Bellatrix Mikaelson (The Originals S1)

Chapter 26

THE ABATTOIR
[Marcel and his vampires crowd around Klaus, who stands in the middle of the circle and spreads his arms.]
Klaus: Let's end this charade, shall we? Vampires of New Orleans! Do recall that I am an Original. A hybrid. I cannot be killed. Eternity is an awfully long time. How long, do you think, Marcel will stay in power? What if one of you lot were to release me, knowing I will be eternally in your debt? Oh, I would pity those of you who dared to cross me. I can assure you, your ends would be spectacular. To borrow a trick from an old friend-- [He reaches out his hand, which holds a large gold coin]-- Whoever picks up this coin gets to live. [He drops the coin on the floor in front of him] Now, which of you magnificent bastards wants to join me?
Marcel: Anyone wants that coin, pledge allegiance to Klaus. Take it now. Go ahead. The choice is yours. [No one moves, except for Klaus, who is slightly astonished that no one picks up the coin. Marcel looks at him, proud of the loyalty his minions show.]
"They are really loyal." Said Layla impressed. Marcel nodded proudly.
Marcel: Take him. [Some of the vampires lunge for Klaus, but he easily takes them out. However, when Klaus stretches his arms wide on either side, two other vampires wrap his wrists in chains and bind him. They look triumphant for a moment, but Klaus' hybrid face comes out, and he growls deeply before breaking through his bonds and viciously biting and killing every vampire who comes at him.]
"Woohooo! Go, Nik/Klaus! Tear them apart!" Cheered Bella and Layla. Klaus smiled at them, Marcel glared.
Klaus: [yells] Marcel! Come and finish this! [Marcel desperately rushes toward Klaus, but one of his man holds him back.]
Marcel: [shocked] What?
Man: He will kill you too. He will kill everyone. We should back down! [Marcel considers this for a long moment before lunging forward.]
Marcel: Enough! [Suddenly, the room falls absolutely silent, and the fighting stops. Marcel picks up the coin off the ground and holds it up.]
Klaus: [amused] Well, well, well. The great Marcel, self-proclaimed king of New Orleans, bowing before me. [Marcel throws the coin at Klaus' feet.]
Marcel: There. I hereby pledge my allegiance to you. You have the keys to my kingdom. It's yours. [Klaus smiles gleefully.]
"That's what happens when you don't listen to me, Marcellus." Said Bella. Marcel glared at her.
THE BAYOU
[It's dark now, and Hayley and Eve are sitting outside by a campfire.]
Eve: I'm sure you got questions.
Hayley: Only a thousands of them. Like who are you? Why are you following me? Where the hell is everyone? And, if the people in this book really are my family, what happened to them? 
Eve: I'm Eve. I'm following you because you brought an Original to Werewolf Country, which is pretty much the same reason why everybody else skedaddled. If you wanna know what happened to the people in that family tree, I'll sum it up nice and quick: Marcel happened.
Hayley: What did he do? 
Eve: He killed most of them. Later, the descendants of the ones who dodged death, he strong-armed a witch into putting a curse on them.
Hayley glared at Marcel.
Hayley: What kind of curse?
Eve: Swap nature around, inside out. Made it so their natural state is wolves. They only turn back human on the full moon. We're hunted by the marks we carry. That crescent moon birthmark-- that's why I got rid of mine. I didn't wanna get found up. [Suddenly, Elijah appears in front of the shack.]
Elijah: Good evening. Think I might have something which belongs to you. [He hands her the stake she used to stab him earlier.]
Hayley: Elijah, I've got this. Are you okay?
Elijah: The wound is healed, the fever is broken, but for some strange reason I have this sharp and lingering sensation in my back.
Hayley: [to Eve] I have to get him home. But I'll be back, okay? I need to know more.
Eve: Keep that mark covered up. [Eve leaves Hayley and Elijah and heads back into the encampments.]
Elijah: What happened? 
Hayley: I just met part of my family.
MIKAELSON MANSION
[Elijah and Hayley are sitting in Elijah's car in the driveway, not yet ready to return to the plantation house.]
Hayley: So, thanks for the ride.
Elijah: [smiles weakly] Quite the awkward little adventure, wouldn't you say? I'm sorry I tried to hurt you. I would never want that.
Hayley: Elijah, tell me what happened to Celeste.
Elijah: That's not important. 
Hayley: It is important. Thousand years of memories and that's what breaks through your fever brain? I wanna know. Show me! [Elijah reluctantly places his hand against Hayley's temple and opens his mind to her so she can see the memory.]
ELIJAH'S MEMORY
[Elijah rushes into the bathroom, where he finds Celeste underwater, sunk down to the bottom of the tub. Elijah desperately tries to save her by pulling her out of the water, but it's too late-- she's dead. Elijah begins to sob over her lifeless body.]
PRESENT DAY
Elijah: It was a cruel and bloody time to be a witch, courtesy of my wonderful brother.
Hayley: She died because of Klaus?
Elijah: She died because of me. Because I cared too deeply for her. I had allowed my brother to slip through my grasp. I loosened the reigns while Celeste consumed my every moment. I had abandoned him in the name of my own happiness. Celeste payed the price.
"You can't revolve your whole life around Nik. I know you love him and want to help him, so do i. But it doesn't mean you should stop living. You can care for someone, love and laugh, too, don't let Nik's tantrums tell you otherwise." Said Bella. Bella spelled Klaus's mouth shut before he would say something.
Hayley: [shakes her head in confusion] I don't get it. Why are we here? Why are you trying to put together your family when it's so clear that one part of it is broken? 
"Why did you kill hybrids when it was clear your parents were either dead or left you?" Said Bella. Hayley looked down.
Elijah: To me, the very definition of the word "broken" suggests that something can be fixed. I have a whole eternity to accomplish one single task: my brother's salvation. If I surrender this, then tell me-- what value would I be to my family? To myself? ...To your child? [Hayley gently places her hand on top of Elijah's and squeezes it, but though he savors the touch for a moment, he quickly jerks his hand away.]
Elijah: [shakes his head] Please, Hayley. You've seen what happens. [Elijah squeezes her hand one last time before he exits the car and heads toward the house.]
Bella glares at Klaus.
[Inside, Bella and Klaus have already returned, and Elijah enters the living room in the middle of their argument.]
Bella: Niklaus, don't you dare!
Klaus: [points the dagger at Elijah] Perhaps i should dagger you, brother! Stealing my child away with every fawning moment of tenderness you show to Hayley! 
Elijah: This has nothing to do with Hayley. 
Klaus: It has everything to do with her! She's adored you since she arrived. And now my child, my blood, will grow up to call you father!
Bella glared at everyone who dared to look in their way.
Elijah: Is that what it is? You are once again worried that you will be left behind? Has history taught you nothing? We don't abandon you, Niklaus, you drive us away!
Kol nodded.
Klaus: Is that so? What have I done lately, other than cooperate? I bow down to you, brother, to make up for daggering you. For the greater good of our plan to reclaim our home. Now, I make no excuse for past sins. But in the one moment when you could have chosen to stand by me-- to believe in me, to believe my intentions for my own child were pure-- you chose to stand against me, to side with my enemies. I wanted our home back. Now I have it. So, I'm going to live there. And you... you can stay here and rot. [He angrily shoves the dagger into Elijah's hands as he leaves the house. Elijah looks guilty. Outside, Klaus and Bell find Hayley sitting on the front steps and heads toward the car.]
Klaus: You're coming with me, little wolf.
Hayley: [scoffs] Why would I go  
anywhere with you?
Klaus: Because, Hayley, that child you carry is the only thing on this earth that matters to me. Now you can fight me on this, but you will lose. [He opens the door to the passenger's side of the car and waits for her to get in] As will anyone else who tries to stop you getting in this car. [Hayley sighs and reluctantly gets into the car.]