After checking up on Matt to make sure he was okay, I then carried on with my life. I ate with my parents at the dinner table each night, I went to school, sent texts to Rebekah to keep her up to date on everything that was happening and that was pretty much it. Occasionally I would notice a hybrid following me around, but it wasn't too hard to lose them. Klaus was yet to show his face to me, and I wasn't sure if it was cowardice or anger that kept him away. Maybe a little of both. At least he knew better than to go after my parents.
Still, I couldn't help but finding myself missing him. I'd sit in my room drawing something, then I'd just sink into my own thoughts wondering what kind of things we'd be talking about right now. It's crazy how I'd suddenly come to think of him as a friend, but I guess I'd jumped the gun on that one. He liked me as a person, I knew that much and he enjoyed my company, but he didn't trust me, and you can't have a friendship without trust. Otherwise what's the point? Anyway, there's that winter wonderland party coming up and I'm being made to contribute by my parents, so I'll most likely end up running into him there.
Maybe I should try make peace with him. I'd hated the way he'd talked to Rebekah before, that was a real dick move, but now without her here I really did feel the loneliness more acutely than ever before. I wanted to make peace. I didn't like the effort it took to actively avoid his minions, though they'd become less of a frequent sighting recently, and aside from the bristly exterior and all that complicated mass of twisted emotions and such, Klaus wasn't a totally bad guy. If you knew how to manage him, or at least not piss him off too badly, then he was a good friend. He'd shown that by how he'd stayed by my side for so long after I'd slipped into a coma.
It was like back then had been a fairy tale, how soft and open he'd been with me talking late into the night, painting and reading at length just to fill my otherwise silent and dark world. I remember the gentle touches, fingers sliding through my hair or holding my hand whilst sitting beside me, and it was those moments that made me believe that there was part of him that was still good, untainted. I wanted to believe it, and I found myself also hoping that maybe one day, he'd give himself over to that better part of him.
Anyway, the both of us were stubborn so it's unlikely he'll be the one to reach out with an olive branch anytime soon, in fact I'm pretty sure that unless I did something to either placate or soften him, he'd drive himself into despising me and I didn't want that, so maybe I'll be the bigger person this time. I decided a gift would be a good start. It is Christmas after all, 'tis the season and all that, so it's the perfect time of year to be reaching out to people. My parents always brought me to the town winter party and there was a charity event going on as well, which was where they'd encouraged me to participate.
The mayor had decided to set me up with my own charity collection after securing my agreement, where I would draw portraits for anyone who made a donation. She'd arranged for the easel and plenty of high quality drawing paper and I brought all my own pencils from graphite to charcoal, and everything else I'd need. Wearing smooth dark blue jeans, a bright red jumper and a wool hat I sat outside and almost immediately I had kids coming up to me wanting their pictures drawn. I had to move quickly, sketching their little faces whilst smiling and they grinned back at me, holding still for as long as possible until I told them that they could move.
Smiling for too long was a struggle and they immediately starting massaging their jaws before they crowded around me to watch their faces come to life on the page, their parents also watching after having put the donation in the collection bucket. They complimented me for my talent and I thanked them as I worked, overall taking about twenty minutes before it was done. It wasn't as detailed as my usual work, but it was life like and I'd added a few background images such as the fountain to add some depth before tearing the page carefully from the pad, my signature boldly sitting in the corner. "Merry Christmas." I said to them, waving them off before my next lot started queuing up.
In the end I had so many people who wanted their portraits done that we had to make a list, my mom coming over to help. "Isn't this great? You're getting so much business." Mom said to me as she wrote down the next person's name and gave them a time slot. I had a whole day of this and my hand was already aching. Pausing a moment I flexed my fingers, stretching them out before continuing.
"I'm not sure I'm gonna finish everyone by today mom."
"That's okay, we can take pictures on my phone and you can work through them in your own time then. We'll get names and addresses and send them off if you like, or we'll figure something else out." She said rather smartly, so I shrugged and reasoned it was a good idea. Every now and again I would glance up and around, looking for people to see if I knew them, and inwardly hoping to see one person in particular. "Who are you looking for sweetheart?"
"Just a friend."
"Is it the friend you bought that present for?"
"Mom! You snooped?" She grinned at me, brown eyes twinkling at me as she shrugged, telling me that she just so happened to see me pick up the gift wrapped in a little ribbon with a sprig of holly. "It's nothing, mom. It's more a peace offering than anything. We argued and he got mad but he deserved it."
"Well, I'm proud you're making the effort to try and fix things. It just goes to show how wonderful you are. It wasn't Matt you had a fight with was it?" Telling her no, my mom teased me for being so soft hearted despite trying to hide it, she then wrapped her arms around me and kissed my face as I continued to draw, making me smile secretly as she then took to just watching me, my models still sitting neatly in the chair that had been provided. "I'm going to go buy some raffle tickets. Shall I put you down for any?"
"Sure, why not? I have ten dollars here, there were a couple things I had my eye on when I saw the goodies. The chocolate hamper, mostly. Or Ms Jennings gingerbread house. Now that would be a real winner." I grinned, pulling my pencil back from the paper and place a kiss on my mom's cheek. "Love you mom." Fishing around in my pocket I handed her the ten dollars out of my purse then stuffed it back before resuming my drawing.
"Love you too sweetheart. Keep an eye out for your dad for me, he should be here soon." Humming in acknowledgement, I remained focused on my portrait, smudging at some of the edges to make the lines softer before changing for a heavier grade pencil. I talked to my models intermittently so they wouldn't get too bored, then let them go once I was almost done and just like everyone else, they came around to stand behind me and watched me finish until I signed the paper and handed it over, their faces bright and gushing with thanks.
Already having my next family standing ready, I took a moment to grab a drink of water then carried on. Most of my day was spent in the same routine. Draw, draw more, then carry on drawing. My dad came around after midday in order to bring me food which I desperately needed, practically wolfing down the sandwich he'd grabbed from the Grill. Mom came back then, all smiles and slightly flushed in the cheeks so I quirked an eyebrow at her questioningly. "I've just been talking to that charming Mikaelson boy of yours, Niklaus." Oh god, never a good way to start a sentence. "He's contributed the most exquisite painting for the charity raffle and we had a lovely long chat."
"Isn't he a friend of yours Lia?" Dad asked me, so I grunted noncommittally, pretending to be focused on the drawing I was currently orchestrating. My parents stayed for a little while, chatting away before they decided they wanted to look around, though they asked me if I would be alright on my own first.
"Sure, you guys go have fun. I'll be here." Still drawing, I finished up this one then took a moment to let my hand rest. I'd lost count how many portraits I'd done today, and I still had dozens left to do. I don't think I'll be able to get all of these done before dark, especially when sometimes the kids didn't want to sit still long enough so I'd let them go after taking a picture and just work from that, adding it to an ever growing pile so that people could go around the festivities.
"You're doing a wonderful job here Ophelia." Carol Lockwood informed me as she came on over, a glass of champagne in her hand as she stood a little back from my shoulder to view the family of four kids and their parents I was drawing. "I wanted to come over and personally thank you for this, I know it's a lot to ask, especially for a charity event…"
"It's okay, I don't mind it. It's all for a good cause right?" I reasoned with a shrug, giving her a quick smile. "Besides, what's the point in having a talent if you're not gonna use it? Would you like a portrait too?"
"Oh, that would be lovely. Let me try and find Tyler, I'd like for him to be in it a well." She started, beginning to look around but I assured her that I knew Tyler well enough that I could draw him from memory, so I invited her to sit down before then taking her picture as she smiled, neatly tucking her legs underneath her chair whilst sitting upright, glass still in her hand. "I'll be sure to make my contribution later, don't forget to remind me Lia." Promising her I would, I then carried on with the drawing. "Tyler tells me that you are…aware…of our town's special sort of residents and that you are in fact one of them…"
"Not exactly. I'm not a vampire, if that's what you're asking." I came out with it bluntly, making Carol blink before she quickly recovered, clearing her throat and taking a nervous sip of her champagne. "I'm not someone you need to worry about, Mayor Lockwood. I keep to myself mostly, and maybe I'll step in and fix something if I feel like it, but for the most part I don't. Things tend to have a way of solving themselves on their own, so I feel no need to meddle."
"Tyler said that you were something of a very old race of people, druids? Do I have that right?"
"Yes ma'am." I affirmed, still drawing but keeping our voices low so that no one else could overhear us. "My parents don't know, so please don't tell them, or anyone else for that matter. Like I said, I prefer to keep to myself."
"Of course, your secret's safe with me. It's just…sometimes it's overwhelming, facing these powerful people who could kill you in a heartbeat and do all these kinds of things. I never knew until recently that you were one of them." Unable to help it, I cracked a rather broad grin at her which bordered on dangerous.
"And I'm one of the most powerful there are." She paled visibly. "Don't worry, I'm a people person, and I have a policy about no killing. This town is probably safer with me in it, so you won't find any trouble from me." Nodding her head, Carol took a moment to process the information before she took a deep breath then smiled, putting her 'Mayor' mask back on in order to continue her rounds, thanking me once more and even gave my shoulder a squeeze. I watched her go for a moment, wondering just who exactly knew about me, seeing as the others hadn't thought to ask me about spreading my secret around before blabbing to everyone involved with the supernatural.
It hardly matters. They're sensible enough to only share the information with people already clued in, so it shouldn't be too much of a problem, just a nuisance. Pushing that thought aside, I continued drawing until it was too dark to continue, whereby I packed up and made sure the completed portraits were handed out to the people who'd paid for them, walking around with the stack of paper in my arm to find everyone.
Thankfully most people stuck to the town square, dusk beginning to settle in and the lights switching on in order to add to the magic of the winter wonderland that surrounded us. Looking down, I was checking the details for the next client to seek them out before I then looked up and my eyes immediately locked with Klaus, making me come to a sudden stop. "Nik." I'd been so engrossed with drawing all day that I'd completely forgotten about him, but now that he was here the gift in my bag felt really heavy.
"Ophelia." He greeted coolly, his face void of any smirk or even warmth, making my spirits fall slightly. "I hear you've been making portraits all day."
"Um…yeah. It was my charity contribution. My parents thought it would be a good idea and it seemed to be a hit so…you know." I shrugged, feeling a little awkward and not really knowing what else to say before I then remembered my mom mentioning the painting. "I heard you contributed a painting. My mom loves it, she really hopes to win it in the raffle."
"You did."
"I…what?"
"You won it." Well I'll be damned. For a moment I was speechless, uncertain of how to react before I suddenly started laughing. It was a liberating feeling, laughing openly like a reflexive reaction to the awkwardness and tension between us. I couldn't help but find it funny, him being so hopelessly standoffish, it really didn't suit him. "I do not see what is so amusing to you."
"Nothing, literally nothing at all. I can't help it." Using my sleeve to wipe away a laughter tear, I started walking on forwards again in order to continue handing out the portraits. "Was there something you wanted Klaus? I'm kinda busy here."
"Well I was just admiring the festivities of your quaint little town, it really does have quite a charming appeal." He said, turning in order to walk along beside me. "It has a certain…quality about it, that brings out one's sentimental side." Shooting him a look, I silently told him to get to the point so he exhaled, reaching out in order to touch my arm and bring me around to face him properly, wanting to talk properly face to face. "I think perhaps it is time we reached an understanding with one another, love, so that we know where we stand."
"You tried to dagger your sister, Klaus. Rebekah is my best friend, how could you do that to her?"
"It wouldn't be the first time." God, does he even hear himself sometimes? How could he not even care about his own sister? It just blows my mind.
"One time is still one time too many, and you've stuck her with that dagger, what, maybe three or four times that I know of?" My temper flared at him, eyes sparking indignantly at him. "You have no respect for life, Klaus, human or otherwise, and that's why I'm mad at you." I tried to leave but he grabbed my arm again, making me bristle at him more, practically ready to hiss at him like a cat.
"Come now, you've known what I am all this time. Not so long ago we were being friendly with one another, and now my disregard for lives other than my own bothers you?" I wanted to punch him. I really wanted to punch him, but we were in public and I'd probably get in trouble, and that was just too much hassle.
"How long until that disregard for lives other than your own extends to me, huh?" I retaliated quietly, keeping my voice down so that we wouldn't be overheard. "You don't trust anyone, Klaus, and that's why no one can trust you either. The way you treat Rebekah is deplorable, you sire hybrids so that you basically have slaves who can't disobey you, seemingly go out of your way to play the villain and turn your own siblings against you then you complain when people push you away even though you do absolutely everything physically possible to cut yourself off from any kind of connection with everybody around you." Staring at me coldly, I scoffed in frustration, turning away to try and calm down, unable to even look at him.
Around us everything was just so perfect. The lights, the music, the laughter and the people, even down to the smells of cinnamon and a crisp winter evening chill in the air. Yet I couldn't be more dissatisfied. It was all because of him. He just riled me up without even needing to put any effort into it, his mere presence enough to put me on edge. "You know, I came here today hoping to try and make some kind of peace with you." I told him, turning around and making a face. "But I don't think that's what you want. Not really. Deep down, you relish it when you know someone's against you, because then you feel justified in doing whatever you want to use them or hurt them, and I'm no different in your eyes. You don't care about me, not me, you just want me on your side because of my powers, and if I'm not with you then I'm a threat to you."
"Is that what you think you are to me?" He finally spoke, having stood there and listened throughout my entire outburst of truth slamming. Seeing his face, I instinctively pulled back as he took an intimidating step forwards, the first time I had ever given way to him, but I couldn't help it. There was this intense pressure coming off him, from the stiff set of his shoulders to the overpowering frown of unreadable emotions that were beginning to show through the cracks of his expression. "Just a means to an end?"
"Am I wrong?" Releasing a low breath almost like a hiss, Klaus quickly averted his eyes as he clenched his jaw tightly, struggling to keep his anger from exploding at me. "You can't deny that all the while you were with me whilst I was in that long sleep, part of you wanted me to stay sleeping because that way, there was no one left alive who could stand against you, and if I was asleep, I couldn't run away from you. I could feel it. With me sleeping, you were once more the most powerful person in the world, completely unstoppable, and I could remain in your possession for evermore but now that I'm back all that's changed again."
"I didn't…"
"You can't lie to me Klaus. Don't insult me by trying." Clamping his mouth shut, Klaus continued to look away, because he knew. He knew I was right. I'd never really acknowledged it until now, but I'd always known that it had been there. That lingering hope that I would continue to sleep forever so that Klaus could hold me like a trophy, something to be preserved and kept locked away like one of his damn siblings in a casket. "You and I…we're never going to be able to trust each other. Are we?" This actually saddened me, and it seemed to show in my voice as Klaus looked to me, his brows tugging together slightly.
"Don't say that love. Even if we cannot trust one another fully, there is still a chance to remain friendly and civil. Why can't we continue to have our long debates and conversations like before?"
"Maybe we can, I don't know." This was all getting a little too confusing for me now, I had no idea how I felt about all this. I wanted to reach out to Klaus, but I knew the moment I would start to show any real indication of friendship or affection, he'd push it away and reject it first before he'd risk it being snatched away from him. It was almost like looking in a mirror. "I'd like that, I really would, but until you start learning how to treat people better, then I'm not going to put myself at risk at being hurt by you Klaus. I might have powerful magic, but I can still feel pain, and you have a bad habit of finding out how to stab a person right in the heart and going for it. With or without a dagger."
"Ophelia." The way he said my name strangely made my heart twist in my chest, causing my face to cripple slightly before I forced myself to pull together. He sounded so desperate, so alone that it had hurt. It were almost like he were a wounded animal, and him calling to me was the same as calling out for help. "All I want is to not be alone. That is why I need my hybrids, why I wanted a home with my family. I think you of all people should understand that."
"And I do, I do understand, but for all these past centuries you've been missing one key element that you still can't seem to grasp." I told him, stepping closer so that we were only a breath away, my hand lifting to rest over the area where his heart was supposed to be, though by this point I did wonder if it was even there anymore. "The love you want can't be given unless you give something back freely. Real love is not a gift, it's an exchange. That's the secret, but you don't know how to give something away yet, because you won't let yourself. Because you're afraid." His eyes flared at me resentfully at the suggestion he felt fear, but I ignored it. "Inside you're still that little kid who was terrified of your father, and you still haven't grown up from that, you're stuck, and you won't let yourself move on. Until you figure out how to conquer that fear, you won't ever feel anything, and the less you feel, the less human you are. That's why you're always alone, and will always be alone until you start letting people in."
Having said more than my fill and not having anything left in the tank, I was actually a little out of breath, having launched myself into that tirade with an odd level of passion that I didn't normally show. Klaus was silent, just watching me seamlessly like a statue, unable to provide any kind of response. I'd told him a lot of hard truths, things I'd been holding back and keeping down all this time but I'd suddenly let them all at once, now I think I'd totally messed up. There's no way he'd ever let me back in now, that small foothold I'd managed to grab hold of gone forever, so I decided it was time for me to go. "I have portraits to deliver. I have to go." Ducking away I moved away from him as fast as I could, and for a while just walked.
What the hell was wrong with me?! What the hell just came out of my mouth?! That wasn't like me at all, I'm not some kind of mawkish saint on a mission to redeem the soul of the villain here. Shaking my head I berated myself, feeling totally ridiculous and wanted to just get out of here. After handing out the last of the portraits I then went looking for my parents. They were easy to locate, it wasn't a huge town square, and I stuck with them in order to help pack things up for the night since it was now late. "Oh honey, you won a prize in the raffle! Klaus's portrait, you know the one I told you about? It's all yours."
"That's…awesome." I responded automatically, just moving through the paces as mom then started to talk endlessly about this, that and the other. I could barely bring myself to pay attention, my own mind wondering as we helped tidy things up. Once that was done, we then went to go collect my prize and when I saw the painting, I couldn't help but just stare at it. It was gorgeous, and I fell in love with it instantly. Everything about it was just beautiful, from the colours to the style, it was different from everything else I'd ever seen Klaus paint. It had a sense of…longing. Loneliness. Even coldness. I couldn't help but feel it perfectly embodied him.
"Beautiful, isn't it? Where do you want to hang it sweetheart?"
"My room." I answered with a murmur, reaching out to delicately touch the paint, following the image of the snowflake. Dad carried it for me, taking it to the car, putting it in the trunk carefully however before I got in, I remembered the gift I'd brought in my bag. I fished it out, holding the small black box between my fingers as my breath created pale white clouds against the ribbon and the sprig of holly tied in the bow. Would he still be around? Everyone else was leaving, he might have gone already. "Honey?"
"I'll…I'll be home soon. My car's here so I'll follow you guys in a minute." I said to them, now gripping onto the gift I'd prepared to give to Klaus as a peace offering. Mom smiled at me knowingly whilst dad just looked confused but didn't question it, telling me not to be back too late and to be careful. Patting the hood of the car I then sent them off with a wave, sighing deeply. If he was still there, I'll give it to him and tell him that I really hoped that we could find a way to function as friends, and if he wasn't there…then maybe I'll just take it as a sign.
It was totally dead as I walked back to the square, jogging slightly to look around only to find no signs of life whatsoever. Turning to leave, I heard something that caught my attention. It sounded like bubbles bursting and gurgling, though it was muffled by the sound of the fountain, but it was enough to make me look again. There was the sound of scraping too, like heels catching on pavement and when I took a few steps around, I began to see two shapes at the fountain. I took the scene in all at once, so shocked and alarmed that the present dropped from my hand and fell to the floor, now long forgotten as I then thrust out both hands with added force, throwing a wall of magic with an expression of horror. Niklaus had been holding what looked to be Carol Lockwood underwater, trying to drown her.
The moment the magic slammed against him it ripped him off her, allowing Carol to pull her head back up as I ran to her with a rush, skidding to a stop in order to grab her shoulders as everything seemed to move slowly around, the details intensifying the adrenaline rush of horror and fear. The water as it washed over her hair, pearly beads falling and catching the light as her fingers gripped around my arm and dug in tightly, coughing harshly and dragging air into her body as she simultaneously sobbed. Carol turned, collapsing down and I held her against me to keep her safe from Klaus, smoothing back her soaked hair before finally looking up.
I did not veil my emotions from him as I took in the sight of Klaus covered in blood, already drying on his face, neck and turning the white shirt that had been previously been so crisp and clean a startling shade of crimson, I felt like vomiting there and then. "What have you done?" I dreaded the answer, and the moment I asked I realised I didn't want to know. Despite everything I'd said earlier, he'd gone on a killing spree anyway, and part of me was terrified to find out if I'd caused it by pushing him over the edge.
Shaking my head, Klaus slowly got back onto his feet, pushing off the ground as I instinctively pulled Carol closer to me. She was shivering, trembling in pure fear as I began to lift her up, forcing her to get to her feet with my arms still around her as I continued to stare aghast at Klaus. He looked terrifying, and that look in his eye seemed to echo the fact that the bloodshed wasn't over. Once Carol had staggered to her feet and started to run away, Klaus moved to try and get at her again but I sliced out my hand in order to block him a second time, the magic I created forcing him to stay put as a barrier erected itself between us, making him snarl and rage as he beat his hands against it.
It was like he'd completely turned rabid, a wild animal desperate to capture his prey so I turned tail and fled, catching hold of Carol as she stumbled in order to drag her away from Klaus and into my car, quickly putting it into gear in order to get out of there. "What happened? What happened Carol?!"
"I don't know…I don't…" She continued to sob, holding her head in her hands as she continued to wail from fright and confusion. "He was looking for Tyler, but I begged him not to hurt him…Lia please, you have to find my son. You have to protect him! You're the only one who can. Please, he's my boy, my only boy, I can't lose him, you have to…please…" She started to beg me and the only way I could get her to calm down was to agree. I made her call him to try and find out where he was, but none of the calls were going through. "Tyler…oh god Tyler…"
"It's going to be okay, Carol." Forgoing the formalities, I tried to reassure her as I reached behind me, groping around in the backseat until I found a sweater I'd tossed there the other day in order to give it to her. "Listen. My house is the safest place for you right now. I've set up several protection barriers so vampires and hybrids can't get in, not even if they've been invited. I'm going to take you there, you're going to act drunk and I'm going to tell my parents I found you after you'd fallen into the fountain. You'll stay here until it's safe to come out, and I'll go find Tyler."
"But Tyler won't be able to come inside, you said…"
"I know, I know. I'll figure that out once I've found him, but he'll be safe so long as he's with me. I have a few places I can think of we can go, places Klaus won't be able to get in. I promise, Tyler's going to be okay."
"Thank you, Lia, thank you." She gripped hold of my hand then, still crying before she hit her head back against the headrest. I brought her into my house and mom immediately saw something was wrong and quickly jumped up from the couch, dad frowning deeply.
"Oh my, Carol! Whatever is the matter?" Having no time to explain in details, I just said that I'd found her drunk and almost drowning in the fountain so mom took over, helping Carol to move as she stumbled and did very well acting the part of being totally wasted, allowing me to go back out to search for Tyler before Klaus could get to him. I don't know what happened, but if Tyler had something to do with the reason why Klaus had been covered in blood…it can't be anything good.