Lost Boy // The Originals

// chapter four //

I sat above the wet grass that was laid beyond on the chapel along the slow flowing river. Winter had passed and now the sun set off gently heated rays throughout the city. Trees came back to life and the colors of nature had returned. We had been searching for Elijah for months, yet we still knew nothing. All that we did know was that he had been kidnapped by a group of highly skilled witches. Niklaus had angered them.

He killed one of their leaders and they were out to get revenge. So in return, Elijah was taken in the dead of night. Nothing more than that was known. No supernatural being in London or the surrounding areas knew where any of the witches had gone. None of them had said a word before leaving. I had to give them much credit as they didn't leave a trail of breadcrumbs behind them. These witches were thorough and because of that they were dangerous.

I stretched black ink against thick paper as I held my leather journal in my hands. It had been 99 days since I abandoned my group on the mountain and every day since, I thought about them. My heart squeezed terribly in my chest when I thought about Stella. The way that I had left her. The way that I hadn't told her what I felt for her. I hated myself for all of it.

"Hello," Rebekah said as she approached me. I didn't bother to raise my eyes to look at her. Instead, I slapped my journal pages together and placed my pen in the pocket of my trousers. I huffed out warm spring air and gazed over to the sight of the river running south. A beautiful young woman walked alongside the river, her long hazelnut hair running along her spine and the tight corset that clutched onto her ribs.

"She's beautiful isn't she?" Rebekah questioned as she kneeled beside me. Rebekah's eyes stayed on the young woman, giving her a brief wave before looking back to me. The woman made me miss Stella. I drew my lips into a straight line and finally glared over towards Rebekah. She met me with a raised eyebrow and scowl. "Don't do that, Alexander," she muttered beneath her breath.

"Do what exactly?" I questioned with a slight shrug of my shoulders. "Be upset with me," Rebekah whined as she ran her fingers along the top of my hand which was placed upon my bent knee. I rubbed my lips together and turned away from her, wanting to ignore her. Wanting to ignore all of it. I was nearly ready to pick up and find my group. Surely they had found their way to the other side of the mountain by now.

"Alexander," Rebekah quipped as she squeezed my hand in hers. I allowed the salty saliva in my mouth to glide down my dry throat as my eyes shifted again. She gave me a quick smile as she stood back up, offering her hand to me. I sighed loudly as I placed my hand in hers, pushing my body up from the damp ground. I could feel the stains from the wet grass drying onto my trousers as I brushed the backside of my bum off. "Do you need any help with that?" Rebekah flirted as she watched me wipe my palms against my backside.

I tilted my head to one side, sudden embarrassment coursing through me. "No," I stated simply, "I think I'm fine." I placed my journal under my armpit as her and I began to walk alongside the river. The young woman that was along the river was now all the way down the river, her outline drifted further and further away from us. I shifted my shoulders unsteadily as the silence between Rebekah and I grew to an uncomfortable place.

"We will find him, Alexander," Rebekah said, interrupting the silence. I nodded to myself as my thoughts drifted off to him again. I had been thinking of him a lot recently. The memories that I had with him gnawed at me more and more as time went on. My brain ran loose with my fear as images of a dead Elijah were thrown at me throughout nightmares. I couldn't bare the thought of him being dead. It was because of him that I was alive. It was because of him that I knew all that I knew. I owe him my life.

"I hope so," I muttered, my voice not convincing. Rebekah stopped in her tracks as she placed an arm firmly against my chest. I rolled my eyes at her before she could say anything. "We will," she said confidently as she removed her arm. "You know," I began as I returned to walking along the brick path before us, "I'm not a little boy anymore Rebekah...."

A loud drawn out laugh escaped from Rebekah as she placed her palms against her mouth. I stopped again to look over at her, confused by what she had found funny. She continued to shake her head as she gathered herself again. "I'm sorry," she laughed through her palms, "it's just- it's just that I know that you're not a little boy, Alexander."

The two of us continued to walk, making our way deeper into the city. "In fact," Rebekah continued, "I do believed that I have attempted flirting with you a few times." An embarrassed smile was drawn upon my face as we stepped over a filthy beggar in the streets. I placed a gentle palm on Rebekah's lower back as I guided her over him. Sometimes I forgot that she was a vampire and could fend for herself. It was just my automatic reaction that I caught myself in sometimes.

"Yes," I coughed as I looked back at the beggar who coughed as if he were minutes from death, "I have noticed." I could feel my face reddening as I looked away from her, trying to get something to catch my attention like the beggar had before. "And?" Rebekah asked as she expected some sort of other reaction from me. "And what?" I laughed with a shrug.

"Well," Rebekah smiled, "you haven't been very good at flirting back." I furrowed my eyebrows and opened my mouth in near disbelief. "What do you expect, Rebekah?" I laughed in confusion, "You're like my aunt. It feels wrong." Now it's Rebekah who furrowed her eyebrows and mouth in response.
"Stop it!" She muttered as she playfully slapped my shoulder, "I am not an aunt, I guarantee you that. I've never held a child to my breasts and I never will...."

I couldn't help but nearly dive into a fit of laughter, shaking my head along with every laugh. "What?" Rebekah asked as we passed a few markets. I stopped on the corner of the row as I stopped laughing and grew serious. Rebekah stood next to me, her arms tightly placed against her chest. "It's just-" I muttered with a shake of my head, "it's just- now  you want me at your breasts?"

I watched as Rebekah's face turned from serious back into a laughing fit. "Alexander!" She groaned as she began to walk away from me. I laughed along with her as I walked a few feet behind her. "Y'know," she began as she nodded towards a few gentlemen that she passed, "a young man shouldn't speak to a lady in that manner, it's rude." I curled my lips into a subtle smile as I followed after her. "Yes well," I shrugged, "not every lady deserves manner."

Before I could say much else I felt a hand snatch me from behind and pull me into a filthy alley. I was immediately pushed to the ground as a cloud of dirt rose above me. I groaned a bit before staring up at a familiar face. Then I groaned again. "Niklaus," I spat as I rose gently. "If you were a vampire," Niklaus smiled, "you would've seen that coming."

"What in the hell are you doing?" Rebekah shouted as she joined us in the darkening alley. Niklaus turned his eyes from me to Rebekah, the same smile plastered across his devilish face. "I have news," he smiled, "good news." Rebekah furrowed her eyebrows. "What are you talking about?" She asked.

I listened as I could taste blood resting on my tongue. I placed my fingers at the tip of my tongue as I winced in pain. I had bitten my tongue when I hit the ground and now blood was beginning to spread along my tongue. "It's Elijah," Niklaus announced, "I have new information on the witches that took him and it's surely helpful."

The pain suddenly subsided with the mention of Elijah's name. "You know where he is?" I asked, stepping towards Niklaus. "No," Niklaus stated simply, "but it may lead to where he is." Rebekah allowed a brief squeal to be released from her as she jumped towards Niklaus, wrapping her arms around him. "I knew it!" She shouted, "I just told Alexander that we would find him! Didn't I Alexander?"

"Yes," I smiled as relief washed over me, "you did." She smiled again before tugging Niklaus out of the alley, walking towards our family home on the outskirts of London. I stood behind, watching them as they turned the corner and disappeared. We were well on our way to finding him. Perhaps he would be home in a few days, maybe even less.

I felt a smile tugging at my lips as I allowed for it to take over. I was happy. For the first time in months, I knew what happiness felt like again. A roar of thunder took over the grey sky as multiple streaks of lightning lit up the darkening city. In a matter of seconds, rain was pouring from the sky as if it hadn't rained in years. Immediately people began to dash out of the streets and into the safety of the buildings that lined the streets.

But me, I stood in that alley for nearly an hour. I stood there, allowing the rain to soak every inch of my body. There were a few moments where I wished that the rain would cause a flood that would lead me right back to my group. Right back to Stella. Right back to my father, Elijah.