AN: Hey guys! Not too long, but this is the last chapter before we join the show. I hope you enjoy it and let me know that you think!
Chapter Two
K sat in the Square, leaning back on a bench wearing an ill-fitting dress she'd snatched off someone's clothes line. The thinly strapped garment was easily three sizes too big and without underwear, she was incredibly aware of how easily she could be exposed, but truthfully couldn't care less if she tried. Instead, her mind was too busy with thoughts of what happened at Hayley's house.
With her arms draped over the back of the wooden slates supporting her, K let her mind drift. She couldn't believe what happened. She had no control over herself, and didn't know why. It wasn't just The Hollow, either –that much she knew.
The best K could guess, it was her own feelings of abandonment and fear that simply gave that witch the opening. Kali had been afraid of what may happen with her boys gone, scared they may not come back and Klaus would abscond with them. Her fear became anger which fueled her determination to make sure everything was alright. And, that's when the witch surfaced. K felt it coax her into the actions, felt it encourage her to simply "see" Hope.
Her head fall back on the bench letting K stare at the sky. How could she have been so foolish, so reckless? She knew better than that. She was stronger than that, and yet, for those few moments, the Hollow won.
"Shit," she sighed.
Within a few seconds, K knew she'd either completely, or nearly, destroyed everything. She wasn't worried about Klaus. He'd heal. It was Hope and Hayley. Hayley knew what K was capable of –now given a glimpse of it-, but it was the fear on Hope's face that… it broke K's heart, honestly, because she was the cause.
The sound of bare feet patting against asphalt caused K to lift her head. Her heart sank. It was Klaus, walking towards her wearing a pair of jeans and nothing else with something in his hand. His fair skin was still smeared with blood and if she had to guess, K assumed he'd simply grabbed a pair of pants and followed after her. He wanted to keep an eye on her.
K lowered her arms and set her hands gently in her lap. "I'm sorry, Nik." She told him with all sincerity.
He arched an annoyed brow and continued to approach in silence. When he stood nearly arm's length from her, he offered the objects in his hand. It was her wallet, cellphone and passport. K hadn't brought luggage with her when she flew to Virginia, only the things needed to enter the country. Of course when she turned, they'd been left behind at Hayley's with the rest of her clothes.
"Thanks," she muttered as she took them from him.
Still silent, Klaus fell onto the bench beside her with a heavy sigh. She didn't know if another fight was coming or not, so she simply waited.
Minutes passed with nothing before Klaus turned to her. K met his eye.
"Too close, Kali." He told her simply.
She nodded with a sigh. Her eyes drifted back to the horizon. "I know."
"You can't simply come here whenever you choose."
"I know." She repeated in the same dejected tone. "And it won't happen again. I promise."
She could feel his eyes, see him staring at her out of her periphery, but K didn't bother turning to acknowledge it.
An unspoken agreement passed between them. Klaus told her internally that she had to go home, that it was clearly too dangerous for her to remain and a litany of other things pertaining to what'd just happened. Kali heard it in her own head and agreed wholeheartedly. She just didn't trust herself in Mystic Falls anymore.
"Tomorrow." She finally said. "Let me leave tomorrow."
Klaus took a deep breath, but let it out slowly. He wanted to argue with her, to say she had to leave that instant, but he didn't want to at the same time. The truth was, it was technically Christmas Day, and while she couldn't be near Hope, it was perhaps the closest to a familial holiday as he could wish for. At least his wife and his children were in the same city.
She felt his fingers thread through hers and held his hand tight. "Tomorrow." He agreed.
They remained on the bench for a little while before the sun began to rise. Eventually, the town would wake and begin to celebrate the commercialized holiday.
Donning an outfit stolen from a local store and much more appropriate for the winter weather, K paced lazily through the Square. With her hands shoved in her pockets, she looked at the decorations, the wreaths and trees, and the people walking around her. It was a quaint little scene, but seemed oddly out of place. Perhaps that was simply because she knew how poisonous Mystic Falls truly was.
K swore the land was cursed. It honestly wouldn't surprise her if what Mikael did to his children a thousand years ago, the magic used and the plague of vampires he'd created all that time ago, didn't actually taint the whole area.
Scowling at the thought, K lazily turned in her spot. She was waiting for Klaus to bring the boys to her so she could see them for a little while before leaving the country again, and while content to stay in her own mind, something quickly ripped her into the present.
As her eyes danced languidly over the faceless crowd, two individuals suddenly caught her attention and once held she couldn't look away. Across the way and past a few groups, was Damon and Elena. They seemed to notice her the same moment and the world around them froze.
For a moment, the world seemed to tunnel around them. It didn't disappear, necessarily, but became little more than background noise.
K could see the pair was caught somewhere between terrified and cautious. Given their past, it was the safest way for them to act around her.
Damon took a preemptive stance in front of Elena, as though he was shielding her from a possible attack. K thought it was funny and didn't bother hiding her smirk. If she wanted to harm either of them, there was no way he could stop her and they all knew it. But clearly, he thought he had to try.
"There you are, darling."
Klaus' warm voice caused K to break her gaze with Salvatore. When she turned, she saw her husband approaching with a boy on each hip. It had to be awkward given the two were almost too big to be carried like that together. If they could do little more than gamble about like baby horses, she was sure he'd have let them walk on their own.
Their faces lit up the instant they saw her, and the same could be said for K. Immediate relief and calm swept through her body at the sight of her sons. It was as though all previous tension left her at once.
"There are my boys." She cooed, reaching out for the little one's doing the same for her.
K took them from Klaus and knelt down, letting the two stand on their own while she hugged them. It was hard for her not to squeeze the pair, but the urge was definitely there.
In the distance, Elena and Damon continued to spy. They clearly saw Klaus and the two identical boys approach. They saw the way K reacted to them and how they clung to one another. Rationally, they could make the assumption that the two were her children, but the fact that she was a vampire –as they last knew it- kept them from truly believing what they saw.
"That's…" Damon began.
"…creepy." Elena finished. He nodded.
They were unsettled by the sight, even more so when K stood again. She took one boy, Klaus the other, and –for some reason- looked in their direction. The pair felt an undeniable chill course through them. A wicked, borderline cruel smirk touched Klaus' full lips as he –with his freehand- took K's and together, the little family walked off, disappearing into the crowd as though they belonged.
"I think I'm going to have to call Caroline." Elena grumbled. Her stomach hadn't stopped twisting since K had spotted them.
"Yeah," Damon nodded. "That's a good idea. Meanwhile, lets get off the street in case anymore Mikaelsons show up."
Two Weeks Later:
The damage caused by K's "outburst" over Christmas was minimal, and she was thankfully able to come back from it. According to Klaus, Hope and Hayley understood completely.
But there was still the issue of K's clear rage. Klaus saw it as easily as the words in a book. It was undeniable and he knew that if it wasn't slated one way or another, there was a chance she could lash out again. He didn't know what it felt like having that thing swimming around inside him, but he imagined it was unpleasant.
And it was. K hated it. She swore she felt the Hollow more now than before. Apparently that little snippet of contact with Hope was all the beast needed to stir. Now, she felt it at all times.
Klaus approached the nursery with his idea. He'd been thinking his plan over for a day or two and had finally landed on a way to execute it. Now, he just needed to reveal the wonderful news to K.
As he reached the doorway, he saw her sitting between the two cribs. It wouldn't be long now before the boys would get their own toddler beds.
The speed at which they grew astounded him.
"When will we meet again, sweetheart? When will we meet again?" K sang sweetly to the two sleeping infants. "When the autumn leaves that fall from trees are green and spring up again."
A smile curled his full lips. The scene was one he'd cherish –his wife sitting between identical beds holding their sons. He never thought his life would turn out like this, but for once, he was happy.
"Sweetheart," he finally said in a soft voice. K languidly gave him her attention and smiled lightly. "May I speak with you for a moment?"
"Of course," she nodded. K stood, glanced one final time to her sons and left the room so that she and Klaus could talk.
When they made it to the living room, she took a seat and simply waited for his plan. For a moment, Klaus said nothing. He wanted to find a tactful way of putting it, but in truth, he couldn't.
"You need to control yourself." He said bluntly.
K arched a brow and a distinct "judging" glare took over. "Did you, of all people, just tell me to control myself?" she asked in a deadpan voice.
He fought the urge to roll his eyes and simply proceeded. "And I've an idea how." K did, in fact, roll her eyes at him, however, but she had to admit she was intrigued by the wicked smirk that took his lips. "We're going hunting."
She narrowed her eyes and tilted her head marginally to the side. "What do you mean?"
Still smiling victoriously at his plan, Klaus took a seat beside K and proceeded to tell her what they were going to do.
Together, side by side with their children, they were going to hunt down and murder anyone who threatened their family. At first, K wasn't certain what he meant, but after explaining how afraid he was for Elijah's safety, she was more than willing to help. Not only would it help her release her frustration and anger for her current situation, but it would ensure that one of her oldest friends –her brother, actually- was safe.
Somehow, she'd forgotten about his memory wipe and how vulnerable it left him.
"So, what do you think, darling?" Klaus asked while already knowing the answer.
K smiled genuinely and reached forward, cradling Klaus' jaw sweetly. "I love it." She said with just a hint of the animalistic desire for blood that he adored so much
Smiling, he leaned forward and kissed her. K happily returned the sentiment.
