Klaus groaned as he ended a call from his mother.
"What's the matter?" Amy asked.
"Mother wants me to come visit some old friend of hers, and I really don't want to," Klaus explained.
"Well, you don't see your mother very often, so I think you should go," Amy replied. "And you'll get to see Ronan at the same time, right? That should make it not so bad."
"You don't understand!" Klaus said, taking her shoulders. "There's a reason why I don't see my mother very often: she drives me insane!"
"You poor man," Amy replied and kissed him.
"I'll go if you come with me," Klaus suggested. "Will you come? Please?"
"Fine," Amy sighed. "But I really think you could do this by yourself. You're a full grown man!"
"A full grown man with a crazy mother!" Klaus insisted and took Amy's hand. "Let's go!" They left, leaving Rosalie and Aaron looking over his mother's crime photos. Amy told herself that she'd have to start suggesting new hobbies for them sometime, even though she understood why they were doing what they were doing. She just didn't want them becoming too morbid.
Klaus became a bit more at ease when it was his father, Ronan, who answered the door. "Well, isn't this nice?" The blond werewolf exclaimed as he ushered his son and daughter-in-law into the house and insisted they sit down. He was wearing jeans with holes in the knees and a black shirt, although his hair was neatly cut.
"I'm really surprised the two of you showed up, if I'm going to be honest," he admitted. "Your mother told me that she was going to ask you and I didn't think you'd listen."
"Well, you have to know that you never ignore a summons from my mother," Klaus informed him. "Or does she like you well enough that she lets you get away with it?"
"No, I see what you're saying," Ronan admitted. "Completely."
"So, where is she?" Amy wanted to know.
"She and Alexandra are out doing a little shopping," Ronan replied. "Alexandra is having a rough time. Her husband left her for a younger woman. Personally, I have to congratulate him because the woman's no angel, but I can't say that to her face, of course."
"It's shame when things like that happen," Amy sighed.
"How's everyone at your house?" Ronan asked.
"Well, Savannah's daughter Mary just got her powers back, so Savannah and Jonathan are happy about that," Amy replied. "Vivi decided she wanted to try dating, so she and King are separated at the moment, and luckily Eva's not too worried. And Rosalie and her friend Aaron are trying to figure out who killed her mother."
"Rosalie must like that Aaron boy," Ronan remarked. "She saved him when he came into the bar. I wasn't there at the time, but Roxie told me about it."
"Please don't remind me that she likes him," Klaus begged. "That means I'm eventually gonna have to accept a human boy into the family!"
"You can do it," Amy encouraged. "If not for your own sake, then for Rosalie's."
"Fine," Klaus huffed. "I guess."
It was then that Esther (which was his mother's name since she'd changed it from her birth name just for a change of pace) came into the house with Alexandra following behind.
"Well, hello, Niklaus," Esther greeted him. "I'm very pleased you decided to come."
"You know I would never ignore a summons from you, Mother," Klaus told her. "And I decided to bring Amy with me, as you can see. Now tell me, why am I here?"
"I just wanted you to meet a friend of mine," Esther replied and gestured at Alexandra. "Niklaus, this is my friend Alexandra Croft. Alexandra, this is my son, Niklaus."
"Well, hello," Alexandra greeted him. "I'm more used to being around your brother Elijah at school. I assume you're a change of pace from him?"
"Yes," Klaus replied flatly. "I am. It's nice to meet you."
"Not exactly an outgoing boy, is he?" Alexandra muttered to Esther.
"Oh, I usually am," Klaus informed her. "I just really don't want to be here."
"Well, at least you're honest about it," Alexandra told him.
Klaus then gave Ronan a desperate look and father took son into the basement, leaving Amy to chat with the two witches.
"You'll have to excuse him," she told Alexandra. "He doesn't like people all that much."
"You don't have to make excuses for him," Alexandra told her. "Esther warned me he'd be difficult. I was prepared for it."
"That doesn't excuse his rude behavior, though," Amy told her, a blush coloring her cheeks. "I'm very sorry."
"Oh, it's all right, dear," Esther said, pushing her dark brown hair out of her eyes. "It's not your fault." She paused, then leaned forward with an eager expression and said, "Remind me again how you two met?"
"Well, as you probably know, Klaus had Astrid Fale's husband Alistair as a valet for many years as punishment for some wrong doing. Well, Astrid finally decided that the punishment was no longer suiting its purpose since Alistair and Klaus had become so close, released him from it, and asked me to take his place, since she still felt Klaus needed someone to look after him. It started out as just a simple job, but it's become…more than that over the years."
"Isn't that sweet?" Esther smiled. "It's so nice to see him finally settled down with someone who can rein him in."
"I'm not always successful with that," Amy told her. "But I try my best."
They sat in awkward silence for a little bit longer, and once Klaus was ready to go home, Amy was more than happy to go with him.
When they got back, Rosalie and Aaron came running to them. "We've been talking over this for a long time," Rosalie said to her parents. "We think that either a vampire or a werewolf killed Aaron's mom, but we're not sure which one."
"Well, do you have the picture?" Klaus asked. "I couldn't tell you without the picture."
Rosalie urged Aaron to go and get it cause she knew that leaving him alone with her father, even for a few seconds, was unwise. He still didn't approve of her telling Aaron the truth about herself and the supernatural world.
"Here's the picture," Aaron replied, and then handed it to Rosalie to give to Klaus. When Klaus saw the photo, he gasped. He recognized that car and that body. He'd killed her. It had been good.
"So…what do you think?" Rosalie asked after a little while. "Vampire or werewolf?"
"Vampire, werewolf, both…who knows?" Klaus shrugged and tried not to meet Amy's eyes cause he knew he'd give himself away and she'd scold him. "Hell, maybe it was a human. There's a reason this case hasn't been solved in so many years, right?" He then sped away before any of them could reply.
"What's wrong with him?" Rosalie asked her mother.
Amy shrugged. "I have no idea. I mean, we just got back from seeing his mother. He may need to recover from that even though he hardly interacted with her at all." She paused. "In fact, I think I'll go ask. And you two…find something else to do with yourselves that doesn't involve those horrible pictures. Please."
"All right, Mom," Rosalie nodded. "We'll try."
"Good," Amy told her and then headed to her and Klaus' bedroom, jiggling the handle on the door and realizing to her chagrin that it was locked. "Klaus?" She called. "Let me in! I think we need to talk."
"No, we don't!" Klaus shouted back. "Go away!"
"I didn't want to have to do this, but you leave me no choice," Amy said after rolling her eyes. She then used her magic to open the door and stride in while Klaus glowered at her from the bed. "What did you have to go and do that for?" He spat. "Can't a man have any privacy?"
"You know that I would be happy to give it to you," Amy replied as she came to sit next to him. "But I'm very concerned. You made a face when you saw that picture. So what's going on?"
"Nothing you'd like to know," Klaus replied. "I think it would be better for all of us if you just let it go."
"I only wanna help," Amy told him.
"And you'll help by leaving it all alone and not nagging me!" Klaus growled. "Why is this so difficult for you to understand? I think it would be best if you left now before I do something to you that I'm going to regret!" He showed his teeth for emphasis and then watched her intently.
"Well, okay," Amy backed up a little. "I'll leave it alone. My goodness. But you know that if there's anything you do want to talk to me about, you can, right?" She took a few cautious steps back toward him and kissed him on the cheek. "Feel better. If you can't talk to me, why don't you try talking to your brother?"
"You know, that's not a bad idea," Klaus said, giving her a smile. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," Amy smiled and left the room.
Once she was gone, Klaus drove over to Elijah and Selina's and burst in, asking Amanda, who was reading in the living room, where her father was.
"He's in his office," Amanda replied. "But the door is closed, which means we can't come in. Not that that will stop you, of course, but if he seems pissed off when you try to talk to him, that's why."
Klaus thanked her and then headed to Elijah's office. "Anyone in there with you, Elijah?" He called.
Almost immediately, the door opened and Elijah pulled him inside. "Well this is convenient," he told his brother. "I've been trying to call you at home. You probably weren't answering cause you were on your way over here."
"Yes," Klaus nodded. "Mother introduced me to one of her insufferable friends and I need to express anger about it."
"Well, I need something from you that just might help with your anger," Elijah told him. "You know that I normally don't like it when you get violent, but this time…this time, I think it's warranted. Viktor recently separated from his wife of several years, Alexandra Croft. Amanda was the impetus for the separation, and I fear for Amanda's safety now that she's gotten on the bad side of such a powerful witch. Could you deal with Alexandra for me, Niklaus? I would, but since she's one of my work colleagues, my trying to hurt her would make things…difficult. You, on the other hand, have no such trouble. Will you do it?"
Klaus grinned. "Of course I will, brother. You know, it's funny that you're having problems with an Alexandra Croft. Because I am too. She's the friend that Mother forced me to meet today. I really didn't like her all that much. Did you say she and Viktor married?"
"They did," Elijah nodded.
"How shocking," Klaus said and eased himself into the chair on the side of the desk opposite Elijah. "I never would have guessed."
"The fact that he has a fondness for Amanda was more shocking to me," Elijah confessed. "They carried on an affair behind my back for weeks!"
"But Amanda could do much worse," Klaus pointed out. "You have to admit that."
"Yes, I know," Elijah nodded. "I've heard that from Selina many times already."
"So…you want me to make it clear to Alexandra that she is to stay away from Amanda?" Klaus asked.
"Yes, and you may use any means necessary," Elijah told him. "Just as long as you don't tell me about them."
"Any means necessary?" Klaus repeated. "You must be desperate. But you won't hear me complaining."
Elijah then handed him a scrap of paper. "Here's her new address. Be thorough, brother."
"Don't worry, Elijah," Klaus said and put a hand on his shoulder. "I will." He then left and on his way out, told Amanda, "Your father told me what's going on with you and Viktor. I'm pleased. Maybe the man will finally have some fun for once in his life." He gave his embarrassed niece a wink and then left the house, Alexandra's address in hand, waiting until that evening to make his move.
Around ten in the evening, Alexandra locked the door of her tiny apartment, shut off the TV, and then went to shower and wash her hair. She turned the water on and stepped inside, working up the shampoo lather as, unbeknownst to her, the window next to her shower opened and Klaus made his way in, bringing a freshly dead body with him. It still dripped with blood, which made a trail all over the tile floor. Thankful for the noise of the shower, which stopped Alexandra from hearing him, he hung the dripping body over the open top of the shower so that blood dripped down along with the water, and, using blood he'd gotten from the body beforehand, wrote on the mirror, Goodnight, Sweetheart.
He then let out a mad giggle as Alexandra finally noticed the blood and the body and let out a terrible shriek, zipping out of sight before she saw him and was able to connect him to the mess and leaving her alone with a very bloody bathroom, and a threat that he hoped she'd take to heart.