(AU - because Kol is still alive)
Chapter One: Surprise
From his spot seated on an arm chair, sketch book in hand, Klaus heard the sound of glass shattering. The hybrid let out an annoyed sigh and dropped his pencil onto the paper and then the paper onto the coffee table near his feet. He slowly walked down stairs, his pace unconsciously quickening as he heard his brother's outraged screaming. As soon as he emerged down the stairs, a glass was hurled aggressively at his head. Being a vampire, Klaus dodged the flying projectile with ease, a small smile playing on his lips.
"Now, now, Elijah, can we not be civil?"
"Civil?!" Elijah screamed, lips curling as he angrily screamed. "You want me to be civil to you?! You're always talking about how you want to be a family again but here you are, keeping secrets! But I guess that is what this family is built on isn't it; lies, secrets, betrayal, and daggers!?" The fuming original's voice cracked as his angry face quickly melted to a look of betrayal. "How could you do this to me?"
Klaus rose his hands up in a gesture of surrender, "What are you going on about, brother?"
"Don't! Don't call me that."
"Elijah…"
"How could you hide her…? How could you- Niklaus…"
For a moment, Klaus was genuinely confused, or at least he was until he saw a girl come out of the kitchen, holding Rebekah's hand. The girl couldn't have been more than four, but Klaus knew exactly who she was. He looked from Elijah then to a disappointed-looking Rebekah, and then finally his eyes rested on the girl.
"Ella."
The little girl looked up at him and smiled, "Klaus!"
She let go of Rebekah's hand to run towards where Klaus was standing, eyes wide open in shock as trying to think of something to say. He looked at his brother as Elijah's eyes rested on the child, a small smile playing on his lips. Klaus decided to try and play stupid for a little bit.
"I have no idea who you are." Klaus looked down at the child, heart aching slightly at the hurt look on the child's face.
"B- but…" The child's lip wobbled slightly. "K… Klaus."
"What is the meaning of all this?" Klaus looked up at his siblings. The two his siblings both looked at him with a look of disgusted looks on their face. Rebekah ran forward, scooping the near-tears child into her arms and standing back next to Elijah. Elijah smiled and looked to Rebekah,
"May I?"
She placed the little girl into Elijah's arms with a nod before turning to Klaus.
"Why?"
"Why what, sister?"
"Why did you take her from us?" Rebekah demanded. "Why did you take her from Elijah?"
"To protect him. To protect all of us." Klaus yelled, walking down the stairs menacingly.
"To protect us from what?" Rebekah yelled. "A four year old girl?"
Klaus nearly flinched. It wasn't often that Rebekah raised her voice at people. Elijah looked up at his brother, a look of betrayal on his face before turning back to the child in his arms.
"Bekah, we are going to go in the kitchen." Elijah said, not bothering to acknowledge his brother.
Rebekah nodded with a smile, kissing the child on the forehead before turning to her brother.
"All Elijah has ever done is stood by your side! Always and forever right? Or does that only apply when it's convenient for you?"
"Bekah, just listen – "
"I have been listening. So far the only thing coming out of your mouth has been crap." Rebekah snapped.
"Do you know what would've happened if Mikael had found out about the child?" Klaus demanded. "He would've killed the abomination just like he tried to kill me."
"What are you talking about?"
"She's half vampire." Klaus said stepping closer to his sister to emphasize his words.
"So what does that mean?"
"I don't know. It's never happened before, at least not that I have heard of." Klaus got close to her so the two of them were inches apart. "That's the danger of it, isn't it? She's unpredictable."
"I'm not following." Rebekah crossed her arms over her chest.
"The kid is unpredictable." Klaus waited a second to assure that Rebekah was listening. "Mikael hates unpredictable."
Meanwhile in the kitchen, Elijah was searching through their near empty cabinets for something to feed the child.
"What do you like to eat?" He asked as he opened the fridge, showing her the little food they had in there.
"Grapes." Ella looked up at the man and smiled fingers curling around his tie. "Green ones."
Elijah smiled at the little girl and pulled the bowl of grapes out of the fridge. He sat her on the counter and stood next to her, straining his ears to hear the conversation between his siblings. During this time, he failed to notice the little girl pick up a fork until a little ow! came from her lips and she dropped the fork to the ground. Elijah looked down at her, worry crossing over his features. Upon hearing the little cry, Klaus and Rebekah made their way to the kitchen. Elijah saw the fork-educed cut on Ella's hand disappear right before his eyes. He looked up, eyes portraying his shock,
"She's a vampire?"
Klaus sat down in one of the six chairs at the kitchen table, "Nope."
"Then how did she – "
"Exactly."
A/N: Review please... ?