Hello, my lovely readers. Klaroline continue their New York adventure and we are introduced to Grandfather Klaus! On with the show...
Chapter 9: The Out-of-Towners: Part II
Hands going to my face, I dragged them downward and cringed at the feel of my loose skin. What happened to the handsome, intentionally-stubbled man I had been? He'd been replaced with someone most closely resembling Albert Einstein. This was impossible! I must have fallen asleep and dreamed that I was in New York. Yes! Yes, that made sense. With a sigh, I closed my eyes. Waiting for one hundred and eighty seconds to elapse, I opened my eyes...to find Eisenstein's cousin still staring back. Taking hold of the too-loose-for-comfort skin on my right arm; I gave it a good pinch. It hurt like I'd torn the flesh and poured salt in the wound. A welt began to form at the sight of the injury. And that wasn't the worst part...
"Klaus!" Caroline called from the other side of the bathroom door. "Klaus, are you okay?"
"I'm -" I cut myself off. Even my voice had changed. It sounded lower and somehow quieter.
"Beth, let me go in and check on him." Jackson. Bloody hell. I might be able to explain to Caroline and Hayley my sudden transformation, but I could not offer a reasonable explanation to a human that would not leave feeling as if he were in a sci-fi flick. If only Anna or Lexi were here to compel him. Even they could not speed from Virginia to New York in time to deal with this crisis.
I perked my ears up to hear Caroline say, "O-kay." Blasted hearing. Or I believe that's what she said. She could have said: "Pass the butter and it might have sounded the same. Why couldn't my transformation include a hearing aid?
The door opened and Jackson came in. He offered me a brief nod before he moved closer to the stalls. "Uh, Nik? Hey, buddy, I know we don't really know each other, but your girl seems a little worried about you..."
Of course, no answer came from any of the empty stalls. "Nick?" Jack tried, again. He glanced at me while I pretended to wash my hands. "Excuse me, sir. Sorry to bother you-and this is going to sound kinda weird-but my girlfriend's friend came running in here about a minute ago... You haven't seen him, have you?" He ran a hand through his black locks and looked embarrassed.
Holding back a smirk, I moved from the sink and waved my wet hands at him, splattering Hayley's boyfriend with water droplets. He had obviously been raised to respect his elders because he didn't react, outwardly. This would be fun.
"What's he look like? This friend of yours?" I inquired, pretending to not have heard the "friend of the girlfriend" part. Without waiting for an answer, I moved forward, forcing him to sidestep as I made my way to the towel dispenser.
Jack paused. Apparently he'd already forgotten what I looked like. My eyes narrowed as I stared at the towel dispenser. "Speak up, young man. Not all of us have half a century to get on with things."
Jack came out of his confusion. "Tall. He's not as tall as I am. He's got reddish hair. Curly. More than mine. Um..."
Nodding, I pretended to think before replying, "Impossible to work these things!" I muttered, loudly, fussing with the device. I banged on the sides of it, as if I meant to push a button before giving it the old-fashioned glare treatment. "Your friend...you said he was tall, red-hair...like one of those Ragged Andrew dolls? Huh? Haven't seen him." My hair is more brown, with blonde highlights, and tints of red in the sunlight.
"No! No. Let me try again. He's about this tall." Jackson held his hand just above his shoulder. "He's got an accent. Like yours!" He stared at me and then edged closer. "Can I help with that, sir?"
"Blasted thing has something against me," I muttered, slapping the sides of the towel dispenser.
Jackson moved forward. "If you just wave your hands under it..." He waved a hand and a towel came out.
"Thank you." I snapped. "What you kids would do without your automatic toys. Have to actually work for things." Then I took the towel and wiped my hands. With a smile, I handed it to Jack who stared at the wet towel before throwing it away. I placed my hand on my chin, "Yes. Now that I think further upon the subject, I believe there was a young man in here. But he left."
"Left? How?" Jack looked at me like he didn't think me a credible source which I wasn't.
I shrugged. "In my day we did not mind other fellows' business." With a curt body I turned and left Jack to his mystery.
I found Caroline and Hayley still go wrong outside the men's room door. They moved to allow me passage and I caught Caroline's arm. "Miss, I seem to have misplaced my grandson, Klaus." Holding her gaze, I watched her lips purse and her eyes round as she stared into mine.
Before Caroline could say anything, Jack came out of the bathroom. "Sorry, ladies, but it seems that Nick has taken off for parts unknown. The only person who was in there was -"
"Klaus!" Caroline cried, excitedly.
Hayley stared at us. "What?"
Chuckling, I placed an arm around Caroline. "Little Elizabeth. My! How you've grown!"
Caroline grinned. "Hayley, this is grandfather Klaus Mikaelson. Our Klaus' granddad." She patted me on the shoulder.
Aiden looked up at me from his stroller. He cocked his head to the side and said, "You're old."
My eyes flicked down at my nephew. A smirk played at the edges of my lips. "How perceptive of you, little boy." I leaned down to pat his wavy brown locks and straightened up. My back had felt this horrid from the simple acts if leaning down and standing up.
"You're Elijah's grandfather?" Hayley stared at me, her brows rising. I felt sure she must already know who I am, but it would still be fun to play with her a bit.
"Yes. And who are you?"
Hayley inhaled. "Hayley Marshall. This is my son, Aiden. Aiden Mikaelson."
"Ah?" I feigned confusion, glancing from mother to child. Then I gave a swift nod. "Yes. You're the one my son, Mikael was raving on about. Seems like decades ago now..." I smiled at Hayley. "My son said you are quite the trouble-maker. And your pup," my eyes returned to Aiden, "gave him such a headache."
Narrowing her eyes, Hayley looked like she might want to clean this grandfather's clock which amused me even more. "Yeah. That would be me," she growled.
I looked at Aiden, seeming to appraise him. "He's nice-looking chap. Smart, too. Definitely my blood."
Jackson jumped in. "Should we try calling Nick?"
"Yes!" Caroline said. "Why don't we head back to the hotel? Nick probably climbed out of the bathroom window to pick me up something nice. He is just so full of surprises. But he's directionally challenged and used to get lost going to the grocery. Hopefully he didn't leave his phone back at the hotel. Or drop it in the bathroom toilet. He can also be such a klutz!" She patted me on the arm hard enough to make it sore.
Turning, Caroline attempted to lead our little group toward the front door. However, Jack had to pen his mouth. "I didn't see a window."
I opened my mouth to tell he should go and check but Caroline beat me to the punch. "Maybe he left while we weren't looking," she suggested, her voice rising with each new word. Yes, her nerves were getting the best of her. "I sure he'll find us." Now, she was tugging on my arm and I wanted to tell her to stop.
Jack just did not know when to give up. "Hales, he seemed sick. You know how this town is-grown man or not-he could get hurt."
"In my day men laughed in the face of danger," I retorted.
"Which is why there aren't as many of you," Caroline added with a long look. "You must be weary. Let's take you to the hotel so you can rest your feet."
"I can rest when I'd dead," I argued, giving Caroline my own long look.
Caroline glared at me. "Which will be sooner than later, if you don't come with me." Her shape tone gave everyone pause.
Finally, Hayley broke the silence. "Jack and I are going to look for Nick. Can you watch Aiden?" She directed her question to Caroline. I do not believe she cared for Grandfather Klaus much.
"I would love to get to know the little bugger," I told Hayley. In return, Hayley gave an evil look before Caroline took the handles of the stroler.
Once we were outside Serendipity, Caroline turned to me. "How in the hell did this happen?" She gestured at my current form.
"That is a question best answered by the witch who cast the spell." Or so I hoped.
"What do you mean: You have no idea how this happened?" Caroline demanded. She sat across from me, on one of the two couches of the penthouse. Since we'd returned, I'd tested out both couches and settled on a large, comfy chair. My back felt like it was on fire and my legs kept trying to cramp from our walk back to the hotel. Walking across the lobby had left me out-of-breath. Bonnie might be right, this spell might very well be the end of me.
"Isn't there something you can do?" Eyes fluttering open, I found I had been trying to fall asleep during the short conversation between my love and her little friend.
"What's she saying?" I called to Caroline who looked like my great granddaughter. This thought made me shut my eyes again. Thoughts like that might also kill me.
Caroline glanced from the coffee table to me. "She can't do any more magic. And if she did, she'd have to talk to Grams, to get a better idea of what is going on."
Closing my eyes, I woke to find other people coming into the room. Again, I had dozed off.
"We couldn't find Klaus. But we did find a great Italian place on the corner of Bleecker and Jones," Hayely announced. She carried two bags over to the dining table and Jack followed her with more food. "Who's hungry?" Hayley called.
My stomach rumbled. "I famished," I said, rising with difficulty.
Hayley's head whirled and she stated at me. "Klaus?"
At the same time that Hayley cried out my name the door to the bathroom opened and Caroline appeared in a towel. "I hope you don't mind; might have used up all the hot water- Ah!" Caroline screamed, dropping her towel and giving everyone a show.
"Jesus!" Jackson slapped a hand over his eyes and turned away from the vision that was Caroline. I could not being myself to have as many manners.
Scooping up the towel, Caroline stated at me as I turned to go to the closest window. Hours had passed and the sun has set, and so had my glamour because I looked like my true self.
"Is everyone decent, now?" Jack called out his hand still firmly attached to his face.
"Yes," Caroline and Hayley chimed.
Jack began to remove his hand when Aiden cried, "Nick!" and began to clap his hands. Jack's hand clapped back over his eyes.
"Aiden, honey, pizza," Hayley coaxed her child's attention to the food.
Jack lowered his hand. "Um, Hales. We seem to have exchanged an old man for a teen." He cocked his head in my direction.
Hayley frozen finally registering my presence. She froze in the act of removing a slice of pizza from a box. "Oh?"
"Grandfather Klaus became confused about where he was supposed to be," I explained with a casual air that did not beg argument. Moving to the table, I opened a box and freed a slice of pizza before taking a seat and placed my nephew in my lap.
Folding his arms over his chest, Jack stared down at me. "And where is he now?"
Caroline strode over, tightening her towel. "He's resting. In the bedroom," she waved at the closed double doors to the bedroom. "We should save him some food. He gets snacky, after midnight."
Nodding, Jack pulled out a chair. "My grandpa was the same way."
"Yeah?" Hayley began to smile like her boyfriend said something witty and I found myself rolling my eyes. Aiden had better ideas.
Palin a slice of pepperoni off his pizza, Aiden aimed and fired. The pepperoni landed on Jack's cheek and slid down to his shoulder like a large, saucy button.
"Aiden!" Hayley cried, her eyes rounding.
I chuckled. "Sorry about that, mate. Boy loves to play with is prey...I mean food."
"Klaus!" Caroline swatted my shoulder and scowled at me.
"That's okay," Jackson seems unperturbed. I found him to be annoying.
"It's not." Hayley shook her head, frowning at me. "Beth, you were about to get dressed." Her eyes went to Caroline who seemed to have forgotten what she was doing.
Eyes widening, Caroline glanced down and her cheeks flushed. "I will be back in minute." She hurried into the bedroom and closed the door.
"Isn't Grandpa Klaus in there?" Jack's brows rose as he looked from Hayley to me.
"Um..." Hayley looked to me.
I waved my arm. "Grandfather slept through the Blitz."
Jack shook his head and grabbed a paper plate. "Even as an old man, I wouldn't sleep through a twenty-year-old girl in a towel."
"Jack!" Hayley cried, shaking her head at him
Caroline's minute ended when she came back, still in her towel. "I forgot to shop!" she told us with a look of horror.
"Can't you just put on your outfit from before?" Hayley's eyes were on Aiden as he chew on a cheesestick, staring at the marinara dipping sauce. "Don't!" she warned her son with a pointed finger.
A loud whimper came from Caroline's direction. All eyes moved to her. She gripped her towel with both hands and stared at her big sister. "You want me to wear the same outfit? Twice! While in one of the World's Fashion Capitals?" Her voice continued to rise until Aiden pulled my hands over his small ears. "Seriously, Hay-ley!"
"Aren't there shops, here?" Jack looked around. "In the hotel?"
Hayley shrugged. "I guess. But she'll still have to get dressed."
Five minutes later, Caroline reappeared. "Who's ready to go shopping?" she cried happily.
"Shouldn't we finish eating, first?" And, again, someone else was in motion before Hayley could finish her sentence.
Aiden wriggled in my arms and threw himself forward to grab the marinara. "Aiden!" This time it was me calling for the cold to cease and desist as my nephew went running. However, I did not move to get up. Perhaps I should have done more to prevent what happened next...
Uncapping the sauce, Aiden giggled before he dumped the sauce over Jackson's head.
"Shit!" Jumping up, Jack looked down at Aiden as red sauce dripped for his head and splattered his shoulders, sliding down his shirt and pants. I wondered if Aiden would be an artist one day. A kind of Jackson Pollack who used other people as his canvas...
"Looks like I'm not the only one who needs some retail therapy," Caroline surmised, moving to stand by my side.
"Beth," Hayley going out, shooting Caroline a warning look.
Caroline let out a laugh and moved to sit down. "Sometimes I forget that Klaus isn't my Nick."
"In my dreams, I am," I told her and Caroline sent me a bright smile.
Hayley sighed, looking at Jack. "You need a shower."
"Use ours," Caroline offered.
"Thanks," Jack said. On the way to the bathroom I overhear him nutter to Hayley, "Your friends are strange."
"You don't have to tell me," Hayley said, following him into the bathroom.
Aiden started to follow them when Caroline got up and grabbed him. "Hungry?" she questioned, placing her mouth to his belly and adequate growling noises. "I'm soooo hungry! And I want to fest on little boys!"
Aiden laughed hysterically, stretching backwards in her arms. "Let's feed the monster," I said, pulling out a pasts bowl and placed in front of Caroline's seat. She looked from Aiden to the pasta bowl before leaning down to sniff at the bowl and then pretended to gobble it up.
The time for fun and games ended as the bathroom door closed. Hayley's downturned mouth told a tale that made me pity my nephew. "Aiden," the child's lot her stopped to kneel in front of him. "You can't throw food at people."
Turning his head to pin me with a large - eyed stare; Aiden sucked at his lower lip. He seemed to understand that I could not help, this time. "Sorry, Mommy," mumbled.
"Now, you can eat. But try to be nicer to Jack. 'Cause I like him, a lot." Hayley stroked Aiden's hair and the child nodded, his eyes on his folded hands. Glancing at me, Hayley added, "And, you, stop encouraging him."
I rested my chin on Aiden's head. "Wouldn't think of it." The second she stood up and turned her back to me; I smirked. Caroline caught sight of my expression and tossed a breastfeeding at me. I grabbed it and took a bite before stating: "I have a few problems of my own, in case no one else has noticed."
"Oh, we noticed," Caroline quipped, opening a wrapper and removing a plastic fork. She tugged off the lid of her pasta dish and dug in in like she had not eaten in days.
Minutes later, Caroline pointed her fork at me. "Do you think there's something specific triggering your changes?"
"Well, it's not the moon." Hayley nodded at the quarter moon bathing the room in natural light.
"What about time of day?" Caroline countered, reaching for another breads tick and then looking to Hayley, like I wasn't even there.
"Could be. Guess we'll find out find in the morning."
"Thank you, Drs. Forbes and Marshall, are you done discussing the problems your lab monkey is undergoing, or do you need to work on further study?" Would have been what I said but someone else interrupted our little scientific party.
Jackson came out of the bathroom, running a towel through his short locks. "We'll find out what in the morning?"
All of us exchanged looks. "We'll find out if Klaus has to go back home," Caroline supplied.
"Which one?" Jack took a seat before looking at us for an answer.
For a moment no one spoke up. It seems we had all forgotten about Grandfather Klaus. "Me," I supplied. "Father worries about my college opportunities. And if I miss too many classes, well, it is a slippery slope towards community college."
"Already?" Jack shook his head, a rueful smile on his face. He opened a box and pulled out a slice of Hawaiian pie. "You're young. You should be hanging with your friends. Gong out. Chasing girls. You have plenty of time to study."
Caroline's fork flicked and pasta landed in Jack's clean hair. This set Aiden off and Hayley's head fell forward. It seemed she could not catch a break.
"I am soooo sorry!" Caroline cried, her eyes wide and she shook her head in dismay at her own reaction.
Much to our surprise, Jackson began to laugh. "It's okay." He picked the pasta out of his hair.
"It's not!" Caroline protested her cheeks reddening.
Jack shrugged. "It can take another shower, later. Now that I have an excuse." He placed his hand on Hayley's knee.
Caroline glanced at me. "Let's finish here. Then we can go shopping."
Hayley and Jack did not seem to hear her. They were too busy staring into each other's eyes. I thought that was what Caroline and I were supposed to be doing, right now, but my crazed, ageing roller coaster wanted to prevent that.
Aiden grabbed a cheesecake bite and moved to launch it at Jack. I placed my hand over the child's and shook my head. He looked disappointed but settled for shoving the piece of dessert into his mouth. Looking up at me, he offered me a cheesy grin and I grinned back, snagging a bite for myself.
Entering the first floor of my brother's secret hotel, I walked alongside Caroline who had found the wall to wall stores without assistance. I could see my girlfriend's eyes darting from side to side as she tried to decide which store to sample first. Once again, I reminded myself that I would need a job with a six to seven figure salary and one of those credit cards with a nonexistent limit.
"We have time," I reminded her, gently. Jack looked at me. "You have time," I corrected myself.
"This one!" Caroline said, with a nod
She made her way into a small boutique. "Oh, look at this!" she cried, moving straight toward a dress with a three digit price tag, I had no doubt.
"Remember how little money you have," Hayley cautioned as a salespersot came to join us.
"Can I help you?"
"Yes! Do you have this in a size six?" Caroline fingered the hem.
The saleswoman examined Caroline in that manner some people had when they were trying to be tactful and did not want to be yelled at, do. "Size six?"
"It's for her sister. Who is fourteen and shorter. With less proportions," Hayley said, giving Caroline a long look.
Caroline beamed. "Yes. For my little sister."
"But we might want to find something for you, Beth," Hayley continued. "For your time here."
"Come on, Mikaelson. Let's leave them to it." Jackson started to leave the store when the saleswoman stepped in front of me.
With a smile like the front desk clerk had given me the saleswoman said, "Did you say 'Mikaelson?'"
"Niklaus Mikaelson. Brother to Elijah Mikaelson." I smiled and waited.
"It is an honor to have you in our quaint shop, Mr. Mikaelson. Of course, your special credit will be extended to your friends. Is there anything else I can do for you, sir?"
"Treat them like queens," I indicated Caroline and Hayley before leaving with Jack to do my own shopping. I had a feeling I would be coming home with much more than I had anticipated.
After our little shopping spree, Caroline and I returned to our penthouse. "See you tomorrow," Caroline called as the doors closed and Hayley, Aiden and Jack disappeared.
Coming back to join me, Caroline yawned. "It's been a long day." She stretched her arms above her head I enjoyed the view.
"It know. I'm looking forward to going to bed."
Caroline nodded and brushed her hair behind her ear. Her reaction was not what I'd been hoping for. Still, she made her way over to me and I thought maybe I could sway her. If I could stay awake long enough...
"About that," Caroline sighed. Rolling her eyes, she continued, "I know we had big plans for this trip... Big sex plans -"
"I know." I stopped her from finishing. "But I sense a 'But' coming on..."
"But you keep changing. And I don't want to wake up next to Grandfather Klaus. So, maybe we wait -"
"For the right time."
Eyes raising, Caroline smiled. She leaned over and kissed me on the forehead. "That's why I love you." Walking away, Caroline went into the bedroom and then returned with pillows and a blanket. Going back to the bedroom, she paused in between the double doors. "Good night Klaus."
"Good night, Caroline." I watched as her eyes lit up with a smoke and she slid the doors closed. This would be a hard couple of days, but she was worth it.
Finding that I truly could get used to penthouse life, I flipped through my copy of the New York Times as Caroline ventured out of the bedroom. "Good morning, love," I greeted her, rising from the table.
"Klaus, you're your hot twenty-something self, again!" Caroline enthused, running over to throw her arms and legs around me.
"Hot? I thought you always found me hot?" I pouted and Caroline kissed me until I stopped thinking.
"You are," Caroline said, her eyes hooded and she ran her hands down my chest. "Very. Very hot!"
"We have Belgian waffles and omelets," I said as she ran her out down my neck.
"Let's work up an appetite." Caroline's hand went down and into my pants and I groaned. She would not be getting an argument from me.
Just as I turned, to carry us into the bedroom, the elevator doors chimed and it was as if someone had concocted a plot to ruin all of my fun. If only I could rewrite the script to give this scene a more satisfying ending...
"Shit," Caroline groaned, head falling on my chest. She dismounted and I went to sit down, to hide the evidence of Caroline's effect on me.
"Good morning!" Caroline called, tying the belt to her robe shut.
"Looks like someone found his way back," Jack said, his arm looped around Hayley's waist. It felt apparent that the new couple had enjoyed their evening far more than Caroline and I had been able to.
"Who did?" Caroline looked confused.
"I did, love." My brows went up and I shot Caroline a fond look. "Just went looking for a trinket for Caroline and got a bit lost." I took her hand and kissed the back of it.
Caroline shot me a smile before waving to the table. "Breakfast?"
"Bacon!" Aiden cried trying to free himself, and Caroline went to fetch him. "This is pretty," he said, grabbing at her nightgown.
"Pretty expensive," Hayley added with an eye roll. She grabbed a slice of bacon and took a bite. "So good."
Caroline shrugged. "Perks of being with a Mikaelson."
Jack had started to sit down, and froze half way down, his gaze on me. "You're a Mikaelson?"
"No!" I said. Perhaps too quickly.
"Yes!" Aiden cheered. "Nik!"
Looking at Hayley Jack opened his mouth, but Hayley focused on me and Caroline. "I have such to show you guys before you go," she announced. "So, we should hurry up and eat!" She followed her own suggestion, filling her mouth with eggs. It could not be more obvious that she trying to avoid taking to Jackson.
"We already covered shopping," Hayley reminded Caroline, for the fifth time. "Don't you want to go to the MET?" She led the way up the stairs of the famous museum. I wanted to go. And by the look on Caroline's face; I would say she agreed.
"Of course, I do," Caroline called back as we followed Hayley who pushed Aiden's stroller ahead of us.
We made it inside and paid for our passes. Elijah would be pleased to visit this place. Then I recalled that I was sleeping in his hotel. He must take a spare our, or two, to come here.
"Klaus?" Caroline cried. I was becoming familiar with that tone. It usually came with a certain change I was also becoming familiar with.
Hayley and Jack were walking ahead of us; so they had no idea that their companion had just turned into a six-year-old.
"Hide!" Caroline hissed at me. She shooed me behind a Grecian sculpture. Caroline moved ahead to catch up with Jack and Hayley.
"Where's Nick?" Jack asked.
"Probably in the gift shop. Buying me a Mona Lisa print," Caroline replied. Or on another wing. He really loves the, um, older pieces..." She glanced back and I scooted away.
"Just follow us. And try to not get lost." Caroline knelt before me in a wing devoted to Degas and she straightened my collar and wiped a smudge off my cheek. It took everything in me not to hug her like I really was a little kid.
With an eye roll, I followed the foursome out of the MET and to NYU'S campus. Passing a hot dog vendor, I wished I could stop.
Once on the campus, I wondered how Hayley fit in and I found myself back to being a twenty-something. "Hello!" I called moving to join them. "Sorry. I got a bit lost, again."
"Again," Jack muttered to Hayley.
"We're going to Yankee Stadium," Hayley informed me.
I felt relieved. I could take some pictures for Kol. Might as well embrace being a tourist.
Arriving at the field, Jack led us around. He'd worked the concession stand when he first arrived in New York and had special permission to show us around Walking along the stands, I recalled watching my first ball game with Kol.
"Seriously, Klaus!" Caroline groaned.
"Not again," I moaned. Looking down, I found I was three. Caroline did not even know me then.
When I thought it could not get worse, we arrived at the Arc d'Triomph, and I had an image of coming here, with Caroline, in our old age.
"Klaus?" Hayley cried. Yes. That tone.
"Yes?" I replied and found I was Grandfather Klaus, again!
"Hey! He's back!" Jack seemed excited to see me in this state. He was the only one. "Is little Klaus back in Mystic Falls?"
"Who are you calling?" I demanded.
Jack looked at Hayley. "I need to go," I snapped, trudging away.
"You turned into a baby. And kept me up all night!" Caroline grumbled the next morning. Her sexy sleepwear looked wrinkled and I cringed at what might be spit-up. My spit-up. She flowered at me over our fancy breakfast. "At least I know what to look forward to when we make babies." She picked up a piece of toast and gave it a vicious bite.
"That will not be for many years to come," I tried to reassure her. "And I believe I know what is triggering me. See, it's when I think of something that changes me. I thought of my mother, last night, and I became a baby -"
The elevator chimed because interrupting something this important was necessary. "Hi." Jack walked off the elevator, alone. "Sorry about showing up like this. But I want to apologize to Klaus, the elder Klaus. I mean. And I came to..."
"Oh, boy," Caroline groaned.
Picking up a spoon, I noted Grandfather Klaus has reappeared. "Sorry, Jackson," I replied.
"Does somebody want to tell me what the hell is going on around here?" Jack demanded, looking from me to Caroline.
The elevator doors opened and Hayley came in with Aiden. "Jack -"
Jack shook his head at his girlfriend. "Not from you. From them."
"Our friend is a witch. She used a glamour on us. To make us look older," Caroline explained.
Nodding Jack placed his hands on his hips. "Caroline? And Niklaus?" He turned to Hayley. "Why?"
"I wanted them to meet you. To tell me if you're are a good guy." Hayley was on the edge of tears. "It was stupid."
"Hayley," Jack came over to her. "It want to meet all of your friends and family. I can only hope that they love me a tenth as much as I love you." He cupped her face and kissed her.
"So you're not mad?" Hayley looked more vulnerable than I'd seen her since she realized she was having Aiden.
"No. Just confused. That's all," Jack said.
"That happens to humans, when age is involved," Caroline said.
"I'm not really human. I'm a werewolf." Now, Jack made a lot more sense to me, at least.
"Oh?" Caroline looked at me. "Huh."
"I suppose this means we can get on with the rest of the trip," I said.
"You're you, again?" Caroline told me.
I checked with my spoon. It was true. I was my own age, again, and I was longer longing to be older for some time to come.
Thank you for reading, faving, following and reviewing. :)
Be safe,
-J
