On The Road to Happiness
Summary: Klaus took one of her petite hands into his, his eyes unable to meet hers. "My life was meaningless before I met you, and now… Now it scares me how everything has changed. You've put me on the road to happiness, and part of me wants to leave but my heart is telling me to stay." Piper smiled and rested her free hand on her growing bump. "Your heart is wise."
Friendship
Klaus eyed up the bar he had previously stood by. It seemed to be empty, but he could hear Bret's heart beating inside. He walked into the bar and looked at the overturned chairs that sat on the table.
"Sorry buddy, we're closed." Bret glanced at him as he put away some of the glasses.
"That's fine; I don't want to buy anything." Klaus leant on the bar and looked at Bret. "I believe you know my friend Piper."
Bret watched him with raised eyebrows. He was confused, angry. Klaus could hear his heartbeat quicken. "Did she send you here?" He shook his head a little and pointed at Klaus. "She's not as innocent as she makes herself out to be."
"How about you give me her things and I'll make sure they get to her?" he suggested with a small smile. He tried to seem as friendly as he could, but alliances would get him nowhere with Bret.
"How about I get the rent I'm owed then she can get her things back?" Bret leaned in closer, getting in Klaus' face. He wasn't intimidated, as far as he was concerned, Klaus was like any other man that walked into the bar, and he feared no one. But Klaus wasn't like other men.
"Is this about the money, or are you still in love with her?"
"In love with her?" Bret laughed a little and shook his head. "She was only good for one thing, if you know what I mean."
Klaus clenched his jaw and grabbed Bret by his shirt and pulled him close. He wanted to kill him but he remembered the promise he made not to hurt him. He growled a little and pushed him back. "You need to learn respect." Klaus began to compel Bret as he gritted his teeth. "You will return Piper's things to her and you will treat her with the utmost respect or I will have your head." He watched Bret nod before letting him go. "Don't have her coming to me in tears." He watched him for a short moment and shook his head. "Forget that we had this conversation."
Before Bret could realise what was going on, Klaus was gone. He stood in the bar alone and unaware of what had happened. The last thing he could remember was standing behind the bar, tidying. And now he was in the middle of the room wanting to talk to Piper. "What the hell is going on?" he mumbled to himself, rubbing his now throbbing head.
There was a knock on Piper's door during the early hours of the morning. She squinted as she turned on the light in the hallway. Her footsteps lightly thudded against the wooden floor as she walked towards the door, tying the tie on her robe.
She opened the door to see Bret standing there with a small smile on his face. He had a small bouquet of white and pink flowers in his hand. "What are you doing here?" Piper was sceptical and uneasy. She didn't know why he was here or what had struck a sudden interest in her forgiveness within him.
"I just wanted to come by and say I'm sorry, you can have your things back." He glanced down at his hand and held the flowers out towards her. "I got you these as a 'please forgive me' present."
Piper looked at the flowers with a smile. He was like the Bret she fell in love with, the kind and thoughtful Bret that used to give her that warm feeling inside. "Thanks." She turned to set the flowers down, and when she turned back, Bret was starting to walk down the hallway of her apartment building. She walked into the hallway and called out his name. He turned and looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Do you want to come inside for some coffee?"
A soft smirk crossed his face as he nodded. "I'd love to."
Klaus' phone vibrated on his bedside table, waking him up. He glanced over at it and picked it up. Piper was calling him. Klaus jumped out of bed and answered the phone quickly, panicked that she might hang up. "Piper, what a pleasant surprise."
"Hey Klaus… I didn't wake you did I?"
"Of course not," he chuckled quietly and paced around his room, throwing back the curtains, "is everything alright? You sound a little frantic."
"Quite the opposite," there was a short pause which caused Klaus' heart to drop before he even heard her next statement, "Bret and I are back together."
Klaus stared at the wall as he tried to comprehend what she had said. She took him back after everything he did to her? He swallowed back his sorrow and pressed his phone to his chest as he let out a sad sigh. He quickly put his phone back to his ear and tried to sound as happy as he could be. "That's great; it's what you wanted, right?"
"I thought I didn't… I actually thought that I was over him when I met you but seeing him when he's not being a douche, seeing how he used to be made me realise that I wasn't over him."
"Well as long as you're happy and he doesn't hurt you again, then we won't have a problem." Klaus was thankful that he wasn't standing in front of her as he'd have to smile, but there was no way he was able to smile while thinking of Bret and Piper being a couple again.
"Thank you Klaus, you know I'm really happy that you're so accepting especially after what you saw." She laughed a little nervously.
"I'm just going to be a supportive friend, okay? Doesn't mean I like the idea of you two being together. But if it makes you happy, who am I to stop it? You know?"
"I understand, listen I have to go. Can I see you sometime?"
"Of course, I'll talk to you soon." He hung up almost instantly and threw his phone onto his bed in frustration. Now he had no idea what to do with himself. The only thing he wanted to do was drink blood and then alcohol and then repeat the cycle. It's what he would do. Maybe if he was drunk and full of blood he would be happier with himself and his situation.
Piper felt Bret's arms wrap around her waist, pulling her into an embrace and a kiss to her cheek. She tried to smile but she was worried about Klaus. He seemed upset. She didn't want to lose his friendship.
"Is everything okay? You're not having second thoughts are you?" Bret pulled away a little but felt Piper hold him in place.
"No second thoughts, but I'm worried."
"About…?"
"My friend, he just doesn't seem like himself." She turned in his arms and wrapped hers around his neck.
"I'm sure it's nothing to worry about." Bret kissed her forehead and let her go.
She moved towards the counters and rested her back on them, glancing at Bret. "Hey, just out of interest… Did anyone go to see you yesterday; you know to convince you to come and talk to me?"
Bret thought for a moment and shook his head. "Not from what I can remember, why?"
"Just wondering." She smiled a little at him and tucked her hair behind her ear. "I thought that maybe someone came and convinced you to see me."
"You'll be proud to know I did it all by myself," he glanced at the time and kissed her cheek, "I've got to head off, get to work and all. I'll call you later, alright?"
Piper nodded at him and watched him leave. Did Klaus talk to Bret, or did he actually have the heart to come back to her?
