Breathing ∞ Kol Mikaelson [1]

[79]

As Emma suspected, Kol was reluctant when it came to the idea of leaving her side after what had happened. And so, it took some convincing from her, along with the offer to go with him if he wanted her to. It was the latter that finally made him relent.

Of course, Emma wanted to help his sister get what she wanted now that she was back and walking the streets of Mystic Falls. But even with his brother's promises of peace and Emma's father a long way away on another continent by now, he wanted her no where near that town.

"Promise you won't get yourself into too much trouble?" Emma asked as she and Kol stood together at the entrance of the large house, his bags dumped on the floor by his feet as he held on to her while he still had time before he officially had to leave to catch his flight back to Virginia.

"Worry not, darling. This time I'm working in favour of my sibling's goals, well Rebekah's at least." Kol said with a confident smile. Not only did he have that working in his favour, but he was also leaving earlier than he'd told Rebekah he would to ensure that even if Klaus did deem his help a problem, there would be nothing his brother can do about it. A plan that Emma helped him come up with in the first place.

"And you really are okay with that? The idea of her taking the Cure and becoming human?" Emma couldn't help but ask, knowing just how much Klaus himself was against it, and when it was brought up around Elijah even he seemed to have some doubts.

"Who am I to stand in her way?" Kol shrugged his shoulders simply. From the moment the Cure started to become a conversation in Mystic Falls, he'd made it clear he had absolutely no interest in it. But he was willing to help Rebekah get it.

"That's quite sweet of you." Emma admired the way he was leaving the decision up to Rebekah without any interference. But it shouldn't be too surprising when she thought better of it. Kol most of all hated the way Klaus kept taking away the option of choice from the rest of his siblings. It really wasn't out of character that he'd be willing to help his sister take that back.

"Don't go saying such things too much, darling, some might think I've become soft." Kol said in a teasing voice, making Emma laugh.

"Now that would be hard to believe." She teased him back. "It would take something very special for it to happen."

"Or someone." The teasing was gone from his voice as he corrected her, leaning down to place a soft kiss on her lip, chuckling as he noticed the subtle rush of colour in her cheeks. A frequent occurrence no matter how much he showered her with compliments on a daily basis. And one that he always enjoyed seeing. "I'll be back before you know it." He added on after a couple of moments.

"I'll hold you to that." Emma said firmly, smiling up at him. She knew he was only bound to be away for a short time. And while it would be odd separating after two months of being together as they travelled, Emma wasn't one of those who thought she wouldn't be able to bear being apart.

"And then we can get on with the rest of our plans. Throw a dart at a map and find a new place to explore. Together." The smiles which spread over both their faces indicated what they both knew. There was much more than a new destination in their future plans.

"I don't care where we go, as long as you're with me." Emma shared quietly.

"I'll always be with you." He promised. Once all this Cure business was over, Kol was ready to make sure it would be some time before someone managed to drag him away again. They had already wasted enough of it.

Looking up at his face, for a moment, Emma debated saying the words dancing around her mind. One that she was certain of by now. But ultimately she decided against it. Not because she worried it was too soon or that he wouldn't say them back. She knew he would.

She simply didn't want to say them when he was leaving. She wanted to tell him when he came back. When the rest of their future together started and they got to their plans. When their 'always' started.

And so with a couple of more parting kisses and goodbyes, the time ran out and Kol was forced to leave no matter how much he wanted to stay longer. But if he did, their plan wouldn't work and he couldn't take that risk. Not when he wanted to be done with Mystic Falls as soon as possible.

Emma spent a few extra moments watching as his cab drove away before making her way back into the house. Moving through the halls, she noticed some of the staff moving by her with a set of suitcases. Brows furrowing as curiosity rose in her mind, Emma made her way to the living room where she found the remaining Mikaelson sitting on the sofa with a book in his hands.

"Are you and Katherine leaving?" She asked in surprise while grabbing a bottle of soda from the fridge before she joined Elijah in the living room, plopping down in one of the arm chairs.

"Katherine has some business out of town, but I'm staying." Elijah answered. His choice to stay in Brazil longer than Katherine was based on multiple factors. Not only because he had no wish to return to Mystic Falls only to stand in the middle of his siblings while they squabbled over the Cure, but also because of the promise he'd made to his youngest brother.

Kol had, of course, made Elijah give his word that he'd watch over Emma while the former was gone. It was hard to refuse making it, especially once Kol shared his concerns about the efficiency of vampire blood declining in regards to Emma's disease. If anything, the information had Elijah looking into local medical professionals with the idea of possibly having Emma go to a doctor so they could be sure there wasn't anything to worry about.

Closing his book, he turned to her, ready to broach the subject, but the look on her face had given him pause. The knowing smile indicating that his vagueness about Katherine leaving wasn't enough to keep the truth from Emma.

While, at the time, the Park didn't pay much mind to the conversation she'd overheard between the couple a few days ago, once she was feeling better it wasn't hard to figure out what the two had been planning. There was one thing Klaus wanted right now. And that was the Cure. Meaning Katherine's business wasn't only out of town, but back in Mystic Falls.

"Don't worry, Elijah. My lips are sealed." She said, knowing he didn't have trouble reading the look on her face and was realizing she knew what his words meant. And so he couldn't hide the surprise from his face. "She deserves her freedom. And ultimately, even if she gets it first, the Cure still ends up in Mikaelson hands." She added on the further explanation.

And as he listened to her, Elijah detected no signs that she was lying. She meant her words. As long as Katherine wasn't causing trouble for Kol, Emma wouldn't stand in her way. Especially not when, in the grand scheme of things, her joining the hunt for the Cure only upped the success rate of it going to the Mikaelsons instead of Elena and her group.

And Emma wanted them to be the ones to get it. Not only because the Cure was useful, but it was also because, in the wrong hands, it was dangerous. And she wanted all of the Mikaelsons safe.