Hello it's me again!

This chapter will mainly focus on why the twins killed Father Timothy and the repercussions of that.

Enjoy and tell me what you think.

4. Why?

"I have done nothing." He said. "They killed him of their own accord."

"No. They wouldn't!" Claire screamed stumbling to her feet and running towards Klaus only to be stopped and held back by Elijah as she thrashed around in his arms screaming in outrage and fury, tears poring down her face.

"You did this! This is your entire fault you stupid little boy!" She shrieked.

Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye Claire saw Hansel stumble into the clearing, a long vertical gash stretched from his hairline to the corner of his mouth and blood was spilling down his face, his lip was also split open and bruised.

"Oh my lord." Elijah spoke in a hushed whisper of horror and in his shock he loosened his grip on Claire who hastily ran towards Hansel, catching him just before his knees buckled and he fell. His breathing laboured and blood trickling out of the corner of his mouth his eyes shut as he lay unconscious in her arms.

"Hansel, can you hear me? Hansel?" Mercifully he stirred in Claire's arms but did not wake up. Feeling confusion, misery and exhaustion seep into her bones Claire let the tears spill over and sobbed, burying her face in his unruly crop of brown hair. Rocking him as sobs shook her entire body.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Forgive me. This is my fault – all my fault." She lamented.

"It is foolish to ask for forgiveness for something you did not do." Klaus spoke as he sneered at the pitiful sight before him.

Claire raised her eyes to stare at her youngest brother.

"You are not going to apologise at any time in the near future and it is my fault for sending him off alone with someone like you set loose." Her voice was low and hoarse as she spat her words at him.

"I did not do this," He gestured to Hansel, "so please do not direct your wrath at me. I did not touch dear Hansel; his current state isthe work of Father Timothy whilst he was in his panicked state."

Claire blanched at that statement, eyes widening and her gaze moving to where Father Timothy lay unmoving next to her own brother who had dried blood coating his hands, and away again as she closed her eyes breathing deep.

In, Out. In, Out. In, Out.

Logic; all that was needed was some logic.

"Elijah, take Ambrose to his bed then find Marcus, he needs someone with him now; he is probably disgusted with himself. Calm him and take him to the house when you find him. Make sure he sleeps, stay with them both until I tell you otherwise." Claire's voice was oddly calm and she spoke authoritatively.

Elijah said nothing but Claire heard footsteps behind her and she heard a soft exhale of breath as Ambrose was lifted of the ground. Then footsteps retreated and once again there was silence.

"Murdoch," Claire heard Murdoch rush towards her and he placed a shaking hand on her shoulder, providing a silent comfort, "take Hansel, be careful of his head, take him to the house and tend to his wounds, but remember Mother and Father must not see him; I am trusting you to ensure that they see nothing. You must not leave the house until I return."

Murdoch leaned down and as he placed his arms under Hansel's still form he spoke quietly.

"What are you going to do?" His voice cracked as he spoke and he looked deep into her eyes but was only met by a blank look.

"What I must do in order to protect my family."

Murdoch nodded and lifted Hansel up carefully before striding towards the house.

Claire sat motionless for God knows how long. Being so lost in her own thoughts she didn't hear Niklaus approaching until he leant down and spoke into her ear, his cold breath ghosting down her neck and making all of her muscles tense in fear.

"What are you thinking of Dear Sister?" He stroked the back of her neck with blood crusted fingers and she shuddered, felling bile rise in her throat again but she swallowed against it.

"I am thinking about where Father Timothy should be placed. I cannot imagine what would happen if anyone discovered that our family was involved in murder, they would kill us all." Her voice had reached a high squeak by the end of her sentence as she sat in the wet grass in nothing but her underclothes; she felt too exposed and crossed her arms over herself, hunching forward as her hair fell forward covering her face.

Klaus chuckled low and throaty before standing up and stepping back once.

"That is your decision. I have had enough excitement for one night." With that he turned to walk away but Claire pushed herself to her feet slipping as she used the wet ground to assist her, staring from the vicar's body to her brother who was strolling into the forest as if he hadn't a care in the world.

"Niklaus!" She called in desperation. "What do you mean? Niklaus you cannot leave me here! I cannot do this! Please –" Claire was back to sobbing as she stumbled after her brother who only laughed lewdly and continued walking, not paying any attention to her sister who had now collapsed against a tree, gripping it tightly as she looked at the body she had to remove from sight and silently wishing that she would wake up from this awful nightmare as she clenched her eyes shut.

"It's just a dream, only a dream, a horrible dream, it's just a dream, it has to be," Claire gasped between the sobs that had begun again, "It has to be."

As she opened her eyes she did not see her grand room but the bent body before her and as she moved to push some stray hair away from her tear stained face she saw that her hands were also covered in thick blood.

The ground was wet for a reason.