manof_myword | And I blame this world for making a good man evil (for Ric)

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And I blame this world for making a good man evil (for Ric)

Elijah sat inside his car staring at his phone blankly. Clearly none of the others in town had thought to run their plan by Ric who could, at least, have told them what they were doing, who they were searching for, after what Elijah had told him. He might not have known to tell them it was a bad idea, though--Elijah had only shared so much.

It wasn't visible, but he was trembling. What was visible was that he was shaken. He tried to push it back, closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths, trying to settle before he got out and moved into Ric's building, heading up to his apartment.

They'd made plans to go into the city for the Central Virginia Celtic Festival which amused Elijah after many years spent in Scotland and Ireland, but for which the actual appeal was a whisky tasting that Elijah had heard was going to have some rare vintages which weren't being advertised.

All things considered, he could use the drink, though that really hadn't been his intention in suggesting it. Now he had to wonder if it wouldn't be a farewell. Not that he wanted it to be, but neither did he want to be here with any of his siblings when Mikael got to town.

Shaking his head, he moved up the stairs to Ric's apartment, knocking lightly and trying to not look as bothered--and scared--as he was.

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Elijah stopped short as Alaric appeared in his way. He shook his head a little at the question. "I'm not certain. Elena told Rebekah they'd gone and she called me in a panic, but that's all I know." And he hadn't felt comfortable calling Elena. Apparently Rebekah's freak-out hadn't impressed her enough to do anything about it. "If we can't stop them...we'll have to leave. My family and I." He frowned a little, and the flicker of fear slid over his face, a little lost, almost. "Every time we think we've found a home we have to run."

"You don't have to leave," Ric said, more firmly than he felt, even while he walked to grab at his phone. "You just have to be prepared to stay and fight." IT was Elijah's father, he got that, but a thousand years of being chased? No. Not him, not on his watch, not people he cared about -or a person he cared about, since Klaus was still... Klaus. "Let's just take it one step at a time... and let me get that call to Damon in."

Elijah was going to argue, to point out they couldn't stay and fight, couldn't risk it. He shook his head a little, like there was no way. Fighting Mikael had never occurred to them--he was, well. The man they'd lived in fear of their entire lives.

"You don't understand..." He started, before breaking off, shaking his head. "Call him. Maybe you can stop him."

Ric shot Elijah a worried look, thinking that he thought maybe he did understand. He didn't say that, though. He sat down and called Damon, hoping like hell the vampire picked the hell up.

Elijah paced to the window, leaning against it and looking out, either in the semblance of giving Ric privacy, or to keep watch. Maybe both.

Damon did, in fact, pick up, though he sounded slightly distracted. "Did Elena call you?"

"No, she didn't, and you need to get back here right now." Because what else was he going to say? He's not exactly Mr. Subtle.

"Not really the best time for that, Ric. Something go down? If this is about Little Gilbert, he's fine."

Elijah was trying very hard not to listen, but it was pretty impossible.

"Have you found Mikael, yet?" he asked, direct and...sharpish. Worried. Scared, even.

Damon paused and clearly was trying to sort out how Ric knew if Elena hadn't called. "Yes. Anna told Jer where he was, under a bit of duress. Katherine's trying to wake him up."

Elijah tensed at the words, all but stopping breathing.

"Stop her, now, or you are all dead. I'm not joking, Damon. Whatever it takes, stop her and get the fuck out of htere."

"What?" Damon sounded bemused, but there were also sounds of him moving. He trusted Ric, but he was also not sure where his info was coming from.

"This is the one guy we know can kill Klaus, Ric. I get that makes him dangerous, but if he's not fond of Klaus, either, and we know where he is, uh...enemy of my enemy and such?"

"Yeah, I get it," he said, voice still terse, "unfortunately, he's the enemy of all of them, with a hate on for vampires, period. He's not going to kill Klaus and go away, he's going to wipe vampires out. Get out of there." He was being firm, but was still a little frantic, and making some leaps, but anything to get Damon to listen.

That was kind of what Anna had implied and Damon growled softly. "Hold on."

Katherine clearly didn't want to leave. Damon wasn't strong enough to force her, but he got her to stop trying to feed the vampire in the coffin mice. Together they put the lid back on, leaving the guy in there, chained, though Damon didn't know if he were roused at all or not.

"Ok, we're out, and he's still in his box. What the hell is going on?"

"I will tell you anything you want to know, and probably more, when you get home." But not while Katherine could hear. He also really needed to figure out a way for them to get that coffin moved, to somewhere Katherine couldn't get back to it, but one step at a time, right? Right. "You have my word." He'd keep it, but please god, come home, Damon.

"And I'll hold you to it." Damon sighed. Getting Katherine away was going to be difficult, since she was glaring already. "I'll call you when we're back."

He hung up and turned to deal with the other vampire.

Elijah, in the meantime, finally turned back from the window giving Ric a look that was still faintly worried, but a little calmer. "Thank you."

"You don't need to thank me. I would have done something about it sooner, if I'd known sooner. I don't want Damon dead, and I certainly don't want you to have to leave. When they get back, I'll give Damon a run down, and then we can get together and plan something to get your father moved. We don't need Katherine going back there and causing trouble."

He would have suggested killing the guy, or encasing him in cement and tossing him into the ocean, but he didn't think now was really the time. He took a couple of steps toward Elijah, and then inclined his head a bit. "Come here."

"That seems like a reasonable plan. Katerina...can't be blamed for trying to find a way to end Niklaus, but even she won't go back if she realizes Mikael is just as much of a threat to her safety." He frowned a little, shrugged. "Moving him somewhere else is a good idea."

Elijah simply wasn't used to people doing anything to help him, let alone his family. He believed Ric didn't want him dead, and wouldn't want Damon harmed, either, but it was still difficult to fully fathom.

He watched Ric for a moment, then moved to him, strangely wary, but not of him so much as the feeling vulnerable he'd been since hearing the news.

"I still can't promise I wouldn't at least want to be on their side, if it was just a matter of Klaus," Ric said, honest but a little apologetic. "The rest of you... don't deserve that. I'm not sure even he does, but I can't quite help how I feel about it just yet." He was getting somewhere, softening a little maybe, if only because of how much Elijah nearly cared. It just wasn't an easy, or fast, transition. He took Elijah by the front of the shirt when he got close, and pulled him in.

To a hug. "We'll take care of it."

"I can't really blame you for feeling that way, either," Elijah murmured, though it was into Ric's shoulder. He wasn't used to hugging, to being hugged, anymore, but he wasn't pulling back or even stilling. He wrapped his arms around Ric in turn, hugging back and letting his eyes fall closed a moment.

He didn't bring his brother up often, didn't expect Ric's attitude to change after all Niklaus had done. Couldn't help he still loved his little brother desperately, either, but never expected anyone to understand that.

"Thank you." Ric may not have found the gratitude necessary, but Elijah still felt it, deeply.

Ric lifted his hand and pet Elijah's hair, admittedly a little awkwardly. He was, at least, not nervous about Elijah's face so close to his throat. They'd definitely made some sort of process. "You're welcome," he said, deciding fighting a stubborn and overwrought vampire was more stupid than even he was inclined to. "Does this mean you aren't planning on leaving forever, then?" It was only half-teasing. He didn't want Elijah to leave.

The awkward petting was more endearing than not, and Elijah found himself smiling despite himself, even as he eased back a bit, watching Ric with an intent gaze.

"I don't know," he said quietly. "If we can keep him from waking, put him somewhere he can't be found, then...we can stay. If someone goes back and wakes him..." He frowned. "He's spent a thousand years trying to hunt us all down, kill us, Ric. And he can."

That last was said softly, a confession his very fear had probably rendered unnecessary, but he felt it needed saying for explanation, a piece of vulnerability in thanks for Ric stopping Damon and Katherine.

Ric impulsively, softly, kissed Elijah at the last. "I know... My real question is why you're letting him. You know where he is. You know he's not awake...." Why was moving him what Elijah was going with? He got the fear, could feel it and it reminded him of Damon and, even, a little Tyler in a way. He knew where it came from and why it was hard to shake off. He was just, gently, trying to push Elijah past that.

Elijah returned the kiss, just as softly, a tiny shiver running over his skin, mostly just because...the casual affection was nice. Very nice.

"What's the alternative?" Elijah asked, with a bit of a frown. "We can't kill him." Once upon a time he would have flinched when he said that, but through the centuries, one of his biggest regrets was not in striking out and killing his father the first time he'd raised a hand to Klaus in more than the discipline the rest of them got...which, admittedly, would've landed the man in prison these days, but had, at least, been even-handed and truly for discipline rather than...perverse pleasure. "A dagger can be pulled out as easily as whatever magical slumber he lies in now."

He arched an eyebrow, thinking. "I suppose we could dump him somewhere in the ocean..."

"Why not stack the odds in your favor.... Dagger him, while he's in his magic sleep, drop him in wet concrete, then drop him in the middle of the ocean?" He was willing to accept that Elijah was willing and couldn't, given that was the word he'd chosen and the lack of emotional reaction. That didn't mean that they could layer everything possible on top of him, to keep him from getting out again. Ever.

The majority of the "can't kill him" came from being pretty damn sure Mikael hadn't been caught with the stake still in his pocket for hem to pull out and stake him with. Knowing it was out there somewhere left him twitchy, but if no one realized what it was...maybe they'd be okay.

He gave Ric a small smile at the suggestion of all the multitude of things they could do. "I think that is one of the best suggestions I've heard in at least a century, maybe more." He brushed fingers lightly over Ric's cheek almost...testing out the affectionate gesture. "He's ruined every good thing we've ever had in our lives. I'd rather he didn't do it again."

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