Too young, too fragile (Klaus Mikaelson ff)

Chapter 12

The cold grass crunched under Elijah's feet as he stormed through the park searching for his little brother. Panic tightened his chest as worry for Niklaus consumed him. The moon cast an eerie glow over the sleeping city, but Elijah's mind was racing with fear. He knew Nik should have gotten home hours ago from his date, but he still waited a little more after he got home to start searching. He feared the worst.

His heart pounded as he stumbled upon a secluded area of the park. There, under the moonlit sky, he discovered Caroline and Niklaus, both peacefully sleeping on a blanket. Relief initially washed over him until he noticed the unnatural stillness of Niklaus. Fear surged as he rushed to his brother's side.

-Niklaus! - Elijah's voice trembled as he shook awake both him and the girl next to him, but there was no response from the boy. His hand instinctively moved to Niklaus's neck, desperately searching for a pulse. Panic set in as Elijah's worst fears seemed to materialize. Caroline was already crying next to them.

Frantically, he reached for his phone, dialing the emergency number. The dispatcher guided him through chest compressions, and Elijah's desperation echoed through the silent park. In the tense moments that followed, the distant wail of sirens pierced the night as the paramedics rushed to the scene.

-Oh my God! I knew it's a bad idea! It's all my fault. I'm so sorry, please Klaus wake up! You have to wake up! - she cried

Elijah's eyes remained fixed on Niklaus, his hands trembling as he continued the compressions. When the paramedics arrived, they took over, allowing Elijah to deal with Caroline's feelings. They watched, their heart in their throat, as they worked tirelessly to revive Niklaus.

After what felt like an eternity, there was a gasp, a flicker of movement from Niklaus. Relief washed over Elijah as he saw his brother take a shaky breath. Caroline let out a loud sigh hugging Elijah a little. The paramedics stabilized Niklaus and quickly loaded him into the ambulance.

They couldn't both accompany him so Elijah decided to take Caroline home before going to the hospital, this way he had the opportunity to gather some stuff for him and arrange childcare for the night.

The car ride was silent, Caroline said sorry once again when she left the car and thanked Elijah for taking her home, Mystic Falls wasn't exactly near to them but the noble man drove the three hours in just half.

In the emergency room, the medical team continued their efforts to understand what had caused this sudden and frightening episode. Elijah paced anxiously, his concern etched on his face.

As the night wore on, the doctors managed to stabilize Niklaus. Elijah, exhausted and emotionally drained, found solace in the knowledge that his brother was alive.

-Doctor! - Elijah approached the leaving woman - Do we know anything yet?

-He had hypothermia when he was taken in, we gave him warm blankets and warmed up IV fluids. I was contemplating ECMO but he gained back consciousness thankfully before we took such measures. He is on oxygen now and we gave him antipyretics because he spiked a fever, just to make sure he beats it.

-Jesus Christ... Thank you Doctor! Can I go and see him?

-He expressed he doesn't wish to have any visitors for now. You can ask the nurses later if it had changed Mr. Mikaelson.

-Thank you

-It's my job. Have a nice day

-You too

Elijah nodded, gratitude and weariness evident in his expression, and he made his way to the waiting area. He decided to give Niklaus some time to recover before attempting to see him. In the quiet of the hospital, he replayed the events of the night in his mind, reflecting on the fragility of life.