Chapter Text
~Lizzy's P.O.V.~
I arrived in New Orleans some time in the late evening, once the sky had darkened and the stars were scattered across it like glitter. I had stashed my luggage somewhere in the bayou and then cast a spell to ensure the secret of it's location from everyone. After that, the first thing I did was look for a bar. I usually needed at least one drink before talking to Klaus, especially when I knew he would be all pouty about my not speaking to him or any of his siblings for a whole century. He would want to know why and where I've been and all of that loveliness, and he would probably throw a small tantrum before suggesting that we celebrate my return.
"Well, well, well." A familiar voice said behind me as I sipped my rum. I smirked as I felt his presence right next to me. "Elizabeth Avalon. What a nice surprise."
"Hello, Marcel." I replied without looking at him. I pointed at my glass and it was refilled in the time it took me to blink. "Long time, no see."
Suddenly, Marcel was sitting in front of me. "Where have you been for the last hundred years?"
"On Vacation." I said, taking another sip. "When Mikael destroyed the city, I promised Klaus and Elijah I would get Rebekah out before he found her."
Marcel's expression switched from friendly to slightly angry. "You had something to do with Rebekah leaving?"
I sighed. "Marcel, she wasn't safe. None of them were. I had no intention of hurting you. My only intention was keeping Rebekah from harm. If our positions were reversed, you would've made Rebekah leave too if it meant keeping her out of danger. Would you not?"
Marcel thought about this for a few moments. "You've got a point."
"Don't I always?" I said, refilling my glass again. "Anyway, it's because of Rebekah that I've returned. She's fussing over Elijah's absence again, and I'm here to make sure that she and Klaus remain out of each others' throats."
"Ah, playing the ref, are we?" Marcel's smile returned. "I thought that was Elijah's job."
"Elijah is the peacekeeper, or at least he tries to be." I said before emptying the glass in one swift drink. I thought about refilling it again, but decided against it. "Then again, that job would be easier if there was ever any peace to begin with."
"That couldn't be closer to the truth." Marcel agreed.
I smirked. "So tell me; what's been going on since I've been away?"
Marcel and I spent almost an hour talking, during which time he filled me in about the problems with the witches and Klaus being back in town. I figured something like this would happen, but I felt like there was something else going on; something that perhaps Marcel was unaware of. I had no idea what that was, I just had a strong feeling. I stood up from my seat and slipped back into my leather jacket.
"Well, as much as I enjoyed our little reunion, I need to find Klaus. The longer I stay gone, the angrier he'll be." I said. Marcel stood up, we hugged, and I left.
As I made my way through the city, I smiled as I looked around. So much has changed, yet everything looks so familiar. It still felt like home, even though I was gone for so long. When I found my way back to the house, I arrived at the same time as Rebekah. When she saw me, she dropped her phone, ran to me and embraced me in a tight hug.
"Bloody hell, Elizabeth! Where in God's name have you been?!" Rebekah sounded like she was about to cry.
"One can only take so much of your family before needing a break." I smiled at her as we pulled apart. She laughed a little and wiped away her tears. "So what's going on with Klaus this time?"
Rebekah suddenly regained her composure and spoke with more seriousness than Leslie Nielsen. "Elijah has been with Klaus for the past few days, and he hasn't been answering my calls."
I sighed. "Well, damn. That can't be good."
"It's not!" Rebekah said, stomping toward the front door. I followed her casually, my hands in my pockets and a bored look on my face as I mentally prepared myself to separate Klaus and Rebekah if need be. As soon as we walked in, a pretty girl trotted downstairs holding a pathetic excuse for a weapon.
"Who the hell are you?" She asked.
"Ah, you must be the maid. My bags are in the car. Get them, will you?" Rebekah said without blinking. I sighed to myself and took off my jacket, hanging it on the rack.
"Hello... not the maid..." The girl said, letting down her guard.
"Right, you're that werewolf my brother Klaus knocked up." Rebekah said. My eyebrows knitted together in confusion.
"Pardon?" I asked.
Rebekah looked at me. "Haven't you heard? There's a baby Klaus on the way. I'm guessing this is the mum."
My eyes widened. I sighed heavily. "Lovely."
Rebekah returned her attention to the girl. "I was expecting to see some kind of supernatural miracle baby bump. I guess you're not showing yet. It's Hayley, isn't it?"
"You have your brother's manners." Hayley said.
"And his temper, too. So watch it." Rebekah warned.
Hayley looked at me. "And who are you?"
"Friend of the family. You should consider us friends as of now. You're going to need help getting used to this lot." I smiled at her before beginning to look around at the house I hadn't seen in so long.
"Where's Elijah?" Rebekah asked Hayley.
"Beats me. He's long gone." Hayley replied. I stopped and looked at her.
The panic had clearly sparked in Rebekah. "What do you mean long gone?"
"Well, one minute he was here making epic promises about protecting me in this... predicament that a bottle of scotch and some bad decisions got me into. He was all poetic about how we're family and then Klaus told me he bailed. I guess that's what I get for trusting a vampire." Hayley said, brooding like a damn teenager.
"Elijah is not just any vampire and he doesn't break promises, which means that Niklaus has done something dastardly and Klaus-like. KLAUS!" Rebekah shouted, walking into another room. "Get out here and tell me what you've done with our brother, you narcissistic, backstabbing wanker!"
Less than a second passed before Klaus entered the room and I was on the ceiling before he did. "Enough with all the shouting!" Klaus said before his eyes fell on Rebekah. "Little sister; I should've known. I assume the six dead vampires were your doing?"
"They were very rude; trying to victimize a poor, innocent girl just trying to find her way to the quarter." Rebekah said innocently. I smirked and shook my head. "So sorry, were they friends of yours? Oh that's right; you don't have any friends."
"I do have friends. I have Marcel. You remember him, don't you?" Klaus said with a small smile as Rebekah looked away in discomfort. "Yes, of course you do. He fancies himself the King of the Quarter now and he has these rules about killing vampires. It'll be fun to see what sort of punishment he comes up with for you."
"I don't care about Marcel or his rules." Rebekah glared. "Elijah doesn't welsh on deals. What did you do to him?"
Klaus sat back with an expression that made it perfectly obvious how guilty he was. "Perhaps he's on holiday. Or taking a long, autumn nap upstairs. Well, go on; take a look around. You remember this house as well as I?"
Rebekah stopped and turned to look at Klaus, still wearing her icy glare that only ever merely amused him. "I remember everything." She then went into another room.
"You can come down any time, Elizabeth." Klaus called out without moving. I could hear the smile in his voice but that never necessarily meant he wasn't furious. Even so, I fell freely from the ceiling and landed in front of Klaus with perfect grace. Klaus's eyes fell on me and his smile slowly faded. "Where have you been?"
"Beacon Hills." I replied, crossing my arms. Klaus smiled.
"Awfully close to Mystic Falls, weren't you?" Klaus questioned. "I thought you couldn't stand that place."
"That's right; I can't." I said. I snapped my fingers and two glasses of whiskey appeared on the little table beside me. I picked up one and Klaus picked up the other. "I wasn't in Mystic Falls. I was just nearby."
"You never wrote, never called... you never even visited." Klaus said, looking both angry and hurt. "You abandoned us. You abandoned me."
I looked at the ground. "I never meant to abandon you."
"Your meaning is immaterial." Klaus said. He threw his glass of whiskey and I watched it fly across the room, sighing when it shattered against the wall. Klaus stood straight up and began screaming at me. "AFTER EVERYTHING I DID FOR YOU! TREATED YOU LIKE FAMILY! KEPT YOU SAFE! GOT YOU OUT OF EVERY SINGLE MESS YOU EVER FOUND YOURSELF IN! AND HOW DO YOU REPAY US?! BY RUNNING FOR THE HILLS AT THE FIRST SIGHT OF DANGER! I THOUGHT YOU WERE REBEKAH'S BEST FRIEND-"
I angrily stood up, glaring at Klaus. "I AM REBEKAH'S BEST FRIEND! I STUCK WITH YOU LOT THROUGH EVERY DANGER WE FACED UP UNTIL THAT POINT! AND UNLESS YOU'VE FORGOTTEN, I WAS THE ONE WHO GOT REBEKAH OUT OF TOWN SAFELY WHEN YOUR DEVIL OF A FATHER WENT ON A BLOODY RAMPAGE!"
"I haven't forgotten what you did." Klaus said calmly. "I still don't understand why you had to remain away from us."
"I'm sorry. I just... I wanted a break from the fear." I said.
"Yes, a hundred year long break."
"I never meant to stay away forever." I walked closer to him and he looked at me. "And I'm back now. I'm here for you. For all of you."
Klaus looked at me, not wanting to believe me, but I've known the Mikaelsons since I was born. Our mothers and aunts were all childhood friends and they were determined for me to be raised with such a beautiful family, since I was an only child. And while I was an excellent liar in every other case, even Klaus knew for a fact that he and his siblings were the only ones I was incapable of lying to. That's also how Klaus knew he had my everlasting loyalty. The only one I would ever side with over him was Rebekah, and he never held it against me. He understood that sisters must stick together just as brothers must. It sounded sexist the first time he told me that, but I understood what he meant.
"I suppose... you can be forgiven. You're here now, and you're safe. I was half scared that Mikael might have found you and ripped you apart for helping Rebekah escape." Klaus said after a moment.
I smirked, and walked over to the pile of shattered glass. "Your father couldn't hurt me if he harbored all the hatred in the world toward me." I held my hand out over the mess and focused on it. The glass was pieced back together and the whiskey back into it. I walked back over to Klaus and handed it to him. "But that's not even possible. He's saving all that special hatred just for you."
Klaus laughed a bit. "Yes, I imagine he wishes he had found you. You might have been the only one of us to ever forgive him."
I gave him a confused look. "Forgive him?"
Klaus rolled his eyes. "You're good at playing the game. You could get close to him and help lead him into a trap. But of course, you'd have to bring him back from the dead, and that's something we're not going to risk."
I sighed and nodded. I shook my head and took a deep breath. "Now! Enough of this mopey business. You want to tell me what really happened to Elijah?"
Ariane (season 3) is her doppelganger.