It took Frankie ten minutes to work up the courage to place her feet on the ground and make her way over to the mirror near the door. Taking in her disheveled appearance she felt sure she should've waited longer to look, she quite literally looked as though she'd been pulled from a scene in a horror film.

Her hair that had been tied messily in a bun had slipped free from the tie and now sat in disheveled waves with its tips tinted pink, tainted by her blood. Her white shirt too was almost entirely red, dyed with blood that congealed against her front, even her olive coloured trousers were blackened and damp.

Trudging to Elijah's closet, she hoped he'd forgive her as she rifled though his drawers, eventually pulling out a shirt and sweatpants. She stumbled into the bathroom that was connected to his room, tugging her sodden sticky clothes off and dumping them in a pile by the door before climbing into the shower. Glancing down at her feet with her arms crossed around her while she waited for the water to warm up she saw the blood even tinted the tips of her toes.

After what felt as though it was the longest shower of her life, Frankie finally turned the water off and stepped from the shower. Satisfied at last that she was clean and that every inch of her body had been scrubbed to oblivion to clear the blood.

Elijah was waiting for her when she left the bathroom, his head was in his hands though it shot up in relief when she emerged as though he'd been frightened something had happened to her after their hour apart.

"Did you get them," she asked tentatively, stepping slowly towards him, "are Rebekah and Klaus okay?" Elijah shook his head and she came closer, taking a seat beside him on the bed with her hand resting on his leg, "I'm so sorry Elijah. I should've listened to you and gone with Hayley and then-"

"Then Hayley and the baby would've been at risk too," he cut her off, his hand reached out to catch hers that sat on his leg and he brought it tenderly to his lips, "This is not your fault. This is on my own actions and that of my family, not you."

"Elijah," Frankie said softly, her fingers fidgeting in his hand, "Maybe I should leave New Orleans. You've already got Klaus and Rebekah and whatever's happening with Marcel and then Hayley and the baby to worry about. I could go, go sort my head out and be somewhere new. You don't need to be putting them at jeopardy just for-"

"No," he cut her off, gently turning her head to face him while his other hand clutched her hand only tighter, "Don't. Please, don't leave New Orleans. Don't let my family chase you from another city."

Don't leave me.

Elijah knew his heart was racing almost more quickly than hers as she said this and he wanted to collapse to his knees and beg her to stay. He needed her to stay, to be his light in the unimaginable darkness of his family and their enemies. Elijah knew truly that the farther from him and his family the safer she'd be but here he could keep her safe and then too at night he could hold her. Each night recently that she'd allowed herself to drift off beside him felt like the most blissful dream he could imagine and he couldn't bear to believe he might lose her.

She'd been the one to tell him to be more selfish and truthfully, though it was the most selfish act he could make, all he wanted now he'd had her was to keep her close.

"But you spend so much time having to rescue me, I'm not some damsel Elijah I don't want to be a pawn every other week for you or your brother to have to waste time chasing down and rescuing."

"I would chase until the very ends of the earth to keep you safe," he promised, "I'll never let anything happen to you, just stay."

"I don't want to be a burden."

His grip tightened on her hand, "You're the farthest thing from a burden I've ever known."

Frankie was silent, she didn't want to spend a life with Klaus and Elijah rescuing her every other day like she had in the past month, useless to defend herself against people trying to use her to threaten them. But she also wasn't so sure she really wanted to leave Elijah either. She didn't want to move somewhere new and go back to that awful feeling of being so alone that she'd thought was just part of life.

Without realising it, Frankie had fallen far deeper down the rabbit hole with Elijah than she'd ever intended on allowing herself to go with anyone. She was terrified he'd hurt her or leave her, but she was terrified too to pull herself away from him.

"I don't wish for you to feel as though you need to hide from me so if you leave I won't follow and I won't allow Niklaus to either," Elijah continued, his face furrowed into a frown wishing he could act more selfishly and force her to stay with him, "but if you're leaving do it because you're searching for something better than this life here. If you leave it should be towards something, not just because you're running away."

Frankie screwed her face up and tugged her hand back, she could feel her body tearing at itself. Her heart wanted more than anything to stay, stay where the loneliness was dimmed and its happiness was amplified, her head knowing she should run before she got too comfortable, before she had something to lose again.

"One of us is going to get hurt," she sighed.

"Then it will be me," Elijah assured her, "I'll make it me not you. Frankie, I'll never hurt you. I'll do everything I can to never let anything hurt you."

She couldn't meet his eyes and Elijah's heart almost collapsed in despair. Her head and her heart were arguing so ferociously she couldn't stand it and so she made a choice to shut one out.

He was sure that this would be their final moment together, his heart leaping out from his chest when her eyes opened again and her hands caught his neck, tugging him towards her and crashing her lips against his.

Elijah was still a moment before he realised what had happened but once he did, he leaned eagerly into the kiss, his hands moving to tug her from her place beside him on the bed to his lap, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist as her legs circled him.

She felt fire curl through her veins as he pulled her tighter towards him with her mind finally pushing her fears from her head. The thousands of fears that gripped her did so before their lips connected and were sure to return afterwards but for now all she could feel was him against her. His kiss was gentle but firm, it didn't hurt, but she certainly wasn't as in control as she'd expected when she tugged him towards her.

Her lips were the sweetest nectar Elijah had ever tasted and he was desperate to drink her down for all of eternity. There was never anything or anyone lovelier that Elijah had ever known. The sweet woody fragrance that seemed to envelop her didn't transfer to her kiss, with her lips tasting like a warm vanilla.

"You cannot have any idea how long I've wanted this" Elijah said when he at last allowed their lips to part, "How many times I've pictured precisely this."

"I don't want to run again," she said, her hands falling to fiddle with his tie that lay against his shirt, still stained with her blood, "I know you have to leave to find your family but I just- Elijah I don't want to run again really. I don't know where my head is, but I don't want to be anywhere more than this right now."

"Stay," he asked her, "I'll check on Hayley and Marcel and you rest. Please stay, don't run again."

Frankie didn't reply but she did pull him back towards her in a short kiss that she broke off soon after, clambering off his lap and tugging him to his feet. Elijah felt in a daze as he tugged his shirt off and replaced it with one that was clean, shooting a final look to Frankie who'd stumbled under the covers and shut her eyes even before he left.

If Elijah came to bed that night he was gone again before she woke up. Groggily stumbling down the stairs a little after ten she found no Elijah but an annoyed Marcel ordering around daywalkers to search the city and an anxious Hayley cooking breakfast. Sliding into a seat at the table with a mug of coffee she was delighted when Hayley slid her a plate of pancakes as she sat beside her.

"Thank you," she groaned, forgoing cutlery to pick up the pancake with her hand and fold it like a slice of pizza, "Kidnapping really makes you hungry, doesn't it?"

Hayley laughed, "God, you're so chill about all of this. How aren't you freaking out?"

"I'm always freaking out," Frankie told her, gulping the too hot coffee down and grimacing at the burn, "Like always. But I can't change it, so I just ignore it until it goes away. Also the third kidnapping does feel much less traumatic than it should for some reason, not gonna question it though."

Frankie did feel much less shaken than she would've expected. The night before took her the closest to death she'd ever been and yet today it felt like her heart was racing with ecstasy.

Realistically it was probably the way the evening had ended, with a reassurance that so long as she didn't run, she'd not be alone again. Instead of focusing on the kiss, she chose it chalk it up to her resume's lengthening hostage experience.

As she ate and chattered lightly with Hayley, Frankie wondered where Elijah was, there were still daywalkers running around frantically spelling out that absolutely zero progress had been made on Rebekah and Klaus' whereabouts. Hearing an argument nearby, Frankie turned to try and catch what was being said.

"Pen and paper," Elijah snapped loudly from the study nearby, "Now, Marcellus."

"Thanks for the food," Frankie said honestly, "I really would like to hang out when this world calms the fuck down."

Hayley grinned back at her and nodded while Frankie slid from her seat, rushing to the study just as Marcel left.

"You're back," she said as she rushed in to greet Elijah, a moment later she froze as she took him in, shirtless and covered in tattoos which she was certain were new, "What're those?"

"I need you to make a list of these names," he said, catching her hand and squeezing it gently, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm good," she nodded, pulling his arm towards her so she could read some of the names of his new tattoos, "What is this Elijah? Sabine, Annie, what do these names mean?"

"I believe they represent the names of the women Celeste inhabited for the past two centuries."

"She's taken over all of these people?" Frankie asked, shocked at the number of stolen lives Celeste had taken. Elijah nodded and Marcel returned, passing Frankie the pen and paper he'd been fetching for them.

"It's called a Devinette," Marcel explained, "It's old school. Kind of a riddle. Witches use them to teach their kids. Solve it, and it disappears."

"Why?" she furrowed her brow, her hand pressing gently on Elijah's shoulder to tell him to turn so she could continue her list, "What's the point?"

"Celeste forced me to make a choice between yourself and my siblings, and now she means to mock that choice, taunting me with a childish game. The longer the game, the more they suffer. To find Klaus and Rebekah, we need to solve this riddle. The solution lies somewhere in these names."

It was less than fifteen minutes later that the list of names had been finished, Elijah and Marcel speeding away to search the neighbourhood of one of the witches whilst Frankie and Hayley stayed back and searched online.

Hayley was on the phone explaining what they'd found and Frankie was taking the moment to send Cami yet another text asking how she was, guilt enveloping her she still hadn't seen her friend since the day they'd tried to help Davina escape.

give me a call when you can. i'm actually getting worried dude. i'm wrapped up in this supernatural shit but i'm coming as soon as i can get away.

"She drowned herself in the Mississippi, to be precise," Elijah explained, down the line, "Celeste was clearly tired of the body and ready to take Sabine's."

"How do you know that?" Frankie asked, finally adding herself into the conversation.

"Because she leaped to her death from the very location Celeste first tried to kiss me."

"Poetic, I guess," Hayley grimaced, "in a creepy vendetta sort of way."

"All these names, these lives, stolen that Celeste might take her revenge," Elijah spoke sharply in his frustration, "I suppose we have no choice but to see where they take us. Frankie, Hayley, I have to go, I'll call you back."

The phone clicked into silence and Frankie and Hayley both turned to face each other with individual fears painted across their faces.

"What didn't you say?" Frankie asked her, reading her regret across her lips pursed in frustration.

"There's a name on that list, Brynne Deveraux," Hayley told her, "Sophie told me it was her bloodline that placed the curse on my pack and I think if Brynne Deveraux was actually Celeste when she cast that spell, maybe Celeste can still break it."

"Why didn't you ask Elijah about it?"

"I don't know if he's still mad about how I invaded his privacy. I knew how private he can be and I still. . . did it anyway. He was so mad when I told him, I don't want him to hate me."

"I'll text him," Frankie offered, her hand grabbing Hayleys wrist comfortingly, "Trust me Elijah's main personality trait is forgiveness. I know he doesn't hate you."

"Are you sure?" Hayley asked, nerves overcoming her for the first time since she and Frankie had met, "He's like the only one in this family who actually talks to me like I'm a real person, I don't want to lose him."

"Yeah," Frankie nodded, "Look, Hayley I'm gonna go check on my friend, I haven't heard from her since the day before the Harvest and I'm worried about her. Will you cover for me if they ask where I am?"

"I don't know," Hayley said wearily, "You just nearly died. I saw Elijah carry your body in last night and there was so much blood it was dripping to the floor-"

"I'm going either way," Frankie told her honestly, "I just don't want Elijah to get back and worry when he needs to focus on Rebekah and Klaus."

"Don't go for long," Hayley conceded, "There's only so long I can lie before Elijah sees through it."

Frankie grinned victoriously, slipping her sticky shoes on to race to her apartment. She needed to visit her apartment first, she needed her own underwear that wasn't congealed with blood, shoes that weren't still wet and trousers that actually fit her properly.

Her apartment unfortunately didn't contain her skateboard and as she jogged to Cami's house she silently mourned her second board lost so soon after the first. On her way she texted Elijah for Hayley, it was clear tracking down Brynne Deveraux was important to her and she knew Elijah would help them.

hey, when you're checking out those names look into brynne deveraux will you. hayley said she was the one to put the curse on her people, if that was celeste, she might be able to break it

I'll let you know what I find.

Frankie was relieved that when she arrived at Cami's house, unlike the last time, she couldn't hear her screams from the outside of the door. Nevertheless, she had texted and called her half a dozen times since they last spoke and Cami hadn't answered once which still concerned her.

"Cam," she called, her fist banging on the door, "Cam are you in there?"

"Hey," Cami said, her eyes red with bags beneath them as she pulled the door open and stepped aside to let Frankie in, "I meant to call you, I just-"

"What happened?" Frankie asked, she was anxious as she pulled the door closed behind her, "Did Klaus hurt you because of the compulsion? Fuck Cam, I'm so sorry. What did he-

"No," Cami laughed weakly, "No. My uncle's been hexed, he's like Sean, he's gonna go crazy then. . . "

"Oh my god," Frankie sighed, tugging her friend's shaking form towards her, "Cami I'm so sorry. Fuck."

"Yeah," she laughed again, pulling away and wiping her fist across her face, "Do you want some tea?"

"Tea's good."

"Klaus was supposed to help me find a cure but he's stopped responding to my calls, I should've known. Some woman came up to me and gave me this dagger and told me if I stabbed Klaus with it she'd fix my uncle, but I couldn't do it. If I could do it it would be okay and she'd heal him."

"Let me guess," Frankie mused, "Little redhead with a vendetta."

"How'd you know that?"

Frankie ignored her question, focused firstly on the weapon that might be a big enough grievance for Klaus to take revenge against her friend if he heard, "Where's the knife?"

"I gave it to Klaus. Maybe if I were more like him I could do it, but I'm not-"

"You're not that person Cam," Frankie assured her, relieved that she hadn't made the attempt nor ever intended on it, taking the kettle from Cami to stop her shaking hands from causing the boiling water to spill over, "Look, telling Klaus was the right thing. He really will try and help you if he can, I know he cares about you. You don't need stabbing someone on your conscience when theres a chance that witch is just screwing with you."

"Where is he then?" Cami asked a little indignantly, "He said he'd help and I haven't even heard from him since he took the knife."

"It's the witches," she explained, passing her the mug before pulling the milk from the fridge, "They've got a vendetta against them all, Klaus, Rebekah and Elijah. Last night they kidnapped me and attacked Rebekah and Klaus, apparently they gave Elijah just enough time to save one of us. When he returned from taking me home, Rebekah and Klaus were both gone, they've been searching all day but we barely have any leads."

"Are you okay?" Cami's head snapped suddenly to her friend, her eyes flicking up and down as though searching for injuries.

"All good," she nodded, "They slit my throat but Elijah made it in time. . . obviously. I'm just waiting now, I don't know what I can do to help with Marcel and Hayley there."

Cami couldn't quite understand how her friend wasn't still laying underneath bedsheets shaking and sobbing after having her throat slit but it was clear she had no intentions of reliving the night before. What a sorry pair, she thought, so changed from the first time they met as they politely discussed college majors and home towns.

"Do you want to get drunk with me?" Cami asked, pouring her tea into the sink and pulling a bottle of whiskey from the cabinet instead, "Mourn our normal Rousseau lives that feel so much easier than all this. . . pain and death."

"Sure," Frankie nodded, pouring out her mug as well and passing it to Cami, "I'm just gonna text Hayley and tell her I've not been kidnapped."