INGRID glanced at her husband in confusion and a small amount of fear. "How are you awake?" She asked while moving her body to block Klaus' path to Elijah.

"You have dip it in the ash each time." Klaus reminded her smugly and waved the dagger in the air causing her to hang her head in realization. "I'm guessing you forgot."

"Ingrid!" Elijah snapped incredulously at her.

"Oh, give me a break!" She turned to face him with a glare and threw her hands up. "I didn't exactly have time to think about it."

"I commend the effort, my love." Klaus said almost proudly and walked toward the circle only for Ingrid to block him.

"Niklaus, it's too late." Elijah explained with a significant look.

"No, it's not." Klaus rejected then glared at Ingrid when she refused to allow him through again. "Move."

"No." She denied sternly and shook her head. "You're going to have to make me."

"Ingrid, I won't fight you." He rejected her challenge with an aggravated expression. "For once, just yield."

"No." She snarled fiercely, standing her ground. "You can be angry with me all you like but it's done."

"Let me do this." Elijah pleaded emotionally to his brother, his hands shaky as he held the white oak stake tight in his grip.

"Put it down and let's talk." Klaus tried to coerce him, speaking calmly and holding his hands out in front of him.

"There's nothing left to say." Elijah refused, shaking his head, and tears pooled in his eyes. "It's time we end this." He explained and held the stake up above his heart.

Klaus tried to speed toward him again but Ingrid held him back. He thrashed against her grip and screamed loudly. "Stop! No! Stop! Stop!"

Hope walked out of of woods to see her family fighting and Elijah holding a stake to himself. "Mom? Dad? What's going on here?"

"Get her out of here." Elijah pleaded, not wanting his niece to bear witness to his death.

"No!" Klaus yelled furiously and shook his head. "Your death is not the answer."

"Death?" Hope inquired in confusion but they were too busy arguing to hear her.

"Neither is yours!" Ingrid snarled at her husband, pushing him away from the circle. "You cannot berate him for doing what you were going to."

"Wh-What are you talking about?" Hope demanded loudly above their voices and the trio turned to face her with hesitant expressions. She noticed Elijah's tears and drew out a deep breath. "They put it into you." She concluded then looked at her father in betrayal. "But you told me that they put it into something safe, and instead, you use my first transition to trick me."

"Hope--" Elijah spoke softly, hoping to have the chance to explain.

The new werewolf whipped her head around to him and gaped in disbelief. "So what happens, you just kill yourself and the magic goes away?" She questioned incredulously and turned to her parents with a bewildered expression. "And you're gonna let him go through with this?"

"I don't need their permission to save your life!" Elijah yelled emotionally, pointing a finger at the couple.

"Come back with me to New Orleans, Elijah." Klaus said desperately, trying to talk him down from the ledge. "We'll find another way."

"We both know that's not going happen." Elijah whispered in a watery voice and shook his head. "I have to do this so you don't. Let me go."

"What?!" Hope exclaimed loudly as her eyes widened in surprise.

Elijah turned on his heels and looked to his niece with teary eyes. "I'm sorry, Hope. I've made my decision." He apologized and readied himself to drive the stake through his heart.

"And I've made mine." Hope commented sternly and held her hand up. Elijah groaned out in pain before falling unconscious in the circle. She looked down at him then glanced at her parents with a furious scowl. "Who wants to tell me what's going on?"

When they returned to New Orleans, Klaus threw Elijah down in the dungeon and chained him up, keeping him in place. Kol studied his eldest brother and scoffed incredulously. "Just when I thought he was showing vaguest signs of cooperation, our brother makes a unilateral decision that leaves the rest of us stewing in his melodrama." He commented, almost inconvenienced by this event going on.

"His death is not a melodrama." Rebekah snarled in offense, placing her hands on her hips.

Klaus sighed as he sat down across from Elijah's cell. "Well, he's spiraling. This energy feeds on anger, and our brother has been carrying a lot lately."

"How many times are we going to play this game?" Kol asked them in annoyance causing them to look at him with mixed expressions. "Right, calamity and doom approaches our brother, and then, all of a sudden, a trapdoor appears and, poof, he escapes. He's a cockroach that will outlive us all." He ranted and smirked bitterly. "And we're immortal."

"And what if it's different this time?" Rebekah inquired curiously, trying to instill some faith in him. "What if he figures out a way to end it all?"

"I don't think he would notice or care that I wasn't there to witness it." Kol answered honestly with a shrug and Ingrid shot him a sympathetic look. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going home." He pardoned himself before walking away from them and out of the tunnel.

"He'll be back." Klaus remarked confidently.

Rebekah glanced over at him, unconvinced, and scoffed. "Will he?" She asked but didn't give him time to answered and left after Kol.

Klaus stared emotionally at Elijah's body then sighed loudly and shook his head. "How could you let him do this?" He asked Ingrid angrily, his back to her.

Ingrid cleared her throat while slowing sitting down next to him, looking at Elijah as well. "This was his idea." She admitted in a small whisper and Klaus turned toward her in surprise. "After I told him what you were really planning to do, he asked me to trust him. He asked me to dagger you and I did it... Listen, you can be angry with me or hate me but---"

"I don't hate you. I could never." Klaus cut her off, his tone stern yet affectionate. "I'm not angry about you daggering me either. Who doesn't deserve a good daggering from time to time? I'm angry that you let him do this and didn't bother to tell me."

"He begged me to let him do this." She said honestly and shrugged her shoulders with a hesitant face. "He wouldn't relent so... I let him."

"Why would he do this?" He asked in exasperation and ran his hands down his face.

"Niklaus..." She spoke softly and scooted closer to him, placing a hand on his back. She licked her lips anxiously and rested her chin on his shoulder. "Elijah has been looking for a way out for years. He's miserable. Every time there's a chance one of us may die, he's jumped at that chance to be the one who does." She explained to him carefully, not wanting to anger him further by saying the wrong thing.

"Does he truly wish to die?" Klaus asked in a heartbroken tone, looking down at her. "After everything, he can't find anything worth staying for?"

"He erased all of his memories to find some sliver of peace but it was never enough." Ingrid reminded him with a frown. "Elijah has a millennia of guilt and torment clouding him. I don't think he'll ever forgive himself for the things he's done. He will always feel that and I didn't want to stand in his way."

"This is not his responsibility. She is our daughter. My daughter. I shouldn't be sitting idly by while my brother sacrifices his life to save hers. It should be me." He explained, sniffling back tears and looking down at his hands in guilt.

"Niklaus." She called out to him and held his cheek in her hand. "I need you to look at me. Really look at me." She requested emotionally and he did as told, staring directly into her eyes. "Can you sit here and honestly tell me you wanted to die?"

"No." Klaus answered with a shake of his head. "I didn't. I didn't want to leave you and our kids behind. I just thought... that I was doing what was right."

"I understand, my love. We as parents can only hope to do what is best for our children but killing yourself... that's not what's best." Ingrid rejected his idea with a shake of her head as tears pooled in her dark eyes. "I need you." She expressed emotionally and rubbed his cheek with the pad of her thumb. "The children need you."

"I know." He whispered quietly and rested his forehead against hers, closing his eyes. "I am so sorry for doing that to you. I thought... I thought if I didn't tell you, it would be easier for me to go through with it. But it was killing me." His voice breaking as he informed his wife. "All I could think about was how devastated you would be. There were several times where I didn't think I could go through with it."

"You are the love of my life, Ingrid. You're my wife. My best friend. The mother to my children." He said emotionally and placed his hand over hers. "The thought of leaving you behind... it's hell."

"Yeah. The thought of losing you was hell." She replied grievously and closed her eyes. "When I thought Alaric killed you fifteen years ago, it was agony. This... this felt so much worse. My entire world came crashing down and all I felt was pain. I need you to promise me something."

Klaus opened his eyes and looked at her in perplexity. "What?"

"That..." She trailed off and licked her lips nervously. "Regardless if we can save Elijah, that you'll stay. I know it's selfish and maybe it's wrong but I don't care."

"Ingrid---" He began but was cut off before he could say anything further or make his point.

Shaking her head as tears fell down her cheeks, she stared at him pleadingly. "Please. I need you to promise.... no, I need you to swear it. You can't go off chasing Elijah anymore. I'm sorry but I really need you to hear you say it because... I fear that if I don't, I'll spend forever worrying."

"Okay." Klaus agreed with a nod of his head and Ingrid gaped at him in surprise. She had expected to try and spend more time convincing him, not for him to give in almost immediately. He noticed her shock and grabbed ahold of both of her hands. "Ingrid Mikaelson, I swear---" He started his oath and intertwined their fingers.

"You have to actually mean it." She reminded him sternly and held a hand up. "With every part of you. If you even waver from this---"

"I know." He whispered with a small smile and a nod of his head. "I mean it. I truly do. Part of me let go of Elijah seven years ago. When he almost let Hope die... I practically renounced him. That doesn't mean I don't love him or mourn the man my brother used to be. He has spent his whole life relentlessly chasing the fantasy that I could be redeemed, never considering his own selfish desires to be a priority. When he did... you and I both murdered the women he loved."

"Yeah... in hindsight, we should have been more accepting but Hayley stole our child and I wasn't willing to entertain the possibility of it having again." Ingrid justified her actions then pointed a finger at him. "You did it to be a dick."

Klaus made a face and rolled his eyes. "He made me angry." He defended himself then held a hand up and moved the topic along. "He's still my brother and deep down, I'll always need him. But... my family needs me more. So if you need me to swear to it, I will. I'll do whatever I have to to put you at ease."

Klaus wasn't religious in that sense but he knew how much it meant to her, especially when they were human. In Norse mythology, if you swore an oath to Odin, it was unbreakable. If ever broken, it was said that to bring shame on your entire bloodline and the wrath of Odin should fall upon you and all of your descendants until all of time.

"I swear to Odin and I swear to you, my wife, that regardless of this outcome, I will stay of my own accord. I will stay on Earth with you and our children for as long as possible." Klaus continued, watching Ingrid cry in front of him with an appreciative smile on her face. "Or should I be struck down."

Ingrid grasped his face in her hands and crashed her lips into his. Klaus melted in her touch and he immediately kissed back, resting his hands on her sides. They pulled away and she rested her head back down on his shoulder. Klaus pecked the top of her head and the two sat in silence for a moment.

"Can I ask you to swear to something?" He asked curiously and she hummed in response. "That you didn't let Elijah do this out of your hate for him."

Ingrid sighed and lifted her head, looking over at him. "No. I was trying to save you and our daughter... he offered a solution." She explained and struggled with her words for a second. "I did attempt to talk him down. Saying that you would never allow it and despite how he and I felt about one another... he's important to this family. I do think you should hear it from him and not me. But... no." She rejected with a shake of her head. "I never once used my anger or my hatred for him to fuel my decision."

"Okay." He whispered and accepted her answer, staring at Elijah was a distant look in his light blue eyes. He suddenly placed a hand on her abdomen, a meaningful expressionon his face. "Are we really having another baby?" He asked emotionally, happy tears brimming away.

"Yeah, we are." Ingrid replied softly and set her hand on top of his, sniffling quietly.

Elijah woke from his temporary death and in a fit of paranoia, escaped from the compound out onto the streets of New Orleans. This wouldn't be a concern if it hadn't been Mardi Gras and Elijah wasn't slowly being dragged down into madness from the Hollow's dark power.

Freya was hunched over a table with a map lied down in front of her. She watched her magic try to locate her brother and furrowed her eyebrows in aggravation. "It's as if he's everywhere and nowhere at the same time. There's death all around him." She explained causing Klaus to gape at her in worry. She quickly moved to soothe him by pitching ideas. "I'll look for a spell to ease his pain. But first we have to find him. This isn't your fault, Klaus."

"He can't die like this. I won't allow it." Klaus replied in determination, shaking his head quickly and pacing the floor in front of her.

Finally, a bright blue dot formed on the map and Freya pointed it out to him. "He's in the Quarter. The dark magic is all around him."

Klaus immediately set off to find his brother, rushing out of the room and passing by Ingrid as he did. He mumbled a quick apology and she nodded in understanding then watched him leave. She walked into the room, joining Freya, and gave her flat-lipped expression. "I'm assuming you found him."

"Yes." Freya replied with a heavy sigh then shot her a disapproving look. "How could you let him do this?"

"I'm not Elijah's keeper, okay?" Ingrid snapped in frustration and narrowed her eyes. "I didn't let him do anything. He's his own person."

"But how..." Freya trailed off as anger and grief boiled up inside of her. "How could you be okay with this?"

"I'm not okay with it." Ingrid answered honestly with a shake of her head. "No matter my anger toward Elijah, deep down I still don't him to die because he's my family. However, Niklaus was hell bent on doing it himself and---"

"What?" Freya gaped at her in disbelief.

The hybrid's face fell as she realized Klaus never told his sister. "Oops." She mused slowly and pursed her lips. "Hmm. Well, that's out in the air. Listen, I probably should not have said anything but it's whatever now. But Elijah choose to do this without my influence."

"Did you refute him?" The witch questioned pointedly and crossed her arms over her chest.

"No. I think we all know by now that even if I had, he would have done so regardless." Ingrid pointed out sternly and let out a deep breath. "Elijah asked for this and we have to come to terms with it because... there is no other choice. All we can do is say goodbye."

In the den, Elijah woke with a startled gasp to find himself lying on the couch. He looked up at the person standing in front of him with a disapproving frown. "What have you done?"

"Freya channeled some of the dark energy into me. It won't last for long. It should clear your mind, though." Klaus replied and sat down on the chair across from him.

"Give me the stake, Niklaus." Elijah demanded strictly, sitting up from his seat.

Klaus shook his head in rejection with a meaningful look plastered on his face. "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. Alone. No goodbyes." Elijah requested with tears in his eyes. "I cannot burden anyone with my guilt any longer. It's my time."

"I could stop you." Klaus commented pointedly, trying his best not to break down.

"You could try. But you'll fail. Please. This last time. Let me be." Elijah pleaded desperately and stood up from his seat. He gave Klaus one last look before buttoning his jacket and walking out of the room.

Hours later, Elijah walked into the living room to see everyone sitting around telling stories about him and laughing. The group consisted of Rebekah, Marcel, Keelin, Freya, Hope, Eirik, Klaus, and Ingrid. He smiled slightly to himself and slipped in to join them silently. Rebekah pointed over at Klaus, speaking in between laughter. "Do you remember that April Fool's in Copenhagen where you compelled a circus troupe to follow Elijah around?"

"Also known as the most challenging hours of my long life." Elijah spoke with a smile causing them all to settle down and turn to him with sad looks. "It's okay." He assured them kindly, walking further in the room.

Just then, Kol walked into the room holding a bottle of bourbn and gave them a sheepish smile. "I should have known this was going to be redundant."

Elijah approached him, placing an affectionate hand on his cheer. "Brother... bourbon's never redundant."

"The prodigal brother returns." Rebekah mused happily and stood up to hug him tightly.

"Yes, well, as much as I hate to admit it, you were right. We should honor our brother's sacrifice." Kol explained as they pulled away from each other. "And if Elijah's time is up, then, I guess I didn't want to miss my chance to bitch and moan."

Elijah chuckled and gestured toward the group in encouragement. "Well, don't stop on my account. If this is to be my funeral, then let's get on with it."

The party moved downstairs to the dining room and they were all laughing and chatting amongst themselves while the adults, minus Ingrid, were drinking copious amounts of alcohol. Freya leaned over and fed Keelin a grape as she stared up at her affectionately. The older witch was telling a joke when Kol threw a napkin at her with a groan and she laughed loudly, pulling it off her head.

Hope covered her mouth and laughed at their family's antics. Klaus leaned over and kissed Ingrid passionately on the lips. Eirik looked at them in disgust and pretended to gag causing Marcel to chuckle, shaking his head.

Elijah stood up from his seat, holding his glass up in the air and tapping a butter knife against it. "Not to overshadow my moment but I do have an announcement." He began with a happy smile on his face and held his glass out toward the hybrids. "We have a new Mikaelson joining us in a few short months. So I would like to propose a toast of congratulations to Niklaus and Ingrid."

Everyone turned their heads toward the longest standing couple, looking for clarification. Ingrid held a hand up and grinned joyously. "It's true." She admitted quickly and everyone began to cheer loudly with congratulations.

"Oh, my God! Mom!" Hope squealed and immediately stood up to hug her mother tightly.

Eirik began to jump up and down then leaned over and hugged her as well. "Yay! Someone other than Hope!" He yelled in excitement and the Mikaelsons all began laughing.

Rebekah stood up and clapped her hands together with a mischievous look. "Alright. It's time for an old-fashioned wish burning ceremony."

"Noo." Klaus whined and threw his head back causing Ingrid to smirk in amusement.

Rebekah shot him a warning look and pointed a finger at him. "Yes. Come on!"

Everyone stood to their feet and walked out onto the courtyard to see bonfire in the middle. Rebekah walked around and handed strips of paper and a pen to everyone. Eirik looked down at in confusion and raised an eyebrow. "What am I supposed to do?"

Ingrid wrote down her wish while explaining it to him. "You write your wish down on the paper then fold it up like this--" She showed him how to fold it. "See? And then you throw it into the fire." She continued as she tossed her paper into the flames in front of them.

Eirik nodded in understanding and smiled widely. "I like this."

"Good. Because dad doesn't. So now it's three against one." Hope commented in a loud whisper, sending teasing looks over at Klaus, who stuck his tongue out at them.

Elijah glanced down at his paper with a somber expression and slipped it into his inner jacket pocket. The liveliness of the night slowly died down as everyone stared into the flames and reality dawned on them.

Elijah cleared his throat and spoke smoothly. "All I have ever wanted was to silence my brother's shame and despair. I feel proud to say that I've done just that." He remarked with with small smile and turned toward Klaus. "I think it's safe to say that I'm leaving you in good hands."

Ingrid reached over and grabbed Klaus' hand in hers, squeezing gently. Klaus squeezed back and blinked back his tears while listening to his brother's words.

"It's moments like these that remind me why our family has survived and persevered this long. Love. 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. We're bound forever to those of whom we share blood. And while we may not choose our family, that bond is our greatest strength. Though I may be leaving you tonight... this is not the end of the Mikaelsons. Always and forever."

"Always and forever." The group responded back in an emotional chorus.

Elijah choose to say goodbye to the children in private and everyone stood around, waiting for their time to bid their farewells to him. After a moment, Elijah asked to see Ingrid and she kissed Klaus palm before walking toward him. Elijah led Ingrid in her office and gestured for her to sit down at her desk. She cracked a small smile and gave him a look. "That's how you want to do it?"

"Like old times." He responded back affectionately.

Ingrid nodded her head and did as he asked, sitting down in her leather desk chair and watching him sit in front of her. He crossed a leg over the other and unbuttoned his suit jacket.

She tapped on the wood of her desk and smirked mischievously. "What shall we discuss first?" She asked, opening the floor to him and folding her hands together.

He chuckled and played with the end of his tie then looked up at her with tears in her eyes. "Despite everything... it's been a roller-coaster to watch you grow into this person you are now. You're an outstanding mother and I don't worry about how you'll bring up the children because I know deep down, you'll do what's right for them. Even when it's not right for you. You've come a long way and I am proud of you, Ingrid. I hope you can accept my apology for all my transgressions and that you can forgive me one day."

Ingrid's bottom lip quivered and she looked down at her desk, trying her best to keep the tears at bay. She took a deep, shaky breath and met his eyes again. "I'm going to choose to remember you as the man who comforted me in that mausoleum sixteen years ago. As the man who used to sit and talk with me for hours just like this. I'm going to remember you as one of my best friends. While I may never truly forgive you, deep down in my black heart, I love you." She expressed causing Elijah to laugh at her joke. "I sincerely hope there is peace for you and that it's everything you've ever wanted." She whispered emotionally, tears rolling down her cheeks.

Elijah stood up from his seat and walked toward her, standing at the edge of the desk. Ingrid stood up as well and wrapped her arms around her brother-in-law, hugging him from the very last time. "I love you, Ingrid." He whispered in Old Norse, kissing the top of her head.

"I love you, Elijah." She responded back in the same dialect, closed her eyes tightly before pulling away. "I'll take care of him. Don't worry."

"I know you will." He replied with a kind smile and a nod of his head. "Goodbye."

"Goodbye." She said softly.

Elijah backed away from her, their fingers slipping out of each other's as he walked out of the room. Once the door was closed, Ingrid rapped her knuckles against her desk and cried quietly to herself. The door flung open again and she looked through blurry vision to see her children running toward her, sobbing. They fell into her arms and she held onto them, stroking their backs comfortingly.

Klaus and Elijah were sitting on the bench in the French Quarter, staring off at the beauty in front of them. Klaus knew this was his last moment with his big brother yet couldn't come up with anything to say that would do it justice.

"Niklaus, we didn't choose to become what we are. To be or not to be was taken from us by Esther and Mikael, stolen from us, Niklaus. I'm stealing it back. I saw a vision of a future for everyone that we love and then when I looked at my own future..." Elijah trailed off, his voice breaking, and looked down at his dress shoes. "The purpose of my life, my unrelenting desire has always been your redemption." He explained then placed a hand on his shoulder. "You have it and so much more. Niklaus, you have everything I've ever wanted for you. You have two beautiful children, one on the way, and the most loyal woman the earth has ever known. That is why I have to do this and not you. I have nothing but you... you have the world."

Klaus looked over at Elijah with tears already in his eyes and shook his bead in disbelief. "After everything I've done... you truly believe I am redeemed?"

"Yes, I do." Elijah replied in certainty with a proud smile. "The old Niklaus that I've known for centuries would never sacrifice himself for someone else." He commented in amazement and stared up at the starry night, silent for a moment. "What if there's nothing after this? No peace. Just darkness."

"There is peace for you, brother. It's everything you have every wanted. No guilt, no pain. Just love." Klaus assured him softly, placing a hand on his shoulder. "As always. I don't deserve the love you've given me, brother. But I am so grateful."

"It's been a glorious ride, Niklaus." Elijah replied emotionally with tears rolling down his face. He then pulled the stake out from his jacket pocket and twirled it around in his hands, staring down at it meaningfully. "And my greatest honor." He said, handing the stake toward his younger brother with a small smile.

Klaus gaped at him, horrified, and shook his head. "No."

"Yes. I will not accept anything else." Elijah remarked sternly and held it out to him again. "Please do me this kindness, Niklaus."

Klaus tilted his head to the side, his face softening before turning up into one of distraught. He wrapped his hand around the stake and glanced at it with a mixed expression. Elijah stood up from the bench and looked up at the sky again, taking one last lingering gaze into the stars, then sighed with a nod. "I'm ready."

Klaus stood to his feet and studied Elijah for a moment before throwing his arms around Elijah. "I will carry you with me always."

Elijah closed his dark brown eyes and soaked in his embrace, not wanting to let go. He knew if he held on longer, he would try to convince himself not to go and backed away, sniffling quietly and patted Klaus on the back. He then fixed his sleeves and nodded in encouragement. Klaus nodded back  and twirled the last white oak stake in his hands. He hesitantly placed the tip of the stake over Elijah's heart and took a shaky breath. Elijah grabbed his wrist, glancing at him affectionately with tears rolling down his cheeks.

Klaus closed his eyes as he drove the stake through his brother's heart. Elijah gasped out in pain and held onto Klaus tighter. His skin slowing turned grey and his breathing slowed down. Klaus sobbed loudly and held onto Elijah for dear life as he slowly faded away. Elijah stopped struggling, his eyed locked with Klaus', and he turned into ash in Klaus' arms before blowing away gently with the wind.

---
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