The bonds of family

29

Arkyn entertained Caitlyn until Klaus came home.
"Cassie'll probably be getting worried about you." He said, hearing his brother enter the courtyard. "I should be getting you home."
"You do know I'm not a child? I don't have a curfew."
"You've been in danger three times already. I don't think we should tempt fate."
"I'm in your big bad brother's evil lair with you to keep me safe. Where could I be safer?"
"She has a point." Klaus remarked, walking in.
"Where have you been all day?" Arkyn asked.
"Hayley wants to get married to a wolf. Share all our family secrets in the process."
"Who's Hayley?" Caitlyn asked.
"Mother of Nik's kid."
"Ouch, that must hurt."
"They were never actually together. Kind of a one night thing." Arkyn explained.
"Oh, so it's the spilling secrets stuff that bothers him?"
"Yeah, exactly."
"Huh." Caitlyn said.
"You two seem close." Arkyn rolled his eyes.
"It's called a friendship." Caitlyn spoke up.
"Do that again." Klaus said. "That sneer- yes that. I knew it was familiar. It's part of the 'poor Ark, his brother's evil' ensemble. Along with the glare and ah, perfect-" He said as Caitlyn crossed her arms. "Yes, that's it. The last person to look at me that way, so defensive of my baby brother ended up betraying him. Tell me. Have we anything to worry about you?"
"You tell me. You're the one who ripped out Ark's heart." Klaus laughed in delight.
"You're a lot like your sister. Has anyone told you that?"
"I'm gonna take Caitlyn home." Arkyn tried to intervene. She reluctantly let him lead her out, stopping in her tracks as she saw someone walk in. Arkyn studied the girl for a second before recognising her. "Bex?"
"One and only." She said walking over to her brother and giving him a hug.
"Hey." He said. "Where've you been?"
"Kol locked me away in an asylum for insane witches." Arkyn laughed. "It's not funny. And also, it turns out Freya's not dead."
"Freya?"
"The sister Esther told us was dead." Arkyn pulled out his buzzing phone.
"Kol-"
"Come to the playhouse?" He asked.
"Everything okay?"
"No."
"Okay, I'll be right there." He hung up.
"Where the hell is that two faced wanker? He better undo this-"
"Relax, he'll undo it. You've done worse to each other over the centuries." He said, hiding a smile.
"Stop smirking." Rebekah glared at him.
"Let Nik tell you what he did to Kol. Perhaps that'll ease your need for retribution. I am going to leave." He said. He and Caitlyn walked out.
"She's possessing someone? Like Finn and Kol?"
"Yes."
"Have you ever done that?"
"No."
"Has Klaus?"
"Yes."
"Elijah?"
"He keeps to his own skin. It's Nik's favourite trick. Switching bodies when he's going for stealth."
"So vampires can just switch bodies?"
"It's a spell. Requires a witch. Honestly anyone can."
"What happens to the person?"
"They get buried in their subconscious, like a sleep. They aren't aware of anything. It's like no time has passed at all."
"Must be freaky."
"Yeah."
"Your mom wanted to do that to Cami?"
"She's not exactly the most sane person."
"Huh, really?" Her tone was dry.
"I'm gonna speed you home, okay? I have to go see Kol."
"Sure." She nodded and let him pick her up. He watched her walk into the apartment before speeding away.

"What happened?" Arkyn scanned his brother, looking for injuries.
"It's Finn. He got mad. He took the vampires, and I was helping Davina. He cursed me, Ark. I'm going to die."
"No." Arkyn shook his head.
"It's true. He's locked me in this body, and cursed me to death."
"You can't die, Kol. I'll kill you if you do. I already lost you once." Kol gave his brother a hug.
"There's no way out of this one."
"There's always a loophole. No one knows magic like you. There's got to be something."
"There isn't. Look, Finn is looking for something on Nik, and he's determined. He's got Marcel, and whatever it is, he'll find a way to get it out of Marcel." Arkyn looked guiltily at his brother. "It's the same thing that's giving Nik a hold over you, isn't it?"
"For a thousand years, I haven't kept a thing from you."
"I know. So whatever this is, it must be important."
"If it were up to me, I'd tell you."
"I know. I just can't seem to think of anything that would make you choose Nik over me."
"Never." Arkyn said immediately. "You know I'm always on your side over Nik's. It's always been you and me, Kol."
"I'm only winding you up."
"Is there nothing you can think of?"
"Maybe if I knew the specifics of the curse. I don't know."
"You do know we have to go to the others."
"Nik will kill me."
"I won't let him."
"We can't go to Nik."
"Look, Rebekah's back, she's fine. And I won't let him get to you. Right now we have a common enemy. Finn."