Elijah paced.

He hadn't spoken for a solid hour.

I sat on the couch, my leg bouncing nervously. Why couldn't he just react already? I hated the waiting.

When the memory stopped, he'd gotten up. He hadn't so much as looked in my direction.

"Don't you see why I need Kathrine." I broke the heavy silence. "He'll never forgive me," Elijah won't. Not after this. "But at least offering her up might soften the blow."

"You summoned Mikael." He finally turned to face me.

"Elijah-"

He held up his hand. "How many times have you heard my siblings rant and rage about him? Mikael has always been insidious, He would have killed you that night in New Orleans, had he known of your existence."

"I know." I snapped. Breathe Morgan, breathe. "I know. Marcel asked me to. I- I knew it was wrong, but Rebekah seemed okay with it. She told me it'd be an isolated incident. That she only wanted to scare Nik off, and at the time, I'd just gotten out of my coffin." Tears pricked at my eyes. "I never meant for New Orleans to happen." Kol would be fucking pissed if he ever found out I'd used my relationship with the witches to my advantage.

He'd always insisted I learn how to respect them.

"That does not change what you've done." Elijah muttered lowly.

I only barely held back the fucking tears. He was so angry. I hated it. "What now, then? Do I go stay with my brothers?" Do you never want to see me again?

His jaw clenched and unclenched. "No."

"No?" I tried not to sound too hopeful.

"The best either of us could hope is you receive the dagger. Niklaus might already know of your... mistake."

Because that's what it was. A mistake. I shouldn't have done it.

"And what about until he gets here?"

Elijah refused to look at me. "I will continue to shadow you. Perhaps I'll be able to stop your more idiotic ideas from coming to fruition."

That stung. "Fine." I crossed my arms. What more was there to say? I wish I'd enjoyed my freedom a little more before we'd gotten to this point.

I'd been so paranoid that a Mikaelson would find me.

Now, arguably, one of the worst ones to find me, did, and I wouldn't be leaving his 'protection' any time soon. That is, until Nik got here, then I'd either be executed or shoved in a box for a few centuries.

They'd daggered Finn for the last nine hundred years just for endangering them when they were first on the run from a Mikael.

It was a fate worse than death.

"I'd advise you get dressed. We'll be leaving for the Lockwood estate soon." He put his hands in his pockets, and turned toward the windows.

Apparently that was the end of the conversation.

I pressed my lips together, hoping to stifle their wobble, and spun on my heel to go find my bag. There was a dress shoved in there somewhere.

It occurred to me that this might be my last chance to run. When Nik got here, it was only a matter of time, if he didn't already know. He always seemed to be able to tell if I was hiding something.

Damn it.

Why'd I have to fuck up so spectacularly?

The window looked far more inviting than it should. It wasn't a high drop. I'd probably snap a few bones, but they'd heal.

There was no way Elijah wasn't listening.

He'd be even more pissed off than he was already.

I hadn't ever pushed him this far.

Why did I have to listen to Rebekah?

She'd just been so convincing, assuring me that despite what I'd heard, Mikael was nothing like Giuseppe. That all he'd do was scare Nik off. In hindsight, I should've been immediately suspicious.

But I hadn't been, and it'd cost the entire family.

Fucking hell. I was so screwed.

I quickly threw on a blue dress from the bottom of my bag. It was a little on the short side, though it'd match Elijah's tie, I realized distantly. I pulled out a necklace he'd given me, a long time ago. I'd shoved it in my bag when I knew I had to run.

Maybe it was sentimentality that made me put it on, maybe it'd help my case, I couldn't explain it.

I had to be the perfect little daughter until Nik got here. Better to get back on Elijah's good side. He was right, the dagger was the best case scenario.

Nik might even kill Stefan and Damon as retaliation, but if I could convince Elijah to protect me and mine, it might save them.