Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries, that would be Warner Brothers, otherwise Klaroline would have happened in a BIG way.
Hello, my lovely readers. I want to thank Rune Saint, who gives me lovely ideas for fics, and say I hope you like this new tale. On with the show…
Chapter 1: All is Forgiven
For over a thousand years Esther Mikaelson stood on The Other Side of the veil, separating the supernatural dead from the living—or sort of living—in some cases. She had plenty of time to create plans, make alliances, and to imagine what her initial contact with her son, Niklaus Mikaelson, would be like after he murdered her. Neither the mother, nor the son, could have seen how their reunion would change their lives forever.
Taking a deep breath, Esther centered herself. She stood just outside the home Niklaus had built for the family. Of course, his plans included his siblings, and excluded his parents. Well, plans could be altered. Esther felt quite sure that Niklaus would be happy to revise his own; once she re-entered his life. They had much to discuss.
After finding the calm she needed, Esther lifted a hand, and the front door opened. She could feel the collective tension emanating from her children as she entered the room in which they stood.
"Mother?" Rebekah looked dazed.
The others stood perfectly still, waiting to see what Esther would do.
Only Klaus' head bowed to her. She could see the same vulnerability that he showed as a child—during a bout of his father's anger—come to the surface. He feared her. "Niklaus, do you know why I am here?" Esther intoned, watching Niklaus, who refused to meet her gaze yet.
"You've come to kill me," Niklaus replied dully, his eyes lifting to peer into hers.
Esther took a sudden step forward and Klaus shrank back as if she might strike him. "No, darling. I have come to forgive you!" She cried, feeling almost giddy with all the years. Embracing Klaus, she felt him stiffen before he eased his arms upward to hug her back.
Esther could not remember the last time she'd hugged her children. But since she was trapped on The Other Side, she began to read books, over the shoulders of other mothers, and took notes. She'd watched how mothers had progressed over time. Apparently hugging might help Klaus feel less aggressive. He really needed his mother's love and support to feel less hostility toward the world.
"Does she have some sort of weapon that she's sticking in Nik's back?" Kol whispered to Finn.
"No." Esther withdrew from the hug and looked at her other children. "I want us to be a family again." She offered them a smile.
Rebekah moved to stand close to Elijah. "She's doing something with her face, brother," she hissed, giving Elijah a worried look.
Finn came to stand before her. "Mother, I am so happy you've returned to us."
"Yes. We're sure you are, you sycophant," Kol taunted Finn.
"Kol. Do not torment your brother," Esther said, giving Kol a sharp look and Kol bowed his head.
Finn gave Kol a smug look before turning back to Esther. "Shall I fix you a cup of tea, Mother?"
"Thank you, darling." Esther patted Finn's check before turning to Klaus. "Would you like a cup of tea, Niklaus? You look tired. Have you been sleeping lately? Of course not. You're ceaselessly planning. Now, that I am here, you must begin to take better care of yourself."
Klaus groaned as Esther took him by the hand, dragging him over to a couch, and pulled him down to sit beside her. "Mother. I really do have others things to be doing," he growled out.
"Like what?" Esther folded her hands on her knee. "Like sketching the pretty, little vampire girl. Or plotting against the people of this town." Finn returned to them, with three cups of steaming tea. "Thank you, Finn." She smiled at Finn before turning back to Niklaus. "You know what I think Niklaus?"
"No, Mother," Niklaus retorted with a sigh.
"I think that you need to understand humans better. And the best way for you to do that is to join them." Esther felt proud of her plan. It would be wonderful for the children to interact with humans, again, in a way that did not involve death, or, at the very least, mutilation.
"What?" Niklaus cried, his eyes widening.
"What's going on?" Kol came to join them, with Rebekah and Elijah.
"I have decided to send Niklaus to the local high school," Esther told them, turning to beam at her children.
"Are you mad?" Klaus demanded, shooting to his feet. "You expect me to go to high school?"
Rebekah began to laugh, and then she caught herself. "Wait! You're serious? Mother, Nik can't go to high school with me! He'll embarrass me!" She stomped her foot, and glared at Esther, pouting, just like she did when she was little.
"I am not asking," Esther said, smoothing her skirt. "After I find appropriate clothing, I am taking Niklaus, and Kol, to enroll at Mystic Falls High."
"I will not go! And you cannot make me!" Klaus thundered, getting up, and stomping out of the room.
Sighing, Esther turned to her remaining children. "Elijah. Finn. How do you feel about college?"
Elijah perked up and Finn looked confused. "College? What is a college?" Finn asked them, looking confused.
Kol plopped down on the couch and glared at Esther. "I understand why you're punishing Klaus, he killed you, Mother. But why me? What did I do? You can't honestly expect me to go to school with humans? And Bekah?"
Esther took Kol's hands in her own. "Kol, you've never acted like more than a fifteen-year-old. It is time for you to grow up, my dear boy. At a high school, you can make friends, and learn new skills."
"Like how to ruin others' lives, using social media," Rebekah sighed, studying her nails.
Kol looked at his sister. "What is social media?"
Esther stood. "I will go to my room, now, and I will see you in the morning." She had much to do that evening in preparation for the day following.
~0~
By the first light of day, Esther found Klaus had tried to escape the house. He had not been happy to find that she had sealed him inside his own bedroom. "You will not come out until you agree to go to high school!" she called to Klaus, who had begun to break all of his furniture in his fury. "It was either this, or trying to have you elected mayor, darling."
"I! Won't! Go!" Niklaus shouted, and Esther heard him tearing his bed apart before the window exploded.
Sighing, Esther moved the salt aside with her foot. "Very well then. You will never gain the things you truly want."
Storming out of his room, Niklaus turned to glare at Esther, his rage palpable. For a moment Esther believed that Niklaus intended on killing her, again. "What do you mean?"
"The spirits have spoken. You must attend high school," Esther informed him.
Niklaus stood for a long moment before he let out a laugh. "Oh, Mother, you are truly insane."
"No. Niklaus, I want what is best for you." Esther followed Klaus down the hallway, who continued to shake his head.
Stopping at the head of the staircase; Niklaus smirked at Esther. "What do you think my joining a mass of hormonal-driven youngsters will gain me? Hmm? Will it make me find my long-lost humanity? Long since forgotten. Which is all for the best; I would say. You're plan is a joke. And I am no longer amused. If you will excuse me."
"High school students talk, Niklaus. You will have knowledge of the whereabouts of those who interest you most: the doppleganger, Stefan Salvatore, Tyler Lockwood, and Caroline Forbes. You will not need to rely on the information of your sources, because you will be surrounded by those who speak of the activities of those who interest you most every, single, hour of the school day." Esther watched Klaus hesitate.
"Ah, yes. And I once taught at that insipid school. There was very little to learn from these children," Klaus retorted, moving down the stairs.
"Because you were a teacher. You were not one of them," Esther argued, following Klaus down the stairs. "Trust me, son, once you infiltrate their ranks, you will learn much more about them."
Gritting his teeth, Klaus stopped at the bottom of the stairs. He opened his mouth to add another protest; when Kol came bounding down the stairs. "No time to waste. I'd like to be enrolled as soon as possible."
"Are you bloody well kidding?" Klaus demanded of Kol. His eyes widening in astonishment. "Elijah, is there something in the water?"
Elijah came toward them. He wore a brand new suit and had a bag slung over his shoulder. "I don't know, Niklaus, I believe that Mother might be right. This could be an interesting experiment. We have removed ourselves from humanity for so long, a short adventure into the throes should not kill us."
"You're all mad!" Klaus shouted, throwing up his hands in disgust. "But far be it from me to stop you."
"Mother, I can't decide whether I should take a women's studies course, or communications," Finn called, coming to join them. He'd cut his hair and found new clothing. Pausing, he looked up from a catalogue. "Mother?"
"Women's studies," Kol advised, moving toward the door. "Because you're too dull, and no one would want to communicate with you anyhow."
"Kol," Esther groaned. Turning her attention back to Niklaus, who she knew would be the child she needed to focus on the most; she placed a hand on his shoulder. "Please, do this for me?"
Klaus gave her a long look before he rolled his eyes. "The big pile of bodies will be no one else's fault, but those who chose to annoy me," he seethed.
"Yes!" Kol crowed. "Big brother is coming to school with me and Bex. Shall we bed her friends, like we used to? Kill the boys she fancies? Set things on fire?"
"Kol!" Esther cried.
"Oh, right. Sorry. Forgot you were here, Mother," Kol opened the front door and exited the house.
Esther and Klaus followed Kol outside. "Where is Rebekah?" she asked them.
"Decided to walk to school," Kol told her. "Probably be picked up by the only serial killer driving through town."
"Too bad for him," Klaus retorted and the boys chuckled. "So, Mother, what will you be doing while we're dwindling away our precious eternity with Mystic Falls youth?" He grinned and Esther turned to smile back at him.
"I will be joining you," Esther told them.
"What?" Klaus and Kol stopped in their tracks, to stare at Esther as if she were insane. "You can't be serious, Mother."
Pausing, just because she was enjoying the drama, Esther added. "Not as a student. I will be teaching Home Economics. Young people need guidance, and I seek to provide them with such."
"What in the hell is that?" Kol demanded, looking disgusted.
"Trust me. You don't want to know," Klaus replied, moving to slide behind the wheel of his car.
"And you will both be taking that class," Esther told them brightly.
"What?" Klaus snapped, popping his head back out of the car. "I can't take a class taught by my mother!"
"Afraid others will think you're mommy's favorite?" Kol inquired, grinning when Klaus shoved him into the back of the car. "Ouch!"
Klaus grunted as he slid into the car and Esther took a seat in the passenger side. "I will also need you to teach me to drive."
"No broomsticks this time 'round?" Kol called from the back.
This would be a long day, indeed.
~0~
Entering the school, Esther found a lot of the youth were staring at her and her two boys. Many of the young people's attentions were on Klaus and Kol. A few girls giggled and some of the boys glared.
"What are they doing here?" Caroline Forbes yelped as they passed by.
Bonnie Bennett caught Esther's eye and Esther offered the young witch a smile. "Nothing good," the girl replied.
"This is fun already," Kol said.
Klaus sighed. "Let this day end soon."
"Klaus, what are you doing here?" Caroline snapped, coming to join them as they entered the main office.
Esther decided to fill out the paperwork while the two chatted.
"Mother believes I can change my wretched ways by joining you. Here," Klaus' reply left the blonde girl huffing in distaste.
"Well, she'd be wrong." Caroline stopped speaking and Esther turned to look back at her. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Mikaelson, but this is all…so…wrong." Without another word, Caroline strode out of the office.
Kol let out a laugh. "Who is that? I like her already." His eyes moved over the girl's departing form and Klaus emitted a growl. "Down, boy."
Finishing the paperwork, Esther turned to her boys. "Good luck."
"Where are you going?" Klaus demanded.
"Teacher's lounge. I have a class to prepare for," Esther replied. "Good luck with your first day, Niklaus." She noted the furious look on Niklaus' face, but she knew she was doing what was best for all of them. They needed to get into touch with their human sides. Or, as in touch with them as was possible for a group of thousand-year-old creatures, who killed millions of people over centuries. But she had faith in her family. They could be good. Or better. Or not so bad. Or die trying.
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Peace,
J