Original Vampires, Welcome to New Orleans (The Originals Seasons 1 and 2 Fanfic)

Chapter 19: Two Very Damaged People On the Open Road

Elijah and I sat in a diner, and suddenly we both noticed someone looking over at us. Hayley had called a few seconds prior, but Elijah didn't pick up. A waitress came over to us.

'Tell me...' he asked softly, compelling the waitress, 'has there been anyone out of the ordinary here today?'

'Just you two,' she said, looking at the both of us. Elijah slid his coffee over to the woman, and she poured some, but suddenly, some of the water spilled onto Elijah's wrist and a bit of his shirt sleeve. 'Oh!' she exclaimed. 'I am so sorry. Just let me -'

'It's... quite alright,' he said, taking out his pocket handkerchief. 'Thank you.' She walked away and he began to clean his wrist, his gaze suddenly seeming very far away. He started to clean himself obsessively. I grabbed his wrist gently.

'Elijah,' I said softly. I looked him in the eyes. 'Hey. Stay with me, okay?' He seemed to calm somewhat, and I grasped his hand gently, leaning into him.

Later that evening...

Elijah and I were alone in the diner, the waitress from earlier the only other one in the building. Suddenly the door opened, and the bell jingled, Rebekah entering with a baby cradle in her hands. Elijah stood and took the cradle, and a small smile broke out on his face at the sight of the child. The two siblings hugged, and then Rebekah hugged me while Elijah took baby Hope out of the cradle, holding her.

'Look at you,' he said warmly. 'So big, so perfect. I can't imagine the joy of spending every day with her. It's...'

'Quite lovely,' she finished for him. 'It's so human.'

'Can I hold her?' I said softly. He handed her to me and I cradled her gently in my arms, letting a small soft sob slip from my lips. 'I always imagined what it would be like to have one of my own,' I said softly. 'She's beautiful.'

'Yes. Some would argue the most human of experiences,' Elijah replied.

'I know I have to give her back to Hayley when the time is right,' Rebekah spoke, 'but she's made me realise how much I want that child of my own that I know I can't have.'

'Lovely dream,' Elijah said softly. 'Unfortunately, it's one that just beyond our reach. Considering the curse of our existence.'

'Seems Esther's attacking with her usual fervour.'

'Yes, Mother's tortured me for days with memories I thought I'd buried long ago.'

'She tortured the both of us. Myself more physically, but Elijah...' I said, looking at him. 'I'm worried for you,' I said softly.

'I'll be alright,' he said gently, kissing the fingers of my free hand. He turned back to Rebekah. 'Then she made an offer... to make us all mortal again. You see, sister, Mother believes that by placing us in new bodies, we could then reclaim some kind of purity, even begin families of our own again. And I have to confess, Rebekah, this invitation, however cruel the delivery, had a certain kind of - appeal.'

'You too?' Rebekah asked, looking at me.

'Yes. Me too. We've both been - thinking about it, quite frankly. Been talking about it, too.' Hope started to make noise and Rebekah looked down to see a bloodstain on his sleeve.

'You needn't worry,' Elijah said softly, noticing her concern. 'We're safe.' Hope started to cry and Rebekah rose from the table.

'Looks like this little one needs her diaper changed. Here, my love,' she said softly and turned to walk down the aisle, the waitress smiling softly at her, seeming unfussed about the trail of blood that was leading to the back room. She pushed the door open with her foot and saw the mass amount of bloodshed in the back room. Several people laid dead, blood everywhere in the tiny back room. In horror, she gasped and stepped out of the back room, still holding Hope in her arms.

Rebekah came back the laneway, still holding Hope. Elijah and I both stood.

'Well, she is all sorted and ready for an adventure,' Rebekah said. I noticed something was off, and it might have had something to do with the people in the back. I knew Elijah had gone back there, and he'd offered me some of the pickings from his slaughter fest, but I declined. 'Aren't you, love?' Rebekah added, placing the child in her cradle.

'It's difficult to believe we were all this innocent once,' Elijah said softly. He sighed. 'We musn't let the world ever hurt her.'

'You're right. We musn't,' Rebekah said softly, wrapping her arms on Elijah's shoulders. Reaching up, quick as a flash, she snapped Elijah's neck and he fell to the floor of the diner. I just simply stood there. Rebekah looked at me. 'I'm sorry.'

'No. It had to be done. Shall we?' I said. 'Get this little one to safety.'

'Where have you been?' Klaus said over the line.

'Nik, it's me,' Rebekah replied. 'Something's wrong. Elijah slaughtered a dozen people whose only sin was their terrible taste in food. I mean, when have you known him to kill when he can otherwise compel? It's the kind of act that will draw our mother's attention.'

'Her torture must have affected him more deeply than I realised. Where is he now?'

'I broke his neck to keep us safe, but I have no clue what to do next.'

'Where's Lilliana?' he asked over the line.

'I'm still awake and alive, Klaus,' I spoke up.

'Do you recall where we dined the Christmas after we fled Mikael?' Klaus asked.

'Of course,' she said.

'Take Lilliana and go there now,' he said.