Reunited

Chapter 5

'Who are we really, in our hearts? Who are people to judge us for being creatures of the night? We are needed to hold nature in balance. We are pure magic ourselves. Magic created us to balance out what Esther Mikaelson did to her own children.'

"Damon, Elena!" I hear Klaus calling us downstairs, so I close my journal

"Be down in a minute" I call out and I speed into the shower room opening the door and seeing my husband washing away his woes with warm water fills me with sorrow. I sit down with him and take his hand in comfort. "Damon, I know Hadrian got away in time, but I was so scared for him, terrified actually, Rebekah managed to compel a master Legillimens, what if he had been taken by Dumbledore again?"

"Our son is a survivor" Damon murmured and then wrapped his wet arms around me "You know he'll be scarred by his time at Pig-Snouts"

I let out an undignified snort "And he's a Parcel–mouth, Dumbledore taught him that he was an evil dark wizen just for being able to talk to snakes, I mean it's…. just ridiculous, Parcel-tongue speakers are revered in India and China, worshipped as gods."

"We all have a darkness inside of us, Damon, you saw it in me when I switched my humanity off" Damon moved my hair behind my ears "You dimmed them down because of Jeremy's death, Elena, you were not a monster, trust me baby, when you switch off, you feel nothing. Having flipped the switch twice, I should know" He gently placed feather-light kisses on my neck, on my lips. "Later, bad-boy, our son is arriving soon, and we cannot frighten him or make him believe he is an after-thought"

I climbed out of the shower, took ten deep breaths, and put on my best sundress for the New Orleans sweltering July heat. I put on my earrings, they were daisies, and a crochet sunhat. I was hardly afraid of getting a sunburnt complexion as my olive skin served me well. I was a hybrid and I no longer needed a daylight Lapis Lazupi ring.

Being invulnerable really helped and my son would also not need the same protection of a daylight ring. A tribrid like Hope, my sister whom I cherish, Hayley, her mom and I have become close friends as well. She is mated with Elijah who is very much like a favourite uncle to me. Our lives are rich and full of love at the Mikaelson Mansion Dahlia, Esther's sister was a dangerous adversary to all of us.

"Elle, your mind is rambling again" Freja said gently as she walked into the room, "You're nervous about seeing your son, you know he won't blame you for being abducted from Mystic falls. That was all Dumbledore" I lean into her hug "I know, Damon said as much, he spoke to Hadrian. I wanted so much to be there, but you girls practically harangued me into Rosseau's, and I spoke to the psychologist Camille. See, all better" I grinned, Freja grinned then laughed "Though I should say that nobody forced me to drink the tequila, it was good to get drunk and forget, for a while, at least, saying that…. you looked like you were getting cosy with the Munroe queen, Keelin, was it?" Freja blushed and I couldn't tease her anymore. "Hey, look" I grabbed her "Love is love, no matter the form it takes, go for it, grab love with both hands"

"Do you know, I might do that" Freja said smiling

—-

I watched Hadrian as he slept on, he can't have had much sleep last night He also had been distressed earlier with his fear of Dumbledore dragging him back to the Dursley's, it was something so palpable, you could almost touch it. We were heading towards Baton Rouge Airport where we were due to be picked up by my brother Niklaus, he wanted to meet his grandchild so badly and hug him. I was drafting my latest novel obviously with a pseudonym. I used a very discreet publisher who knew of my vampiric nature and kept my confidence. 'The Vampire Diaries Chapter 7' was written under the pseudonym of 'L.J Smith' and I loved writing about Vampires. I detested the twilight series books and film. They were my competition and to me, they were ghastly representations of vampires. Sparkling Vampires! yeah, whatever!'

Hadrian's stomach started grumbling and I chuckled as I moved his messy hair out of his beautiful green-grey eyes. He stretched and yawned. "Hey, Aunt Bekah, are we there yet?"

"Not yet, Hadrian, Are you hungry?"

"Yeah, I could do with some soup and a roll."

"What about Peaches and Cream for afters?" I asked

"I'll try" Hadrian rubbed the sleep from his eyes and sat up.

—-

Niklaus was buzzing with excitement at meeting his grandchild, it had hurt him to know that a crackpot old fool had stolen Hadrian in the night to fulfil a fake prophecy. How had he heard of Hadrian being born? Niklaus had his suspicions, of course. Esther must have told Dumbledore after she ran.

Niklaus parked his Hybrid SUV in the waiting bays of MSY Airport Arrivals. 'What if his grandson is frightened of him?' Niklaus had a naturally scary way about him and in general people had always been wary of him, sensing the predator in his aura. The problem was he no longer wanted to give off the predator aura.

Niklaus saw a small young boy who looked emaciated, his growth stunted by malnutrition. 'This can't be Hadrian?' he thought but groaned when he saw Rebekah pick up the tired boy. Tears pricked at his eyes as he left his vehicle and took a slow walk towards Rebekah and Hadrian.

He gently placed his hand on Hadrian's back and asked Rebekah with his eyes who nodded when she saw the pain in his green-brown eyes.

"Hello, little one, I'm your grandfather, may I have a hug?"

Hadrian threw himself into Klaus' arms and allowed himself to cry.

Rebekah had a lump in her throat as she allowed herself to weep, they both gathered Hadrian in their arms. "You're home now."