Wrapped in the warmth of Stefan's arms, I woke up to the moon shining down on us. I knew Stefan was awake, lying still so not to disturb me. Feeling that I was now awake he squeezed me tighter.
"How long have we been here?" Burrowing further into Stefan's embrace; not wanting to feel the coolness of the air around us.
"I am thinking, longer than we should have." I could feel from Stefan, that like me, he had no immediate desire to move and face the realities of others.
It almost hurt to move out of his arms so I could stretch, but there was no taking the smile off my face. I may be a higher being, but I was not above the feeling of sexual satisfaction, nothing in my long life had I ever felt this satisfied. I had many sexual partners over the year, including Elijah, each of them left me wanting more, and a little emptier than I had before. Now with Stefan's thoughts, feelings, desires, sounding so clear inside me; both of use equally connected to the other, I was no longer empty.
I wasn't sure of the extent of Stefan's powers now, if he had any. Was he only capable of now understanding who I am, what it is I am meant to do, or was he meant to help me and deal punishment to others? Other Guardians were given the gift of a mate, however, every time our powers were shared with another, it always ended in the death of their companion; consuming them one way or the other. Stefan had a strong soul, strong enough to remember me, to even control the basic desires of a vampire so he could live a peaceful life. We will just have to work through it, but without Stefan, the world would feel the loss of the last Guardian for I would find a way to die.
"You will have to learn what your powers are now Stefan, how to control them. If you even have any other than being emotional connected to me." I saw sitting up on my knees now looking down at his relaxed body longing on the ground.
"I know. I can hear your thoughts remember? Maybe all that I am meant to have is the connection to you? I feel fine; we will work it all out, together." Stefan's tone had no doubt and he felt confident inside.
"I guess we will." Jumping to my feet, full of energy and happiness I continued, "First things first, before I go deal with Klaus there is something I must do for Damon."
"Damon?" Stefan immediately felt defensive about me wanting to do something for his brother.
"There is no need to feel that way, my love. Do you not feel that?"
"Yes, just seems we are always at odds. Brotherly competition I suppose. It would be nice to not have him a part of this relationship." As surely as Stefan could feel and hear my every thought, I knew that he also needed to hear my words. Extending my hand to help him stand, I pulled him into my arms.
"There is no comparison in my feelings for you, to my feelings for Damon. You know this. There is something that I need to do for him, something I was meant to do. That is all." Giving him a sweet, loving smile, "I love you, Stefan. We are two part of a whole, unable to exist, one without the other."
"I know, still it's nice to hear. It's been rough between Damon and I, first Katherine, then Elena. It's hard to imagine have something that is just mine." It was hard for Stefan to admit this, even to me.
"You love Elena, Stefan. She is worthy of it, you should not feel guilty for it, for not loving her as you think you should, as you promised her." Feeling his sadness of not living up to his word, I continued, "Look inside yourself Stefan, the answer you are looking for in there. As for Katherine, best we not talk about her just yet."
I could feel him working through my mind, almost hoping to find something to question the reality of his calm, his understanding.
"Stefan, look at me. It is time for you to talk with Elena, to free yourself from your pain."
"Yes, I know. What about her pain? Is making myself feel better, worth hurting her further?" The caring in his voice was something I couldn't over look.
"She will not feel pain, she will feel, free. Her path is not with you. While, her path was still not clear even to me. Have comfort that you did the right thing not being with her before I even came back to you." Giving him a sadden smile,
Knowing that it would be a conversation that would not come easy for Stefan and that he was going to have to do it in his on good time. I hadn't been around Elena sense I have been whole. Maybe it was time that I did. The Salvatore brother were not meant to be her teacher at being a vampire, Elijah was. Stefan looked over at me with a shocked look on his face. It was a look that only made me giggle.
"Do not be so surprised, my love. I am sure that if you look back, you will see the signs, even without some of my gifts." I could only smile, as I continued, "Let's go face the real world, shall we?' Reach to grab his clothes, "You should really put these on, I can't be distracted."
He in turn reached to grab mind, handing them to me with a wicked smile on his face. "You will be more than distracted if you don't put these on."
"I would rather go naked, thank you." Before I could finish Stefan was reaching for me. "You wouldn't dare?"
"Yes, I would." It felt good to see Stefan being playful. It didn't mean I was going to let him catch me.
Figuring clothes were a good idea, I decided I would deal with Klaus first, he was after all the least pleasant of the two things I needed to do this evening; might as well take care of it first.
I hated to see Stefan put his clothes, just meant that I had to go deal with things that I really didn't want to. I wanted to stay to in this exact moment, with Stefan. Reaching for Stefan's hand I willed us to Elijah's, one of my favorite powers; to be able to flash where I needed to be. It had come in handy many times.
"A power that makes my head spin a little." Stefan was wavering a little as he stood.
"You'll get used to it." I giggled a little at seeing him disorientated. "Stefan, do you think that you could find Elijah for me?"
Before Stefan could even move there was a knock on the door. Stefan just raised an eyebrow at me as he went to open the door. Before he reached the door he turned back to me quickly removing the tee shirt he was wearing and placing it over my head.
"Elijah has seen me naked before Stefan."
"Yes, well you weren't mine when he did." Playfully he kissed my cheek and went to open the door.
"Oh Rebekah , I am so happy to see you. Please come in." She was always so timid around me, never too sure of herself.
She slowly stepped into the room, looking from Stefan to me. She seemed a little sad. I stepped to stand in front of her and reached from her hand. She didn't try to pull away, but reluctantly gave into the fact that she couldn't avoid it. Once I was shown all that she had seen over that last hundred years.
"Oh my dear Rebekah, I am here now, trust me all will be well."
"You say this, but do you mean it?" It was a demanding question, but I would let it pass. She has had a hard time living all these years being surpressed by her brothers, not able to live as she wished.
"Yes." Simple enough answer, but I knew she needed to hear more. "Stefan, why don't you see if Elijah has some fresh clothes for you? I need to be alone with Rebekah." Without looking in his direction I lead Rebekah into the room further.
"Would you help me get ready?" I would not demand it of her, she deserved to be asked.
The smile that crossed her lips at the moment I asked her was priceless. She looked like a little girl who was asked by her mother to help her get ready for a big day.
"It's nice to have you back." Her tone had a smile in it. "You have been needed." She was opening a large closet connected to the bathroom, pulling out a towel handing it to me.
"Here why don't you shower, while we talk." It was very rare I let others tell me what to do. A shower sounded nice.
"You brothers have been hard to deal with?" I knew the answer before she even said it. I also knew that she had other things she wanted to talk about.
"What will you do with Klaus?" One thing Rebekah didn't have a problem with was getting to the point.
I wasn't' sure what I was going to do with Klaus. Even if I did I would not discuss it with Rebekah.
'Chloe?' Stefan could feel my frustration
'It's fine Stefan.' That was all he was going to get out of me for now.
"Rebekah, You brother will be punished. It will be up to him what his punishment will be." It was all I could really give her.
"Will you kill him?" I could hear the tears in her voice over the running water of the shower.
"It will be his choice Rebekah." I stepped out the shower, only to see her hunched over in the chair next to the mirror.
"For all that he has done to me, to others; it still saddens me at the thought of losing him." She looked up at me with the tears I hear in her voice flowing down her cheeks.
Instinctively I went to her. "You will not be without him Rebekah."
"Do you promise?" She was in a way, begging for his life something that I wasn't sure I could deny her.
"I promise." It was a promise that I meant to keep, even if Klaus asked for death. Rebekah will have her brother. How I was going to accomplish this with causing myself pain was another story.
"So what has Elijah gotten for me to wear?" Giving her a smile, trying to take her mind of what was going to happen.
Smiling back at me she went to a large closet across the room and opened the door. "Well just about anything you might need."
"Oh!" I almost skipped over to her, letting the girl in me come out. "That one!" Without hesitation I picked out a deep maroon dress without even knowing the style or how it would look the color was enough to draw me in.
Has Rebekah helped me into the dress made of a deep rough silk; the front draping over my breast, as if I let my hair down to cover them. The back dipped to the lowest part of my back, a single string holding the front and the back together. While it was flowing at the top, it fit my form perfectly around my hips, ending a few inches above my knees.
"Lovely. Far more freeing than what I used to have to wear." As I said this I shock my hair willing it to dry. I turned to Rebekah to see that see was just staring at me. It was not just the men who couldn't help to admire me.
"You look like a goddess." She had no idea.
"As I should Rebekah, as I should." Just giving her a knowing smile, at the same time I was asking Stefan to come up now.
As he entered the door I could only stare. There he stood proudly in a three piece suit of the deepest black I had ever seen; it fit as if it was made for him. Forgetting Rebekah was in the room, I walked over to him, circling him like lion did its prey.
'You look ravishing Chloe!' He didn't say this out load, wanting to keep it this as private as he could.
'As do you.' Our thoughts were interrupted by Rebekah
"You both look amazing, you look amazing together." She was smiling, but not the sad smile she had on earlier. Walking over to Stefan she leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. "I am glad that you have found her Stefan. You deserve happiness."
"Thank you." As he replied he leaned to give her a brotherly kiss on the cheek as well. "You have been good to me, even when I least deserved it."
"Well, that's what friends are for. You have done the same for me." Turning she walked to Elijah who was now standing in the doorway.
"Well, I guess it's time then." Taking a deep breath I started out of the room. I felt Stefan link his hand to mine. Knowing he was not going to let it go unless I asked him to.
As we walk toward the large staircase, that would lead us to Klaus. I paused only for a second at the top, I had not had to deal out a punishment for a long time, what the outcome would be, I did not know. Stefan felt my inner conflict and raise his eyebrow at me in question.
Shaking my head at him, 'It's time for me to be what I was meant to be.' It was the best I could do, I needed quiet, not questions.
Taking a deep breath I started to walk down the stairs, with Stefan on my right holding my hand; I suddenly felt my other hand being taken over, being held by Elijah. It seemed everyone needed reassurance, they giving it to me in the only way they knew how, while I could not give them anything but a promise. I knew that nothing would be the same for any of them.
"I don't like serving punishments, there is always pain. Not my pain, but theirs that I feel equally as strong as if it was my own. It always makes me sad in a way." It was all I could give any of the.
All four of us came to the bottom of the stairs, I released both Stefan and Elijah's hands and took a step forward; squaring my shoulders, I push my power outside of myself, and everyone but Stefan stepped away from me. I did this on purpose I finally wanted Klaus to know I was here, wanting him to know it was time.
I walked into the room without hesitation, with everyone following behind me. There was no question, anyone who could see me at that moment, the moments to come that I was to not be questioned, I was not to be fought, I was to be obeyed. Looking down on the floor, Klaus was sitting, hugging his legs to his chest, with his head resting on his knees. He looked rather pathetic really, seemly like a little boy, dreading the spanking he was going to get from his mother for being bad.
"Hello, love." His voice was raspy sounding as he looked up at me smugly.
"Klaus." Saying this with authority, I stretched my hand out to him. "Come it's time we talked you and I."
He only hesitated for a second before reaching for my hand "Took you long enough." There was defiance in his voice, just enough to hide the fear he felt for what was to come.
"Being a little humble right now will serve you well, Klaus. Now sit at the table, it would seem your brother has prepared an excellent meal for us." Gesturing for him to sit to the side of me, I sat with seamless grace, as if nothing of importance was happening.
"Please, let's all sit." I was not requesting this.
"Come on Chloe, how about we just get this over with, forget the pleasantries."
"You will be silent Klaus!" I just wanted a little time, time to think about how to proceed; Still unsure what I was going to do.
Everyone that sat around the table was feeling uncomfortable, it did not go unnoticed. Pulling my chair away from the table, moving it a little closer to Klaus, I suddenly realized what his punishment would be. Leaning back in the chair with confidence, crossing my legs as if indifferent to what was going to happen; my power strong enough for everyone to feel, to fear.
"You tried to kill me, Klaus. I will know why?" I would wait as long as it took for him to answer me, to give me the truth.
"I figured out your secret." He was trying to sound smug, yet I heard the real feeling behind his words; fear.
"What do you know to be my secret?" This was going to be interesting. Guardians were not well known among anyone; human or otherwise. We had long been forgotten; no longer worshipped, as we once were.
"That if I killed you, I would kill us all." He was serious with this statement.
Through my laughter I said, "How did that work out for you?"
"Not well apparently." Klaus was starting to sound a little defeated
"What else? I know there is more you are not telling me. You have an unnecessary fear of me in your heart." I said this with compassion in my voice, a compassion he was in much need of.
"You are the cure." As soon this was said, I heard everyone's sudden intake of breath.
"You would have me and every other supernatural creature dead; verses asking me to let you live a human life? Explain?" I knew what his answer was; I wanted to humble him, to allow those that needed to hear it feel comfort once I served his punishment.
"I had already lived countless lives, what would be the difference in one as a human? I would still be alone, without my family, without anyone."
"You never did have patients, Klaus. There were lessons for you to learn; Lessons you failed at every turn. You were not protecting your family! Do you hear me? You are responsible for losing the gifts that were given to you. You were never just happy just being, always wanting more, always wanting what you wanted, with no care for anyone or anything else that got in your way."
Taking a deep breath I reach over and placed my hand over his heart. "Your heart was meant to feel great love, yet you will not allow yourself to be worthy of it."
Send a pulse of my power through him, power full of love; tears started down his cheeks.
"What is it wish for now Klaus? What will you have me do? Will you give up the chance to feel, be who you were truly meant to be?"
"No." I was probably the only one that could hear his softly whispered reply.
"I have to punish you." My statement was laced with anguish.
"Yes." Again whispering his reply
Very few had ever seen a Guardian deliver punishment; I was going to add three more to that list. I didn't feel like I could do this without them in the room, not without killing him; I made a promise and I meant to keep it. Turning my head slightly, looking over at Stefan, and not removing my hand from Klaus's chest.
'You must stop me, if you feel his life leave him, you must stop me. Do you understand? You are the only one who can.' He just nodded at my request.
"You are no longer worthy of the gifts that have been given to you Klaus. Until you can prove to the Powers, that you areā¦." I took a deep breath reading myself for the emotions that were going to take me over; emotions that were going to take over him. "That you are worthy to hold such power over others, they will be taken from you."
The room around me began to fade, all I could see was the silver glow of my hand as it entered his chest; taking away what he coveted the most, what made him unique above all others. He would no longer be the hybrid, but equal to his siblings, to only live as they did, as a vampire. Feeling the part of him that was the wolf, enter me; almost making me feel drunk. Dizziness making me sway ever so slightly in my chair. The pain of his loss, of the emotions of his fear, of being venerable was ripping through me like a knife. I didn't stop; I kept pulling from him, draining him, taking more, taking what as I was required to.
"Chloe!" I could hear Stefan screaming at me to stop. I didn't care. His touch on my skin was like ice against the fire of my skin. It was when his breath touched my ear as he reminded me of my promise. "Chloe, please stop, remember your promise."
I removed my hand from Klaus's chest before Stefan was even finished. Reaching to catch Klaus, as he fell forward in his chair.
"Klaus?" There was fear in my voice, fear that I went too far.
"What did you do?" It was Rebekah who was on the other side of Klaus, asking me through her fear, wondering if I kept my promise.
"Give me a minute, please!" Placing my hands over Klaus's now bowed head. "Klaus, look at me."
As he looked up at me I let my hands glide to hold his face between them. He was not human, he was not werewolf, I wasn't even sure he was vampire either. Everyone's thought were become intrusive, strong emotions always interfered in my thought process. Without turning away my attention from Klaus I commanded them all to leave the room.
"Leave, everyone get out! I cannot help him with you all in here! Stefan, you stay." I was obeyed without question.
"Klaus, how do you feel?"
"You did not kill me? Why?" His voice was clear and strong when he asked me this.
"You are not meant to die." It was the truth.
"What was I meant to be?" His question was a relevant one.
"They have chosen for you to be as you are now."
"What the hell is that?" He was becoming frantic, his voice give that away.
"Honestly, I am not sure." I really wasn't, his essence felt different, I just couldn't figure it out how.
"I feel the same, yet different."
"Do you trust me to see?" I was requesting, not demanding. It would be his choice.
"Do I have a choice?"
"Yes, you have always had the choice Klaus." I was sincere with my answer, willing to walk away if that is what he wished.
He just nodded his head in agreement. Closing my eyes, I reached inside him. Looking for what I needed to know. It didn't take long to get my answer.
"Amazing." It was all I could say, for what I was seeing was. "You are still unique as you were meant to be Klaus. You are still a vampire, but a different kind of Vampire."
"What the hell does that mean?"
"Patients, Klaus." Removing my hands from his face I just smiled at him. "You can no longer make others; you will no longer need to feed, to hurt others. If you do punishment will be given to you without me having to do the work." I could help but laugh a little.
"Why is that funny?" He was a little angry.
"Well, it is fitting don't you think? You will no longer be able to create your own family, hurt others as you have for over nine hundred years. Unable to kill those that would frustrate you, those that would stand in your way of what you want; not without punishment, with or without me giving it to you. Your own person shock collar, so to speak." I couldn't help but laugh at the irony of it all.
"Well that is no fun now is it, love?" Klaus could only respond with sarcasm.
"What you aren't willing to see Klaus, is that you are getting what you always wanted. The gift to be like everyone else; for others to be able to accept you, accept you for who you are, not what you force them to feel." I felt him accepting the truth as I spoke it.
