She's Ours (Klaroline)

Epilogue

A few years later

It took years of searching to find the spell that cursed Aliyah. Being 18 now she could no longer hear any of her family members, accidentally telling them she loved them. She was so grateful that they had all willingly learned sign for her so they could communicate smoothly.

She did feel strange sometimes, sitting in a room surrounded by her family. She could hear the sounds of New Orleans around them, the jazz, the people, but right in front of her it was like watching a show on mute. She could see them laughing and their lips moving, but she couldn't hear it.

It never bothered her when she was younger, not really seeing the curse for what it was. The older she got the more she understood, the loneliness of never hearing the ones you love. She remembered their voices, but the ache she felt knowing she'd never hear them again made her want the curse broken.

Aliyah spent a lot of her days quietly painting with her father and sister. Klaus made sure to spend at least an hour of his day with them uninterrupted. They chose to paint. Klaus never thought he'd have a child to share his talents and hobbies with, let alone two of his children. Sometimes when he wasn't feeling particularly creative he would just watch his daughters paint.

Klaus made sure to spend an hour with Emmalee as well. They would take a walk, she enjoyed being outside. Didn't matter the weather, except during hurricane season. They learned that the hard way when they didn't even make it out of the compound doors because of the wind. She would also ask about things that happened through history.

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Elijah and Hayley quietly got married in front of their family. Hope was proud of her mom for doing what made her happy. She knew uncle Elijah would take care of her.  She smiled as she watched them dance together.

The whole family spent the night dancing and laughing together. The next morning they would be trying to break Aliyah's curse.

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Before the family gathered Aliyah found her aunt Freya getting set up. She greeted her aunt with a smile as she sat at the table and watched her set out ingredients.

Freya smiled at her niece and kissed the top of her head, "Did you get any sleep?" Aliyah nodded and Freya gave a small nod, "Good." She could tell Aliyah was deep in thought as her eyes shifted quickly, "What's wrong?"

"I want to ask you to do something for me." Freya's face dropped for a moment, "What is it?" Aliyah turned to her and chewed on her cheeks, "If the spell doesn't work, I want you to make me fully deaf. I would rather hear nothing, than hear everything and none of you."

Freya gasped and squatted as she took her niece's hands for a moment. She kissed the backs of them, "You would give it all up? Music, nature, movies?" She nodded, "Yes, please auntie. I can't do this. It's so lonely, hearing everything except those I love most. I understand what this curse is now, and I don't want to keep living like this."

Freya kissed her forehead and wrapped her arms around her and hugged her tight. Caroline and Klaus stood above them on the mezzanine, listening with frowns on their faces. They looked at each other and had a silent conversation with their eyes.

Once everything was ready, Aliyah hugged her parents before climbing onto the table and laid down. She shifted around to try and get herself to relax. She watched Freya sign to her that she was going to start and that she could close her eyes. She nodded and took a deep breath as she let her eyes close.

Freya nodded at everyone as she took hands with Davina. They started to chant as a gust of wind blew through the room. Their chanting got louder  as Aliyah's hands flew up and gripped her head. She screamed as it felt like a hot poker was being drug through her brain.

Caroline and Klaus held her down when Freya told them to. Emmalee and Hope held onto each other as they watched Aliyah writhe on the table, "Is this supposed to happen??!" Caroline looked at them and frowned, "It's okay girls, she'll be okay."

When the spell finally broke the searing in Aliyah's skull ebbed as she sagged down and let out a pained groan. No one spoke for a minute as she recovered. Her eyes opened slowly to see the worried faces of her parents.

Caroline pushed hair out of her eyes and tucked it behind her ear as she gazed over her daughter's face, "Aliyah? Are you okay, baby?"

Tears couldn't be stopped as Aliyah stared at her mom, "Mommy? I... I- I can hear you..." She sat up quickly as Caroline wrapped her arms around her and rocked her, "Oh my baby, my baby. We did it."

Aliyah cried in her arms, she had wished for nothing more than to be able to hear her mom's voice and she finally could. She wiped her eyes as she looked at Klaus's tear filled eyes, "Hi dad..."

He smiled and held an arm out, "Hello, sweetheart..." She hugged him and giggled, she knew he had an accent like her aunts and uncles did, but to actually hear it was another thing. Soon the three parted and Aliyah hugged her aunts tightly, "You did it!!"

Davina and Freya hugged her and laughed as they wiped their eyes. Aliyah was no longer going to have to hear a voice fade from her hearing after telling someone she loved them.

Aliyah turned to her sisters and Emmalee smiled bright as tears fell down her cheeks, "Hi, Ali..." Aliyah ran to her and they hugged tightly and laughed like they were small children again. Aliyah gave Hope a hug and looked around at her family.

Caroline leaned into Klaus's embrace as she looked at him, "Our baby's curse is finally broken." He smiled as he watched everyone start to take their seats and talk before breakfast, "Never again will I let any affliction fall upon her. Nor you, Caroline." She smiled and leaned up, kissing him.

Forever was an awfully long time, but all they had was time.