#lwr7

“What’s wrong with the flowers?” a woman at the next table whispered, her voice laced with unease. Her companion leaned forward, touching a drooping rose, only to flinch as it crumbled to dust beneath his fingertips. The wisteria vines along the railings shivered, shedding blackened leaves in a slow, unsettling drift, and the chatter grew louder; a mix of confusion and nervous laughter. A man two tables over stood, squinting at the centerpiece as if it might explain itself. 

Another man furrowed his brow and glanced at the staff. “Are… are the flowers dead?” he asked quietly, as if afraid the plants might overhear. A woman by the railing shook her head in mild disbelief, exhaling softly, “I’ve never seen anything like this… maybe they were already dying?” The waiter hurried over, brushing his hands over the tablecloth nervously. “I...I assure you, madam, the flowers were fresh this morning,” he said, though the uncertainty in his voice betrayed him. 

It was a strange scenery that unfolded right in front of her, and Katherine watched the change with a mix of fascination but also dread. This wasn’t normal. She had witnessed dark magic before although always from some distance. But this? This was a whole different level.  

Katherine’s gaze snapped to Rebekah. “What is going on, Rebekah? This isn’t anything subtil at all.” and with a hiss, she added “Even the weather seems to change.” 

Rebekah’s lips pressed into a thin line, her blue eyes narrowing as she shoved her chair back, the scrape of wood against stone cutting through the rising din. “I told you: It’s the Hollow.” She stood, her eyes set on the horizon where the clouds gathered at the horizon. “My piece of it is waking up. Elijah’s here in Manosque, and it’s sensing him.” 

Katherine leaned back, crossing her arms with a scoff, though the creeping chill in her bones belied her nonchalance. “What ‘Hollow’? Is this that little family curse you all split among yourselves? How convenient it picks now to throw a tantrum.” Even if 'little' seemed like an understatement. Of course, Katherine knew that this dark magic had to be something strong if you had to split it between four Original Vampires and Elijah chose to erase his memories rather than live with them. Despite it or nonetheless, no one had said it had such an impact. When Klaus had spoken of an evil, ancient witch spirit, she had somehow expected something completely different, even if she couldn't say exactly what she had imagined. However, it certainly didn’t contain dead plants everywhere.  

A low rumble sounded in the distance, so faint it might have been mistaken for a passing truck, but Katherine’s keen hearing caught the telltale growl of thunder. The breeze picked up, teasing the edges of napkins and ruffling the tablecloths, as if nature itself were stirring uneasily. It was late spring. Thunderstorms were not uncommon and therefore not completely out of the question, but as far as she knew, none had been announced and they were still rare during this period of the season. 

Rebekah ignored the chaos, her focus locked on Katherine. “It’s not a tantrum; it’s a reaction. We divided the Hollow to keep it dormant, scattered ourselves to weaken it. Elijah’s in this town, and my being here is stirring it. It thrives when we’re close.” Her voice dropped, edged with urgency. “He erased his memories to escape the pain of losing us: Nik, me, the family. He couldn’t bear it otherwise. But that doesn’t stop the magic.” 

The breeze grew steadier, carrying a faint dampness that hinted at rain somewhere far off. The clouds on the horizon thickened, their gray deepening, though the sun still held its ground, casting long shadows across the terrace. A waiter hurried over, his brow furrowed as he inspected the ruined centerpiece, muttering about fetching the manager. Guests exchanged uneasy glances, some pulling out phones to snap photos of the decayed flowers, their voices a low hum of speculation. “Maybe it’s a blight,” one man suggested, though his tone lacked conviction. 

Katherine now stood, too. “If your proximity to Elijah is causing this, then leave, Rebekah. I have very little interest in feeling the effects of dark magic. Especially since it turns out differently than expected. I thought it only concerned you, not the general public.” Another roll of thunder echoed, still distant but closer now, a soft warning that blended with the rustle of leaves and the clink of glassware. The air felt heavier, charged with an unspoken tension that made the hairs on her neck rise. 

Rebekah’s eyes flashed with defiance, but there was a flicker of worry beneath it. “I can’t stay long. I know that. If I linger, it’ll only get worse.” She gestured vaguely at the wilting flora, the unsettled guests now whispering about curses and bad omens. “Nonetheless, there’s still time left. Enough time to make sure you understand what this is about so you don’t screw this up.” 

"Why does this sound like this mess is my fault? What's happening here is because of your family. Not because of me," Katherine corrected her as she tried to get a waiter's attention so she could finally leave. Sure, she could just walk away, but she was trying to appear normal. She didn't necessarily want to stand out as a welcher. After all, it seems like she has to stay in this city for a longer time until her mission is completed.  

The flames of the candles on the tables flickered briefly, drawing gasps from the guests. A woman knocked over her wine glass, the red liquid pooling like blood on the tablecloth, and the murmurs grew sharper. “This isn’t normal,” a man muttered, rising to his feet, his wife tugging at his sleeve. The waiter returned, flustered, barking at a colleague to fetch the owner again as the atmosphere thickened with unease. The breeze swirled now, lifting scattered petals from the ground and sending them spiraling like dark confetti. 

Katherine again tried to signal the waiter with a flick of her hand. “We’re done here. Bring the bill.” 

The waiter, visibly rattled, scurried off and returned moments later with a leather folder. Rebekah tossed a stack of euros inside without glancing at it, her movements brisk. “Let’s go. I need air, and this place is about to panic.” She didn’t wait for Katherine to follow and instead just grabbed her by the arm, almost dragging her out while Katherine tried to get rid of her grip without raising too much attention. Although the attention of the other guests weren’t on them anyway.  

Unfortunately, Katherine didn’t have a choice but to follow the blonde Original, weaving through the gawking guests who were now gathering their things or murmuring about the 'strange weather.' The air outside was cooler, laced with the scent of damp earth and distant rain. The clouds had spread, their edges softening the sunlight into a muted glow, and the breeze tugged at her coat, whispering of the storm to come. Wind was flickering through their hair, and blew individual strands of hair into Katherine’s face, which she tried to get out of her face with hectic movements of her hand. 

“This is your fault,” Katherine said, raising her voice over the rustle of leaves. “Next time you want a reunion, send a postcard. And get your damn hands off me. I’m not your pet.” 

Rebekah didn’t release her entirely, her fingers lingering just enough to steer Katherine toward the parking lot across the street. “Don’t make a scene. We’re not done talking. Follow me to the car. Unless you fancy getting soaked?” She glanced skyward, where the smudge of gray clouds had thickened into a brooding mass, swallowing the horizon. 

Katherine hesitated, having no desire to be in a closed room with Rebekah, knowing her habits of lashing out when she gets too annoyed. She’s a lot like Klaus in that matter. “Fine,” she snapped, striding alongside Rebekah, her heels clicking on the pavement. 

They reached the parking lot, a modest gravel expanse dotted with a few cars, the air humming with the subtle vibration of distant thunder. Rebekah led her to a sleek black rental sedan. Unassuming but luxurious, typical Mikaelson flair even in hiding. She unlocked it with a beep, sliding into the driver’s seat without a word. Katherine paused outside, eyeing the vehicle suspiciously, but another gust of wind carried the first fat drops of rain, splattering against her shoulder. With a curse under her breath, she yanked open the passenger door and climbed in, slamming it shut just as the downpour began in earnest. 

Rain hammered the roof like a thousand impatient fingers, the droplets racing down the windshield in rivulets. Outside, the world had turned a uniform gray, the hilly landscape of Manosque blurred into misty shadows under the heavy clouds. The storm’s arrival felt almost too timed, too ominous, but Katherine dismissed it as coincidence; for now. After all, there was no sign that this thunderstorm was also because of this so called 'Hollow'. Perhaps there was a slight, tiny chance that it wasn't as daunting as expected. She turned to Rebekah, her expression a mask of irritation. “Alright, Blondie. You dragged me here. Finish your little speech from the restaurant. What’s this obsession with Elijah having some mysterious contact? You act like he’s a lost puppy who can’t fend for himself.” 

Rebekah gripped the steering wheel, her knuckles whitening, though the engine remained off. The rain’s relentless patter filled the silence for a moment, amplifying the tension inside the car. “I’m sure of it; he’s not alone. Someone’s guiding him, shaping his life here. And you need to keep that in mind.” 

Rebekah seemed to be really convinced that Elijah was in contact with one or more person that allegedly had some kind of influence over him although neither Klaus had told her about it (even though it wouldn’t surprise her if he chose to ‘forget’ about such a piece of information), nor had she seen anyone who had been constantly at his sight whenever she had witnessed the pub Elijah played him. Frankly, Katherine had never met Elijah outside the pub. She doesn’t know what he does when he’s not playing piano in there. She’s not even sure if she wants to know. Actually, she prefers not to pry on his private life. She didn’t want to know too much or think too much about him and his action or ... reaction, especially when it came to her. 

Katherine arched an eyebrow, leaning back against the leather seat. “Why is that such a problem? From what you said, his behavior’s improved since Marcel last saw him ripping through that nightclub. He’s settled, playing piano in a pub, for God’s sake. If someone’s helping him, maybe it’s a good thing. He doesn’t seem like the unhinged mess you described after Marcel found him the first time.” Which again let Katherine wonder why they even left him alone. Even if they cannot talk or be near each other, who would let a man without memories be all by himself and alone? Especially someone as powerful as Elijah? 

Rebekah’s eyes flashed with frustration, her gaze fixed on the rain-streaked window. “Because, like I already said, we – or rather I – don’t know who it is or what they want. Elijah’s vulnerable without his memories. If this person’s feeding him lies about his family, twisting his view of us… it could turn him against everything he once stood for. We need him back as he was, not some puppet version poisoned by outsiders.” 

Katherine snorted, crossing her arms. “Half-truths again? You and Klaus love throwing crumbs at me, but never the full story. Why the secrecy around certain things? No one told me the dark magic could mess with the weather, for instance.” She gestured outside, where the rain pounded harder against the car, turning the world into a watery haze of gray. The thunder rolled closer now, a deep vibration that rattled the windows. Okay, Katherine didn’t know for sure if this was really because of dark magic or perhaps something natural but she still had a weird feeling about the sudden change of weather. As if suddenly wilting flowers weren’t already upsetting enough. “Look at this: it started so innocently with a breeze, and now it’s a full storm. Shouldn’t we be more worried about this Hollow thing rampaging than some phantom contact Elijah might have?” 

Rebekah exhaled sharply, her fingers drumming on the wheel as the rain’s rhythm intensified, a steady drumbeat echoing their impasse. “I don’t know everything myself, alright? I’m not privy to all the Hollow’s tricks. It’s ancient, unpredictable. Splitting it was supposed to contain it, but proximity like this… it stirs things up. The weather’s just a symptom; it’ll pass once I’m gone. But Elijah’s safety? That’s what matters. He needs to remember who he is, the brother who put family first, who endured centuries for us. Not this… shadow of himself, influenced by God knows who.” 

The brunette vampire still wasn’t entirely convinced. Could she believe Rebekah when she told her that she doesn’t know everything herself? Or was it just another trick? They loved to make things difficult for her, after all.  

Katherine studied Rebekah in silence for a moment. For all her sharp edges and venom, there was something unmistakably familiar in the tension of her posture. The same rigid control, the same barely restrained fear Klaus always masked with cruelty. Rebekah Mikaelson did not like Katherine. That much had never been a secret. But neither did she like the fact that Elijah had once dared to chose Katherine over the comfort of his family. Albeit, had he really? When had she been spared something because of Elijah’s influence or action? In Katherine's opinion, that was a completely false assumption. 

“You know,” Katherine said finally, her voice quieter now, sharper in its precision, “you keep talking about outsiders poisoning Elijah against his family. But you never stop to consider that maybe… he didn’t need help with that.” She turned slightly in her seat, her gaze unwavering. “Maybe your family did a fine job of that on its own.” 

Rebekah’s head snapped toward her. “Don’t.” 

“Oh, don’t what?” Katherine countered coolly. “Point out the obvious? You act like Elijah forgetting everything was some tragic accident. He chose it. He chose oblivion over being bound to Klaus, to you, to your endless cycle of control and sacrifice.” Her lips curled into something almost sympathetic. “That should tell you more than any imaginary stranger ever could.” 

Rebekah’s jaw tightened, her hands curling into fists. For a heartbeat, Katherine half-expected her to lash out. Instead, Rebekah exhaled sharply, staring straight ahead. 

“You think I don’t know that?” she said quietly. “You think I don’t hear his absence every single day? Elijah always was the voice of reason, he was the one who stayed when Nik became unbearable. He was the conscience. The anchor. And now he’s… gone. Walking around, smiling at strangers, playing piano like he’s some ordinary man. Not recognizing the people who once meant everything to him.” Her voice cracked, just barely. “That isn’t him. Not entirely.” 

The thunder rolled again, closer this time, vibrating through the frame of the car. 

“And what if it is?” Katherine asked, not even in a cruel tone. She just wanted to know whether there was a possibility that he could actually be happy for once. “What if this version of Elijah is the most honest one he’s ever been?” 

Rebekah turned the key. The engine came to life with a low hum, but she didn’t pull away. Instead, she shifted in her seat, then abruptly reached for the door handle. 

“Get out.” 

Katherine blinked. “Excuse me?” 

“I said get out,” Rebekah repeated, already pushing her own door open as rain immediately soaked her sleeve. “I’ve said what I needed to say. You know what to watch for now. If there is someone in his life, someone guiding him, you need to notice it.” 

Katherine stared at her incredulously. “Are you kidding me right now?” She gestured toward the rain-slashed windshield. “It’s pouring. You dragged me in here, unloaded your cryptic warnings, and now you’re tossing me out like a bad habit?” 

Rebekah’s expression hardened. “Consider it motivation. You always work best when you’re uncomfortable.” Then, after a pause, she added more quietly, “And don’t misunderstand me. I don’t trust you. But Elijah trusted you once. That has to count for something.” 

For a moment, Katherine considered refusing, staying put out of sheer spite. But she knew this game. Rebekah was giving her just enough leash to hang herself, if it came to that. She was fast, she could as easily just snap her neck and then push her out, leaving her lying in the rain until she woke up again. 

“Unbelievable,” Katherine muttered as she reached for the handle. “You Mikaelsons really do have a talent for making allies regret everything.” 

She stepped out into the rain, instantly soaked as the cold water seeped through her clothes that were chosen without having rain (or a thunderstorm) in mind. Behind her, the car door slammed shut. The engine revved, and moments later, the sedan pulled away, disappearing into the curtain of gray. It didn't take long for her hair to stick to her skin, completely wet. A disgusting feeling. 

Katherine stood there for a moment as rain continued to plaster her hair on her face, thunder rolling overhead. Somewhere in the distance, lightning flashed: brief, pale, almost subtle enough to be dismissed as imagination. 

Almost. 

The rain showed no mercy. It soaked through fabric and illusion alike, running cold along her spine, clinging to her skin as if intent on reminding her that there was no shelter to be found. Neither here nor in the situation she had allowed herself to be dragged into. Katherine brushed a wet strand of hair from her face, only for it to fall back immediately, heavy and uncooperative. 

She hated this. Not the rain. Not even Rebekah’s predictable cruelty. She hated the uncertainty. 

Elijah had always been many things: moral, steadfast, infuriatingly noble (when it had suited his needs). He had also been protective, fierce, loyal (tho his family). But honest? Katherine wasn’t sure anyone had ever allowed him to be that. Not Klaus. Not his family. She had tried it once when she asked him to choose her, to start a life with her. To leave everything behind and start new. She had told him that she had lost so much of her life to Klaus and so had he. She had told him that it was their turn. But he declined, choose to walk away instead for whatever reason. Was it something he had wanted or something which was expected of him? The thought lingered, uncomfortable and persistent, like the low rumble of thunder still echoing through the hills. 

If Rebekah was right, if someone was guiding him, then that meant Elijah wasn’t as alone as everyone seemed to believe. And if that guidance had steadied him, given him peace instead of rage… then what, exactly, was Katherine supposed to do? Tear that away? Drag him back into a life of blood, loyalty, and sacrifice under the guise of who he truly was?  

She lifted her gaze toward the storm-darkened sky, unease curling in her chest as the rain poured collected in her lashes und poured down her face.  

“Great,” she murmured to herself. “Just great. Exactly what I needed. Not.” 

A sharp flash of lightning split the sky, illuminating the parking lot for a brief, stark second. The world seemed frozen in that pale, although slightly blue-ish light, every raindrop suspended, every shadow sharpened. Katherine inhaled slowly when the raging flash of lightning was reflected in her brown eyes. 

Somewhere in Manosque, a piano key was struck a fraction too hard. 

And for the first time, Katherine felt it. 

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