D - Daddy

save me from myself
as I do not see the end
of this all-consuming darkness
that surrounds me

You used to be so perfect, sweetheart. What happened to you?

'Daddy, oh daddy,' she mumbled as she reached out to him, her face strained with tears. 'I miss you so much.'

I miss you too, princess, but we can be together soon, all you have to do is to end this.

'But I can't, daddy, I love him. I can't leave him, I promised.'

He's nothing but a monster, don't you see? And he's turning you into what he has become.

'You don't know him like I do, daddy,' she protested - but she knew it was impossible to convince him. Because how could you convince someone that you've seen humanity in someone who had only showed it to her? How could you explain - oh, she was dying to know how she could just explain that there was so much more to that man than what meets the eye.

'He's damaged, he's hurt, but he has humanity, daddy, I've seen it.'

You see what he did to you, princess? You have a stake, just come back to me, I won't let him hurt you, I promise.

'He doesn't hurt me - not me, never me. He loves me.'

It hurt, oh it hurt so much to have to convince someone of the purity she had seen. He had just as much humanity as she had, he just chose not to show it. So how could you explain to someone that it was there? That it was buried so deep inside him and that he had so much love to give?

She didn't know.

Have you seen him, sweetheart? He's a monster. Now come back before you become one yourself.

'I thought you already considered me a monster, daddy,' she suddenly said, the anger she felt due to her powerlessness now shifting from herself to her father. 'That day you tortured me.'

That was necessary, sweetheart. But now I've encountered worse monsters, I've seen that it will get worse with the years. Please, don't do that to yourself. Come back to me, princess. Just do it.

A new voice broke through, hands touching her, lips softly pushed on her forehead.

'It's not real, Caroline. He's not real. It's only the curse. Let go of the stake, sweetheart.'

She realized she had been holding the point of the wooden stake against her chest all along, but now his hand enveloped hers, she let go.

Don't lose yourself in his darkness, princess. One day he'll just leave you. He'll find someone else to put first. You know he will.

'Klaus?' she whimpered, focusing on the blue-eyed man in front of her, trying to ignore the stares she got from her father.

'I'm right here, sweetheart.' His voice was so soft and he felt so real, and oh how had she missed his touch and the way he smelled so intoxicating and the way he held her so close.

Get away from him, Caroline, as he will only hurt you.

'He- He says you'll leave me.'

Her trembling lips were captured in his and he kissed her. Not the passionate, rough, full-of-desire kisses they mostly shared, but a kiss. It was chaste and tender and it didn't last long but it was there.

And he had said so much as he had said nothing at all.