"'Nephew, it seems Niklaus has betrayed me again,' Elijah sighed irritably as he rose from the coffin. 'Thank you very much for saving me.'
'You should be more careful around your brother,' Amara said in a playful tone. 'Next time it might be a white oak stake.'
'A stake? Why is there a stake?' Katherine, in her child form, came running into the room. 'Nykky, why were they talking about a stake?'
'Ooo, little kitten, don't worry about that,' Nik picked Katherine up, and she let out a cute little squeal.
She had grown during the time they had been in New Orleans.
Apparently, the vampire within her was making her form grow every time her mind recovered from its traumas.
Elijah looked at her strangely, almost as if he recognized her, and before that he opened his mouth to say something, but Caroline stepped in front.
'Come here, kitten,' Caroline took Katherine into her arms and looked at Nik. 'I'm going to take her out.'
'I'll go too,' Amara said, hurrying after them.
They honestly didn't want any of the Mikaelsons to find out about Katherine and the many powers of vampires.
Kol had already caused enough problems when he was taught; luckily, Nik had been happy when he heard that most of the Romanian nobles had been destroyed by Kol before he disappeared.
'You can go,' Nik laughed at the two of them. 'So, uncle, what are you going to do now?'
Elijah stopped and stared at Nik.
'Like, my father already gave you the reason, you could just abandon everything and run,' Nik was very direct. Klaus had once again betrayed Elijah's trust, it wouldn't be surprising if he left.
'No, nephew, it's not just Klaus,' Elijah sighed with an irritating calm. 'It's about the child in Mrs. Marshall's womb. We didn't know of you existence Nik and didn't take part in their creation nephew, but we can take part in that child's life.'
'Whatever,' Nik replied indifferently. 'Want me to beat up my father for you?'
'That won't be necessary,' Elijah smiled, clenching his fists. 'I will beat him myself.'
'Ohh, but you've never beaten my father,' Nik teased playfully.
'That's not true, Klaus does have a physical advantage, but he only defeated me because he had the daggers,' Elijah replied irritably. 'Now he no longer has them, and the stake will not kill me long enough for him to escape or imprison me.'
Nik let out a low, almost admiring laugh, crossing his arms as he watched his uncle.
'Now that… I want to see.'
Elijah adjusted his suit calmly, as if he were about to go to a dinner, not confront his own brother.
'Control yourself, nephew. This is not a spectacle.'
'Ah, but everything in this family always turns into one.' Nik tilted his head with a crooked smile. 'Especially when it involves Klaus.'
For a brief second, silence weighed between them — loaded with history, betrayals, and bonds that not even centuries had been able to break.
Elijah took a deep breath.
'He has crossed too many lines this time.'
—++—
Meanwhile, outside, Caroline walked quickly through the streets of New Orleans, with Katherine in her arms. The child laughed, distracted by the movement of the city, completely unaware of the danger she represented.
Amara looked back from time to time, uneasy.
'They're starting to suspect.'
Caroline nodded, serious.
'Elijah almost recognized her.'
Katherine tilted her head, looking at the two with curiosity.
'Recognize what?'
The two exchanged a quick look.
'Nothing, kitten,' Caroline replied softly, forcing a smile. 'Just adults being complicated.'
Amara sighed.
'This won't last long. Kol already knows, and if he comes back and doesn't keep his mouth shut, he'll try to hunt her again and if Elijah puts the pieces together—'
'He will,' Caroline interrupted, directly. 'He always does, but Nik won't let them do anything, Klaus wouldn't ruin the relationship he rebuilt with his son over an old feud.'
—++—
Back at the mansion, Nik leaned against the wall, still watching Elijah.
'You know… running away isn't such a bad idea.'
Elijah stopped before leaving.
'For you, perhaps.'
He slightly turned his face.
'But I do not run from my family.'
Nik smiled to the side.
'That's why you suffer so much because of it.'
Elijah did not respond. He simply walked away.
And somewhere in the city, a storm was beginning to form — not in the sky, but among those who would inevitably be pulled into the same conflict.
Because secrets, in that family… never stayed buried for long.
—++—
'What do you mean you lost him?' Klaus shouted angrily and with a punch broke part of a useless pillar outside the building. 'You idiot.'
'It was that idiot who keeps throwing others under trees who took him,' Marcel shouted angrily as well, and Rebekah just watched.
'That's good,' Rebekah smiled from ear to ear. 'At least we know Elijah is fine, are you ready for the beating, brother?'
She said this while hearing the sound of something several times faster than sound approaching.
Klaus didn't even have time to respond when he was thrown away, he couldn't even react when he hit the wall with full force.
There, it was such a brutal beating that blood began to fly across the room.
Rebekah followed it with her eyes, no longer bored, while Marcel just stood there shocked.
He couldn't even follow what was happening with his eyes, he only heard the impacts and saw blood flying.
Rebekah saw Elijah attacking Klaus with extreme brutality and Klaus using his Original hybrid powers to try to dodge and overcome Elijah with brute strength and speed, but… Elijah was a better warrior.
But… that night, technique beat strength.
Elijah gave no space.
Each blow was precise, calculated — there was no blind rage there, only centuries of frustration being released with almost surgical discipline.
Klaus tried to counterattack, advancing with brutal speed, grabbing Elijah by the collar and throwing him to the ground with enough force to crack the marble.
The impact echoed.
For a second… silence.
Then Elijah appeared above him.
Fist clenched.
Another blow.
And another.
Klaus's face snapped to the side with the impact, blood spreading across the floor.
Rebekah let out a bored sigh.
'Finally someone teaching you good manners, brother.'
Marcel took a step back, still trying to process.
'This… this isn't a fight…'
'No,' Rebekah replied calmly, crossing her arms. 'This is personal.'
Klaus growled, pushing Elijah away with force and finally managing to create space. He stood up, wiping the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand, his golden eyes shining with rage.
'Are you done, brother?' he spat.
Elijah stood up slowly, adjusting his suit — even torn, there was still dignity in the gesture.
'Not even close.'
So forget balance.
In that room… it was execution.
—
Klaus barely had time to understand what was happening after the first impact.
Elijah wasn't fighting — he was advancing.
No pause. No space. No mercy.
The second blow came before Klaus could recover his breath. The third already threw him to the ground again, opening a crater in the marble.
And it didn't stop.
Elijah was on top of him the next instant.
Fist.
Another.
Another.
Another.
Each impact made Klaus's body sink deeper into the ground, cracking stone, raising dust, and spreading blood like paint thrown against a wall.
Klaus tried to react.
Tried.
But his arm was intercepted mid-movement — Elijah twisted without hesitation.
The crack was sharp.
And before it fully regenerated…
Another blow.
Straight to the face.
Violent enough to twist his head unnaturally.
Rebekah watched in silence now.
No boredom.
No jokes.
Just… watching.
Because that wasn't a fight between brothers.
It was Elijah putting Klaus in his place.
Klaus growled, trying to use brute strength, trying to push, trying to get up—
Elijah didn't allow it.
The knee to the abdomen knocked the air out of him.
The elbow to the chest kept him down.
And then Elijah lifted him by the collar… only to throw him against the wall with absurd force.
The structure gave way.
Klaus slid through the debris… before he could even steady himself—
Elijah was already there again.
Always one step ahead.
Always faster.
Always more precise.
Another blow.
And another.
Until—
Klaus didn't react anymore.
The body still regenerated… but there was no counterattack.
No reversal.
No control.
Only survival.
Elijah stopped.
Controlled breathing.
Suit destroyed.
Fists stained with blood.
He looked at Klaus on the ground… evaluating, like a predator that already knew it had won.
Then, calmly, he approached.
Lowered himself.
And held his brother's face, forcing him to look.
'Now you're going to listen to me.'
The voice wasn't loud.
It was worse.
Firm.
Cold.
Indisputable.
'You betrayed my trust. Again.'
Klaus tried to laugh… but only managed to cough blood.
Elijah didn't waver.
'The difference,' he continued, 'is that this time… I will not ignore it.'
He let go of Klaus with contempt, letting his head fall to the side among the debris.
Rebekah finally spoke, low:
'…that was deserved.'
Elijah didn't look at her.
His eyes were still on Klaus.
'This,' he corrected, 'was just the beginning.'
And in that moment… for the first time in a long time—
Niklaus Mikaelson had control of absolutely nothing.
++
Marcel was completely stunned, this wasn't normal, this wasn't anything he had ever seen.
He couldn't even see them fighting, it wasn't like that, it had never been like that.
He knew Elijah, who had taught him to fight, he knew Elijah's speed and strength.
He knew Klaus's speed and strength.
They were not that fast and not that powerful.
'What are you still doing here?' Elijah looked at Marcel coldly. 'I have much to discuss with my family, please leave.'
Elijah took a step toward Marcel and when Rebekah, who was on the other side of the room, had already appeared in front of Marcel.
He widened his eyes, Rebekah was there, no vampire was that fast.
He could see her move, he had always seen when they raced when they were together, she had never been that fast.
'Enough,' Rebekah spoke with authority seeing Elijah's cold and murderous look. 'Your problem is with our brother.'
Elijah stopped.
Not out of hesitation.
By choice.
His eyes were still cold as they moved from Marcel… to Rebekah.
For a moment, the air in the room seemed to weigh tons.
Then, slowly, he tilted his head.
'You are right.'
The voice came out controlled, but there was something dangerous there — something even Rebekah didn't ignore.
Elijah looked away from Marcel as if he simply… stopped mattering.
'Leave.'
It wasn't a request.
Marcel didn't argue.
Not after what he saw.
He stepped back… then another… until he completely left, without taking his eyes off Elijah, as if trying to understand what, exactly, he had just witnessed.
When the door closed—
Silence.
Now it was just family.
Rebekah slowly uncrossed her arms, she didn't want to draw Elijah's fury toward her, Elijah as the responsible brother when pushed to overload tended to be worse even than Mikael.
Even Klaus always had total care not to irritate Elijah too much, and also almost never used the dagger on him, not because he couldn't, but because he feared Elijah as the older brother and paternal figure.
After breaking the curse and becoming a hybrid, Klaus lost his fear of Elijah and Rebekah, but it was just proven that this hadn't changed much, Rebekah was always the exception, since she never gave much reason… while Kol and Klaus had been punished in many ways by Elijah.
Elijah turned to look at Klaus again.
Still on the ground.
Still regenerating.
But… quiet.
No provocation.
No smile.
No control.
Elijah took a few steps toward him.
Calm.
Precise.
And then stopped beside his brother's body.
'Stand up.'
Klaus didn't respond.
Elijah sighed… almost disappointed.
And then kicked Klaus — not in anger, but with enough force to make him roll several meters through the debris.
'I said. Stand up.'
This time, Klaus reacted.
Slowly.
With effort.
He supported himself on the ground, coughing, his body still rebuilding as he forced himself to stand.
When he finally managed… he didn't look Elijah in the eyes immediately.
That alone said a lot.
Elijah observed every detail.
And then spoke:
'Now that you cannot run, nor hide behind tricks… we will talk as brothers.'
Klaus let out a weak… broken laugh.
'Talk…' he murmured, wiping the blood from his face. 'Curious choice of method.'
Elijah ignored it.
'The child.'
Klaus finally raised his gaze.
And there it was again.
Pride.
Instinct.
Protection.
Even defeated.
'Don't involve that.'
The answer was immediate.
Firm.
Dangerous.
Elijah took a step forward.
'And why not?'
The air grew heavy again.
'You involve everything else. Always do.'
Klaus clenched his jaw.
'This is different.'
'No,' Elijah countered, his voice low and cutting. 'You say it is.'
Rebekah watched in silence now, her eyes moving between the two, realizing exactly where this was going.
Then Elijah, with coldness, looked deep into Klaus's eyes, who was still sitting, cornered and exhausted.
'You will behave,' Elijah said coldly, leaving no space for Klaus to respond. 'If you step out of line again, I will take Mrs. Marshall and disappear around the world and raise that child far away from you. You will never see that child and I will make sure they know what kind of monster you are and unlike Nik, whom you didn't know existed until you met him, this child you will know exists and you will never be able to find them.'
'No…' Klaus gasped in a tone almost of crying and despair.
'Then behave,' Elijah declared.
Klaus's 'no' was not loud.
It was worse.
Broken.
He tried to take a step forward… but his body still failed. Regeneration didn't keep up with the crushing pressure of that threat.
'You wouldn't do that…' his voice came out hoarse, almost pleading, something that simply did not exist in Niklaus Mikaelson.
Elijah did not blink.
'Test me.'
Simple.
Cold.
Final.
The silence that followed was suffocating.
Rebekah watched, motionless, but now… there was something different in her gaze. It was no longer just caution.
It was understanding.
Because that wasn't an empty threat.
Elijah would do it.
Klaus knew that.
He took a deep breath, trying to regain control — not of his body, but of himself.
And failed.
His eyes slowly rose to meet Elijah's.
No arrogance.
No defiance.
Only… fear.
Not for himself.
But for what he could lose.
'You're using this against me…' he said, low, each word heavy.
Elijah took another step forward.
'I'm using the only thing that makes you listen.'
Another silence.
Heavier.
Deeper.
Klaus closed his eyes for a second… as if fighting something inside, something old, something that always pushed him down the same path.
But this time—
He gave in.
When he opened his eyes again, there was something different there.
Contained.
Forced control.
'…what do you want?' he asked, finally.
It wasn't submission.
But it was the closest he had ever come.
Elijah answered without hesitation:
'Consistency.'
The word fell like a sentence.
'No betrayals. No games. No impulsive decisions that put that child at risk.'
Klaus clenched his jaw.
But didn't interrupt.
A mistake he would normally make.
'You want to be a father?' Elijah continued, his voice still firm, still relentless. 'Then start acting like one.'
Rebekah looked away for a moment.
Even she felt the weight of that.
Klaus breathed deeply… long… heavy.
And then nodded.
Once.
Almost imperceptible.
But enough.
Elijah watched for a few seconds… evaluating.
As if deciding whether it was real.
Or just another well-crafted lie.
Finally, he stepped back.
'Good.'
But there was no relief in his voice.
Only vigilance.
'Because next time… I won't warn you.'
Klaus didn't respond.
He had no answer.
For the first time in a long time—
He understood there was a line he could not cross.
And that this time…
Elijah truly would not allow him to cross it."