Okay, after the last chapter I had a few reviews that made me think long and hard about Claire. They were very constructive and not at all mean which I appreciated. They both stated different things about Claire. One being that she was just a doormat to her brothers. I can see that. One thing that I am trying to portray is that Claire's weakness has always been her brothers. She does things for them in hopes that they will forgive her for wanting to be with Klaus, but it all seems impossible. In this chapter you will start to see that she's accepted that and will not put up with it any longer. I even referenced the whole "doormat" comment. I don't feel that she is "spineless" just hopeful. She has shown her strength in many different ways.
Another reviewer said that she has lost her so-called morals when she allowed Klaus to kill one of his hybrids for her. My intentions with Claire was not for her to lose her morals. She doesn't believe in killing those that our innocent and again this will be addressed in this chapter as well her reasons for not trusting his hybrids. It's brief, but explained. I hope that others are not losing interest in Claire or think that she's changing. She isn't. She's just desperate for the acceptance of her brothers, but sometimes things are just hopeless.
Okay, so enough of jabbering. Here is the next update. Check out the photo album for this story. It's located on my profile. You can see two new pics that I've added. Thanks again for the wonderful reviews. I hope you like this one.
Being Human
After leaving the Grill, Claire found herself fuming and heading straight for the boarding house. She burst through the doors and paused, trying to pick up on any noise inside the house. She heard the clinking of a glass and then the pouring of some liquid coming from the library, so she quickly headed that way.
When she entered the library, she found Stefan finishing off pouring himself and all she saw was red. She hopped over the railing and charged forward, snatching the drink from his hand and hurling it across the room before gripping him by the front of shirt then sending him nearly ten feet across the room into a wall.
"You bastard," she growled as sped up to him to shove him.
"Are you upset about something, Claire," he questioned nonchalantly which caused her to snarl.
"Do I truly mean little to you now? You said that all I needed to do was ask him to release Elena, but you used me yet again. I don't understand! Is this all I am to you?"
"I had to get to Elena," he explained simply. "I had to use every resource available. You served your purpose and Elena's going to be fine."
"I served my purpose," she repeated with distaste. "Well, I'm so very glad that I was able to once again keep Elena from dying." She released him and glared at him in a mixture of anger and sadness. "Is this how it's always going to be now with us? You only want me around whenever it's to save Elena?"
When he doesn't answer, she snorted.
"I'll go pack my things," she replied and then stared at him with a hard look or warning. "Don't ever ask for my help again. Do you understand me? Also, here's a little advice keep Elena far away from me or I swear I will not hesitate to kill her. And Stefan, you have my word on that." She headed out of the room and up the stairs.
The next day, Claire found herself outside the Lockwood mansion watching as people scurried around getting the place ready for the Miss Mystic Falls pageant that would take place the next day.
"I'm in hell. This is hell," she commented dryly as she watched some chattering teenage girls pass by carrying garment bags with their dresses inside.
"There you are," a voice said behind her and Claire cringed slightly at the sound of Caroline's voice. "I thought you were going to bail on me."
"I'm still debating it actually," Claire replied.
"As member of one of the town's founding families you have to be here," the blonde insisted. "So, here are your job choices: you can help judge…"
"Pass," Claire interrupted.
Rolling her eyes, Caroline continued. "Okay, you could help some of the girls get ready…"
"Definitely pass."
Caroline sighed, "Claire, come on."
"I don't understand why I have to play an active part in this whole thing," she argued. "I mean can't I just attend it?"
Caroline ignored her and glanced back down at her clipboard, "How about you being in charge of waiters? Just make sure that they keep the dishes cleared and the wine glasses filled?"
"Fine," Claire finally relented. "Am I clear to go?"
"Yes, but be here by one tomorrow," the blonde insisted then added, "Dressing up is not optional." With that, Caroline spun around and went to order three girls where to put the flower centerpieces.
Shaking her head, Claire turned to walk away and stopped immediately when she saw someone standing a few feet away.
Klaus smiled warmly at her, "I'm surprised to be seeing you here."
She shrugged a shoulder, "I don't have anything better to do. Besides, I was beckoned by Caroline. If I didn't show she'd hunt me down. Why are you here?"
"Hoping to see you," he answered softly.
"Why," she questioned.
"Well, I figured you might not answer my phone calls and I wanted to discuss our date. What time should I pick you up tomorrow?" When she doesn't respond, he frowned and pointed out, "We had a deal, Claire—a date for one of my hybrids."
"Don't act like that was just for me," she countered shaking her head and walking past him. He quickly followed. "You killed your hybrid because you needed Jeremy to become the next hunter. Now you have another chance to go find your cure yay for you. Now more people will have to die to help the cause that's just fabulous."
"A sense most of your anger stems from your brothers," he reasoned.
She stopped walking and turned to glare at him, "Don't bring them into this. My brothers want nothing to do with me now. I am nothing more than their doormat."
"I'm sorry. I know that I'm the main reason for that."
She sighed, "Don't apologize. I don't regret being with you. I just wished things were different."
"Where are you staying," he asked. "I assume that you aren't staying at the boarding house considering that I had dropped by there and found most of your belongings missing."
"Are you making it a habit of sneaking into my room," she questioned with a slight teasing tone.
He cracked a small smile, "Well, I highly doubt that either of your brothers would just allow me inside their home, so that was the only alternative."
She rolled her eyes, "I packed up my things and left last night. I just can't stay there anymore."
"You're always welcome in my home," he told her simply. "I have plenty of guest rooms."
"Alaric's apartment is fine," she replied with a simple shrug. She looked back toward the Lockwood mansion and sighed. "Since I have to be here to help out with this thing then I guess having you here keeping me company wouldn't be so bad."
Her comment brought an instant smile to his face. "It'd be my honor."
"Stop," she pleaded miserably and he raised a questioning brow. "Stop saying those things. It's making it harder to be mad at you."
"My apologies," he quickly said still smiling. "How shall I make it up to you?"
"Well," she began thoughtfully. "I have to find something that would be Caroline approved to wear to this thing."
His smile vanished immediately. "Anything else I can do to make it up to you?"
Shaking her head, she grabbed his arm and turned him away from the house and began walking, "Nope. You're taking me shopping. Let's go."
Minutes later, she is sitting in the passenger seat of his SUV staring out at the passing scenery. As much as she liked being back in his company, her mind went back to the events from the previous evening. "Which one was it," she asked breaking the silence that had occupied the first five minutes of the drive.
"What do you mean," he asked and she turned her head to look at him.
"Which hybrid did you have Jeremy kill," she asked.
He released a breath and turned his attention to the road again, "Why do you need to know who it was?"
"Why do you care if I know," she asked in return. "Which one was killed for the sake of Elena's sanity or are they not worthy of being thought of or referred to by name?"
He winced slightly at her judgmental tone. "Chris. His name was Chris."
"I remember him," she confirmed. "He was actually one of the nicer ones—what little I knew of him."
"Would you have rather it had been Kim," he questioned tensely. "What's with the sudden remorse toward my hybrids? I thought you hated them."
"I don't trust them," she corrected. "That doesn't mean that I necessarily want them dead. Chris was an okay guy."
"He disobeyed me," he pointed out sharply.
"He's not your slave," she snapped. "Why shouldn't he be able to freely make his own choices?"
"Claire, how many times are we going to have this same argument?" His eyes implored hers. "I have already told you that you are more important to me than them."
"I know that I mean more to you," she concurred softly. "I'm just torn between feeling sorry for them and be feeling worried that they are going to rally together and try to get rid of you out of hatred."
"You have nothing to worry about, love."
She snorted, "God when are you going to realize that I worry because I love you. I worry because there is always a possibility that a way to kill you could happen. I mean the white oak stake is still around or have you forgotten about that?"
"And it won't be used on me considering my blood is what created your lot and my hybrids," he countered.
"And you can guarantee that there isn't a remote possibility that some witch can't find a spell to abolish that? I mean don't you remember Bonnie's spell that miraculously kept you alive even after being staked by Alaric?"
He stared at her for a moment then sighed. "I don't want to argue anymore. I just want to enjoy this day and tomorrow. We have nothing to worry about right now. Let's just enjoy these moments, alright?"
She released a heavy sigh of her own, but nodded. "Okay, fine."
"Thank you," he whispered in relief.
"Doesn't mean that I'm going to stop thinking about these things," she retorted.
A small smile appeared upon his face as he looked back over at him, nodding. "I wouldn't doubt that."
After suffering through more silence, they finally arrived into town. With directions from Claire, Klaus pulled up to boutique inwardly sighing.
Like any man—vampire or not—shopping wasn't exactly high up on the list of things that he would rather be doing right now. He glanced over at the woman sitting beside him who was staring out the passenger side window. For her, he would do anything and apparently this fell under that category.
As she opened the door and climbed out, he tried to find the strength that he would need to get through this as he too got out of the vehicle. When he joined her on the sidewalk, he motioned toward the store, "Shall we?"
With a short nod, she led the way and he rushed forward to get the door for her. When they walked in, he glanced around the large boutique and nearly walked back out.
This was going to be very long day.
Indeed, it started off that way. Now an hour into the dress shopping, Klaus sat in a chair just outside the dressing room and waited for Claire to come out with yet another dress on. She had tried on nearly hundred it seemed and every one of them looked beautiful on her, but despite his compliments, she didn't like any of them.
His head turned from staring at the wall when her voice called out, "Can you help me?"
Immediately he jumped to his feet and headed over to her dressing room door and uttered, "Absolutely."
He heard her faintly snort and the door opened revealing her with her bare back revealed to him. His eyes devoured the revealed skin before meeting her eyes who stared at him with amusement. "I need help with the zipper," she murmured. "It's stuck or something."
Licking his lips, he stepped forward to assist her and permitted his eyes to take in her lovely skin before reaching for the zipper. With a gentle tug, he got it unstuck from the fabric and slowly slid it upward allowing his knuckles to lightly graze her soft skin as he did so. When he heard her intake of breath, his eyes lifted to stare at her through the mirror located just across from where they both stood.
When the task was finished, he backed away so that she could turn around which gave him a better view of the dress. "I like it," he responded after looking it over.
"You had much more to say about the others," she countered as she walked over to another mirror just outside the dressing room.
He followed her the short distance and leaned against the doorframe of the dressing rooms. "It didn't seem to matter just what I had to say," he pointed out. "You hated everything that you tried on and that I liked."
She sighed and stared at herself. The dress was a royal blue color that had a twisted knot gathered front which gave it a very seductive neckline. It really fit her form perfectly, but it just wasn't her.
"Can I have a try picking out a dress?" he asked as he let his eyes moved downward toward the bottom half of the dress.
"Watch those eyes Mr. Mikaelson," she commented teasingly.
His eyes lifted to meet hers and he grinned, "My apologies. May I pick out a dress for you to try on?"
She eyed him before she shrugged, "Sure. I'm not having much luck though I do like this one over all the others."
"Yes, blue is very becoming on you," he commented with a grin. "I do remember another blue dress that looked ravishing on you."
She smirked and he sent her a quick wink before heading out into the store to go find her another dress to try on and hopefully choose.
After looking through rack after rack, his eyes fell upon a soft pink colored chiffon dress. His mind immediately pictured Claire wearing it and he was convinced that this was the dress. He grabbed it off the rack and headed back to the dressing room.
He knocked lightly on the door before lightly draping it over the top. "Try this one, love. I think this could be the one."
"You seem rather confident in yourself," she commented and took the dress from him.
"Trust me," he told her. "It has you written all over it."
He heard her chuckle and he went back over to the chair he had occupied. It took a few minutes before the door would open again and his eyes were already set upon and ready to see her in the dress.
She stepped out and did a slow spin then looked at him expectantly. "Well?"
"Perfect," he admitted standing and did a quick walk around inspecting each part of her. "Very goddess like." His eyes returned to hers. "And what do you think?"
She turned away from to look at her reflection and tilted her head. "It's alright."
He smirked and was positive that deep down that she liked it, but she didn't want to admit that to him. He approached her from behind and whispered into her ear, "It would look radiant with the bracelet that I gave you for your birthday."
"I don't know if this dress is the one," she remarked with a shrug.
He chuckled lightly, "Alright. I tried. I'll be out here if you need me."
"You've been tortured enough," she said with a laugh. "You can go. I'll pick out something eventually."
"I don't mind staying," he told her softly.
She gave him a small smile, "It's okay, really. Alaric's apartment is a couple blocks away so I'll be fine."
"Are you sure," he questioned and she nodded. "Okay. If that's what you wish. I'll see you tomorrow. Shall I pick you up at Alaric's?"
She shook her head, "I've been told to be at the Lockwood's at one, so I'll just meet you there."
He nodded and looked her up and down once more. "I still believe that dress is the one." When she smiled, he turned to walk away. When he glanced back, he saw her walk back into the dressing room and he headed straight for the front counter.
The young woman at the registered smiled, "What can I do for you, sir?"
His first intention was to compel her to so that anything that Claire would purchase would be free, but then he thought of what Claire would think of this. She would be very much opposed, so he released a sigh and pulled out his wallet.
"My girlfriend is still shopping," he told her lowly. "I want you to charge everything onto this card. Do so before she has a chance to argue—insist upon it."
"Of course, sir," the woman said taking the credit card from him.
"Thank you," he said and glanced once more toward the dressing room before heading out.
The next day, Claire pointed some waiters carrying trays of wine glasses toward some arriving people as she held her own wineglass in her hand. "Just make sure that their glasses stay full. It'll make your lives so much better and we can all avoid the wrath of Caroline. Okay?"
"Yes, ma'am," answered one of them and the group scurried off
She sighed and looked around at the crowds of people. This really just was not her scene anymore. When she was human, she loved attending these events. After all, attention was on her for once. She didn't get much attention at home and being the center of it was quite a nice change.
Now, she found the whole thing ridiculous and utterly boring. With another sigh, she brought the wineglass to her lips and took a long drink just as Caroline strolled up.
"What are you doing," she asked quickly eying the wineglass. "To most of these people you are underage!"
Claire rolled her eyes, "Calm down. No one cares unless perhaps I was one of the contestants otherwise imagine the scandal."
"Claire, come on," Caroline all but whined. "I'm running this thing. I really don't want anything to go wrong here."
"Fine, I will behave."
"Thank you," Caroline said in relief before snatching the glass from her. "So, in other news, what are we going to do about this whole Elena-Stefan situation?"
"What Elena-Stefan situation," Claire questioned in confusion.
"You don't know," Caroline asked in surprise.
"I'm not exactly on good terms with either of my brothers especially Stefan, so no."
"She broke up with him this morning and it's all because of that conniving bastard…" she trails off the moment that Claire turned to glare at her. "Sorry. I know he's your brother, but he's not good for her. I should know."
"He's not the same Damon he was before, Caroline," Claire defended then sighed. "Honestly, I don't care what's going on in the love triangle currently."
"But it's a mistake-," she stopped talking when something caught her attention and she hurried off muttering something about the string quartet set up nearby playing funeral music.
Claire snorted watching the blonde let them have it. Caroline Forbes seriously needed to loosen up. With another sigh, she glanced around at the surroundings and had to admit Caroline did a very good job. Everything was beautiful, perfect even.
She turned and started making her rounds keeping her eyes on the waiters. Right now only the champagne and water was being offered out, so she didn't have to keep too much of a close eye on them just yet.
It was still fairly early, but she still hadn't seen Klaus yet. She wondered why that was.
As she made her way past the band, she watched as Caroline headed over to the granite steps where a microphone was set up indicating that the pageant was about to begin. "Swell," she muttered and kept walking. When her eyes returned to stare ahead again, her feet stopped walking and she found herself frozen as someone approached her.
When Klaus suited form stopped before her, he smiled warmly at her. "I see that you went with my dress. What was with the change of heart?"
"Well, what can I say," she laughed. "You have good taste."
"It looks magnificent on you," he told her sincerely then he eyed her wrist where the bracelet he gave her sat and seemed to grin more. "I hope that what I am wearing is appropriate."
She smiled, "You dress up well there is no doubt about that. And thanks for paying for everything. You really didn't need to."
"I was happy to."
The tapping of a microphone caused them to look towards the stage where Caroline was trying to get the attention of the crowd. "Hi, everyone, I'm Caroline Forbes. As the reigning Miss Mystic Falls, it is my honor to introduce this year's Miss Mystic's court. We begin the procession with Valerie Fell escorted by Dylan Clark."
Claire groaned, "More damn Fell's." Klaus chuckled beside her. "I swear every time I hear that name I want to…do very bad things to them. Even this generation is filled with a bunch of stuck up, pretentious individuals who think they are god's gift to this world." Shaking her head, she looked toward the crowd of guests and found Damon standing not too far and not looking at the contestants, but somewhere else. Claire followed his gaze and glared when she saw Elena looking his way as well. Claire scoffed and looked away.
"What is it, love," Klaus questioned softly.
"Nothing just the end of my brothers' relationship," she growled as she nodded her head in the direction of Damon and Elena.
"Ah, I see. Don't let it bother you. Besides, I see something else that might interest you." When she gave him a questioning gaze, he nodded his head off to the left and she looked that way then chuckled when she saw Tyler standing with Hayley. He spoke up, "Quite the scandal, huh?"
"And here I thought this thing would be a total bore," she remarked then glanced toward Caroline who had introduced April Young and had obviously seen her boyfriend yet. When the blonde's eyes gazed the crowd, they finally fell upon Tyler and Hayley. "Oh lord."
"Let them work it out," Klaus said simply. "It's none of our business."
"Caroline's a good person—granted a bit high-strung, but she's always been decent to me." Her eyes watched as Caroline headed down the stairs and past the dancing contestants and escorts. However, she was not heading toward her boyfriend and his friend, but over to Elena instead. Damon joined them moments later and the three of them seemed to be worried about something. When Damon left, Caroline and Elena proceeded to have a heated argument and Claire found herself heading that way, but was stopped by Klaus.
"Let's go for a walk," Klaus suggested lightly.
"Don't worry, I won't kill your doppelgänger," she snapped and jerked her arm from his hold then continued to the arguing girls. "Caroline, is there something wrong?"
"Just friendly intervention," Caroline supplied for which Elena snorted at. "I told her that her feelings for Damon are clouding her judgment."
With a smirk, Claire turned to Elena, "Wow just 24 hours since your break up with Stefan and you're already ready to get with my other brother. I thought you had some class, Elena. I mean where is your compassion?"
"Claire," Caroline butted in, but Elena stopped her.
"You don't know what you're talking about," she said to Claire.
"Oh, I think I do," Claire countered. "It's just a matter of time till you hop into Damon's bed further hurting Stefan—the man that's trying to find some damn cure for you."
"I never asked him to try and fix me," the other woman argued. "Just stay out of it, Claire."
"Stay out of it," Claire choked out with a laugh. "You are the reason that my brothers want nothing to do with me. They've used me countless of times just to protect you." She sensed Klaus coming up to stand behind her and she felt herself calm down some.
Elena glared over her shoulder then looked back to Claire. "I'm not the one that caused them to push you away. Maybe it has to do with the fact that you chose to be with him."
"Of course make it out like you've done absolutely nothing in all of this. Look, I get that my brothers have a problem with my choices, but let's not forget that my actions are not going tear them apart. Like I've said before, they deserve better." She turned around and snatched a wine bottle and two wineglasses from a passing waiter then looked at Klaus. "How about that walk now?"
He nodded and led her away. "Feel better?"
"Nope," she admitted tensely and then smiled slightly when she felt his hand on her shoulder.
He gave it a squeeze. "Well, you handled yourself very well back there."
"It was so hard not to kill her," she replied as they continued walking further and further from the party. "I think deep down I just can't kill her. I'm just not programmed that way."
"That's what makes you, you," He pointed out as his hand left her shoulder and took the items from her hands. "You always put others before yourself that's what I admire most about you, Claire. You are truly selfless."
She smiled a little at him as they approached the Lockwood's own personal pond. "I wonder if my brothers ever think that of me. I mean they're so wrapped up in their own issues with Elena…it's like I don't even matter anymore. If it came down to either Elena dying or me—it'd be Elena they'd save I'm sure of it." She let out a scoff. "God, now I'm feeling sorry for myself. I'm pathetic."
"You're far from pathetic, love. You're hurt and you feel alone, but I can assure you one thing. You matter to me. You don't need to feel like you're alone. You still have me." He cleared his throat. "That is if you decide at the end of the night to still have me."
She nodded her head and led the way over to stone bench. "Okay, question time. This cure…would you ever take it?"
He chuckled, "Now, why would I want to cure myself of being the most powerful creature on the planet?"
She rolled her eyes and asked, "So, there was never one single moment that you wished that you could be human again?"
He avoided eye contact as he uncorked the bottle of champagne. "How about you?"
"All the time," she admitted as he poured them each a glass of wine. He handed her a glass and she sipped it. "I mean yeah I've experience far more as a vampire than I probably ever would as human, but I still miss certain aspects of it."
"Like what," he asked curiously.
"I would have liked to have been a mom," she whispered. "Maybe it's because I didn't have one, but I really think I could have been a good mother." She smiled a little at him. "It's stupid I know."
"No," he quickly disagreed. "You would have made a wonderful mother. You know that when I find the cure it doesn't have to just go to Elena. You could take it too. You could have what you want."
"I don't want it. Not if you wouldn't take it too," she stated strongly. "I couldn't love anyone else the same way that I love you. I would only want all that if you were the one that I shared it with."
Klaus couldn't help but grin when she said this. If he could guarantee his safety, he would definitely take the cure with her and have this life that she spoke of, but alas he could not. If he were to take the cure there would be too many people out to kill him and he couldn't just let that happen nor would he want Claire to be caught in the cross-fire.
"So," he began and pulled a piece of paper from his pocket. "I heard that you participated in this thing last year…"
"Hardly," she laughed. "I signed up for it yes, but a dilemma with Stefan kept me from actually participating on pageant day."
"That's too bad," he commented. "I'm sure you could have given Ms. Forbes a run for her money being that you were Mystic Falls first Miss Mystic."
"Damn straight," she responded with a firm nod.
He unfolded the paper in his hand, "So, you still are hoping for world peace?"
She gave him a questioning look, "What is that?"
He shrugged simply, "Just your Miss Mystic application."
Her eyes widened as she went to grab for it, but he quickly kept it out of reach and continued to scan it. "Honestly, this sounds nothing like you."
"Because I was intentionally putting a bunch of BS into it," she defended as she made a grab for it again. When again she was unsuccessful, she continued. "Caroline talked me into insisting that they needed more founding family members, so I relented and did it just to shut her up."
"I promise," he kept on reading, "to be a good leader and role model for other Miss Mystic Falls to come."
"See, like I said BS. The judges eat that stuff up. I know how to work it." She finally was able to snatch it form him and quickly tore it into pieces and let it drift off into the wind. She glared playfully over at him before cracking a smile and finally laughing.
He joined in and poured her another glass of wine.
She gladly accepted the freshly poured glass and he watched as she brought it up to her lips. "I have to admit though. I did like the attention back when I participated when I was human. It was nice feel wanted for once."
He nodded his head and took a sip of his own wine. He cleared his throat, "I never answered your question— if I ever thought about being human."
"You don't have to share it," she said gently which caused him to smile.
"Yes, I do." He cleared his throat again before continuing, "Once, I was on a trek in the Andes, and a hummingbird flew up to me. It just hovered there staring at me while its tiny heart was pattering like a machine gun." He smiled faintly. "And I thought, what a thing, you know, to have to work that hard every day just to stay alive, to be constantly on the verge of death and how satisfying every day must be that it survived."
"Okay, wow, must everything that comes out of your mouth be perfect?" She groaned as she placed her glass on the other side of her. "God, you make me sick."
He chuckled, "I have another time which occurred shortly after that one." She motioned for him to continue. "The real honest moment that I really wished that I could be human was the day that found you, sitting on that log." Her eyes got misty as she sat there listening to him. "You looked magnificent and then you spoke to me about wanting to live. You wanted more out of life and I wanted to give you that, but not just by making you immortal. I wanted to be the one that you would marry, the one that would father your children, and the one that you would grow old with…I never wanted any of that till I found you."
"Why can't we have that now," she asked her voice cracking slightly. "With this cure, we could have that."
"I would give anything to have that life with you, Claire, but I can't. Not when I know that my enemies will jump at the chance to kill me the very moment that I turn human." Her change of expression showed him that she hadn't thought of that. "I can't chance that especially not when I could possibly lose you too."
She nodded and sniffed, "I understand."
He reached for her hand, "That doesn't mean that we can't still have forever instead."
"I could live with that," she whispered with a small smile.
"You could," he asked gently.
She released his hand just long enough to empty the spot between them of the wine bottle and his wine glass before she scooted over, retaking his hand and reaching up to place her other hand against his cheek. "You are the man that I fell in love with, Nik. I just lost sight of you after the Rebekah incident."
He nodded in understanding, "I have trust issues, Claire, and you are very aware of that. I know you think what I did was cruel, but it had to be done."
"Where is she," she asked and he seemed hesitant. "I'm not going to go un-dagger her. I just want to know where."
"I had my hybrids move her to the tunnels that Stefan and you used to get to the Grill."
She nodded, "Thank you. I still strongly believe that you need her, but I won't push it until you're ready to admit it to yourself or if I feel like it's the last resort, okay?"
"Sounds reasonable," he replied and nestled his cheek against her palm. He licked his lips as he stared deeply into her eyes desperately wanting to kiss her. It had felt like it had been nearly a century since he had last done so.
He was relieved when she finally closed the distance and pressed her lips against his firmly.
