persephone's orchard : k.m.

and here it is - chapter 26 part 2

Astrid's face quickly turned as he spoke and she frowned, 'I had to get it done.' She wasn't about to let Klaus make her feel guilty about her actions, she done what was needed.

'We agreed to do that together.' Nik sounded at the end of his tether as he spoke, almost as if things had exploded internally but he was holding back as his wife grew more and more offended.

'Oh well. You were busy.'

'Yes! Thank you! That proves my bloody point! You were too jealous of Camille!'

'I had nothing to be jealous about!' Astrid rose her voice to match his as she stepped back and he stepped forward. She realised this action quickly and stepped to her original position, never daring to back down from a Mikaelson.

She never had and she never will.

'Sure.' He chuckled dryly, 'You know I saw it.. the day in the church. You wanted to murder her Astrid.'

'You bastard.'

Flashback.
1 month ago.
St Anne's Church.

A stare off was going on in the Church. Aurora was growing more and more agitated by the lack of movement in Astrid. 'I knew it. A century in this city by yourself.. without him.' She pointed at Klaus, 'And you've softened. The Astrid I knew was ten times more powerful then this.'

'She has more self control then you, Aurora.' Cami spoke up and Aurora smacked her clean in the jaw, sending her flying to the left and Astrid vamped in between the women.

'Woah Ho Ho! I struck a nerve!' She chuckled and Astrid turned to Cami, 'Run.'

'What? Why?' The human asked and Klaus watched as Aurora grew closer and closer to Astrid. 'Cami, leave now.' She spoke again and the blonde stood up. Klaus didn't use his voice quick enough and Aurora tried to head dive into Astrid but the hybrid clocked on, spinning around quickly and attempting to grab her hands but the redhead vamped to Cami and cut her neck.

That's when Astrid could hear her heart in her ears. She'd contemplated it before, on her darkest nights it's what would creep into her mind. It would be no less to the Astrid Mikaelson that resided 500 years ago. Klaus wondered if his words had an affect on his wife as he noticed her lingering stare on his therapists neck.

'Astrid. Don't fall for it.'

Nik's words drew the hybrid away from the blonde as the two made eye contact and Aurora was smiling, she was sure she had a victory. Seeing Astrid loose her cool like this made her feel at peace with loosing her cool at the dinner even if they were friends.

What had Camille done since she found out about Astrid's true nature except distance herself? Astrid had saved her life and she didn't even get a thank you.

'Think about it Astrid. Kill her and you have him all to yourself. No jealousies to cloud you. No arguments to have.' Aurora had dabbed Cami's wound and held her finger out to Astrid, 'If you don't kill her then I will.'

'She's right, Astrid it's okay.' Camille became a human martyr and Klaus's eyes widened, 'Cami no!'

'What's wrong, Nik?' Astrid smiled, 'Scared that if I kill your pretty human girl that you won't have any innocence to dote on?'

Both Camille and Niklaus's jaws dropped and Aurora smiled, giggling, 'He is scared isn't he?' She turned around to Klaus, 'You see, Astrid and I are the same. Kindred spirits.. tainted by a thousand years of life.' She pointed to Cami, 'You see her as a clean slate. An innocent human. Not half as damaged by war or death as we are. I was going to tell you that she isn't so innocent. I did get her to tell me her greatest shame...'

Flashback over.
Present Day.
Louis Armstrong Park.

'You know damn well why that was difficult.' Astrid never dared to step into the shadow, to face him properly and to come to his level.

'No, Astrid I don't. Please enlighten me.'

'Nik how many times have we murdered people for looking at us like that? The way Camille looks at you? And truth be told I was right was I not? After all it was only till after she confessed that she was told to kill herself.'

'And now she's a vampire!'

'I'm fully aware of that!' Astrid knew what Aurora wanted to do, she knew that at the end of it all - the redhead got her revenge. Astrid had abandoned her brother upon his exploration of vampirism and she wanted her to take accountability for it.

It was like he didn't know what to say, he stared at her with this immense furious anger but it was like the pair didn't recognise each other. Anyone else would say this came out of nowhere but the two knew this would happen, it was just a matter of when.

'I know damn well what Aurora done.' Astrid took another step toward him, 'But I can't be blamed. She saw the way you two looked at each other, she saw the weakness there and she exploited it.'

'Do you enjoy blaming me for everything?'

Astrid looked away in shock before looking back at him, 'Oh my god. Are you kidding right now?'

'Maybe I'm not.'

'We're a thousand years old and we're arguing over whether or not you love a human girl!' Astrid lost her temper, 'I'm not bloody stupid.'

'You're the one who started this. With your petty jealousies and your controlling habits.' Nik began to flail his arms about as he threw them up in the air. Astrid's breath hitched in her throat and she turned away completely, running her hands through her hair and thinking before she said anything else.

'Don't turn your back on me!'

She spun around, 'I should've turned my back on you ages ago!' She began screaming, pacing up to him with quaking hands, 'But no matter how many times I leave people behind for this family and for you - you will never do the same for me.'

'How dare you.' Nik growled and looked as if he was going to go for her but she vamped away from him and back to the Compound, not even wanting to look him in the eye.