Severed Heaven (Niklaus and Elijah Mikaelson)

Chapter Two: Before Lightning Struck

Present day, New Orleans

     At Elijah's eager request, I now found myself within the devil's reach. I'd shown up at the compound this very evening, determined to discuss on how to bring Rebekah to safety. I looked over the beautiful city as I stood dreamily on one of the many balconies, uncertain when I could expect either Elijah again, or Freya, or perhaps even Niklaus.

My heart jumped at the thought of him. Despite all of the time-worn admissions to myself about what I once wanted from him, and how I'd wanted it, there were still plenty of corners I wished to avoid that mainly included him. Yes, I wanted to help an old friend that still mattered to me, but I wasn't very keen on facing her brother. Neither had I been pleased about seeing Elijah's face again. I preferably wanted nothing to do with any of them, and I wished I could avoid them as I'd done all these past years, yet somehow I managed to stumble right back into their lives. I'd broken my own promise to myself, because I'd once sworn to leave them behind in the past. Now I wondered where it had gone wrong.

During these kind of thoughts, I never expected to be interrupted so suddenly. "It's good to see you again, Elizabeth." It was him— Niklaus. I remembered his voice all too well, and it was almost soothing, euphoric, nostalgic. I turned around in a flash, and looked back at him with bewilderment, entirely dazed by his sudden appearance. As I didn't know what to say, I just stood there. "Speechless, I see?" He added to his greeting, slowly approaching me with his hands safely behind his back.

His smirk was evident, but it briefly changed to a soft smile when he studied me carefully. I was no longer the girl in the long dresses with endless braided hair, and I wondered if he'd noticed.

"I'm here for Rebekah." I told him, giving him a small nod to show him that I wanted to do this, despite having my doubts.

He glanced down to his feet abruptly, that weak smirk never disappearing when he looked back at me. "And not for me." He stated the obvious. "Understood."

Just as our eyes connected with the slightest bit of hesitation and curiosity from both sides, I was the one to avoid his look. Oh, that damned charming smile. He'd not changed at all, had he? I crossed my arms over my chest to show him I wasn't exactly open to catch up over a cup of tea, and gave him a questioning look. "So, tell me what's happening. I'm listening."

"I can see you're still mad." He pointed out right away when I, once again, avoided his eyes by studying the night sky for not much longer than a split second.

Why did I constantly have to make excuses to avoid looking at him? I was portraying myself as a fool.

This time, I did manage to look at him, proving my valour strength to resist both his charm and my own reluctance. "I'm not." I said with a gentle sigh. "It's been over 700 years, Niklaus."

"Irked, then." He corrected himself, and I now noticed how his accent hadn't even changed in the slightest. It was just as I remembered— so awfully perfect and alluring. "I know I never apologised for what happened."

I shrugged, not knowing what to say as his words came as quite a surprise. I gathered my options and didn't hesitate when I spoke. "No, you didn't. But I remember never gave you the chance to." I said to him as if I wasn't as nervous as I was. Though, in my own little mind, I admitted to my feelings for him that I'd expected to be long lost, and it scared me. How could I still feel vulnerable around him? Had I not moved on from what existed in my chest for him back then?

"Well." He started, and he threw his hands in the air briefly to show how clueless and tentative he was toward the subject. "I do— I do apologise."

"For what?" The words rushed out of my mouth in attempt to taunt him, and I tilted my head as I waited for a response. Yes, I was utterly surprised by his apology, even when he'd given me all the signs in the world leading up to it.