"You ran away from me. Again." Elijah's knuckles were white on the steering wheel.

I sat in the passenger seat sullenly. Every move I made seemed to only get me in deeper and deeper shit. I couldn't do anything right.

"I expect an answer, Morgan."

Not dear one.

"I'm sorry."

"So you've said. Though your behavior has been less than apologetic."

"What was I supposed to do? I thought if I could convince Stefan and Damon to abandon their mission to protect the doppelgänger, then I could save them." I let out frustratedly.

"That might not matter, if Niklaus knows the truth. He will hunt them, as he did with Katarina's family."

I crossed my arms. "That's why I tried to get them to run."

"And what exactly was your plan after?" He already knew the answer. He'd been listening. "Did you think you could survive Niklaus' wrath by hiding?"

"It's worked before. With others." That's where I'd heard Rose Marie's name. She was one of the few who had managed to run from Nik.

"Others weren't afforded the same opportunities you were. As for 'it' working, we will eventually catch up to them, it's only a matter of time. We have much more important things to worry about."

I fucking knew it. They weren't actually looking for Kathrine.

Elijah reached into the foot space behind me, producing a blood bag, offering it to me. How the fuck did he always have one?! "You'll want to do your exercises before we get there."

"Why?"

"There is much to be done. I want your strength up." He answered easily enough.

I took the bag, beginning the slow process. It was a little easier this time. My veins didn't immediately descend, but did eventually, which was a good sign. No matter how much I hate or try to fight it, Elijah's methods work.

He nodded approvingly, then returned his attention to the road.

This blood donor must have eaten a lot of salt. It was biting on the tongue, though it wasn't entirely unpleasant. I kind of liked it.

"You should know that I intend to leverage the sacrifice itself to find the rest of my siblings. The components of the sacrifice, I will use to bargain your life, but once he's in the midst of turning, I will get my answer."

"Aren't they in coffins?"

"They are. Their location is the mystery. I don't believe he deposited them at the bottom of the ocean as he claims."

What?! "Back up. He said he put them in the ocean?!"

"Yes. He's gotten a witch to conceal them."

"Why not just ask Rebekah where they are? Didn't they go together?" Unlike Elijah, who didn't immediately chase me, Rebekah would've sooner found herself in a box than be able to run from Nik.

Mikaelson boys took taking care of their charges very seriously.

"I'm ashamed to admit I didn't figure out that she'd been daggered until it was too late. I knew it was suspicious that he left her in Chicago on her own, but he'd written rather convincing letters in her hand."

Damn.

"That's insane. You know that right? Why would he hide something like that? He's never been shy about it before."

"It's anyone's best guess what runs through that mind of his."

"What if Nik doesn't give up their location?" He was easily as stubborn as Elijah. "What if you can't bargain with him?"

"He will if he values my council."

Oh wow. That was... well that might actually work. Elijah soothed Nik' rage far easier than anyone else could, and Nik knew that.

He pulled into the parking lot of the apartment complex, getting a decently close spot. There was a car here that I didn't recognize.

It was still the middle of the night, so it's not as if someone new would've moved in.

Elijah and I got out, letting the conversation between us hang in the air.

I could see the open window I'd jumped from. A shadow passed over it, and I tensed.

The plan was good, that much I knew. Maybe I should just trust Elijah instead of fighting him, and figuring a way past Nik's rage.

That and he was anticipating me running. If I wasn't careful, he'd make good on his promise to shadow me for eternity. Though it's not as if I could do anything anyway.

Any friends I made could give me up, any place I settled down, I'd have to vacate in a year or so, life on the run, especially from a Mikaelson wasn't much of a life at all.

I'd always be looking over my shoulder, paranoid beyond reason.

Elijah opened the door to the apartment, and paused before immediately stepping in front of me. "Niklaus, so good to see you."

Oh shit. This was it, the moment of truth. Either Nik knew what I did or he didn't. Either I'd die instantly or when he found out.