Klaus hated January, he hated getting ready for a new year and gathering reports of the year past. Stefan was good at that sort of paperwork and Klaus left him to it when he could but it wasn't hard to see Stefan was getting bogged down.
'I was thinking that we could hire someone,' Stefan said. There were piles of files sitting on the desk. 'Maybe two or three.'
'Stefan we're not really a hiring people sort of business love,' Klaus said, but he could understand where Stefan was coming from. They'd barely spent any time together in weeks.
'This,' Stefan rested his hand on the largest pile of files, 'this is legitimate business, the money that feeds into these business is clean and the money that comes out is clean. These businesses here is what pays for your house, Hope's school. This is where the money in your bank accounts come from.'
'We have that much legitimate business?' Klaus asked surprised.
'Yes,' Stefan frowned. 'You don't know?'
'I had no idea,' Klaus admitted.
'Eight years ago Esther sent you to Chicago. It was a mess, Finn had failed and Elijah wasn't interested in it. You asked me to join you, and I did. For a few years we lived high and it was good, and then things changed, Hope came along. When you told me that you were going to be a father I started to clean up so that there was something more for her and for you.' Stefan said.
Klaus covered Stefan's hand with his own and ran a thumb over his knuckle. 'You did that for us?'
'Yeah,' Stefan said. 'I did it for you and her.'
'Couldn't have been easy,' Klaus said.
'It took time,' Stefan admitted looking down at the desk. Klaus pressed two fingers under Stefan's jaw and raised his head.
'Thank you,' Klaus kissed him softly. 'This... just thank you.'
'You're welcome,' Stefan said. He didn't expect the arms that wrapped around his body. With a smile he hugged Klaus back.
'What's the small pile?' Klaus asked as he peered over Stefan's shoulder.
'Ah, that.' Stefan pulled away but he kept one arm wrapped around Klaus. He hooked a thumb underneath the leather belt Klaus wore. 'That's where your big money is made. Clubs, guns, gambling, your online activities, this is your money laundering record. Its in code, there isn't much evidence but I need to keep records somehow.' Stefan shrugged.
'And you want a secretary?' Klaus tilted his head to the side.
'This can be managed by people we hire, people we vet and trust to the extent of an employer employee,' Stefan moved his hand from the large pile to the small one. 'This is for us, me and you, to manage.'
'I don't want strangers in my home,' Klaus said. 'And there better be nothing personal in there.'
'Leave it to me,' Stefan said. He tried to move but Klaus was holding the waistband of his pants. 'What?'
'Will this give us more time?' Klaus asked.
Stefan's answer was a kiss on the mouth and his hand squeezing Klaus's butt.
'Well done,' Esther said with a smile. 'I don't know how you manage to do it Niklaus, I guess you tamed Chicago.'
Stefan shifted, he didn't like Esther's tone. The woman was a hypocrite, blaming Klaus for being the product of her infidelity. Stefan would happily slide a razor blade into her throat too for the way she made Klaus feel sometimes.
'I had help,' Klaus said softly. Esther turned her eyes to Stefan.
'You did,' she smiled. It didn't reach her eyes.
Elijah shifted in his seat, and Kol tapped a pen he was holding.
'This was a sad year for our family, that unfortunate business with your father was terribly upsetting,' Esther carried on, 'but look how far we've come.'
'Indeed Mother,' Elijah agreed. Stefan noticed Freya and Rebekah glance at each other. He didn't like the atmosphere.
'Marcel has done a fine job of looking after New Orleans in Kol's absence, but you're returning aren't you son?' Esther asked.
'LA is in good shape for you,' Kol told Esther.
'Good, now I have a space in New York,' she said. Stefan could tell that no one wanted to step into their fathers place, despite New York being their most important city. 'Elijah.'
With a nod Elijah forced a smile. 'It would be an honor mother.'
'And Marcel did so well in New Orleans, well, I think San Diego would be an excellent place for you,' Esther said. Marcel nodded his understanding. 'Although I'm disappointed in Klaus.'
No one spoke, they barely breathed. Stefan wanted to rest his hands on Klaus's shoulders and squeeze.
'I always expected you, my son, to be more ambitious.'
The words were cruel. Financially Chicago was the Mikaelson's largest income earning city and everybody knew it, had congratulated Klaus on the achievement.
'I expected you to send Stefan to New Orleans,' Esther said. 'I propose a shake up so that we can incorporate Las Vegas into our family.'
'Absolutely preposterous,' Elijah said. 'I disagree, I think we should retain Marcel in New Orleans and allow Kol to conquer Las Vegas.'
'And what of Stefan?' Esther said looking up at him.
'All due respect, I like Chicago. I have no interest in conquering your cities face on, I prefer to work under the radar,' Stefan said. He'd never spoke at one of these things before. All eyes were on him but Stefan stood his ground.
'I'm offering you the opportunity to become a part of my family, Stefan, I'm offering you a city to make your own, immense riches and glory,' Esther said.
'I have a family in Chicago, and riches and glory don't appeal to me, I politely decline your offer,' Stefan said.
'I haven't even made one yet!' Esther said. For the first time since they met Stefan could see the woman was flustered. She wasn't used to being declined.
'I'm staying with Nik,' Stefan said.
Rebekah hid a smile behind her hand and Freya bit her lip. Elijah nodded and Finn was looking at him with something Stefan had never seen before.
'About bloody time, Henrik you owe me!' Kol slapped the table.
'So that's how it is?' Esther said as she looked at Klaus.
'Yes mother, that's how it is.' Stefan couldn't see Klaus's face but from the tone of his voice he knew that shit eating grin he loved so much was in place.
Valarie went into labor five weeks before her due date. Klaus was thumbing through a report when he got the call from Valarie's minder.
'Have you spoke to Stefan?' Klaus asked as he shrugged into a jacket.
'Haven't been able to get a hold of him sir,' Troy said.
'Odd,' Klaus said. He was at the hospital before the ambulance carrying Valarie was, and he followed them in. He placed three calls to Stefan before a knot of worry formed in the pit of his stomach.
Stefan had left a few hours before on a routine job. Klaus had an interest in taking over a large haulage business and Stefan was collecting some paperwork and figures. Klaus knew he got there because they had exchanged a few texts.
'He got an urgent call,' Klaus was told when he called the haulage company.
With a frustrated sigh he turned to where a doctor was watching him. 'How is she?'
'I'm afraid we'll need to operate. The baby's heartbeat is a little erratic for our liking,' the doctor explained. Klaus nodded. 'You're the father?'
'No I'm the fathers partner, he's unavailable right now,' Klaus swallowed his discomfort.
'Would you like to come this way,' Klaus followed the doctor to where Valarie was lying back on a bed.
'It's going to be okay,' Klaus patted her awkwardly on the arm.
'Where's Stefan?' Valarie asked.
'I don't know,' Klaus admitted. He stepped back when Valarie let out a cry.
'Deep breaths,' a nurse told Valarie.
After the doctors took Valarie away Klaus felt absolutely useless. He stood in the room with his phone in his hand trying to contact Stefan. Part of him wondered if he should go looking for him but he had no idea where to start. He was just about to call Elijah when Stefan's name came onto his phone.
'Where the bloody hell are you?' Klaus snapped.
'I'm sorry, there was a problem,' Stefan slurred.
'Are you okay?' Klaus asked.
'Tired. What's wrong?'
'Valarie's in labor,' Klaus said softly.
'But she's early!' Stefan sounded more awake. 'I'll be right over.'
Klaus paced until a nurse poked her head around the door. 'Would you like to come meet your baby?'
Klaus followed her dumbly. He remembered waiting for Hope's birth, and the moment he finally saw her little face was burned into his memory. Klaus didn't correct the nurse when she talked about him being the father. Valarie was blinking sleepily at him when he stepped into the delivery suite and the sounds of cries reached Klaus's ears.
'Here you go,' the midwife said as she set a tiny bundle wrapped in white into Klaus's arms.
'Hi,' Klaus said to the baby, to Stefan's baby. He didn't think it was possible to love anything as much as he loved Hope, but right now his heart was bursting with joy.
'Well?' Valarie asked. Klaus stepped closer to her. 'What about Stefan's son eh?'
'It's a boy,' Klaus said. He pressed a gentle kiss to the soft skin of the baby's forehead. 'He's light.'
'He is a little early although hes perfectly healthy now,' the nurse said. 'Valarie has declined to hold him because he's being adopted by you.'
Klaus looked up at the exhausted woman in the bed. 'You can hold him.'
'No, I can't. I don't want to be a mother yet and I know that with you and Stefan he'll be wonderfully cared for,' Valarie said. 'You should take him and go find Stefan.'
'Yes I believe he's just arrived,' a nurse said. 'Come this way.'
Stefan was furious, he'd been sloppy and he got played. After a visit to the haulage company he'd gotten a call from one of Klaus's laundering bankers where, when he arrived, he discovered the man was being robbed. Three of their team lay dead on the floor. It had taken a while and some careful negotiation, with his fist, to get the bastard to stand down.
Stefan hated bankers, they were untrustworthy and corrupt, all of them. He knew a set up when he walked into one, and this was most definitely that. So he needed to deal with both the banker and the thief. He'd been left bruised and tired and all he wanted to do was fall into bed and have Klaus take the reins for a change. He'd retrieved his cell phone so he could text his intentions to Klaus and found a rake of missed calls.
A few missed calls, an irritated voice mail and a few grumpy texts from Klaus was normal. He was a needy guy, and Stefan liked needy, in fact he loved that part of Klaus, it charmed him, but this was more than needy. This was bordering on stalker. He called Lockwood first to deal with the cleanup then dialed Klaus.
'Nik what the hell?' he muttered, but as he finished the call he was practically running to his car to get to the hospital.
'This way Mr Salvatore,' a nurse said showing him to an empty room.
Stefan paced and waited.
'Hey,' it was Klaus's voice. Stefan whirled to ask him what he knew when he froze. There in Klaus's arms was a bundle of white blankets.
'Is that-'
Klaus walked closer and Stefan wondered how the deadliest man in Chicago had the hold of his baby. 'Come meet your boy.'
'My boy?' Stefan whispered as he padded closer.
The tiny red face was screwed up but he wasn't crying, he was clutching at his blanket. Stefan took him in his arms. 'Hi.'
Klaus wrapped an arm around Stefan's back and as they looked down at the baby, Klaus smiled.
'Fatherhood has changed you,' Klaus complained. Stefan was lounging on the floor with Ollie and Hope.
'Why do you say that?' Stefan asked. He had one foot flat on the floor, his elbow was resting on his knee. Klaus could have crawled into his lap right about now, Stefan looked so fucking gorgeous.
A new kind of jealousy hit Klaus, one that he didn't mind but it was there all the same. Stefan was a great parent, he was calm and patient, and he was quite happy with the kids crawling over him. Klaus wanted to be crawling over him.
Klaus Mikaelson, most dangerous criminal in Chicago, was jealous of two children. In a huff he turned to his office and opened his filing cabinet. He flicked through the files in irritation, this was the most disorganized system- a warm body pressed against his back and an arm curled around him. Klaus watched as, after a second, Stefan pulled the file he needed out and flicked it open. Stefan ran his finger down the page and stopped about halfway. 'You're looking to see how much money you made from those poker houses last year and you're comparing it to this year, so that's your profit,' Stefan tapped a number in another column. He pecked Klaus's cheek. 'Are you expanding?'
Klaus sighed as Stefan wrapped his arms around him and pushed his lips into Klaus's neck. 'I dislike gambling.'
'I know you do, you dislike a lot of things,' Stefan said.
'Find something else for it,' Klaus said. 'Antiques. I like antiques.'
'You want to pour your profits from a high turnover business to something that isn't guaranteed?' Stefan sighed. He rested his chin on Klaus's shoulder.
'Ah but Stefan, my love, imagine how much money is in stolen antiques?' Klaus smirked. Stefan's hands slid down over Klaus's belly to grip his hips.
'You're impossible,' Stefan said. He stepped away and left Klaus gripping the drawer of his filing cupboard.
Klaus closed his eyes and sucked a deep breath in through his nose. Ever since Ollie had been born Stefan had been insatiable, he had touched Klaus more, the sex was exhausting and fantastic and Klaus could barely focus on business. All he wanted to do was leave Chicago with his family and hide away someplace safe and cozy where he never had to leave them again.
Klaus pulled himself together and headed back to the living room. 'I need a master thief!'
'Well don't look at me, I'm just the babysitter,' Stefan teased.
Klaus curled his lip and pulled his phone out of his pocket.
Time was no matter what Klaus needed, Stefan got him.
Once, several years back, Klaus had watched in horror as a girl he knew from college had been shot in cold blood. Klaus and several of his friends had witnessed it and gave descriptions of the murder, but no one matching the description could be named. No one was ever caught, there was no evidence on the police file. It was a dead end, a cold case after three months with no leads.
Years later, in a bar, Klaus had been drunk and lamenting at the state of the justice system to Stefan after they successfully bribed their first city official. Stefan had been drunk too, but Klaus watched in amusement as Stefan noted down everything Klaus knew about the man and the case. It wasn't much, a few lines on a page perhaps. Twenty three days later, Stefan knocked the window of Klaus's car. When Klaus rolled it down he was shocked to see the murderer. 'What shall I do with him?' Stefan asked as if they were deciding on where to eat for dinner.
'Make him disappear.' Klaus said.
Another time Kol was visiting and got into a spot of bother with a Russian girl who wouldn't take no for an answer. Three of her brothers had paid Kol a visit to ask him why he upset their little sister. Stefan had met the three men on the doorstep and Kol watched with a slack jaw as Stefan calmly dispatched of them one by one. Only two brothers went home and they never sought revenge.
All of Klaus's siblings had witnessed Stefan in action at one point or another, and they'd found out his clean up methods too. Klaus even suspected that Finn was afraid of Stefan.
Stefan was an assassin pure and simple. Klaus had heard him express remorse at his killings, and even admit to guilt over some of them, but Stefan had a particular skill and he used it to the best of his ability. As Klaus watched Stefan with their children he prayed that no one ever dared hurt them because Stefan's wrath would be worse than deadly.
The important thing to remember was Stefan always managed to get Klaus what he needed.
'I may have what you're looking for,' Stefan pulled Klaus onto his lap.
The needy little bitch in Klaus ground down against Stefan eager for attention. 'You always have what I'm looking for.'
'I have found you a thief,' Stefan whispered. He ran his hands over Klaus's thighs and cupped his ass.
That got Klaus's attention. 'Who?
'Katarina Petrova, she's Bulgarian by birth,' Stefan said.
'I've never heard of her,' Klaus said.
'That's the whole point my dear,' Stefan said. He pecked Klaus on the lips.
'Challenge her,' Klaus said darkly.
'I already did,' Stefan bit into Klaus's bottom lip and twisted so Klaus was pinned to the sofa. 'I fucking love your ass.'
'I hope that's a literal statement,' Klaus smirked.
It was raining hard what Stefan finally removed the safety on his handgun.
'Please, I can offer you a deal, fifty per cent!'
'I don't do deals,' Stefan sighed.
'That's half a mil, man, bit of extra on the side,' Guy Holland was the name of Stefan latest victim. Stefan had trailed him easily enough and they ended up here, in some wasteland.
'Not interested,' Stefan said but something was bugging him, this was too easy. Stefan felt it as soon as he caught up with Guy and now the feeling in his gut was growing. 'Unless you can give me the snakes head.'
'I can,' Guys answer was immediate and it made Stefan pause.
'So do it,' Stefan came to a stop. Guy was kneeling next to a pit he dug himself. Cliche but Stefan liked the effect it had.
'I can't- it's not that simple. Your boss hates drugs but it's just because he can't control them man. You could be the snakes head,' Guy said.
Stefan took in this low level dealer, this sloppy guy who was offering him one of the city's most favorable positions. Just because Klaus hated drugs and their trade didn't mean it didn't happen. The stuff was even more coveted now than it ever had and it was very lucrative, just like alcohol had been during prohibition.
'You could do that for me?' Stefan asked.
Guy nodded hard. He was shaking, probably from the fear more than the cold.
Stefan bit his tongue and looked around him. In the background the city shone bright like a beacon.
'Okay, what do I need to do?' Stefan replaced his safety and tucked his gun into its holster.
Klaus was sleeping when Stefan finally got home. It was early, just after four but Stefan was soaking wet and freezing. He showered and dried off, and decided that an hours sleep wasn't worth it so he woke Klaus in their favorite way.
'Greedy,' Klaus had moaned as Stefan kissed him awake but he was warm and pliant and Stefan soon had him loose from tongue and fingers.
Stefan was balls deep inside Klaus, pinning him to the bed and draped over his back when he nipped Klaus's ear. 'I'm being set up,' he whispered. Klaus tensed and Stefan pressed a kiss to his neck. 'I was offered a deal by that dealer, one I'm sure he wasn't authorized to make.'
'What did you do?' Klaus asked quietly.
'I took it,' Stefan turned Klaus's face to him for an awkward kiss.
'What is it?'
'Drug kingpin in our city,' Stefan scraped his teeth over his lovers skin.
'Do you want it?' Klaus swallowed. Stefan kissed him again.
'I want what's under this roof, nothing more,' Stefan admitted.
'On your back, I want to be kissing you when we come,' Klaus said.
Stefan rolled over and grinned as Klaus settled in his lap.
From the moment Klaus met Katarina Petrova he hated her.
She was beautiful and snarky and so very entitled, and she hadn't taken her hands off Stefan since she walked through the door.
'I'm involved,' Stefan said with a sigh. He was starting to get irritated too, Klaus could tell.
'I don't see her here, and besides, I'm a master thief, I steal what I want,' Katarina smirked.
Stefan wrapped an arm around her shoulders and turned her towards Klaus. 'It isn't wise to tell the person that you're stealing from that you intend to steal from them.'
Klaus smirked at Stefan. Katarina turned confused eyes to Stefan but he'd already moved to where Klaus stood. 'Isn't that right darling?' He pecked Klaus on the cheek.
Klaus wrapped a possessive arm around Stefan. 'Yes love it is.'
'Oh,' Katarina blinked. 'If you're ever looking to spice things up...'
'We won't be. Now do you want to work for me or not because I'm starting to get bored,' Klaus snapped.
Katarina smirked and they finally got down to business.
It was almost a week before Stefan heard from Guy. He got a text with a time and location, and he leaned across the car to show Klaus.
'I should go and throw them off guard,' Klaus said.
Stefan hesitated. He knew the place, it was a half finished mall that had been abandoned. A few years back he and Klaus had brokered a deal against the developer which had created some nasty conflict. Klaus had come out on top with the support of the city of course.
'I don't like it,' Stefan sighed.
'Nor do I love, but I might just have a plan,' Klaus said.
Stefan stood next to what was supposed to be a water fountain and waited for the nameless contact to arrive. Klaus was well hidden along with three of his most loyal.
As he waited Klaus watched Stefan. It was a favorite thing of his to do. Stefan was in a charcoal suit and a white shirt. He looked good enough to eat. With a smirk Klaus sent a text with the same words, wanting to reassure his lover that Klaus was here.
He watched Stefan shake his head when he read the text.
The contact was late, and Stefan had his hands deep in his pockets glaring when the man Klaus didn't recognize arrived.
They shook hands and Stefan got straight to business, but Klaus couldn't hear the conversation. They talked for fifteen minutes or so then Stefan turned on his heel and left with the other man.
Panic clawed at Klaus, Stefan was being taken someplace and he didn't know where. He was glad Stefan had a tracker on his phone but it was little comfort.
Klaus watched until Stefan was halfway across the city before they left.
Klaus resisted the urge to call Stefan, and when he arrived home he found Elijah waiting. Klaus didn't like surprises and today he was particularly on edge.
'What?' He snapped st his brother.
'I'm afraid we have a problem Niklaus,' Elijah said.
Klaus's palms itched and he was ready to pounce in his brother.
'I fear mother is up to something terrible,' Elijah said as he followed Klaus inside the house.
Klaus showed Elijah into his study and took his time making Elijah a drink. Growing up Elijah and Klaus had always been close and while they hadn't spoken much lately they had maintained that relationship. Elijah was a friend, but he was also ambitious. Klaus wondered if ambition would tempt Elijah to betray him.
'Daddy,' Hope called out and Klaus watched her hurry into the room. 'Uncle Elijah!'
'Hello Hope,' Elijah lifted his niece onto his lap. Klaus watched his daughter hug his brother and was glad of the distraction. If Elijah was right then it was Esther who was setting Klaus and Stefan up. He wondered what his mother could possibly gain from this. None of her children were overly fond of the woman, Freya and Elijah loathed her, but then again Elijah could be using their mother as an excuse.
'Have you met my brother?' Hope asked and Klaus turned for the living room.
'I'm sorry,' Julia said but Klaus just smiled and picked Ollie up.
'It's okay, Elijah is my brother,' Klaus said.
'Well well,' Elijah stood up. Hope was climbing onto Klaus's desk chair. 'May I?'
'Of course,' Klaus handed Ollie to his brother.
'Gia and I have been trying,' Elijah admitted. His eyes darkened and a small frown appeared on his forehead.
'It'll happen brother,' Klaus reassured him.
'Niklaus I know you have no reason to trust me,' Elijah said.
'I do, against my better judgment,' Klaus admitted.
'I believe that she has somehow come to the conclusion that you and Stefan are responsible for Mikael's death,' Elijah said. Ollie made a noise and Elijah smiled down at him. 'He's the image of his father.'
'How did you discover this?' Klaus asked.
'Via convoluted information from most of our siblings,' Elijah said.
'Finn,' Klaus snarled.
Elijah didn't speak. The sound of the door opening drew Klaus's attention and a moment later Stefan stepped into the room.
'Papa!' Hope cried. Stefan blew her a kiss and she giggled.
'What's going on in here?' Stefan asked.
'Elijah was offering his loyalty to us,' Klaus said.
'Well we're going to need it because I found out that there's no drugs, just a scheme to kidnap and kill me and our family.' Stefan slid his hands into his pockets but Klaus could see from the set of his jaw that he was holding back his anger.
'How did you-'
'That contact told me,' Stefan shrugged.
Klaus shivered, Stefan had only spent a few hours with the contact, he must have been very persuasive to get that information in such a short space of time. Or very dangerous.
'I need to shower, I've got blood on my hands and I don't want to touch the kids until I've cleaned up,' Stefan said. Klaus watched him hurry up the stairs.
'Go if you want,' Elijah said. 'Your kids are safe with me.'
Klaus hesitated but Elijah offered him a smile. 'When we were teenagers do you remember the promise we made, you me and Rebekah?' Elijah asked.
'Always and forever,' Klaus said.
'Go, I've got your kids,' Elijah said. Klaus nodded and hurried upstairs after Stefan.
They held the meeting in Dallas. Rebekah was waiting in the suite with her husband Matt and her lieutenant Nadia. Hope was delighted to see her aunt and Rebekah cooed over Ollie. Elijah, Gia and Aya arrived next.
Back in Chicago Klaus and Elijah had agreed to meet with Rebekah and Freya, they weren't confident they could trust anyone else.
'So what's happening?' Freya asked as she tucked her foot underneath her bottom.
'Esther has discovered our plot against Mikael and she means to take revenge,' Elijah said.
'On whom?' Rebekah asked.
'Me,' Klaus sighed.
'It makes no sense,' Rebekah frowned. 'She hated him.'
'I'll deal with it,' Freya said.
'I agree, it should be one of us this time. Finn might seek revenge himself,' Elijah said.
'We need to be united in this,' Freya said.
'We will be,' Klaus promised.
Klaus killed Esther the Saturday after he returned from Dallas.
She turned up unannounced in the evening when Stefan and Hope were busy making tacos. Ollie was determined that today was the day he would crawl, and Klaus had been ready to take a video every time he managed to raise himself from his play mat but Ollie had just smiled and tumbled down again.
Klaus liked days like this when he could forget the world outside and just focus on his little family. They had spent the morning finger painting, even Ollie had managed to get some paint onto a page in some shape. Klaus had been in full parent mode, he even sent a video to Elijah of the kids playing which he knew was warmly received. Klaus made a note to spend more time with his brother, seeing Ollie and Hope together made him miss the bonds he shared with his siblings.
'We're making guacamole,' Hope said smartly when Klaus peeked across the room at them.
'I bet it will be delicious,' Klaus grinned when the doorbell rang.
Klaus took his time padding to the door, but he was shocked to find his mother on the other side. Esther had never had much interest in her children once they became teenagers, they were in Mikael's territory now and Mikael had been a harsh teacher. Klaus wasn't sure he ever recalled Esther visiting Chicago never mind his home.
'Mother,' he said loud enough that Stefan would hear. 'To what do I owe this honor?'
'Does a mother need an excuse,' Esther said as she pushed past him. Klaus turned and was glad to see Ollie was on Stefan's hip and Hope was hiding behind his knees. 'Hello children.'
Hope sank further behind Stefan.
'You know I didn't realize what you meant by family until I saw this,' Esther turned to Klaus. 'Your home is very...homely. I didn't expect this.'
Klaus glanced around the living room. There were toys in the corner, pictures on the walls and cuddly bears lying on the couch. The finger paintings were drying on the sideboard and a kids movie was playing on the television.
'I don't want to hide the evidence of my children,' Klaus said.
'Child,' Esther said. 'You have a child, not children.'
Klaus bit his tongue, he didn't want to rise to her bait in front of Hope.
'Niklaus do you remember how cruel your father was to you, because you weren't his son, because you were a mistake,' Esther asked. She turned her back to Stefan and looked Klaus in the face but Klaus looked over her shoulder. Stefan looked furious, and Klaus knew that given the chance Stefan would end his mothers life in a heartbeat.
'I am not my father,' Klaus said. 'I love Ollie as much as I love Hope.'
'I wasn't talking about you. How do you know how Stefan treats your daughter when you're not around?' Esther said. 'Do you really want a stranger around your children, a murder. He murdered his own father, imagine what he'd do to the children if he were upset?' Esther looked over her shoulder but to his credit Stefan's face was a blank mask. He held Klaus's eyes and didn't move.
'You need to leave this house Esther,' Klaus said. 'I won't have you disrespecting my family.'
Esther smiled. 'Your family. That's a very precious family you have there son, I wouldn't want anything to happen to them. That adorable girl of yours, and that baby boy.'
'I don't think you understand. Leave.' Klaus said.
'No I don't think you understand, I will end this,' Esther screwed her nose up and looked around her. 'This family if you don't start obeying my rules.'
'You want a hand in my city don't you, you want your drugs to be sold here,' Klaus said.
'You're a smart boy Niklaus,' Esther said. 'See that it gets done or I'll burn this house to the ground with the children inside.'
Esther left in a flurry. Klaus called Freya. 'She's here, I'm doing it tonight.'
Freya was quite for a long time and Klaus wondered if she'd changed her mind.
'Okay,' his sister said eventually.
Klaus killed the call and joined his family for dinner. They laughed and chatted together and then Stefan and Klaus put the kids to bed.
'I'll call Julia, you call Lockwood?' Stefan said as he kicked his jeans off.
Klaus nodded and called in protection for his family.
Esther wasn't expecting them to turn up in her hotel suite. The surprise on her face warmed Klaus's heart for a second, because he knew she knew. Stefan was at his side, both of them smartly dressed in their suits. Armour, Stefan called them, against their deeds.
She didn't even get to speak. Klaus wrapped his hand around her throat and no matter how much she struggled he just tightened his grip. Stefan moved around them, already preparing to dispose of her body. Klaus walked her backwards until her bare feet touched plastic.
'Had you left my family alone I would have left you alone,' Klaus explained to her.
'You see Esther, your idea of family and the values you associate with family are very different from ours,' Stefan said. 'Nik move her a little further.'
'I love Stefan mother. I consider him my spouse, my husband. And as for our children, our daughter and our son, you crossed a line.' Klaus squeezed. Esther had almost given up, but her eyes were still on Klaus's.
'See I killed your husband to protect his children, to protect the man I love,' Stefan whispered in her ear. 'And now the man I love is killing you to protect our children. Isn't that nice?'
Esther gasped, her fingers fell away from Klaus's arm and she dropped into a heap on the plastic.
Both men looked down at where she lay. Klaus wasn't a beast, he wasn't unfeeling. He was saddened that his mother lay here a corpse, saddened that a woman who once loved him was unable to carry that forward for the man she helped shape him into.
'Your turn,' Klaus said but he grabbed Stefan by the tie instead of the throat.
Stefan leaned close and over the top of Esther's body, they kissed.
'We need to decide what happens now,' Elijah said. Stefan was standing behind Klaus, in his favorite spot, keeping a watch over everything. Keeping a watch over Klaus.
'We need a leader,' Finn agreed.
'There is no leader, our parents are dead,' Henrik said.
'The Mikaelson family needs a leader,' Rebekah offered.
'Can't we be a democracy?' Kol asked.
'We need a leader.' Elijah said firmly.
'Well I vote Klaus,' Finn said.
Stefan decided, as he watched the Mikaelson's choose a leader that he could do this no longer. He stepped forward and pressed both his palms into Klaus's shoulders. Klaus leaned back, not much, but enough that his shoulders were touching Stefan's body.
'I second that,' Kol said immediately as he steepled his fingers behind his head.
'Does anyone have any objections to Niklaus as the head of the Mikaelson family?' Elijah asked.
No one disagreed.
'Niklaus?' Elijah said.
'I accept,' Klaus said.
Later, as they lay curled in bed, Stefan ran his fingers through Klaus's curls. He leaned close and brushed his lips over Klaus's shoulder.
Klaus was a villain, pure and straight, he ordered kills and made money out of others weaknesses. He exploited and murdered, but he also loved. He was a wonderful father, a great life partner and Stefan realized he was lucky to have him.
'It's not me, you know,' Klaus said into Stefan's chest. He ran his fingers down Stefan's bare hip and curled a hand over his ass. 'Its you. I'd follow you anywhere.'