Let me start with this. I have seen many writers bemoaning the fact that they don't like guest reviewers and guest reviewers leave not so favorable comments. But you guys are the best, and I'm so proud to tell all those authors that my guest reviewers are the nicest people I know online. Thanks a bunch for a lot of reviews, you guys.

I know I'm late with this chapter but I've my exams coming up and there is a lot of academic juju going around. So, thanks for being patient. And lovely lilyrose, this one's for you, girl. I don't own Vampire Diaries.

That's all, people. Rant over. You can proceed with the chapter…

Chapter Four

She reassured me with an unfamiliar line
and then she gave to me more summer wine…

Elena Gilbert was tired and she was completely drunk.

After the countless hours spent standing in her sky high heels and chest cinching bodice of her gown, she just wanted to tumble in her bed and go to sleep for next five days.

Seriously, how did all of those big stars do these things?

Singing was one thing, and socializing was entirely another.

'Easy, darling,' Klaus said as he guided her inside the foyer. This fairytale castle she lived in was courtesy of Klaus. After existing on ordinary things, and being the ordinary thing, it was heady to be extraordinary. It felt unreal when the people you had only seen on TV gushed about what an amazing singer you were.

'Did you see even Beyonce stood up when I finished singing.' Her eyes were as big as saucers and her lips were as loose as purse strings of all those nouveau rich that had graced her party today.

'Yes, I did see that. Now, be a good girl and let me open the buttons of your gown.' He made her stand before a mirror and started working on the small buttons that dotted the back of her dress in a single line with the efficiency of a button Nazi.

'Don't move!' he admonished when she swayed.

'You aren't scary.' The sudden silence that followed her statement was eerie, as it was enlightening.

Klaus cleared his throat as if he were unsure what to say next.

'I met whats-her-name pop diva, Hayley. She was telling me you were an absolute beast and she was so glad that now Kol was handling her contract and publicity.' She turned around abruptly. She wanted to see his eyes.

His eyes never lied.

'I didn't disappoint you today, did I Klaus?' His approval meant the world. She didn't care for all those standing ovations and compliments. His one 'you did all right, Elena' would be worth everything she had gained today.

'You were spectacular, love,' he said gently as he coaxed her into her pajamas.

He made her brush her teeth and removed the makeup they had put on her face in the morning. He then led her to her bed-the queen sized four poster that she had fallen absolutely in love with-and opened the covers for her to slid in.

'Klaus?' Her eyes were drowsy, but she knew this was important and she had to say this now. From beneath her closing eyelids, she could see him standing at her door, poised to switch off the light.

'Yes, love.'

'Thank you for everything you've done for me. I wanted to tell Hayley that the Klaus I know is the sweetest man I've ever known, but we won't want your reputation to suffer now, would we?' She tried to wink and failed spectacularly, making him smile in the process. 'I wanted to tell her that my Klaus is every girl's definition of Prince Charming, but she didn't give me a chance to.' She pouted at the memory of Hayley cutting her in between her answer.

'It's okay, love. Prince Charmings fail at contract negotiations,' he joked.

'But then by my third glass of champagne that Kol had handed me, I came to a conclusion that it's okay if nobody knows about my Klaus. I know, and that's enough.'

'You should sleep, sweetheart. You'll have a nasty hangover in the morning.' He had come inside the room and sat on the edge of her bed.

'He was also there,' she continued as if she hadn't heard him. 'It was a surprise watching him sitting in the front row, but then I should've expected him.'

Klaus knew the answer to the question of identity of the man she talked about and still he wanted her to spell out the name he hated more than anything else in the world. He had always suspected the story she was unwittingly going to tell him in the haze of alcohol. He would have welcomed this confidence once upon a time. Hell, he had picked her from streets with the sole purpose of hurting Elijah but then he hadn't known she would have such ethereal voice or such naïve heart.

Now, he would rather not listen to the details she was going to tell him, but fate had no mercy for Klaus Mikaelson.

Despite his hard efforts of tuning her out, the snippets of her story registered with his mind.

'…picked me up from the street…'

'…whore…'

'…hundred dollar bills on his table…'

How had he lost the sight of his own revenge?

He had the perfect plan of sending Elena Gilbert to Elijah and then luring her back. Now, he couldn't dream of hurting a hair on this angel's head.

Elena's story was opening the floodgates of the memories he preferred in their respective cages.

'…I'm sorry, Nicklaus, but Tatia loves me...'

'…You were just a means so that I could get to your brother...'

'…You're no longer my brother, Nicklaus...'

His hands fisted in the sheets as he tried to rein those poisonous scenes teeming his mind. By the time he had regained the control that had been severely threatened to the point of loss, Elena was already asleep.

'Sweet dreams, Elena,' he whispered as his lips touched her forehead.

She was infinitely precious, and he would save her.

Even from himself…

The sound of the front door being forcibly closed roused Elijah from his nap on the couch. When had he fallen asleep?

He was still in his dress shirt and pant; his jacket discarded somewhere he couldn't remember.

'The vices getting to you, Elijah?'

Was this a dream? What was Nicklaus doing in his house at this hour of the night?

'Nicklaus, what are you doing here?'

'Well, I once had vowed to never step in any house you own, but I'm breaking it for starters.' Klaus turned, and his eyes were venomous. Elijah could see the past reflected in those dark blue eyes, and for a moment he wished he were a lesser man so that he could avert his face.

'Stay away from Elena Gilbert, Elijah.'

'Why? Do you have a claim on her?' Elijah couldn't stop himself from slipping into his old habits.

'Yes, and do remember I'm not the same naïve kid I once was when you fired me from being your manager and almost made me beg on streets for food.' Klaus took a step back and only half part of his face was illuminated sinisterly in the soft light of Elijah's living space.

'I'm the hybrid now, brother. And god save you if you don't heed my warning…'

What do you think? I listened to Aurora's Winter Bird while writing this. She is marvelous, guys. Go; check her stuff out on YouTube if you already aren't a fan. Leave some love for me in the review sections and I'll be the happiest of people. Take care, guys and I'll be back soon with the next installment of this story.

Love y'all.