8 Crisis

(at Rousseau's)

Klaus followed the GPS to a bar. As he walked in, he saw Camille serving drinks at the bar, but he didn't bother much with her and started looking around for his brother.

He spotted him sitting on one of the chairs at the edge of the bar table. He narrowed his eyes as he walked towards him, noticing him being drunk.

"Brother, have you seriously been drinking since this morning?" Klaus asked, concerned, trying to hide his annoyance.

"No, brother, I drank a little in the morning, then ventured in this fabulous city... AND then I came back to continue drinking," Elijah said with a sigh before continuing. "I am starting to feel left out, Niklaus. I can't imagine my role in this," Elijah sounded depressed and defeated.

Klaus listened to his brother patiently while holding back the urge to break the table with his noble brother's head. "This is the time he is choosing to have a fucking mid-life crisis," Klaus thought to himself while remaining calm on the outside. His plans were to take effect soon, and he needed this idiot to be present.

"Listen to me, brother," Klaus said in a gentle tone, getting Elijah's attention. "I know you may feel left out right now, but I, your family, need you," Klaus said before being cut off by Elijah.

"What do you need me for? You are no longer tied by the witches and are free to raise your child as you see fit, to reign and conquer," Elijah was saying before Klaus cut him off before he said something a wrong person may hear.

"It didn't work," Klaus said, causing Elijah to turn towards him immediately with a worried expression. "We need the original knot to undo the binding."

Elijah's eyes flashed with newfound determination. "So, I assume we are back pretending to be working with the witches," Elijah asked.

"Yes, but it's more than that," said Klaus, trying to find the right words to bring his brother back to his senses. "Listen, Elijah, you have stood by my side in my darkest times, no matter what atrocities I did to the world or even to you. You never abandoned me, so please do not leave me now," Klaus said, emotion spilling into his voice. "While I try to be better, to be strong, I need you at my side, to help me raise my child in a way better than we were, to give what we never had." Klaus put his hand on Elijah's shoulder. "We are family, Elijah, we need to stick together."

Tears were forming in the eyes of Elijah as he listened to his brother with widened eyes. He got up and hugged his little brother, almost afraid to let him go and realize it was all a dream. "Always and forever," said Klaus, tightening the hug.

As they ended the hug, Elijah looked back at Camille, who had witnessed the whole ordeal, and gave her a smile, which Elijah returned kindly. Maybe beside his brother's redemption, he may find something himself in this city, one he once called home.

Klaus noticed their subtle exchange but chose not to comment on it at this present time. He never thought Elijah and Haley were a good fit originally, but someone like Camille would probably be better for him. Someone who could...

(Plantation)

As the brothers returned home, they were met with their sister pacing around with a worried look. "Where have you both been?"

"What's the matter?" Elijah asked, all sobered up.

Klaus immediately knew something was wrong with Haley as he could not hear her in the house and got worried. "Where is Haley?"

"She wasn't here when I got back. I thought she fled, but all her stuff is here and no car was taken," Rebekah explained, worried.

Klaus took a deep breath to get a hold of his anger while cursing to himself. "Are you fucking serious?" he shouted in his mind, contemplating whether or not he should chain up the little wolf. "After everything I told her wholeheartedly, she still snuck out," he thought to himself while anger became more and more visible on his face.

"Easy, brother," Elijah said, noticing Klaus's expression. "I am sure she is perfectly safe. Let's see if we can find some trail."

"What do you want me to do? Sniff her clothes and find her..." Klaus cut himself off, noticing a set of tracks. "Is that one of ours?" asked Klaus, pointing to the tracks.

"No, those look fresh," replied Elijah.

"Could it be Marcel?" asked Rebekah, but Klaus shook his head.

"No, we have an arrangement, and he would not dare break it by kidnapping Haley and my child."

Klaus knew from his memories it had to be the witches and continued to curse himself in his mind. The whole deal with Elijah missing had completely distracted him that he had forgotten about recent events that would be taking place but calmed himself, knowing the mutts would be watching her.

"We should search the woods," Klaus stated. "Rebekah, you check the woods while Elijah checks around the city where witches hang around, and I will go to the Bayou!"

"Okay!" both siblings replied as Klaus threw Elijah a set of keys.

"Take my car, and please try not to end up at a bar this time," Klaus said with a smirk before he sped out.

Klaus already knew where Haley would be. Unfortunately, he could not inform his siblings about it as they would get suspicious of how he got the knowledge. He already noticed several looks and glances of Elijah, both indicating his suspicion and doubts. He knew a confrontation of the matter would soon take place and needed to be ready.

(Bayou clinic)

Haley was running out of the clinic after falling for the trap laid by Agnes. As she ran, she suddenly heard vampires chasing after her. She kept running until she could no longer hear the vampires, and as she turned around, she noticed multiple eyes belonging to werewolves.

Before she could ask any questions, she heard more rustling and saw a vampire lunging towards her. As she closed her eyes and protected her stomach, awaiting the worst, nothing happened. She slowly opened her eyes only to see the back of a hybrid she immediately recognized, standing over a body with a missing head.

She ran towards him as quickly as she could as he turned around and hugged him, not caring about the dead vampire beside him.

"I got you, love, I got you," Klaus said, consoling her, holding her tight, feeling a warmth he hadn't felt in a long time, even from his own time. Haley held on to him with all the strength she could muster. She felt safe, protected, something she hadn't felt since, maybe ever. She felt at home.

Klaus didn't want to let her go but was worried she may have been injured and started to look her over as he pulled out of the hug.

"I am fine, Klaus, really. I think the wolves saved me," Haley said as she pointed towards the eyes.

Klaus narrowed his eyes towards them. He could have saved Haley without their interference. He needed them to show themselves to her, so she would seek out answers about her family. He had plans on bringing the wolves under his command, but he needed to rid himself of Jackson first. He also needed Haley to learn the truth about her family and how it tied to their Alpha.

Klaus could not help himself but to smile, thinking how pleased his little sister would have been knowing how Jackson would get flat out rejected. 

Klaus turned towards Haley, gently cupping her face while slowly brushing her cheeks with his thumb. "Those witches," Klaus said with a growl. "I will..." Klaus said with a growl before Haley cut him off.

"It wasn't them, at least not all of them. It was one named Agnes," Haley explained softly to calm him down.

Klaus nodded while taking off his leather jacket to put around Haley as he noticed her shivering. She gave a gentle smile. "Thank you."

Klaus took out the phone and called his siblings, informing them of what happened and to pick them up as he and Haley made their way out of the forest.

They sat down at the entrance of the clinic, Klaus noticing Haley chose to sit closer to him than usual, something that made him smile.

"By the way, how is Elijah? Why was he gone all morning?" asked Hayley, causing Klaus to let out a small sigh.

"He is fine, love," Klaus said. "It seemed that he was a little unsure what his role around here would be. I managed to convince him to stay," Klaus explained, not needing to feign concern.

Hayley could see the genuine concern in Klaus's eyes for his brother. She took his hand and held it reassuringly. "Don't worry, I can tell with the way you both are, no matter what, he will be there for you."

This made Klaus smile, and he looked back at his little wolf. She looked right back at him as she admired his blue eyes. As everything around them was a lot less chaotic, they started to move closer.

Their lips were just a few centimeters apart when they were hit by the light coming from the car that was heading towards them. This broke them out of their moment, and they just looked at each other awkwardly.

"We... we should get going," stated Klaus as he got up and offered Haley his hand.

"Yeah," replied Hayley as she took his hand, and both walked towards the car.

(Back at the plantation)

All four of them arrived back at their mansion safely. Haley immediately went upstairs to change and clean herself up, while the siblings went into the study to discuss the matter.

"So, this witch Agnes stated your child would end all witch kind?" Rebekah asked for confirmation, causing Klaus to smirk.

"I grow fonder of this child by the second," Klaus half-joked. "However, that is only if there are still any remnants of witches once I am done with them. I warned them what would happen should any harm come to Haley or the child."

"Yes, I agree, however, we still act with care," stated Elijah. "Remember, Haley is still under the binding spell, and it does not seem this Agnes was working with Sophie or the other witches. Besides, you should talk to Marcellus about the vampires that were killed."

"That can wait till tomorrow," Klaus replied, not wanting to deal with any more today.

"Very well, then I shall at least do what I have in mind," claimed Elijah, getting ready to leave.

"And where are you going?" asked Klaus, almost feeling a chill from the look Elijah was giving him.

"Witch hunt, of course," stated Elijah with a new edge in tone and something dark around his eyes.

Klaus was concerned as he did not quite understand what was happening until a memory of the original Klaus flashed before him, recognizing the look Elijah was wearing. "The red door," Klaus thought to himself. Could these recent changes of events have caused the door to open... Klaus thought to himself as Elijah left the study.

"Rebekah, would you please go with our brother just in case? I will look after Haley," Klaus asked with concern in his eyes, which Rebekah gave a confused nod to.

She felt like the world had turned on its head. Not only did Klaus ask rather than demand or command, but now the roles were reversed. Klaus, the one who would need to be looked after so he didn't slaughter the world, was now the one asking her to make sure their noble brother didn't get himself in trouble.

As Rebekah left, Klaus sat down in his chair and gave a loud sigh. He could hear Haley upstairs as the noise of the shower hitting her body and the memory of them almost kissing played in his head. He was also thinking about the current events. Finn, Mikael, his murderous mother, and Aunt...

"This goddamn family," Klaus thought to himself before an idea popped up in his head, and a smile returned.

"The next few days should prove quite interesting," Klaus mused to himself, ready to start phase 1 of his plan.

yet the most important question lingered on his mind. should he have a harem???? maybe an army of tribrids at his command.