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Oh em gee! Issa update!
I love how y'all are miffed about the cliffhanger - and I totally get it, I am evil - but come on now, don't you know me by now? Cliffys are my favorite!
As always thank you for continuously hitting that follow or favorite button, for reading, and for reviewing. My heart is full.
Status update:
Still working on the novel so fic life is secondary to that. Got a few more chapters left in me for this one and, pending no unexpected plot bunnies, I want to say that this will likely conclude by chapter 25. Also, I haven't forgotten about Tatia. ;)
Now, I must put this out there in lieu of this chapter; I put an immense amount of research and thought
into this trial situation, and I wanted it to be as close to legally accurate as I could. Just, uh, remember that.
PART 19
Mystic Falls Municipal Courthouse – Courtroom 3 – Friday May 8th, 12:47 p.m.
It was eerie how much more opposing the small courtroom looked from this position. The wooden stand was more of a restrictive box and less of a podium, where Klaus could see every inch of the room, catch each person's gestures from the corner of his eye, pick up on every fleeting glance.
A sudden paranoia surged through him and all of his senses became hyperaware that he was on the stand, as if he were on trial for his crimes and he was fighting to appeal to the merciful jury of his mind. The interrogation by his heart built a stronghold of visceral defense. He almost forgot he was actually supposed to be answering questions.
"Niklaus?" He blinked and saw Finn frowning before him.
"Can you repeat the question?" he nearly stammered, his heart keeping pace.
"Could you please state your relation to the respondents?"
Esther was scowling, undoubtedly dreading where this line of questioning would lead. Klaus swallowed and leaned toward the microphone again. "Half-brother."
"Objection," Ms. Duncan pleaded. "What is the relevance?"
"It pertains to the argument," Finn assured her.
"Overruled." Judge Clemens gave Finn a cautious, sideways glance. "Make your point, Mr. Mikaelson."
Finn nodded. "Your relation is purely through your mother's bloodlines, correct?"
"Yes."
"Can you please tell the court who your father is?"
"I don't know." His eyes cut to Esther. "My mother was unfaithful to her husband." He blinked slowly, not hiding the bitterness when he added, "I was her consolation prize."
"And how did that affect your upbringing in the household?"
Klaus saw his mother's eyes widen in rage and she gripped her lawyer's arm. "Your honor!" Duncan demanded.
"Silence, Ms. Duncan. You will have your turn."
Klaus swallowed, his gaze averting. His heart was pounding furiously with a burgeoning anxiety. "It wasn't a particularly pleasant childhood."
"Why is that?"
His glanced shifted between each of his siblings, and then to his mother. His uncertainty turned to anger, remembering the anguish of the day she had him taken away from Henrik. Remembering the blank stare as she watched Mikael shove his face into the dirt. Memories started to resurface left and right.
"I was abused." He could taste the soil mixed with the blood from his split lip. Please, make him stop! "Relentlessly." Mother, please! "Daily." Please, help! "Without mercy."
"By whom?"
He hadn't meant for his voice to come out thick when he said, "Mikael."
"Your honor!" Esther shouted, standing up and slamming her hands down. "This does not pertain to this case, as – "
"Mrs. Mikaelson, sit down!"
"You did nothing to stop it!" Klaus thundered, rising from his seat too. The gavel pounded, but his heartbeat challenged it. "He was the only father I knew!"
"Order!"
"You let him beat me senselessly – "
"I will have order in my court!"
"You stood and watched!"
Esther glared. "I begged him to stop – "
"You did nothing!"
"Silence, both of you, or I will have no choice but to hold you in contempt of court!" Judge Clemens spoke over them.
Esther's lawyer pulled her back into her seat and Elijah was suddenly with Finn in front of Klaus' podium. He said nothing, but his eyes guided Klaus back into his seat.
"Your honor," Duncan pleaded. "I understand there is some unforgiving history here. In no way am I overlooking what you had to endure," she told Klaus. "But in an instant such as this, it is not inconceivable that Esther was just as afraid of her husband as her children were."
Elijah scowled, standing up. "That is speculation – "
The judge held a hand up, but the lawyer went on. "There is plenty of expert evidence to support that women in abusive situations are often too afraid to intervene when their children are being abused by their abuser."
"She wasn't abused!" Kol had leapt up from his seat now.
"You're mad!" Rebekah joined in. "If you think she had any fear whatsoever – "
"Lies, that's what they are!" Kol went on, starting to move toward his mother's desk. Elijah quickly moved to block him and suddenly voices were filling the room in argument, the judge's gavel pounding in desperation. Klaus remained wordless, locked in a feral stare down with his mother, all of the ruckus droned out.
"Henrik remembers," he said suddenly, and the reverberation of the microphone had miraculously quieted the room. All eyes were on him, and he knew his siblings were beyond bemused, but his gaze remained glued to his mother's. She looked worried. Finally.
"Can you please repeat that, Mr. Mikaelson?" Judge Clemens asked.
He leaned forward slowly, his lips almost brushing the lattice of the microphone cover. "Henrik. Remembers."
"Remembers what?"
He licked his lips, trying to breathe against the furious pitter pattering in his chest. "He remembers the abuse."
"He was two!" Esther argued. "He couldn't possibly – "
Judge Clemens smacked her gavel again, wordlessly eyeing Esther with threat. Esther shut her mount indignantly, her eyes worrying at Klaus.
"There was an incident. At school." He cleared his throat a little, uncomfortable with oversharing someone else's truth, but it had to be done. "His teacher had an altercation with an abusive ex-boyfriend that resulted in a fairly prominent facial wound. Henrik took notice..." His breath wavered and he closed his eyes in damnation, trying to compose himself. "He asked her if her father was the one who inflicted it." The room was eerily silent.
"Children have incredible imaginations," Duncan argued.
"That's poppycock," Kol snapped, standing again. "He's never been exposed to anything of violent nature."
"Has he watched TV? Movies?"
Kol blinked and slowly sat back down, shrinking into his seat, not unnoticed by his brothers and sister. As Rebekah whispered something to Kol, Klaus searched the room for a thread of hope. His heart took a plunge when he remembered, "There was another instance," he told the judge. "H-he mentioned, verbatim, "I don't like when Nik gets hit"."
The judge sat back in thought, giving them what finally looked to be a silver lining. Kol and Finn were mirror images of bemusement while Rebekah's hand was covering her mouth, and Elijah's eyes were sad. It was a revelation to them, he realized. The repercussions could be dealt with later, but when Klaus looked over at his mother her faltering confidence made their pain worth it.
"I empathize with your situation," the judge said finally, her voice soft. "But I must point out these instances continue to implicate your father, not your mother. Furthermore, without Henrik to attest to these testimonies, I have no choice but to have them stricken from the record as hearsay."
Klaus' heart ripped in two, and he couldn't even fight the burn of angered tears stinging his eyes.
The room was abuzz with anger again. "You denied letting him testify!" Kol was arguing, slamming his fist into the wooden barrier before him. Elijah was on the brink of escorting him out.
"She wasn't afraid!" Rebekah pleaded. "She was guilty! She let him beat his estranged stepson mercilessly to absolve her of the guilt she felt from her infidelity!"
Klaus nodded, encouraged by his siblings' bravery. He leaned toward the microphone, breaths hastening, his voice rising. "If she was so afraid to intervene, why would she be fit to ensure the safety of any of her children?!" he joined the argument. Judge Clemens' head turned in fury.
"Please settle down, Mr. Mikaelson."
"If she could not protect one of her children, why would she be able to protect another?!"
"Mr. Mikaelson! I won't say it again."
"Ask her how much she knows about Henrik!" he pleaded, tears streaming now without a care. "What does he eat for breakfast? His favorite book? His favorite animal? What are his hopes and dreams?"
She banged her gavel loudly and he winced. "One more time and I will hold you in contempt."
He sat down, wiping his eyes with the base of his palm. He heard the whisperings of Finn and Elijah coaxing Kol and Rebekah into submission. Through the blur he noticed Esther whispering something to her lawyer and the hairs on his neck stood at alert.
"Ms. Duncan do you have any questions for Mr. Mikaelson?"
She nodded to Esther then stood up from her seat and rounded the table to put herself before him, her eyes cool. It somehow instilled a sense of dread in him.
"Can you tell me when it is you learned that Mikael was not your father?"
His heart froze, blood turned to ice in his veins. Out of the corner of his eyes he saw Elijah's head drop to his chest. His stomach had somehow climbed up to his throat and he almost thought he might vomit it out when he went to speak.
"When I was eighteen," he croaked out in half-whisper.
"And when did Mikael find out?" Klaus said nothing. She tilted her head when he didn't answer. "Mr. Mikaelson?"
His heart was in the pit of his stomach, shrinking with every question she asked. "When I was eighteen."
"Did your abuse start only after he'd learned of your mother's indiscretion?"
"No."
"So Mikael abused you in your childhood, when he had no knowledge of your mother's betrayal. We can assume, then, that her act of adultery has no bearing on his behavior, therefore exonerating her of any inclusion in this incidence." She looked up to Judge Clemens, resolute. "Your honor, this woman clearly has no malicious intention against her children She was wrongfully accused for a crime that her husband committed. If anything, she was just as much a victim of her husband. It was a crime of passion that dragged her down with him as punishment for her indiscretion. Virginia law classifies adultery as a class 4 misdemeanor. If you see fit to charge her the maximum fine, so be it, but the real crime would be keeping a mother and son apart, especially when he's already without his father."
With that, she took her leave and returned to her seat, she and Esther silently rejoicing with smiles in a premature victory. The judge allowed Elijah and Finn to make one last closing argument before she declared a verdict.
"Your honor, I could easily dive down the rabbit hole of criminal offense and abusive childhoods, but what truly matters here is what kind of mother Esther could be to both Henrik and Rebekah." Elijah clasped his hands behind his back and began to pace. "Over the last year, Henrik and Rebekah have built a life here in Mystic Falls. They have friends, family, a home in which they feel safe and secure. Henrik is as happy and comfortable as any child could be and to remove him from his home, to take him away from what he knows, would be unforgivable. I don't know that this is the intention behind my mother's appeal, but it is not an unfounded worry." He stopped and faced Judge Clemens again, earnest. "Moreover, when not incarcerated, Esther Mikaelson is a thriving entrepreneur. What we failed to properly present are the effects of her thriving enterprise. The demands of her job often kept her not just from being physically with her children, but emotionally present in their lives. Her lack of interest in their well-being translates to gross negligence, which, quite frankly, should be enough to consider not condemning a child of a mere six years to an absentee mother. I beg you, your honor, to give your full and wholehearted consideration to all of these things when you make your decision."
. . . . . . . . . .
The day waned on as they waited for the judge to emerge from her chambers with a verdict. Finn had warned them it could take as long as a month, if she wanted, which would keep their guardianship intact for as long. It was secretly a collective hope that she would bide her time.
Conversation was scarce while they sat in the empty courtroom. Esther and her attorney stepped out for coffee, only returning minutes before Judge Clemens finally reappeared. It was nearly 2pm, an hour since they'd recessed. Her imminence instilled a fear in all of them. Finn and Elijah stood at the ready, Klaus now beside them. Esther and Ms. Duncan stood, as well.
"I have evaluated everything very carefully.I have listened to both sides and I feel that I have come to a fair and logical conclusion. I ask you respect the court. This verdict is effective immediately." She laced her fingers and looked over her paperwork. "In the case of Rebekah Mikaelson, I am granting Esther Mikaelson legal custody until Rebekah's eighteenth birthday at which time she will become legally responsible for herself."
Rebekah sank, her breaths hastening as tears sprang instantaneously. Kol grasped her hand, squeezing it tightly. The three standing brothers remained still.
"As it pertains to Henrik Mikaelson, let me first say this." She removed her glasses with a small sigh. "It is abundantly clear that you all love this little boy and are willing to go to lengths to do what is best for him. I have not seen such passion before in my courtroom. Henrik is extremely lucky to have such a devoted family. That said, it is my opinion that the needs of this six-year-old have been misconstrued by a deep rooted emotional blindness. For that reason, I am hereby granting Esther Mikaelson sole legal and physical custody of Henrik Mikaelson."
It was as if the world had turned sideways and knocked the wind collectively out of them at once. Instantaneously a mass of incoherent shouting started to fill the room.
"You can't do this!"
"This is a mistake!"
"Your honor, please – "
"What kind of judge are you?!"
"Henrik is a child!"
"She's not fit – "
Three loud pounds of wood snapping against wood jolted the courtroom and the sounds slowly subsided into silence. Judge Clemens set her gavel aside and folded her hands with a deep, preempting sigh.
"I understand you all have strong feelings on this matter, but do your brother a favor and instead of focusing them on your dispute with your mother, channel those feelings into the love and support you have for Henrik." She glanced to Esther. "Mrs. Mikaelson, your children obviously care for your son. I tend to agree with their deductions and would strongly suggest you do not remove him from his current environment." Her eyes softened then as she let her gaze slide across the panel of hatred before her. "First and foremost, you're a family. Take this opportunity to try and behave like one." She picked her gavel up and sent it down with one last declare. "Court dismissed."
. . . . . . . . . .
In the lobby of the Municipal Building, the shattered family gathered, picking up the pieces of the verdict that no one had anticipated. Finn was with Esther filing the appropriate paperwork to lift the guardianship and the custody decree.
"What now?" It was Rebekah's breathy voice, from her rooted spot against the wall. "What's going to happen to us?"
Elijah frowned. "We're still a family, Rebekah."
"For how much longer?" She looked between her three standing brothers but none would meet her gaze. Elijah was lamenting in his own silent way, and Klaus was in a world of despair all his own.
Kol sighed and dropped into the seat next to her, dripping with disparage. "Not like your saying you'd emancipate helped us any."
"It's the truth! I can't lie on the stand."
"Please," Elijah implored. "There is no blame to place here. We did everything we could."
"There was nothing more we could have done," Finn agreed, joining them, a large thick envelope in one hand and his briefcase in the other.
"So that's it?" She nodded toward the packet. "I belong to her again."
"You belong to no one, Rebekah," Finn assured her. "In a few months time you will be eighteen and none of this will matter."
"Right, and until then I'm her prisoner."
Elijah shook his head. "The judge granted legal custody of you to Esther. Meaning you still have the right to reside with us, should you choose to. The only decisions she makes on your behalf are those that require permission from a parent or guardian – school trips, medical examinations..." His words drifted, his attention diverted. The numbness in Klaus' eyes had caught him. "Niklaus...are you all right?"
Before he could respond, Esther and her lawyer rounded the bend in a crescendo of clacking heels against marble. Esther said something to Ms. Duncan and her lawyer nodded, exiting the building. She walked over to her family, setting her shoulders.
"Clearly there are some things we need to discuss."
Rebekah stood, glaring. "Like your tearing apart of this family? How could you, mother?"
Esther frowned. "You all so strongly believe the worst in me. My intention was never to break apart this family. It's you who cast me aside, out of your lives."
"You started all of this," Rebekah argued, tears in her eyes and her voice. "You betrayed father and you betrayed your children."
"I know I did, Rebekah. I don't pretend not to hold myself accountable for the horrors that have befallen this family."
"Do you?" Elijah asked. "I suppose exacting revenge is much simpler when you're not behind bars. I would pity Mikael had he not brought such pain to this family."
"What does that have to do with Henrik?"
"That is exactly what I would like to know." His gaze pierced hers but she made no motion of fear, no wavering concession.
"Mikael is where he truly belongs. I intend to see to it that he stays there, so that none of you can come to harm by his hand again."
Kol snorted. "So you can paint yourself the hero? Too little too late, mother."
"I am trying to do right by Henrik."
"Why now?" Elijah asked. "After all these years?"
"He is my son, Elijah. When you have a child, you will understand the need to fight for them like nothing you've ever fought for before."
He peered at her, hard, biting his tongue.
"So what now?" Kol stood so that he loomed over her. "You take him away from us? Run off with him for your own little fairytale ending?"
"Obviously that would not be the prudent choice, given the circumstances."
His shook his head with an incredulous grin. "You're not moving in with us."
"No. I expect not." She clasped her hands in front of her. "I'd like to see him."
"You can't just waltz right into his life!" Rebekah argued.
"Sit down, Rebekah." And something in her mother's tone convinced her to listen. "You all hold yourselves in such high regard, celebrating the fact that you held him hostage from me for the last three years." She let her gaze slither across each of them with a self-righteous sneer. "We all know I could have done worse than fight for the right to my son."
No one said a word, the tension oozing into the tiny lobby making it claustrophobic with hatefire.
She checked her watch. "He should be finishing up his school day soon."
"Meet us at the house," Klaus said suddenly. The looks of alarm on all of their faces when he turned barely fazed him. "If it's all right, I'd like to maintain the routine of picking him up today."
Esther regarded him carefully but nodded. "Within the hour." The echo of her pumps carried her out the door, leaving a ringing silence in their ears following.
"Nik, what on earth are you doing?" Rebekah hissed, almost shrieking in whisper.
"No point in prolonging the inevitable." His voice was emotionless.
Kol gaped. "You're giving up?"
"We can't let her get away with this," Rebekah agreed.
"She won!" His voice reverberated back to him stunning them into silence. "There's nothing we can do about it now. We might as well give her what she wants."
Finn stepped forward. "If there is just cause, a petition can be filed."
"If being the operative word," Klaus pointed out.
Elijah pursed his lips briefly. "Niklaus is right. We have no choice but to see this through, and let it play out. Eventually Henrik will be able to decide for himself. Until then, it is our duty to protect him." Rebekah and Kol were miserably quiet which he took as a sign of resign. "He's going to have a lot of questions. We need to be prepared to answer them."
"Niklaus, if you are intending to pick him up we should leave now," Finn said, looking at his watch with concern.
He nodded. "You all go on. I'll see you at the house."
Rebekah frowned. "You shouldn't drive alone, Nik."
"I'll go," Kol volunteered and Klaus nodded in agreement. Finn nodded and gestured for Rebekah to follow as he lead the way out. She glanced one last time back at her brothers before disappearing through the door.
Elijah lingered briefly, eyes narrowed at his brother in suspicion. "If you're intending to run, I would beg you to take a moment to rethink your decision." Klaus glanced over wryly and Elijah smirked. "History has a tendency to repeat itself."
Klaus' lips turned in grim smile, almost a shadow of himself. "I'm banking on it."
. . . . . . . . . .
Outside of the courthouse, the fates had one more wrench to throw. Coming up the lot toward them was a familiar face. Someone to unleash his pent up fury on, Klaus thought. While Kol and Elijah went on toward Finn's car, Klaus made a beeline for Tyler Lockwood. Kol caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye and spared one last glance at his departing family before making a quick turn.
Tyler's walking slowed as Klaus came into view. He stopped and parked his rolling files beside him.
"Someone finally get you on a stalking fine?" he called out.
Klaus' fists were balled and he made no effort at slowing. Pure rage was coursing through him. Just as he started to see the worry filter into Tyler's expression, a hand caught his arm and Kol came stumbling into him. The collision startled him out of his tunnel vision. They were at least six feet away from Tyler.
"What do you think you're doing?" he asked, catching his breath.
"Not now, Kol."
"Oy!" He grabbed his arm again, giving him a little shove this time. "You don't need another mark on your record."
Klaus' shoulders set, his eyes glazed over with anger. "He hurt Caroline." He watched Kol's expression reconfigure into something he had never seen in his brother's eyes. Kol glanced over his shoulder at Tyler with a leer then moved to block his brother wholly, staring Klaus down.
"Come on, Nik. In front of the courthouse?" He shook his head, his expression adamant. "Do you really want to risk being taken away from Henrik again?"
Klaus' breaths came short through his nose, but as he searched his brothers face it registered in his mind that he was right. Kol patted his shoulder with a small nod and a mischievous grin began to form. He turned his head over his shoulder, eyes narrowing.
"Tyler, was it?" Tyler lifted his head at the address, defiant and smug all at once. Kol would have hated him just by that one expression, never mind the harm he'd inflicted. He stalked quickly toward him, to all of their surprise, and seized Tyler by his jacket lapels, relishing the little yelp of a gasp that slipped out. "My father's locked up for attempted murder. Think we should test that apple theory?"
Tyler shoved him off, smoothing his jacket with a glare. "Are you threatening me?"
Kol grins, brows shooting up. "Oh, he's astute." Tyler stepped forward so they were just barely nose to nose, fists curled at his sides. "Go ahead. I dare you."
This time it was Klaus' hand on Kol's shoulder. "Let's go. He's not worth it."
Kol almost looked disappointed, but after a leering once-over, he agreed. They turned and made it as far as eight, maybe nine feet before Tyler called after them, "How many messes of hers are you willing to clean up before you realize she's just a pathetic little bitch?"
Heat curled in his chest, and Klaus could literally have growled right then and there. Both of them had stopped in their tracks and only Klaus knew what was coming, almost pitying Tyler. The criminal defense attorney could barely blink before Kol's fist had hit his face, square in the jaw, sending him stumbling backward. Kol grabbed his tie in his fist before Tyler could trip over his own feet, choking him as he tugged even tighter so they were eye to eye. "Don't ever look in her direction again."
He threw him to the ground, leaving him grasping for breath, then casually strolled back to Klaus with a satisfied smirk on his face. Klaus looked at the heap of man on the ground as he struggled to sit up.
"You realize he'll be pressing charges."
"No he won't." Kol looked back at Tyler and tilted his head, eyes gleaming. "Because then I'd have the opportunity to exploit him for the abusive coward that he is. And we can't have that on our pretty little reputation, can we? Particularly when it's liable to cost him his license."
Tyler glared, wiping the blood from his lip and glaring at their turning backs.
As if nothing, Kol began whistling a cheery little tune in time with his footsteps as he began walking toward their car again. Klaus fell into stride, glancing at his brother.
"You're wasting your potential rebelling."
"I'm in my prime." Klaus scoffed a laugh as they got in the car. "School will always be there, and eventually I'll go back, but right now I'm enjoying myself."
Klaus shook his head, turning the ignition. "Were it only that easy to be so carefree."
Kol cranked his chair backward and fell into a lounge, sliding the window down for a taste of the breeze as they pulled off. "Oh but it is."
Mystic Falls Elementary – Miss Caroline's Classroom – 2:42 p.m.
A full school day of silence had put Caroline so far on the edge that she was clinging by the bare knuckled grip of her mind to keep it together. Her stomach was almost to her throat by the last few minutes of the day, and she was sure by the lack of communication that something was very wrong.
The mindless chatter of the children anticipating the 2:45pm school bell sounded like white noise. Outside the door, a shadow in the window caught her attention. Looking more closely, she saw the blonde hair and the sad blue eyes. Klaus was focused on Henrik until he saw her staring and their eyes met. Her heart fell. The dismissal bell rang and the children leapt from their seats to their cubbies, retrieving their things. The mad dash brought her back to her senses.
"Everyone line up at the door," she called out automatically. "One line, nice and neat."
They were lining up and already there was whispering about the man waiting outside. When she opened the door, he stepped aside. She managed to murmur the words "Wait here" in passing. And he did. She didn't argue Henrik when he slipped out of line to hug his brother, and stayed behind. His SUV was waiting outside, running. All of the signs pointed to dismay and her heart could not stop pounding in panic.
When the last of her students were seen off with their parents, she trudged back to the classroom, unprepared to face what she knew was coming. Inside, she found Klaus sitting with Henrik at his desk, speaking to him softly. Henrik's eyes were focused and she could see wheels turning in his head.
"I need you to be brave, for me. Can you do that, monkey?" Henrik nodded. "Things are going to be a little different from now on."
Henrik's lower lip curved, quivering a little. "Different how?"
He swallowed, his eyes glossing over. "You know how our parents had to go away?" He looked up meekly. "I know you know where they've been."
Henrik looked down at the table, scratching at one of the lead marks on it. "I didn't tell anyone."
"I know. And you didn't have to." He huffed a breath in distress. "The last three years, Finn, Elijah and I have been taking care of you."
"And Bekah and Kol."
"Right. And Rebekah and Kol." He swallowed. "You see, monkey...Esther – our mother…she came back." Henrik's breathing started picking up, his little shoulders moving up and down with each heave. "Today, a judge decided that our mother should be taking care of you."
"No. No she's not, you are!"
"Henrik – "
He slammed his palms on the table so hard both Klaus and Caroline jumped. "NO!" he shouted and he pushed away from the table and the chair fell backward on the floor as he made a run for the door. Klaus was up after him just as quickly. He caught Henrik's arm just before he reached the door and the six-year-old wriggled and writhed, his body contorting and he fought to break free. Caroline's hands covered her mouth in broken hearted horror.
"Let – go of me! I'm not going!" he demanded with growls, his face stained with wet tears, reddened from lack of oxygen. "Stop it! Let me go!"
As Henrik's energy waned, Klaus dropped to his knees to pull him close. Henrik resisted briefly then finally relented with raw, wrenching sobs as he clung to his brother's shirt with tiny fists.
Klaus hugged him tight, burying his face in the mop of brown hair, choking out, "I'm so sorry, Henrik."
Caroline hugged herself, tears rolling down her cheeks.
"I don't want to," he begged, tugging his brother's shirt. "Please, Nik…I want you."
"It's not up to me, monkey."
Caroline stood, powerless and wretched. Klaus lifted his head only slightly and met her gaze the one time, long enough for her to see worlds of shame and sorrow in their blue depths. He looked down at Henrik and began stroking his hair. The sobs subsided and became sniffling breaths.
"This is why I need you to be brave."
"I don't wanna," he sulked.
"You have to."
He let go of the bunched fabric in his fists and kept his head against Klaus' chest, little sniffles hiccuping out of him. "Are you leaving me?"
Klaus frowned. He drew back and put his hands on Henrik's shoulders. "Look at me. Didn't I make you a promise?" Henrik nodded. "I don't know exactly what is going to happen, but what I can tell you is that no one will ever keep me from you. And she may try," he warned, "but we won't let her, will we?" He shook his head and Klaus smiled softly. "Good." He began wiping the tears from under Henrik's eyes. "I know you must have a lot of questions."
"Do I still live with you?"
Klaus swallowed. "I don't know."
Henrik's lip began to quiver again. "Lijah?" Klaus began to frown. "Bekah and Kol?"
"I don't know. But," he added, "they're all waiting at home for you. Kol is waiting in the car."
"Are you still picking me up every day?"
"For now," he nodded hesitantly. "Until the arrangements are decided."
Henrik's voice was small, afraid even, as he asked in a broken whisper, "Is she here?"
"She's at home. Waiting." He looked down, trying to muster the courage to say, "I know she wants to see you very much."
The mix of emotions that crossed Henrik's face at that moment were heart wrenching. Klaus could see his brother's dread and reluctance, but also a curiosity and the slightest glimmer of optimism. He never knew hatred for his mother, never understood the root of everything and why she was put away. As a family, they would have shielded him from the truth as long as they could have, until inevitability took over. Now? There was no way of knowing what route Esther would take.
"I'll be with you, monkey," he murmured. "We all will."
Caroline began wiping the few tears from her face and cleared her throat, alarmingly reminding them both that she was still there. Klaus was beside himself with flabbergast.
"Is it – " she started, then stopped herself, unsure. "Would it be all right if I come with you?"
Henrik turned his head and nodded before Klaus could even open his mouth to respond. A small laugh stuttered out. "Seems I have no authority over the matter."
She smiled too, albeit grim and sorrowful. "I never said I was asking you," she teased lightly.
He cleared his throat and tipped Henrik's chin up. "Let's wipe those tears and be big and brave, shall we?"
Henrik nodded, rubbing his face with the balls of his fists. "You're always brave," he argued, sounding more like himself.
"I'm only brave because of you, silly." Klaus stood, ruffling his hair a little. Henrik went to the closet to retrieve his things, slow and heaving a very big sigh for a kindergartner. Klaus barely glanced at Caroline, stuffing his hand into his pocket.
"How did this happen?"
He shook his head. "I don't know."
She rubbed her arms up and down, suddenly feeling awkward with him. "I don't have to come." She shook her head at herself. "I shouldn't have even asked. This is a family thing, definitely not my place."
He looked up then and, closing the distance, reached to wipe a stray tear from her cheek, his thumb stroking her skin gently. She frowned and wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him tight.
"Klaus, I'm so sorry."
He hesitated before hugging her back, strangely numb to her affection. "It's not your fault."
"I know. I just wish there was something I could do."
He looked past her shoulder at nothing in particular and hollowly said, "There's nothing."
