Breathing ∞ Kol Mikaelson [1]

[82]

Emma hadn't said anything to Klaus. She didn't respond. She couldn't. Instead she hung up. Her mind was running a mile a minute, tears pooling in her eyes as she thought about what he'd just told her. But it couldn't be. He couldn't be gone. She didn't want to believe it.

For a moment she let herself hope. She let herself believe as she dialled his number instead, praying for him to answer. Praying that this was just another one of Klaus' tactics. Scaring her with the worst possible situation so she'd try and talk Kol into giving up.

But the more she tried to get a hold of him and failed, the more she knew. It wasn't a lie. Her hands shook. The sound of the dial tone imprinting itself in her brain. Tears started to fall from her eyes, no longer under her control.

And then, in between two call attempts, her own phone started to blow up. Rebekah, Klaus, Elijah, even Katherine (the last two having left to take Katherine to the airport for her late flight), all trying to reach her. Even Matt's name popped up. Everyone knew. Everyone was trying to reach her. And that's how she knew.

It wasn't just a trick. It wasn't just manipulation.

He was gone.

And once that registered in Emma's mind... It was like her heart was being ripped apart into a million little pieces.

Always, they said.

The planned for the future.

Together.

And now it was gone.

A heartbroken scream pushed past her lips. Uncontrollable sobs followed after it.

He was gone.

Her mind flashed back to the memories of their time together. They were all that was left. They wouldn't be making any more. She thought back to all the promises they'd made. To all the things they'd said.

To all the things they didn't.

She never told him.

She loved him.

And now he was gone.

He was gone after he promised he'd come back. After he promised he'd always be by her side. After she promised she'd always be there to save him.

She should have been there. She should have helped.

She should have told him.

She struggled to breathe, not because of her disease, but because of the sobs that continued to come, because of the heart wrenching pain.

She'd experienced grief before.

But this... This was different.

Everything had been ripped away in the span of one phone call.

He was gone.

Kol was dead.