Waves • The Originals [2]

SEVEN

|07.| POISONOUS

IN THE TIME BEING WITH ELIJAH'S RETURN BACK HOME Klaus tries his best to receive his older brother's forgiveness, but Elijah refuses to be blinded by the hybrid's offers. The two brothers sit in the living room opposite of each other, reading their own books to themselves while listening to classical music. Rebekah walks inside to see them quietly reading with a dead girl lying on the coffee table, her blood dripping onto the carpet.

"So, this is what you do the first time we're back together as a family—Vampire book club?" Rebekah asks in disbelief.

"Reading edifies the mind, sister. Isn't that right, Elijah?" Klaus asks as he continues reading.

"Yes, that's quite right, Niklaus," Elijah agrees without removing his eyes from the text.

"And what's this business?" Rebekah asks, looking at the dead girl on the table.

"This is a..." Elijah gestures as though he's searching for a word. "...peace offering.

"I presumed, after so much time desiccating in a coffin, that my big brother might be a bit peckish," Klaus states.

"And I explained to my little brother that forgiveness cannot be bought. I'd simply prefer to see a change in behavior that indicates contrition and personal growth," Elijah grows annoyed with the little brother and Klaus rolls his eyes. "Not this nonsense."

"Well, I couldn't very well let her go to waste, could I?" Klaus smugly smiles.

"Well, I suppose I'll go fetch the rubbish bin, because she's staining a two hundred-year-old carpet," Rebekah says, annoyed that they didn't bother to clean it up in the first place.

"Ah, yes," Elijah looks up at the dead girl, who's blood continues to drip onto the carpet.

Rebekah leaves the room to fetch the trash can as she said she would while the two brothers go back to reading. Klaus removes his eyes off his book to see Cora walking out from the other room to walk into the kitchen with a hand rested on her pregnant belly. A smile forms on his lips and he looks at Elijah who has his eyes on Hayley who followed Cora inside the kitchen. Klaus watches his brother stand up, setting the grimoire down and following the girls inside.

The pregnant girl stands at the counter helping herself to a bowl of ice cream for breakfast while Hayley searches the refrigerator for milk. Elijah leans against the doorframe of the doorway and smiles at the wolf.

"Good morning, girls," Elijah smiles and Hayley looks at him, returning the gesture.

"Hey," she smiles while Cora slightly waves at him, continuing to scoop out ice cream.

"Listen, I know me and Cora are the only ones in this house that actually drinks milk, but would it kill any of you to make sure it's on the grocery list?" Hayley asks right as Rebekah walks through the back door dragging a trash can.