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."

Working Girl


Piper stared at her newly healed face with a small smile. She wouldn't be that girl that people stared at in the street or that person that everyone could walk up to and ask if she was okay. It only took two more weeks for it to finally heal up properly. She buttoned up her shirt and glanced at Bret's shadow as he came into the room. He watched her for a moment and raised his eyebrow.

"Can I help you?"

"Have you lost weight?" Bret tilted his head a little. "You look different."

"Maybe it's because the bruises are gone." She ran her hands down her pencil skirt, smoothing out the creases and grabbed her lipstick from the top of the dresser. "Healthy looks good on me don't you think?" she put a thin coat of red lipstick on her lips and looked at him.

"I'm going to guess that you're going to work?"

"Yes, I am. Is that a problem?"

"No, it's no problem at all." He stood up and stretched. "I'm working tonight just to let you know."

"Then I'll probably go out." Piper looked at him. "Maybe stay the night with Maria. She could do with a girly night."

Bret made a noise and crossed his arms. "Fine, but just remember, you don't breathe a word of what happened with us, okay?" he pointed his finger at her. "Because then we'd have a problem."

"I won't tell her. Do you really think I'd tell her so that she could call the police and send you back to jail?" Piper smiled a little and bit her lip. "Maybe I should tell her."

"Very funny, now don't work too hard; it's only your first day back."

"I'll try and not give myself a paper cut." Piper grabbed her coat and left the apartment with a smile on her face.


Walking into the office for the first time in weeks was a strange experience. She had almost forgotten how strong the coffee smell was and the constant sound of rustling papers. Her friend, Maria, was the first person to greet her. Maria was blonde like Piper but sported a stylish pixie cut. Maria's hugs were like a vice's grip. They were tight and pushed almost every bit of oxygen out of Piper's lungs.

"I know you're excited to see me, but do you really have to hug so tight?" she choked out with a smile.

"I'm sorry but I can't believe you're here. These past weeks have been so boring without you," Maria pouted at her and walked Piper to her desk, "I haven't had one of our bagels in a while. Who would I have gone with? Dale?"

"No, it's our thing; Dale wouldn't understand your love for them." Piper was in her element. Being back at work gave a purpose past the jail that was the four walls of Bret's apartment.

"That's why I didn't take anyone. Listen, I've got a meeting with a client, can we meet up later? You tell me the real reason you were off?"

Piper sighed a little and raised her eyebrows at her best friend. "Fine, pencil me in for two o'clock."

"Deal," Maria smiled, "and remember I know when you're lying."

"I know. I won't lie." Piper watched Maria back away and walk towards the interview room and sat down in her office chair, sinking into the leather coated foam with satisfaction. It was good to be back. The only thing that put her off being back was the stack of documents that called her name. Divorce papers and restraining orders galore took residence on her desk.


Klaus stalked the shadows as he watched his next victim; a thuggish brute that appeared to be a slave to the drug cartel. He waited until he was alone and forced his fangs into the jugular running through the neck. He kept the man's mouth covered; Klaus wasn't looking for an audience. When all the blood had run dry, Klaus dumped the body into a large bin and slammed the lid shut. From the corner of his eye he saw a shadow move. It was too fast to be human.

"Elijah, brother… I wondered when you would track me down."

Elijah finally stepped out of the darkness with a pleased smirk on his face. "I'm glad to see you haven't been causing trouble here."

"I wouldn't dream of it. Seattle has been kind to me."

"I've seen. She's very beautiful, but why are you pursuing a human, does she know about you?"

"Let's not talk about that here. Come brother, I'll show you where I've been laying my head." Klaus threw his arm around Elijah and walked him out of the alley, walking towards his apartment building.


Elijah stared at Klaus' painting that was hung on the wall as Klaus poured him a drink of the best whiskey he had. The two brothers stood side by side, admiring the artwork.

"I'm impressed; you've found your muse."

"It took a lot of searching." Klaus sipped his whiskey and turned to face his brother. "I wasted a lot of time on people who didn't have even an ounce of the impact on me than Piper has."

Elijah's eyes deferred from the painting and onto his brother. "Just don't do anything that will bring jeopardy into this woman's life, she's only human and you are a hybrid." He reminded him. "Don't forget how easily you can break every bone in her body. Don't forget that you can lose yourself to bloodlust."

"I've been around for centuries and haven't lost myself to the lust unless I want to lose control." Klaus looked at the floor for a moment and paced around Elijah. "How did you find me?"

"I have eyes everywhere Klaus. I'm not even half the terror that you are; I have a thing called friends."

Klaus smirked a little and nodded. "I have friends; I just keep them at a distance."

"Of course, but at a distance they have no use for you. My friends led me straight to you."

"And aren't I the lucky one to be graced with your presence?"


Piper walked into the apartment, seeming to be in the middle of the two brothers. She looked at them shyly and smiled a little. "I'm sorry, Klaus I'll come back later. I didn't know you were busy."

"Piper, stay. I want you to meet my brother, Elijah." Klaus walked over to her and brought her into his home.

"It's nice to see you in the flesh." Elijah extended his hand towards her and smiled as she shook it.

"Klaus didn't tell me he had a brother." Piper smiled up at him and put her arm around his waist.

"Klaus hasn't told you a lot of things." Elijah looked at his brother with a small smile as Klaus stared back at him with an unpleased look on his face. "I should be going now. I just wanted to check up on my younger brother."

Piper looked up at Klaus with a raised eyebrow. "What haven't you told me?"

"We all have our secrets." He explained, finishing the remaining drop of whiskey in his glass.

"That's true… Listen I'm not going to force you to tell me everything because your brother says you've got something hidden. If you want to tell me, tell me."

Klaus gazed into her eyes for a long moment and sighed a little. "I really don't deserve you."

She laughed and dropped her bag and her coat onto his sofa. "Maybe it's the other way around. I told my friend about everything that happened. You know, me meeting you, Bret and our deep love for each other." She placed her open hand on her chest and smiled.

"I hope I've got the seal of approval from your friend."

"Oh you have. She sees you as my saviour." Piper walked into his kitchen like it was her own and looked through his fridge. "So, I'm thinking that we have something nice and home cooked but you don't have that much in your fridge." She glanced over her shoulder at him. "So it'll just have to be a Chinese or pizza; your choice."

He stared at her, his eyebrows raised. "Don't you have to be home before Bret starts tearing up the streets of Seattle looking for you?"

"I forgot to tell you the good news." She leaned over his island counters and kissed the tip of his nose. "I told Bret I was staying with my friend and he bought it. I can spend the full night."

A large grin appeared on Klaus' face. "Aren't you mischievous? As long as I get to wake up next to you, I don't care what you told him." He walked over to the fridge and bumped her out of the way a little bit. "I'll find you something to make. Leave it all to me."