𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧- 𝐄.𝐌

35. Don't think the worst of yourself

The room was dimly lit, with a soft glow emanating from a solitary lamplight in the corner and the burning fire in the fireplace. Ezekiel stood frozen in the doorway, his heart pounding in his chest as he witnessed a sight that was a nightmare he feared since that morning.

Elijah walked into the room carrying Maeve lifeless in his arms, her pale face etched with an expression of eternal peace. Her once vibrant spirit extinguished, leaving behind only a hollow shell. Ezekiel's gaze locked onto Elijah's face, searching for any sign of explanation or solace. But the young man's eyes were vacant. With every step he took towards the living room, his shoulders sagged under the weight of the tragedy that had befallen them.

Elijah gently laid Maeve's lifeless body on the couch, her limbs arranged with delicate care. As he straightened, his eyes met Ezekiel's, and for a fleeting moment, the weight of their shared loss hung heavy in the air. No words were exchanged, for none could adequately convey the depth of their sorrow.

"She's not..." Ezekiel croaked. The crushing weight of everything overwhelmed him. His knees wobbled under that weight and he dropped to his knees by the couch. His hands trembled on his lap.

"She'll wake up. She's Maeve!" Said Ezekiel, his tears rolling down his cheeks. "She has to. She can't be gone so soon." his voice wavered. Ezekiel felt a lump in his throat. "I just got her. She can't leave me so soon."

Klaus entered the room after him. His face was hung and colorless. His eyes fell on the couch. Elijah stood near the fireplace but Ezekiel had taken a seat on the armchair, burying his face in the palms of his hands.

Caroline tottered in right after Klaus. She immediately went to the couch where Maeve laid. Caroline stood frozen in place unable to move or even made a single sound. She pressed her hands to her mouth and closed her eyes. Now, she believed with everything seemingly going back the way it was, she believed Maeve and her could become friends like they were before. But tragedy strikes at the least expected time and she hated the unfairness of it.

"She thought she would be a burden to us." Elijah told Klaus a heavy heart. He glanced at Maeve and then at his brother. "So she decided to not tell us about it."

"What are you talking about?" Klaus asked Elijah. He looked at his brother and then to Ezekiel. Elijah licked his lips before he explained about the Prophecy that spoke of Maeve's death.

Klaus didn't say anything. Words had left him. In hesitation he looked at Maeve. Klaus had just lost his best friend at the hands of his mother. He could have done something to help her but he couldn't. He hated that he just stayed oblivious to it. Klaus's gaze shifted towards the lifeless body lying peacefully before him. His friend's face was etched with a serene expression, as if she was merely sleeping.

Klaus couldn't help but be reminded of the countless memories they had shared in the short span of time. How she stood up for him even when she was in the hands of a man after her life. He was reminded of how she understood him without him having to explain anything to her.

"The Gilbert boy did say her eyes were red and golden." Klaus shared with them. His tears welled up but he hid them well by looking away from Ezekiel and Elijah.

The prophecy had come true. Why wouldn't it? Maeve had given up. She accepted her fate and death.

For Elijah, the room felt suffocatingly silent as Elijah's breath caught in his throat. He couldn't tear his eyes away from her. Memories of their time together played like a film reel in Elijah's mind. He remembered their first meeting. The way Maeve's laughter had filled the air, and her infectious smile that had warmed his cold heart. At the time, he had dismissed these feelings as mere curiosity, nothing more. How she had managed to befriend everyone in his family and of course, helped them immensely.