Klaus

This morning Kol and I decided to take a little trip to the town of Mystic Falls. Accompanied by four of my devoted hybrids. Bonnie Bennett has been relentless in her search for the doppelganger. Sometimes I wonder why Elena couldn't be a loner. It's not as if the girl adds much value in the world other than her blood. I told my siblings yesterday I would be headed back to the small town. Kol insisted on coming along. I did not question why. I already know how infatuated he is with our prisoner. Although the two have barely made eye contact in the last couple of weeks. Their endless back and forth continues to irritate me. It is like I am living in a never-ending soap opera.

Mystic Falls, a town that I have such fond memories of. About six months ago I broke the curse that my mother put on me. A curse I have been burdened with for a thousand years. Elena was my savior. I thought I had killed her, but her determined friends saved the girl. Thank god, because my mother, being the clever witch she is, made her blood the key to making hybrids. Thus, how does anyone expect me to ever release the girl? Elijah has been trying to convince me to return the girl home. How did both my brothers end up falling for the girl? I know Elijah is used to the Petrova doppelganger, but Kol has never been one to succumb to that particular charm. I do not understand the allure. I mean, even Rebekah, has been warming up to the girl. Other than meals and instructing I have had no interaction with the girl.

Anyways, Mystic Falls. The small town in Virginia. What an interesting place. It just so happens that the birth of the doppelganger happens to be where my family originated from. Where the entire vampire species originated from. For some reason, people always believe vampires came from Romania or Transylvania. Dumbasses.

I am on my way to politely convince Miss Bennett and the Salvatore's to end their useless search for Elena. I plan on using whatever convincing I need. Out of respect for Elena, I have yet to kill her friends. But I am becoming less respectful by the day. Constantly having some Virginian show-up or people asking questions. Last week we left our little cottage in Bavarian Alps. A Caroline Forbes and her hybrid boyfriend Tyler Lockwood showed up in town. They were persistent. But the sire bond I have over Tyler is more effective than any determination.

One more time, these insignificant fuckers show up, and I will end them all. Let's be real, I can kill them with my eyes shut.

The plane ride is pleasant. I have compelled myself a private flight for me and my traveling companions. I enjoy delightful scotch on the flight (neat of course). Kol is more of a straight vodka guy. Finally, we arrive in Richmond Virginia. Kol and I take a car separate from the hybrids who drive close behind. Their loyalty is always appreciated, but their company is not. Sometimes they annoy me. Actually, more than sometimes. Especially Steven. His personality as boring as his hair is red. And his hair is very red.

Arriving in Mystic Falls, it's around mid-day. It's Sunday so many of the clueless locals are eating lunch at the town restaurants. I had over to the Mystic Grill. I would go straight to the Salvatore house, but I am one for a grand entrance.

Immediately, I see Matt Donovan. I remember the blonde fellow. His eyes are annoyingly blue. Alone, I take my seat at a booth, waiting for him to notice my presence. Of course, the idiot doesn't. I swear this man has no brain cells. And for some reason, the Salvatores' thought it was a good idea to trust him with the secret of the supernatural.

After a solid, twenty minutes, I see Jeremy Gilbert walk into the restaurant. He is wearing a grill shirt, so I guess he now works here as well. It is so hard to keep track of their meaningless lives. Jeremy, a much smarter man, instantly notices me. His eyes directly attached to me. He heads over with a purpose. Whatever a weak human's confident walk provides them is beyond me. Like ohhhhhh you are coming for me. I am terrified. Yeah right. I have always found it entertaining when people aren't terrified of me. It reminds me that human stupidity is in fact infinite.

"Mr. Gilbert, how lovely to see you again," I grin. Jeremy doesn't appear to be as enthusiastic as me. Pity.

"Where the hell is my sister?" Jeremy yells. Everyone in the Mystic Grill has their eyes glued on us. The interaction is quite noticeable.

I cannot help but release a slight chuckle. "Remind me who your sister is again." Absolutely enraged, Jeremy grabs the top of my shirt by my shoulder. Pulling on the cloth. The smile does not leave my face. "Oh, that sister. Yes, um let me think. I may have misplaced her."

My words obviously make the boy even madder. Matt, now that his attention has been caught, heads over to join the scary intimidation.

"Listen, boys, as much fun as this is. I'm not really here to speak with humans. I do my business with the real men. Now tell Stefan, Damon, and Bonnie that if they would ever like to see the doppelganger again, to meet me at the old Lockwood plantation at ten tonight. Don't bother coming with boys, it's only embarrassing yourselves," and with that, I grab Jeremy's hand from my shoulder and twist it off. Clearly breaking his hand in the process. The sound of bones crushing it's actually one I take pleasure in.

Kol, the hybrids, and I wait for our meeting at an old house Elijah had when he stayed in town before. We really don't have much planning to do as with anything Kol and I do, it's mostly improvising. Elijah and Finn have always been the ones to make detailed and stupid plans.

It's 10:15. I like to be, as the kids say, fashionably late. It adds to the suspense. Arriving at the old Lockwood plantation, a site I was once extremely familiar with. The grounds were once that of my village.

Damon, Bonnie, and Stefan are already there. Along with Caroline, Matt, Jeremy, and my previous host, Alaric. Alaric is a vampire hunter turned sympathizer. So, it is no surprise he is holding a crossbow. Like that would do shit against my brother and me I. Tyler is nowhere to be found. I guess this group was smart enough to discover the sire bond. Kol and the hybrids are a few miles back. Waiting to add a bit more drama.

I spread my hands out as I slowly walk towards the group. "Well, the whole gang is here. I feel honored," I smirk.

Stefan speeds to me, pressing his arm against my throat. He screams in my face, "Where the hell is she?" I can see the anger in his eyes. My old friend. There was once a time that I considered Stefan a brother. How upsetting that this is how our friendship turned out. Oh well.

"Relax Stefan. She is safe," I say removing his arm away from me and shoving a stake in his lower abdomen. "Sorry, hope that didn't hurt too much." I step past Stefan, who is crouching down. He removes the wood from his body and stands back up. Immediately, I can tell he is no longer a ripper. The wound obviously taking a physical toll on him. Indicating that Stefan has not consumed human blood in a decent amount of time.

I feel bad for the poor guy. Back in the school, right before I took Elena, I almost made him flip his humanity switch. But being the kind and generous man I am, I simply let him go. It was easy to take Elena from the hospital that night. Damon was gone. Stefan was riddled with guilt for biting her in the gym after the clock ran out. I am still impressed that he managed to resist my compulsion. Ultimately, I am thankful he did not kill her as moments after, I realized she was the key to saving my hybrids.

"Now let's get to business," I say wiping the dirt from the wood off my hands.

"What the hell do you want?" Jeremy asks me.

"The lot of you likes to continuously interfere with my family and me. Now I know, you care for the girl, but I promise you she is safe. Now I think it would be in your best interest if everyone stopped looking. Other than the occasional blood donation, the girl has not been touched. We don't trap her in a dungeon in chains. So, are we clear?"

"Is this a joke?" Damon asks. He is wearing his what the hell expression he likes to carry around. This is why I prefer Stefan. Stefan lacks the witty commentary that Damon fails to perfect. Stefan has no risen fully and joined the rest of the group.

"If you do not stop looking, I will make you stop."

"We are not afraid of you. Not when we have finally found what you left behind in here," Damon says.

My interest is peaked. What does this group of idiots have that could possibly affect me? "And what did you find?"

"A man really. Locked in a tomb. Chained really. Now I have yet to wake him, but I believe he is eagerly awaiting a reunion with you." My eyes widen as I instantly know who Damon is referring to. Damon releases a slight smile as he must notice how beady my eyes became. As well as the anger in my facial expression. "Shit, Ric remind me of his name again?" Damon is snapping his fingers as if the name is on the tip of his tongue. An action I know is only for dramatic effect. Like myself, Damon is one for the dramatics.

"Mikael," Ric smiles.

"That's right. Thanks man the name just slipped my mind. Mikael. What a lovely name?" Damon continues. His smugness makes me want to snap his neck and so I will.

I rush to the brooding dark-haired arrogant man and grip my fingers around his neck. With my other hand, I reach to his chest. But before I can rip his heart out, the Bennett witch interrupts.

"You kill anyone here, and we will wake him," Bonnie demands me.

I do not release my grip. "What's stopping me from killing all of you?"

"Katherine, she is with Mikael. She doesn't hear from us, she wakes him." Bonnie explains. I release my grip from Damon who releases a cough or two. Bonnie gives me a stern look. "You really shouldn't have given us time to plan. It makes having a backup that much easier."

Alright, I am pissed. These kids have been nothing but pains in my sides for months and now they have the ability to awake my father.

"Kol," I say in a calm tone. Kol appears instantly behind the scooby-doo bunch. "Everyone, I would like you to meet my brother Kol. Charming lad. He's even more reckless than me. Like imagine me, but even less empathy."

"Real nice brother," Kol says.

"So, what, another original, that's the best you can do," Caroline says. I will say, Caroline has to be my favorite of their little bunch. She may be perky but god damn she is stunning. Still, I will kill her if need be. Shame because she is really beautiful.

"Here's the thing guys. We are not gonna kill you. And you do not need to wake Mikael. Because trust us, you have no idea what waking him entails. Now we only came here so that our two groups can live peacefully on opposite sides of the world. See we have no intention to release the doppelganger, but we also have no intention of harming anyone. We're reasonable people. Maybe this wasn't the best idea coming here. We'll go. If you promise not to seek any of us out again," Kol says. Probably the most calm and reasonable I have ever heard my youngest brother speak.

"We're not idiots. We have the one thing that your family is scared of. Now give us Elena," Stefan says. I guess he re-energized.

My turn. "You think Elena wants to come home. Home to what? To constant death. Elena talks to us. She has become one of us. She cares for us. Especially Kol. Isn't that right brother?"

Right to my intention, I struck a nerve for the Salvatore brothers. They know exactly what I meant.

"Elena would never," Caroline says.

Kol scoffs. He knows I am just trying to provoke them.

"I'm going to kill you," Damon says.

"Alright new deal," I speed over and grab Damon's phone. Kol holding the group back. I call Katherine Pierce. Her number is on the recently dialed list. Making my life much easier.

After three rings, she picks up.

"Damon," Katherine says.

I smile. "Hello, Katerina" Katherine doesn't speak. There is a pause as she instantly knows who she is speaking with. "I'll tell you what, you tell me exactly where Mikael is. And I'll give you, your freedom."

The expressions of the group before me instantly become more infuriated. They know exactly where this is going to go.

"What?" Katherine responds.

"I will not look for you. I will not hunt you down. If I see you on the streets, I won't kill you. You're free. Just tell me where Mikael is."

And so she does. I hang up the phone with a grin on my face.

"You son of a bitch," Stefan says.

"So new deal. Every time you look for us. I will kill someone. Now since this is my first warning. It won't be one of you guys. Just someone you care about. Steven. Why don't you come out." I threaten them.

Steven comes out. He is holding an older man who the group immediately recognizes. I look over at Caroline. The anger and fear are apparent in her eyes. Pity. They are beautiful eyes.

Bill Forbes is trying to break free, but it is no use. His strength is all human. Caroline lunges at Steven but Lisa, another hybrid, blocks her. A newbie vampire is no match against a hybrid. Especially a former military vet with advanced black ops training. Lisa was an easy decision to turn.

After getting a long enough reaction, I instruct Lisa to kill Bill. BAM! Bill's necks snaps as his lifeless body falls to the floor. Caroline's agonizing scream could have probably been heard for miles. Her body falling to her knees while so many negative emotions overwhelm her.

"Next time, it will be someone standing here," I say as we head out. Knowing the warning has been properly given.

As we leave, I can still hear Caroline crying. We get back in the cars and head for where Katherine told me. When we arrive, she is waiting outside the tomb. Obviously still hesitant to trust my word. Unlike Elijah, I have not always lived up to my word. She stiffens as I walk past her. Looking at my father's lifeless body, I search him for the ultimate weapon. Something Katherine clearly did not search for. Under his jacket and the chains, was the only remaining weapon that could kill my siblings or myself. I take the white oak stake. Katherine and Kol watching my every move inside the tomb. Katherine clearly intrigued.

Mikael's eyes open. Still, his body is frozen, trapped in the chains another placed him in. I cannot help but smile at the sight. "Goodbye father," I say. The title clearly shocking Katherine. The vampire who hunts vampires is simply my father. I take the stake and jab it into his heart. A poof. My father and the stake igniting into flames. His body no longer physical.

Relief. Relief that this is over. Happiness. Happy to be free from the clutches of his grip. No more fear. No more running. My siblings and I are free. I look over at Kol. His smile says exactly what I am feeling. Only, I know this means a bit more to me than the rest of my siblings. I have always been particularly targeted by the wrath of my father.

With that, I have never been more content. The Salvatores and the merry band of incapables are clearly threatened. My father is dead. And I can return to my doppelganger.

On the plane ride back Kol and I have another conversation.

"So Mikael is gone. You have your family. Why do you still need Elena here? You don't need to have a hybrid army anymore," he wants to know. I know my brother cares for Elena. That is obvious. Yet, despite everything. I cannot get rid of her. I just can't. A part of me still needs her. The part that fears abandonment. Because the truth is everyone is right. I am afraid. Afraid that one day, my siblings will realize they could be happier without me. And I will be alone. Truly alone. Hybrids are like a safety net. It may be deranged but I need that safety net.

"I know you care for the girl Kol. And I'm sorry but she stays," I say.

"Elijah told me – you were being stubborn. I just. I do care for her. I know she is not happy. Despite any feelings, I want her to be happy. Even if that is far away from me."

"That's the difference between me and you. If I loved someone. Like really loved her. I would never let her go. Not in a million years."

"Well brother, maybe that's the difference between you and me. I love her enough to let her go."

And with that, the conversation ended.

We spent the rest of our flight in silence. I can't help but ponder my brother's words. He would let her go. No matter how much he loved her. I was only truly in love once in my life. A girl named Aurora. What a beauty she was. But she despised me. What I was. I guess since I have yet to allow myself to be consumed by love. The only emotion I let control me is anger. Anger has never done me wrong. Anger is how I managed to survive all these years. Not love. Not friendship. Anger. Despite, sometimes being thrown away by my family because of my angry impulses. It has guided me like no other emotion. Because I know, anger would never leave me. Love always does.

We land in Thailand. Our new home Phuket overlooks the beach. It is larger than the cottage in Bavaria but much smaller than the estate in Berkshire. A little more room means more space away from the family drama.

I head inside with Kol. Our hybrids heading to the neighboring house where they are staying. Close enough to come at a moment's call.

Rebekah and Elena are in the living room. Chatting on the couch like to girlfriends. It's a nice sight. The girls are laughing and sipping on wine. Rebekah's legs stretched out on the couch. Relaxed. I like hearing Rebekah laugh. She has suffered so much and anytime I see her genuinely smile I can't help but feel content. The only sorrow is I know that I am never the cause of that smile.

Love. It is a funny thing. It is not always about the love of a woman. But the love of family. Sometimes I wonder if they stay by my side because of obligation or love. I do love them. It is just difficult for me to show them.

Elena though. I do feel bad for her. Not in a pitying sense like I usually do but guilt. Guilt for keeping her locked against her will. Keeping her stuck. Stuck in a life that she should be enjoying. I would never admit it, but I admire the girl. Not many humans would be strong enough to handle this situation. But Elena does it with poise. I was pissed she made the call back in Berkshire. But how could I be mad? How could I be mad that she wants to go home? She is smart and kind and beyond compassionate. If we met in some random bar and I wasn't Klaus Mikaelson, the notorious vampire. I would befriend the girl. She is someone that I could see myself enjoying having in my life. Not in a romantic way but simply platonic. Knowing how persistent her friends are in their search, I can tell that Elena Gilbert is a good friend. A good person. And I feel horrible that I am taking her life away. A feeling that I have never felt before. The truth is, I never regret taking someone's life. But in this case, I wish I could make it up to her. But I know I never will. Like everyone else, Elena Gilbert loathes me.