Breathing ∞ Kol Mikaelson [1]

[63]

Kol was simply going through the motions. One moment he was pacing from one end of the room to the other, in the next he was sitting on a chair beside the bed, and then he'd become restless again as he waited. But no matter how anxious he got, how much he wanted to go out there and hunt someone down or tear into someone's throat, he refused to leave the room.

Even as he heard the sound of footsteps approaching the house, two people coming onto the porch, and only one making their way inside. With his hearing already focused long before their arrival, it wasn't hard for Kol to overhear the conversation happening at the front door of the house.

"Rebekah, I suggest you get whatever compelled human you're hiding in there and let me inside." Klaus' voice was highly annoyed and Kol could just imagine the glare he was giving their sister after running into the invisible barrier as he tried to enter the house.

"Sorry, Nik, no compelled humans. I put the house in Emma's name, so until she wakes up, you're stuck out there." Rebekah announced, obviously thinking it for the best before she continued to add. "And then she'll decide if she wants to let you in."

"Then at least get our brother down here." Klaus demanded. "He's got some explaining to do." And Kol, of course, knew what Klaus was referring to, the memory still running on a loop through his mind.

Once Kol and his brother arrived at the warehouses, they started searching every possible hiding place, every nook and cranny. But it quickly became apparent that there was no one there anymore. After centuries of their own tricks to cause murder, mayhem and revenge, it wasn't long before both realized what was going on.

They'd been tricked.

Even on any normal day, Emma was most often in the presence of at least one Mikaelson, and no one could be sure when one would come by. The warehouses were a distraction. Blinding him in his need to get this done as quickly as possible that he didn't hesitate, he didn't doubt or debate. He simply left, taking his brother with him and leaving Emma alone.

"We have to get back." It was Klaus who spoke, breaking Kol out of the flurry of his mind as they stood among abandoned containers and crates. Klaus' own face was one of shock as the same thoughts dawned on him.

There were no more words spoken, the brothers moving in unison as they started to run back to the Park house. Their speed cut the time drastically, but Kol hadn't even reached the house before he knew. He could see the flames in the distance, the sound of sirens echoing from the streets even further.

It made Kol push faster,chasing ahead of his brother and arriving to the house only a few seconds sooner. For just a moment, he froze, watching as the flames rose into the air, the windows broken as flames licked the outside of the house. He didn't wait too long, however. He didn't care for the fire which couldn't hurt him permanently, he didn't care about the state inside, he simply rushed to the door, ignoring the call of his brother as he watched him rush into the flames.

Kol called her name, screaming it into the flames as he rushed through the hall, ignoring the sparks which caught on to his clothes. He listened for any sign of life, but heard nothing. And then he came into the kitchen, tapping away the flames burning the clothes on his arm.

He noticed the smell of burning skin before he saw the body. And yet, it still made his blood run cold, terror spreading through him before he finally started noticing the differences. It was Marissa's body. Not Emma's. And the back door was wide open. She'd made it outside. Escaped the fire. He rushed to the door, finally noticing the sound of his brother calling out his name too.