Title: Legacy
author: Cindy Ryan
category: one shot, future au
notes: This is probably as warm and fuzzy as Klaus gets :) Also i purposefully didn't name the child it was too intimidating of a task for me to try to come up with a suitable name :)
Being as old as he was Klaus sometimes forgot or more accurately hadn't cared about human customs or holidays. They had been white noise over the centuries. Nothing to bother with unless he needed to cover up a kill. Halloween had been useful for that.
Tonight noises had drawn Klaus out to the large back patio of his home. Despite everything with the birth of his daughter the house had become a home once again. Klaus found Hayley sitting on one of the deck chairs surrounded by four pumpkins. The werewolf was carving the pumpkins into jack-o-lanterns. Klaus's two year old daughter sat in a pink chair watching delightedly as the pumpkins lit up.
A smile crossed Klaus's face as he leaned against the doorframe. Family had always been important to him but for other reasons. He, Elijah and Rebekah it'd been the three of them against the world; against their father. Then when Klaus had learned of Hayley's pregnancy he knew the baby if it survived would be one of a kind. It'd be his legacy. Now as Klaus watched the little girl smile and laugh he knew she was more than his legacy she was his daughter. His family. As Rebekah had reminded him once family was everything. The moment unfolding before Klaus clarified that.
After a few moments Klaus turned away from the scene walked back into the house. Elijah stepped into the hall from the living room. He smiled at his brother before joining him by the foot of the stairs.
"Not joining them?"Elijah asked quietly.
Klaus shook his head. "They seem to be doing fine without me."
"Klaus."Elijah protested with a sigh.
"Carving pumpkins not really my thing."Klaus pointed out with a grin.
Elijah shook his head. "It's not the activity it's the time spent with your daughter."
Klaus returned his gaze to the patio. His daughter had moved from the chair and was now helping Hayley pick out a stencil pattern for the next pumpkin.
Elijah placed a gentle hand on his sibling's right shoulder. "I know this is still new to you Nicklaus but time passes too quickly. Even for creatures such as us."
Klaus nodded and moved silently away from Elijah and walked outside. Elijah smiled and watched his brother for a long moment before he turned and disappeared into the darkness of the large house.
end