Chapter Seven

Sleep was underrated, at least that was what Klaus told himself as he turned to look at the clock noticing that it had ticked on four am, yet he could not bear to close his eyes. He held Cami close, her head on his chest in hopes that she would sooth his thoughts and grant him a few hours of peaceful sleep before he left to find his younger brother, preventing Kol from killing the rest of their family. Not that he suspected that Kol was capable of killing them.
Part of the reason he was laying down staring into the darkness was because he could not put his mind to rest. His younger brother thought he had been daggered and buried, or perhaps he had thought he suffered a fate much worse, death, it was driving him to the brink of insanity. He wanted nothing more to embrace Kol, hold him close and reassure him that it was all going to be okay, just like he had done when they were younger.

"Klaus" Cami whispered sleepily. "Are you still awake?"

Klaus stroked his fingertips down her side with a certain tenderness that he did not know he could display. "Yes love"

"Is everything alright, you haven't spoken much since we decided that you would leave tomorrow to find Kol" Cami lifted her head, rubbing her eyes with her hand.

Klaus reached over to the lap beside the bed and flicked it on. "I am just thinking"

Cami smiled softly at him, she knew that the wheels in his head would be turning. Over time there were many things she had called Klaus, many things that she had tried to diagnose him as though never had she thought that she would see this side of him. "Would you like to talk about it?"

Klaus chuckled. "How many times have you asked me that question since my return, love?"

"More than you would like, I suppose" Cami giggled. "But that is what I do…"

"I was thinking of Kol" He admitted. "I do not understand why he would be hunting our family"

Cami tapped his chest with her fingers. "In your honour, your defence, whichever you wish to call it"

Klaus caught her hand with his and laid it upon his chest. "No. Kol, he knows better. I've taught him better which only makes this all the more confusing"

"What do you mean by that?"

Klaus ran his tongue along his bottom lip; he did not willingly share his past with anyone. Davina had been the exception when it came to Kol and that was only to help her grieve when he first died. People for a thousand years, his family even, had assumed that he was not close with Kol, yet they knew nothing of the time and moments that had been shared. "I mean, sweetheart, that Kol knows better than to mix in business that belongs to me, things that do not concern him"

Cami frowned at that sentence, it was Kol's family to, was it not his business when members of his family hurt his brother. "I thought mixing in other people's business is what Mikaelson' did best"

Klaus smirked at that, Cami did not hold back when it came to the truth and it was true that he had mixed in his siblings business repeatedly. "Touché, love" He leaned in and kissed her briefly which surprised her. "Yet Kol is different. I taught him not to mix within my business for his own safety and protection" He leaned and kissed Cami once more before turning his head towards the door. "Little witch, you many come in"

Cami quirked her eyebrow in surprise when Davina opened the door slowly, a sheepish look crowding her features slightly embarrassed that she had been caught listening.

"I'm sorry"

Before being daggered, he would have yelled at her and possibly threatened her but time underwater had changed him. "Quiet alright, love. Is something bothering you?" He surprised both girls by not shouting at the teenage witch/vampire.

Davina inched further into the room, shutting the door behind her. "You were speaking about Kol, I just wanted to…"

Cami patted the bed in front of her as soon as soon as she saw the look in Davina's eyes. "Come sit, I know you miss him sweetie"

Davina walked across the floor and sat down at the end of the bed her legs curled to her left. "I miss him more than I thought imaginable, but I can't deny the anger. Why hasn't he come to see me?"

Klaus stared at the two of them as Cami sat up and embraced Davina. Niklaus Mikaelson, the original hybrid never thought this would be him sitting in a bed with the girlfriend and the teenager he adopted as his own somewhere along the line. It was slightly delusional to even imagine yet his heart ached for the knowledge that beside Davina his ten year old daughter should have sat and yet she was nowhere to be seen.

"Klaus, are you listening?"

Klaus blinked, looking over to Cami. "Sorry love, did you say something?"

"Will you tell us something more about Kol, anything to share with Davina?"

Klaus readjusted himself so that he was sitting up properly, Cami curled back into his side and Davina laid down with her head in Cami's lap. "Kol was eleven when he approached me; he wanted to learn to wield a sword. I had thought he was too young, yet he was determined that he was of age" Klaus fell into the memory from over a thousand years ago.

"Niky, will you teach me how to use a sword?"

Niklaus turned away from the straw he was cleaning up to face his younger brother. "You are far too young to use a sword Kol"

Kol frowned. "No I am not. Elijah taught you to use a sword when you were ten Nik"

The thought of his brother using a sword scared him, though he would never admit it. Damage could be done with a sword; it was the same reason he was pleased that Rebekah would never have to learn such an art. "Exactly, Kol, you are far too young"

"I'm eleven, Niklaus. Will you teach me?"

"Kol, why is it you wish to learn?"

Kol blushed, staring at his older brother sheepishly. "I want to learn so that I can protect myself and you"

"Whatever from?" Klaus stood up straight, his eyebrow raised. "What do you need protection from brother?"

Kol bit his bottom lip, scuffing his boots on the ground. "Father"

Klaus moved quickly across the floor to his brothers' side. "Has he laid a hand on you?"

"No" Kol defended. "No, Nik, I promised to tell you if he did. I want to learn so that I can protect you"

Klaus breathed a sigh of relief, placing his hand upon the younger boys shoulder. "That is not reason enough for you to learn to wield a sword"

"I heard father last night" Kol exclaimed. "I want to be able to protect you, Niky, like you protect me"

Niklaus shook his head. "I will not teach you to use a sword for that reason" The mere imagine of his younger brother standing before their father with a sword flashed through his mind, and it scared him half to death. Their father was more experienced, he would be able to better Kol within moments.

"Then teach me so I can learn Nik, just for fun"

"No"

"I'll ask 'Lijah" He went to walk away.

Klaus stared at his brothers back, he knew teaching Kol to use a sword would be punishable by his father but the thought of Elijah being able to teach him twinged a little jealously with Niklaus' body. "Little brother"

Kol stopped to turn and face his older brother, hope alight within his eyes. "Yes?"

Nik stood back up properly, giving Kol a stern look. "I will teach you; though you cannot tell father and you are not to use a sword on father ever. Do you understand?"

"I would never tell father on you Niky, never"

"Very well, we will have a lesson while we collect fruit tomorrow, for now I must clean this mess up" He turned and moved back to the straw, kneeling to gather some more.

Kol walked across the dirt, kneeling down to help Klaus. "I'll help you"

"Kol, you should go play with Henrik"

"No. I want to be here with you"

Niklaus smiled, listening to his little brother's excitement of the time they would have tomorrow. Never had he wanted to risk the idea of a punishment until it came to Kol, anything his little brother asked of him was indeed worth the risk and the price he would pay if caught.

Klaus smirked, brushing the memory aside to focus on telling them about the little brother he had. "Kol was determined so I agreed. Teaching him the art in which to use a sword was rather easy, he picked it up as though it was something he did everyday however apart from our lessons and little jest in the woods I never saw him pick up a sword unaccompanied by me" He did not tell them why Kol had wanted to lean, he would never tell his secret to the world. It was something only Kol knew the truth of.

Klaus stepped into the room, having put out the fire. He moved over to his straw bed, trying to be as quiet as possible as to not wake his siblings, he removed his boots while making sure Rebekah was unharmed and sleeping. He couldn't help but smile at her, she was cuddled in tight under her blanket clutching her wooden figurine that he had carved for her not so long ago.
Rest assured that she was safe; he moved his eyes to the bed on his right where Kol would sleep at night. His heart started to beat uncontrollably fast when he realised that Kol was nowhere in sight.

Creeping back out of the room he rushed to wake his mother and father, yet the sight stopped his heart cold. Standing above their father was Kol holding a sword. Never had Niklaus known fear like he was feeling, if his father woke to see Kol there would be nothing he could do to protect the newly turned twelve year old.
He moved in silence, wrapping one hand over Kol's mouth and using his other to grab the sword to stop it from dropping to the ground.

"Don't make a sound" Niklaus whispered quietly into the child's ear, before releasing his mouth and taking him by the arm, leading him from the room and out into the cool night air.

Kol's body quivered, silent tears had been rolling down his cheeks since before Niklaus had caught him. "Nik, I'm…"

"Hush" Klaus scolded his brother, placing the sword down. He breathed in deep, taking a moment to compose himself, his heart still racing within his chest. "What were you thinking, Kol?"

"Father, he beat you again…I…"

Niklaus knelt down in front of the boy. "Listen to me; you never do that again Kol. If father had woken up, he would have seen you"

"But he…"

"No Kol. Father could beat me for one thousand years, I would endure every moment to know that you are safe. Do not ever put yourself in harm's way" He grabbed the boy by his shoulders. "What would you have done had you been able to kill him? How would you have explained that to our family?"

"I don't know" Kol cried, tears running down his cheeks, his bottom lip trembling. He hated making Klaus upset, he did not like to be the cause of his brother's sadness or anger. "I'm sorry"

Klaus pulled the boy into a hug. "Never Kol. Never again"

"I just want him to stop"

"I know, I know you do, little brother" He pulled away slightly. "You must never try such an act again. You will never touch a sword. Do you understand?"

"But Niky, our lessons, I love our lessons"

Klaus waved his hand. "Never Kol" He restated firmly. "I do everything to keep you protected, to keep you safe but I cannot protect you if he knows"

"I understand"

"Good boy" Nik hugged him briefly before wiping away his tears. "I would never forgive myself if anything happened to you. Now inside, to bed, I need to return fathers sword"

"If he wakes…"

Niklaus gave the boy a stern look. "Then I will endure his wrath. To bed with you" Klaus turned the boy towards the door of the hunt, sending him on his way with a sharp smack to his behind. He had never done so before but the child had scared him more then he thought imaginable, when morning came they would talk about it some more but for tonight Klaus wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed and watch as his siblings slept soundly and safely.

"Why does he refuse to use a sword?" Davina asked quietly, the sleepiness was thick in her voice.

Klaus held back a shudder at the memory of seeing Kol standing over their father's body with a sword to large for him to carry. He chose to ignore the question and give her a piece of information that only he knew. "Lessons with me were a way to bond, it was one of the reasons that Kol wished to learn"

Cami titled her head to look at him. "How come you do not speak of him often?"

"I lost him in Mystic Falls, I watched as he died unable to help then I witnessed the same here in New Orleans. I thought he was gone"

"You don't speak of him because it causes you pain" Cami whispered.

Klaus didn't nod nor did he deny the answer instead he choose to divulge into the memory of where he made Kol the promise. "He was eight when I took him collecting fruit, he fell from a tree" He smiled slightly. "He was always somewhat of a thrill seeking child. I broke his fall, catching him before he could land on the ground. Almost broke my back" Klaus chuckled. "It was after his fall that he told me he thought I would not catch him. He feared that I loved Rebekah and Elijah more"

"He has a sensitive side" Davina mumbled.

Klaus looked down at the little witch noticing that she had her eyes closed, Cami's fingers running through her dark hair, lulling the teenager to sleep. "Yes he does, so we shared a pact like the one I have with Rebekah and Elijah. It was enough to make him feel more secure"

Cami smiled at him. "He is very lucky, they are all, Klaus"

"I do not think Elijah and Rebekah saw my presence as luck, if they did then they would still be here" He climbed out of the bed, moving around and lifting Davina gently into his arms. "I'll be back in a few moments, try to sleep love"

Cami watched him walk away, Davina cradled in his arms. Never had she thought a side of Klaus like this would appear. It was enjoyable to see the change as he was evolving into this new person. Her hand dropped absentmindedly to her stomach, her fingers rubbing against the pyjama top she was wearing. Her heart ached a little to know that she couldn't give him what she should be able to especially after seeing him with Davina.
She rolled over onto her side burying her head in his pillow, breathing in his scent. A part of her had never recovered from the loss that she had when she transitioned into an immortal being.

...

Klaus pulled the blankets over Davina's body looking down into her half open sleepy eyes. "Everything alright?"

"Does Kol love me?"

Klaus sat down on the edge of the bed, his heart did twitch a little at the look of sorrow in her eyes. He was going to have a talk with his younger brother when they were reunited. "Of course he does"

Davina raised her eyebrow at Klaus's definite answer. "How do you know?"

"I know because Kol does not love easily Davina, he is very similar to me in that aspect. If he has told you that he loves you, believe it, he wouldn't say it unless it was true"

Davina tugged her blankets up a little higher. "Who do you love, Klaus?"

Klaus closed his eyes. "It is all very simple, my dear. I love my siblings, no matter what they do the love will always stay. I love Marcel, he is my son. Cami, is the first woman I have loved in many years. Hope, I love Hope wherever she may be in this world, she is the light at the end of a very dark tunnel" He noticed the sullen look on the teenagers face, the vulnerable emotion in her eyes. "And you, little love, how could I not love the witch who fought to find me when my own family abandoned me. The girl who stole my heart an inch at a time after she hated me so deeply" He brushed his thumb across her cheek. "Sleep now, tomorrow I am going to bring Kol home to you"

"I never thought I would say this Klaus, because I never thought life would turn out like this but…" She watched him as he stood up from her bed. "I do love you too"

Klaus chuckled. "Isn't that something" He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead tenderly, in the way he would have done it if she were Hope. "Sleep"

He walked across the room, switching the light off and shutting the door behind him. He could barely remember the last time he had placed a child to bed, wishing them goodnight. It was not something he had done frequently in his past. Yet it warmed his heart a little more than it had been in the previous nights.
He made his way back to his room, opening and closing the door behind him. He found himself smiling yet again at her curled up sleeping figure. Smiling was not an action he did a lot ever, yet he had found himself smiling more since his return to the living then he thought possible. It was owed to Davina, Cami and Marcel; they were the ones who brought it out in him.

Sleep would come, he felt positive, when he slid into bed beside her and pulled her close to him. Sleep would come and when he woke he would look for his brother, he would bring Kol home and almost every would be right in the world. Hope would be the only one missing.

/~/~/

"It has to be Klaus, name one other person who would wish us dead like this"

Elijah rubbed his head as Hayley shouted at them. "Hayley…"

"Elijah, you are putting our daughter at risk by not admitting that I could be right. Klaus could be walking around New Orleans" She was not paying enough attention to notice the way he flinched when she called Hope their daughter, as though he had some claim to her.

"Then we go back, we'll make sure Niklaus isn't roaming and then we will find the person who threatens this family"'

"Elijah, is this our only option?"

"We have no choice. If this is not Niklaus then we have an advantage if we fight the battle from our territory. New Orleans is our home, we simply take it back"

"Are you forgetting about Marcel? He lives in our home, and he made his opinion quiet clear about our plan to get rid of Klaus, he will not welcome us back" Rebekah told them, she felt like all she did in the past few months was have family meetings regarding this topic. All she wanted was a little peace not constant conflict.

"This person is hunting us down wherever we are. We will not run any longer; our best chance is to go home" Elijah set the idea in firm place. It was the truth that they had fled New Orleans to stay safe, to place distance between Klaus and themselves but now that they were being hunted again the place seemed fit for them to defend themselves.

"The three of you need to go ahead, remove Marcel from our home. Dispose of anything that could be linked to Klaus. Hope doesn't know the truth and she never needs to, ten years of this will not be destroyed within seconds"

"I'll stay with you"

"No" Hayley stood up, taking Elijah's hand in her own. "I want some time with my daughter, we'll take a small detour on the way to New Orleans, we'll be a few days behind you" She touched the side of his face. "I know you want to stay and protect us, but you know I can protect Hope just find. You however need to protect our secret; you need to protect her innocence"

"We have an issue" Freya interrupted the couple, holding the piece of paper in hands up so that they could all read.

One
Two
Three
Four
I am nearly at the door
Five
Six
Seven
You better believe that there is heaven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Your time is coming to an end


Thoughts?

Reviews:
Guest: Whooooo! Kol's entrance is not far away now.
Guest: There will be more Kol flashbacks!

Much Love. x