"Elijah..."

The curtains were closed, but the absorbing darkness in the room declared the fact than it was night.

"Elijah?"

"Elijah!" Klaus shout again, trying to get the attention of his brother, who was currently sleeping in the chair next to his bed.

"Elijah"

Elijah gently opened his eyes, rising up in a straight position and arranging his shirt. His suit jacket was elegantly positioned on the arm of the chair.

"I thought Freya told you that sleeping in the chair next to my bed ruins your back." Klaus said, now sleepless and pleased that he managed to wake up his brother.

"Niklaus, it's... 4 in the morning, I thought you needed something."

Klaus softly bit his lip and looked at the machines gathered through his room, then at his brother, who was now holding his hand carefully, as if he would be made of glass. The blonde breathed deeply, then asked in a voice what seemed like a child's:

"What if I don't wake up anymore?"

"N-Nik...you have to stay strong, can you hear me? So you have to sleep. The more the better. You will wake up and a new day will come...you have my word on that. You will wake up."

Caroline was making a cup of tea while Klaus was lying in the living room, if not already asleep. It had become a sort of routine during the week Caroline had been here, the young man being too tired to do anything else and lying in the same place for long hours during the day. Caroline checks her phone and notices a bunch of lost messages from Tyler...or from "Puppy-boy," as Katherine had put it in Caroline's phone when she wasn't looking. The young fashion designer came with the most creative insults for Caroline's ex-boyfriends, especially those who had cheated on her and then refused the break-up.

Anyway, Tyler was the past, and Caroline could very well continue to ignore his messages forever. She entered the living room holding the cup of tea in one hand and saw that Klaus was still awake, flipping through a thing what looked like a notebook.

"What are you doing?" Caroline asked, handing him the cup of tea. When he saw her, Klaus quickly closed his notebook. "You know you don't have to hide yourself, do you? It's your house."

"Technically, it's Lijah's and he forced me to move in with him a few years ago so I wouldn't faint on the kitchen floor in the middle of the night." Klaus had replied, with a funny tone and a grin on his face at the same time.

Then Klaus's face hardened, turning gloomy, as he opened the notebook again with a look...of longing?

"It's...it's gorgeous, Klaus."

Caroline was looking at a beautiful drawing of a young blond-haired woman who, from the pictures in the house, was Klaus' sister Rebekah. It was so realistic, but at the same time so...fantastic. Gorgeous as a spring day, it was like a diamond flower among the lights, like a star on the sky. As Klaus continued to turn the pages, Caroline saw drawings of countries, oceans, people, life, and death.

"You're so talented." she told him, giggling at Klaus's red cheeks in contrast to his pale, too pale skin. "Wait, did you paint those paintings in the hallway?" Caroline asked after a moment, recognizing the signature on those paintings.

"Yes, I used to paint. I had a gallery. "

"Used?"

"Caroline, look at me, I'm basically a ghost. Do you really think I have at least a little more energy or motivation to do this?"

"I know you're talented, and as you said, you love to make art. I think you should do what you like, how you like, but being careful not to force yourself at the same time. Be you, because you're amazing, and so strong, Klaus. "Caroline said, touching his IV hand.

"Elijah, can we talk a little about Klaus?" Caroline asked the brown-haired lawyer as he set his briefcase on the table.

"Of course, miss Forbes, what is it?"

"I'd like to take him out on the town in the next few days. Maybe we can walk for a few hours and get some air?"

"I'm not...would it be even safe, given Niklaus' delicate health?

"We'll use his wheelchair so he can sleep if he wants to, but I think he could use more natural sunlight."

"I think it would be better if he is at home, where he could rest whenever he wanted." Elijah replied, but Caroline was beginning to lose her temper.

"He needs some air, Elijah! You can't see how pale he is?"

"My brother is sick, miss Forbes!" Saying this, a few tears fell from Elijah's eyes.

"I promise we'll take care, I'll check on his condition constantly, and the moment he tells me he's not feeling well, we'll go home. He's so pale, Elijah, and that could even lessen his symptoms. "

Elijah smiled.

"All right, but I'll go with you."

Rebekah entered the mansion, tossed her bag on the couch, and then put on a cup of tea, she had been in town for hours with some friends, and had lasted longer than expected. Elijah was probably already with Nik at the hospital for his check-up, if not even on their way back.

"Rebekah, right?" a voice came from her behind.

Rebekah turned and saw a young woman with blond hair in a blue uniform.

"Your Nik's nurse." Rebekah said.

"My name is Caroline Forbes." Caroline introduced herself, holding out her hand, which the other girl took delighted.

"Rebekah"

Unexpectedly, Elijah entered the door, looking troubled. Rebekah put down her teacup and went to her brother, who pulled her in a quick hug, while Caroline asked:

"Hey, Elijah, where's Klaus?"

"I just came to get him some of his things. His doctors decided to keep him hospitalized for a while."