The clearing was silent, the flame from the lit torches the only light around to be given.Klaus stood in the center of the salt circle, the white oak stake pointed directly at his heart, ready to do exactly what he had set out to do. "Niklaus." Elijah pleaded calmly, taking small steps closer to him. "Don't. Put it down."

   "Walk away, Elijah." Klaus kept the stake aimed where it was. "You shouldn't be here for this."

   "Put it down and let's talk." Elijah didn't listen to him.

    "There's nothing left to say." The Original hybrid refused, his hands shaking slightly. "It's time to end this chapter, get rid of the dark magic once and for all."

   "Dad?" Hope's voice let out in confusion, the two Mikaelson men looking to see her approaching from behind, once again back in her human form. She glanced from her father's eyes to the stake in his hands, confusion filling her face. "What's going on here?"

   Klaus quickly looked away from her, back to his brother. "Get her out of here."

   Elijah shook his head. "Your death is not the answer."

   "Death?" Hope's eyes widened, looking at her uncle. "Wh-what are you talking about?" 

   "He tricked us." Mira spoke up, as she approached from behind Hope. Caroline had been reluctant to let her go, but she couldn't just sit around at the school once she knew what was happening. "They put it into him. Everything with tonight, your transition, it was a trick."

   Betrayal filled her eyes as she looked at her father. "But you told me that they had something safe to put it into." She looked at him in disbelief. "So what happens, you just kill yourself and the magic goes away?" She looked toward Elijah. "And you're gonna let him go through with this?"

   "I don't need his permission to save your lives!" Klaus snapped emotionally in frustration.

   "Come back with me to New Orleans, Niklaus." Elijah implored, taking another step closer. "We'll find another way."

   "We both know that's not gonna happen." Klaus shook his head, and looked back to where his daughter and niece stood. "I'm sorry, girls. I'm sorry, Hope." He whispered sadly, before he turned away from them. "I've made my decision."

   "And I've made mine." Before he could do anything, Hope held up her and clenched her fist, causing him to groan in pain before he fell to the ground unconscious.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

    They didn't waste time in getting Klaus back to New Orleans, getting him secured down in the dungeon to stop him from doing anything irrational. As Elijah, Rebekah, and Kol stood down there with him talking, Freya joined her two eldest nieces upstairs in Hope's room, watching as they searched through every grimore and spell book they had at hand. 

   "Your dad is strong, but that works against him here." Freya looked at Hope, who began to spread the books out across her bed. "The energy will feed off that strength. He'll quickly go mad, and..." She looked toward them both sadly. "It won't be long until he's unrecognizable and impossibly dangerous to all of us."

   "Okay, well, how long does that take?" Hope asked her. "Days?"

   Freya smiled at her sadly. "More like...hours."

   "So today." Mira said what she knew Freya was hesitating to.

   "Yeah."

   Hope let out a shaky breath, slowly nodding. She wasn't ready to just give up on her dad. "All right. Then we're gonna have to pull the darkness out of him, divide it up again." 

   "And then we end up where we started." Freya pointed out. "With the family scattered to the corners of the world until something calls them back."

   "Well, then we keep him asleep, okay?" Hope argued, looking through one of the books desperately as she came up with a plan. "He won't be angry when he's asleep. We'll just brick him up in the head garden. That'll at least slow it down."

   Freya couldn't stand and watch her search for an answer anymore, leaning forward and closing the book she was trying to read, causing Hope to finally meet her eyes. "I need you to hear me on this, Hope." She said calmly, knowing she just needed to be honest with her. "There's not enough magic in the world to slow this down."

   Hope was silent as she left the room, and they all knew she was headed downstairs to check on Klaus. Mira knew better than to stop her, as they both knew what this meant. Hope was about to lose the only parent she had left, after losing Hayley not that long ago. She'd only just got Klaus back into her life properly, so the hurt at the mere idea of losing him was killing her inside, and Mira knew she'd feel the same if it was her father. 

   "Aunt Freya, there's got to be something." Mira looked at her, not wanting to give up. "If nothing else, Hope deserves the chance to properly say goodbye to him. We never got that with our moms."

   "I know." Freya took a deep breath. "I'm going to go look for something that might at least ease his suffering." She looked at her niece a long moment before she left the room. 

   Mira let out a sigh and turned to leave herself, pausing as she noticed the latest painting that Hope had been working on. It was a family portrait of them all together on Freya and Keelin's wedding day, only she'd made she adjustment from the picture she'd been copying from. In her painting, she'd painted the day as they'd all wished it would have gone, with Audrey and Hayley both there in attendance with them all. Hayley sat in a red dress beside her daughter on the couch used for the photo, with Klaus stood behind them. A small smile twitched at her lips as she saw the way Hope had chose to paint Audrey and Elijah, stood together with his arm around her waist, with Grace, Elliot and herself sat on the couch in front of them with Hope and Hayley. 

   And every single one of them looked happy, like the events of the past year or even the past seven years had never happened.

   Reluctantly pulling her gaze away from it, she made her way downstairs to see Hope making her way out of the carriageway and onto the streets, which were busy and loud with the Mari Gras celebrations taking place. "Hope?" She was quick to follow after her, struggling to catch up as she pushed through the busy crowds. "Hope, wait, where are you going?"

   Hope just barely glanced over her shoulder at her. "He got out. I need to find him."

   "What? How?" Mira asked in disbelief.

   "I don't know." She shook her head. "But he can't be out here like this."

   Mira nodded, and didn't bother to ask anymore questions. Instead, she simply gave took Hope's hand and gave it a gentle and reassuring squeeze, before moving to look with her. The faintest of smiles appeared on Hope's face, the smallest comfort coming from that familiar thought of knowing she could always count on Mira's support. 

   However, the pair weren't able to get far when they heard Marcel's voice calling after them, pushing through the crowds to catch up. "Hope. Hey, Hope, Mira." But Hope refused to slow down, knowing exactly what he was trying to do. "Come on, guys. We all know first hand what he's up against. The voices, the rage."

   "He's in this mess because he's trying to save us. Save me." Hope reminded him, an edge of guilt in her voice a the admittance. "Just like always."

   "Look, you put him down, he got back up." Marcel pointed out to her. "You put him down again, the same thing's gonna happen."

   Finally, Hope stopped and spun around to face him. "So what?" She snapped. "I'm an orphan at fifteen? God, you guys are always saying that we need someone to take care of us." She pointed between herself and Mira, and Mira couldn't help how her face fell for her cousin. "Well, who's gonna take care of me if he goes? Uncle Elijah? You?" She pressed, and the way Marcel looked away answered her question. "No, of course not. Because you have your own never-ending life to live, and uncle Elijah has his own kids to worry about. So, Marcel, just go and let me have my last moments with my father." Throwing her hand up, she cast a pain infliction spell, causing Marcel to hold his head and groan in pain. 

   The spell only dropping once the two girls had managed to disappear from his sight, leaving him unable to stop them.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

   The two were able to find Klaus in the end, Hope trying her best to break through to him despite his hallucinated state and take him back home. For moment, as he started to reach out to take her hand, it looked like it was working until he began to hesitate. His eyes flashed blue, but just as they started to return to their normal color, Elijah appeared hind him and snapped his neck, as Marcel moved Hope and Mira back protectively. When they got him back to the compound, Freya had thankfully found a spell that might be able to at least make him more comfortable, temporarily channeling some of the dark magic into Elijah who volunteered to take it without any hesitation. 

   Klaus was confused when he woke, looking around to find he was laid on the couch in the study, his older brother sat on the table beside him. He looked down at the veins on his arm, seeing how they'd faded and looked over to Elijah, to see similar dark veins now also crawling down his arm.

   "What have you done?" He stared at Elijah, who looked lost within his own thoughts.

   "What I've always done. Followed you into the fire." Elijah glanced toward him. "Freya channeled some of the dark energy into me. It won't last for long. It should clear your mind, though."

   "Sentimental fool." Klaus snapped, shaking his head. "Give me back the stake."

   "In good time." Elijah nodded, making the Original hybrid look slightly surprised. He expected him to put up much more of a fight on the matter, try to change his mind. "Niklaus, if this is indeed to be the end, you owe it to your family, to your daughter...to say goodbye."

   "Please, don't lecture me, Elijah." Klaus didn't meet his eye as he spoke, moving to his feet. "You've tried to orchestrate my life, to make me a better man, and for that, I honor you. You have to let me do this my way." He stated, as Elijah stood and turned to face him, keeping his path to the door blocked. "Alone. No goodbyes."

   "I could stop you." He told him.

   "You could try." Klaus gave him a look, and it softened very slightly. "Please. This last time. Let me be."

   Elijah stared at his younger brother in silence for a long moment, before he dipped his chin in the smallest nod, stepping aside to let him pass. While he didn't like it, not in the slightest, he knew there was no changing his mind on the matter. And if this was how his brother wanted to go out, he was going to respect his wishes. Klaus didn't say anything and left the room, leaving Elijah stood alone in the study contemplating everything.

   "You can't be mad at him." A familiar voice spoke from the corner of the room. "I know you hate it, but he's doing a good thing."

   Elijah had craved to be able to hear that voice again, to hear it and truly recognize it this time, from the moment he had gotten his memories back. Yet he couldn't bring himself to look in direction it came from, closing his eyes as he swallowed back the lump in his throat hearing it gave him. "You're not real." 

   Audrey Gilbert nodded from where she sat at the bar behind him. "No, I'm not." She admitted. "I'm just a hallucination from Freya channeling some of the darkness to you."

   "A figment of my imagination." He sighed, forcing himself to turn and face her. And the second he laid eyes on her, his heart ached in the place the bond used to be. "Sent to what? Torment me? Punish me?"

   "I think you've been doing that to yourself enough." She offered him a small smile. "Even though you know I wouldn't want you to. I don't blame you for what happened to me, Elijah. I don't blame, Mira or Hope."

   She was holding out for that dance. That was what gave him hope that what this hallucination was saying was true. Though he'd never be completely certain until he heard her, the true her, say it to him herself. And that wasn't going to be for a very long time.

   "He should say goodbye." He quickly changed the subject. 

   "He can't bare to see the people he loves in pain at the idea of losing him." Audrey said softly. "He can't bare the idea of seeing Hope having to face the pain of saying goodbye to yet another parent. He's trying to do the right thing in more ways that one."

   "There could be another way--"

   "There always is, but there isn't the time to find it. It's already been seven years of searching, of hoping, and after everything that has happened there's just no time left anymore." She cut in, pushing to her feet as she walked closer to him. "Your whole lives, you've been fighting for his redemption, Elijah. For him to be a better man, and while he may not believe it, he is one. He is making selfless sacrifice for he sake of his daughter and niece, the biggest sacrifice anyone could make for those that love. One I know that had you known about, you would have contemplated making yourself if it meant saving Mira's life." His gaze dropped down to the ground at that, knowing she was right. "He knows you would have, and he won't let you. Because he wants you to have this chance with Mira, Grace, and Elliot. And there is no one he would trust more to take care of Hope when he's gone, because she is going to need you, she's going to need Mira, Grace, and Elliot."

   She was right. Even just a figment of his imagination, a side effect of Freya's spell to ease Klaus's pain, Audrey Gilbert still understood and knew him better than anyone. She knew the whole family just as well as she always had, understanding their thoughts and feelings, who needed to hear what at what time. His eyes met hers, and he wanted so badly to reach out and touch her, close the distance between them so he could hold her in his arms and never let go. 

   "I don't know how I'm going to do this." The words slipped out despite knowing it wasn't truly her. He just needed to say it. "All of this would be so much easier, be so much clearer, if you were here with me. My love, I--"

   "Don't say now." She shook her head, reaching out and touching his cheek despite the fact he couldn't feel. "You're going to have to wait a long time, but don't say those three words until you see me again."

   "Who knows when that will be?" He whispered, trying to hide the pain in his voice.

   She just smiled at him sadly. "Worth the wait, right?"

   "Always." His own sad smile appeared.

   Their eyes remained locked, until the sound of his son's voice approaching made him look to the doorway. "Dad?" Elliot looked at him curiously. "Are you okay? Who were you talking to?"

   As Elijah glanced back to where Audrey had been stood, she was gone as if she was never there before, and he let out a small sigh as he shook his head. "No one." He brushed off, and gently placed both his hands on Elliot's shoulders. He needed a distraction. From his brother, from Audrey, from all of it. And there was no one better suited to keeping his mind off the bad than being with his children. "Come, let's go check on your sisters."

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

   Klaus was nowhere to be seen as it began to get dark, causing Hope to hide away in her room. She hated the idea that her dad had left rather then spend his final moments with her, but thanks to a little encouragement from Caroline, he did reappear to talk to her. Wanting to leave the pair alone for a while, the rest of the family had gathered in the living room, sharing memories of Klaus fondly as they enjoyed a drink.

   Grace and Elliot ended up sat on Rebekah and Marcel's laps on one couch, while Mira listened with a content smile, sat between Freya and her father on the other couch, Keelin sat the other side of her wife. 

   "You know, he always had a prescient eye." Elijah mused, pouring himself a glass. "He was extolling the virtues of Vincent van Gogh when the world decided he was a madman with a severed ear."

   Rebekah smiled as looked at Elijah. "Wait. Do you remember that April Fool's in Copenhagen where he compelled a circus troupe to follow you around?"

   "Seriously?" Mira snickered, raising a brow at her father.

   He nodded with a grimace at the memory. "Also known as the most challenging thirty six hours of my long life."

   Marcel sat forward slightly, shaking his head. "No, no, no, no, no. The worst was when he would get drunk, and get it in his head that he was gonna set the world ablaze with his paintings."

   Elijah chuckled knowingly. "And then he would actually set them on fire." He remembered, making everyone laugh.

   "What was his phrase?" Marcel glanced toward Rebekah.

   "His, uh..." She began to laugh as it came to mind.

   "His inspirational rampages." She, Marcel, and Elijah all said in sync, making all of them in the room laugh once again.

   "His drunken collection was always my favorite." Everyone looked to see Kol now behind them all, a bottle clutched in his hand. Rebekah and Elijah exchanged a knowing look as they got up to greet their brother, causing Grace to move from where she'd sat with Rebekah to sit with her older sister. "I should have known this was going to be redundant."

   "Brother." Elijah patted Kol's shoulder as he accepted the bottle from him, giving him a warm smile. "Bourbon's never redundant."

   "The prodigal brother returns." Rebekah kissed his cheek, pulling him into a hug.

   Kol nodded as he pulled away after a moment. "Yes, well, as much as I hate to admit it, you were right. We should honor our brother's sacrifice. And if Nik's time is up, then, I guess I didn't want to miss my time to bitch and moan. Because he is a tremendous ass."

   "That he is." Klaus himself agreed, as he and Hope finally joined everyone. A silence fell over them all as Klaus moved face to face with Kol. "But he oh-so-secretly adores his youngest brother." And as a touched look of awe appeared on Kol's face, the pair hugged before Klaus looked at all of his family. "Well, don't stop on my account." He shook his head, not allowing them to end the laughter they'd once been sharing. "If this is to be my funeral, let's get on with it."

   So, that was exactly what they did. 

   The gathering moved downstairs to the dining room, where they enjoyed on last family meal, the stories, the laughter, and the drinks didn't stop. As they watched the adults in the room, Hope, Mira, Grace, and Elliot all looked toward one another with the same looks on their faces. While it was a somber ordeal that had brought them all together for this moment, they wouldn't help but wish it could last forever, that had time to create more memories like this. Make up for all the ones they lost over the long time their family was split up into different corners of the world. 

   And they wish Audrey and Hayley were there to enjoy it with them.

   While Grace and Elliot grew distracted, Kol taking their attention as he flicked something at them making them laugh as they tried to retaliate, Mira moved and sat beside Hope. Without saying a word, Hope grabbed hold of her hand and rested her head on her shoulder, letting Mira gently rest her head on top of hers. Neither of them ever pictured this would be how it all ended when they thought of ways to reunite their family.

   None of it had been easy, and there had been a lot of pain, with still more to come.

   But there were small moments, just like this one, they would treasure forever despite it all. As Klaus and Elijah glanced the two teenagers, they weren't sure who they saw more the longer they watched them. Themselves, or Audrey and Hayley, but as they looked from the girls to one another they smiled. There was a comforting in knowing no matter who they took after when it came to their bond, it was something that would last and they could rely on forever.

   And when the meal finally came to a close, at Rebekah's request, they all moved out into the courtyard to finish the way with a family tradition of Rebekah's request. A wish burning ceremony. Standing around the bonfire, they all dropped the wishes they wrote for themselves and one another into the fire to burn, the somber feeling finally taking over all of them as they knew that time was nearly up.

   As Klaus dropped his wishes into the fire, he was silent as he looked into the flames, before he looked up at his family. "You know, as much as I've savored the joy or tormenting you throughout the years, I must confess you  all mean everything to me." He said wholeheartedly. "Your loyalty and your counsel and your love...is probably the only reason why I've survived as long as I have. Which is how I know, long after I'm gone, you will all come together, time and time again, to take care of each other." His gaze fell onto Hope, who remained close to his side, savoring each second with him she could get. "And that is why I'm not afraid for your future."

   "We're bound forever to those with whom we share blood." Elijah spoke up. "And while we may not choose our family, that bond is our greatest strength."

   "Though I may be leaving you tonight..." Klaus shook his head, confident in his words as he looked from his daughter, to his siblings, to his nieces and nephew. "This is not the end of the Mikaelsons. Always and forever."

   "Always and forever." They all repeated the vow.

   Taking hold of Hope's hand, he smiled toward the rest of them sadly. "I need a moment." He excused quietly, the father and daughter heading out toward the carriageway for their own final goodbye together.

   Everyone watched for a moment, before slowly, they all began to separate. No one was going to truly leave, not until it was all over, but there was a silent agreement for it to just be peaceful for a while now. Rebekah looked at Elijah and nodded, the two planning to accompany their brother one last time.

   "Just a moment." He nodded, and she nodded knowingly, kissing both her nieces and her nephew on the forehead before she walked ahead. "I'll be back later." He promised his children. "Will you be okay?"

   "We're gonna sit with Hope." Mira said quietly with a nod. "Just make sure she's not alone."

   Grace looked at him gently as he nodded. "Are you gonna be okay, dad?"

   This night was hard on all of them, but it wasn't hard to see the two taking it the hardest other than Hope was Elijah and Rebekah. And it wasn't something Elijah was able to hide from his children, despite how hard he was trying not to worry them.

   "I will be." He promised, his smile growing slightly as Elliot and Grace both hugged onto his legs. He chuckled, bending down to hug them both properly, kissing the tops of their heads. "I'll tuck you both into the bed when I'm back, okay?" He said, making them both nod. "Go on, go upstairs."

   As they did as told, Mira waited, and she knew she didn't need to say anything. She just took hold of her dad's hand, reaching up to kiss his cheek. Elijah pulled his eldest daughter into his arms, and the pair remained like that rather content like that until Hope reappeared, silent tears spilling down her cheeks. Elijah let go of Mira knowingly, allowing her to walk over and pull Hope into her arms, Hope not even trying to hold it back as she cried into her arms. 

   And knowing his niece was in good hands, Elijah left to catch up to Rebekah and Klaus.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

   "Ah, this old chestnut."

   Leaving the compound behind, the three sibling walked through the streets of the city, which has grown quieter as the Mardis Gras celebrations dialed down. Rebekah furrowed her brows in confusion toward her two brothers, as the two looked at a familiar bench.

   "Many moons ago, we sat here and discussed the future of our family." Klaus explained to her, looking at his sister honestly. "I never should have gotten in the way of your happiness, Rebekah."

   Rebekah shook her head, tears in her eyes. "You don't have to apologize."

   "Well, then, let me make it up to you." He proposed instead, making her confusion reappear. "I've asked Caroline to get you the cure. In a handful for decades when it's time, you can go to Mystic Falls and get it. Then if you no longer wish to be a vampire, it's your choice." Awe appeared in Rebekah's eyes, letting a small sob. "Live the life you've always wanted to live, my sister."

   "Thank you." She whispered emotionally, the tears spilling as she pulled him into one final embrace. 

   Reluctantly, she pulled away and gave Elijah a quick hug, before she forced herself to walk away from the pair. She couldn't bring herself to stay and watch it happen. "I don't want your last memory of me to be my death." Klaus spoke as the pair watched her go. "So, please, let's not say the sad goodbye."

   "I agree." Elijah slowly nodding, pulling the stake out from his pocket. "Let's not."

   Klaus looked at the weapon as he reached out to take it, hesitating a moment as looked at Elijah. "Hope--"

   "I will take care of her." He swore to him, knowing exactly what he was going to ask. "I give you my word."

   He nodded, feeling at ease knowing his daughter would never be alone. She'd always have her family, but knowing she'd be with Elijah, with her cousins always at her side, that gave him an even greater sense of peace. "After seeing everything I've done..." He trailed off as he took hold of the stake, looking at him honestly. "Do you truly believe I am redeemed."

   "Yes, I do." Elijah said, taking his shoulder and squeezing it. "My whole life, my sole purpose has been your redemption, Niklaus. And while I don't wish for this to be our goodbye, I know you have found it, and I could not be any prouder of you than I already am." 

   Klaus felt tears in the corners of his eyes as he reach forward, embracing his older brother who hugged him back tightly. "What if there's nothing after this?" He whispered, still set on his decision but couldn't hide that lingering fear that he had. "No peace. Just darkness."

   "I don't believe that." Elijah shook his head, not wanting him to go with any fear. He wanted him to be reassured not just about the lives of those he was leaving behind, but what was waiting for him next. "Not for a second. And if there is...I believe there is some people waiting over there to pull you out of it and into the light."

   Klaus swallowed the lump in his throat as he knew exactly who he was talking about. Camille, Hayley, Audrey. None of them would leave him alone in the darkness, they'd help him find peace no matter what. "Brother, if I see her--"

   "Tell her she'll get that dance." Elijah said, not explaining what he meant. "She'll know what it means."

   Klaus nodded. "I will, I swear it."

   Elijah took a deep breath. "It's been a glorious ride, Niklaus." His voice cracked slightly. "And my greatest honor." 

   Klaus's look said he felt the same without him having to say the words out loud. And wanting to respect his final wish, seeing the pleading look in his eyes to let him do this alone, Elijah finally forced himself to walk away just like Rebekah had. Closing his eyes and stopping himself from going back when his hearing picked up that sharp gasp of pain when it did finally happen. 

   When he arrived back at the compound, he made his way upstairs and first checked Hope's room, only to find it empty. He eventually found the four in Mira's bedroom, and couldn't help but smile at the sight that he came across. Grace and Elliot were asleep in between Hope and Mira, the four having made themselves comfortable sharing her bed. Even the two teenagers had fallen asleep on either side of them, with Mira and Hope's hand resting gently over the twins and very loosely entwined together in comfort. 

   And sat on Mira's desk, they'd displayed Hope's unfinished painting for Freya and Keelin's wedding day. He looked at it for a moment, before he moved over and pulled the covers over the four, making sure they were comfortable before he turned off the bedside lamp. 

   Completely unaware that Audrey Gilbert stood in the doorway, watching those she loved most with a fond smile on her face, her arms crossed over her chest. As Elijah's eyes flickered toward the doorway, despite the fact he couldn't see her, she smiled more. 

   And not even knowing she was there, he smiled back.

Me? Updating after months of nothing and empty promises of updates? It must be a Christmas miracle lmao. But I finally had inspiration to get this chapter done, and I think it turned out really well in the end, I hope it was worth the wait. This book still has a epilogue to come to wrap up this AU section, but then Absolution is finally entirely done!

I hope you all enjoyed!