𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧- 𝐄.𝐌

24. The Warning

Three days had passed since the night Caroline just barged into the lives of the Mikaelsons and took up residence in their home. Three days since the brothers started to contemplate if Maeve truly was as safe an option as they thought. After all, even with the responsibility of protecting their legacy she went to aid Caroline in a town that gave her more pain than her years on Earth combined.

Caroline sat on a chair in the dining area, with her legs outstretched on the table. She nursed her fifteenth glass of bourbon of the day enjoying the free feeling that came with no humanity.

"That is a vintage table. Do you mind not ruining it with your feet up, on it?" pleaded Elijah, although with a cold and stern voice.

Caroline gave him a side eye and immediately brought them down. "Is this okay?" she asked.

"Yes. Thank you."

Caroline watched Elijah take a seat across from her and pour a glass for himself as well. "It's been three days and yet you haven't asked me about Maeve."

"Why should I? Clearly she doesn't want me to know about her, what she's been up to. She's living the life she thinks is best without me meddling in. Let her be."

"You're hurt. It's so obvious."

Elijah shot her a quick angry look before he took a sip of the bourbon he poured for himself.

"She came to me because I called. I left her a voicemail asking if she could cure my mother's cancer. Clearly she could not. She stayed with me till after her funeral. She's the one who said I could turn it off."

That was a piece of new information that Elijah was curious to learn more about. "What did she do?"

Caroline began explaining what happened after the funeral.

"No Elena! She gets to have the choice. She gets to make that choice and we need to respect her choice. Of all people you should know what it feels like when your world burns and you don't know how to put out the fire. Let Caroline make that choice."

Caroline sniffled. "You agree, Maeve?"

Maeve made her way closer to Caroline. "On my terms and conditions. No drawing attention, no recklessness, no reckless feeding, no mishaps, nothing that would draw any form of recognition and attention. Caroline Forbes as she stands in front of me in this moment the logical, reasonable and rational lady remains with the absence of grief. Caroline Forbes will no longer feel grief but the rest of her self, including her empathy does not go away. And if any of my conditions are not met with, at any moment in the next year that you asked for, I will force emotions into you. Is that clear?"

Caroline hugged Maeve instead of answering her. "Thank you Maeve."

"She knew you would not be like other vampires."

"The promise I made her says so." mumbled Caroline with a disgruntled look.

Caroline weighed in again, "Why did she leave?"

"Because she doesn't want to burden us any more than she already has." Caroline dropped her head down causing her forehead to bang against the table.

"Believe me, we all had a similar reaction to it."

Caroline lifted her head up and inquired, "didn't she resolve whatever it was in therapy."

A dark mournful chuckle escaped Elijah's mouth involuntarily at her words. "Turns out she never went to therapy. She was practicing spells that do not require you to be a witch to perform."

"What the hell? Seriously?" Elijah hummed and nodded his head.

"There has to be more to the story." said Caroline.