21

—21. As I Lay Dying

ALWAYS AND FOREVER

Grief, some people think is overrated. When grieving, along with the sadness comes regret and guilt. Aurora couldn't say she felt that with Klaus, seeing as he still lived to see another day.

Which was on the back of her mind as she watched Elena place a rose on Jenna's grave.

Jenna was one of her first friends in Mystic Falls, the first person who made her feel normal in one hundred years.

And now she was gone—taken away by the person who she was supposed to love most in the world.

She fought the tears that were begging to be let loose as she stood with Damon, it didn't feel right to place a rose down for her, this funeral was for the people who were Jenna's family and friends.

Aurora didn't feel comfortable, she felt as if she were intruding in the ceremony—apparently so did Damon as he stood by her, his hand in hers.

After the ceremony, everyone was meeting back at the Gilbert house for a "tea party" as Damon called it.

Then, the worst news Aurora has ever heard in her life—she may be exaggerating, but it was bad. Damon got bit.

Werewolf bite. Fatal werewolf bite. Damon got bit.

She knew what happened, from seeing what Rose went through to Klaus explaining everything he knew about wolves because of his fascination with them.

So she knew exactly where to go. But she also knew exactly what he would want in return and that's something she was not looking forward to.

But Aurora would do anything for her brothers, she always has, that's why she didn't leave when their plan to kill Katherine failed, or when Elijah showed up, or when Klaus appeared—even after promising herself she would never step foot in Mystic Falls again.

She stayed and she wasn't abandoning them now or ever.

Life was really not on her side right now.

——

Damon took a bottle of bourbon from the cabinet and poured himself a drink. He opened the curtains, letting the sun shine upon his face, drinks some bourbon and put the glass down on a table.

He returned to the window, took off his ring and dropped it on the floor. He opened his arms and his skin burned but Aurora—eyes widened and pushed him out of the sunlight.

"Get off of me." Damon squirmed under Aurora's tight grip.

"You're not doing this." Aurora said—when she saw him under the sunlight, she panicked. She couldn't lose her brothers.

"Just did. You know what happened to Rose, Aurora." Damon remembered the breakdown he had in Aurora's arms the night Rose died—he didn't want Stefan and Aurora to feel the same pain.

Aurora used her super speed and threw him in the cellar. "I don't care. You're not dying today."

Aurora closed the door and locks it as Stefan walked down the stairs, wearing a confused look. He looks at Damon through the bars in the door. Damon remains on the floor but turns to look at them.

"What's the plan, Wonder Woman?" Damon groaned, shifting uncomfortably on the ground.

"I'm gonna find a way out of this." Aurora said and Stefan looked at her—nodding in agreement.

"Oh, right. A miracle cure. Good luck with that one."

"I got Bonnie looking for something, anything." Stefan mentioned.

"Always the hero, you two. Just tell me good-bye, get it over with." He started coughing and rolled onto his stomach. He coughed up some blood on his hand.

"Lie still. Conserve your strength." Stefan said, grabbing Aurora's hand a pulling her out.

——

Aurora left without Stefan—he went to the grill to find Alaric and inform him of Damon's pending death.

She was nervous, finding Klaus would be the easy part, convincing him to help her would be the hard part.

Last night, after the sacrifice—Aurora had an odd encounter with a big, white wolf, she knew it was Klaus, but she wondered why he immediately ran to her when he turned.

As if he was drawn to her.

Aurora sat on the porch of the boarding house, her head in her hands—reflecting on the night.

The sacrifice was over and Klaus got everything he wanted—besides one thing.

She couldn't help but feel overwhelming joy for him and the fact that he wasn't dead. Aurora could hate him when he was alive, but she didn't know what she would do if he had died.

Deep down, she knew he didn't throw his siblings in the ocean, when he confirmed he didn't she felt relief wash over her. But when Elijah told her what he supposedly did, she couldn't help but believe him with all her heightened emotions.

Of course he didn't. He would never do that. And Aurora was stupid enough to believe he would.

A twig being snapped in the distance jumped her out of her thoughts, she looked up quickly, Aurora's eyes met glowing yellow ones.

The wolf was big and white, bigger than any normal wolf—which told her this wasn't a normal wolf, it was, in fact, Klaus.

Klaus sat on his back legs, just watching her. It would have creeped Aurora out, but for some odd reason, it didn't.

It showed her he still cared, even after she left him.

Her feet decided to move before her brain could comprehend what she was doing. Klaus stayed in his spot, but his head perked up and his ears straightened out.

Aurora stopped, she sat on the porch steps, she didn't know how feral he was in this form. She didn't exactly feel like getting bit.

A normal werewolf bite seems terrible, imagine one from the original hybrid. Oh god, that would be hell.

Klaus tilted his head, watching her—admiring her. He watched through the only eyes he knew she would let admire her.

Because she didn't think he would remember when he turned back, but he did—he remembered everything.

Klaus slowly moved forward—as if stalking a prey. Aurora stilled, not daring to move unless he made a move to attack her.

He was now right in front of her, staring into her dark blue eyes—as deep as the ocean. He could see every emotion swelling through them. Klaus knew she wasn't angry with him, and that alone made his wolf eyes glow brighter.

Aurora carefully reached out her hand, moving it towards his head, he growled quietly when she made first contact under his ear, "Nik?" She asked in a whisper, causing his ears to drop in pleasure.

Nik.

He hadn't heard that name drop from her lips in way too long.

He moved closer, allowing her to rub her hands along his body. Klaus sat beside her on the porch steps, before plopping his head down on her lap.

She looked startled at first before smiling softly and continuing to pet him. Aurora didn't want to admit it, but she never got over Klaus—she probably never will.

Another twig snapped, jumping both Klaus and Aurora out of their trance, he immediately jumped up, looking around the woods with a growl before taking off, leaving Aurora to reflect on everything concerning her and Klaus.

——

Aurora spent the next few hours searching the woods—if she didn't hate the woods before, she definitely hated them now.

She heard rustles in the bushes a few feet away, she moved forward and saw a figure laying on the ground—it was Klaus.

Naked.

"Oh god." Aurora turned around, looking around at the green leaves—pretending as if that is what caught her attention.

Elijah sped beside her, sending her a small smile before turning to Klaus, "You've been busy," He stated as he threw clothes towards Klaus, Elijah carefully watched his younger brother while Aurora moved to sit on a rock.

"How long has it been?"

"Almost two days. Full moon came and went. You remained a wolf," Elijah answered his brother with a sigh.

Klaus rose, half dressed with just his trousers on, "I can change at will then, it's good to know. I remember every single kill."

"Yes. I've been cleaning up your little mess along the way," Elijah quipped.

"Just like old times, brother." Klaus smirked teasingly as he zipped his jeans.

"You've had your fun," Elijah nodded, uninterested in his brother's antics. "I believe we have a bargain."

"That's right, now what was it again?" Klaus mocked. "Oh, yes, wait. I remember. That's it. You wish to be reunited with our family"

"You gave me your word, Nik-" Elijah started but was interrupted by an irritated Aurora.

"Elijah," She whined, sauntering over to him, hands stuffed in the pockets of her leather jacket. "Are you two done? I need help with something"

"And what would that be, my dear?" He said to her smiling. Klaus watched the two with narrowed eyes and cleared his throat.

Both heads snapped to him and Aurora gawked at his shirtless figure. "Oh, wonderful, you're still here," She smiled falsely at him, tone bored, merely earning a chuckle from the man.

"Good to see you too, sweetheart," He smirked at her, taking in her appearance.

She looked back at Elijah again. "Is he, like, leaving soon?" She asked, hoping he'd piss off.

"I'm afraid not, love," The hybrid answered. Aurora merely tilted her head, looking up at him with her eyebrows raised, gesturing for him to elaborate. "I have plans for Stefan and you, and I also heard that Damon has got himself into a spot of trouble with a nasty werewolf bite, hasn't he?" Klaus teased, stepping closer to her.

"Okay, first, Stefan is not getting involved with you." She said sternly before she carried on with her string of questions."Secondly, that's what I came here for, I need your help." She muttered the last part quietly.

He seemed pleased to be hearing that, "I don't know, sweetheart. I'd think I want something in return."

"Yeah, of course you would. Just tell me how to cure him." She insisted staring into his blue eyes. God they were beautiful...stop!

He grabbed her by the waist and smirked, "We'll see about that, love."

Aurora grabbed his hands, twisting them until she heard a snap—he winced from the pain and immediately let her go. "Don't even think about touching me."

WORD COUNT : 1741