The bonds of family

34

"Ark, you're not going to find anything. Trust me I've already thought of everything you're thinking." Kol rolled his eyes. It was night, and Rebekah, Kol and Arkyn were looking for any solution. Well, Rebekah and Arkyn were. Kol just shot down any idea they had. "Same goes for you, Bex."
"We're not giving up. What if we do what we just did to Finn? Overload the magic? I mean, if Rebekah can channel enough magic, she can probably override Finn's hex."
"It won't work. Not without short circuiting me too."
"What about what you were gonna do for the father? A curse is a curse, right? Maybe we'd need to adjust it a little, but-"
"Kol already shot that down. The hex on father Kieran came from a dark object. It was powerful, no doubt, but it was more of a second hand curse. Finn's the real deal."
"Now we're just going backwards." Kol remarked.
"What if we linked you to me?" Ark asked.
"Then I'd just take you down with me and we'd both be dead."
"Not exactly. I mean, the longer you're alive, the worse the curse gets."
"I'm sorry, was that not clear with the 'I'm dying' part?" Kol said.
"What if you weren't alive?"
"Turn me into a vampire? Even if I wanted to be a vampire again, Finn's spell would recognise that and kill me anyways."
"Not turn you into a vampire."
"If you want me to die, give me a couple hours." Arkyn shook his head.
"If we link you to an original- and not a life force link. I'm talking a mutual exchange of powers link, I could make you virtually invincible. But you'd still be mortal, and the curse will still be eating away at you."
"So you don't need me here shooting down your answers?" Kol sighed and stood up. "I am going to go see my girl."
"I'm not finished Kol. If you have original strength, you will also have original weaknesses. We can stop the curse in its tracks if we-"
"No." Kol cut him off. "Are you bloody mental?"
"It's a good plan."
"I don't get it. Care to share with the rest of the class?"
"We dagger him. Original strength will keep the dagger from killing him, and Original weakness will keep him in some sort of stasis. He won't really be dead, but he'll be dead enough for the curse to stop... killing him. Just until we can find a permanent enough solution."
"And if you never do?"
"We're Mikaelsons. We always get what we want."
"You'll be weaker. If I'm drawing on your strength-"
"I would much rather have half my strength that you dead."
"It's dangerous for you, Ark. There's only so much you'll be able to take."
"We'll find a way to save you before you drain all of my strength." Arkyn shrugged. "You have to admit it's a solid plan."
"No it's not. You could die if I leech away at your strength for too long."
"Then we'll find a cure before too long. Come on, Kol. Please."
"No means no, Ark."
"You're asking us to stand by and watch you die."
"I'm saying it's inevitable, and I don't want to spend my last hours doing nothing of any real importance, when we could be getting a drink together, or I could be with my girl."
"It's not inevitable. There is a real solution and you won't agree because of a minimal risk? You're giving up. What happened to the brother I used to know? The one who laughed death in the face?"
"It's a lot easier to do when you haven't died already once. And I hated it the first time. The ironic thing is that I actually preferred this go-round. Being a witch. No heightened emotion, no bloodlust. It was just me. For a while, anyway." Kol walked out of the cemetery, leaving Rebekah and Arkyn alone.
"You can't save someone who clearly doesn't want to be saved." She told him quietly and left. Arkyn looked around his brother's playhouse. He leaned against a table, his eyes closed, as he tried to keep in his emotions.

An hour later, Arkyn was still looking through the grimoires, scrawling notes on the side, figuring out the exact spell he'd need. He knew Kol didn't want his help, but he didn't really care. He heard footsteps and looked up to see Kol with Davina.
"You're still at it, then?" Kol rolled his eyes and Arkyn nodded.
"I'm not giving up."
"Giving up on what?" Davina asked.
"Kol is-"
"It's nothing." Kol cut Arkyn off. "It's time Arkyn left, though." Kol gave Arkyn a meaningful look.
"Davina, can I borrow my brother for a minute. I'm sorry, I'll be sure to return him back to you." Arkyn said.
"Sure." She rolled her eyes. Arkyn grabbed the grimoire he was writing in and pulled his brother outside.
"Look, I know you're trying to protect her, but at least let us try the spell."
"It is not worth it, if it kills you."
"It won't, Kol. I won't let it. You know I wouldn't abandon Xavier and Alexis like that. But I cannot lose you."
"Go home, Ark. Isn't Hayley getting married tonight?"
"That's tonight?"
"Go."
"I don't even know her. I've only met her once or twice."
"Arkyn, stop." Kol said. "You are not responsible for me and you are certainly not responsible for Klaus. Stop putting it on yourself."
"I'm not-"
"Yes you are. I know you think that Klaus having a kid makes him less than the monster he was, but he is still Klaus. Worse than he used to be because he has more to lose. You do not owe him anything. Get out of New Orleans while you can. It took you seven centuries to leave the last time. You have to go before you get sucked into his mess. Again."
"He might be a terrible excuse for a brother, but he is our brother. Besides, I'm not leaving until Finn gets his. After what he did to you, there's no way he gets to win."
"And he won't. Somehow Klaus will find a way, as per usual."
"I'm not leaving this city, until I-" he stopped mid sentence and looked behind Kol. Davina was standing at the tomb entrance. He lowered his voice. "I'm not telling Alexis that you died when there is something I could have done about it." He whispered. "I can't live on this earth if you are dead, brother, and I do mean that literally." Arkyn walked away, as Kol frowned.