Rebuild (The Originals, Book Two)

Ch. 8: The Brothers That Care Forgot

Marcel, Josh, Davina and I were talking in the loft. 

"I screwed up, you guys," Davina told us. "I was with Kaleb last night, and he took the white oak stake when I was asleep." Josh closed his eyes, sighing in guilt. Marcel and I exchanged a knowing look. "I--I'm sorry. I never should have trusted him."

"Kol doesn't have the stake," I told her. "Klaus does." Davina looked at me in upset confusion. "Matter of fact, Klaus has Kol, too." 

"Wha--?" Davina started. "How is that possible?" 

"D, I'm the one who took him," Marcel answered. Davina looked at him in anger. "I saw an opportunity, and I wasn't gonna pass it up. Trust me, we are all safer this way."

"Not Kaleb," Davina stressed. "Klaus will kill him." 

"His name isn't Kaleb, it's Kol," I told her. "And, Klaus has had a thousand years to kill him, and he hasn't. So, worry less about him, and more about yourself. All right? This guy is not your friend. He wants to use you to get his own way." 

"You don't know him like I do," Davina told us.

"I know him better than you do," Marcel told her, standing, walking toward Davina. Josh leaned back in his chair, clearly uncomfortable. "Now, I'm sorry I had to go behind your back. And I hate lying to you, I really do, but believe me, this is for your own good." 

I stood. "We gotta take care of some business, all right? Stick with Josh. Everything's gonna be okay." 

Marcel walked out of the loft.

I grabbed my jacket, following. 

**

We went to the compound to torture Finn and Kol. 

They were in the living room, wearing the magical chains, talking.

"Elijah is off his bloody rocker," Kol told him. "We need to get out of here. Are you gonna help me, or what?" 

"If you were a little more clever, you would recognize that there is opportunity in our current circumstances," Finn told him.

"Opportunity to what?" Kol asked. "Get a beating?" 

Klaus opened the door, walking in. "Gentlemen. I apologize for keeping you waiting. Good news is, I've returned with a few old friends, who want to say hello." 

Marcel and I walked in.

I smiled widely. "Hello." Finn rolled his eyes, sighing. "How's it going, fellas?" 

"Ah, you two again," Kol said. "You ever get bored of getting bullied by my brother?" 

I chuckled, taking my jacket off. "Oh, we volunteered for this."

"Did you?" Kol asked. 

"The way I see it, you two have it coming," I told them, hitting Finn in the chest. "You brother here tried to kill me last night when all we wanted to do is talk."

"A pretty civil conversation, if you ask me," Finn said sarcastically.

"Oh, it's nothing you haven't done yourself, Finn," I replied.

Marcel stood in front of Kol. "And you. First, you messed with Davina. Now, I hear you wanna drag Rebekah into all this. Uh-uh. Not happening." 

"Well, I'd prefer you both to join me against our mother," Klaus told them. "But, I'll happily settle for one or the other. Either way, if you continue to defy me, your lives will be reduced to an unending sequence of agonizing torture." He smiled. Kol looked torn, looking at Finn. Finn didn't seem to be effected. "So, which is it to be?"