THE HUMAN body was a cruel betrayer, a vessel that, despite its ability to heal and grow strong, also had a way of revealing its deepest vulnerabilities. For Harper, the signs were impossible to ignore—the subtle, but undeniable indications that her body was nearing its breaking point. The clock was ticking, and each passing day seemed to bring her closer to the inevitable. According to her calculations, she had only three months left to live, and though she tried to keep her spirits up, her body screamed louder than any words could.

Every day, she felt herself slipping further, her energy draining, the life she had once known slowly fading. Her once vibrant skin now appeared dull and pale, and her strength was a mere shadow of what it had been. The constant aches in her body were a constant reminder that time was running out. Her muscles ached, her joints screamed in protest with every movement, and the fatigue weighed heavily on her, like an invisible burden she couldn't shake off.

Despite the physical toll, Elijah had been her anchor, the steady presence that kept her grounded even as everything around her seemed to unravel. He had become her lifeline, staying by her side through every painful moment, offering her comfort, and never once leaving her side. His love for her was unwavering, but so too was his helplessness in the face of her deteriorating condition. He knew she wasn't getting better. He knew the inevitable was closing in, but he couldn't bring himself to leave her, not when she needed him the most.

Elijah's heart broke every time he held her. She was so cold, her body trembling with the chills that had become more frequent as the days went by. He would wrap her in his arms, trying to warm her, but it was like trying to stop a storm with a whisper. It hurt him, deeply, to see her like this. He had lived for centuries, had seen countless lives come and go, but never had he felt this helpless, this lost. He had been cursed with immortality for so long, but in these moments, he wished it were different. He wished, more than anything, that his vampire blood could save her, that he could give her a chance at life. But the reality was, he knew he couldn't. He couldn't bear the thought of her becoming like him—living forever, but at the cost of everything that made her human. He loved her too much to subject her to that fate.

Elijah had just stepped out of his and Harper's quarters when he was met by a familiar voice—Niklaus. His younger brother stood in the hallway, his arms crossed, an amused smirk on his face.

"My dear brother, why must you find yourself in a love that never ends with your happiness?" Niklaus' voice was dripping with sarcastic concern, and Elijah could tell that his brother's words weren't as innocent as they seemed.

Elijah raised an eyebrow, taking in Niklaus' appearance. It had been a while since they had shared a conversation like this, and though Elijah had been content with the distance between them, there was an underlying tension in the air that he couldn't ignore. "Niklaus, what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" Elijah's voice was calm, though there was a certain edge to it.

Niklaus chuckled darkly, clearly enjoying the moment. "What? Can't I visit my siblings on this fine day?" His tone was mocking, but there was something beneath it—something more serious that Elijah could sense.

Elijah sighed, his patience wearing thin. "Night," he corrected him, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Why are you really here?"

Niklaus grinned, a sly glint in his eyes. "I'm really feeling the love, you have for me, brother," he teased, but there was an unmistakable hint of frustration in his voice. "It seems, my dear wife, is pregnant."

Elijah stopped dead in his tracks, the words hanging in the air like a weight he wasn't sure he could bear. Keira? Pregnant? The news was unexpected, and for a moment, Elijah couldn't process it. His mind raced through a hundred possibilities, none of which made sense. Keira, pregnant? It couldn't be true unless it had been planned. Elijah couldn't fathom the idea of an affair, not when he had seen the way Niklaus had always been with her.

"What are you saying, Niklaus?" Elijah's voice was low, his brow furrowing in confusion and concern.

Niklaus turned to face him fully, his expression growing more impatient. "I said what I did. Have you gone deaf?" His words were sharp, but beneath the irritation, there was a vulnerability that Elijah recognized. It wasn't about Keira's pregnancy; it was about Niklaus' uncertainty, his fear of what might happen if the truth came out.

Elijah, ever the peacemaker, took a step forward, his gaze intense. "It seems, I came to the wrong sibling. Maybe our dearest sister Freya could have the answer." Niklaus scoffed, about to walk away, but Elijah grabbed his arm, his grip firm.

"Brother, what will you do to her if you find out whatever happened?" Elijah's voice softened, but there was an undercurrent of concern that Niklaus couldn't ignore.

Niklaus looked at him, his frustration dissipating for a moment. "I'd tell you, once I get my answer. So where is Freya? She hasn't been returning any of my calls." There was a genuine sense of urgency in his voice, a hint of worry that Elijah hadn't expected.

Elijah cursed under his breath, his mind racing with the weight of the situation. He knew that Freya had left, but he hadn't expected her absence to cause this much tension. "She had left, for a while," Elijah explained, his voice laced with regret.

"Define, a while, brother, and what for?" Niklaus asked suspiciously, his eyes narrowing as he watched Elijah carefully.

Elijah let out a deep sigh, knowing that his next words would either ease the situation or make it worse. "She hopes to find a way to help Harper." The sentence hung between them, and for a brief moment, everything seemed to freeze.

Niklaus' frustration seemed to evaporate in an instant. His expression softened, his eyes betraying a flicker of understanding. "Harper?" he repeated, his voice quieter now, less accusatory.

Elijah nodded solemnly. "She's not well, Niklaus. She doesn't have much time left, and Freya... she's trying to find a way to help her."

Niklaus stood there in silence for a long moment, absorbing the gravity of the situation. There was no more taunting, no more sarcasm—just a brother, standing in the midst of something far greater than his usual troubles. He had always been the one to seek out chaos, but in this moment, even he could feel the weight of Harper's condition.

Finally, Niklaus spoke, his voice softer than usual. "I didn't know. I thought..." He trailed off, unable to finish the thought. Elijah understood. Niklaus had always been a man of action, always thinking about the next fight, the next battle. But for once, there was no immediate solution, no easy way out.