"Are you alright?"

After Klaus had explained the news on her brother it was as if Frankie had frozen. Her arms wrapped around her knees that were suddenly pulled tight to her chest and her eyes had been squeezed shut as she tried to figure out what she should do now.

The irony over her last conversation with Elijah didn't escape her, the way she'd voiced exactly this hope, to have one more chance to see her brother. It had been a truth secretly plaguing her for months, the regret over her final actions but it had only been with the reminders she'd had today at the funeral that had forced her to really consider it. She knew she couldn't let the opportunity slip again, that she couldn't allow the Salvatores to attempt it without forcing her own involvement.

But that too proved another issue, Elijah.

She didn't want him to come with her, that wasn't fair considering his life here and Hayley, the baby, and Klaus, but she couldn't tell him she was leaving for Mystic Falls. She didn't know how she'd be able to force herself to say it when secretly she knew that she'd be breaking his heart by telling him she was leaving without knowing if she'd return.

It was terrible but even after every single action he'd ever made showing her she could trust him, that he'd never hurt her or let anyone else and yet she still felt too scared if she said something that he'd be filled with a Mitch like reaction forcing her to stay. Even as she sat here she wondered which would be worse, if he hit her or yelled at her to make her stay, or if he let her go, the sadness crossing over his face as she betrayed him again.

"Can you tell him?" she asked Klaus, her words coming out more strained than either expected, "I can't tell him I'm leaving, just wait till I'm gone and then tell him why."

"You'll return of course," Klaus presumed, "See whether the Salvatores plan comes to fruition and then-" Klaus broke off with the guilty expression that seemed to flood her.

"Klaus," she said gently.

It was one of the first times since he'd met her she seemed actually weak. Certainly she'd been in life threatening situations before when he'd been around and certainly she hadn't always known how to cope with them but for the first time she seemed terrified of what she was asking for. He'd rescued her a dozen times from physical threats and imminent danger but this was the first time she was asking him to help her hurt herself.

"You can't just leave and not come back," he pressed, "You know it'll crush him."

"I'm not saying I'm leaving forever, I just need to know my brother's okay. If you thought Bekah was dead, not just dagger dead but really truly dead and then you got her back you wouldn't leave her."

"We don't even know if it'll work. If it doesn't work you'll return, yes?" Klaus pressed her, half wishing he could go and prevent any success at all.

"Maybe," she lied.

Frankie hated this, hated knowing how awful she was behaving though she knew there was no way to stop it. She wished there were more truth to her words but she didn't think she'd have the heart to return after leaving Elijah a second time. Hurting him again like she'd done all those months ago, the guilt already tugging at her as she fiddled with her skirt.

The first time she'd run away from his kindness had been hard but at least then they hadn't been so close. Now they spent almost every day together, she hadn't slept alone in more than a month and although neither had said anything about whether they'd passed friendship it was more than obvious that they both cared deeply for one another.

Elijah was the worst person for her because he was the one who was so perfect for her. He was kind and caring and funny and he stared at her with so much affection her heart felt full and now she was going to rip his heart out. She wished she could pull herself together but she couldn't get her head to focus, all she knew that she needed to leave and she needed to go now.

"I can't say for certain until I know what happens. I have to go, I need to go tonight."

"Tonight?" Klaus said, his eyebrows arching in surprise before a frown overtook it and he shook his head, "You can't leave tonight, it's too late," she seemed about to protest here but Klaus continued before she could speaking loudly to cut her off, "Stay the night and I'll arrange for someone to take you in the morning, not now."

Frankie was chewing on her bottom lip and her fists were curled up anxiously "You promise you won't stop me? Or tell him before I go?"

"You should tell him," Klaus pressed again, "You know it's better coming from you than me."

"Klaus," she said again, "I can't, not right now. Please just- please."

"I won't tell him tonight," he conceded, "but I still think you should be the one to do it."

"Thank you," she said softly, letting out a quick cough before uncurling her hands, "I should go make some dinner, Elijah will wonder what's taking me so long."

Klaus didn't reply and he was silent as she slid from the room. Their conversation hadn't gone quite like he'd expected, certainly he hadn't exactly been sure what would happen when he told her, but he hadn't predicted she'd nearly beg him not to tell his brother at all. He still hadn't decided whether that was something he intended on upholding, certainly he'd give them tonight, there wasn't any point barreling into Elijah's room and telling him now before she got the chance, but he wasn't quite sure he'd really let her leave without a word.

Frankie did a good job of hiding how shellshocked she was when she finally returned to Elijah's room with her eggs and some wine. She'd called Cami while she cooked and explained the predicament, her friend fortunately more than understanding that if she had a chance she needed to be there.

"Is everything alright?"

Elijah was sure something was up, he didn't want to press it but he knew Frankie well. Sometimes she thought he knew her better than she did herself. He knew when something was bothering her and right now he was sure something had happened. It wasn't something that he wanted to push after the day they'd both had, but he was a little surprised that she'd returned with a bottle of wine when she'd told him an hour ago she'd already drunk more than enough.

Knowing she was leaving in the morning, Frankie hadn't wanted the night to end just yet and so instead of sleeping early like she'd intended, she'd grabbed a bottle on her return for them both. She liked when they spent their evenings like this, drinking wine and talking, she always felt the closest to him then, and now this was how she wanted to spend the time before she left in the morning.

"Of course," she grinned, "Just changed my mind about it all, you are down aren't you? We don't have to drink if you don't want to-"

"Of course I am," he laughed, "always with you."

Frankie grinned at him, passing him the bottle for him to crack as she held their glasses together for him to pour a moment later. The night was good, she enjoyed when they both fell into being a little tipsy, both a little louder, her a little more open and him a little looser.

Elijah had pulled her tight to him again when they slept, while he hadn't talked about Mikael, she knew he still felt weary and he liked knowing she was close. That made it harder too, knowing in the morning that she planned to leave. She remembered the last time she'd run away, because of her brother too, tricking him as she did it.

It wasn't that Frankie had decided she was staying away forever, but she needed to go and she knew now she wasn't brave enough to tell him the truth. She needed time to see her brother and then time to figure out where her head was at. Her life had changed so rapidly after that first party where she'd run into Klaus and Rebekah and perhaps some time away would help her figure out what she wanted, what she needed.

"Morning," Elijah said, gently shaking her awake as his grip loosened around her, "It's time to get up for the procession."

"Hi," Frankie said, groaning a little as she rolled onto her back, "I wish I could sleep a thousand more hours."

"Perhaps that wine wasn't the best of ideas," Elijah chuckled, his eyes falling on her fondly while his fingers brushed the hair from her face, "Do you want to shower before we go?"

"Wine is always a good idea," she smiled, her eyes darting away as she continued, "No, I think I'm going to go back to my apartment to change, I don't want to wear the dress again."

"You've got those trousers here," Elijah suggested, "why not wear those instead with-"

"It's all good," Frankie laughed, cutting him off as she leaned over and pressed a kiss to his cheek, "really Elijah, I'll just meet you and Klaus there."

"Are you sure?"

"Mhm."

Frankie had tugged on her dress by that point and was searching for her shoes, she could feel her chest clawing away at itself with the guilt as she lied to him. She was so distracted that when he'd pulled the shoes from their place by the door and held them out to her she jumped back in surprise.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Elijah asked her, his hand reached out to tug her gently towards him by the waist, "You really don't have to go today if you don't feel up to it."

"I'm good," she grinned weakly, "Thanks for the shoes, see you."

Whether Elijah believed her lies or not he let her go, watching as she slid from the room, her phone gripped so tightly in her hand that her knuckles were turning white. Klaus watched her as she left the compound, racing home to pack her things before the driver he was sending would pick her up.

Frankie didn't pack much, she'd built a life here even in her shoebox apartment but there was little she actually needed right now when she was going to find her brother. She'd turned her focus to him, to worrying about whether the Salvatores plan might actually work and if she might be able to get a piece of her family back. It was easier focusing on that, on focusing on what it'd be like to see him again, her big brother, her rock when everything had been at its worst, than to think about what she was leaving behind.

Her backpack and her skateboard were all that she had with her when she finally was ready to leave. She'd left her notebook, realising too late that it sat in Elijah's bedroom and she couldn't go back for it without him realising what was up. Frankie had changed into more comfortable clothes too, now she didn't need to wear formalwear for the funeral she'd donned jeans and a sweatshirt, a stolen t-shirt of Elijah's tucked away beneath it.

Frankie heard her phone beep and without pulling it out to check she gathered her things and made her way to the door. She knew it was Klaus or whoever Klaus had compelled to take her to Mystic Falls and so she made her way over without a final glance around her apartment.

"It's true," a voice called from the doorway, a voice filled with hurt and betrayal as she descended with her backpack and her skateboard again, "I didn't believe Niklaus when he told me."

"He wasn't supposed to," Frankie said quietly, her fists balling up as she stared at Elijah's shoes, too frightened of the pain in his voice to look up, "he promised he'd wait till I was gone."

"I don't understand," Elijah said, her eyes finally met his face and she could see the hurt across it in a surprisingly open show of emotions, "You'd really leave and not say goodbye again."

"Elijah-"

"No," he said shortly, "You cannot pretend you're not feeling this way too. I've never wanted to push you too far but you know we're not only friends, you know it isn't right to leave without a word."

Her eyes screwed up tightly for a moment like her fists were. She had to force a deep breath down her throat before continuing, her heart was racing so loudly she wondered if he could even hear her words over the sound of it.

"I have to go."

"But why like this," he said desperately, "You could've just told me and I'd come with you, or I'd wait until you got back, why do you need to sneak away again."

"Please don't make this so hard," Frankie could feel her chest clutching tighter and tighter with the pain she'd somehow hoped to avoid by slipping away gripping her tighter, "Elijah, it's my brother."

He seemed to shrink in defeat with the hurt across her face mirroring his. It wasn't that he was giving up, nor was he giving in, it was only that he'd finally seen how this seemed to hurt her as much as it was him and he didn't want to make it worse.

Even as Frankie ripped both his and her heart out, he still couldn't bring himself to make her hurt more. He could see her hands shaking by her side and he wished he could pull them still, pull her closer and comfort her but he didn't want to make this harder than it already was.

Elijah sighed in defeat and Frankie looked at him hopelessly.

She'd changed her mind now, being yelled at or hit was certainly better than a reaction like this; than watching Elijah's face fall into despair knowing she was the one that had caused it and that it would remain after she left. He was still much too kind for her, she knew that because instead of doing anything to make her pay for her betrayal he forced a mask up that hid his sadness and hurt, instead switching to concern.

"Will you promise me something," he said after a minute, his voice low and steady, "No matter what it is or where you are, if you need help you promise you'll call me. Even if it's been years-" his voice actually cracked here and both of them winced, knowing despite everything that this wouldn't be as short a trip as she was fooling herself into, "No matter how long it's been, I need to know that you know you're never alone and I'll be there if you ever need me."

"I'm sorry," she said shakily, "I really am."

"I know," Elijah leaned forwards and pressed a kiss to her cheek, "I forgive you."

Frankie smiled but in truth her throat felt like it was closing. She hated this, she couldn't understand why she couldn't allow herself to be there for both Elijah and her brother. Why she was throwing what could be the best thing in her life away entirely just on the chance her brother was okay.

The life she had in New Orleans felt full but when Frankie let herself look closer at it she knew it wasn't everything she wanted. She'd barely done anything creative in her time here, so wrapped up in the supernatural world that all she did was work at Rousseau's or spend time with Elijah.

Outside of the Mikaelson's, Cami was the only friend she'd really made in the city and as much as she loved it here, she didn't feel like she'd built much for herself despite living there for nearly a year. Frankie was leaving for her brother, in hopes she'd be there when he came back but she was leaving so she could try and find herself too.

It hurt leaving, leaving New Orleans and Elijah and the people she cared about, but she needed to put her family first. She needed to be there for her brother like he'd been there for her when she was kid and she needed to figure out what she wanted to be doing with her life outside of the Mikaelsons.

When the car finally came, leading her to the airstrip and then to Mystic Falls, Frankie felt the tears running down her cheeks and her hands curled into fists.