Chapter 13
Klaus POV
Halloween's exactly one week away and everything has been so normal this past week it's surreal. I'm waiting for this bubble to pop and come back to reality where Roxy's telling me that we're over, it'll never happen again and I'm forever chasing her down.
I'm still waiting for Killian to warm up to me. He was the least thrilled to learn his father isn't Sean or Val, or Carrick. That bastard just will not give up. Flowers. Chocolates. Actual mixed tapes. She's a 90s girl but she's not falling for it and the relief I felt just from watching her toss it all in the trash makes me high.
Sean opens the door and stares at me. He doesn't invite me in but he also doesn't tell me to piss off.
"Thank-you for talking to her."
"Whatever she told you, keep it to yourself." He steps to the side and motions for me to come in. Then he grabs me by the head. "But if you do this to her again, I will burn the heart out of you and when you think you're dead, I'm going to let you live with that feeling and keep you where there's no one to help you and there's no escape from me. Am I clear?"
"Crystal."
"Good." He releases me. "Just so you're aware, she's still looking for that past-present and future spell and she may be a little moody because she can't find it. Oric wants to go to Japan, Carrick sent her a singing telegram that she ate in a fit of rage and feels guilty about, and with the full moon approaching, I think she's frustrated."
"As in sexually frustrated?"
"It's been 3 years. Her nature has changed from her time as a human. She has a little difficulty accepting it and realizing the difference between fun and what actually constitutes as being a slut."
"Don't tell me you've encouraged her."
"Val has. Nothing's happened. But it's also difficult to find alone time when you've got 3 kids, and businesses to run. She's in her office."
The room off her room has become her office-slash-sewing room. On one side there's her computer set up for work and a bookcase full of important documents. On the other side is all sewing. Rebecca thinks if she nags her enough she'll get a personalized wardrobe. I warned her one day Rox will just slap her to shut her up.
As I approach I can hear her on the phone arguing with someone. It's nice to see her mad at someone other than me for a change. She says she's letting it go, but I don't think she is. Not really. I wouldn't.
She knows I'm here by the time I reach the doorway that joins her room and her office. She relaxes a little as the man on the other end is still rambling off at her.
Maybe she is letting it go. She's got that same look in her eyes when she sees me. She's happy to see me.
Their conversation continues and it's calmer now. I step up behind her and rub her shoulders. She leans foreward on her elbows and puts the phone on speaker. Her hands thread into her hair and she sighs deeply.
"That sigh is music to my ears. What is this about?"
"He wants to keep a felon on staff."
"What's the charges?"
"Possession of and distribution of child pornography."
"Fire him. And fire that manager if he wants to argue with you. Then kill the creeper."
"It's his cousin and he insists he's been framed." She breathes in deeply and winces. "Not there."
I apply a lighter touch over her twitching muscle. I think it's been a while since someone's given her a massage. Since she was still human when it happened, there's no fixing the scarring or the damaged tissue that still causes her pain sometimes.
"I don't want him employed at a bakery where there are minors present with and without adults with them. This is my final verdict and if you fail to follow the guidelines I have set, then I suggest you start looking for another job. I can not and will not hire someone with such a record because if something happens then that will forever tarnish my name and my livlihood, which will trickle down to hundreds of others who work for me. This conversation is over and I will be checking in later in the week so I suggest you behave." She ends the call. "Damn I miss 90s phones. There's no satisfaction in pressing a button to end an argument on the phone. Lower."
One thing I love about Roxy is how massage can take her from the worst mood and put her in the mood. I love that she trusts me not to hurt her. The scarring makes her sensative in certain places.
"I see no one's been pampering you."
It's the one thing she's grown attached to as a rich girl. Massage. Forget spa treatments, forget the hair, the nails and shopping sprees, and give her a massage. She'll be thrilled.
"Could it be that no one does it better than me?"
"Don't get cocky, Niklaus."
"Or what? Spank me?"
"Don't tempt me."
"But one of the things I live for is tempting you. It is so sweet when you give in."
"Too soon. So stop that before I dive in and hit an empty pool."
"Impossible. My love for you spans all the oceans of this rock. Am I crazy or are your breasts bigger?"
"Bigger. And I hate it."
I chuckle. "I don't."
"Yeah, well you try running with them. Or sleeping with them. Finding a tank top that fits and you're not- y'know what? You try on a pair of ladies undies that are two sizes too small and you'll might taste my irritation. I feel like a fucking cow."
"I thought you liked cows."
Because they are, in her words, so chill.
"Doesn't mean I'd like to be one." She slaps my hands when I attempt to grab a handful. "Don't you set me off. I'm not pumping again for another hour." She turns in the chair to face me and I sit on her giant desk.
"Hybrid biology is proving to be strange."
"I'm a tribrid. You were born a wolf-witch hybrid. Shouldn't you regain your magic?"
"I've never thought about it. I never was one for magic. You know that. What's so funny?"
"I'm trying to picture you as a witch." She smiles, "I curse you. I curse you. I curse you too. But you, you angered me so much I eat you. I can picture Kol as a witch, Becca too, but not you or Elijah."
"Kol was the prodigy of us. I think he's the only one of us that misses it. Have they been showing any talent?"
"Bridgets dreams concern me a little. It could be just kids night terrors or she's precognative."
And those that tell the future don't last long. There's always one flaw that is their downfall. They don't believe in it or their blind spot kills them. Then there are those that live to be old and miserable.
"Killian is telekinetic and Kians been showing signs of postcognition."
"I'm not familiar with that one."
"Do you remember that time you got sucked into the relapse in that haunted hospital we visited during Halloween? And it was actually haunted?"
"Yes."
Incredibly so. She had seen it, but I didn't. When I touched her, I was sucked into the "bubble." There was a fire there that killed a quarter of it's residents and staff. The bubble was lingering energy that had imprinted on the walls of the hospital. They were in a never ending loop of horror, doomed to relive the event of the fire.
"That was post-cognition, seeing the past. Everyone sees it differently. But it's also why he will never attend school in this town. They've expanded on an original building that was once used as the town hall, and they used to execute people on the front lawn."
"And he's seen it?"
"I suspect so since he's seen a few victims of the witch hysteria of the 1660s."
"What fun."
"Um-hm. I was in Salem for it."
"Oh?"
"Death by Carrick."
"What happened?"
"The closest you got to Salem was Ipswitch. I saw you, you did not see me. I questioned him too much and he lost it."
"What's your history with him? The domovoi hinted you're not what I think you are. Then what are you?"
She breathes in deeply. "Throughout history, as humans have evolved, some other species evolved too. I am what you think I am, and at the same time I'm still something else."
I sigh as I stand over her, hands on the arms of the chair and I lean in.
"You're being vague again."
"Because it keeps both of us safe." She pecks me on the lips.
"Don't tease me, do it right."
She pushes my shoulders enough that I get it, let me up. I lean on the edge of the desk so I'm a little shorter. I love my short girlfriend, but it would be easier to kiss her if she were just a little bit taller.
"Still chewing watermelon bubblegum?"
"Nom nom nom." She lightly bites my chest before leaning against me.
"You know, I thought getting back in your good graces would be more difficult."
"Sean and I talk. Less thinking, more doing, and so far it's working. I liked when there was an us. It's just different but not impossible. And if you or Hayley lie to me, I'll kill her and ruin every relationship you have in the future."
I smile. "No worries there, my love. You should know how tempted I am to have Freya give you my feelings on the topic of Hayley."
She growls softly. "No magic on me."
"You did on me."
"Because you were being a pushy dick. Subject change before I get cranky."
"If you were anyone else being vague with me, I'd confine you to a chair and torture you until you talked."
"Ooh, I love it when you talk dirty."
There's soft laughter from the doorway. Hayley's standing there with Elijah.
"Just making sure you two weren't killing each other." Hayley says.
"I think they were far too quiet for that." Elijah comments. "But silence is still concerning."
"What's concerning is how you two always pop up when I'm trying to get-"
"Your dick wet?" Hayley cuts in.
"Yes. It wouldn't be the first time we did it on a desk. Remember your high school reunion?"
"You took him to your high school reunion?" Elijah is more amused than Hayley. She looks concerned and he looks like he's ready to start laughing out loud.
"Yes. Someone came back to town so they thought ooh, 12 year reunion sounds like fun! And I thought, ha, I'm completely different and I have this on my arm. Be jealous bitches. Who all got fat and
ugly. Shut up, Elijah."
"I said nothing."
"I can see that look on your face. I know what I look like. Rub it in and I will do something horrible to you."
"I'm cursed as a vampire. What more can you possibly do?"
"I don't know. Give you the what-if potion?"
"Why do I not like the sound of that?"
"Once upon a time, there was a man slut burning through the community. He hit on this witch one too many times with his misogynistic attitude so I turned him into a woman."
"You didn't!"
"Oh, I did. Basically the spell is to show you what you would look like if you had been born opposite of what you are. He got to deal with his own brand of fun."
"Why do I sense that is not all?" Elijah questions.
"What makes you think it isn't?"
"Because in the short time we've known you, when you crap on someone you make it rain." Hayley replies.
"I have a ring that allows the wearer to take the temporary appearance of another. I may have gave him the same treatment he gave me."
"And she made him cry. I'm going to Cordy's. You want anything?" Logan appears behind them.
"Raspberry danish for desserts later?"
"You're cooking right?"
"Uh-huh."
"Oh?"
"Yes, Elijah, I can cook and it's edible. I hear Hayleys meatloaf can clog a toilet."
"Kol."
"Yes, Kol. I made you something."
"And you got my IPOD how?"
"Rebekah." She replies with a smirk. "The playlist is titled You're An Ass."
"Incredibly accurate." Hayley speaks.
"No one asked you."
"No one ever does."
After dinner, having been run ragged by the other hybrids playing in the yard, the triplets are ready for bed before they even get to dessert.
"Oh my." Elijah says so softly that if it wasn't this silent, I wouldn't have heard it.
He's frozen in the hallway looking towards the door.
"Carrick back for more rejection?" I question as I join him. I wouldn't want to miss that.
"Worse."
"What's worse?"
That's when I see it. Or notice it I should say. Rox and Hayley are on the porch standing side by side with their backs to us. Rox has something in her hands that she's showing to Hayley. I can't see it.
What I can see is the terrifying resemblance between the two.
The only differences are Hayley is taller and her figure more skinny-lean than Rox, who is more on the athletic-lean side. Roxy's got a little more hips and Hayley's ass is flatter. But at first glance from behind, they're very similar.
"I was wondering how long it would take you idiots to see the resemblance." Kol speaks.
"When did you?"
"Kitchen. Hayley was trying to watch for the gnomes and Roxy was in there making breakfast. For a second, they were side by side and I saw it."
"Say nothing." I hold up a finger at each of them. "Nothing."
"I'm not crazy or stupid enough to go there. Then I'll be their target and not you." Kol taps me on the arm. "Did her from behind, didn't you?"
"Kol Mikaelson, I don't need or want to know that and I'm sure no one else does either. Now stop bringing it up before feelings skyrocket and people start dying." Freya scolds and joins them. "What's that?"
They split apart and Roxy has something human-like in her hands. "Gnome." She says it that way she does when I'm reminded of her inner child.
Freya smiles at that and says hello to it. It resembles the ceramic and stone pieces I've seen on lawns for generations. Small, thick bodied, with a tiny hat. Elijah, Kol and I all get closer to see it.
"I think I'm done with you people oogling me. Put me down."
"Magic word."
"I will put a turd in your pillow."
Roxy chuckles. "You haven't changed."
"Never!" He hops off her hand and disappears into the shrubbery.
"There? Happy? You saw a gnome. Now stop trying to bait them." She tells Hayley.
"Or what?"
Rox lightly slaps her cheek. "Imagine that hard enough to break your neck."
Hayley moves to slap her back but Roxy puts her arm up, then her other arm, and then uses both hands to box her ears.
"Behave yourself."
"Elijah, she's being mean to me."
"Elijah, she's being mean to me." Rox mimics her and for a brief second Hayley smirks.
"I can see they're going to be like siblings that hate each other."
"I'm not touching you. I'm not touching you." Hayley holds her finger inches away from Roxys face. "I'm not touching you."
"No, but you're breathing my air! Nik! She's breathing my air!"
Hayley blows in her face and so Roxy licks her finger and touches Hayley with it.
"My germs."
Hayley looks appalled and Roxy begins laughing.
"You look like I pissed on your shoes and you just now figured it out."
"You pissed in my shoes?"
"Don't be silly. I'm not that juvinile." She steps back into the house. "I just put them in the toilet."
"What!"
"Kidding! Or am I?"
Hayley looks between Elijah and I. "Klaus?"
"Don't look at me. She doesn't like you and as she would say, her animal brain sometimes wins."
"What's that mean?"
"Humping and pissing on something or someone is a sign of dominance in the animal world."
"That's disturbing. I'm going to go check my shoes."
Hayley keeps going up to the third floor while I go to her room. She's in the bathroom changing. I can just make out her reflection in the mirror. When she steps out she's in her pajamas.
"What?"
"Captain America pjs?"
Just to be a smart ass she takes the typical Captain pose with her hands on her hips. Then hums the tune as she skips into her office.
"You should sell the bakery."
"No."
"Debbies?"
"No."
"Well one day you'll have to because people will catch on."
"And I will do it then but not before. I've been grooming managers for years so that why when Roxanne Bathory must "die", I will have someone to leave it to. I'll have wills made up and all that fun stuff,
and when I "die", the place they manage will now be theirs to own. What happens to it after than," She sighs. "If it sinks, it sinks."
"Look at you letting things go."
"It's a business. That's a far cry from other stuff. This isn't the 12th century where marriage is a business and everyone's got a side dish."
My brows raise at the mention of marriage.
"Were you married then? Or are you hinting you want to be Mrs. Klaus Mikaelson?"
"It was a comparison of what's socially acceptable then and now, in relation to your comment about letting things go. Hearing the phrase is beginning to irk me."
I say nothing more about it and move to sit on her desk. I don't know why she likes giant desks. She has nothing on here but her laptop. The pens and everything go into the drawers because she
"needs space."
I watch her answer a few e-mails before I lay across the desk. Then she starts smirking and giggling.
"What's so funny?"
"Just thinking how usually this is reversed and the woman's usually in a teddy trying to get his attention."
"Is that a hint that you would like to see me in a teddy? Because I'm sure it would look much better on you."
There's a blush and a smile. "Funny, Nikki. Don't make me magic one on you."
"You can do that?"
"I can do a lotta things."
I watch her for a moment before I push the laptop down.
"I was reading."
"It's been weeks now and we never have alone time."
"If you mean by alone time, I'm not in the mood for sex."
"I know you're not, but that doesn't mean we can't lounge about like we used to."
There would be days when we would just lounge together on the sofa or the bed and watch TV or movies, or take turns reading to one another. Other days we would lie about and doodle in sketchbooks. I enjoyed her cartoons of us with her as Red Riding Hood & I, the big bad wolf who was actually Little Red's friend and she was a witch and together they terrorize the township. I wonder if she has many any lately.
"Let me finish this e-mail and I'll lounge with you."
"You have five minutes."
"Ten."
"Five."
"Ten."
"Five."
"Eight."
"Six."
"Eight."
"Eight if you give me a kiss."
She pushes the drawer in on her desk and when she stands she's taller than me. I get my kiss and so be silly, I pretend to faint on the desk. She whips my t-shirt up and blows a raspberry on my belly.
"Eight minutes. Start typing." I look at my watch. "Starting now."