THE INSTANT I SEE the cold, grey body of my Blood Bonded, all the strength I siphoned seems to leave my body, knocking me to my knees, and all the air from my lungs is expelled in a short, harsh breath. Kai and Theo bow their heads and their hands drop from my shoulders as I all but crawl along the courtyard floor and pull myself upright using the edge of the table. The top half on my body collapses on top of Kol's as I cry out, tears burning their way down my face and broken, sobbing growls leave my lips.
"I'm so sorry, brother," I breathe, resting my forehead against his cold one. "I wish I could have saved you."
No one dares say anything.
"I remember the day we were Turned by Esther and Mikael. You were so happy about some girl you'd met, and that she hadn't been taken by Elijah or Niklaus, or even by me for some reason. Even when you were still Human we were Blood Brothers, and you knew I wouldn't take her from you." I smile and close my eyes. "She was a beauty though, wasn't she, brother?"
• • •
1 Millennia Ago
Kol laughs and slings his arm around my shoulders, a cheeky smirk on his face. "You should have seen her, Miec. She is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen, and you've shown me the stars from your world so many years ago."
A grin works its way onto my face and I nudge my sibling in the ribs. "Someone's in love, and I have seen her, brother. She is quite dazzling for a mortal."
"When you say it like that you make it sound as though we're all below you because we're not like you."
"What makes you think you're not below me?"
Kol chuckles and pulls his forearm in so my head is caught in his arm, his fist coming to grind on the top of my head in a playful manner. In response I let out a playful growl and tackle him, wrapping my arms around his middle and knocking him to the dirt. That ensues a playful scuffle, dirt being kicked up as we fight to be on top. In the end, I let the soon to be immortal Kol win, pinning me to the dirt with a wide grin on his youthful face.
"What makes me think that we're not is the fact that I'm on top of you, brother," Kol retorts, his hair sticking up in all directions and dirt covering his face and clothes, making me laugh. "What's so funny? You just lost to a mortal."
I shove him off and he rolls in the dirt before ending up on his back. "I let you win, you puny little thing. Maybe one day I won't have to hold back against you."
He laughs it off like many would have, but I know the truth of what Esther is planning in order to save her children's lives from what is coming, and I know that it is happening tonight. So, as I help my descendant up from the dirt and we dust ourselves off, thoughts of the future flit around inside my head, and I find myself smiling despite the great grey cloud of uncertainty looming over us.
Once we're decent, we hurry back to our house to find Esther serving up dinner and Mikael pouring several glasses of wine that smell of blood; the blood of the Doppelganger, Tatia. My eyes move to Niklaus and Elijah but neither seemed distressed, allowing me to relax due to her still being alive - at least for now. Kol and I take our seats between Rebekah and Elijah, and we wait for our dinner to be served to us.
It doesn't take long for the food on our plates to be in our stomachs, or for the cups of wine laced with blood to be washing it all down. The moment Mikael draws his broadsword is the moment chaos ensues, every child attempting to flee the moment the sword cuts down Finn in one fell swoop. Next to go is Niklaus and then Elijah, Mikael cornering his daughter and ending her mortal life as well. Kol cowers behind me, fearing for his own life, and rightfully so. He is about to die, and there is no changing that fact.
Mikael towers over me, and it's then that I see the utter agony in his blue eyes. He doesn't want to do this, but he knows that it is the only way for his children to survive whatever it is that is coming. In order to get to his son, he shoves his broadsword through my heart and into Kol's, a fiery pain growing in my chest as he drags his sword free, the blade grating on my ribcage as it exits the entry wound.
As soon as it's free of his body, Kol collapses to the ground, eyes lifeless and mouth open in his final groan of pain. First my legs turn weak and my knees buckle, making me fall to the ground beside my Blood Bonded, my hand outstretched towards his and my fingers itching to feel our connection one final time before I "die" for a few minutes. Just as the darkness covers me, our fingers brush, but there is nothing - you can't feel the Bond with someone who is dead.
• • •
Present Day
I pull my forehead away from Kol's and sniffle, forcing my legs to cooperate and hold up my weight. "Goodbye, dear brother. You will be remembered by you Pack - your family - but by none more than me."
Kai hesitantly puts his hand on my shoulder. "Stiles, I know you've only been awake for a short time, but it's been a week, and we both know what Kol wanted for after he died."
"I know. Build it; you and Theo, maybe even Cayden and Kemuri considering. Elijah will want to as well. You are all Blood Brother Bonded after all, and that means you must all take part in building it."
"Of course. What are you going to do?"
"I'm going to talk to Davina, and then I might... do what I want for a while."
"You mean leave? For how long?"
"I don't know, but I need to do something." I look over to where my family are standing, listening to everything I'm saying, and I know that the rest of the Pack are doing the same as well. "After what happened with Jordan and the Hunters, I've caused so much fear and distrust it's actually making me sick. I think it's best I stay clear of here for a while."
Lydia's hand moves to her lower stomach and I close my eyes, listening to the second heartbeat beating inside her and feeling so unbelievably happy. I have created a life with one of the two people I love most in this world, and it's something I will cherish forever. However, it's bittersweet because I am unable to stay in New Orleans and watch our child grow for however long it takes for their fear and distrust and apprehension of me to fade.
I walk over to Lydia and place my hand on top of hers, taking hold of Derek's free one in my other. "I'm sorry, but you know that I'd stay if I could. It's not just the Pack, but more so that there will be creatures and Hunters coming for me now that Jordan and his Hunters are dead. I will only put you both, the pups, and our child in danger."
Lydia smiles through her tears. "I know, Sti. It's hard to accept, but I understand - you're protecting us like you always have."
Derek nods sharply, fighting his own emotions. "Come back in one piece, Stiles. That's an order from your other Alpha, and your Mate."
"I'm not leaving until tomorrow night, so there's no need for goodbyes just yet, you two," I tease through my own tears.
