A/N: Hello! Anybody still here? 👋
So before you jump into the chapter, some important things you should know! These aren't about this chapter in particular, but the rest of the story as a whole.
- This story has a very clear halfway cut, as does the season of the show. So here begins the second part, where the enemy is different and so is the general mood of the story. Although this has been cooking for a while now (and if I did a good enough job, you have noticed that), this second part is very much about Klaus' downward spiral. In total, the fic will kinda have three main arcs. This is the second, which coincides with the second half of The Originals S2.
- If you've watched The Originals, you know what Klaus is like this season. He gets cray-cray, folks, and this is a good time for me to remind y'all that I am very much following canon here. A lot of things will be different in the build up and the execution, but the main plot points are the same. So the Klaus you're about to get from here on is not a nice one. He's been afflicted with traumas and lingering raw emotions from the The Wolf 1, and this is going to cook up inside of him like a time bomb. So be ready for a lotta angst (I mean it) and paranoid, obsessive, violent, controlling and not-really-committed-to-common-sense!Klaus. Hopefully, if I did a good enough job here, you'll find it all makes sense (much more so than on the show, because I made a point of attaching some meaning to Klaus' erratic behavior) and will simply go on this ride with me.
- Why are you warning me about this?, you might ask. It's because I get a lot of comments from people who don't understand what 'following canon and TO!Klaus' means. So I'm being as direct as I possibly can without giving too much away, in case this is not something you're particularly into.
- Having said that, this is still very much a Klaroline-in-love story. And yes, there will be a happy ending (though notice this story will be 31 chapters long rather than 22, so it will deviate from TO after the end of S2).
Ok, I think this is it. More notes at the bottom of the page. Hope I didn't scare anybody off with these warnings. :) Just want you to be prepared. If you read this and you enjoy it and you would still like me to update, PLEASE, PLEASE drop me a note! Comments give me life and definitely keep me going. ❤️
Klaus' steps echo loudly in St. Anne's church as he strides down the aisle.
The sounds reverberate loudly across the walls as though he's the only person there. Deafening quietness surrounds him, but he's not alone. St. Anne's has been shut down since Kieran's death, over a year before, but the place is packed today. Klaus only vaguely registers the strangeness of the fact as he continues his slow march towards the altar.
Everyone has turned to look at him, apologetic and mournful expressions following his every step. There are a few familiar faces in the crowd. Elijah. Rebekah. Kol. Jackson. Aiden. Oliver. Marcel. Camille. Davina. And Eve. Not his daughter, but her namesake, Caroline's friend. She sits on the front row.
"I'm sorry," she says as he comes close, her lips drawn into a sad curve, her big eyes filled with sympathy.
Klaus blinks slowly at her, confused. And then he looks ahead, to the altar, and sees a closed casket there, surrounded by white flowers.
This is a funeral.
A fear he can't name festers in his stomach as he steps forward. He almost doesn't want to look inside, but something propels him forward, his legs carrying out of their own will. Klaus swallows against a nauseating churning in his stomach and pulls the casket open.
It's Caroline.
Her skin is flushed, her lips pink, her blonde curls as lustrous as ever, spilling around her head like a halo. She looks perfectly serene, as though she's merely asleep - except for the dark red stain on her chest and the tear on the fabric of her dress, exactly where her heart should be.
Klaus jerks awake with a manic pounding in his chest and a loud gasp, eyes electric as he takes in his surroundings. Sunlight streams in through the window, a cool breeze swaying the curtains in what is certainly the early hours of the morning. Sheets rustle next to him and then Caroline rolls over, lifting her head to look at him. She blinks lazily, eyes slightly glazed-over, her hair a beautiful sleep-mussed tangle.
"Klaus?" she asks in a hoarse voice. "What's wrong?"
He heaves out a breath when his eyes focus on her. "Nothing," he says, relaxing back against his pillows. "It's nothing, sweetheart. It's all fine."
Caroline lies on her side, propping her body up on an elbow, a line appearing between her eyebrows. "Are you all right?"
"Quite all right. Go back to sleep."
Caroline gives him an assessing look and a low, unconvinced hum. Sleep beats her suspicions, though, and she leans over him, placing a quick kiss on the corner of his mouth before nestling her face on his chest, an arm draped over him. A moment later, she's already sound asleep once more.
Klaus counts her heartbeats, staring at the ceiling, to calm himself down. Sleep has completely lifted off him, but he doesn't want to move an inch.
It was just a dream , he tells himself, even as those pitiful stares still weigh on him, the overwhelming fear still clogging his throat. Just a dream , as he recalls the nightmares he had about Mikael shortly before his father came back from hell to torment them once more.
Just a dream. Because he won't let anything like that happen to Caroline again. Ever.
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Caroline rolls her eyes into her skull, an aaaaaaagh rumble leaving her mouth as Klaus and Elijah continue to spat back and forth over the phone.
It serves her right for thinking those two could sort out their differences in a mature manner. It's hard to tell what's worse: Klaus' colorful insults and petty accusations or Elijah's annoyingly calm passive-aggressive retorts. Why would they ever be sensible grown-ups about anything if they can be petty children instead?
Elijah's decision to move out caught everyone by surprise. Caroline can sort of understand why Klaus would be upset. He just pulled the pin on the grenade during breakfast in between sips of his coffee like it was nothing, like he was discussing as mild and unimportant a matter as the weather or what they'd be having for lunch.
"I've acquired a building in Algiers, next to Marcel's quarters." Sip "I'm having some work done right now. Expect to be moving in two days." Sip . "I'll start packing today and send someone over for my personal belongings."
Quietness descended upon them for a very long minute before Caroline processed the information. She kept waiting for him to add something more, like It's temporary or There's something I'm helping Marcel with but as soon as we're done, I'll be back . But when nothing came, it finally sank in that he really did mean he was moving out, for good. It was about then that she blurted out a What? at the same time Klaus pushed off the table and stormed out of the dining room, slamming doors behind him.
He's had a perpetual scowl on his face ever since. That was a week ago. He and Elijah haven't spoken once. Every time Klaus has something to say he wants to make it to Elijah's ears, he starts grumbling at Caroline like she's some direct link to his brother. Every time Elijah has a message to his younger brother, he calls her like she's some human voice mail service.
She has pointed out to both of them, on more than one occasion, that she gave birth to one baby that demands a lot of her attention, not three. They don't seem to care.
This morning, she decided it was about time the two of them moved past this ridiculous feud. The one thing the two of them seem to agree on is that she's wrong.
According to Elijah, his decision to move out was motivated by the comings-and-goings of the werewolves, which he, as a vampire, doesn't feel comfortable with. Caroline can understand - it is his home, after all, having all these strangers who keep shooting daggers at him under his own roof is not exactly pleasant. He also says that his move to Algiers is to aid Marcel in his vampire summer camp or whatever. He's been training the new recruits and thinks that being closer to them will make things easier.
It's all perfectly reasonable from an objective point of view. But Caroline thinks there's more to it. The timing of Elijah's decision seems too weird for his excuse to be entirely honest - exactly after Eve comes home. Yes, the wolves are probably part of why he doesn't want to live with them anymore, but it likely has something to do with wanting to cut the brotherly umbilical cord between them right when Klaus' family gets properly settled at their home. Rebekah managed to leave the nest. Now it's Elijah who wants out. Except Klaus takes these things as a personal offense. In his psychotic head, Elijah wanting out means he's relinquishing his place as a Mikaelson - or worse, that he is turning his back on Klaus.
Considering how well Klaus handled his sister wanting to leave, the tantrum he's throwing about Elijah is almost mild in comparison.
"All right, enough already with the squabbling," she cuts them off when it seems like they'll never stop on their own. Elijah was getting prickly and Klaus' voice was already an octave above what Caroline can take at this hour. Klaus clamps his mouth shut, pouting like a child, and Elijah sighs deeply on the other end of the line. "Klaus, if Elijah doesn't feel comfortable living here anymore, he's got a right to want out. Even you can see how that's awkward."
"There's nothing awkward about it," Klaus bites back. "You and Eve belong in the compound, where you're safe, and the wolves are here for your protection. As much as I would appreciate Elijah's help to kill Finn, if his delicate sensibilities are offended, then he's welcome to continue sulking across the river."
"As I have explained to you repeatedly, brother, my presence in Algiers is purely to assemble allies. Given all the enemies we have afoot in the form of wayward siblings and ancient maniacal aunt Dahlias, I would think you would applaud my efforts."
"If it's my applause you seek, you shouldn't have dashed off in a bloody huff."
"All right," Caroline cuts in again. "Can you two at least try and stay focused on what's best for Eve's safety? You can't be fighting right now."
"I would like nothing more," Elijah says at the same time Klaus grumbles, "I am doing exactly that."
Caroline claps once with feigned cheerfulness. If they refuse to be nice , then they'll just have to fake it 'till they make it. "See? You're on the same team! Conflict resolved, crisis averted."
"I'll have to call you back," Elijah says and then hangs up.
Klaus steps up to her, chin jutted forward and a spark in his eyes. "Why are you on his side?"
"I'm on no one's side."
"You were defending his selfish decision to abandon ship in a most crucial moment. There's no crisis averted, if anything it's just gotten worse. Finn's body has disappeared from the morgue, which spells a hundred different kinds of problems. If there was ever a time for Elijah to decide to abandon his family, it was not this."
Caroline sighs. She doesn't want to effectively be on Elijah's side because she knows how butthurt that's gonna make Klaus, but the truth is... She kind is Team Elijah on this one. It's her fault they have wolves crawling out of every corner at the compound, and he was never asked for his opinion on how he felt about it. Besides... Maybe it'll be good for Elijah to be on his own for a while. Get his own life. Make his own friends, find his own projects. He's dedicated enough of himself to the well-being of his siblings, and while everyone has found their own purposes, Elijah's the only one whose life still revolves almost completely around others. He deserves to fly solo for a while.
Now try explaining that to Klaus.
"Your brother is an adult - actually, no. He's way past being an adult. He's an ancient creature. So what if he wants to have his own space? He's not abandoning the family, he just moved across the river. He can be here in ten minutes if you need him."
"He was supposed to stay here! Protect our home!" Klaus fires at her.
Caroline snaps her mouth shut, swallowing back a waspish reply before she loses her temper and they get into a stupid argument no one will win. It's not even 10 am yet; way too freaking early for this.
"I'm gonna let that tone pass because you're in a weird mood and you're upset that your brother moved out." Klaus opens his mouth to counter, but she cuts off his protest by raising her tone above his. "Has it occurred to you that maybe all he wants is to have something in his life that is just his? Ever since I got here, Elijah has made his life about me. About you. About our child. Nothing that's happened has been about him. You have a life, Klaus. You have a family that's all yours. Maybe he just wants the same thing. What's so wrong with wanting to have something that has nothing to do with any of us?"
" Everything ," he retorts, voice laced with bitterness. "Family stays together."
Klaus turns around and storms out, no doubt to get a head start on his day drinking. Caroline has to resist the urge to be mad at Elijah for leaving her to deal with his brother's mood on her own.
She takes her phone to type a message to Jackson. He's on his way to the compound for a meeting on their next steps on the pursuit of Finn. Things have just gotten shadier now that they know Vincent Griffith's body, that should've been blown up into a thousand little pieces, has disappeared from the morgue, and they can't sit back and wait for him to make the first move anymore. Honeymoon is over.
Brace yourself, she types. The beast is out of the cage. Bring a helmet.
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"It's time to use our werewolf army. Finn and the woman who calls herself my sister are in this city. The wolves can help pinpoint her location," Klaus says as he paces in front of Jackson and Caroline - he sits on the couch while Caroline is perched on the arm with her legs crossed.
Honestly, Klaus doesn't get why they had to make this a meeting when a phone call to pass on the order would have sufficed, but Caroline insisted. "You can't just make unilateral decisions and tell him over the phone like he's your hitman. We're supposed to discuss these things." All pointless red tape, in his opinion, but so be it. Let her have her pretense democracy if it makes her happy.
But time is of the essence right now and there's only so much small talk Klaus can handle in the mood he's in. So instead of opening a discussion to indulge Caroline's diplomatic streak, he cuts straight to the point. They need to find Finn before he finds them.
"No," Jackson says simply. Klaus stops walking, turns back to the wolf alpha with his head cocked. "We need all hands on deck to watch the compound with Eve. You can compel humans to track your enemies."
Klaus' lips curl into a predatory grin. Jackson may have gotten Caroline's powers, but if he thinks he's strong enough to stand up to a real hybrid, he'll be in for a surprise. Perhaps Klaus went too easy on him on their last match, after all. "Do my ears deceive me, or did you just give me an order in my own home?"
"This ain't about your ego, Klaus," he retorts with heat. "It's about what's best for your daughter, in case you've forgotten."
"How dare you question my intentions for my daughter?"
"All right, stop," Caroline says, putting her hands out before Jackson could rise to the challenge. "Klaus... Chill," she says with a pointed look. He huffs out in indignation, turning away from Jackson. "Jack... Klaus is right. Finn's body disappeared from the morgue, which means he's either powerful enough to heal from that explosion or Freya's powerful enough to save him. Either way, we're not finding them unless you send your best people out there."
Klaus smiles triumphantly at Jackson. "I'm sure you and all your merry men will find them posthaste."
Jackson stands to his feet, staring Klaus down with a grim expression. "Just to be clear. I'm giving this order because Caroline is asking."
"Ah," Klaus says, arching his eyebrows, completely unimpressed. He almost wants Jackson to come at him just so he'll have an excuse to beat him up again. His desire to do so has grown exponentially since he was forced to watch that wretched ceremony.
"Don't think for one second that I take orders from you," the dog barks with his teeth clenched before he jets out.
Caroline folds her arms across her chest, glaring at him. "Do you really think that's the way to get him to cooperate?"
"I don't have to get him to cooperate. He agreed to that the moment he got into that ritual with you."
"No, he didn't. He's still the alpha. He doesn't have to send his men to die if he doesn't want to."
"Finding Finn is just as much in his interest as it is in ours."
"You're missing the point here. If you continue to address him like he's your lackey, his motivation to protect our daughter will considerably dim. We need him, Klaus. I know you're in a mood because of Elijah, but you don't have to torch down the whole world because of that. It's not my fault and it's definitely not Jackson's, so stop barking at the wrong tree," she rants.
Klaus steps closer, eyes locked into hers. "Jackson Kenner has one purpose and one purpose only," he starts slowly. "The second he fails to deliver, he ceases to be of any use to me. And my patience for people who serve me no purpose tends to be rather thin. I suppose I should at least be glad you sided up with me on this one."
Blue flames spark behind Caroline's eyes, her placid expression morphing into a deep scowl. For a second, he isn't sure whether she's going to hit him or set him on fire. Instead, she stands to her feet. "You know what?" she says, in a crisp tone. "I'm not even going to dignify what you just said with an answer. Let me know when the stick up your ass has been removed."
Klaus feels a stab of guilt as Caroline leaves. He hasn't been exactly a delightful company lately and, because of her proximity, she's been suffering the most, even though she's at no fault of her own. This is why he needs Elijah, so he has someone else to deflect the sharpest edges of his mood, sparing Caroline from being hit. It just makes him all the angrier at his brother's preposterous decision to move out.
He wants a life of his own . Well, he wasn't that interested in finding it elsewhere when he still nurtured hopes over stealing Caroline away, did he?
All the more reason why finding Finn and their long-lost sister, or whoever the hell that impostor is, is of utmost urgency. The quicker they can get rid of this threat, the easier his life will be. Even evil villains need a break sometimes.
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Elijah rushes into Marcel's loft like a thunder. Already his decision to move across the river is proving wise.
He got a call from him about five minutes ago saying that he'd just rescued Rebekah from a mob attack at the Treme witch market. She was checking the stands, in search of an item, when she realized she was being watched. When she tried to leave, a bunch of witches cornered her and would've executed her in broad daylight if Marcel hadn't intervened.
Elijah only needed time to get dressed and flash through less than a block. With no one to witness around these areas, he doesn't have to mind his speed.
He goes straight to his sister, eyes raking over her body after injuries. She seems more annoyed than hurt, though, which is always a good sign. "Are you all right?" he asks.
"Barely," Rebekah grumbles. "The attackers knew me, Elijah. Not me, me, but this." She opens her arms, gesturing towards herself. "Her, whoever she is. They want her dead."
"We will find them and show them why their anger is unwise," he offers, matter-of-factly.
"You don't want to mess with that crowd," Marcel says. "We want answers, we need to ask Josephine Larue. She serves as matriarch to the covens outside the Quarter. She'll know who wants Rebekah dead."
"How can you be so sure?" Rebekah inquires.
"She bankrolls the Fauline cottage. She'll know exactly who you are and why you were locked up in there."
"And if she wants to lock me right back up? I won't go back to that horrid place," she says with her customary resolve, stomping her foot.
"The two of you go see what you can find about this body you now possess," Elijah tells them, already formulating his next steps. Like he didn't have enough problems already. At the very least this gives him something to deal with that will keep him out of Niklaus' hair for the time being. He cannot guarantee he won't accidentally let his fists swing if he is forced into yet another childish brawl with his spoilt brother. "I shall pay a visit to Josephine. A warning to you." He turns to Rebekah cupping her face gently. "You are not who you once were. This body is all too vulnerable. Don't go testing its limits."
He places a kiss on his sister's forehead before he leaves, but Marcel calls him back. "Josephine is an eccentric old bat with no love for vampires," he admonishes. "Your charms might not work as well as you think."
Elijah cocks him an unimpressed eyebrow. "My charms are quite adaptable, Marcellus, let me assure you."
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"Can't we just bring wine?" Gia asks around a dejected sigh as she puts her violin back in its case. "Or coffee cake? Bundt cake? Any kind of cake?"
Elijah flips through the scores in his hands distractedly, making sure that he has the correct one. His investigations about Josephine Larue were hasty but quite thorough.
"From what I can gather, Miss Larue was something of a musical prodigy in her youth. The way to her heart is with the music she loves the most. Beethoven sonata number 8, opus 47," he says, handing the scores over to her.
"How about I bring my laptop, speakers and a drumbeat?"
"The promise of your performance is what has opened the door for us. If this fails, the life of someone I care deeply for will be in jeopardy, and that would displease me immensely." Elijah snaps his fingers at her, swirling around on his heels. "Shall we move, please?"
"No." He turns back, eyebrows arched in surprise at Gia's refusal. "Why don't you make both our lives easier and just compel someone from the symphony," she suggests, annoyance biting into her tone. "I hate Beethoven."
Elijah leans against a wooden column in the middle of his new and spacious living area. "My darling Gia... You are an artist, far more gifted than anyone from any local symphony. Unfortunately, Miss Larue despises vampires, so we need to show her that our community is of a different breed, with a new sophistication."
She almost rolls her eyes, but refrains from doing so. Elijah should be incredibly bored by how much Gia refuses to engage with anything that even so much as resembles the so-called refined arts . Someone with her musical genius should be all over the classics, but that's not where her heart lies. She's a jazz woman, would rather play on the streets for change or at jazz clubs than at a crowded theater.
He, himself, loves a good classic. For some reason, however, he finds himself drawn to her character. She has a strong personality, despite not being much of an extrovert, and the more they get to know each other, the more she reveals to him traces of that fierce temper of hers. At first, she was all polite deference; now she dares to question his requests. Her insolence is... Rather alluring, he has to say, if an inconvenience. Although he's yet to understand why.
"Sophisticated, huh? I suppose you'll want me in a dress?"
Elijah purses his lips, pretending to consider. "Do I want you in a dress? Hmm... We should adapt to our audiences, yes."
"What about you? Dark suit on the left side of your closet or identical dark suit on the right?" She gasps in mock-surprise.
Elijah's lips pull into a short little grin in spite of himself. "I prefer the one in the middle, thank you so much."
Gia snorts, shaking her head as she stands up. "Man... If anyone ever needed a woman to mess his life up a bit..." Her face steels and then crumples, color rising to her cheeks. "Right. I heard. The girl you... Is the same one who..."
"Yes."
"Had a baby with your brother."
"Let's not discuss this."
She dips her head, offering him a tight, apologetic smile. "For what is worth, I thought Marcel and I had a thing going on, but that didn't work out. We may not be in the same boat, but it's the same ocean."
She shrugs, picks up her violin and marches out. Elijah stays back for a second, a little stunned, before following her.
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After all that protest and of having whined all the way to Josephine Larue's mansion, when Gia leans her violin on the curve of her neck and shuts her eyes, magic happens. It's like the world stops turning, everything goes quiet to listen to her. She feels the music in a way not many musicians do, which is why she does such a superb job even when given a piece she detests. The tunes do not come from her fingers, but from somewhere deep within. It speaks of an innate talent, rather than one born out of excessive practice. It's mesmerizing.
It also causes no harm that Gia looks so absolutely stunning in her choice of attire. From her favored tomboy style to an elegant cocktail dress, with her hair pulled up, seamlessly.
Elijah could stay here all day listening to her music. And apparently so could Miss Larue. Her electric blue eyes are overbright, brimming with emotion as Gia plays on. But despite how impressed she is with Gia's talent, she seems far from pliant to their cause.
"You are as calculating as I heard, Mr. Mikaelson, having your companion play the very piece I once performed to great acclaim," she tells him in a toneless, calm voice, with a polite smile that lacks any warmth. But for that moment of vulnerability while Gia played, she's been absolutely unreadable.
"Is it not also a piece that you enjoy?" he asks.
"It's best not to insult ties more powerful than you, which is the only reason I allowed you into my home." The elderly woman stands to her feet, and so does Elijah. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have many things to do."
"My goodness, I had expected a more cordial welcome here."
She tilts her head to the side, those cold eyes of her drilling into his. "And why would I be cordial to you? Since your family has returned to this city, our elders have been murdered, promising young witches have been either turned into vampires or inhabited against their will."
"And I can put an end to all of it."
"With all due respect, I can believe that as much as I can believe I will play my violin again someday." She lifts her hands, showing him her severe disability. She's suffered some kind of trauma that has deformed all her fingers on both her hands, rendering her incapable of playing again. "Because, Mr. Mikaelson, beneath your formal attire and behind the lovely Beethoven, you are all the same... Liars. Monsters wearing the skins of humans. Good day to you both." She nods her head at them and turns on her back.
"Miss Larue, we needn't be unpleasant," Elijah says, his voice sharpening in an instant.
"I hold no animosity nor do I want to do you any favors. I simply want you to leave my home."
"Screw her, Elijah," Gia, who had been a quiet bystander thus far, snaps. "I don't see a friggin' crown on her head."
Josephine turns to her, narrowing her eyes. "I beg your pardon."
"You're not the queen of the witches. You don't speak for all of them," Gia says, shrugging dismissively. "You know, I can't believe I dressed up and learned how to play Beethoven for this. I hate Beethoven."
Josephine quirks an eyebrow, turning her body and all her attention to Gia. Elijah takes a step back. "And what do you like, young lady? If not Beethoven, then what?"
Gia lifts her violin again and starts playing a jazzy tune, one Elijah has watched her perform before, the one time he went to see her play at a club. Josephine's face seems to light up at once.
"Eddie South," she says, with near reverence, an honest smile creeping up her lips. "That makes you a true jazz girl."
Gia frowns. "You know Eddie South?"
"At one time, I nearly eloped with a jazz musician. My mother learned of my plans and, uh... Let's just say, she wasn't pleased." Josephine takes a step closer to Gia, her expression suddenly open with clear delight. "Your candor is refreshing. I find most vampires to be more calculating - no offense."
"None taken," Elijah says. "I also, on occasion, admire her candor."
Gia exchanges a knowing grin with him. "He has great taste. He's also a man you can trust, and I say that as someone who doesn't trust easily. Or at all, really."
Josephine regards him, assessing. "I suppose I should just hear you out, Mr. Mikaelson."
They all go back to her living room as he tells her about the situation with an escaped witch from the Fauline cottage. He wasn't aware that Rebekah wasn't the only one who managed to flee with Freya's intervention. They have more criminal and deranged witches on the loose.
Josephine asks for one of her employees to produce a folder, containing documents on all the witches currently kept at the cottage. The man walks back into the room a moment later and hands him the file.
"One of the witches that escaped is of particular importance to my family," he says, flipping through the documents inside. "My request to you... Tell your people to leave her to me."
"You have no idea how dangerous these witches can be."
"She will cause you no further trouble; I can assure you that. In return, I shall find all the remaining witches and deliver them safely back to you. Consider this the first step..." His eyes stop on a paper with a photograph of Rebekah's new host's face. The expression is completely different from that which she sports as his sister. The woman in the photo seems... Wicked. He passes the document on to Josephine before continuing. "... in a new and mutually beneficial alliance."
"Eva Sinclair," she says. "Powerful and sadistic. If I am to relinquish someone like her into your custody, I will require someone equally powerful in return. The Treme covens want Vincent Griffith returned. How you expel your brother Finn from his body is your concern."
"Consider it done," Elijah replies, not missing a beat. It only comes to him a second later that he hasn't the slightest idea how he's supposed to accomplish that.
Looks like he'll be needing Niklaus, after all.
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What is that saying about if you want something done right, do it yourself?
Already that werewolf alliance is proving to be just a huge waste of Klaus' time and resources, not to mention a precious portion of his limited patience. He had to endure the torment of that ceremony, Elijah's subsequent petulance and Caroline being all defensive of her wolf knight in flannel armor, and he can't even count on Jackson Kenner to make it all worth it by doing things with an acceptable degree of competence.
His group's incursion to the cemetery after Finn was pitiful, and the only reason it didn't end in complete tragedy was because Klaus had the initiative to approach Aiden, who was in charge of the party, with some invaluable tips . Jackson's strategy would've gotten all of his men killed on sight. That's the man Caroline calls an alpha . Honestly, that title used to mean something back in the old days. The once great Crescents sure have gone downhill from the golden days of yore. It's a disgrace to the memory of Lana, the female Crescent alpha he used to strike rather delightful bargains with back in the early 1900s.
Since leaving the task to lesser hands proved fruitless, Klaus might as well go and get his own hands dirty, as usual. At least this way he knows the job will be done . It seems no matter how large an army he has, it's still not safe to trust anybody else's judgement over his own. So be it. He won't mind finishing Finn off himself. He and his big brother have some reckoning to do.
Just as he's entering the cemetery, his phone rings. He expects it to be Caroline, no doubt to share the sad story of how some of Jackson's men came to perish in Finn's tombs by the hands of Mikael, who has once more risen to add torment to their woes, details Aiden has already filled him in. He is surprised by a call from Elijah, instead. His brother hasn't gotten in direct touch with him in days. Klaus gets mildly curious about what it could be, but decides to leave it for later. One rebellious brother at a time.
"Finn!" he calls out as he prowls between the labyrinthine rows of tombs at Lafayette Cemetery. "I know you're here! The wolves tell me you've been quite active robbing graves and violating corpses. Sounds like you. Why don't you come out so we can finish this?!"
"Hello, Niklaus."
He knew he'd be easy to lure out of hiding. Finn's arrogance has taken the best of him since he was revived by their mother, and he never had that many qualities to begin with.
"Such a pedestrian greeting," he says, marching towards his brother. "How unfortunate those are to be your last words."
"Your hubris truly knows no bounds. You would attack a witch at the very place that the ancestors call home?"
"You're a fool if you think the ancestors give a damn about you."
"They may not care for me, brother... But they hate you more."
Finn uses a spell to send a giant fireball towards him, burning down everything in its wake. It's quite cinematic, Klaus has to say. But unfortunately - for Finn, that is - too slow for a hybrid. Klaus easily dodges the fire by jumping on top of one of the tombs.
"You lost your step, brother," he barks at the other man. "But then being blown to pieces will do that, I suppose."
Klaus lunges at Finn, but his brother rips a piece of metal from one of the fences around the tomb and sends it flying towards Klaus like a spear. It pierces his chest in three different places. Klaus grunts as he is knocked back against a tomb, spitting blood.
"Finished so soon, my indestructible brother?" Finn says, his voice drenched in poison. "Father was right about you. You're nothing but a pathetic disappointment."
"You judge me?!" he snarls back. "You, who cursed Kol to death? But you didn't stop there, did you?! As an encore, you sought the death of an innocent child, your own blood , and yet you accuse me of being a monster!"
"I was doing you a favor!" Finn fires back, his eyes flashing with furious righteousness. He is so far beyond madness he genuinely believes his fabrications. "You would thank me one day for saving us all from Dahlia! You have no idea the kind of curse you'll bring upon not only our family, but anyone who dares stand in her way! I would've been satisfied with eliminating that threat alone. Now, however... I will have to make you pay for that nastiness you and Elijah pulled. I won't just be taking your daughter... I will complete the task mother's acolytes failed to do six months ago and kill Caroline Forbes, once and for all. You will suffer, Niklaus, for your arrogance and your selfishness, this I promise you."
Klaus grits his teeth, a thunderous roar ripping from his chest as he pulls the iron fencing out, anger spiking hot inside of him. He breaks one of the poles and, aiming for his brother's chest, he throws it with all his might. Without the power of Esther and Mikael boosting him, Finn cannot react fast enough. The makeshift spear pierces him right under his heart. He tumbles to the ground, blood running down the side of his lips and a look of sheer disbelief in his eyes.
Klaus flashes over to him, smashing him back against a tomb, knocking the wind off of him. He wraps his fingers around the iron pole, twisting it up and rejoicing in the impossible pain contorting his brother's face, before pulling it out at once.
"For what you would've done to my family, I'm going to enjoy making you suffer," he grits out.
He lifts his arm, ready to stab Finn once more - the side this time, perhaps hitting a kidney, something that will cause him terrible suffering, but won't kill him straight away; he wants to take his time here. Before he can do it, someone jumps over him, violently shoving him away from Finn, who slides down to the ground, totally boneless.
Elijah puts a hand on his shoulder as he pushes him back up against a tomb. "You didn't answer my call."
"Well, I was a little bit busy," he snaps. Finn lies in complete agony, coughing blood, his breath a ragged whizz. Klaus must have pierced his lungs the first time.
"I need him alive," Elijah says.
Klaus jerks out of his brother's grip. "I have no time for your soft-hearted sympathies. Stand aside." Elijah squares his shoulders, staring him dead in the eyes. "We've been here before, Elijah. Are we to do this again? I can understand you standing up to defend Rebekah, but Finn? That cockroach who would've killed my daughter? Let him die."
"The witches want that body returned unharmed. You kill him, we lose Vincent Griffith."
"And what else do the witches want? A parade? Free broomsticks for all?! What do they think this is, a charity?"
"This is to protect our sister, Niklaus. An alliance with them could be greatly beneficial to us all."
"Aligning myself to them is what has brought us to this mess to begin with. Currying some witch's favor does not concern me."
"It should," says a woman, walking up to them. She looks at both him and Elijah as though they're old friends, with a self-possessed posture that causes a terrible first impression on Klaus.
She doesn't have to introduce herself for him to know exactly who she is.
Freya .
Despite the attitude that rubs him wrongly, he understands now what Rebekah said; there is a strange sort of familiarity about her. It doesn't make him any more sympathetic, however. Quite the opposite. Klaus immediately decides he doesn't like or trust her, whoever she may be.
She walks by them, stepping over to Finn, still agonizing on the ground. As soon as he sees her, he lifts a shaky hand. "Freya..." he breathes out. "Freya, help me."
"Don't worry, brother. I won't let them hurt you." She holds a blue pendant around her neck and starts chanting lowly. In a moment, Finn is convulsing on the floor. When he stops, his eyes grow wide and somehow softer, that malicious glint gone as he looks around in sheer fear. He tries to sit up and lets out a loud moan as the injury in his chest prevents him, lying back down with his hands up in surrender.
"Sleep," she tells him, waving a hand in the air. Finn falls back down, unconscious.
Klaus takes a step forward. "What did you do to him?"
"Finn is now safe from harm," she says, holding her pendant. "His hatred can no longer do damage to our cause."
" Our cause?" Elijah queries.
"Yes. Ours. And now if you two can stop arguing long enough, perhaps you'll allow your older sister to offer you a deal."
Klaus' lips twist in distaste. The last thing he needs in his life is yet another older sibling trying to manage him. "What could you possibly offer us besides fairy tales and lies?"
Freya's eyes harden. "Whatever you may think of me, brother, know this: when I speak to you, it is the truth. If you have any doubts, remember it was I who rescued Rebekah from the Fauline cottage."
"And was it not also you who led Finn on his vile mission to take my daughter's life?" he fires back.
Freya flinches slightly. "The threat to Eve came from Finn, not me. The brother I knew would never have stooped to threatening a child." Klaus' fists curl next to his body at his daughter's name in this woman's mouth. "Our mother destroyed him. Like she did me, you, everything she touched."
"Do not speak as though we are familiars," he grits out dangerously. "We know nothing of you."
Freya puts both her hands out and Klaus is pulled into a memory, like an image has suddenly been conjured inside his head. He sees a woman - Esther, looking extraordinarily young - outside a cottage, under thick snowfall. A little boy cries his heart out as she holds his hand firmly in hers. It takes Klaus a moment to realize the toddler is Finn. While the boy cries, another woman, with long brown hair, drags away a little girl with blonde curls. She kicks and screams and tries to wriggle her way out of the woman's grasp as she calls out for her mother, but the woman's grip is too strong.
"I cannot give up my child!" Esther yells after the woman, an edge of despair in her voice. "Dahlia, no! Give me her back! Freya !"
The image vanishes and Klaus is brought back to the cemetery. He looks at Elijah, who's got his eyes trained on the woman, and realizes she must have shown him the same thing.
"Do you still think me a liar?" the woman who calls herself Freya asks.
"That proves nothing but your ability to conjure illusions," Klaus says dismissively, far from impressed by her little magic trick.
Freya pins him under a stern look, chin jutted out. "Before you dismiss me, you should know this. If I have woken from my slumber, then Dahlia has as well. Once she's sensed your child's magic, she will come for her, and she has the power to kill anyone who stands in her way, including you two, the child's mother and your entire werewolf army. Unless we kill her first."
"That's quite convenient, isn't it? You show up in the nick of time to help us kill the woman with whom you spent a thousand years - assuming, of course, that there's any truth to your spectacular claims."
"You have no idea what it took to escape her, or what I lost in the trying," Freya says darkly. "Her punishment will be profound."
"And you know how to stop her?" Elijah asks.
Freya softens her eyes as she turns to their brother, perhaps sensing a receptivity in his pitifully compassionate heart that she wouldn't find in Klaus. Elijah is such a fool.
"Given the proper materials, yes," Freya provides. "I've sent father to procure them."
"Father?" Klaus snarls. "You would put the life of my child in the hands of Mikael and expect me to collaborate?"
That's as much as he can take of this nonsense. His time is better served elsewhere.
"Niklaus," Elijah says as he makes to leave. "This woman has knowledge of the threat we now face and is willing to share that information. I don't think we're in a position to turn her down."
"You'll excuse me if I'm not inclined to trust the mysterious sister we only just met, but by all means, if you wish to entertain this idiocy, have at it."
Klaus casts a last venomous glance towards Freya , then blurs away from there. He hopes his message has been well received.
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Caroline pushes the door to the nursery open to check on Eve and finds Klaus already there, standing close to the crib with a calm expression gracing his features as he watches her sleep.
He left in a hurry a while back without saying where he was going and she'd been waiting for him to come home to share the news on how disastrous the wolves' mission at the cemetery had gone. No doubt he'll have strong opinions on it. Jackson was inconsolable - angry at their ineffectiveness, heartbroken that they'd lost one of the guys. But it could've been a lot worse if Aiden hadn't disrespected the strict orders he was given and gone with his own gut feeling, splitting the group apart to search the premises. If Mikael had found all of them together, it would've been a slaughter. That was probably the part that made Jackson most upset: to think he'd sent his men to certain death while he stayed behind to guard Eve.
"A woman saved Aiden's life," he told her grimly. "He doesn't know who she was. Just that she showed up and told Mikael to leave him be."
Caroline can't think of many people The Destroyer would obey out of his own volition like this, but she can hazard a guess. Freya, the brand new Mikaelson thorn in their side.
Anticipating a brawl of epic proportions, she told Jackson to go home, take care of his men and leave her to deliver the news to Klaus. Not that she's looking forward to doing it herself, but... Well. At least she can count on Klaus not ripping her head off, a privilege he does not extend to Jackson, for sure.
She wraps her robe around herself and nods her head for him to follow her outside into the walkway so they can talk without waking the baby. Eve literally just fell asleep after spending hours on end howling from the top of her little lungs. Caroline might've shed a few desperate tears herself, questioning her abilities as a mother until, just like magic, Eve clamped her mouth shut and dozed off. There's a peace in seeing her baby sleep after fussing for hours that is like nothing Caroline had ever experienced before.
"You will be pleased to know that Finn is no longer a problem," Klaus tells her as soon as she shuts the door behind them.
Caroline blinks at him. "Really? Is he dead?"
"Out of commission, I would say. And no longer occupying Vincent Griffith's body." Before she can allow a spark of joy to take over, Klaus adds, "However, there are other dangers in the horizon."
Caroline sighs, crossing her arms over her chest as she leans sideways against the railing. "You don't say. What is the Mikaelson threat of the hour?"
"My father is on the loose again."
"Yeah, I've heard. He killed one of Jack's guys."
"I need you to use your pack to find him."
"No."
Klaus tilts a strange look at her. "No?"
"It's not my pack and I won't ask Jackson to send any more of his men after Mikael. We did that today and he already lost one of his best guys. We could've lost Aiden. We can't let any more wolves die chasing after a vampire killer."
Klaus' expression hardens. "Mikael is a threat to our child."
"Mikael is a threat to vampires. He wants you, Elijah, me , but I don't think he's gonna come for our child or for the werewolves. The pack will be here to protect Eve if he does, but we can't use them to settle old scores that do not concern them at all."
Klaus draws a sharp intake of air through his nose, staring her dead in the eye with a dark look. "Let me be as clear as possible. Your pack, your friends, your alpha, are necessary means to safeguard this compound for our daughter, but I am not running a charity hostel here. If they are not fighting on my side, then they will not remain alive to fight at all."
Caroline's temper spikes, going from zero to 100 in a second. As Klaus tries to brush by her to storm off, no doubt to go sulk with a glass and his brushes, as he's done so many times this week, Caroline feels her patience drop to dangerous levels. She puts an arm out and pushes him back, taking a step into his personal space, her gaze as sharp as knives. "We'll do whatever we need to do to keep our daughter safe. But if you ever, ever , try to use her or these threats - which I hope to God are as empty as your logic - to manipulate me again into doing what you want... Mikael will be the least of your problems."
Caroline whirls around and goes back to her room, shutting the door behind her. If what Klaus has been after by being insufferable all week was to spend the night on his own, then he just got his wish granted.
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
"I take it you got your guy," Gia says as she turns around for Elijah to help her out of her coat.
He realizes that it wasn't entirely necessary for him to share the outcome of their assignment at Madame Larue's today, a simple phone call would have sufficed. But he was feeling unusually sociable this evening, and Gia was a rather pleasant company, fulfilling her duty to perfection, so - why not offer her a drink in gratitude? Can't hurt to cultivate new friendships.
"Vincent Griffith is alive and free of my brother's influence. I healed him with my blood, he should make a full recovery soon and, once I've questioned him to my satisfaction, I shall release him once again to the witches' custody, safe and sound."
Elijah leaves Gia to make herself comfortable in his living room while he hangs both their coats and takes off his jacket.
"So it all worked out, and yet I don't recall hearing Nice job, Gia. Really appreciate the help ," she says, a cheeky grin on her face as she takes a seat, crossing her legs.
"Yes, forgive me," he says, returning with two beers. "I was a little tied up, trying to prevent Niklaus from being... Well, Niklaus. Yes, nice job, Gia. Really appreciate the help."
She smiles proudly, sipping from her bottle. "You like beer?"
Elijah makes a face as he drinks from his. He'll probably never understand why people would rather have a beer when they could be indulging in a fine Bordeaux or a good whiskey instead, but... "I'm adapting to my audience."
Gia shifts on the couch so she is facing him. "You knew Josephine would like me. It was almost like you could predict she would act like a jerk and I would snap at her and that, just like magic, that would turn the tides in our favor. Are you psychic?"
Elijah's lips tug upwards into a lopsided grin as he takes a seat beside her. "Merely observant. Once upon a time, Josephine was rather rebellious. This is a trait that you seem to exhibit in spades. However, circumstances all but extinguished that quality in her. Had she known that you were coming, she never would've welcomed us into her home, nor would she have been swayed by your... What is it she called?"
"My candor," Gia provides, chuckling.
He nods. "Your candor, right."
"Is everything always ten steps ahead of the game with you?"
"Often, victory is allowing your opponent to believe that they are triumphant until they're not." He points his bottle at her before chugging it back. "Here's another lesson for you."
"Ok," she drawls. "Just remember who sealed the deal."
"Credit where credit's due."
They clink their bottles together, falling into a stretch of companionable silence. Elijah still has the weight of a thousand different problems over his shoulders, but tonight he feels lighter than most. Certainly more carefree than he has in a very long time. Being at his own place has offered him a sanctuary away from his family's problems and his brother's tempestuous mood swings. He does miss the compound, of course - Caroline, most of all, and the chance to spend more time with his niece. But each day he grows more certain that he made the right choice in moving out. He needed this distance, if anything then to clear his mind and gain some much-relished perspective.
In a way, that's exactly what Gia offers: fresh air. She's neither a Mikaelson nor does she hold ties with his family's complicated dynamics. She hardly knows anything about them. Even the way she looks at him is different than most. Being close to an Original means nothing to her. What he used to read as blatant disrespect for one of her sirers was, in fact, ignorance. Once he was able to brush his ego aside, he realized he actually envied Gia. Most days, Elijah wishes he could forget who he is as well, wonders what it would be like to live not as a Mikaelson, but as a simple man, no history, no strings attached. It's but a silly fantasy, of course. As Niklaus said to Kol, Always and Forever isn't something one wriggles their way out of. But it doesn't mean he cannot dream, even if through the eyes of another.
What he's come to realize recently is that, despite his pride, Elijah likes the person he is when Gia looks at him. It's a bit like Caroline, but in a different fashion. Caroline had a long history with his family, was well aware of everything they represent and stand for, long before he ever crossed paths with her, but she simply did not care. She would stand her ground against their whims, was never afraid to speak her mind, never bent under the pressure of the thousand years they carried with them. Her spunk and contempt for their status as the so-called vampire royalty was a given. Just as is Gia's disregard. But while it was all very deliberate on Caroline's part, on Gia's it is totally unintentional. One isn't better than the other, it's just... Different. And after a millennium of enjoying all the perks of being who he is, his tired bones find themselves comfortable in the face of such oddity.
"Can I ask you something?" Gia queries after a moment. Elijah arches his eyebrows at her. "Something personal."
"You may ask. I may not answer."
"Marcel told me the story. You, Klaus and the vampire mom."
"Caroline."
"Caroline, right," she nods. "Well, you're... You. And Klaus is... Klaus . While Caroline is..."
"Caroline?"
"A ray of sunshine. Not a single golden curl out of place," Gia says with a deadpan, making it obvious she doesn't rate that as much of a quality. "I don't really know her, but everyone speaks very highly of her. Marcel likes her. Josh likes her. Davina. Camille. The wolves hate anything that drinks blood and they all but kneeled at her feet in that ceremony."
"Are you randomly waxing praise at Caroline or is there a point?"
"How is she with your brother and not with you?" she blurts out.
"Is that your fumbling attempt to pay me a compliment?" he asks with a smirk, deflecting the question.
"I'm genuinely confused," she replies with a serious face.
Elijah sighs, looking away from Gia as he considers his answer. "She met my brother long before she met me. It was never really a question."
"Still doesn't make any sense to me. Klaus is this bottomless pit of darkness. I don't think I've ever seen him not being cranky or a straight-out jerk. And when he looks like he's fine, snap and he's barking at someone. How come, given the choice, she goes for... that ?"
Elijah smiles with casual amusement. "I'm sure you of all people can understand the allure of darkness, Gia. You've certainly noticed my brother is an intense man. When someone like Niklaus shows a deep-rooted affection for someone, it's... Hard to ignore it. But you're mistaken if you think I'm not as shrouded in darkness as he is. If not more." Gia gives him an unimpressed look, pursing her lips. "That's a common mistake. Niklaus simply cannot be bothered to dull out the sharper edges of his personality for the sake of others while I believe in a more diplomatic approach. What was it that you said to me earlier today? That I needed a woman -"
"To mess you up," she finishes, a light blush on her cheeks.
"Yes," Elijah grins softly. "Well. Caroline does for Niklaus the exact opposite. All my brother knows is mayhem. Chaos. It's what drives him, propels him forward, and I can only imagine how exhausting it must be to live in his head, considering how tiresome it is just to be around him. Caroline... She smooths his wrinkles. Casts light upon the endlessly dark parts of his soul. She is the calm in the eye of the storm. I think he needs that more than he needs air in his lungs. And it doesn't go unappreciated. He is a difficult man, but he values her. He values her a lot."
Gia seems thoughtful for a moment. "I just thought... Since you're all straight lines and fitted suits... That someone like Little Miss Sunshine, who's all perfect hair and bright blue eyes, would be an obvious fit."
Elijah smiles as he sips from his beer. "You make the same mistake most people make about Caroline upon first glance. To pin her under the beauty queen label and think that is all she is. She is undoubtedly beautiful, but her looks and her bright smiles often detract from what are, in truth, her greatest qualities. You shouldn't underestimate her. Caroline is kind-hearted, but she is cunning, strong-willed, extremely brave. And she also has quite a temper of her own."
"Sorry, didn't mean to offend," Gia says, gesticulating in an apologetic manner. "It's just I've met people like her my whole life, they've never been very kind to me. I don't exactly fit in with the popular kids."
"Perhaps you just haven't met the right people. But your assessment about me is equally mistaken."
"Oh?"
"I'm not as neat or as straight-lined as you might think," he says, pulling on his tie with one hand.
Gia's eyes follow his movement, staying on his neck while he struggles to loosen up the knot. When she looks up again, her smile turns suggestive, her eyes flashing with interest. As though making a decision, she puts her beer down on the center table and then reaches out to remove his tie for him, her fingers brushing lightly against his skin.
She keeps her eyes firmly on his as she stands to her feet. "You never told me if you like me in this dress."
A lazy smile breaks onto his lips as he takes her in. He'd obviously noticed how stunning she looks in the form-fitting dress, but he'd kept it professional thus far. Now, however... He doesn't bother hiding his true appreciation. "You're right, I didn't," he says. "You look ravishing."
That awards him one of her mysterious smiles, a hint of mischief dancing at the edge of her dark eyes. Then turns her back to him. "Zipper's stuck. Help me out of it?"
Elijah doesn't know why, but he hesitates for a second. They went from talking about Caroline to her asking him to help her out of her dress a bit too fast for him to fully grasp it. When it finally hits him, however, it's like coming up for air after eons drowning under the water. Lust sweeps over Elijah, shaking him from the inside out.
It has been so fucking long...
In a fluid motion, he puts down his bear and positions himself behind Gia. He catches the hitch in her breath when he touches her, breathing against her skin as he pulls the zipper all the way down. Elijah slides the dress off her shoulders, and Gia leans back against him, tilting her head to the side to expose the long, beautiful curve of her neck.
Elijah's heart thumps with anticipation. For the first time in months, all he gets is the heat of arousal, a burning desire licking him up inside, sending a familiar tingle down his underbelly, making him salivate with wanton need. There's no fear, no regret, no shame. No embarrassing thoughts flashing through his mind. It's just pure, animalistic want . And so he gives in to it.
He buries his face in her neck, kissing the soft skin there, Gia arching her back against him as his hands slide down the side of her body until he finds the hem of her skirt, pulling it upwards. She wriggles in his arms, turning around and cupping his face with both her hands. Elijah sees it in her dark eyes, so vivid, the perfect reflection of what he feels right before she takes his mouth in a demanding kiss, wrapping herself around him, one of her legs pushing between his own until her thigh is firmly rubbing against his front. She moans sinfully into his mouth when she feels what she's doing to him, and the kiss turns hungrier, messier and oh so good.
One of Elijah's hands bury into her hair, his fingers winding through her mane and pulling lightly on it, while the other hand travels up her skirt, grabbing tightly on the firm shape of her ass. Suddenly he can't remember anymore why he's gone for so long without doing this, why it took him months to look at Gia this way. Even Caroline saw it before he did, which is... Ironic, to say the least, considering she was probably part of the reason why he couldn't see what was right before his eyes all this time.
But Gia is not Caroline. They're different in every single way. And she drives Elijah crazy with the way she claims his mouth, with how her small frame fits perfectly against him.
There's something very lonely about her, and it resonates deeply within Elijah. She wants to find her calm in the middle of the storm as well. Perhaps they might find it together. Even if just for a brief, perfect moment.
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
Klaus throws a crumpled one hundred bill over the counter at the bartender working the late shift at Rousseau's. "There you go, sweetheart," he says with a pleasant smile. The girl takes the bill, tucks it inside her bra with an extra show of her cleavage, probably thinking she might get more from him than just a nice tip. Klaus barely casts a glance at her bosom, though. As soon as she puts the bottle of bourbon in front of him, he forgets she's even there, his attention all trained on the man beside him.
Klaus pours two glasses, pushes one towards Aiden. He is stiff as a twig, the poor lad, rapping his knuckles nervously against the counter, eying Klaus with nothing short of suspicion. Every once in a while, he'll look over his shoulder, afraid to get caught - although, to all intents and purposes, they're not doing anything wrong. Aiden is stationed at his house most of the time, there's no crime in heading out for a drink or two. Still, Klaus took precautions. The bar is completely empty, they're the last ones there. The girl agreed to let them stay in exchange for more of those crumpled bills she's getting. In his case, it's not Jackson he's concerned with, but rather a blonde with strong opinions on how he handles her werewolf friends. He's lucky Camille is not working tonight, or she'd certainly tell on him.
Doubtful though he may be, however, Aiden still showed up, which means he is, at the very least, eager to hear what Klaus has to say. It's a promising start. All he needs is to loosen up a bit. That's what the alcohol is for.
He watches as Aiden knocks back his drink almost all at once. A gracious smile spreads slowly over Klaus' lips.
"You know, for centuries werewolf alphas have lived as kings of a frightened and cursed people, forced to change every month on a full moon, but now your pack is cured. You can change at will. You are at peace. And yet Jackson takes his leadership for granted. He doesn't see that we live in a new world, which is precisely why the wolves need a new leader, someone chosen by the wolves to guide them into the future. Someone like you." He leans closer. "I can help you become the leader your pack deserves."
Aiden huffs out a sardonic little laugh. "Yeah? And what's in it for you?"
Klaus purses his lips. "In return, I would only ask that you and your pack swear to protect my daughter and the woman whose powers have allowed you to smooth into this new era. That is all I will ever ask of you because that is all that matters to me. You can let me know when you're ready, but do bear in mind that time is forever ticking forward, which means that tomorrow..." He taps a finger twice over Aiden's wristwatch. "Is already here."
Aiden stares at him blankly, but Klaus can see it in his eyes that he's tempted. He noticed this in the young man from the very beginning, how ambitious he is, how much he enjoys being at the forefront of things. He claims the only reason he ever joined Esther's army was because he wanted to protect his family; bollocks, Klaus says. He wanted the power . He rose to command quickly, even above Oliver, became Finn's most trusted ally, even though he was double-crossing him the whole time, because he has that fire inside of him. Klaus would know; he has it himself.
Jackson, on the other hand, doesn't. He wants things to remain as they are, for the wolves to be happy with whatever scraps they are given. Even this ceremony which granted his people their long fought-for freedom wasn't his idea, but Caroline's. All Jackson Kenner cares about is chasing after her like a lapdog and countering Klaus' every decision, and that just won't do. He needs someone more open to his influence, someone who will, perhaps, feel more grateful, someone he can mentor . And, well, it also helps that Aiden is not at all interested in Caroline. At least he won't have to be annoyed with him constantly hanging around her.
Klaus can tell that being demoted to just another pack member has bothered Aiden to no end, after being given a taste of command. Some people might see that as lack of discipline and rebellion; to him, it seems like an opportunity.
If Jackson is the problem, then all they need to do is remove Jackson. But Elijah was right; Caroline won't hesitate to stand against him if anything happens to her dear friend. For reasons that are beyond comprehension, she's become fond of that dull sod. No, Klaus can't hurt him. He'll have to be demoted from his position as alpha by his own people. The way things are going, all it might take is a little push.
He finishes his drink at the bar, throws the by then merely annoyed bartender another bill and then heads back home. It's the wee hours of the night, and the only people still awake are the werewolves standing guard. He makes his way to the baby's room with soft steps, pushing the door open just a tiny bit to check that Eve's asleep, but he finds the crib empty. A crease immediately dents his forehead as he straightens his posture, sobering up rather quickly. Klaus goes into the baby's room and then through the other door, the one leading directly to Caroline's bedroom, and there he finally lets out a relieved breath.
His daughter is fast asleep on the bed, sandwiched between a pile of pillows and her mother, sleeping on her side, an arm folded under her head. He takes in the scene in all its details - the way the faint light from a lamp bathes them in a golden hue; how one of Caroline's hands rests next to Eve's, almost touching; how absolutely peaceful the two of them are, heart beating in unison. Eve looks so much like her mother... He suddenly feels like reaching for pencil and paper.
This, he thinks, is exactly what he is fighting for. So that the two of them will always be graced with quiet, peaceful nights such as this. So that they may sleep soundly, knowing that the next morning will always come for them. No one will ever touch his family again. Caroline can grimace and pout at him all she wants, but one day she will thank him, when they get to see their littlest wolf grow up to live a full and happy life with both her parents by her side.
He can't promise not to disappoint them, not to break their hearts, not to make them angry. He knows better than to give his word on promises he knows he can't keep. But this Klaus promises them: he will fight to his last breath to keep them safe, no matter the costs.
TBC
Hi! :) If you've made it this far, thank you! If you haven't read the A/Ns at the beginning, please, do do! Just some heads up about where this story is going from here.
I'll be honest. It took me a long time to update this even though I've had this chapter done for a while because I was VERY nervous. Anxiety about this story was off the roof, and 14 seemed like a safe place to stop. This second part has my absolute favorite moments, but I'm definitely scared of the reaction to some parts. So I would really appreciate it if you folks would let me know your thoughts and whether you're interested, if you are.
I could go into more details about a lot of things, but don't want to talk too much here. If you ever feel like discussing stuff or asking whatever, you may find me on tumblr galvanizedfriend. :) My inbox is always open.
Thanks very much for reading! ❤️