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"COMPELLING NOLA'S FINEST, I see." Cullen comments as she enters the study, trying to keep a safe distance from Klaus. She still couldn't believe after all these years they were in the same room together, and they couldn't even be close.
"If that's the city's finest, then it will wither from its own mediocrity." Klaus quips, glancing towards the group of cops before turning back to Cullen. "Where's Hope?"
"She's back at school." Cullen tells him before switching subjects. "What are humans gonna do that the other factions can't?"
"They have the numbers. I need eyes everywhere. Whoever took Rebekah can't hide from me." Klaus stops talking to glare at Cullen as she inspects him. "What?"
"Mm. Clear eyes, focused demeanor. You know, for Klaus Mikaelson, I'd say you're acting pretty normal." Cullen mutters. "You seem fine." Klaus rolls his eyes at her before attempting to go back to watch the police work. "Hey." Cullen stops him. "Marcel told me that you visited Elijah. What happened between you two?"
"Nothing. He wasn't there." Klaus tries to get the matter dropped.
"No? You two didn't come face-to-face? Because before you, me, and Hope saw each other blood had rained from the sky so I'm guessing that maybe you did see Elijah." Cullen corrects.
"You seem to forget that my other siblings carry this curse." Klaus drawls.
"Yes." Cullen nods, rolling her eyes. "So was this before or after Rebekah got kidnapped that you all had a family reunion?" Before Klaus can respond a letter magically floats into the room, landing in Klaus' hand. "What is it?"
Klaus leans forward, showing the letter to Cullen. "It's an address."
-
"Ok." Cullen mumbles, speeding down the street to catch up with Klaus. "Freya's with Hope, Marcel and Hayley are still out searching, and I have placed a protection spell on myself so we can be around each other."
Klaus nods. "Nothing quite like a rescue mission to get the romance stirring again." Cullen laughs at his words, shaking her head slightly before the mood diminishes at they reach the house the letter had sent them to. "We're here. Wait. What do you hear?"
Cullen is quiet for a moment as she turns on her vampire hearing, she couldn't hear anything, it was silent. "Absolutely nothing." Klaus hums, holding the door open for Cullen as they enter the vacant house.
"Klaus." Cullen calls, stopping when she sees a bloody handprint on the wall. Immediately Klaus is by her side, eyes widening when he sees the mess. The two of them continue through the house, walking deeper into one of the rooms when a chair covered in blood stops them. Klaus moves towards the chair, bending down to smell it.
"Vervain." Klaus states, glancing up at Cullen.
"She was here." Cullen exclaims. "They had Rebekah." Something across the room catches Klaus' attention making Cullen follow his gaze, her mouth opens in shock when she sees the words written in blood across the wall. 'Freak Filth Crossbreed.' "These people." Cullen begins, looking towards Klaus. "They hate us."
-
"Seriously, Klaus?" Cullen exclaims as she enters the compound. "I just got off the phone with Marcel. You took one person from every faction? You took Josh? What the hell?"
"I am motivating them to find my sister, your friend, our daughters aunt." Klaus snaps, already having heard most of this from Marcel.
Cullen shakes her head. "Klaus, look, I don't know what happened between you and Elijah. And if he were here, he would know exactly what to say, but he's not. I am. And I'm saying you misplayed this. Let the prisoners go."
"You think I should be weak, just give in to my enemy." Klaus arches an eyebrow, staring down his wife.
"If keeping Rebekah alive makes you weak, yes." Cullen states.
"Don't presume to lecture me." Klaus steps towards Cullen, the voices appearing seeing as her spell had worn off. "For centuries, I have bent the will of countless fools to do my bidding because they feared me. I know how to protect this family."
"Klaus for the last seven years, I have been here. I know it's never your choice to leave, but that doesn't change the fact that I've been here and you haven't. I am trying to talk you out of making a mistake. To protect you from yourself. So you don't have to tell Hope that you're the reason that her aunt is dead." Cullen argues.
"He knew!" Klaus suddenly yells. "Okay? Elijah knew who he was, and he still told me to leave. I begged him. He didn't want anything to do with any of us. He's gone, Cullen. He's gone."
"Klaus." Cullen whispers, placing her hand on his chest. "I'm sorry. I really am, but we will get Elijah back. Right now we need to focus on getting Rebekah home safe and we won't be able to do that if your judgement is clouded."
A clatter interrupts their moment causing the both of them to turn to the entrance of the compound where a small wooden box had just slid in. Cullen moves first, making her way to pick up the box along with a letter that had been placed with it. Opening the letter, Cullen can hear Klaus' heart pick up as the words written on the paper. 'At Your Request.' "What's in the box?" Klaus questions.
"Oh, my god." Cullen steps back, eyes wide as Klaus opens the small box. Inside laid a bloody finger with a bright shiny ring on it. Rebekah's finger. "That's her wedding ring." Cullen whispers. "She sent me a picture when Marcel gave it to her."
"They mutilated her." Klaus breathes. "They are hurting her to get to us." Letting his anger get the best of him Klaus picks up the box, throwing it at the wall.
"What is that?" Cullen questions, bending down to pick up a small coin that had fallen out of the back of the box when it hit the wall.
Klaus takes the coin from Cullen, inspecting it himself. "A message..." Klaus states. "From enemies I thought I buried long, long ago."
