Evoke

Chapter Fourteen

Mystic Falls
March 31st, 2010

"I'm sorry, Katherine, there's nothing I can do," I sighed. I had been in the tomb underneath Fell's church not even five minutes. Katherine was ... irritated, to say the least. I did feel for her, but I also couldn't help but feel like it was partly her fault. I had come down here because my house was currently occupied by a vampire dying from a werewolf bite - it reminded me very painfully of something that I would rather forget. I would have spent time with Stefan but he seemed to be on a mission to do something, so I left it all alone and decided to come and see Katherine to kill time before I was due to meet Elijah.
Katherine glared at me. "It's your fault I'm in here, you should get me out."
"You forgave me for that," I pointed out. "I still don't understand why you can't just walk out anyway. Stefan did."
"I was compelled to stay here," Katherine glowered. "I would have followed Stefan if I wasn't."
Feigning my ignorance, I scowled. "How were you compelled?"
Katherine rolled her eyes. "You've not heard of the Originals?"
"There's an Original in Mystic Falls?" I gasped, employing all of my acting skills - I couldn't afford anyone to have suspicions.
"Yes, Nella," Katherine said testily. "Elijah compelled me to stay here."
"Why?"
"... I have history with them."
Of course, I knew that, but Katherine didn't know I was told. "And why do you think I'll be able to get you out?"
Katherine pursed her lips. "You're the only person who would try."
"That says more about you than me."
"Are you going to help me or not?"
"No! I can't just walk up to someone and say 'hey, you know the girl you compelled to stay in a creepy underground tomb? Do you mind letting her out for me?' can I?!"
Katherine scowled again. "When I get out I'm defriending you."
"Why wait?" I grinned, knowing that she wouldn't.
"I'm giving you time to redeem yourself," Katherine replied, before she lent against the wall and slipped down, so she was sat on the floor. "Can I tell you something, Nella?"
"Of course," I said, sitting down opposite her.
"And you won't tell anyone else?"
"Not if you don't ant me to."
She hesitated, biting her lip. "I'm scared."
"What of, sweetie?" My natural empathy came to the surface and I was concerned for Katherine suddenly. The look on her face was making me feel so sorry for her.
"I've been running from Klaus and Elijah for close to 500 years. I managed to evade them for so long," She whispered, a faraway look in her eye as she stared just past me. "I can't even dream of what's going to happen to me now. Klaus has already murdered my whole family - he'll make my death the worst."
"You're not going to die, Katherine," I said gently. I reached forward and took her hand, grateful the spell had been lifted on the tomb. "I won't let that happen to you."
She looked at me wildly. "He'll kill you too."
"He won't kill you or me," I replied. "You'll be fine."
"How can you guarantee that, Nella?!" Katherine exclaimed. "You don't know what .... you don't-"
"Katherine," I interrupted her mumbling. "Stop. Just because you're stuck here right now does not mean this is the end. As you said, you've been running for 500 years. This isn't going to stop you."
She sighed. "I wish I could believe you, Nella."
"I wish you would too, sweetie."

"You have to let Katherine out."
"No. Absolutely not."
I scowled at my husband. "Why not?"
Elijah and I had met up by the river once again. We had discussed Elena's deal with him, which had naturally led to me thanking him for letting Stefan out and then asking him about Katherine. Clearly, though, he thought I was asking too much as he gave me a look that made it very clear that I was stepping over the line. "You know why, Nella."
"But she's my friend, Elijah."
His jaw clenched. "This is nothing to do with you."
"It's everything to do with me! I'm not having you keep her there for Klaus to come along and kill her!"
"Leave it be, Nella. What will happen will happen. There is nothing you can do about it and you will not try and change things."
"Since when did you try and dictate what I do?" I glared. This wasn't like him - and I really didn't like it.
"Since you started to act recklessly," Elijah replied and I took a step back. "Since you came back here."
"You think I'm being reckless?" I frowned. "And you think it has something to do with being here?"
I'm not going to lie, that hurt. I thought I was acting as responsibly as I could - to have my husband of all people claiming that I was being reckless didn't feel good at all.
"I think that this conversation needs to end."
"No - no way! You can't just say something like that and expect me to drop it, Elijah. I'm not some passive object for you to boss about like you're trying to."
"I'm not-" Elijah stopped himself, sighing. "I'm sorry, Nella."
I pouted - he was going to make me feel dreadful for snapping at him, I just know it. And I'll forgive him because I love him so much and Katherine's still going to be stuck.
"I'm sorry," Elijah repeated. "With everything that's going on, I'm barely managing to keep myself safe. I'm worried about you and I - I can't stand not knowing what you're doing and not being by your side."
I felt all hint of sourness melt from my face and I stepped forward again, taking Elijah's hand as he carried on. "I feel that I'm not doing everything I can for you and I fear that you're not safe. Your brothers are so occupied with other things and I'm occupied trying to keep my brother away. I fear you - and your safety - are being neglected and I'm just trying to make up for that. I feel I've a lot to make up for."
"You haven't," I sighed. "You've not got to make up for anything. I can take care of myself."
"I know you can, darling," Elijah sighed, running his thumb across my cheek. "But that doesn't stop my worrying for you."
"If it's any consolation, I worry about you terribly," I said, half-smiling. "I just want all of this to be over."
"So do I," Elijah murmured, pulling me into a hug, smoothing over my hair. "It'll work out, Nella."
"Hopefully," I sighed. I relaxed into Elijah's arms and let him hold me for a while. It was mad - everything that we've been through together and something as simple as not being with each other all the time has thrown us completely off-kilter. We'd never spent more than a day apart - and now we were only getting a few hours at most together in a time where we probably needed each other much more than either of us were admitting.
"I'm sorry," Elijah murmured as he kissed my hair. "I have to leave."
I looked up at him, a small frown on my face. "Where?"
"Richmond," Elijah said.
"How long will you be gone?" I asked.
"I hope to be back the day after tomorrow," Elijah smiled, before his eyes seemed to light up and a smile replaced the frown. "Would you like to come with me?"
I beamed. "Of course I would."
He kissed my temple. "Go and pack some clothes. I'll pick you up in fifteen minutes."

Elijah and I were halfway to Richmond when I got my first text from Damon. 'Where are you Nella?'
I neglected to answer it just now - Elijah and I were talking and it would be incredibly rude if I just started texting Damon, and I didn't know what to tell my brother. I didn't feel the truth would wash too well with him.
But after my phone went off another six times, Elijah sighed and told me to answer Damon before he threw the phone out of the window.
'I can't find you anywhere'
'Are you with Stefan? He's not answering his phone either'
'NELLA'
'Where the hell are you?!'
'Stefan doesn't know where you are either. I'm worried now'
'Seriously Nella answer your phone'
I sighed. "What do I tell him?"
"Anything but the truth," Elijah said.
"Helpful," I muttered and Elijah laughed.
"Just tell him you'll be out of town for a couple of days. If he questions you I'll be more than happy-"
"Elijah," I cut across. "He might be annoying but he's still my brother."
'Sorry, D. Gonna be out of town for a couple of days. No need to worry. Love you and I'll see you soon. Tell Stefan I'm thinking of him & love him too'
"That should do it," I muttered, throwing my phone back into my bag after putting it on silent. I turned back to Elijah. "What are we doing in Richmond anyway? I never thought we had any links here."
"We don't," Elijah responded. "But Niklaus does."
"Oh."
"Don't worry, darling," Elijah said, taking one hand off the wheel and reaching for my hand. "Klaus won't be there himself. I wouldn't have asked you to come if I believed it was going to be dangerous."
"What's happening then?"
"We're meeting someone this evening, who is a contact of Klaus' link. If everything goes well - meaning that he doesn't end up dead - we'll be taken to Klaus' link tomorrow."
"And the day after?"
"Overflow," Elijah responded. "Just in case."
"But no Klaus?"
"There's no need to be scared of him, Nella. He may be vindictive and unpleasant, but I would never let him hurt you in any way."
"I know," I murmured. "I'm fearful that he will blame me for you and him being separate for the last ninety years. And I know how he gets when people try to break his family apart. Look what happened to 'Bekah the last time she fell in love."
"Niklaus had fifty years, Nella, and he tried only once to kill you. He may have murdered every one of our sister's loves, but he knows you're my wife. He wouldn't be that stupid," Elijah said, though as he spoke, his voice sounded less and less confident.
And because of that slight panic, I found myself repeating Katherine's words that were inspired by fear of Klaus. "I wish I could believe you. Elijah. I really do."