No full spanking in this chapter. Mild Rebekah/Henrik (F/m)
Klaus couldn't think of another way for Marcel to deal with the Crescent wolves except going down there in person. He didn't want him to go and he certainly didn't want him to go alone. Elijah volunteered to go. Davina had begged to start school in Mystic Falls and Rebekah wanted to stay with her to make that happen. Of course, Marcel said he didn't want need a babysitter, but Klaus knew that the strained relationship between Elijah and Marcel was his fault. He thought some time away together would be good for them. Marcel was going to need the help of some witches to subdue the wolves and Elijah could provide some security for that, should things go sideways. As they always tended to do with the factions of supernaturals at each other's throats.
Klaus had been rebuffing Freya's attempts to get him to visit Mikael with her. Mikael did often come to the house for dinner and sometimes lunch. The oddest thing was that they all hit it off. Klaus often caught himself forgetting the past at times and that scared him a little. He didn't want to let his guard down.
Klaus was downstairs in the kitchen talking to the head of their gardening crew about something when Henrik walked in. Freya had put the boys in regular clothes, but their hair was growing in wild and they both slightly resembled the Viking children they had once been.
"Henrik, we will have to get you a haircut soon," Klaus said slowly, indicating his hair.
"Why?" Henrik said confused. Klaus knew he was very bright as he was picking up English very fast and some other modern habits that Klaus wasn't so crazy about, like watching tv.
"Because that is what boys do in this time. Give me a minute and we can go visit Father together," Klaus finished his conversation with the gardener. He realized Henrik had started without him.
"Henrik, I asked you to wait for me," Klaus said vamping up to him.
"But I did not want to wait for you," Henrik said confused.
"Brother, when someone asks you to do something, it is polite to try to...never mind. How are you feeling today?" Klaus inquired, giving up on the social lesson.
"I feel ready to hunt and kill our enemies," Henrik replied automatically. Freya wanted Henrik to try to go to school, but Klaus didn't think he was ready.
"Ah, that is good. How do you like your new room?" Klaus asked.
"It is very large. Brother, why can we not sleep in our hut together? With only Finn, it is lonely," Henrik said slowly. They had found the boys huddled together on the floor in a makeshift bed every night. They couldn't seem to get comfortable in the beds.
"In the modern times, that is not how families sleep here. Henrik, two more of my sons are coming home today. They can help teach you the ways of how we live now," Klaus encouraged.
Henrik did not reply as they approached Mikael. He was sitting on the back porch reaching for a manilla file folder.
"Henrik, Niklaus, what a surprise," Mikael said seeming happy to see them. He reached out to pat Henrik on the shoulder. Henrik went inside to see a new bow Mikael made him.
"He seems comfortable here. He's excited about the bow," Klaus said lightly.
"I know. I suppose this is all I really had in common with him was teaching him how to hunt," Mikael said. They both thought of how impatient and cruel Mikael had always been with Niklaus when he was learning to hunt. In truth, he had barely been any better with his other sons.
"How's it going out here?" Klaus asked sitting down.
"Good. Really good. I wish I could stay longer. I'm glad you are here. The Strix sent me this file. They are recalling me to Cern for a few months. I knew this was the plan, but I'm not sure how I will tell Freya and the boys," Mikael said sadly.
"Tristan, hmm? It may be good if you are there to keep a pulse on what they are up to. You know, you are welcome to come back here anytime. We'll keep this house available for you or..." Klaus started.
"Niklaus, you don't have to do this," Mikael said.
"No, it's okay. You put aside me killing your wife, my mother, I can start to try to put some of the past aside. You could move into the big house. I mean that," Klaus said, surprising himself.
"Niklaus, these weeks have meant more to me than any of you will ever know. I know the Strix are driven by their lust for power and desire for our Original strength, but I will always be grateful to them for bringing up back together. Maybe you all can visit me in Europe next time?" Mikael offered.
"I know that Rebekah and Freya would jump at that offer. When are you leaving?" Klaus said.
"Today. The car is on the way to pick me up. I'm going to tell Freya and the others. It will be hard to leave all of you, but they said they may only need me for a few months. I'll find out what they are up to, or I'll destroy them trying. I know that they cannot kill any of us without destroying our sire lines. For now, they need us. I'll find out what I can. You have my word on that," Mikael said.
"Thank you, Father," Klaus smiled. "I'll see you off before you go. I have to admit that if anyone told me that we would be here talking a year ago, I would have never believed them. Tonight then."
"Sounds good. I'll walk Henrik back. I'm not sure what to tell him," Mikael said with pain in his eyes.
"Just tell him the truth. I think that this family has had enough of lies and deceit," Klaus said walking away.
By the end of the night, Elijah and Marcel were in New Orleans, Mikael was back with the Strix, and Matt and Jeremy were home.
"Matt, Jeremy, this here is our youngest brother, Henrik. He is just learning English, so please don't teach him any swearwords," Klaus smiled, looking at Tyler. Henrik hung back hanging on Freya.
"It wasn't me, I swear! He heard it on tv." Tyler said holding his hands up laughing.
"I know. I'm just kidding, son. And you may remember Finn, though he is now human now," Klaus continued.
They said hi. Finn seemed shy, not like the frightening man they went hunting with months before. He didn't seem to remember that at all.
"And over here is Miss Davina Clair, from New Orleans. She will be starting Mystic Fall High School with you next week. Be nice to her or she will turn you into a frog," Klaus said putting his arm around Rebekah. She already missed Marcel, but was willing to part with him to see Davina start to have a more normal life.
"Thank you. If I turn anyone into a frog, it will be you, Klaus! Just kidding. Hi guys," Davina smiled shyly.
"Jeremy, Davina here is always something of an artist. Just wait until you see the new studio we put in on the 3rd floor. Oh, and the game room is now up there. You will love it," Klaus gushed.
"Who moved the game room, Nik? Aye, that would be Kol Mikaelson singlehandedly. It only took me all night," Kol reminded everyone.
"Hey, Uncle Kol, ping pong later? Maybe some darts?" Matt asked.
"You're on. Loser does dishes for a week. Guess what lads? We still have no maid so get ready to work your fingers to the bone. Elijah left us a long list of stuff to do. A long list," Kol groaned.
"Can I join? I used to be pretty good at ping pong? I never played darts before, though," Davina added.
"Sure, if Mother Dearest here allows you. I know she likes you to go to bed at 9 pm," Kol scoffed as Rebekah tried to kick him.
"She was feeling peaked. Not everyone needs to stay up all bl-, night, you know," Rebekah was trying to clean up her language, but it was a struggle.
"I feel fine, really," Davina sighed.
"Okay, carry on, then," Rebekah offered.
Klaus asked Jeremy and Matt how the wedding was. Matt was suspicious that Jenna was pregnant because he heard her throwing up, but Jeremy claimed she was just hung over.
"Okay, guys, if you are heading up to the game room. Go now, bed is 11 pm. Next week, it is 10 pm, with school. Remember, we talked about that?" Klaus cautioned.
Kol quipped, "Yes, Dad."
"Kol, I swear, anymore lip and you are going to be doing all the laundry this week and then fold everything!" Klaus said grabbing him around the shoulders.
"No, Nik. I'm sorry. Anything, but that," Kol joked playfully as he headed upstairs.
Freya came up from the basement calling Henrik.
"Rebekah, Klaus, did you see him?" she asked looking around.
"He was just here a second ago," Rebekah said.
Klaus used his hybrid senses and tracked him outside.
"What the bloody hell? I didn't even see him go outside," Klaus admitted.
Freya ran out with Klaus as Rebekah double checked upstairs.
Henrik seemed to have disappeared.
Henrik felt like he was in a nightmare. He had followed Niklaus out of the cave the night they hid from the wolves. He wanted to see them, too. He couldn't sleep in the cave. It was chilly and the howls were loud. One had waken him up.
"Nik!" he had called, but his brother hadn't heard him.
He ran to catch up to him. Henrik had a sharpened stick in case they needed to defend themselves.
"Nik, wait for me," Henrik yelled.
He saw his brother leave the cave and go out into the woods.
He heard a howl and then they were on him. He was screaming.
Klaus vamped past the guest house and through the woods. He could pick up Henrik's scent, but it was faint. The wind was blowing and that made it harder to track. Focus! He told himself. He used his supernatural vision to see if he could see any footprints, any disturbances, nothing. Listen.
There! He heard Henrik call him.
"I'm coming, brother!" Klaus vamped to the sound.
"Henrik, no!"
Klaus barely got to Henrik in time. He found the boy in the middle of the road and just barely saved him from getting run over by a truck.
"Henrik!" Klaus screamed. Henrik seemed like he was in a fog.
"Come on, it's okay. Let's get you home. It's cold out here," Klaus said trying to pick him up.
Henrik began to scream and in the Old Tongue yell, "They are eating me. Save me, Nik. Mother! Mother! Please, no. I am dying. Help!"
Klaus held him and said, "No, Henrik. That's over. You are okay now."
Henrik found and screamed.
"Get it out. I'm so sorry, brother. It was my fault. You followed me. I tried to take you to Mother to save, but you were already gone. Forgive me," Klaus cried. Rebekah vamped over and watched them.
"Nik, is he okay?" she whispered.
Klaus wiped at his own face, "I think he's re-living it."
Rebekah now grabbed him, "Henrik, it's Bex. You are okay. Stop, you are going to hurt yourself. Snap out of it." Henrik didn't seem to be hearing her. She popped him on the backside hard-twice.
Henrik seemed to come to.
"Bex, where am I? It's cold," he said as she picked him up and they vamped home.
Freya was waiting in the back for them. Kol was there with her.
"See, he's fine," he said softly.
Rebekah took Henrik in and put him on the couch.
"He had some sort of episode. I found him on the road. He almost got hit by a truck," Klaus shared.
"What?" Freya exclaimed.
"He's okay now. I feel like he was reliving the night he died," Klaus shared.
"I had to smack him to get him to snap out of it. Kol, can you get him some water please," Rebekah said. Kol went to get the water.
"You hit him?" Freya asked alarmed.
"Sister, he was hysterical and trapped in the memory of his death. Rebekah got him out of it," Klaus shared.
"I'm sorry, Rebekah. I'm not saying you did anything wrong. It just brings back that night that we almost lost him," Freya admitted.
Kol brought the water and they helped Henrik sit up.
"Here, mate, drink this," Kol said offering the glass.
Henrik knocked the water out of his hand and said, "Coke!"
Freya was shocked, "Henrik, you can't have coke now. It's late."
Henrik started throwing a fit. He tore the pillows from the couch and flipped over the coffee table. The Originals and Freya looked at each other for a moment in shock. It was Kol who caught him gently when he tried to go for the lamp and table.
"Hey, Hen. It's okay. You're here with us now. We're going to stay with you," Finn said holding him as he struggled on the couch.
Klaus sat beside Finn. Rebekah went to check in on the other kids. She thought it good that Kol was handling the situation. She might have been tempted to give Henrik another whack. It's what she felt like their mother would have done, but of course, she was no longer around.
Freya thought she could brew some type of calming tea, like the kind she used to use on Tyler.
Henrik was yelling, "I want to go home. Mother! Father! I don't like it here."
"He might just have to wear himself out," Klaus said to Kol.
"Well, I can attest that he's strong," Kol smiled, dodging a punch to the face.
"Want me to take him?," Klaus asked.
"Nah, I got him. I guess this is my punishment for all the spells I used to practice on him," Kol proffered.
"Or all the spell that went bad that you tried to blame on him when he was two," Klaus smirked.
"No one ever fell for that," Kol admitted.
"But you kept trying anyway," Klaus continued.
"I did, indeed. I think he's finally tiring out," Kol commented.
Freya came back with the tea.
"Okay, mate. Drink this tea or we'll get Bex back down here to give you another hiding," Kol said holding Henrik's arm's down as Freya offered him the straw. She had put ice in it to cool it.
"There you go, good boy," Freya said as Henrik slipped the tea.
"Let's get him upstairs, maybe he will actually sleep in his bed tonight," Klaus said.
"What the hell is going on down there?" Tyler asked looking over the bannister as they were coming out of the game room.
"Tyler, watch it. Henrik is having a little episode. He's okay, but we found him over by the road. If you guys hear anything odd tonight, get one of us please," Rebekah asked.
"Yeah, of course," Matt replied. "Let us know if we can help."
"It's good to have you guys back," Rebekah said hugging Matt and kissing Jermey on the cheek.
"It's good to be back. I mean, if nothing odd didn't happen, we wouldn't be home," Matt remarked.
"That is true," Jeremy laughed.
Klaus put an exhausted Henrik in the bed. They pushed Finn's single bed up to it to make a double bed and pushed that to the wall, hoping they wouldn't end up on the floor.
"Is he okay," Finn asked seeing Klaus put Henrik to bed.
"He had a rough night, mate," Kol said to Finn.
"Are you going to be okay sleeping here like this?" Klaus asked Finn. He nodded.
"Want me to stay, Finn?" Kol asked.
"Yes, please," Finn said slowly.
"No worries," Kol said. He was thinking it was odd because Finn was his older brother, but was now younger, but could someday be older than Kol...since he was human.
Klaus patted Kol's arm and said, "Thank you, brother." Klaus kissed Henrik goodnight and ruffled Finn's hair. Kol knew he was anxious to check on his sons before they went to bed, or pretended to.
-***
Rebekah dragged Freya up to the 3rd floor. She, Davina, and Freya had a sleepover in suite. The bed was huge and they watched movies and stayed up late. Rebekah knew that Freya was missing Mikael. Freya knew that Rebekah missed Marcel. They fell asleep with the tv on and popcorn all over the bed.
"So Mr. Saltzman is now your Uncle, Jer?" Tyler said trying to think it all through.
"Yeah, it's weird. He's a cool guy, but strict as hell," Jeremy shared.
"Oh, you don't have to tell me," Tyler replied thinking of the time he got into the fight and took off from history class.
"He let my ass off the hook," Matt confessed.
"Yeah, you dick. I got pounded, but Matt sweet talked himself out of trouble. 'I am going to be a police officer, sir'," Jeremy mimicked.
"Dude, you tried to kill Damon with Alaric's crossbow. You deserved that beat down you got," Matt laughed.
"Hello, I blame the Hunter's Mark. Well, mostly. Anyway, what did we miss here, Ty? Spill. I know you got your ass torn up at least once," Jeremy pressed.
"Well, so yesterday I was lifting downstairs and got totally busted by Uncle Elijah. Totally," Tyler flushed as his backside was still a tad tender.
"Who'd you get it from? Dad? Elijah?" Matt grilled him.
"Both. Not freaking kidding, they both whupped me one after the one. Not to change the subject, but what do you think of Davina," Tyler laughed.
"Hot," Jeremy answered.
"Smokin', but totally out of our league," Matt added.
"Why? I don't know. Car still isn't talking to me. I wouldn't mind hitting that," Tyler confessed.
"Dude, you are going to get killed. Didn't you see her and Kol checking each other out?" Jeremy laughed.
Tyler was shocked, "No, he's literally 900 years older than her."
Matt shook his head, "Nope. He's like 17 or 18 in vampire years. I heard them talking that some of them never really mature, so I don't know, man. I say, forget it."
Tyler disagreed, "I don't think it works that way, man. But whatever. School starts next week. There will be plenty of fish in that sea."
There was a light tap and the door opened.
"Boys, still up, I see," Klaus said.
"Getting ready for bed, Dad," Tyler added.
"I know tonight was a bit hectic, but I want you in the beds by 11 pm tomorrow. Do you understand? You are never going to be able to get up for school next week. And this room... Anyway, I'm not here to lecture you. I'm happy you are all home. Finally," Klaus said kissing them all goodnight.
"Is Henrik okay?" Matt asked.
"Honestly, Matt. I don't know. For him, it's like the last 900 years never happened. As you can tell, Finn is quite different, too. I would appreciate you all helping them adjust. Tyler's quite had his hands full, truth be told," Klaus shared.
"It's been different," Tyler agreed.