everyonelives | why is it you always get to sit in the shade

Yeah. Pilgrim times.

( He did read the file. )

He was a bad guy, just let off a leash - if a leash was ever attempted. And this happens.

( People turn away from misdeeds, especially from men like him. )

Freya will know something.

She will. And he's not deteriorating, so we have time to figure it out.

[She just hopes that statement is still true when they wake up in the morning.]

But for now, we should probably get some sleep.

( "We'll watch closely," he says, nodding.

The next morning, Kol awakens early. He lets Kieran get her sleep. After checking on her brother - to which there's no change, heartbeat is still apparent, he showers. Dressed again, he puts the coffee on, the smell of which might awaken his love. )

[Kieran is going to sleep a little while longer, but the other witch will be drawn out at the smell of coffee. As comfortable as it is lying next to Scott, they have work to do, and that work is going to need coffee.

She smiles as she makes her way out, heading to the kitchen.]

Smells good.

Hard to believe coffee in a hovel near DC could.

( She does get a cup of her own for her complimentary efforts. )

You won't mind if I take all the credit, then.

I would be surprised if you didn't.

[There can still be a little teasing between exes, right? She cups the mug in her hands, letting them warm for a moment before taking a sip.]

How's Kieran doing?

( There can. The narration won't go on about what Davina means to Kol, or how any simple, subtle interaction does speak volumes. While his love for Kieran is deep, it is new, and it is not what he defied his family for with Davina. Not yet, anyway. )

How I'd be if I'd known Freya existed and was in a coma for those thousand years. ( Now. Not - then. Kol back then wouldn't care and wouldn't trust. Davina gave him that. His civility. Hedonism never dies, though. That's fine, right? ) I'm letting her sleep in. Freya should be in from the train shortly.

Good. Hopefully we'll have some good news for when she wakes up.

[She takes another long sip of her coffee, before she speaks again.]

It seems like she's been really good for you, though. It's good to see you happy.

How I've needed Davina Claire's astute observations.

( Sizing his choices up in their personal divide. Does he miss San Francisco? The life they tried to build together? All the time. But, if he's true to himself, would that have sufficed for as long as Davina wouldn't let him turn her. But, she is not Bella and he is not Edward. )

[She raises an eyebrow at that. It was meant to be a compliment, a show of support, but if that's not what he wants, then she can keep her thoughts to herself.

It's not as though she doesn't still love him, in some way. But who she needed to be was always going to be at odds with who he wanted her to be.

But before she can get any of that out, there's a knock on the door.]

That must be your sister.

( Davina Claire will always sting. He'd died for her. Killed her. Tried to make things work. But, they couldn't. He is mature, yes, and concerned for his - for Kieran - but he is still Kol.

With any excuse to step away from this, he answers the door. )

[Freya stands behind it, hands clasped in front of her and tips her head to the side to give Kol a smile. Because she is happy to see him, even if he isn't always happy to see her.]

Brother. What are we dealing with?

Sister.

( He steps out of the way, gesturing her to join them in their motel squalor. )

Kieran's brother volunteered himself as a human conduit for a snake-oil peddling Colonel Sanders.

[She raises an eyebrow as she steps inside.]

Seems like he decided now was a good time to make poor life choices.

I've only gotten bits and pieces here and there, but I think this is the latest in a long line.

( And this latest one packed a wallop. )

He'd been working with an outfit and decided to go rogue. Such is the life of the man caught up in the roads taken.

[Kieran emerges at the sound of voices and nods to the other witch as she registers her presence.]

Freya. Thank you for coming.

["Of course. I'm happy to help." Freya smiles. "Nice to see you again."]

Sister, girlfriend. Girlfriend, sister.

( Somehow made better that he isn't under the same roof as all of his siblings and in the presence of his most level-headed. (Still terrifying when she wants to be, but not to him.)

To Kieran: )

Any change?

[She moves over to her brother and shakes her head.]

No, but that's the best we could have hoped for if he didn't recover already. At least he's not getting worse.

[Freya moves closer, tipping her head to the side as she examines him.

"Do we know anything about how the witch in question operates, magically speaking?"]

He stepped off the Mayflower. He works in conduits instead of amassing any of his own power ( or using any dark objects ) and despite being out of the picture, Julian hasn't declined.

( Kol is worried about that imminent decline. It's only a matter of time when the person channeling that power finishes. )

Do you sense any leftover tether?

[She nods, her hands holding over Julian's body as she closes her eyes and tries to sense the magic.]

The severing was clean. But I don't think it was done by the caster of the spell. Your brother is still alive, and I would assume that he would have just drained him completely.

[She opens her eyes and looks over at them.]

But as clean as the break was, it wasn't the traditional ending of the spell, so he's still trapped within it. It isn't so much an issue of his body as it is his mind.

( It's something a Mikaelson has experienced, as have most ancient vampires. )

His mind thinks the spell is still on.

[She nods and pushes to her feet.]

Chambre de chasse, if I had to guess and quite a strong one at that. Davina and I could likely finesse whoever's willing inside, but it'll be up to you to wake him up and help him find his way out.

Self-induced. And we're sure my niece's fingerprints are nowhere near this?

( He's been there, okay? )

No, whoever did this wasn't Hope. The person who severed the spell acted quickly and without hesitation.

[No offense intended to her niece, but it takes finesse to cut a spell this cleanly. Finesse and zero hesitation.]

As talented as our girl is, this is above her skill level.

( The joke is ill-timed and poorly placed, but alas, this is still Kol, even in life and death circumstances. He turns to Kieran. )

When's the last time you've gone into a sibling's head?

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