Chapter Text
Cordy didn't know how long she was in the tomb as she didn't have any sense of time. All she knew was that she was weak and starving. Her skin had turned grey and every time she breathed it felt like breathing in sand. She was slouched against the wall, when she heard footsteps drawing closer. She groggily lifted her head, seeing Alaric walk in. She groaned, turning away, not noticing the wide-eyed, shocked look on his face.
"If you're looking for an apology for almost killing you the other night, you're not getting it." She croaked, her voice raw from slowly desicating.
He stepped closer to her, crouching down in front of her. She eyed him warily, then got a whiff of a scent she hadn't smelled in decades. Her eyes widened as she realized that it wasn't Ric in front of her.
"Amore mio." He whispered, her breath catching in her throat.
"Nik." She breathed. She looked over him, smirking, "Trying out a new look?" She joked. He smirked, then reached into his pocket, pulling out a blood bag. She zeroed in on it, her face transforming as she snarled in hunger. He chuckled, handing it to her. Within minutes she had drained it, looking healthier.
"Better, love?" He asked, though the endearment sounded strange in Ric's voice.
"Much." She sighed. He then pulled out a key from his pocket.
"I found this in Damon's room." He said, holding it up then unlocked the cuffs around her wrists. He helped her stand, the two smiling at each other for a moment before Cordy swung her fist at his jaw, making him grunt and stumble back.
"That's for leaving me behind ninety years ago." She said calmly.
He rubbed his jaw, "Now, to be fair, I thought you died in that fire."
"That's what Elijah said. But guess what? I didn't! No thanks to you! I spent years trying to get over my family leaving me."
"I also spent years mourning you, when I thought you were dead!"
Cordy sighed, willing her anger away. Because, in truth, she wasn't angry at him for leaving her, she was angry at Mikael for chasing her family away. She was overjoyed to see Nik again, though she preferred his true body. "Alright. It's weird talking to you in this body. What have I missed other than you doing this?" She asked, gesturing to the body he was possessing. Klaus went on to tell her that he had Katherine trapped in Ric's apartment; meeting Elena and killing Bonnie at the decade dance and then exposing everything to Jenna.
"When I learned that your brother put you down here, I wanted to kill him on the spot. Though, I was surprised that you had no intention of stopping the sacrifice." He finished, looking at her thoughtfully.
"Because I know how long you've waited to break your curse. And I kinda want Elena dead so my brothers can be free of this stupid cycle of falling for the doppelganger and fighting each other. That's why Damon put me down here." She explained. He nodded, a smile on his face.
"Shall we get out of here, then? My witch should have my body by the time we get there." She nodded and allowed him to lead her out of the tomb.
Once they arrived at Ric's apartment, they could hear music blaring from inside. Klaus opened the door, stepping in to see Katherine sitting on the couch.
"You mind turning that down?" He asked her, the Petrova complying, "Come on in, sweetheart." He then said, turning to the door. Cordy tested the threshold, finding it fortunate that he was possessing the owner of the apartment as she stepped through.
"Hello, Katerina." She greeted with a smirk.
"Cordelia. I had heard Damon stuck you in the tomb."
"Yes, well I'm out now. Though I didn't get the pleasure of offering you up on a silver platter." She said, glancing at Klaus.
"Don't worry, love. There will be plenty for you to do." He assured with a smirk. Just then, his witch arrived. "Maddox, what took you so long?" Klaus asked.
"You've got a lot of luggage. Not to mention the luggage from the Salvatore house you had me gather." Maddox replied. Two men entered, bringing in multiple bags, some of which Cordy recognized as her own. A girl entered behind them.
"Greta. Finally." Klaus greeted.
"Hello, love. Nice body." She ran her hands over him, Cordy growled, glaring at her. The witch dropped her hands, glancing at the vampire. "You ready to get out of it?" Two other men arrived with a large chest.
Klaus turned to Cordy, "Delia, why don't you go freshen up." She nodded, taking one of her bags into the bedroom. She quickly washed the dirt off her skin in the connected bathroom and brushed out her knotted hair, letting it fall in soft waves, then dressed in a pair of black skinny jeans and a blue halter top. She zipped up the knee-high black, high-heeled boots, then walked back into the living room where they had already begun the spell. She stood next to Katherine, watching the witches perform the spell.
They stopped after a few minutes and look at Alaric, who opened his eyes, furrowing his brows as he looked at the vampires. "Cordy? Elena?" He then collapsed. Maddox opened the box and Klaus stepped out, back in his body. He looked down at Ric, smirking.
"Now that's more like it." He said, his British accent music to Cordy's ears. His blue eyes turned to her, a soft smile growing on his face. "Amore mio." He stepped closer to her. Cordy's feet seemed to have a mind of their own as she walked toward him, meeting in the middle of the room. He noticed the necklace she was wearing, reaching up and held it in his palm. "You still have it." He whispered.
"I could never part with it." She replied. He dropped the pendant back to her chest, then placed both hands on her jaw, pulling her in to a passionate kiss. Her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer as she melted into him. They moved in sync, like they had never been a part for ninety years. Slowly pulling away, Cordy stared up into his eyes. "I've missed that." She whispered.
"So have I, love." He admitted, brushing some hair behind her ear. She smiled pecking his lips again.
"What's next? The full moon is tomorrow." She said.
"I've got that covered, love." He said, "Let's have a drink." He walked into the kitchen and poured two glasses of bourbon. It was then that Cordy noticed the witches had left and Katherine must've gone in the other room. He walked back over to her, handing her a glass. She took it with a smile, taking a sip. They sat on the couch, talking until the sun came up. Cordy truly felt like no time had past between them.
Nik had a soft smile on his face throughout their entire conversation; she was just as beautiful as the day he last saw her. When he heard from Katherine that his lost love was alive, it was like his world turned right side up again. He promised himself that he would never leave her again. He couldn't bare to be apart from her again.
When Alaric woke, Nik sent him off with a message for Elena. The sacrifice was happening that night.
Later in the day, Nik and Cordy walked into the Grill where they found Damon and Ric already sitting at the bar. "Gentlemen? Why so glum?" Nik asked, leaning on the bar next to Ric, his arm wrapped around Cordy's waist. Ric and Damon looked over, the latter groaning.
"Ugh. Klaus, I presume."
"In the flesh." He smirked, "Thanks for the loaner, mate." He clapped Ric on the shoulder.
Damon stood, glancing at his sister, who had a hard look in her eye. "Any reason you stopped by to say hi? And with my sister?"
Nik glanced at his girl, seeing the look on her face, "I'm told you and your brother fancy my doppelganger. Just thought I'd remind you to not do anything you'll regret, like locking your sister in a tomb, for instance."
"Ha. Thanks for your advice. I don't suppose I could talk you into a postponement, by any chance, huh?" Damon asked.
Nik chuckled, "You are kidding," He looked at Ric. "He is kidding, right?"
"No, not really." Ric replied.
"Yeah, unfortunately, that's his serious face." Cordy sighed.
"I mean, come on, what's one month in the whole grand scheme of things?" Damon asked.
Nik's grin dropped, "Let me be clear... I have my vampire. I have my werewolf. I have everything I need. The ritual will happen tonight. So if you want to live to see tomorrow, don't screw it up. Or I could kill you now simply for chaining up my girl in the tomb."
"Your girl?" Damon asked, narrowing his eyes between the two.
"Yes, his girl, Damon. But don't worry, I won't let him kill you... yet." Cordy smiled sarcastically, before leading Nik out of the bar.
"You won't let me?" Nik questioned with raised brows at her.
"Yes, even though he betrayed me by locking me up, he is still my brother. You of all people should understand that." She replied. He simply nodded. "Anyway, you know he's going to try to screw it up, right?"
"I always have a backup plan, love." He smirked. She smirked in return.
They walked through Mystic Falls for a while, Nik telling her what the town was like a thousand years ago when his family settled there. Where he and Elijah would sword fight for fun. Where his family home was, and where Rebekah used to pick flowers for supper. Cordy smiled throughout the story, finding it fascinating to learn what her hometown was like before her family settled there. They made their way back to the apartment, where they found Katherine pouring herself a cup of coffee. Nik narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously.
"Everything okay?" Katherine asked.
"What have you been doing?" Nik asked her.
"Making coffee. Do you want some?" She replied.
He sped over to her, strangling her against the wall. Cordy smirked in satisfaction. "Tell me what you've been doing." He compelled.
"Making coffee." She groaned out. He released her and she turned back toward the coffee.
"Wait. Take off your bracelet. Now." He commanded. She took it off and handed it to him. "I want you... to walk over to the window and stand in the sunlight."
"But I'll burn." Katherine said nervously.
"You don't have a choice." She stepped over to the window and stood in the sun, her skin burning. She screamed in agony. Nik looked over to Cordy, the two sharing smiles of satisfaction. He turned back to Katherine, letting her burn for a moment more. "That's enough." He relented. She sped over to the corner that was shadowed, breathing heavily. "Guess I was wrong. Alright, then I need you to do something for me." He told her what he wanted her to do. Cordy felt slight guilt hearing the plan, but her desire for him to break his curse overruled it. Since she first heard about his curse, she had wanted him to break it, because it meant that he would finally have a piece of himself back. That was all she ever wanted for him.
Nik turned to Cordy, "It's almost time, love. I'm going to collect my doppelganger, you wait here." She frowned, crossing her arms over her chest, "Please?" He asked, giving her puppy eyes.
She sighed, fighting off a smile. She never could say no to that look. "Fine." She agreed. He smiled in victory, pressing a kiss to her forehead before leaving. She noticed Katherine looking at her. "What?" She snapped, walking over to the bottle of bourbon on the counter, pouring herself a glass.
"Nothing. It's just... you've tamed the beast." Katherine replied, sitting on the bar stool across from the Salvatore.
"I didn't tame anyone." Cordy replied, knocking back her drink then poured herself another. "And no way I'm talking to you about my relationship." She walked away from the vampire into the living room.
"So you do love him." Katherine continued, "Even though you know how terrible he is?"
Cordy turned a narrowed gaze onto her, then smirked. "Who do you think encouraged my love of chaos? I followed him into the bloodbath many times." Katherine's eyes widened as she swallowed thickly. She realized just how perfectly matched Cordelia and Klaus were.
Later, after night had fallen, Klaus returned. "Where's Maddox? He should be back by now." He said, irritated.
"I don't know." Katherine replied. He sat down next to Cordy on the sofa, opening the laptop on the coffee table, showing a live stream of Jules in mid-transition. "What are you doing? Where's Elena?" She asked.
"I sent her off with Greta." Klaus replied, continuing to watch Jules. "It's almost time."
The door opened, the three of them looking over to see Damon walk in. Cordy stood up, "Damon." She breathed.
"I wasn't aware you'd been invited in." Klaus said to him.
"I've come here to tell you that you have to postpone the ritual." Damon replied.
"Didn't we already have this conversation?" Klaus asked with a chuckle.
"Yeah, but that was before I rescued your werewolf, and vampire, and killed your witch." Damon revealed.
Klaus stood up, "Excuse me?" he glared at Damon.
"And you can kill me for it. I don't care. It was all me." Damon said.
"Katerina, give us a moment." Klaus commanded the Petrova vampire, who went into the bedroom. "Delia told me about you." He said to Damon, who looked at his sister, "The crazy, impulsive vampire in love with his brother's girl. Delia said that you would try to stop me." He flipped around the laptop to show Damon the video of Jules. "The nice thing about werewolves is they tend to travel in packs. Need a closer look?" He tossed Damon his cellphone that also had the video.
"Jules." Damon realized.
"When you spend a thousand years trying to break a curse... you learn a thing or two. First rule... always have a back up. Back up werewolf. Back up witch."
"Back up vampire." Damon said.
"I've got that covered, too." Klaus smirked.
"Then use me."
"What? Damon, no." Cordy argued, "She's not worth your life!"
"Yes, she is!" Damon yelled at her. She growled, speeding at him and shoved him against the wall, hands fisted in his jacket.
"Why can't you get it through your thick head that that girl isn't worth saving? She'll tear you and Stefan apart! Just like Katherine did!"
Damon groaned, "You're wrong. Elena is nothing like Katherine. She doesn't deserve to die!"
She slammed him against the wall again, "Neither do you! I will not lose my brothers over one human girl." She then snapped his neck, stepping back as his body fell to the floor.
"You always do put on a good show, love." Klaus said with a smirk.
"I'm glad I could entertain you." She replied dryly.
He hummed, "Let's go." He said, placing a hand on her lower back and led her out the door.
They walked to the quarry, where Elena, Jenna, and Jules were on the ground in rings of fire, waiting for the sacrifice to begin. Greta was stood on a small hill beside a bubbling cauldron. Cordy stopped behind the alter as Klaus stepped up next to the witch. “Hello, my lovelies. Are we ready?” He smirked to the trapped women. He pulled the moonstone out of his pocket and held it out to Greta. “I spent 500 years looking for this. I hate to part with it.” he said to her as she took it.
“The moon has passed its apex. Remember everything you need to do?” Greta asked.
“I remember.” Klaus nodded. Greta threw the stone into the cauldron, flames flaring as the binding broke. The ritual continued; Jules dying first, Klaus ripping out her heart and held it over the cauldron, blood pouring into it.
Klaus then walked over to Jenna, “Hello, Jenna.”
“Let her go. I understand that I have to die, but she doesn’t!” Elena said, stepping closer to the fire, which flared up.
“Careful.” Klaus smirked.
“Elena, don’t.” Jenna said.
“No, Jenna! We can’t leave Jeremy without a family.” Elena said to her aunt, then looked at Klaus, “I followed your rules. I did everything that you asked. I didn’t run. Please.”
“Well, well…” Klaus looked up at the cliff, Cordy followed his gaze, seeing Stefan. “I don’t recall you being on the guest list.”
“I’m here to talk.” Stefan said, the vampires hearing him clearly with their heightened hearing.
“Very well, then.” Klaus smirked, vamping up to the cliff, Cordy close behind him as she stopped next to him, facing Stefan.
“What can I do for you, Mr. Salvatore?” Klaus asked him.
Stefan glanced at Cordy before speaking, “You don’t need to kill Jenna. I’ll take her place.”
Cordy groaned and raked her fingers through her hair. She didn’t understand why her brothers were so hellbent on sacrificing themselves for one girl.
“Oh, I don’t know. I rather appreciate the symmetry of three women--three goddesses--sacrificed at nature’s alter.” Klaus replied.
“Don’t play games with me. You’ll get what you want.”
“You’re quite the hero, aren’t you? I’ve heard that about you.”
“Just make the trade. Me for Jenna.”
“No!” Cordy said firmly.
“Why don’t we have Elena decide?” Klaus suggested then led them back down to the quarry. “Quite the predicament. You know, it’s funny, all this talk about preserving family, and here’s Stefan, granting your wish.” He said to Elena.
“Stefan…” Elena breathed, her eyes on him.
“It’s okay.” He assured her.
“Well, who’s it going to be, Elena?” Klaus asked her.
“No.” She shook her head.
“Oh, don’t worry. There’s actually no choice.” He suddenly staked Stefan in the back, breaking it off and leaving a piece in his back out of reach.
“No! Stefan! No!” Elena cried.
“I have other plans for your boyfriend. I want him alive. But for now…” he broke Stefan’s neck, then urged Greta to continue the ritual. Jenna was next; when the fire disappeared from around her, she sped over to Greta, biting her neck. Klaus yanked her off the witch and plunged a stake into her heart. Then it was Elena’s turn; the girl walked straight up to the alter, glancing at Cordy, then faced Klaus.
“Thank you, Elena.” He said.
“Go to hell.” The girl replied. Klaus wrapped his arms around her as he bit into her neck, keeping her back flush to his chest while he drained her. Cordy glanced at her brother from her spot near the alter, feeling guilt that his love was dying. She turned back just as Klaus dropped Elena’s body to the ground, his transition beginning. Suddenly, he was thrown across the quarry, the wind howling around them. Cordy whipped around to see Bonnie, alive.
“You were dead!” Klaus shouted in disbelief, then screamed as Bonnie continued to attack him. Cordy moved to attack her but Damon suddenly appeared in front of her. “Sorry, sister.” He said softly before snapping her neck, letting her drop. Damon then killed the witch and picked up Elena’s body, going over to Stefan. He set Elena down and ripped out the stake from his back.
“I need you to get her out of here!” Stefan said to Damon.
“What about you?”
“I’m not leaving until he’s dead. Go!”
Damon left with Elena, just as Elijah arrived, plunging his hand into Klaus’ chest, ready to kill him. But Klaus convinced him that he never buried their siblings at sea and he could take Elijah to them. Before Bonnie could do anything to both Originals, Elijah escaped with Klaus.
Stefan sighed defeatedly, then went over to his sister, picking her up and sped out of the quarry. He went home, laying her on her bed and sat in a chair in the corner, waiting for her to wake up. A couple hours later, she gasped awake, looking around in confusion before her eyes landed on her brother.
“Did you kill him?” She asked.
“No. Elijah escaped with him.” Stefan replied, leaning his elbows on his knees. Cordy simply nodded. “I’m sure you’re happy about that.”
“I love him, Stefan. Always have. Can’t you understand that? My love for Nik is like your love for Elena. He may have abandoned me all those years ago, but he thought I was dead, and even though I was deeply hurt by it, I have always loved him.” Stefan listened to her silently, thinking over her words. He could understand her love toward Klaus. “Ever since he told me the story of how he got the curse, all I’ve ever wanted was for him to break it. Because then he would have the part of himself back. He would be his true self.” She continued. “I am sorry about Elena, even though I didn’t like her that much.” She told him sincerely. Stefan scoffed softly, not fully believing her. He stood, moving to stand at the foot of her bed.
“Why’d you choose him over us, your brothers? We’re blood.” He asked her.
She scoffed, shaking her head, “We’re blood, huh? Does blood force you to turn into a vampire? Cursed to live forever?” She stood up, walking over to stand in front of him. “You know the saying, blood is thicker than water? It’s widely misinterpreted. The full quote is the blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb. Elijah taught that to me, he and I bonded over our love of literature. Anyway, the saying means that the bonds you make with chosen family are stronger than the natural bonds of your given family. You and Damon are my brothers, but the Mikaelsons are my family too. I’d do anything for any of you.” She then left, speeding out into the woods, back to the quarry. From there, she picked up both Elijah’s and Nik’s scents, following them deep into the woods. She soon heard growls and screams, coming to a stop near a campsite. She kept her distance as she watched the black wolf tear into the humans.
“You are an excellent tracker, my dear.” Elijah spoke from behind her. She turned, giving him a smile as he stepped up beside her. “You tracked us from the quarry.” It wasn’t a question, it was a statement because he knew she had excellent abilities.
“Yes.” She replied anyway, “I wanted to make sure everything was okay.”
“Of course. This is the second campsite he’s torn through, I’ve been cleaning up his messes.” Elijah told her.
“Just like old times huh?” She grinned. Elijah chuckled.
"If I remember correctly, those were also your messes I had to clean up." He said, glancing at her.
Cordy shrugged, "Nik encouraged my love of chaos. I told Katherine that when she made a comment about me 'taming the beast'."
"I always believed that you were his redemption... that you could allow him to love again and he would be less paranoid. And he was, until we thought you died in that fire. He became worse after that night."
Cordy thought over his words for a moment, "I think we saved each other. I was a young vampires looking for a new home, looking for a reason to live forever, then I met Nik. I always felt free around him." Elijah nodded, agreeing with her. Since he's known her, and learned her story from when she was human to when she became a vampire, he had noticed how much she had grown as a free-willed, independent woman. He commended her for it. He saw her as a little sister, much like Rebekah, and he only wished the best for her, even if that meant it was Niklaus.