The next morning arrived slowly.
Golden sunlight spilled across the Mikaelson compound courtyard while New Orleans woke beyond the walls in waves of music, distant traffic, and humid southern air.
For once—
The city felt peaceful.
No fractured skies.
No dimensional tears.
No ancient horrors clawing at reality.
Just life.
Drake stood near the courtyard fountain tightening the leather straps on one of his bags while Ciri sat cross-legged nearby checking supplies.
Weapons covered the stone bench beside her.
Two silver blades.
A modified witcher chain.
Three enchanted daggers stolen from another universe.
And somehow—
Five different swords.
Drake stared at the collection.
"You packed too many weapons again."
Ciri didn't even glance up.
"There's no such thing."
"You brought enough steel to invade a small country."
"Preparation is attractive."
Drake considered that briefly.
"…Fair."
A familiar voice echoed from the balcony above them.
"You're actually leaving."
Klaus.
Naturally dramatic before breakfast.
The Original hybrid descended the staircase slowly with a glass of bourbon already in hand because apparently immortals no longer acknowledged time conventions.
Elijah followed behind him in a perfectly tailored suit while Rebekah carried coffee and looked deeply unimpressed with everyone.
Marcel leaned casually against one of the courtyard pillars watching the scene unfold with open amusement.
The strange thing was—
It felt comfortable.
Domestic, almost.
Which honestly made leaving harder than Drake expected.
Klaus stopped several feet away while studying the packed bags suspiciously.
"I still maintain abandoning me after cosmic trauma bonding is deeply offensive."
"You'll survive," Ciri answered easily.
"Emotionally? Debatable."
Drake snorted softly.
Klaus ignored him while his gaze drifted briefly toward the spatial energy flickering faintly around Drake's fingertips.
The dimensional pathways had stabilized completely now.
Travel was possible again.
Adventure waited.
And somehow—
That reality sat heavier than Drake expected.
Because New Orleans had become something dangerous.
Home-like.
The hybrid crossed his arms afterward.
"So."
He gestured vaguely toward the bags.
"Which reality are you two invading next?"
Ciri and Drake exchanged a glance.
Then simultaneously—
"We're not entirely sure."
Klaus stared at them.
"You travel between universes without a plan?"
"Yes."
"…That is horrifyingly irresponsible."
Drake grinned slightly.
"You say that like you've ever planned anything in your life."
Rebekah immediately laughed into her coffee.
Elijah muttered something that sounded suspiciously like "accurate."
Klaus looked offended anyway.
"I have plans."
"You set half your plans on fire emotionally."
"That was one time."
"Centuries," Elijah corrected calmly.
Traitor.
Klaus ignored him.
Mostly because Elijah was correct.
Silence settled briefly afterward.
Warm wind drifted through the courtyard carrying distant jazz music from the French Quarter while sunlight reflected softly off the fountain water nearby.
For several long moments—
No one spoke.
And somehow that silence said more than conversation could.
Because immortals understood departures differently.
Time mattered less.
But attachment still hurt.
Especially unexpected attachment.
Klaus broke the silence first.
"You'll come back eventually."
Not a question.
Drake's expression softened slightly.
"Probably."
The hybrid narrowed his eyes instantly.
"Probably?"
Ciri smirked faintly.
"We tend to accidentally cause problems wherever we go."
"That is not reassuring."
"Honestly," Marcel muttered, "that sounds exactly like you."
Klaus looked personally attacked.
Then quieter—
"You really are leaving."
Something about the way he said it made Drake pause.
No sarcasm.
No performance.
Just honesty.
The realization hit unexpectedly hard.
Klaus Mikaelson had grown attached to them.
Not useful ally attached.
Not temporary entertainment attached.
Real attachment.
The kind Klaus almost never allowed himself.
Because everyone eventually left him.
Or feared him.
Or betrayed him.
Drake understood that loneliness better than most beings alive.
Maybe too well.
He stepped forward slightly.
"Klaus."
The hybrid actually focused fully then.
No humor remained in Drake's expression now.
Only sincerity.
"If you ever need us…"
The air around them shifted faintly.
Ancient power stirred beneath the words.
Not threatening.
Promise.
"Truly need us…"
Drake's crimson-black eyes held Klaus steadily.
"Call for me."
The courtyard fell silent.
Even the wind seemed to still briefly.
Because everyone felt it.
The weight behind the words.
Cosmic certainty.
Klaus stared carefully at him.
"You mean that literally."
"Yes."
Drake nodded once.
"No matter where we are."
The promise settled heavily through the courtyard.
Infinite realities.
Impossible distances.
Dimensions beyond comprehension.
None of it mattered.
If Klaus called—
Drake would hear him.
The hybrid looked away briefly afterward.
Almost uncomfortable.
Because immortals made promises casually.
Very few made absolute ones.
And somehow—
Drake's promise felt woven directly into reality itself.
Quietly—
"That's a dangerous promise to make to someone like me."
Drake smiled faintly.
"I know."
Klaus laughed softly then.
Not mocking.
Not cruel.
Just genuine.
"Ridiculous man."
"Coming from you, that means very little."
Naturally.
But beneath the sarcasm—
Emotion lingered there.
Real emotion.
Ciri stepped forward next.
And before Klaus fully realized what she intended—
She hugged him.
The Original hybrid froze completely.
Rebekah nearly inhaled coffee directly into her lungs.
Marcel looked spiritually fulfilled witnessing it.
Elijah actually blinked in surprise.
Klaus stood there stiffly like physical affection personally offended him.
"This feels manipulative."
"You'll live," Ciri answered calmly.
"Emotionally? Still debatable."
Drake laughed quietly while Klaus awkwardly patted Ciri's shoulder exactly once like he'd studied affection from books but never practiced it physically.
Still—
He didn't pull away.
Which honestly meant more.
When Ciri finally stepped back, Klaus cleared his throat awkwardly.
"Well."
He straightened his jacket.
"That was deeply unnecessary."
"You liked it," Rebekah called immediately.
"I despise all of you."
"Lie," Marcel answered instantly.
The hybrid glared at everyone equally.
Then Elijah approached Drake quietly.
For a moment the older Mikaelson simply studied him thoughtfully.
Then—
"For what it's worth…"
Drake looked toward him.
"You gave this family peace."
The sincerity in Elijah's voice surprised him slightly.
Drake glanced around the courtyard.
At Klaus.
Rebekah.
Marcel.
Even the city beyond.
"I think they just needed someone insane enough to survive them."
Klaus looked deeply pleased by that answer.
"See? He understands us."
"That is not reassuring," Elijah muttered.
A faint shimmer of crimson-black energy appeared beside Drake afterward.
Space bending.
Reality folding inward.
The dimensional pathway began opening slowly beside them while fractured stars glimmered beyond the forming rift.
The next adventure waited.
Ciri immediately brightened at the sight.
"Okay," she admitted.
"That still looks cool every single time."
The spatial rift widened further revealing swirling galaxies and impossible cosmic light beyond reality itself.
The courtyard fell quiet again.
Because now the leaving felt real.
Drake looked toward the Mikaelsons one final time.
"Try not to destroy New Orleans while we're gone."
Klaus looked offended.
"No promises."
"Expected."
Then unexpectedly—
Klaus stepped forward.
And held out his hand.
No performance.
No arrogance.
Real.
Drake stared briefly before gripping it firmly.
The moment their hands met—
The strange pack bond pulsed faintly again.
Protective.
Ancient.
Family.
Klaus felt it too.
His expression shifted subtly.
Not fear.
Recognition.
And maybe—
Acceptance.
For several long seconds neither spoke.
But they understood each other perfectly.
Monsters trying desperately not to become monsters.
Immortals terrified of loneliness.
Men carrying too much power and too much guilt.
And somehow—
Friends.
Finally Klaus smirked faintly.
"Go before I become sentimental."
"Too late for that."
The hybrid scoffed dramatically.
"Disgusting accusation."
Ciri moved beside Drake afterward while the dimensional rift pulsed brighter around them.
But before stepping through—
Drake paused.
Something tugged faintly at his instincts.
Subtle.
Ancient.
He looked back toward Klaus carefully.
The hybrid frowned slightly.
"What?"
Drake stared at him for another second.
Then realization clicked fully into place.
The bond.
Still there.
Still active.
Not temporary.
Not fading.
Permanent.
Ciri felt it too immediately.
Her eyes widened slightly before she burst into laughter.
"Oh my God."
Klaus immediately looked suspicious.
"…Why are both of you looking at me like that?"
Drake rubbed one hand across his face.
"You're still part of the pack."
Silence.
Rebekah immediately started laughing again.
Marcel nearly collapsed against the pillar.
Elijah pinched the bridge of his nose like he physically could not survive another supernatural revelation.
Klaus looked genuinely horrified.
"That cannot possibly still be happening."
Drake pointed calmly.
"And yet."
The hybrid looked deeply betrayed by reality itself.
"I am an Original vampire hybrid."
"Yes."
"I do not join werewolf packs."
Ciri grinned wickedly.
"You emotionally adopted us during the apocalypse."
"That sentence sounds fake."
"It unfortunately isn't."
Klaus stared at them in complete offense.
Then after a long silence—
Quietly—
"…Do I at least outrank someone?"
Rebekah laughed loud enough to echo through the courtyard.
Drake nearly lost composure entirely.
"You are unbelievably lucky Derek Hale isn't here."
"Who?"
"Exactly."
Klaus still looked deeply disturbed.
But beneath the offense—
The bond pulsed warmly again.
Family.
Pack.
Connection.
And this time—
The hybrid didn't reject it.
Interesting.
Finally Drake smiled faintly.
"We'll see you soon, Klaus."
The Original hybrid met his gaze silently.
Then quietly—
"You'd better."
The sincerity behind the words settled heavily through the courtyard.
Drake nodded once.
Promise acknowledged.
Then together—
He and Ciri stepped into the spatial rift.
Reality folded around them instantly.
Stars spiraled.
Dimensions bent.
And within seconds—
They vanished completely.
The portal collapsed behind them in a shimmer of crimson-black light.
Silence filled the courtyard afterward.
Rebekah exhaled softly.
"…I miss them already."
"Agreed," Marcel admitted.
Elijah looked toward Klaus thoughtfully.
The hybrid still stared at the space where the portal disappeared.
Quiet.
Thoughtful.
Almost lonely.
Then softly—
"So do I."
And somewhere beyond infinite realities—
The pack bond remained unbroken.