they've ever been. Freya, Kol, Wanda Elijah, Klaus, and Rebekah all stare at them for a long moment before Klaus finally speaks.

"Seems we're officially orphans."

▵▿▵▿▵▿▵▿

Wanda walked into Kol's room where he was stationed at the foot of the bed.

"Surprised you haven't killed Klaus yet." Wanda teased.

"You have no clue how badly I want to." Kol replied.

Wanda sat next to him and intertwined their fingers, "Well it's all over now so there's no point." she told him.

"Do you ever think we'll find peace, just live our lives together like normal people?" Kol asked as he looked up at the ceiling.

"Well we aren't normal so..." Wanda said laughing softly.

"You know what I meant." Kol smiled.

"I don't know, all I've known is this I'm used to fighting." Wanda said shrugging.

Kol frowned at Wanda, "But, I'm okay with that. As long as you don't leave my side." Wanda told him grinning.

Kol smiled, "The thought never crossed my mind."

He leaned down and captured her lips in a kiss, Wanda gasped softly as she straddled his hips. Kol groaned and leaned back onto the bed with Wanda on top of him.

"I love you" Kol said as he pulled back.

Wanda smiled, "And I love you"

The night was like their own, completely oblivious to the war that was brewing elsewhere...

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A/n: AND that's season 2! I'm so excited for season 3, anyways thank you all for the support on this book I appreciate you all! Until the next season ;)