Empathy [Ben Hargreeves]

Episode Nine. Part III.

☆•☆•☆

Warnings: self-harm, attempted suicide, a lot of swearing

☆ 2006 ☆

Ben Hargreeves was dead, and Eloise was drowning in her family's grief on top of her own at the loss of her love.

Elle bumped into Klaus in the dark hallway, to his chagrin. The séance had secretly conjured Ben after the boy's funeral but hadn't told anyone in the family. Especially Elle. She was distraught and unpredictable in her emotions; a ticking time bomb that Klaus had been studiously avoiding.

"You have to bring him back," Elle pleaded. "Please, Klaus. Please."

Klaus was clearly high as a kite based on his dilated eyes and petal pink aura, so Elle didn't even consider the fact that Ben could be around as a ghost. Klaus had been using narcotics and alcohol from a young age to hide from the dead that haunted him. "I can't, Elle."

"Bring him back!" Elle screamed irrationally at Klaus.

"I can't do that!" Klaus argued. Oh how he wished that he could resurrect Ben for Elle's sake. Her pain clawed at his heart. "That's not in my realm of capabilities."

Diego, seemingly appearing out of no where, used his ninja skills to knock Elle away from Klaus as she lunged forward with a shriek to knock sense into him. She truly believed that The Séance was holding back on his abilities.

Elle huffed angrily at the interference and punched Diego when his arms circled around her in an attempt to put some distance between her and Klaus. Diego grunted and released her.

The empath's passionate emotions flooded into the others who began to peer out of their bedrooms with similar curious and wary expressions.

"You're not the only one who lost a brother!" Diego was peeved as he blocked another swing towards his face. She felt the emotion like sand paper grinding against her soft skin.

Eloise realized in that moment that Diego still didn't know: Ben was more than another adoptive brother to Eloise. He was her soulmate.

Klaus knew, of course. Elle told Vanya about her crush years ago because she was a good listener. Five was gone. Diego was apparently oblivious. Luther was wrapped up in his little love bubble with Allison. Allison realized that she and Elle were in the same situation when Elle reacted more passionately than expected to Ben's untimely death.

"You don't understand. Fuck off!"

"Ben is gone, Elle. He's gone."

"No! No, stop it! He wasn't supposed to die like that!" Elle shrieked. "He never wanted to hurt anyone and now he's- he's..."