▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄

CHAPTER 31: CRUMBLING CASTLES

❝ family is power. ❞

▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄

THERE WERE NO AMBULANCE SIRENS. No hospital bed. No broken bones. What there was, however, was a broken heart. Bloody and hurt and full of pain. It belonged to Enola Mikaelson.

Enola realized that there was no pain like a broken heart. It ached with every beat in her hollow chest after she had been told that always and forever was no longer. She watched her heart get torn out of her chest. It laid on the ground surrounded by blood. It bled so much pain but it was still trying to be soft and kind. Doing whatever it takes to survive. That is how she lived her life. With a broken heart. And it was slowly killing her. The worst part was that she knew she was not alone. Her entire family currently felt the weight of a broken heart. Yet she felt so isolated especially after spending the past five years working to bring them all together again. And for what? For them all to be told that they could never see each other again? It felt like death, watching this castle crumble.

"The Hollow has been haunting New Orleans for centuries. It is an unending evil who has an appetite for power that is insatiable." Vincent explained, slowly turning to Klaus and Enola. "And that is what attracted it to your little girl."

"You said there was a way to save her," Klaus reminded.

"There is. But I am going to tell you right now, you are not going to like my plan." Vincent warned. "Step one: we pull the Hollow from Hope. Step two: we find someplace else to put it." His eyes slowly flickered around the room at the many confused faces. "But with the book gone, I need a place that is both powerful and eternal. And in order to make the transition work, I am going to need something that is connected to Hope through blood."

"You need a vampire," Freya realized. "You want to put the Hollow into one of my siblings."

"One ain't gonna cut it," Vincent said. "I am gonna need four of them."

"Why four of us?" Elijah questioned.

"One thousand and five hundred years ago—when the Hollow was first killed—they divided her remains." Vincent informed. "Four bones, four volunteers, four different locations—that is how we are going to beat the Hollow now."

"Transfer the Hollows power into four immortal vampires," Bonnie nodded.

"And just send us on our way," Rebekah scoffed.

"So the evil is drawn, quartered and separated for all time." Klaus finished.

"That means that you all have to go your separate ways and you have to stay separate. You can never see each other again. You can never go near each other again." Vincent explained. "That is the only way that we're going to beat the Hollow."

"If that is what it takes to save my daughter," Enola began. "Then so be it."

Enola looked around the room to see everyone nodding in agreement. Her heart clenched in sadness as the group dispersed. The last thing she wanted to do was tear this family apart. But this was her daughter. And there was not a single thing on planet earth that she would not do for her children.

"Enola," Vincent called out, quickly catching Enola by the arm. His eyes flickered over her shoulder to make sure that the others were gone before continuing. "I didn't want to say this when your family was around, but you need to know." This caught her undivided attention. "You need to pack your bags, you need to find a way out of town, quick and quiet, just for you and your daughters."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Enola asked in confusion and concern.

"Enola, the Hollow has felt your little girls power and it is going to want to get that power back." Vincent said. "When we finish this ritual, the Hollow is going to live inside the Mikaelsons. Through them, it is going to reach out and it is going to try to regain access to your little girl. That can never happen. Any time they are anywhere near her, she is not going to be safe. Ever. Now you and I both know that Klaus Mikaelson is not going to be okay with that. So when we finish the ritual, when we get your little girl back, you have to go." His eyes searched hers for a long moment. "You take your kids and you run like hell."

▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄

Enola found Finn in the bedroom. She had made a life out of being a martyr. She was unsure how to do anything else but sacrifice. But she made a promise to herself and to her girls. She made a promise that they would not have to grow up without their mother. Which is why she was in here and not out there. She left the rescuing to people she trusted more than anything.

"What are you thinking?" Enola inquired.

"I am scared," Finn confessed.

"Scared of what?" Enola wondered.

"I heard you talking to Vincent," Finn whispered. "He said that we will never be able to see dad again. Not without hurting Hope."

Enola sighed before taking a seat on the bed beside Finn. She had this rule. No lying. She always answered questions honestly when it came to her children. Even if the answers were not what they wanted to hear. Some may argue that protecting their innocence is important. But letting them know that they can trust you in tough situations is vital.

"He did say that," Enola nodded.

"Dad doesn't know?" Finn wondered.

"Dad doesn't know," Enola confirmed.

"Are you going to tell him?" Finn questioned.

"I don't know how," Enola muttered.

"Can I help?" Finn asked hopefully.

"Oh, honey," Enola sighed. "There is nothing you can do this time."

Finn didn't know it then. But she started to feel this deep resentment towards her sister. It was an ugly thing and it belonged all to her. Though she made the conscious decision to stay quiet because she was scared. She was scared that this feeling made her less beautiful. She would learn years from now that keeping your emotions bottled up will do more harm than good.

"Hope is back," Finn informed quietly.

"Wait here," Enola said. "I am going to talk to your father."

"Mommy?" Finn began. "I love you."

"I love you," Enola smiled.

Enola gave Finn a soft kiss on the forehead. She stood to her feet and stepped out into the hallway. She followed the soft chatter to the balcony where everyone had gathered. She noticed that her husband and daughter were the only two missing. Her nose twitched as she sniffed them out like a bloodhound. She found them in one of the spare bedrooms. Her husband leaned over her unconscious daughter with a soft look.

"I know you are in there and I know you can hear me so I want you to listen very carefully," Klaus instructed Hope softly. "You are my daughter. You are a Mikaelson and you are strong, and brave, unlike anyone I have ever known. In fact, you helped me believe in something your uncle once said." He gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead. "Family is power."

"Nik," Enola whispered. Klaus hummed. She nodded her head to the side and he followed her out into the hallway for a private conversation. "We never got to finish our conversation earlier. About the future."

"Enola, love." Klaus sighed tiredly. "I have to say goodbye to my family before this ritual begins. Can we talk about this later?"

"That is what I am trying to tell you. There is not going to be a later." Enola said sternly. "You are an amazing father and a great husband. Which is why you deserve the truth." She waited until she had his undivided attention. "There is something you need to know about the ritual. Something Vincent did not want to tell you because he was afraid that it would jeopardize the plan. But I know that you would do anything for our girls. Even if it meant never seeing them again."

▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄

Klaus did not want to say goodbye to Finn. Goodbyes were forever and he was not ready to say goodbye to her forever. Though this would definitely bite him in the ass later on. She would grow into a very unforgiving young girl much like her mother.

Then the ritual began. Enola sat in the middle of pentagram with Hope who was still unconscious while all of the Mikaelson siblings stood on each point of the star. Even Kol. Though an appearance from Marel was quite unexpected.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Rebekah snapped. "Come to gloat?"

"No," Marcel shot back. "I came to make sure that this works."

"We are ready," Bonnie announced.

Silence set in. Everyone wanted a piece of the Mikaelsons. Wrapped in leather and lace and the colors of everyone they had ever defeated. They were no heroes. But even they wore capes. Capes that will inevitably turn into a flag once they are torn to shreds. It was a very sad day.

"I just want to say that what you guys are doing here today is going to go a long way towards setting things right in this city," Vincent began. "The Hollow took everything away from me. It inspired me with nothing but suffering and torment. It has ruined families, it has gone after little kids. And yet, here and now, despite our differences, and there are many, thank you." Finished by turning towards the two other most powerful witches in the city at the moment. "Freya, Bonnie."

"The savage Mikaelsons heroically defeat a terrible evil," Rebekah grinned. "Maybe this will finally earn us our redemption."

"Do any of us really believe that?" Klaus wondered.

"Not for a second," Elijah chuckled. "But it is a wonderful sentiment."

"That it is," Kol agreed.

"Enola—when I tell you to—I want you to take the manacles off. Hold onto Hope. Do not let her go." Vincent instructed. "Everybody else, when this spell is over, you have to get away from each other, and you have to stay away from Hope."

"Always and forever," Rebekah nodded. "We had a good run."

Vincent began the spell with Bonnie and Freya. The lights began to flicker and the air began to blow. Enola learned that it just meant the spell was working. Though she knew that it also meant that they were all one step closer to saying goodbye to always and forever.

"Enola!" Vincent called out. "Do it now!"

Enola immediately removed the shackles from Hope with ease. A blue ball of light suddenly left her heaving chest. It split into four small pieces and hovered in the air for a long moment as if trying to figure out where to go. But with a little guidance from the chanting witches, each and every piece found a home inside the four Mikaelson siblings.

This decades long question is begging to be answered by the Mikaelsons. Their ears ring with the whispers of the Hollow. The rage of a thousand generations before them pound inside their heads. How long can a name live for? When it is covered in dust, will they know?

"I can hear it," Rebekah informed. "Whispering."

"You guys need to go," Vincent said. "Now!"

Kol left with little to no hesitation which was expected. Rebekah looked over at Marcel who looked back with an unreadable expression before moving on as well. Elijah stared at Hayley with defeat before following the other two. Klaus, on the other hand, did not move a muscle.

"I need to know she is alright," Klaus pleaded.

"Klaus, I promise you." Vincent spoke sadly. "She is going to be okay."

"Mom? Dad?" Hope began to stir. "What happened?"

"I love you," Klaus smiled softly. "So much."

Klaus and Enola stared at each other in so much pain. They had spent five years apart. Now they were forced to spend the rest of their lives away from one another. It was horrible. But they both knew that they had made the right decision. Then he was gone along with always and forever and she was left to pick up the pieces.

Because Enola never thought the last time was going to be the last time. She laughed until her stomach hurt and talked about nothing important. She exchanges a few tears and cries about a broken finger nail. She takes photos of anything and everything because she is naive. She ignores texts and sobs in the shower because she is scared. She pushes people away and becomes a person she could no longer recognize. She loses people she loves that did not love her but her heart is too big to not forgive them for their cruelty. She thinks of how it all went wrong. She wished she could undo it all and go back to when she was sixteen. When she did not know how painful life could really be.

▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄

AUTHORS NOTE.
act three is next. it will mainly follow the relationship between hope and finn on their joined journey of love and loss. they discover that two hearts is better than one. ugh. i love sister angst. until next time, my loves!!!