K I N G • KLAUS MIKAELSON [1]

the originals

RIVER sat inside Rebekah's house, listening to Elijah speaking.

"New Orleans? What the hell is Klaus doing there?" Rebekah questioned.

"Evidently there are witches conspiring against him" Elijah explained "So, knowing our brother, this was a mission to silence and slaughter"

"Well, the French Quarter witches are not a lot to be trifled with" River sighed "I spent a couple of months in New Orleans before I came to Mystic Falls but I was run out by the local vampire boss"

"You don't suppose they've found a way to kill him once and for all, do you?" Rebekah wondered.

"Rebekah, in the name of our family, you might try to dial down your glee" Elijah sighed.

"What family? We're three distrustful acquaintances who happen to share a bloodline plus River who Klaus indoctrinated into loving him and our mother then made immortal, for one, hope they've found a way to make that traitorous bastard rot"

"Technically I made me immortal, Esther just did the heavy lifting, and boy do we regret that evening" River sighed.

"Where are you going?" Rebekah asked.

"To find out who's making a move against our brother" Elijah answered "And then I'll either stop them...or I'll help them, depending on my mood"

River snorted as Elijah exited the house.

-

River stood in the hallway, silently, listening as Rebekah and Elijah spoke through the phone, his heart breaking further as he listened.

"Well, he's doing what he does" Elijah sighed "Given a chance at happiness, Klaus runs in the opposite direction"

"Then let him run" Rebekah replied "That child, if it's even his, is better off without him"

"He's not better off without that child, Rebekah, and neither are we" Elijah argued.

"Darling, kind Elijah" Rebekah began "Our brother rarely brings us anything but pain, this child literally exists because he had sex with that werewolf trollop whilst he and River were together, at what point in your immortal life will you stop searching for his redemption?"

"I'll stop searching for his redemption when I believe there is none left to be found" Elijah replied.

Elijah hung up and Rebekah turned, seeing Katherine leaning on a table nearby.

"I'd give you a play-by-play, but you have the air of someone who's been lurking and listening" Rebekah sighed.

"He'll come around" Katherine smirked "You know Elijah...he won't stop until he's convinced Klaus to do the right thing"

"I know you consider yourself an expert in brotherly dynamics, but you don't know my brothers half as well as you think you do" Rebekah stated.

"You're wrong, Klaus won't be able to walk away from this" Katherine corrected "He and I are the same, we manipulate, we thirst for power, we control, we punish, but our actions are driven by one, singular place deep inside"

"And what's that?" Rebekah asked.

"We're alone, and we hate it" Katherine admitted "Tell Elijah to call me when he comes home, I'll be waiting for him"

Katherine strolled from the room, pausing upon seeing River's distraught self, sending him a small nod of sympathy.

-

Elijah and Rebekah stood arguing, River hidden outside of the room, listening in again.

"So that's it? I'm just supposed to pack up my things and leave for good? Forget my life here and my pursuit of the cure?" Rebekah questioned.

"Oh, the cure was a fool's errand" Elijah dismissed "I mean, taking it would've stripped you of everything you are, for what? More high school proms?"

"I wanted to be human" Rebekah defended "I wanted children and a family"

"And I stand before you to offer you both" Elijah retorted.

"And if I decide against you?" Rebekah questioned "A dagger in my heart and then back in a box? And what about River?"

"I've made my case" Elijah stated "Your family needs you, and what choice you make right now is your own and I will speak with River, explain the situation"

"River and I owe him nothing" Rebekah spoke :I wish him no joy, no love, I will stay here and live my life the way I want to, and if you're smart I suggest you do the same"

Rebekah stormed from the room, not noticing River in her upset state. Katherine moved towards Elijah.

"She's right, be smart, Elijah" Katherine warned "Klaus is stark raving mad, not to mention completely irredeemable, leave him to set off on this new adventure, and lets you and I go out on ours, I have lost so much of my life to Klaus, so have you, it's our turn. Elijah, please"

"Katerina..." Elijah placed a hand on her face, kissing her forehead "Goodbye"

Katherine sped from the room, River stepping inside.

"She's pregnant?" River questioned, turmoil in his voice.

"River" Elijah began.

"I get heartbreak, and she gets a child with Niklaus?" River stammered weakly "Why, Elijah? Why does she get it all?"

Elijah pulled the boy into an embrace, supporting him as he broke down, tears falling.

"I don't know, River, I don't know"