We Remain Together

Chapter Eight: Everything Wrong, Nothing Salvageable

“Elijah!” Esther called out in a troubled and feared voice in the living area.
“Finn!”
“Niklaus!”
“Rebekah!”
“Kol!”
“Where are you all?  Come down immediately!”
“Henrik!”

“What is it?” Kol asked annoyed.
Esther turned to see everyone standing, looking at her. She was frightened. Almost like petrified with a hint of confusion. 

Everyone seemed to notice that this wasn’t another monologue like the last time. They realized something is terribly wrong.
“What’s wrong mother?” Elijah asked.
But Esther couldn’t reply to it. 


‘I am a villain. To them. To my family, I am the deadliest creature for them. I get it. I don’t blame them. But I don’t regret anything. I did everything that I thought was right. For my family. Then, for me. I have always thought about my family first before myself. And today, I am travelling to kill all of them.’
Mikael sat silently in the plane; writing in his diary.

‘I have lived for more than 1200 years. And the only meaningful and purposeful thing I built was my family. They were my sole purpose to living. And I ruined that. I ruined the most cherished thing in my life. Without which I wonder, is there any end of this immortality?

But like I said, I don’t regret anything. I did what I thought was right for everyone. Even for Niklaus.’

                         ---Past---

“Freya!”
Mikael called out to Freya after entering his home. He waited a little while for her to come out. But alas, it was what he feared. Freya’s still sick. He started walking to her bed.
“Freya, look what Father has brought. You are going to cherish it!”
Her bed was empty. She wasn’t there. This could mean only one thing. But Mikael denied it.
“Freya? Where are you? Freya, this it no time for jokes or games, it is late! (starts tearing up) Freya… Love, where are you?”

“Mikael…”
Mikael heard Esther’s cried whisper. He turned to see distraught Esther. Holding little Finn’s hand who was equally trembled.

“Esther, don’t! Don’t say it.” 

“I am sorry, Mikael.” Esther whispered.

“Esther…” Mikael begged. The tone in his voice demanding to not speak the truth.

“I can’t lie.” Esther shook her head.

“Where is she?!” Helplessness was palpable in Mikael’s voice.

“I gave her to Dahlia. She would perform the last rites.” Esther replied sobbing.

“Dahlia?!” Mikael was shocked. “Why her? I didn’t even look at her last time! Why her?...” Mikael barely spoke.

“She didn’t look like her, Mikael.” Esther muttered. Mikael went numb.
“She didn’t look like our Freya, Mikael. I know how much she meant to you. I couldn’t bear your last image of her to be like someone she wasn’t. I wanted you to have her last image as her smiling like an angel. An angel, that she was.”

Mikael was still numb. When he went away few months back, she was still fine. Still smiling and laughing. He wished nothing more than for her to just smile like that all the time. He was about to say something when Esther again said,

“Mikael. She did not, look like Freya.”
This made Mikael finally sob and release those tears. Esther opened her arms for Mikael to come and hug her; embrace her and soothe each other through this pain.

When Esther saw that Mikael was still trying to be strong by not accepting her open arms, she walked to him. Mikael shut his eyes because he didn’t want to see Esther cry. Her crying would eventually make him cry. Esther held his hands to soften his grip. To loose him up.

His eyes were still shut. She then breezed her hands around his waist and rested her head on his chest.
“We lost a daughter, Mikael. This is no time to be strong. I need your vulnerable side now. Only then, we’ll be able to move past this.” 
Mikael opened his eyes and tears gushed out of them. Within a few seconds, he started wailing and weeping.

“She can’t be gone, Esther…”

“I know…”

“Where is she? Where’s Freya?”

                      ---Present---

‘Glass. What is a glass? A transparent, hard structured material is what glass is. Beautiful and impressive, but also delicate. Delicate because once it breaks, no matter what adhesive you try, the lines of break, hurt and pain still appear.
Freya.

How am I supposed to mend my mind after losing her? Is there any way to extinguish my pain like that of breaking lines of glass? Are we fixable?’

Even though vampires cannot sleep, they can turn off all their hyper activated senses and just lay still. But doing this, all of their senses can be deactivated for a while and they will be as still as a dead person. This can bring harm to them as it is possible blood can decay out of them if the resting time goes out of control. Or anyone can come and kill you. 

Mikael was conflicted. He wanted to turn off all his senses and just hope that some predator would finally end his life. But he also wanted to see his family altogether at once. It was what he built all his life. It was what he cherished the most. 
And also, he could finally kill them all.

‘I know it’s abnormal. Absurd and even insensible. But I want to kill them all. I do. All of them have broken my heart. Betrayed me. Hurt me. Each helped my heart turn into pieces and pieces. Pieces so minute that nothing can join it together again.’

                         ---Past---

Esther looked upto him and replied,
“Yes, Mikael there was.”

Mikael’s eyes were wet.
“Surely you were tricked into it.”

“No, Mikael. I did it in my senses.”

Mikael was about to cry. His eyes were just about to give up.
“I’ll be back in a minute.”

Mikael went out. He felt as if the respiratory system of his was about to fail. And that he would collapse. If it was upto him, he would consider collapsing. Because he knew collapsing was way less painful than the pain he was feeling then. 

Esther has been unfaithful. 
Being a vampire, his emotions heightened. He wasn’t sad; he was dejected. He wasn’t angry; he was vexed. He wasn’t scary; he was petrifying.

He walked a few meters; bracing himself for the run only to saw Elijah standing nearby a huge rock. He wished none of his children to witness the conversation between him and Esther. He didn’t know how to react. Like Mikael, Elijah too was speechless, completely shut out. 

“I am sorry, Father.” He finally said.
Mikael nodded and sped away. He was rageful that afternoon. For Mikael, it was of great importance that his children find no fault in him. But Elijah finding out about Esther’s affair was very embarrassing and disappointing. 

When he went back to have a second go with Esther, he was shattered to know that Esther had no longer loved him. In fact she had done loving him a long time ago. When Esther said how he had banished her away from himself, he kept on thinking how she felt like that. He had no intention of doing it so. He was unaware all the time.

But according to him, that did not justify her cheating on him.
She could’ve talked him. Tell him how she feels around him. But just going to some man and having an affair was unforgiving.

                          ---Past---


Mikael was asleep. Young Mikael was dreaming about his family eating together richest of meats and laughing; having a great time. He was awakened from his sleep by his mother’s scream. He opened his eyes to saw no one in his house. He looked around only to find himself alone. He then heard her mother crying out his father’s name.
“DAWSON!!”

At this point, Mikael stood up straight and went out to see what was happening. What he saw out there, he never wished he would see it again. A wolf was feasting on Dawson. Francesca and Ulrich held each other crying shattered. 

“Father!” Mikael cried and started running towards his now dead father. 
Both Francesca and Ulrich saw him running to his father and Ulrich held his hand firmly.
“Let go, brother! We have to help father!”

Ulrich shook his head and said,
“Nothing can happen now brother. He is dead. The beast has devoured him. We can only now run and save ourselves.”

“Brother, what are you saying? We have to save father. We are immortals, nothing can happen to us.”

“Mikael, no! Klaylia told us that a venom of a beast like that can, kill you both. I can’t loose you too. Let’s go.”

“But mother, ….”

“Mikael, we are leaving! That’s final. Let’s go.”

                       ---Present---

Mikael woke up from that dream. He was in a plane. Reaching closer and closer to his family. Although this happened in the 900s, Mikael felt it happened just couple of years ago. Mikael literally had no one. His father was killed by a wolf, his mother died short after that. Both Ulrich and Mikael suggested for her to become immortal as well but she replied saying,
“No. I must see Dawson as soon as possible. I cannot function properly without him. I would eventually scatter. You don’t want and I don’t want you to want that because I myself, don’t want that.”

His brother, lost contact after Mikael became so cold post Freya’s death. Ulrich couldn’t see his brother in so much pain and hence he left him.

He loved Niklaus. Very much. He knew many people wouldn’t agree given how he treated Niklaus in their last months together. But he really did love him. He was trying to comprehend of how
Niklaus doesn’t look like him but looks like Esther, the moment Niklaus was born. Granted he was harder on him than Finn or Elijah, but that was because he wanted Niklaus to lead the house after him. If anything was to happen to Mikael, he wanted
Niklaus to take care of the family. That’s why he pushed him so much; just like Dawson did to him only to make Niklaus capable of handling their dysfunction family.

Eventually when he learned the answer to his question, he feared. First he was afraid and then fumed. Fear because he knew that a combination of vampire and wolf was deadly. Werewolves have a huge amount of anger and they act in impulse. In addition to vampirism, Niklaus would be unstoppable and uncontrollable. 

Moreover, Mikael feared that he won’t be able to teach Nikluas to control himself as he never was a wolf or met any werewolf.

He certainly wasn’t going to go ask for some werewolf for help. His pride and hatred towards them stopped him for doing that.
First a wolf killed his father, then one slept with his wife resulting in making one of his children a vampire and a wolf; a hybrid. 

‘I remember Josephine. 
Soon after father died, I had to divert off my mind of to something else than the tragedy after which my mother hadn’t been the same resulting in brother to clean all of her mess. This was all too much for an eighteen-year-old. And so, I started wandering. Wandering day and night. Mother and brother didn’t care for me as they knew I didn’t need for any care. 

Once, I heard voices in the bushes. It was late at night. And I was in the middle of the forest. To top it all, I was so startled by the noises that I had forgotten my way home. The noises intensified and the hustling of bushed grew wilder and wilder. There was no doubt of a creature making its way to me behind those bushes. 
Any second now. Something will come out and devour me. Any second now. Why on earth my parents wanted me to be human?

It’s getting crazier. The hustling. I can see the paws, the white foreleg and it’s a…. rabbit? It’s a rabbit?! Never knew such a small creature had the ability to create such a hustle.
“Scary, wasn’t it.” A voice made me turn back to see the speaker. It was a lady. A young lady of my own age indeed.

“What was?” I asked dumbly.

“We have a macho here.” The lady asked with raised brows.

“No. No macho. Just a young man, nothing else.” 

The lady smiled and said,
“There’s nothing cuter to witness than a man downgrading himself.” Mikael also smiled but nervously. She asked for a handshake.
“Josephine. Josephine Anonson.”

Mikael instantly but abruptly accepted her offer for the handshake and said in reply,
“Um… Mikael Dawsonson.”

And so began the story of us. Mikael and Josephine. We spent so much time together, it was unimaginable. We couldn’t fathom our time without each other. I later onwards got to know about her and she about me. 

I learned bow she was an only child to his father Anon and that they both were part of The Order. I also learned how that it was because of us that helped them grew stronger when I and Ulrich turned immortal. She said that they were trying to find us but were unable to do so.
“What?! You people were searching for us?”

“Yes. To thank you all in person with a special feast. But it’s been really maddening as we all are consumed in settling out old, remaining debts.”

“I am so sorry for keeping you waiting.”

“It’s fine. I mean it’s not like the result is not worth the time.” Josephine said and I blushed.

She was the first woman who could ever make me blush. 
Josephine soon became something I never thought that I could ever have. A lover. We were a wild one, not to forget. We loved in each other’s arms naked. The warmth that I provided to her was enough for a whole life of everlasting cold. That’s what she had said. And I felt so enchanted by everything that she’d do. No wonder after all these years, even after she is dead, I am still in awe and wonder of the things she could do.’

After Freya’s demise, Mikael had treated Finn with utmost love and care. For he resembled Freya. He carried little of Freya. To feel closer to her, to feel her in him, Mikael never stopped favoring Finn. It wasn’t like Mikael didn’t actually loved him. But he favored him more. A little more biased towards him. 

But Finn always favored Esther. No matter how much of love he showered on him, he always chose her. Even after she not only hurt Mikael but also hurt their family, he stayed with her and ran away. And he knows Finn wouldn’t have hesitated in saying yes either. After all, who was he to him anyways?

‘I had a strong hatred for werewolves. If it’s isn’t clear. One of those beasts devoured on my father. When your father is dead before he sees your marriage, then your first name is removed by itself. What once I was Mikael Dawsonson, now I am just Mikael. For thousand of years, I have been just Mikael. They not only snatched my father away from me but my first name also. 

And then, they snatched my son away from me. My Niklaus. I love Niklaus. I think after Freya, he was the one who I wanted to protect most. And that is the reason when he was transformed into a wolf, I tried my hardest to cure my son. Being a werewolf can be considered as a parasite. A parasite in worst conditions, leaves it’s subject. I thought by bleeding him out and by torturing him, I can replenish his wolf side. But instead it got stronger and my Niklaus grew more distant. 

My son was a werewolf. I had to take care of him even if it meant that I’d have to take extreme measures. But I was still his father. I couldn’t go on without taking a break. And so each time I went for Niklaus' treatment, I went away for a couple of minutes to take a breath and to convince myself that it’s for his best even though it was the worst. I had to control myself from breaking down.

I was aware that I was scarring each of my other children when I was taking them with me and Niklaus. I hoped that I when I was away, they’d talk with Niklaus to calm him. I admit I have done some bad things. Not mistakes, not regrets but some bad things. And I can see why they all can hate me for that. I don’t blame them.

But what about what they did? Finn did his own thing. Niklaus turned to something I couldn't love anymore. Not his fault, but it was what it was. Kol tried to help Niklaus for setting him free.

And so I punished him. For he didn't believe that I was trying to help Niklaus. He really believed that a father would willingly want to hurt and torture his own son. It's like they never met me before. I felt all those years that I was such a good father them to all, Kol seemed to forget all that. And so I gave him the worst the punishment.
Rebekah and Henrik chose sides with Esther.

Every child hurt me. And so I don't think I am doing anything wrong hunting them. And it won't give me any pleasure doing it. I either loved them at some point or still love them. Which straight-minded human will enjoy killing their loved ones? It's the thing they all did collectively that made me do this. Not to forget they killed Josephine too. And all of The Order.

The same Order which helped them fight against The Equilibrium. If it wasn’t for them, they all have been dead. But did they think of this before burning all of them alive? I didn’t teach them all this. I never taught them to betray your own people.

The people that helped you in time of need. Your loved ones.
If they were to kill The Order so mercilessly ages ago, who could say they have been nice and disciplined since then? Isn’t it my duty to safeguard the humanity so that people don’t draw suspicions towards us vampires?’

Mikael had eventually known that all of them are assembled in New Orleans. 
‘What a pity it is! No one wants to be there for Niklaus but still is there anyways.

Is it because they care about him even after stating they don’t or because they feel they have a better chance at survival as together? If it is the latter, then I’ll happily keep them away from their hope. Because be it six or hundred, I am going to win and kill them all.’

“What is it?” Kol asked annoyed.
Esther turned to see everyone standing, looking at her. She was frightened. Almost like petrified with a hint of confusion. 

Everyone seemed to notice that this wasn’t another monologue like the last time. They realized something is terribly wrong.

“What’s wrong mother?” Elijah asked.
But Esther couldn’t reply to it. 
“What is it mother? What’s wrong?” Finn asked.

Esther finally gulped down to speak,
“He’s here.” She whispered.
Someone was about to say something but she cut all of them.
“Mikael is here.”

Everyone looked at each other petrified. They all believed that that this won’t happen. But seeing that it was, they all felt powerless and weak. They didn’t want to fight with their father for the second time. Majorly because things weren’t on their side the last time. But it also mattered that they didn’t want to fight with their father. For all the happy memories they had of him were slowly eradicating because of these fights. They all wanted peace with their lives with the memory they had.

“How far is he mother?” Rebekah asked.

“Not far. I can hear his faint breathing.”

“Okay then. Brothers, if this is the last time we are here, seeing each other, just know that 1000 years is a long time and whatever happened between us does not mean that it wasn’t a fun ride.”

“I’ll miss us.” Henrik said.

“All of us will.” Kol said as well.
Then they hugged together regardless of their problems with each other for it may be the last time they are feeling each other’s embrace. 
They then noticed Esther just standing alone but smiling proudly. Elijah then sniffled and stood beside her. He held his hand firmly but whilst also indicating that they are together. Then Finn stood to the other side and did the same. This made Esther a little teary but she controlled herself and they all stood beside Elijah and Finn.
This reminded Esther of something. A memory. A memory she though she had forgotten ages ago. But it was still there.

After Esther along with the kids fled away from Mikael, they all halted in the middle of forest. Panting for air.
“Are we doing the right thing mother?” Elijah asked.

“Of course.” Esther replied.

“It isn’t right. He’s our father.” Henrik said.

“And he’s my husband. I know how dangerous he is. Just look at Niklaus. (Everyone realised) We have to remain together.
Always and Forever.”

Then everyone held hands and said in a low voice.
“We Remain Together. Always and Forever.”
That was one of the most cherished memories of Esther. She was spooked how easily she forgot that.

Just then the doors fell down and there stood Mikael with a cunning smile. Everyone stood fearless. They were together.
“Miss me?”