A/n: Thank-you so much for reading and reviewing. Enjoy!
"It's called the Hollow," Klaus explained nearly an hour later, once the two of them were seated inside a dimly lit coffee shop. They were secluded in one corner, sitting comfortably in the two big leather chairs close to the burning fire. The place was nearly deserted saved for a young couple sitting in the opposite corner talking quietly and a middle-aged man by the window, fully engrossed in the book he was reading, a steaming mug on the table in front of him.
"The Hollow?" Bonnie repeated while holding a mug of coffee in both hands. The hot liquid warmed her insides while the burning fire helped to melt the iciness from her cheeks and nose. She didn't know how long they stayed at the cliff but by the time they made it back she felt like a Popsicle. The owner of the coffee shop, a kind elderly lady who greeted Bonnie as if they were old friends, brought her a red wool blanket which the witch happily placed on the lower part of her body. She was definitely warm and comfortable now.
Klaus nodded. He was hunched over, elbows resting on his legs as he contemplated the flames. "A malignant spirit hellbent in coming back to life," he muttered. His face was hard and his jaw clenched. "Not much is known about its origins. There are no written records of it but we learned that it was imprisoned by a powerful witch for centuries." He looked up and stared into her face. "When the other side collapsed, the Hollow was released from its prison."
"Why does it want Hope?" Bonnie asked softly.
"To be its vessel," Klaus replied visibly angry at the thought. He leaned back against the chair. "In the years after its escape the Hollow tried to come back to life, possessing the bodies of different witches, feeding on their power and manipulating them to do its biding. However, none of the witches it possessed could resist its dark power. The Hollow is like a parasite," he explained upon seeing Bonnie's confused look. "It feeds on the energy of the witches it possesses. While the Hollow grows stronger, the witches grow weaker. This thing sucks the life out of them slowly and painfully until eventually the witches succumb to it and die."
"Before they can bring it back to life like it wants," Bonnie supposed.
"Exactly." Klaus met her eyes. "The Hollow's ultimate goal is to be made flesh once more. This vile thing became convinced that Hope is the one it needs, the witch who will be able to withstand its great power and give it life once more."
"A life for a life," Bonnie murmured while thinking how awful it was that the Hollow wanted to take Hope's life and power and be reborn from it. She was just a child.
Klaus growled.
Bonnie shivered when she noticed the hint of gold in his eyes and heard a low growl rumbling from his chest. The thought of that thing hurting his little girl made Klaus seethe with rage and she couldn't blame him.
"I'm used to fighting enemies that I can easily tear apart with my bare hands," Klaus confessed suddenly. "But how can one fight an entity that has no body, only great power to bend its enemies to his will?"
"The Hollow can control people other than the ones it possesses?" Bonnie asked feeling alarmed by the revelation. Just what kind of creature had the Hollow been before it was imprisoned?
"It can do more than that," Klaus responded. "The Hollow not only can manipulate the minds of any supernatural creature it comes in contact with but it also has an incredible amount of power capable of killing with ease. Even without a body, the power the Hollow possesses is unrivaled."
"What about an Original?" Bonnie dared to ask. "Can the Hollow manipulate an Original?"
Klaus's jaw clenched painfully and he pressed his lips together into a grimace.
Bonnie waited for him to respond, her heart pounding loudly. Finn, Kol, and Rebekah are currently indisposed, Klaus had told her earlier that day. Could it be? She wondered as she stared at him. "Did the Hollow get to your brothers and sister. Is that why you told me they're indisposed?"
"As Originals we cannot be compelled, the Hollow's mind tricks did not work on us," Klaus finally admitted. "But it found other ways to hurt us. Finn, Kol, and Rebekah fell victim to it." He didn't specify more than that.
Bonnie felt curious but chose not to press him further. "Is that why you left New Orleans?" She asked instead. "To escape from the Hollow."
"No," Klaus answered honestly. "A group of vampires, the first we ever sired," he clarified. "Came to New Orleans with a prophecy that foretold my family's destruction, it was a sham of course. A scheme to keep us from seeing the real threat, them." Different emotions flashed across his eyes as the memories of that time surfaced. "They proved to be smarter and far more resilient than we gave them credit for." His eyes moved to the flames once more. "We arrogantly thought we had everything under control. We didn't realize their true motives until it was too late." He swallowed thickly, different emotions playing across his face. "Hope's mother was murdered because of it."
Bonnie's heart ached for Hope. She better than anyone knew what it was like to grow up without a mother. She felt really sorry for that sweet little girl. Something that took her by surprise was the guilt she saw reflected in Klaus's eyes as he glanced at her. It was unexpected and it was replaced quickly, the hybrid once again retreated into his mask of cold indifference. But Bonnie had seen that flicker of guilt. She wonder just what type of relationship he had with Hope's mother? did he love her?
"I had to take Hope away from all the chaos that followed," Klaus murmured while turning his face to stare at the flames once more. "I couldn't risk having her get caught in the crossfire. My siblings stayed in New Orleans though."
"Did your family stopped them?" Bonnie asked curiously.
"They did eventually," Klaus confirmed. "Hope and I were living peacefully abroad when the Hollow made its presence known." He paused gathering his thoughts for a couple of seconds. "Not even Freya's magic or my family's vast network of resources were able to stop it. About three years ago, it came really close to taking Hope." The anger, the anguish, and the pain those memories brought him were buried deep but some managed to slip through and reflected on his handsome face. "That's why we came to the sanctuary."
"The barrier protecting this place it's keeping the Hollow away, isn't it?"
"It is."
Silence descended over them afterwards. Klaus continued to stare at the flames, lost in thought. Bonnie continued to drink her coffee, mind swirling with all the valuable information the hybrid had confided in her. She understood now why Klaus needed the sanctuary. As long as the Hollow was out there, Hope would not know peace. She moved her head to the side, eyes focusing on the window across from them. Was the Hollow out there, waiting? Could it sense that Hope was inside the barrier? She had just recently met Hope but the thought of that thing hurting her made Bonnie angry and worried. No child deserved to be used as a sacrifice so that an evil creature could return to life.
And you don't even have your magic to help her, Bonnie thought while turning away from the window and looking down at her nearly empty cup of coffee. Hope was just a little girl, an innocent child. She could only imagine the anguish Klaus felt knowing that his daughter was in so much danger. He loved his little girl, there was no doubt about it. Everything he was doing was to keep her safe and Bonnie admired him for it. The selfish and cruel hybrid had a heart and its name was Hope.
"Do you have any clues?" Bonnie asked after a long time of sitting in silence. "Any plans or ways that you think could stop the Hollow for good? Anything at all?"
"Elijah and Freya are working on it," Klaus responded.
"It kills you doesn't it," Bonnie blurted out as she studied his face.
Klaus was taken back by her words and arched an eyebrow, a quizzical look on his face.
"To be here instead of out there, hunting that thing down." Bonnie explained upon seeing his questioning look.
For a long time, it seemed he wouldn't respond but eventually he gave a curt nod. Klaus was a man of action, he wanted nothing more than to tear the Hollow apart. But he also wanted to be a good father to Hope. He would never dare to leave his little girl alone even if it meant relying on Elijah and Freya to hunt and destroy the Hollow on their own. Hope had lost her mother in a brutal manner and Klaus was determined that she would not lose her father.
"For what is worth, I think you are doing the right thing."
Klaus gave her a curious look.
"Choosing to stay here and raise Hope rather than being out there chasing that thing," Bonnie explained. "You are putting Hope's needs first. That is how it should be," Bonnie said softly. She stared into his eyes and offered him a kind a smile. "From what I've seen, you are a good dad, Klaus."
Klaus felt genuinely surprised by her words. He certainly didn't expect for the compliment to make him feel warm inside.
Their eyes met once more.
The intensity in his bright blue eyes as he held her gaze had Bonnie's heart skipping a beat. It made her nervous. She shifted in her seat and looked away from him, a scorching heat engulfing her cheeks. From the fire, she told herself. It was the heat of the fire nothing more.
Neither of them said anything else.
The two of them simply sat quietly by the fire, each lost in their own thoughts.
Klaus and Bonnie were still at the coffee shop when the hybrid got a call from Hope's school. He stood up and disappeared at vampire speed before Bonnie could say or do anything. Bonnie frantically tried to follow him but by the time she made it out of the coffee shop, Klaus was nowhere to be seen.
"Damn it," Bonnie cursed under her breath and looked up and down the street, trying to determine which was the right way to get to the school. Thankfully, she was able to spot the bell tower of the church which she remembered was right next to Hope's school. She used that as a guide and started heading in that direction. Had something happened to Hope? Was she okay?
Curious eyes followed her as she crossed the street and made her way as quickly as possible towards the school. People certainly noticed she was new around the village. They were probably wondering who she was and how she got there. They were at least polite enough not to come to her face and ask, even if some of them did watch her warily.
It took her a while but Bonnie managed to find her way towards Hope's school. She got there just as Klaus was carrying a tearful and sad looking Hope towards the car.
"What happened?" Bonnie was out breath as she came to stand in front of them.
Hope's eyes were red and puffy and her bottom lip was trembling. She buried her face against the crook of Klaus's neck and closed her eyes, a single tear rolling down her rosy cheek.
"It's alright, sweetheart." Klaus rubbed her back and whispered something to her in a language that Bonnie didn't know. The tenderness in which he held his daughter and tried to ease her sorrow was beautiful. There was something very attractive about it too.
Hope only whimpered and a couple of more tears spilled down her cheeks.
"What-" Bonnie gave Klaus a questioning look.
"A little accident," Klaus replied as he continued to rub Hope's back.
"Is she hurt?" Bonnie looked her over trying to find a cut or a bump that could be the culprit for Hope's tears. Maybe she hurt herself while playing during recess or something?
"She'll be fine," Klaus muttered.
Bonnie opened her mouth ready to ask for more details but the hybrid silenced her with a slight shake of his head. Whatever it was that had made Hope cry, Klaus did not wish to discuss it.
"Let's go home." Klaus began walking towards his car which was still parked right across from the church and school.
Bonnie quietly followed him.
Klaus placed Hope inside the car, dumping her backpack on the seat next to her, and helped fasten her seat belt before he opened the passenger's door and ushered Bonnie inside.
The ride back to the manor was engulfed with silence. It was very different from how they drove to the village earlier that morning.
Hope sniffled a couple of times.
Bonnie glanced worriedly at her but Hope kept her head bowed and her hands on her lap. She looked so sad and tiny. It made Bonnie's heart ache. In the morning, Hope had been so happy and eagerly planned to show Bonnie around the village after she got out of school but all those plans had been dashed by whatever had happened to her at school. Bonnie wanted to tell her that everything was going to be okay but she couldn't seem to find the words. She stared out of the window instead.
Klaus meanwhile kept his eyes on the road, wearing a perfect mask of calm and control. As soon as he parked in front of the house, Hope got out of the car and ran inside, heading straight for her bedroom without saying a single word.
Vera who heard them come in and had rushed to the front door, opened her mouth to greet her and closed it right away as Hope ran past her without even looking up. She pressed her lips together and turned to Klaus.
Klaus ignored her as well and followed his daughter up the stairs.
Bonnie who had followed them inside watched them as they both disappeared up the grand staircase.
"Tea and some biscuits, I suppose."
"What?" Bonnie turned her head to the side and gave the elderly woman a blank look. Vera had introduced herself earlier that morning to her and brought her breakfast and new clothes to wear. She was Klaus's housekeeper and Hope's nanny.
"Tea makes everything better," Vera commented with a rather sweet smile. "Chamomile in particular has incredibly relaxing properties. I shall make some for Hope and her favorite biscuits too." She smiled at Bonnie. "Would you like some as well, dear?"
"No, thank-you. I'm fine."
Vera nodded and made her way towards the kitchen.
Bonnie suddenly found herself alone near the base of the stairs. What was she supposed to do now? There was a part of her that wanted to rush up the stairs and see what was going on with Hope, it was a mixture of curiosity, worry, and a sincere wish to make sure Hope was okay but at the same time, she didn't want to intrude. Klaus certainly knew what Hope needed and would be able to comfort her better than anyone.
She stood looking up the stairs for a couple of seconds before making up her mind. I'm just going to see if they need anything, Bonnie told herself. I'll just take a quick look and then go to my room, that's all. That wasn't intruding, it was just being polite. She just wanted to check on Hope that was all, there was no crime in that.
Bonnie took a deep breath and made her way up the stairs. She ended up in the wrong corridor at first and had to back track her steps. The house was bigger than she had first imagined but she eventually found her way to the right corridor by recognizing one of the paintings she had seen coming out of her room earlier that morning.
The door to Hope's bedroom was half open and Bonnie took a deep breath before she tentatively peered inside. Pink colored walls, a bright white ceiling, cream colored furniture, and a zoo of stuffed animals all over the room greeted her.
Hope was lying on her four poster bed, arms wrapped around a brown teddy bear with a big green bow tie. Klaus was sitting next to her, fingers gently tracing her cheek.
"I didn't mean to," Hope said, suppressing a sniffle.
"I know sweetheart, it was just an accident." His voice was gentle. Not something one would ever think of associating with the Original hybrid.
"It was scary, Daddy."
"I know love." Klaus kissed the top of her head. "But you're fine and so are you classmates. You have nothing to worry about. You'll get it under control. You'll see."
"You think so?"
"Of course my love, you just need to practice more that's all."
The two of them looked in her direction at the same time, both having sensed Bonnie's presence by the door.
Hope sat up, pulling her teddy bear against her chest.
Klaus stared at her with an unreadable expression on his face.
The green eyed witch felt like a deer caught in the headlights. "I…I was just…"
"It's okay," Hope told her softly. "You can come in." She reached out and grabbed a tissue from the box next to her pillow and blew her nose.
"Would you like some tea?" Klaus asked turning to face his daughter once more.
"Yes, please."
"I'll be right back." Klaus kissed her forehead and stood up. "I'm sure sleeping beauty can keep you company in the mean time." He looked right into Bonnie's eyes, lips curving into his all too familiar smirk.
Was sleeping beauty her new nickname? Bonnie wondered.
"I would like that," Hope murmured while offering Bonnie a small smile.
Bonnie smiled back and nodded.
Klaus gave his daughter one last tender look before walking past Bonnie and exiting he room.
"I can't control it sometimes," Hope said shortly after Klaus had left. "My magic," she specified.
"Is that what happened today?" Bonnie asked her gently as she walked further inside the room.
Hope nodded. "We were practicing how to light up a candle with our minds," she explained while her hands twisted on her teddy bear's green tie. "Mine didn't just light up…it exploded in flames," she admitted with a slight shiver. "I didn't mean to, I just…" her eyes watered once more.
Bonnie watched her sadly. She knew what it was like to have power and not be able to control it fully. She could understand Hope's anguish in that regard.
"Everyone is okay," Hope said quickly. "They're scared because I nearly burned the classroom but no one got hurt. Mrs. Miller, she's my teacher," she told Bonnie. "She stopped the fire before it could cause any harm."
"That's good," Bonnie murmured.
"I asked her to call daddy so he could pick me up, I didn't want to stay there anymore." Everyone had been giving her weird looks and plenty of her classmates were afraid of her. Even among the witches, Hope Mikaelson was an oddity. Hope patted the spot next to her on the bed. "Sit with me," she told Bonnie with a friendly smile.
Bonnie did as Hope wanted and took a seat on her bed, in the exact same spot Klaus had vacated. Her eyes immediately landed on the picture in the nightstand. It was of a wavy brown haired woman with hazel green eyes, she was sitting on the front steps of a house while holding a blonde haired baby in her arms. They were both smiling at the camera, the baby proudly showing two front teeth.
"That's my mom," Hope said upon noticing that Bonnie was staring at the picture. "Her name was Hayley. She was a Crescent werewolf. She died when I was a baby," She said matter of factly.
Hayley, Tyler's friend. Bonnie recalled right away. She had seen her around Mystic Falls a very long time ago when Klaus had an entire pack of sired hybrids at his disposal. Hayley had helped Tyler break the sire bond. And ended up betraying him, her mind added. She wondered how exactly had Klaus and Hayley ended up together. Were they in love?
"She was very pretty, wan't she?"
"Yes, she was." Bonnie turned back to look at Hope.
"I don't remember her," Hope said in a rather neutral tone. She only knew her mother through pictures and the things her father and her aunts and uncles said about her. "Aunt Bekah says she was fierce and loved me very much." Aunt Bekah was the closest thing Hope had to a mother. She loved her very much.
"I'm sure she did," Bonnie whispered.
Hope looked down at her teddy bear and sighed. The melancholic look on her face was heartbreaking. Bonnie didn't like seeing her like that. She preferred the happy, outspoken, and enthusiastic little girl she had seen in the morning. The one who believed in fairytales and had been planning her wedding to Klaus right from the start.
"I had a bad dream once," Bonnie began telling her. "When I woke up, my blanket was on fire."
Hope looked up startled. "You lost control of your magic too?" Bonnie's revelation made her feel better. It meant that she wasn't the only witch who couldn't seem to handle her powers like she was supposed to.
"Yeah, it was really scary."
"Were you hurt?"
"No. I banished the flames before they could cause any damage." Bonnie regarded her face carefully. "I know how scary it can be you know. Having so much power inside of you and not knowing how to control it, but you have to keep learning and trying. That's the only way you are going to learn how to truly be in control. You can't let the fear stop you."
"It's not easy," Hope whispered.
"No. It's not," Bonnie agreed. "Fire in particular is one of the strongest elements. When I first started using magic, I couldn't control it very well either."
Hope tilted her head to the side and studied her face. "But you can now."
Bonnie didn't say anything. She could no longer feel her magic. It was disconcerting. She had lived most of her life without magic but she had come to rely on it prior to ending up in a coma. She felt like an integral part of her was missing. Her hand absently reached up to touch her neck, remembering the choking sensation as her own power turned against her. No, Bonnie had not been able to control Expression like she had wanted. In the end, Expression had controlled her.
"Maybe we could practice together," Hope suggested looking far more cheerful than she had a few minutes before. "It would be more fun to practice with you than with the kids at my school."
"I don't think so."
"Why not?" Hope frowned.
Bonnie looked down at her lap, feeling suddenly embarrassed. She didn't even know why she felt that way. "I don't have my magic anymore," she admitted after a long pause.
Hope reached out and took her hands in hers.
Bonnie looked up. "What are you-"
"Sush," Hope cut her off. She closed her eyes and pressed her lips together, a determined look on her face as she concentrated hard to find Bonnie's magic.
Bonnie watched her curiously. What was Hope trying to do?
"I need you to close your eyes and clear your head," Hope ordered.
Bonnie was momentarily taken back, Hope was a bossy little girl. "Hope, I don't think-"
"Do it," Hope ordered. She was not going to take no for an answer. "Come on," she urged Bonnie.
Bonnie took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She did her best to clear her head and relax. Hope's small hands were soft and warm in hers. Bonnie's skin tingled as she felt the magic radiating off her. Hope was a powerful witch indeed. Esther's magical blood was strong and Hope had without a doubt inherited it. She didn't know how long they sat with their eyes closed and their hands together but eventually, Hope gave up and let out a frustrated sigh.
"You couldn't feel anything could you?" Bonnie asked. The disappointment she felt left a bitter taste inside her mouth. A part of her had hoped the little witch would sense something inside her. But there was nothing. Bonnie's magic was gone.
"Just because I couldn't feel anything doesn't mean your magic is not there," Hope pointed out.
"I think I lost it for good," Bonnie stated sadly.
"Once a witch, always a witch," Hope remarked wisely. Her eyes suddenly lit up with excitement as an idea occurred to her. "I have an idea! We could help each other with our magic."
"Help each other?"
Hope nodded eagerly. "I can help you get your magic back and you can help me learn to control mine."
"Sweetie, I don't think-"
"It would be nice, don't you think?" She gave Bonnie a hopeful look. "You won't be scared if I loose control, won't you?"
Bonnie opened her mouth.
"And I can help you tap into your magic," she continued happily, the incident at her school all but forgotten by now. "I know it's in there somewhere. Oh, Bonnie please!" she begged. She had perfected the art of the wounded puppy look and she was definitely using it against Bonnie. "We will help each other and become the most powerful witches ever!" She exclaimed loudly. "We could ask daddy to let us use his collection of witch books. He has tons of them but he doesn't let me use them on my own, only when aunt Freya watches me but he'll let me use them with you, please Bonnie…."
Bonnie suddenly found herself laughing, Hope's enthusiasm was contagious.
"Pretty please!" The little witch begged once more as she clasped her hands together and disarmed Bonnie with one charming look.
"Okay," Bonnie relented. Who could ever say no to that angelic face? "We can practice together, I guess."
"Yes!" Hope beamed and threw her arms around her.
The unexpected hug left Bonnie feeling stunned. She froze for a couple of seconds before finally returning the fierce hug the excited little girl gave her. She suddenly found herself looking forward to their lessons. Hope was without a doubt worming her way inside Bonnie's heart.
Klaus found himself in the kitchen listening with an amused grin as Hope chatted nonstop about the magical lessons she and Bonnie were going to have in the days to come. The witch had no idea what she had gotten herself into with his daughter. He smiled at each of Hope's excited words and felt relieved that her sadness had given rise to such enthusiasm over magic once more. The incident at school had scared her but it seemed Bonnie had managed to give her back her confidence and renew her desire to learn more magic.
While Vera excused herself to take a phone call, Klaus finished filling the tray he planned to carry to Hope's room. Originally, he had only placed two porcelain teacups and saucers but it felt rude not to include the witch in their tea party so he added another set. As he was finishing placing everything he needed into the tray, there was a loud thud followed by a crash.
"What the hell?" Klaus looked up into the broken window before moving his gaze down towards the sink where a black crow laid dead. Where had that bloody bird come from? He contemplated the strange bird for a few seconds before he took it in his hand. The moment his hand made contact with it, the bird transformed into a folded piece of paper.
A magical message it was.
Klaus quickly unfolded the yellow paper knowing that there were only two people in the world who knew how to reach him at the sanctuary. Freya's all too familiar handwriting greeted him in a short and straight to the point message.
The Hollow found us. Moved to another location.
Beware. Its powers have grown considerably.
Need to talk to you. Urgent.
I had a vision. It involves the sleeping witch.
No sooner had he read it and the paper turn to ash right in his hands. It was Freya's way to ensure no magical residue was left from her message. That way no one could track it down and find out where they were.
Klaus watched as the ash disappeared from his hands before he looked up and stared at the backyard through the broken kitchen window. Freya's message was disturbing, the Hollow's power had grown, that was something that should not be taken lightly. But more importantly, his sister had a vision and it involved Bonnie Bennett.
Why?
How was Bonnie connected to all of this?
What else had his sister seen in her vision?
Outside the sun had been swallowed by dark sinister clouds while the low rumble of thunder echoed inside the manor. A storm was brewing, a dangerous storm that matched the turmoil Klaus felt inside.
