Howlin' For You

Chapter 20 - The Reckoning

Elijah and Rhiannon were walking, really almost jogging, through the town square and she was trying her best not to burst into tears, the sheer panic at the thought of losing him was absolutely overwhelming.

"Damn it!" Elijah muttered putting his phone back into the inside pocket of his coat. "Klaus is not picking up his phone. We have to find him."

"Didn't you say he went out with Kol? Maybe we should try Mystic Grill. Elijah wait!" Rhiannon said grabbing his hand, making him stop. He looked at her, confused but then saw her eyes were filled with tears. She didn't say a word, just hugged him fiercely letting a few strangled sobs escape. He hugged her back, stroking her hair muttering: "It's okay sweetheart. It's going to be okay." He whispered with and optimism he himself didn't feel. He felt a tear run down his face. He was absolutely terrified. He wasn't afraid of dying. He wasn't ready to leave her. He never would be.

"I love you," she whispered letting him go. He was about to place a chaste kiss on her forehead when he felt the all too familiar sting in his heart and started to slump to the ground. Confused he looked up to see Rhiannon's face, freaked out and crying hysterically.

"Elijah!!!" she screamed. "No, no, no, no, no, no..... NO!!! This can't be happening! Please!"

She just kneeled beside Elijah and sobbed hysterically. This couldn't be it, she thought. The moon isn't full yet. Just as she started to realize that, she saw Elijah wake up and come back to life. She hugged him so tight she was sure she'd squeeze his eyeballs out of his skull, and he reciprocated. "You scared the shit out of me," she muttered weakly.

"I'm sorry love," he whispered kissing her forehead lightly. "C'mon, we have to go."

***

"Leave him!" Elijah called out sternly from the top of the stairs. "We still need him Niklaus."

"What did mother do?" Klaus asked. "What did you do Elijah?"

Elijah went down, holding Rhiannon's hand in one hand, and his cell phone in another, saying: "You tell me where the witches are or I'll have my sister kill Elena right now."

"You told me he had until after nine!" Damon objected.

"Yea that was before you tried to screw us over again!" Rhiannon spat out venomously.

"That, and I'm sure Rebekah will be more than happy to start her work early," Elijah added viciously.

***

"My sons," Esther said calmly. "Come forward."

"Stay beside me," Finn muttered.

"It's okay. They can't enter," she retorted grabbing her eldest son's hand. Alright, bitch's batshit crazy, Rhiannon though to herself as she walked forward beside Elijah and his brothers. The plan was to stall her while Stefan and Damon took care of the witch problem. There was no way they would let Elena die, she said to herself reassuringly. It will be alright.

Kol tried to come closer but he couldn't get through the salt circle. "That's lovely. We're stuck out here while the favorite son plays sacrificial lamb. How pathetic you are Finn."

"Be quiet Kol," Esther rebuked. "Your brother knows virtue you cannot even imagine."

"Whatever you think of us, killing your own children would be an atrocity." Elijah said in a voice so cold it made chills run down Rhiannon's spine making her hope she would never be at a receiving end of his cold hard glare.

"My only regret is that I did not let you die thousand years ago," Esther retorted.

"Enough," Klaus cut in with his typical bravado. "All this talk is boring me. End this now mother, or I'll send you back to hell."