My Sunshine | Camille O'Connell

(19) The River in Reverse

There's nothing like the countryside! Spending time outdoors after being city bound for centuries scrambles the brain.

Hell, I grew up in a village sharing a room with five of my pre-pubescent brothers in a small fucking hovel. Talk about nasty air.

I should be enjoying the quiet, but I bloody hate it.

Why? Because it's been three days since I've had a proper rest, Elijah is bitten, and nobody is answering my calls!

Klaus is being pissy, won't answer! Rebekah is probably busy starting her new life, won't answer! I have no idea what the fuck Marcel is up to, but not even he is answering my calls!

And I can't go and investigate because I can't leave Hayley with Elijah when he's in this state and Hayley doesn't trust or want to go back right now!

Everything's a mess!

I just wanna nap.

Haven't I done enough? I know I said things would get moving with Elijah back, but I was expecting some break!

I need to keep it together. I'm not the one about to lose their bloody mind.

Why did Klaus have to do that? What possessed my brother to think biting Elijah and leaving him was remotely acceptable.

I should know better. I should know better.

How is he still surprising me after all these years?

These are the questions I ponder as I stand at my brother's side as he writhes on a bed in agony.

Hayley is fussing over getting him some water, but I know that will do very little. He's dying after all.

"Here, drink this." Hayley raises the cup for Elijah to take, but as soon as he does he immediately start coughing.

She looks defeated, but I reassure her. "It was a nice try, Hayley."

"Forgive me. Please." He is such a martyr.

"I think I'll save that for when you actually piss me off." I swear I could see the ghost of a smile from him at my comment.

Hayley shakes her head. "It's okay. Remind me to annihilate your brother once you're healthy." Get in line.

"Yes, remind me to remind you to get in line." That's what I said!

"It doesn't help that we decided to shack up in a swamp either." Hayley looked around the hot cabin.

"Where in the Bayou isn't going to be a thousand degrees?" I just want to go home.

Elijah, please die faster.

Hayley goes to open the door up more, but when my brother starts coughing again she's back in the room. "Are you okay?"

"He's fine, Hayley. I'm here too, remember?" Elijah nods at my statement.

"I'm fine. Please, just... return to your reading."

She shakes her head. "I went through the whole thing. It's just a regular Bible... With an entry in a family tree that may or may not be me. But, you know, I've been a little busy worrying about you."

Elijah is starting to look desperate. "Hayley, please. This fever will make me unstable. And once the hallucinations begin, I'll start to see things. You must let Talia take you away from here." Good luck with that, brother.

Hayley is as adamant as I am. "I'm not leaving you."

I put a hand on his shoulder. "Brother, I'm right here. Hayley will be safe. But I am not letting you face this alone. You wouldn't for me." And that finally brought the first earnest smile since this mess started.