A month passed following that day trapped in the cemetery, and just like expected, everything had changed. Everyone was dealing with Rebekah's departure differently, Klaus hiding his sorrows in painting and regular nights spent with Genevieve. She was the only witch left that had taken one of the Harvest girls places, and after what she helped Celeste to do their family, neither Elijah or Audrey were impressed by her presence around the compound. Hayley was now living in the bayou with the wolves, after the cure Celeste made her for pack broke their curse on the following full moon, and showed no interest in returning to living in the Quarter like she was. Marcel was now banished from the Quarter, Elijah only allowing him to live for Rebekah's sake, and had made a home for himself across the river. 

   With Klaus not doing anything remotely productive, the job of keeping everything running fell on Elijah, who was attempting to broker piece between the Quarter factions. Make the city a safe place before the baby was born, though it was proving to be a difficult task. Audrey was standing by his side and trying to help, while also trying to keep her promise to Rebekah, though keeping an eye on both Mikaelson men was easier said then done. Especially when one simply refused to talk about the incident at all. 

   "Spoken like a man who's made peace with his demons." Genevieve mused, as she laid lazily on the couch in Klaus's art room, wearing only her lingerie. 

   Klaus glances at her as he buttons his shirt. "My demons are dead, or chased off."

   "Yes, apart from the one lingering monster with whom you share a bed." Elijah glares toward Genevieve in annoyance, as he and Audrey appear in the doorway. He holds a pair of heels out to the witch, that they'd found left carelessly in the hallway. "I trust you can find your clothing and the door." Rolling her eyes, Genevieve got to her feet and took her heels, giving the couple a look as she left the room. "You do recall that woman tortured our sister."

   "She also revealed the truth about our sister's treachery." Klaus pointed out. 

   "And as a consequence, Rebekah is gone forever." Elijah gave him a look.

   Klaus simply shrugged. "A desire which she apparently harbored for quite some time."

   "Klaus." Audrey shook her head toward him, and he merely sent her an innocent glance in return.

   "Niklaus, it has been a month." Elijah walked further into the room, Audrey leaning the doorway with her arms crossed. "Now, I feel our sister's loss as deeply as you. But, you must stop distracting yourself with this ridiculous behavior and channel it into some kind of action."

   Grabbing a paintbrush, Klaus focused his attention on the painting resting on his easel. "Why must I, exactly?"

   "Because over the course of Marcel's tenure, the city grew accustomed to having a king." Elijah told him. "You wanted his throne. Now, you must accept the responsibility that accompanies that."

   "Apologies, but I'm rather ensconced in other pursuits." Klaus mumbled halfheartedly, his eyes focused on his work.

   His frustration reaching it's breaking point, Elijah snatches the paintbrush from his hand, stepping closer to his brother. "If you can so easily neglect your home, I wonder what will become of your daughter. Have you forgotten what it was like to live beneath the threat of violence?" He asked, and softened his expression slightly with hope. "We must work together, Niklaus. Let's make this city whole again."

   Klaus just looked at him for a long moment. "Perhaps it is too broken to mend." He stated, snatching back his paintbrush and turning back to his painting.

   Elijah's face fall before he gave his brother a stern look. "If you won't do anything, I will." 

   Audrey stayed where she was as Elijah left, watching Klaus quietly for a moment. "Nik, if you want to talk--"

   "Unless you want to recommend a color for me to use, Audrey." He began, not even looking at her. "I think that'll be all, thank you."

   Letting out a deep sigh, she just shook her head and walked away, Klaus glancing at where she once stood briefly before returning to his work.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

   An attempt to put a peace treaty in place between the factions failed, when Hayley crashed the gathering Elijah was hosting at the church, demanding that the wolves get a seat at the table. None of the other factions were impressed by the idea, which drew the meeting to a very quick close. Klaus, though still disinterested in what his brother was trying to do, did give a suggestion of something that might help bring everyone together.

   A party to bring each of the factions together, as a way to show that they could all get along and work together. Though skeptical everyone would agree to get along, Elijah took the idea on board, and the compound was filled with guests that evening. Audrey stood in front of the mirror in their room, finishing pulling her hair up into the bun she'd decided on, before looking herself up and down in the mirror. She'd gone simple, with a short nude colored dress and simple makeup with a deep red lipstick, some simple dangling silver earrings, along with her necklace. It felt strange, not having Rebekah with her to comment on her outfit. Usually, either Rebekah would have picked her dress and designed the look, or she'd have Caroline giving her a million options at once. Now Rebekah was gone, Caroline was at Whitmore, and she didn't have Hayley around to talk to anymore. 

   But Audrey refused to dwell on it, and took a deep breath before making her out onto the balcony. Instantly, the muffled music she heard before became louder, and she could see the party in full swing in the courtyard below. She made her way downstairs and looked around, giving polite smiles and nods to everyone she passed. 

   "Audrey, right?" A deep voice asked, causing her turn to see a man with scruffy black hair stood before hair. "I'm Jackson, Hayley--"

   "The wolf that watched her." The Gilbert girl realized, and he nodded. "Yeah, I've heard about you. Nice to finally meet you."

   "You too." He nodded, shaking her hand. "Hayley talks a lot about you."

   "Oh." She smiled. "All good, I hope?"

   Jackson chuckled. "Only the best." He assured her. "I, uh, I wanted to apologize. That night I protected Hayley in the bayou, I'm sorry I didn't get there in time to help you before..."

   "Before I was shot?" She finished with a raised brow, and he nodded sheepishly. "You don't need to apologize, that wasn't on you, and it's not your job to protect me." Audrey gave him a smile. "I don't blame anyone for that, other than the witches responsible and they're long gone."

   "Still, I wanted to say it." Jackson gave a smile in return. "You should join us in the bayou sometime. You're more than welcome." 

   "I'll definitely have to take you up on that offer. See what the fuss is Hayley talks about." She nodded, making him chuckle. Feeling eyes on her from across the room, Audrey shifted her gaze until it locked with a familiar pair of brown eyes, red twinging her cheeks at the look she received. "Excuse me." She mumbled without looking back at Jackson, and began walking toward the eyes.

   The second she reached him, Elijah took her hand kissed the top of it, before his lips pressed against her forehead. "Stunning." He let out softly, his thumb stroking across her cheek. "You look beautiful, my love."

   "I tried my best." She said, before pecking his lips softly. "You look handsome."

   Elijah said nothing as he deepened the kiss, before reluctantly pulling away and taking her hand once again. "May I have this dance?"

   "Of course you may." She agreed, squeezing his hand lightly as he led her out.

   "I hope you don't feel neglected." He said, smiling at how her smile widened, as he carefully twirled her under his arm. "I know my attention has been elsewhere, lately."

   "Elijah, you're trying to make the city safe for the baby." She gave him a look. "I don't feel neglected. I've been trying to help, but I feel it's been doing little good."

   "My love, your support does more good than you'll ever know." He told her seriously, pulling her closer to his chest. "Throughout all that has happened since Rebekah left, having you by my side has been a blessing. I never want you to think or feel otherwise." Audrey simply leaned in and kissed him again, more deeply than she did before, and Elijah didn't hesitate to return the action. Breathlessly, he reluctantly pulled away after a moment, their foreheads resting together. "What was that for?"

   "I just..." Audrey began quietly. "I love you." She said simply, but the truth and emotion was clear in her voice.

   "I love you." He smiled, pecking her lips lightly as he spoke. "So much, my love." Lifting her hands, he kissed the tops of them. "As much as I'd love to spend the whole evening with you--"

   "Go. Keep making sure everyone behaves." She cut him with a knowing smile. "I'll find you later."

   "Once this is over, you will have my undivided attention. I give you my word." He promised, and the Gilbert girl gave him a reassuring smile as he walked away.

   As he disappeared from sight, she felt a new gaze on her, making her look to meet eyes with Francesca Correa. The woman lifted the champagne flute she held up with a nod, and Audrey gave a nod back, her look skeptical. She was aware of who Francesca was, she was looking to take over Father Kieran's place running the human fraction, and owned the city casino. According to what Elijah had learned, her family also ran a rather large drug trafficking business. The couple had made a point to look into her, after she requested to meet with Elijah the night before. 

   Audrey watched Francesca carefully, who had became distracted with other guests, narrowing her gaze slightly. Something about her didn't sit right with the Gilbert girl, and if history was anything to go off, whatever gave her the feeling had to be far from good.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

   The party took a downward spiral as the night went on, after a fight broke out between the wolves and vampires. Diego and Oliver had been provoking one another all night, until Oliver went too far and Diego snapped. The vampire threw the werewolf across the courtyard, sending him crashing into a table of glasses. Oliver then pinned Diego to a wall, but Elijah quickly separated them, only for Jackson to get involved. Protective of Oliver, Jackson had pinned Diego to a wall, threatening to put a stake in his heart. It was at that point Hayley cut in, looking disappointed and unimpressed at everyone that was involved. 

   Audrey knew the Marshall girl had a point. If everyone really couldn't learn to get along, and create some of peace and community, then what was the point in all of it? They may as well skip to end and kill each other. Her words seemed to have an effect, and the fight ended after that, and the representatives for each of the fractions signed the peace treaty. 

   "Did he sign?" Audrey raised a brow through the mirror, as Elijah joined her in their room.

   He nodded, moving behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist, kissing her neck lightly. "Rather reluctantly." He informed. "Niklaus is clearly more interested in all of this than he makes out. What he is truly up to, however, I have yet to figure out."

   "We'll find out soon enough." Audrey hummed knowingly. "His schemes never stay secret long."

   "Yes, as devious as my brother is, he does lack in the ability to be discreet." He agreed, and gently turned her head so their lips met.  "But that doesn't matter right now. I made you a promise I intend to keep."

   The Gilbert girl smiled against his lips, before pulling away slightly with an innocent expression. "And what promise would that be?" She asked, furrowing her brow in faux confusion.

   Elijah smirked slightly. "You'll see." 

   Audrey grinned and laughed as he lifted her up, laying her back on their bed. The Gilbert girl grabbed his tie and tugged him down on top of her, their lips connecting in a deep kiss. The straps of her dress fell from her shoulders, and her hands clumsily undoing the buttons of his shirt, as his lips moved from hers to her to neck. The events of the night, and everything else that had happened lately was completely forgotten about, as the pair grew completely lost in one another.

I don't know how I got so blocked on this chapter, but at least it hasn't taken me too long to get over it, like it has with past chapters. I didn't follow much of the script at all, I really just wanted to focus on some moments between Audrey and Elijah, which I hope I delivered on. 

Absolution only has five chapters of season one! Very exciting, many things planned for these last five chapters, and many things planned for season two! The next few updates are coming very soon!

I hope you all enjoyed!