The Jewel of the New Orleans ⚜ The Originals

Chapter 22: Into the Valley of Graves

With great difficulty, Colette was able to do a locator spell and found out where Klaus had run off to: St. Anne's. With any luck, Hayley would be there too and they could all go home.

Elijah tried to make her stay behind, but there was no way Colette was going. She had promised Hayley she would protect her and her baby., and there was no way she was going to back out on her promise now. So she leaned heavily into Elijah's side as he rushed them to the church.

They pushed open the doors as the lamps outside illuminated the room through the stained glass. They screamed out their names, Elijah calling for Hayley, Colette for Klaus. The pair were at the steps of the altar, Klaus cradling Hayley in his arms. Colette let out a choked cry as Elijah stumbled them both there.

Colette went down to Hayley's side first. She pushed back the still damp hair from Hayley's face. It was hard to picture her as just sleeping with the deep cut on her neck and her blood pooled down her chest. Elijah knelt down next to her as Colette looked up at Klaus. He looked worse for wear but thankfully he was alive.

She reached for him, cupping his chin so she could make him look at her. The look in those blue eyes broke her heart further. He may not have admitted it but he had cared for Hayley. His voice was numb, "She's gone."

Elijah collapsed by her side, silent tears coming down his face.

She felt Klaus' hand on her, tilting her head to the side, his eyes widening as he surveyed the multiple werewolf bites that covered her body. He looked to see Elijah had similar marks on his neck as well. "You've been bitten. Here."

He bit down on his free wrist, his other arm holding Hayley up. He held out to Elijah first, who took it quickly after he was momentarily stunned by the gesture. When he was done, Klaus offered himself to Colette.

"Klaus..."

"Colette, please," he begged her. She gingerly took hold of his wrist. This felt different than the last time. There was no ulterior motive behind the gesture. Just a plea for her not to give up. Not to give in. To keep fighting.

It took them all a moment to process everything, the two parties quickly exchanging their stories. About the Guerreras and the wolf bites to Hayley's final moments and the witches' plan to sacrifice the baby. Elijah took Hayley from Klaus' arms and placed her on the table at the sacristy behind them as Colette sat next to Klaus on the steps leading to it. She wanted to reach out to him and take his hand, Elijah's too.

"How?" Elijah asked him.

Klaus' voice was numb as he answered, "I was bested."

"You were bested," Elijah's voice shook in a quiet rage. He went down the steps and turned to face Klaus. "You were BESTED?"

Colette jumped as Elijah's voice echoed, Klaus looking like a scared child at the sound of his brother's anger. She got up and went between the brothers. Colette forced Elijah to look down at her as she invaded his space. "He said that they took the baby, that they plan to sacrifice her. We can save her. But we have to work together and we have to go now. Do you understand?"

She waited until both of them gave her a nod before she started for the door with the Mikaelson brother on either side.

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They rushed through the dark cemetery with one singular goal: find the baby. Only problem was there seemed to be nothing. Elijah was frantic as he looked over his surroundings. "The tombs are empty, the grounds are deserted, she's NOT HERE!"