PARIS, 1932
It was a dark beautiful night.
My hands rested on the railing as I looked out to the Paris lights. Glancing to my left, I gasped in disbelief at the sight of the Eiffel tower. A sigh followed when feeling the chilled breeze billow through my locks and regardless of the cold, I wrapped my arms around myself and stayed in place.
"Breakfast should be here by 10 tomorrow" I turned to watch as Nik fell back behind his mask and assumed his position of authority. "We'll also need fresh towels" he added to one of the people that didn't work at the hotel but simply for Nik.
The man simply nodded and I sent her off with a passive smile which he didn't return. After one curt glance, he turned and walked out of the hotel room.
"Does everyone do what you tell them to?" I asked when hearing the door close behind him.
Nik placed a hand on the door and closed it shut. When he turned to me, he adorned a small smirk as he slowly approached me, "If they know what's good for them" he eyed me with the dangerous gleam. I pretended to ignore him and turn back to the luminous Paris city, only to have him wrap his arms around my waist. He bent down and trailed kisses up my shoulder and to the nape of my neck, leaving a quiver to run through. Then, he smugly rested his lips by my ear and huskily whispered, "Now, take off your dress" he ordered, wanting to prove my obvious theory.
"I don't work for you" I replied in a lowered murmur with a secretive grin, while silently, forcing myself to not melt into his warm muscled chest.
In true Niklaus fashion, he manipulated my body by trailing his fingers over my collarbone and teasingly down my bare back. "Do as I say" he muttered in that dark compelling voice that he knew wavered through me.
After drawing in a deep calming breath, I turned around and braced myself. My arms instantly reached up to wound themselves around his neck. Occasionally, my fingers would reach up to trail through his blonde locks, knowing that he loved it. "You don't always have to be in control" I suggested.
"I like being in control" he replied curtly and cautiously.
With one hand still wrapped around his neck, I slipped the other one down his chest. "You know…" my mutter was followed with my gaze falling to his tie as I began to loosen it. "Sometimes, it's okay to give control" I carefully peeked up to him and saw how the blue eyes blazed and menacingly pebbled.
Nik locked gazes with mine and arched an eyebrow, playing off nonchalance, "I doubt that" he argued feebly and I felt his form grow rigid. When looking up, I found his expression was cold and taciturn but I knew I could still change that.
"I'll show you" I offered, exhaling a shaky breath as I pulled the sleek black tie down from his collar. The brush of the silk on his cotton had him apprehensively looking down to the tie that was now in my tight grasp. "Trust me" I continued when noticing his trepidation.
Regardless of being with him for over three years, not counting our many chanced encounters, he still feared me – or feared the idea of giving himself to me.
Still clutching onto the tie, I reached over and took his hands, gesturing for him to leave them hanging mid-air. Somehow, I gained his trust when he nodded and fixated his stare on how I bound his hands together with the charcoal silk. Fortunately, the action had him releasing an amused chuckle which gave me the courage that I needed.
Finally, I met his gaze again and teasingly smiled as I pushed him back onto the bed. "I think I like you like this" I mused and my grin widened when his did. His sea-blue eyes gleamed with amusement. "Tied up and all mine" I drawled out with another smirk.
When I reached behind and pulled down at the zip, I caught how the blue steeled and darkened with mischief and anticipation. "Does this mean you'll keep me?" he asked teasingly but I detected the seriousness when his tongue darted out to his bottom lip.
"As long as you'll have me" I replied and straddled his lap, leaning in to mould my lips onto his. As always, he deepened the kiss and licked my bottom lip as he wriggled. I knew that he wanted to wind his fingers in my hair but I dug my fingers on his shoulder. His warm breath was released as a passing hiss when I scraped my fingernails on his scalp and pulled him with a yearning moan. "I love you" I breathed against his skin as I always did as the words felt too natural now.
I knew that the words would get to him and though he showed progress, he usually blanched and grew more careless with me. Though, this time I was surprised when he unexpectedly retrieved the control. His form pushed up, causing us both to roll over on the bed as he now hovered above me.
I looked up into the warmth that he expressed and knew of the unspoken three words. He couldn't say it but I could see it.
Maybe someday…
The memory dispersed and I stared back into the glowering stare boring holes into my thoughts. His graven glare burned so intensely that I wondered if we had shared the memory.
Probably not…
I wondered if we could ever get back to those days; those days where he looked at me like I was the only person in the world; those days when he looked at me and showed me that he trusted me. Then again, there were days where he seemed conflicted between letting me go or keeping me with him. Something always seemed to shield him or hold him back from me.
However, I may give anything for those conflicting emotions to return, rather than simply being trapped under his reticence. His expression now blanching and I found nothing; no mischievous glint ignited with an emotion that I would fight to decipher.
Suddenly he was no longer fixated on me but swerved down to Issak who I held close by my side. Issak, who was now still and struck with shock as he quietly and numbly assessed everyone in the library.
Esther, my mother-in-law, per se, had brought us into this room after kindly asking everyone to leave. Even the maids and the cleaners had been sent home, leaving a complete silence that rang in my ears and caused me to spiral into a static matter.
All I could do was stand and watch my 'husband' glance from me and onto my son. Occasionally, they would irritatingly fleet towards Elijah and then blazed to where his big brother's fingers were now tightly threaded through mine.
"What the hell is going on here?" Rebekah had been the first to be pulled from the stupor.
Ignoring the question, I craned my head towards Elijah in a pleading manner, only to find an unspoken question within his expression. He nodded in understanding, "This beauty here, is Isabella and a few centuries ago, she became intimate with Niklaus" he carefully treaded over the words and I was simply thankful that he knew how to handle the situation.
"She told you?" Nik spat out in great disgust.
Elijah angrily snapped his attention to him and I felt his grip tighten as he curtly replied, "She had to" he growled, the anger seeping into his tone so I squeezed his hand, hoping to give him some peace. He simply smiled quietly and the exchanged was not missed by the enquiring family. Still, Elijah continued as if nothing happened, "When Isabella left-"
"What? She ran to you?" Niklaus demanded with burning rage that trembled through his now quivering form.
The sight of his raised fist had me stepping between them and holding up one hand to stop him. "You're not listening" I warned.
"That's because I don't want to" he diverted his glare and stalked off to the window, childishly releasing a huff of disapproval.
Elijah closed in behind me and I felt his chest pressed against my back and his warm breath on my neck as he addressed his brother. "Stop being stubborn brother and pay attention" he ordered and Nik sighed again but slowly turned back to us. His head still bowed and his newly shorted locks strayed to fall over his forehead. This was taken as encouragement for story time to continue. "She didn't come to me, I found her" Elijah continued.
"A twist of fate?" Nik's snarky remark had me rolling my eyes.
Elijah again ignored this, sending me a meaningful glance as he turned back to address the others. "She tried to hide it from me but I heard the heartbeat" he reminded me of the day I had tried to jump into the car and drink away.
The memory reeled for a while and the story being spelled dulled as my eyes found my son's. This time, he wasn't studying the room as he now focused on the man he now learnt was his 'father'.
From his detached expression, I could tell he was trying to read him; make sense of the man that he was; understand where he came from. Could this be a good thing? I had known it was coming but now…maybe there was hope. Maybe this was the missing part of Issak that he could finally fill and be at peace.
Then again, maybe I had been right all along with hiding.
This was only proven further with Niklaus' interjection, "So he is my…?" he trailed off, avoiding Issak's presence and I growled under my breath.
"Of course, you're the father" I burst out in exasperation, throwing my hands in the air helplessly.
My own anger snapped him into place and I caught flashes of his old self when he stormed over to stand before me. "Don't use that tone with me!" he snarled, "You're the one that kept him away from me" he accused, pointing his finger at me.
"You didn't want him in the first place!" I exclaimed and pushed at his chest. "I left because you pushed me away" I yelled out my frustration and the burning left in my lungs was a strange kind of relief that I had from the sting. "I did what I did to protect him" I argued forcibly, hating how my voice broke at the end.
"From me?" Nik asked threateningly with narrowed eyes.
I refused to be intimidated by him as I nodded in agreement, "Yes!"
"You weren't protecting him" he disputed with an infuriated shake of his head, "You were hiding him" he accused.
I stepped back from him in denial. "He was never some dirty little secret. I was saving him" I turned to my son and saw how his saddened eyes weren't on me as they continued to scrutinise his father. I stumbled over to him with my usual worry and crouched down, placing a hand on his cheek and turning him to face at me. "And maybe saving myself too…" I pleaded for his understanding. "...because he is my salvation. He's my rock and he's my child" I offered a weak smile which he didn't return. He remained cold and distance with eyes that seemed to stare through me. "Issak Mikaelson" I called out, remembering the audience behind us.
"Mikaelson?" someone questioned.
I stood up again and reached down to the necklace hanging around my neck. My fingers cradled the ring around the chain as I lifted it to the light. Niklaus had given it to me, revealing that it belonged to his mother who I could see the obvious recognition.
The rest of them must've known this too as they studied it and then startled eyes swerved to my 'husband'.
Nik on the other hand had cooled down visibly, stunned with the sight of the ring. I wondered if he knew that I couldn't part from it but this was doubtful when he rasped, "You still have it?"
"Would you like it back?" I asked icily but was met with silence.
It ended up being Issak that broke it. "Can we go now?" he huffed.
His frustrated sigh and edged tone told me that this was a big mistake. I then spun around, hoping to make him understand why I did what I did. "Issak, I know you have questions" I cautiously spoke.
"No, I don't" he gulped down and unblinkingly crossed his arms, looking away from me with a stubborn that his 'father' shared.
"I know you're ang-"
"Why would I be angry?" he interrupted, shrugging off the comforting hand that I had placed on his shoulder.
Tears brimmed in my eyes and I tried to stroke his hair calmingly, "Issak please…"
"You lied to me! You told me he was dead!" he suddenly gaze his outburst and I could see his fighting back tears as they glistened, reddening his eyes. "No!" He took a step back away from me and I dropped my hands, feeling helpless that I could help him. "I asked you and you – y-you lied to me!" he trembled and these were then trailing through the room as the walls began to shake and books began to fall from the shelves. Lights began to flicker and the howling wind strengthened, causing the windows to be flung open.
Before anything else could happen, I rushed over to my son and took hold of his shoulders. My eyes then sought out his as I said, "Issak, you have to calm down" I warned and tried to connect myself into his emotions, hoping to drawl out his anger. "Deep breaths, just like we practiced" I reminded him and thankfully, he obeyed.
Gradually the wind settled, the lights remained on and the quivers died down.
"What just happened?" Kol looked around apprehensively.
The energy had been too much as Issak denied his hatred for me and allowed himself to fall back into my waiting arms. An exhausted sigh grated through him and from my peripheral vision, I watched as Nikalus had bent next to us, Elijah following. "What's wrong with him?" Nik demanded and didn't look at me but finally acknowledged his son.
"He's fine" I replied and stroked Issak's hair and down to his cheek. "He's still not in full control" I explained and cradled him closer to my side.
Something dawned onto everyone in the room but only Nik was the one to ask, "He did that?" he gasped.
"I'm from the Swan bloodline" I reminded him and offered an explanation to the surprised faces around the room. All of which held some concern for the heavily breathing child in my arms.
Kol again spoke out, "Is that supposed to mean something?"
I rolled my eyes and was about to elaborate but Esther was first to answer, "The Swans lineage has been known of owning great power. They aren't bound by the elements as their power is derived from ancestral magic" she explained and I nodded in confirmation.
"Witches" Nik surmised.
A/N: Did you like the beginning flashback? What about the backstory? What about the mysterious Issak Mikaelson - Triple threat huh? What do you think? Will the family be welcoming?