Chapter 18
While Bella was reading an old journal that one of her contact had procured for her (it used to belong to a long line of witches very involved in the supernatural world and was very long, written in a very small handwriting), Klaus was waiting for his brothers to wake up, hoping they woke up at the same time so that he didn't have to defend himself 3 times in a row.
On the other hand, it would be easier to deal with them one by one rather than all together if they decided to react violently.
Tired of sitting down, Klaus stood and went to look out the window, looking out for Rebekah's return and the doctor's arrival while he listened to Bella's heartbeat and, something he loved to do now, listenend the the baby's heart. He had never cared to listen to a fetus' heart beating before so he didn't know if this strange sound was normal but he loved to hear it, it was a life he had helped create, his child with the woman he loved.
He didn't know how long he stood there, lost in his thoughts, but at some point, he turned around to find all 3 of his brothers standing behind him, looking confusedly at the dagger in their hands. Apparently, they had just risen and were trying to figure out what their first move would be.
"Ah, you're awake. You'll be happy to learn that Father is dead but unhappy to learn that someone is trying to resurrect our mother who wants to kill us all. They have her coffin and her necklace so far. Finn, Rebekah is looking for Sage and should bring her back sometimes today or tomorrow at the latest. I have blood ready for you right here, on the table. Help yourselves. I have something important to tell you when you're done." Klaus told them.
While they drank Klaus told them the date it was and explained what they had missed, especially about Bella and the incredible fact that she was pregnant with his child.
Surprisingly enough, Finn, Elijah and Kol remained calm and listened to him.
"Wow, Bella was right, leaving the daggers in your hands has calmed you a lot." Klaus said when he was done talking and realized they were still listening to him and that they hadn't tried to kill him yet.
"So, are you and Bella together now?" Elijah asked him.
"Yes, we are. But we're not moving in together just yet, she wants for us to take our time and I agree. We both want this to last, so we can't rush things." Klaus nodded with a wide smile on his face that showed how truly happy Bella made him.
"You love her ?" Kol asked his brother before Elijah could and the tone wasn't mocking, just surprised and curious.
"I... I do, and even though I haven't told her the words yet, I know that she knows." Klaus replied.
"You care about her…" Finn whispered.
"I do. So does Rebekah. It's hard not to love her or care about her when you get to know her, you'll see. I'm confident you'll all love her too." Klaus nodded.
"Well, you do seem calmer, I guess I need to get to know her better…" Elijah said, remembering the young woman who had been visiting Klaus the day he had been daggered.
Elijah remembered thinking that she was pretty and intriguing. Courageous as well. He had been curious about her then and was just as curious about her now, maybe even more.
"I don't think she's mad at you anymore for killing her friend Slater but if I were you, I'd make sure the subject didn't come up when she'll get her hormones crisis or whatever they're called. I hear normal women can get really crazy in those moments and I get the feeling that she'll be worst than any normal woman. Don't tell her I said that." Klaus smirked back at his brother as he lead them to the living room were Bella was so concentrated on the journal she was reading that she didn't hear him come in at first.
"Bella, Love?" Klaus asked to call for her attention as they entered the room.
"Hey Klaus, the third woman who wrote in this family journal had a very dirty mind… She was in love with your brother Kol and keeps on describing all the things she'd like to do with him sexually and how he just ignored her and went for her friend because she was a more powerful witch. She even spied on them during the action and compares it to what she imagined they would do if they ever got together… This is disgusting!" Bella said before she looked up and saw that the last Mickealson's were awake.
"Well, what can I say? I'm irresistible like that!" Kol replied with a comic curtsy before he introduced himself and charmingly kissed her hand.
"You should hang out with Damon Salvatore, I'm sure the two for you would have lots of fun together. I have a feeling that you'd get along pretty well." Bella rolled her eyes.
"I'm Finn, I hear that you're the one to thank for our awakening and for Rebekah trying to locate Sage and bringing her back to me… Thank you."
"You're welcome. And it shouldn't be long. She texted me an hour ago saying that they've found her. I'm guessing one hour to convince her to trust them and to follow them and they'll be back sometimes tonight. Earlier if the road is clear, they're not too far from here." Bella smiled.
"Thank you." Finn added with a short nod.
"Bella, I hope you can find it in you to forget our little misunderstanding?" Elijah asked her politely, with an hopeful smile on his face.
"Forget about it? No way. I don't forget anything, ever. I can, however, find it in me to forgive you for it. And it was more than a misunderstanding Elijah. You murdered Slater simply because he had informations about your family. Information he was collecting to satisfy his own curiosity, by the way. He was never planning on doing anything with it. Wearing a clean suit might make you look good Elijah, but it doesn't change what you've done. Cleaning yourself up doesn't clean your soul. Only you working on you can do that." Bella snapped at the Original, leaving him thoughtful.
"I like her Nik. She's bold. But hum, Bella, tell me: Elijah isn't the only one you think looks good, right?" Kol asked her with a smile, making Bella shake her head with a chuckle.
"And very perceptive…" Finn said in a very slow voice, not appearing to be speaking to anyone in particular.
They all turned to look at him, an interrogative look on their faces but Finn didn't elaborate and ignored their looks, pretending he wasn't noticing them as he straightened his jacket.
"Klaus, why don't you and Elijah take Finn and Kol upstairs, show them to the showers and to some new clothes… They've been wearing this forever and I bet they're just waiting to get out of them. Just remember that if someone rings the doorbell, you have to answer it in case it's Carlisle." Bella suggested.
Klaus nodded and kissed Bella on the lips before he spoke and guided his brothers.
"You're right. Come, I'll use this occasion to show you to your rooms. Elijah, you'll bring Finn up to date. I'll help Kol." Klaus decided, showing his brothers upstairs while Bella went back to her reading, ignoring Kol's joking comment that he'd like it better if Bella was the one to help him get dressed up to date.
Klaus heard it however because he slapped his brother on the back of the head, making him cry out, not in pain but in surprise. There was no anger in their tone however and this was good. It was a pretty normal banter between brothers.
A couple of hours later, the four brothers were once again in the living room with Bella, getting to know her and finding out as much as they could about her. Bella had made some tea and coffee for everyone. Klaus had taken a seat right next to her and he had an arm around her shoulders, claiming her silently to his brothers.
"And this baby, do you know what it is yet?" Kol asked her.
"No, not yet. We don't even know for sure if there are one or more babies. I guess we'll know more if Carlisle Cullen decides to come. Otherwise, we'll have to find someone else, compel a random doctor to keep the secret and not be phased by anything out of the ordinary." Bella replied.
"Speaking of which, there's a car coming up the driveway. It might be them." Klaus declared and he stood up to open the door.
"It's Rebekah and Sage. He's in the living room." Klaus said the first phrase to his family, the second, he addressed to Sage who flashed by him in super speed.
Suddenly, Sage and Finn were hugging and kissing while Rebekah jumped in her other brothers' arms to greet them both.
Bella noticed that Rebekah had hesitated a second before hugging Kol, and she knew that she was afraid of his anger. They both needed to talk about the last time Kol was daggered, when Rebekah betrayed his trust, she had even offered her help to her new friend and she knew that they'd do it later, there was no rush.
After that, Sage was introduced to Bella, of whom Rebekah had spoken on the way to Mystic Falls. Sage had heard a few things about Bella over the last few years, rumors mostly, but on the drive home, Damon and Rebekah had told her everything there was to know about the young pregnant woman that had changed Klaus so much and Sage was now eager to meet her and to get to know her better.
The reunions lasted a while and when everyone sat back down, Klaus stood up once more, his head turned towards the window and a frown on his face.
"What is it?" Bella asked him, a hand coming to her still flat stomach.
"Someone's coming. I think it's Cullen. Stay here. Protect her." Klaus decided, speaking the last demand to his brothers who nodded and went to stand in front of Bella, ready to defend her in case the Cold Ones came in full force, ready to take her away or kill her, while Rebekah and Sage each stood on one of Bella's sides.
.
Klaus opened the door before the visitors could ring the doorbell or knock.
"Hello, are you Klaus Mickealson?" The tall bond Cold One asked.
He sounded a bit nervous and the woman accompanying him was still sitting in the car, probably ready to make a run for it if something bad happened.
"I am. Who are you?" Klaus replied in a neutral voice.
"My name is Carlisle Cullen. Aro told me that you required my services as a doctor…" Carlisle introduced himself, trying to sound calm and confident in front of this man whose entire body breathed power and confidence.
"Are you alone?" Klaus asked, not letting the doctor continue.
Klaus knew that he was making Carlisle nervous and it was intentional. He wanted the man to be afraid, to know that he was in danger and that he could be killed if he misbehaved.
"My wife, Esme came with me. She's in the car and if she's not welcome, she's ready to leave and go back home on her own." Carlisle replied.
"I can see her. Did anyone else come with you?" Klaus asked again.
"No, nobody else. Aro said that it was important that I came without my family." Carlisle shook his head.
"I need your services for something very important, someone that my family and I love and want to protect. You'll be watched. If anyone from your family comes here without our consent, they'll be killed and so will you. If you tell your family the identity of the person you're here to help without our consent, you'll be killed, so will anyone you speak to." Klaus warned the doctor.
"I understand. I might be a Cold One, but I'm a doctor before everything and I do respect my vows." Carlisle nodded.
Klaus stepped back, turned his head inside and said:
"He came alone with his wife. Do you still want him to help?" Bella silently nodded before Elijah went back to stand in front of her.
"You and your wife can come in, we'll tell you what we need from you once you're inside. If you agree, I'll have a witch come later tonight to make you both the promised sun rings." Klaus told them as he stepped aside, letting them in his house.
.
Bella was nervous. She knew that her scent had changed a bit over the years, the La Push wolves had told her that much. She also knew that with the Originals surrounding her, Carlisle and Esme couldn't see her yet.
She had Rebekah on her left, Sage on her right. Elijah had been the first to move after Klaus's demand and had positioned himself right in front of Bella while Kol went to stand on his left, in front of Rebekah and Finn stood on his right, in front of his love.
"These are my brothers, Kol, Elijah and Finn. Behind them is my sister Rebekah and Finn's love Sage.
"Am I here for them? I don't know much about your kind, especially since the rumors say that you're the very first of it but I'm always willing to learn and help whichever way I can…" Carlisle shook his head.
"No, you're not here for them, You're..." Klaus shook his head.
"You're here for me." Bella declared, interrupting Klaus and stepping around Elijah to show herself the the ones she, once upon a time, believed would be her parental figures.
Review please?
Thank you so much for the love you're showing me and this story. It's definitely going to be longer than the first version, not only in the length of the chapters but also in number of chapters (42)
Lorelei Candice Black