Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

NINE YEARS LATER…

Klaus had just finished to dress up. He completely ignored the young girl inside his bed whose name he completely forgot. She was a younger hybrid he had turned two months ago. Klaus didn’t feel anything for her. He hadn’t been feeling anything for anyone for nine years. Why should he has ?
For loving someone he needed his heart, but someone had already stolen it without giving it back after leaving New Orleans.
A lot of things happened when Stefan disappeared from his life. Klaus became colder toward almost everyone, each days seemed grayer and grayer and always the same. He did everything completely emotionless, he woke up the morning because he had the responsibility of an entire town on his shoulders, he hunted because he had to drink blood to survive but he didn’t enjoy hunting anymore, it made him think of too mani painful memories about him and his Ripper… But he didn’t complain, he didn’t have the right. He had asked for it. He chose his proud, his anger and loneliness over Stefan and the emptiness was what he got it in return and he couldn’t blame it on anyone. Above all the little fool.
Klaus had tried to find Stefan during the first three years, Rebekah helped him too and when they got free Elijah and Kol, they accepted to help him too. But Stefan was nowhere to be found, the little fool was excellent at hiding when he didn’t want to be found.
At least his relationship with his siblings improved. No more daggers, no more stabs in the back, more dialogues, more cooperation especially after the arriving of two other members of family.
Five years ago Klaus had a brief relationship lasting few months with a young werewolf, her name was Hayley. Klaus was attracted to her because she reminded him of Stefan. Both of them were brunette with green eyes and both of them didn’t fear them at all.
She was proud, and brave and she joked and kidded him without any fear, as Klaus was an old friend. She was also a troublemaker, with a turbulent past but she was a nice person after all. She had some problems about trusting, like Klaus himself, and all she wanted was belonging to something. She was alone, like Klaus too.
They had very much in common and maybe because of this Klaus thought to be able to fall in love with her, with time and patient.
They were a good pair after all, but Hayley wasn’t Stefan and Klaus didn’t want to think about her like a replacement.
At the end they broke up but few weeks after, Hayley had surprise for him. She was pregnant and the father of her child was Klaus.
Naturally Klaus didn’t believe her at the start. He couldn’t have any child, he thought he was sterile, like any other vampires but the witches told him that he could have children because he was born werewolf and when he became hybrid, the werewolf part of him let him to have children.
Klaus didn’t want to become a father, he didn’t want any child, he thought about it like as an obstacle to greatness. He also thought for a moment to convince a witch to make Hayley abort it if it weren’t for Elijah and Rebekah who put some sense in him.

…

Klaus was furious, so madly furious that he could destroy the entire city of New Orleans. How could Hayley lie in that way to him ? It wasn’t funny, funny at all.
He wasn’t going to be a father, he couldn’t. His mind refused to go there. And even if it was true, it hadn’t be his problem. Neither him or Hayley wanted to have a child or become parents, especially after their relationship was over, so Klaus was sure that Hayley would have found a way to get free of the baby in someway. At least he hoped.
How could he be a father ? He’d never had a father, or not a good example. What if he become an horrible father like Mikael ? What if his child hated him and left him like anyone else ? What if Klaus was too coward to give love to him or her ?
In that moment he needed Stefan. The little fool always believed in him, he always thought about him like a King, even when Stefan was at the opposite side, Klaus could see in his eyes admiration and proud for him. Stefan was his rock, he always known how to make Klaus feel special, how to defeat his ghosts.
‘Why did you leave me ? Why did you give up on me ?’
Klaus stop to thought about him. Thinking about Stefan, his smile, his lost faith in him, was only making the whole situation more painful and confusing.
It didn’t matter if he was a werewolf he would never accept that horrible child in his life. It was out of the question.

“Niklaus please. Try to be reasonable” begged Elijah.

“I’m being to much reasonable. Don’t you understand Elijah that all of this is a bunch of lies ? I’m a vampire and vampires can’t procreate and even if I could we both know that I could never be a father. I’m not the type.”

“Niklaus, this is not only about you. Stop being selfless and self centered. Stop thinking about your image. I won’t let you go, Niklaus. I won’t abandon you but you have to collaborate with me”

“You are beyond pathetic, Elijah”

“Who’s more pathetic ? The one who sees hope to make his family home… or a coward who can’t see the world for his own fear”

Klaus wasn’t able to respond. Damn, Elijah knew where to hit him. His brother knew Stefan was his greatest weakness and he knew what Stefan had told him before to leave because Klaus himself revealed it to him, during one night when he was so desperate, so sad, when another attempt to find the little fool failed and Klaus broke down and Elijah just hugged him all the time, listening carefully every single words.
’This is the cost for having been fragile for just one night… My brother who doesn’t hesitate to torment me with Stefan’s word’ Klaus thought with frustration.

“I have not care about anything for centuries.” replied Klaus tiring of that conversation.

“You know that’s a lie. You still care for someone who you let go. Someone who loved you beyond your cowardice. But let him go”

“Don’t you DARE to talk about HIM. He ran away from me, he was the coward”.

He didn’t want to listen any other word anymore. He had an horrible day which he wanted it to end as quickly as possible. He just wanted to forget about everything and everyone and just move on. He just wanted the world and everyone in it disappear for a moment. Just to have the time to regain his control and find a solution for the mess which was his life.

“Look at you… You can’t even say his name. It’s too painful, isn’t it ?”

“He showed he wasn’t strong enough to stay with me. Maybe he’d neve loved me, or if he had, his love wasn’t strong enough to stay with me”

“Why should he have stayed here with someone who was too much afraid to love him back ? He wanted be happy and here he wouldn’t be.”

“We could have fine a way to work. He enjoyed how the things were in Chicago he would have enjoyed again but he didn’t even try. He just abandoned me, like all of you !!”

“You’re right. I failed you and I could never forgive myself for this. But I’m here now, with you and I’m not going to abandon you anymore. We’re going to find a way to be a family again and to have care of this miraculous creature.”

“What kind of power, or greatness can that child give to me ?”

“Family is power, love is power Niklaus. Why can’t you understand that ? He was trying to make you understand it too”

“Stop talking about him. Mention him one more time and I will kill Hayley and the baby myself” threatened Klaus out of his mind for anger.

“It won’t help you to fill the emptiness inside you.” Elijah sighed then he said “I know it won’t be easy, I know you’re scared…”

“I’m not scared of anything, brother”

Damn it, his voice trembles while all his usual confident seemed to be disappeared and his world were upside down again. Was Elijah right ? Could he do it ? Could he be a good father for his child ? Cold be stop to be a coward for once in his life ?
Elijah was wiser than him, and even if Klaus thought about him like a great idiot, he knew that Elijah would have helped him, especially with his future father’s duties.
Klaus wasn’t sure if he could be a good father, but he would try, step by step, day after day.
Stefan wasn’t there with him but… maybe his child would fill the emptiness inside his heart.
Maybe there was a chance for him to be happy again.

…

It wasn’t easy at the begin. He and Hayley used to fight a lot about everything, both of them were stubborn, wanted to the the last word about their child, both of them convinced to be right every time. Fortunately their relationship improved after Hope’s birth and year by year.
Klaus also told Hayley about the biggest love of his life and Hayley revealed to him her feelings for Elijah. So they weren’t a couple, but they were still a good pair, two persons who collaborated to do the best for their beautiful daughter.
Klaus learnt how to be a good father, how to have care of Hope, how to love someone who wasn’t himself. He also started to see a psychologist. Actually she was another new friend of his, her name was Camille O’Connell. She found out he was a vampire, but she found herself interested and attracted to his complicated, intricate and darkness personality.
She was a good friend and Klaus sometimes had some pleasant conversation with her. It was a good way to put some order in his head.
So it could be possibile say that he regained his serenity in some twist way but he still loved Stefan. He still drew paintings and portraits about him.
Hope asked about the “Nice Prince” once. Klaus told her he was an “old friend” but he could say that Hope didn’t believe him completely. She was young but she was incredible perceptive due to her three natures: vampire, werewolf and witch.
In fact Hope asked about the Nice Prince to his siblings and Hayley too and at the end she asked to her daddy if he still loved the Nice Prince and why they weren’t together anymore.
So Klaus told everything about Stefan, obviously omitting the more scandalous parts, and at the end Hope took his hand and said that she wanted the Nice Prince to come back, so her Daddy could be happy again. At that point Klaus hugged her, caressing her hair, trying to hide his tears from her.
Somehow Hope was the only sunshine of his life. Now she was almost five years old and she was the most precious thing that Klaus ever had and every single time he thought that he had almost ordered to kill her he was ashamed of himself.
Now, if someone had dared to put a finger on her he would have killed him immediately and painfully. He wasn’t a jealous or and overprotective father, as he was accused to be by Hayley, Rebekah, his newfound older sister Freya and… well… everyone who knew him too well, he just wanted to guarantee the safety of his lovely daughter.
In fact, when Hayley and Hope, after coming back from a walk in a park, told him about the “New Friend” of Hope, Klaus got suspicious (and he wasn’t jealous, at all), so ‘suspicious’ that he offered to accompany Hope the next time.
Of course Hayley didn’t spare him an eloquent look and a bad joke about his parenting, but Klaus completely ignored her.
He was also surprised, how could Hayley not be worry about Hope new friend ? Who was he ? How cold she trust so easily of people after everything they got through in that town ?
When they arrived in the park, there were other families with their brats and Klaus was observing carefully each one of them, to see who of them were the “New friend” of his daughter.
Anyway, Hope didn’t come closer to anyone of them, expect for a little blond brat, who seemed to have no more than four years and who was sitting on the grass all alone.

“Hi Lex ! How are you ?” asked Hope with happy voice.

The little blond brat, who were blushing, looked down and murmured in a shiny voice “Fine. How are you ?”

If Hope weren’t a tribrid, Klaus doubted Hope would have heard his answer. And what kind of name Lex was ? It made Klaus thinking about a dog. His parents were cruel, really.
Klaus’s name wasn’t beautiful too, but at least was original and it didn’t make people think about a dog, although Klaus was a werewolf.

“I’m fine. Why are you here alone ? Where’s your daddy ?” asked Hope sitting on the grass near him.

Klaus wanted to push away the little blond brat who were too close to his daughter and also punch in the face the irresponsible and negligent father who have left his son all alone.

“He forget his cell in the car. He will come back very soon” then Lex looked up to Klaus and then he asked “Is he your daddy, right ?”

“Yes, is he not nice Lex ?”

Klaus didn’t listen Lex’ answer, he wasn’t listening anything at all. That blond brat looked a lot like someone he used to know. That forest green eyes were similar those of someone else. How could that be possible ? He remembered that Stefan told him that he used to be blond when he was a child and that his hair got darker during the adolescence.
But… Stefan was a vampire and not an hybrid like him, he couldn’t procreate, that boy couldn’t be his son. It was simply impossible.

“Dad ? Are you okay ?” asked Hope noting his loss.

Klaus was gong to answer when someone else arrived just in that moment, and the hybrid’s heart almost stopped.
Stefan Salvatore was there, just in front of him and he was looking at Klaus like he was a ghost.
When did Stefan arrive there ? What was he doing there ?

“Klaus ?” said Stefan with surprise.

“Dad… did you already know Hope’s daddy ?” asked Lex to his father, without understand the entire situation.

‘Dad ?’ thought Klaus. Had the little blond brat called Stefan ‘Dad’ ? His Stefan ?
Stefan couldn’t say or do anything. He was completely stoned. He knew that coming back to New Orleans could mean to pup into Klaus but he had hoped to avoid him anyway. But destiny or just misfortune had other plans for him.
God, he only got distracted for a moment, something that never happened in his entire life and when he came back he found his son in company of Klaus’ daughter.
Yes, he knew Klaus had a daughter.
He had some witches friends in New Orleans since he left the city nine years ago and he was still in touch with someone of them, whose sometimes shared informations with him about Klaus and the situations in New Orleans. Stefan knew all the troubles Klaus went through all that years but he’s never come back to help him. He couldn’t. He had passed through some troubles too and he didn’t want involve Klaus and his new reunited family. Stefan would have never forgiven himself if something bad had happened to Hope because of him.
And he understood better father’s duties when Alexander, ‘Lex’, in honor of Lexi, arrived in his life. His birth had been an adventure too.
He didn’t even know why had came back in New Orleans in the first place. He and Lex had left Mystic Falls three days ago and he still didn’t know where to go, so he decided to make a stop in New Orleans. They arrived yesterday morning and in the afternoon Lex asked him to go to park for a walk. Stefan thought that there was nothing wrong in a brief walk in the park so he consented.
He never thought to meet the mother of Klaus’ daughter.

…

Stefan and Lex were walking hand in hand in the park. Before to get out, Stefan made Lex wearing his gloves. He was the son of a siphoner hybrid after all and even if Lex was still a child he demonstrated to be very powerful for his age, too powerful. It was one of the reason why Stefan made him wearing gloves.
Stefan still remembered the expression of pain on Bonnie’s face when Lex accidentally absorbed her magic while he was hugging her.
Fortunately Stefan realized it right away and took Lex away from Bonnie.
Since that day Lex has been wearing gloves everywhere.
It wasn’t easy, Stefan knew his son didn’t like wearing gloves all the time. The other children mocked him sometimes, they called him “weirdo” but he was a smart child too and he understood why he had to do that. Stefan hoped that that time no one would have noticed that strange detail or at least he hoped they would have ignored.
But that wasn’t the only problem about Lex. He wasn’t only a siphoner as his mother, he was actually a witch. He had power on his own but he could also absorbed it by other witches.
Bonnie said that maybe it was due to the fact that his father was a doppelgänger of Silas, who was a powerful witch.
A little child, with blond long hair and grey eyes who was walking hand in hand with her mother, pointed toward them and Stefan gasped.
‘Please, don’t kid him’ he thought.
The mother, a young brunette girl, looked at them and then she smirked. She seemed to know him already, but Stefan didn’t remember having met her before.
Who was she ?
She was coming closer to him with her daughter. Stefan was worried but it would seem rude going away, so he stayed, always keeping his son’s little hand.

“Hi! I’m Hayley Marshall. You have a lovely boy. Is he yours ?” asked Hayley smiling at Lex, who looked back for his shyness.

“Yeah, his name is Alexander. He’s a little bit shy. Sorry” said Stefan with a little smile.

“No worry. I’ve never seen you around. I often come here with Hope, you know, to let her play with the other children and I’ve never seen you here”.

“We arrived today. We have a room for tent and… Lex wanted to get out for a walk. I thought was a great idea. oh… I’m so rude. I’m Stefan Salvatore, nice to meet you” said Stefan holding out his hand.

“Nice to meet you too” said Hayley shaking his hand.

“Mommy, can I play with Lex ?” asked Hope with a gleeful smile.

“Ask it to him. He’s here” answered Hayley.

“Do you want play with me ? I promise that we don’t turn away a lot”.

Lex looked at Stefan and he asked the permission with his gaze. Stefan smiled then he nodded. So Hope grabbed Lex’s hand and then they went to play somewhere else.

“You have a beautiful daughter. She looked very friendly and kind”.

“Lex instead is a lot shy, isn’t him ?”

Stefan looked sad for a moment. He knew why Lex was so shy, insecure and above all without friends, it was because of their lifestyle. They didn’t stay long in one place because Stefan felt the need to move after few time.
He was still so terribly scared that his demons was still following him.
He knew he and his friends had defeated them but he could never forget the pain he felt when he had to spend an entire year far away from his boy. Since then, Stefan didn’t feel safe anywhere. Not even in Mystic Falls where he had all his friends who now remembered him and Elena again, where Damon would have done anything to keep them safe.
But Stefan didn’t want to put their life in danger too, they had their lives and deserved to be happy. He and Lex would fine a way to be okay somehow.
At least he hoped it.
In return He and Lex were very close. They had a special father-son relationship and Lex was always happy to do things with him. Stefan learn Lex how to swim, ride a bike, how to control his thirst and his vampirism powers and his power as siphoner.

“I… we move a lot. I never stay long in one place and it affects Lex. He is shy, insecure and his quite asocial. He doesn’t speak to anyone first, he always waits other to speak with him or to invite him to play. I don’t know how to help him”.

“Maybe you should stay longer this time. Lex and Hope seemed to get along pretty well. But… can I ask you a question ?” said Hayley looking at the children.

“I guess so” answered Stefan

“How could he be your son ? You’re a vampire. I thought vampires couldn’t procreate” said Hayley.

“How do you know I’m a vampire ?” asked Stefan suddenly scared and worried.

“I’ve just noticed your day ring” said Hayley shrugging.

Stefan relaxed then he said with said voice “It’s a long story. I’m sorry but I don’t want to talk about it”.

“No need to be sorry”

Their conversation ended there. Then they just looked the kids playing together.
When it was moment to go, Hayley made him promising to come back the next day and Hope practically begged him so she could play with Lex again.
Lex also begged him with his shiny eyes so Stefan consented to come back the next day.

…

“He is an old friend”

Stefan answered when his voice came back again. Lex didn’t say anything, but he started to look at Klaus with so much intensity that Klaus feared for a moment that the blond brat was reading his soul.

“Come on Lex, I want to play at hide and seek. It’s your turn to count” said Hope taking Lex’s hand.

Stefan and Klaus remained motionless for few minutes but then Klaus indicated a bench and invited Stefan to sit here with him.
Stefan felt uncomfortable. He hadn’t been so close to Klaus for a long time and his presence still made him the same effect. It made Stefan barely breathing, his heart beating faster than normal and all his body shaking for electricity.
How could be possible loving someone so deep that overtime you saw him was like falling in love like the the first time ? How could be possible feeling a love so strong and painful and deep for someone else ?
Stefan didn’t believe it could be possible until he met Klaus.
He tried to hard to move on in that years, to forget him, but it was enough look at him for a second to make Stefan fallen in love with him again.
The same was for Klaus.
The same Klaus who swore to never fall in love with someone again, the same who denied his love for Stefan nine years ago, the same who passed to not love at all at loving someone with all himself, with a passion that he couldn’t believe possible.
Klaus showed Stefan the darkest part of himself, but Stefan was the one who had shown the light to Klaus again after a long time.
And there they were. Darkness and light, gry and green, head and heart… together again.
Their hands accidentally touched and both of them felt the electricity through their veins. If it was for Klaus he would have fucked Stefan right there on the bench, but he couldn’t.
Stefan wasn’t his anymore and they had a lot of things to fix and to discuss about.

“So…” said Stefan taking the word for first “… We haven’t seen each other for long. I can’t believe it. Time passed so fast. A lot of things have changed and… You’re daughter is wonderful”

“Yes. She is the miracle Baby. I wasn’t happy about the idea of becoming father at the started. I wanted Hayley to abort but then, thanks to my family I changed my mind. Now I’m happy to have Hope. She’s the most precious thing of my life, she is my life and I can’t imagine my life without her” said Klaus with bright eyes looking at his daughter.

“Yes. I understand.” said Stefan looked at Lex.

“And what about your miracle baby ? How could you have him ? Vampires can’t procreate” said Klaus looking Stefan with confusion.

A veil of sadness crossed Stefan’s gaze then he said “Vampires can’t. Humans on the other hand…”

“Yes but you’re not a human”

“But I used to be and when I used to be I fell in love with a siphoner” said Stefan.

“Sorry a what ?”

“When I was human I feel in love with a siphoner, her name was Valerie Tulle. She was just a witch, rejected from her coven for being an abomination of nature because she had no power of her own. The only magic she had was contained in an amulet, to be siphoned in times of need. That amulet was the only thing she left to me when she abandoned me and Lex. I don’t know where she is, if you’re going to ask and I don’t want to look for her. Once she abandoned us I swore myself that I would never look for her again”.

“So… you’re son is a… siphoner too ? And how could he be so young if he burned when you were human ? ” asked Klaus, secretly glad to know that Stefan wasn’t with the mother of his son.

“Because he wasn’t born when I was human. He was born four years ago. Thanks to the help of someone else…”

…

Stefan’s just come back in Mystic Falls. He had been having strange dreams about Elena, even if he didn’t know why but he wanted find out so he went there.
He knew that his friends now remembered about him. When Elena contacted Bonnie, telling her that Klas wouldn’t be a problem anymore, she made spell to give the memories back to everyone.
Of course some of them mourned Tyler’s death and wanted get revenge on Klaus, but Elena persuaded them not to. Klaus was too dangerous and no one would have to suffer because of him anymore.
Stefan was still in contact with Elena and other but he had been avoiding Mystic Falls for almost a year after leaving New Orleans.
He was almost arrived at Salvatore’s Mansion that, he didn’t know how but something provoked him a car crash.
He woke up few hours later in the woods and he was near a river and there was a shadow of someone else next to him.

“Who are you ? Show yourself ?

The shadow smirked then said “You’re not a witch, that’s a pity because you would have been a powerful one. But… do you want know a funny thing about spells ? They’re bound by nature. Nature demands balance so every spell had loophole.”

“Why are you telling me this ?” asked Stefan without understanding.

“The spell to turn me into stone…” continued the shadow completely ignoring Stefan’s question “…Is bound by a witch, a living witch. One that the witch died the spell broke”.

“Who are you talking about ? What witch ? Who are you?”

“I doesn’t matter, does it ? And here’s where the mystery of me comes full circle…” the shadow stay silent few seconds then continued “I created the immortality spell two thousand years ago. I can never die, so nature needed to find a balance, a version of me that could die, a shadow self… a doppelgänger”

“And after all this long rant, can you show me your face ?”

“With pleasure”

The shadow advanced for few steps, then Stefan saw the strangest thing that he could ever see. The shadow looked just liked him, and it wasn’t like he was similar, but he was him.

“Hello my shadow self. My name is Silas. I’m glad you’re here because I need you’re help in change of something really precious.”

Stefan was scared. Who were that guy ? How could Stefan be his doppelgänger ?
He didn’t know that he was a doppelgänger himself.

“I can see the confusion in your eyes. But don’t worry. Fortunately, we will spend a lot of time together, my Shadow self. In fact I need you to help me to find something important. Something that an old acquaintance of yours had stolen from me”.

“Who ?”

“Katherine Pierce”

Stefan rolled his eyes. Once again Katherine pissed someone off and he had to pay the consequences. It was the story of his life. He had escaped from Klaus-problem only eight months ago, deceiving himself that he would never cross his path with Katherine again and now he was stuck in an unpleasant situation with someone who had his face and who wanted something from him.
This Silas didn’t seem to want hurt him but Stefan knew that if he had refused to help him, Silas would have found a painful way to persuade him.

“What did she steal ?” asked Stefan surrendering.

“A Cure. A very powerful Cure for Vampirism. I need it but someone had stolen it from me and used it to turn Katherine Pierce in her human form again.”

“How could that be possibile ? I’ve never heard about a Cure for Vampirism before”

“Because the biggest part of you fools believe it’s a legend, a fairytale for children. Unfortunately you’re friends weren’t part of that fools. They wanted to find the Cure to give it to Elena.”

“Is Elena a vampire ? How do you know her ? What do you know about my friends ?”

“You little Elena had a little… accident coming here. Don’t look at me, I was still a piece of stone when it happened. Anyway, they turned her into a vampire. Of course she wasn’t happy about the situation, so their friends tried to find a way to help her to be a human girl again. Poor them ! Katherine wanted Elena’s head and the baby vampire to defeat her older doppelgänger gave her the cure. And now… here we are. Me and my shadow self in a wood, ready to help me to find Katherine Pierce again.”

“How can I know where she is ? She usually pops out in my life and turning it into a living hell. And now you want me to find her. Where I start ?”

“You can start with coming back to other fools. Or you can be what you actually are. A shadow. Get some items from your friends and when you find her you will take her from me. She’s human now, it will be easier neutralize her”

“Are you going to kill her right ?” asked Stefan even if he already knew the answer.

“Do you mind ? You accused her to turn your life into a living hell.”

“I know. But… no mind. I’m going to help you, even if I guess I don’t have any other choices”.

“Wise boy. Now go away. We will meet again when you have Katherine.”

Then Silas disappeared in the darkness, leaving Stefan alone.
Stefan decided to follow Silas’s advice, so he didn’t come back home and he didn’t say anyone he was back. He just followed Damon and other in the hope to find Katherine soon so he could have be free of his new Silas-problem.
He spent two days looking for Katherine but he didn’t find her anywhere. But he kept following Elena, Damon and other. At some point he listened a conversation between Elena and Jeremy when he was telling her that he and Matt, probably, were going to an old campground their family used to go.
Stefan decided to follow Jeremy and Matt but someone found him before he could have found them.
She was a young woman, she told him her name was Qetsiyah.
She kidnapped him and imprisoned him inside her house.
She told him all her story, her relationship with Silas, how he broke her heart, how she wanted revenge after finding out that Silas wanted to spend his eternity with Amara, who was the ancestor of Petrova family. She told him he wanted revenge against Silas for having broken her heart and she needed his help.
She also said that before neutralizing him, she created a cure for immortality. She offered to Silas to take the cure and become human again and spend the rest of his life with her. But he refused.

“I created the Immortal Spell, I made him the first Immortal creature in the world. I loved him… He was my true love… but he hurt me so much. I wanted revenge…”

“I’m sorry. But I can’t help. Silas’s threatening me.”

Qetsiyah didn’t seem worry about his answer. Instead she smirked.

“Well, I have a better offer to get your allegiance”.

“What do you mean ?”

“I’m going to tell you another story now. Once upon a time a young sixteen man met a beautiful young woman, with blond hair and beautiful blu eyes. She was his first love, her name was Valerie Tulle. He thought she was a normal girl, but she wasn’t She was a siphoner, a witch without power on her own but capable of absorb magic from other witches. She was a member of the Gemini Coven and…”

“Stop it. I don’t want to hear another word about her”.

“And she had the task to keep an eye on you. But she fell in love with you. You made love and she got pregnant but…”

“What ?”

“… But another member of her coven obliged her to abort. Then she had to leave you and she did. She told you she had used you and then she disappeared. But her pain for having left you was too strong so she committed suicide and she became and hybrid. Yes, because even if she was a vampire she still was a siphoner too. She could absorb magic by other witches. Then she tried to simulate her death but the other member of her coven found her and killed forever.”

“Why are you telling me this ?” asked Stefan who was still thinking about the pregnancy part.

How could Valerie do that to him ? How could Valerie not tell him she was pregnant ? Who had kill his child ? How could someone do something so cruel ?
He had been living for all this time… and he thought that eternity was a curse without knowing that the worst thing that someone could ever do to him was already done.
He was too young to be a father, sixteen years are not so much, but he would have taken his responsibilities. He would have tried to be a good father but someone else made that decision for him. Someone denied him the privilege of being a father.
He looked at Qetsiyah who was looking carefully at him, trying to studied his thoughts while she was still talking.

“Because before dying I created the other side, a sort of Purgatory for supernatural creatures. What did you think ? I knew that if Silas had died his spirit would have reunited with Amara’s ones again, they would have been happy… I couldn’t accept it. So I created this Other Side and I used Amara as anchor. Help me to defeat Silas, to kill him inside the Other Side and I will use Amara to take Valerie and your child back”.

“Can you do that ?” asked Stefan with broken voices.

“Your child was a supernatural creature. Even if he died his spirit could be invokated and if we take back Valerie, he can have a chance to live. But you have to help me and trust me. Okay ?”

Stefan nodded, without hesitating. He didn’t know if Qetsiyah’s story was true, but if it was and Stefan wouldn’t have done anything to have his child back, he would never forgive himself.
He had to try, until the end.

…

“So you made a deal with her” said Klaus with admiration.

“Yes. But it had been painful. To defeat Silas she took me down and bounded me to Silas to suppress his powers. But my brother found me and interrupted the spell. After that I lost all my memories. I couldn’t remember anything and and pushed away everyone, except Caroline. We were almost best friends when I left Mystic Falls, I helped her after the transition to control her powers so…”

“And how did Damon find you ?”

“Maybe Silas warned him. Maybe he made up some story about Qetsiyah kidnapping me and torturing me and without memories I couldn’t denied that story. But I couldn’t trust Damon either so… for some reason… I came back to Qetsiyah. She took care of me, flirting with me but I pretended not to notice it” then Stefan laughed but Klaus wasn’t funny at all.

Klaus was surprised to find himself terribly jealous of Stefan after all that time. How could someone else flirt with Stefan ?
He’s never seen that Qetsiyah but if he’d ever done he would have killed her only for having flirt with Stefan. He was tempted to ask Stefan if he had slept with her but he stopped. They weren’t a couple and he hadn’t right to ask anything. In addition he didn’t want show his jealously to Stefan.

“Don’t need to be jealous of her, Klaus.” said Stefan who had completely understood the other “I should be the one with criminal intents here. I know you had a long love-hate relationship with a certain Marcel”.

“Trust me, is nothing to warrant this discussion. Marcel attempted at my life several times. He ganged up on me and my family, changing his side only when it benefited to him. He belongs to my bloodline, after all.”

“What did it persuade you to brake with him ?” asked Stefan.

“Well… listen this story because it’s nice too”.

…

FOUR YEARS AGO…

Klaus and Marcel were literally devouring each other’s mouth. Their hands were touching everywhere and their body were so close that it wasn’t possible say where one ended and the other started if it wasn’t for the skin’s color.
Marcel moaned when Klaus started to suck his skin on the neck, without biting him. It was something he had stopped to do with his lovers, Marcel included.
Nevertheless having sex with Marcel was different. Klaus had sex with him when he wanted to feel something, when he wanted to fill the emptiness inside his heart.
Klaus’s never loved Marcel and if he did, it wasn’t deep as his love for Stefan. But Marcel was important to him, he was one of the few people he truly cared about.
Klaus wasn’t using Marcel to forget Stefan, he knew it would have been useless, he was only trying some affection in that caresses, in that kisses, in that union of bodies whose weren’t perfect together, whose weren’t born to be together.

“Do you want me ?”

That was the question Marcel always asked to Klaus before being taken by him. Klaus always answered in the same ways.

“Yes I do”

He wasn’t lying in that moment, he really wanted Marcel, he really wanted to be inside him so deep, so fucking deep that he could almost hoped to forget Stefan once and for all.
So he just turned his mind off, stopped to think about anything.
But the problem came back when everything was over, when his mind turned on again and Klaus felt empty as ever.
Why did he have to feel that way ? Why ?
How could be possible that not even Marcel was able to erase Stefan from his mind ?

“You still think about him”

It was a statement, because Marcel didn’t need to ask, he knew it was true, not matter how much Klaus would deny.
Klaus didn’t answer, he just lay down on his part of the bed, observing the ceiling, avoiding the other gaze.

“I’m not thinking about him. I’m trying to understand why someone who fucks with me still trying to conspire against me”.

“You know why. Until I find a way to resurrect Davina I won’t leave you be. I didn’t want her to die, but she died because of you”.

“You know you can’t. Her spirit had been destroyed. You lost her forever”

“Yes, because of you and your family”.

“I didn’t want it. I didn’t agree with them for sacrificing Davina. But you had to understand that it was necessary.”

“No, it wasn’t. I know you, if it was someone else, him, for example, you would have tried to find another solution. You didn’t even try.”.

Klaus didn’t say anything. Marcel was right.
Klaus and Davin had a crooked relationship, they didn’t like each other, but she was good young girl and Klaus wasn’t happy to let her die. He was sorry but Lucied had to be stopped. He tried to kill him, Hayley and Marcel himself.
He understood that. Davina was like a daughter for Marcel, ha had took care of her since the witches had tried to sacrifice her for the Harvest. It was a complicate relationship, but they deeply cared for each other.
Davina last words for Marcel were “I love you, Marcel”, and then Freya sacrificed her.
After that Marcel declared war to Mikaelson, breaking all the bounds with them. He harshly renounced his friendship with Klaus.
Klaus was angry and sad for Davina’s death. He tried to fix things with Marcel but the other kept pushing him away. At least after the first years.
Now they had a secret affair, Klaus’ family didn’t know anything about their relationship. There weren’t romantic feeling involved, or at least not by Klaus.

“I’m sorry” said Klaus.

“For what ? For Davina ? For me ? Or for yourself ?”

“Maybe for everyone of us. I don’t know anymore. What do you want me to say ?”

“I want you to come back. I want the man who I considered my father once to come back. He was a strong man, he thought me to survive, he was so determinate and confident. He cared only for few people… even if he pretended not to care about anyone… I admired him but then…”

“Then what ?”

“Then he started to take everything away from me. Myself included. He took everything the could have from me and then… He disappointed me over and over again, and he hurt me. He also let his family killed the girl who I consider my daughter twice… I forgave him the first time. Davina’s power was too strong and it would have destroyed New Orleans if we hadn’t completed the Harvest. But the second time ? He abandoned her… and broke my heart again. And I feel like I’ve lost him forever and there’s nothing I can do to have him back and… do you know what is the worst part ?”

Klaus remained silence so Marcel continued to talk “There’s no one else to blame for it but himself. He did this to him, to me and everyone. He gave up and other had simply done the same”

“I didn’t give up anything”

“Yes. You gave up hope. And at this point only your daughter’s keeping you alive. Not me”

Their conversation ended there. Then they fell asleep.
Two weeks after Klaus found out that Marcel wanted to put him on a trial, inviting all his enemies and the people he had hurt to make him pay for the terrible things he had done.
Klaus laughed when he found out about the trial but Marcel wasn’t joking at all.
When Marcel and Klaus encountered before the trial, Marcel looked really embittered.

“I called him… I tried to get in contact to him. I haven’t found it”.

“I doubted he would have come anyway” said Klaus embittered too.

“Why ? You hurt him too. I wanted to listen his indictment speech to you.”

“In that case I’m happy you didn’t found him. He had a lot of things to reprove to me.”.

“He’s not the only one but he’s the only one you care about… again”.

“Why does it matter ? Are you jealous of him ?”

“There’s nothing to be jealous about someone who’s in love with you. He has to be a great masochist.”

“I warned you to stop where you are. I don’t want to listen any other word about him.”

“Fine. Save your energy for tonight”

The evening arrived too fast again, but Klaus wasn’t afraid. He was surrounded by all his enemies who were screaming and shouting at him, cursing him for all the things he had done to each one of them.
Every single person in there screamed against him.
Marcel elected all the things he had done.

“Klaus Mikaelson… sire to a thousand years of angry faces. How does it feel to be this hatred ? Go on… look at them”

Klaus didn’t obey, he just continued to smirk. That situation was making him laugh. Inside, at least.
It was so much ridiculous, every single person in there was ridiculous.

“I SAID LOOK AT THEM !! They’re all yours, after all.. Do you remember him ?” asked pointing at man with long hair “… 1694… his wife accused Rebekah of witchcraft, so you turned him and then compelled him to drain his wife.

“And for this man, he was a simple farmer in 1745…” said pointing another man with glasses “He made the mistake of owning a land that you wanted. You could have easily taken it. Instead you turned him and then made him burn his entire village to the ground”

“For this woman 1891…” said indicating a young girl “Her mother had pneumonia, coughed all through the night. You got annoyed so you turn them both and made her watch as you burned her mother alive”

“Yes, yes, yes, my sins were terrible indeed they taught the world to fear me and that fear protected my family !” said Klaus.

“Don’t preach me about family. I was your family once or so you said. And where did that get me ?” asked Marcel with fury.

“I could have left you nameless and alone but I didn’t. I took you and I made you all that you are.”

“I guess you made everyone here. Made us all in your image… angry, paranoid, merciless… why ? Why even bother siring us ? Are you afraid to be alone ? Was at at it ? Did you want to make something so vile and disgusting like you ?” Marcel interrupted for a moment then he said “In the end reason doesn’t matter. You made us , you abandoned us and anyone who dares stand up fro themselves you took away everything that we loved, because that it what you do and for that you must pay”

Applauses, shouts and screams rose around him another time and Klaus was really starting to loose his patient.

“ENOUGH !” screamed Klaus “I disappointed you ? Marcellus ? Putting up all this pathetic show ? Is hardly the mark of a true leader when you say”.

“Please, you want the last word, take it. Then we can finish this”

“Look at you outraged over the loss of Davina. She who routinely betrayed my family and in the end defied even you. Perhaps you should have worn town before those who cross me, maybe, what happened to her was your fault”.

Marcel was going to attack him but Klaus said “Oh !! No matter !! Davina’s death did help defeat Lucien so I suppose you could say the little witch did finally prove herself to be of some minute worth…” then Klaus spoke to all the other people “And as for you lot !! YES !! I murdered your loved ones… I killed your harlot…” said looking at the the first vampire “…I rid the world of your slum…” said at second vampire “And I freed you from your decrepit mother.” said at the third vampire “ So what of it ? Each and every one of you stands here today because I willed to be so. This mockery of a trial is allowed only because of me and you’re very immortality is a gift from me. The debt that you can never repair one that far off sets all of my supposed crimes. I own you… nothing. SO GO ON !! KILL ME !! I welcome the piece of death as a reprieve from this tedium. I will die suffering but a taste of the agony I have inflicted upon all of you. The scales remain in my favor and in the end when you will all know that I won… you will remember me… KLAUS MIKAELSON… and you’ll make it.”

…

“And then ? What happened ? He didn’t think that he would have died with you ?”

“Davina, the dead witch who Marcel considered his daughter, had succeeded to brake my bound with my bloodline. So…”

“So you’re saying you could have died and I would’t even know about it ?” asked Stefan almost angry.

Did he really risk to loose Klaus forever without being able to do anything to help him ? Did Klaus risk to die ?
Stefan hadn’t any right to be mad but he was. He loved Klaus, even if he went away nine years ago. He didn’t leave Klaus because he didn’t care about him but because Klaus made clear his inexistent feelings about him.
Stefan hadn’t had the courage to come back to New Orleans in all that time, he didn’t want to come back there and find Klaus happy with another person or to let the hybrid braking his heart again. But… the other witches never told him anything about the trial, why ?
He felt surprised to notice himself so still worried about Klaus’ life.
Klaus, who could easily understand Stefan’s emotions as always, was happy to know that his little fool still cared for him and his life. It was making him hope that maybe it wasn’t too late for him to make things right for once.

“He stabbed me. I felt an indescribable pain and I was sure that I was going to die but then… my family saved me. They knew what was going on, the trial and the rest. Even Hayley came to save me. She also reproved me. But she was right. I’m not on my own anymore. I have a daughter who needs me even if she deserves a better father”.

“I don’t think so. The heartless cruel man you used to be couldn’t be a good father for here. But you can be a very kind and protective person. I remembered what you’re able to do for protect the people you cared about. You tried to hide it but I got you figure out a long time ago”.

Klaus smirked but he was happy to know that Stefan hadn’t changed his opinion about him and he was glad that Stefan thought he could be a good father for Hope.

“I missed you so much” said Klaus before he could think about what he said.

Stefan looked surprised but then he smiled and he said “I missed you too. I’m happy to have come back here.”

“How long will you stay ?” asked Klaus trying to hide the fear in his voice.

“I don’t know. Me and Lex usually don’t stay long in a place. We move, a lot. It would be amazing giving my boy some… stability but… I don’t know… I don’t feel home anywhere”.

“Not even in Mystic Falls ?” asked Klaus arching his eyebrow.

“Especially there. When… When I got succeeded to resurrect Valerie and Lex… other people came back alive with them. Dangerous people, especially the vampire who had beaten Valerie so hard to make her lost our baby”

“Is he still alive ?” asked Klaus, almost hoping he wasn’t so he could torture and kill him in his own way.

“No, we defeated them but then… well… A lot of things terrible happened to me and Valerie and so, when we resurrected Lex, we had to abandoned him with Elena and Damon and ran away. I spent an entire year away from my boy, running and hiding like a criminal, and it had been an agony. When I could come back to Mystic Falls, Valerie said that staying with me would have been too dangerous for her, so she went away.”

“I’m sorry. I guess it isn’t easy for Lex”

“No. It isn’t. I’m a single father who has no idea what to do with a shiny insecure unfriendly boy he loves with all his heart” said Stefan a little embittered.

“I’m sure you’re good father too. You didn’t abandon him and Lex’ll remember it forever.”

“I do really hope.”

Then there was another embarrassing silence between them. Klaus didn’t know what do say, Stefan instead knew what he want to say but he was scared. He had been agonizing for a moment like that with Klaus since the night he left New Orleans and now that they were finally reunited he was scared to death.
‘You’re not a coward Stefan. You can do it’

“I missed you, Klaus. And I’m happy to see you again” said with a shiny voice.

“I missed you too.” said Klaus taking the other’s hand “What do you say about… seeing each other… you know… only you and me somewhere”

“I would love it but I don’t know, I can’t leave Lex alone.”

“He can stay at my house with Hope. I see they get along, she was happy to come here to play with him.”

“Are you sure he doesn’t disturb anyone ? I don’t want create any problem…”

“Don’t worry about anything. Accompany your son to my house then we will decide where to go”.

…

So they did. Stefan accompanied Lex to Mikaelson’ Manson and then Klaus and Stefan got out under the jokes and the gazes of the other Mikaelson’s family.
Actually Stefan considered the entire situation hilarious. It was the first time he met all the members of Mikaelson’s family and he was glad to finally meet all of them.
It was cute seeing Klaus so embarrassed after Kol said to him “Your mourn is officially ended Bro, the love of your life is back”.
Kol was joking but Stefan was ready to bet Klaus was blushing and meditating to strangle his younger brother.

“Please, ignore them. This family makes me want to kill people sometime” said Klaus rolling his eyes ignoring last Kol’s stupid joke.

“Damon makes me wanting make my head blow up. I’m used to it” said Stefan smiling.

“Oh come one bro ! We’re not that bad !” said Kol with a mischievous smile.

“And who’s this little man ?” asked Freya to Lex.

Lex hid behind Stefan clinging to his jacket and hiding his face.

Stefan smiled apologetically to Freya “Sorry, he’s shy. What’s your name ?”

Lex didn’t have time to answer because Hope ran out and exclaimed “Lex !! I’m happy you’re here.”

Lex said hello with an hand, still hiding his face behind Stefan’s back. Both Stefan and Klaus smiled. Then Stefan caressed Lex’s hair and grab one of his little hand and pushed him forward.

“What’s your name my boy ? This beautiful woman wants to know it” said Stefan with a gentle smile.

“I’m… My… My name is… Alexander but… call me Lex. Everyone does.”

“Nice to meet you Lex.” said Freya caressing his cheek.

“Come inside Lex. I want to show you my toys so we can play together.” said Hope taking Lex’s hand and going inside the house.

“They’re adorable” commented Freya following them.

Both Klaus and Stefan smiled again then the hybrid said “May we go ?”

Before Stefan could answer, Kol said “Don’t come back too soon. The animal inside Niklaus had been waiting for too long for this moment”

Both Klaus and Stefan almost blushed at that stupid joke and Klaus was tempted to stab Kol in that moment for one thousand years at least.
Klaus grabbed Stefan by his arm and then they went away, before Klaus succumbed to temptation of murdering someone.
Stefan and Klaus talked along the way, more to avoid an embarrassing silence.

“What about uncle Damon ? How is he ?” asked Klaus without any particular interest.

“He’s with Elena. They had been together since Bonnie gave memories back to everyone. I’m happy for them and I’m grateful to them too. They took care of my boy when I couldn’t. But, I don’t know why, Lex had a special relationship with Caroline. She’s his favorite aunt and he cried every time we left Mystic Fall because he can’t see her,”

“Caroline is a lovely girl and Hope was really happy when she saw Lex. She hasn’t a lot of friends either even if she’s friendlier than Lex”

“I consider it a luck. Lex would have never asked her to play with him if it had been for him. His shyness is a big problem for him”

Klaus remained silence then he asked “So… What is Lex ?”

“I thought he was a siphoner like Valerie but.. he was born when Valerie was an hybrid, so he’s a siphoner-witch-vampire and he also the son of a Doppelgänger. So Bonnie thinks he could have some of Silas’s powers. What about Hope ?”

“She’s a tribrid. Witch-werewolf-vampire. Her power is strong and she’s going to have a lot of problems to control it. I’m happy Freya’s here. She’s the only one who can help my daughter with her power.”

So they talked all the way until they arrived at one of the best restaurant in New Orleans.
That was Klaus’ great occasion to fix things with his little fool and he wanted everything to be perfect and special.
Stefan was nervous. He was afraid to screw up everything again.
He had spent almost two hours in from of his mirror to decide what to wear. Lex told him he looked like auntie Care when she was in his same situation. Stefan laughed about it and then he kissed his son’s cheek.
Klaus, nervous as well, had compelled the owner to book all the restaurant so he and Stefan could speak without any distractions.
Stefan usually would have reproved Klaus for that but he was happy to have some privacy with him.

“So… here we are again” said Klaus taking the menu without reading it.

“It seems so” said Stefan looking at meno, trying to find something he could afford. He hadn’t a lot of money with him at the moment.

“Pick what you want. I’ll pay” said Klaus as he had read Stefan’s thoughts.

“You shouldn’t…”

“You’re right. I have to. Last time we talked I screwed up everything. I don’t want you to go away this time” said Klaus with determination in his eyes.

“Yes. I… I… I shouldn’t have gone away. I know that I should have stayed that night. I should have stayed and fought for you. But I was hurt and left anger took control over me and…”

“Seriously ? Are you apologizing with me when I should be the one to apologize with you in the first place ?”

“The fault wasn’t completely yours as I wanted to believe then”

“Well I used to be sure that you had the entire fault so… I guess we both improved”

Stefan laughed “Maybe becoming fathers made us better. Lex made me a better man”

“Quite challenging. You were a saint. A gorgeous, kindness, passion able, lovely, gentle boy with funny hair.”

“We both know I’m not a Saint. I used to be a Ripper once and I fell in love with Katherine Pierce. Two details which made me quite a sinner. And my hair are perfect”

“ Yes, if you’re sure about that. Having sex with me count as one of your sins ?” joked Klaus.

“Falling in love with you was one of the best things happened in my life” said Stefan looking Klaus in the eyes.

Klaus was shocked. He didn’t expect an answer like that and he remained silence.
After that line, an oppressive silence fell over them, even after they had ordered. They started to eat in silence and Stefan began not to feel at ease. He had a lot of things he wanted to say to Klaus, a lot of thing he had been keeping in his heart since he left New Orleans, a lot of things he was ready to admit.

“You helped me. You were right when you said that I was trying to be someone I wasn’t. When I was with Elena and other, I was scared of who I was or what I could do. You taught me not to fear the darkness inside me, you accepted me for who I was and even when you found out I wasn’t a Ripper anymore you didn’t abandoned me. You still chose me over everyone else. You wanted me and I was happy for this. You made me happy.”

“Then… why haven’t you stayed ?” asked Klaus with trembling voice.

“Because you weren’t ready for my love. You weren’t ready to put behind all your darkness, your fear, your anger and paranoia… If I had stayed I would have fallen in my own darkness again and I didn’t want. I was anger… but I knew that I had to wait for you”.

“What If I hadn’t been ready yet ?” asked Klaus.

“Klaus, I’m going to wait for you forever. You did the same, in someway. When you left me in Chicago you could have just find someone else but a part of you waited for me. Or Am I wrong ?”

Klaus was tempted to say he was, but he didn’t. He was tired of waiting, tired of denying, tired of hiding himself and his feelings.
Stefan was right, he wasn’t ready to accept his love nine years ago, he wasn’t ready to accept that his heart belonged to someone else, he wasn’t ready to pass over his anger, paranoia and proud.
He wasn’t ready to be saved. He wasn’t ready to accept that a mundane vegetarian vampire made him fallen in love with him. He wasn’t ready not to be self centered anymore. He wasn’t ready to forgive Stefan for having chosen Elena over him. He still was so completely jealous…
But now he was. Now he didn’t care about anything apart from Stefan.

“I’m ready now. I’m not completely changed. I’m still paranoid, possessive, overprotective and jealous about the people I love the most… I still have a bad temper… I’m impulsive, still trying to get over the world…”

Klaus and Stefan laughed at it, then the hybrid continued “… And I’m still waiting for my old friend to come back”.

“Only an old friend ?” asked Stefan with disappointment.

“I like calling you in that way. But I do hope that I won’t waste this opportunity like last time.”

“Can I ask you something ?”

Stefan’s been wanting to ask it to Klaus since that afternoon, but he didn’t. He was too scared of the answer.

“Have you ever looked for me all these years ?” asked Stefan.

“I have. I looked for you everywhere but you were nowhere to be found. I also looked for you in Mystic Falls” admitted Klaus without even trying to lie.

“Well… I’m not surprised. I haven’t spent much time there. When I resurrected Valerie and she was pregnant again we left Mystic Fall together but I was doomed to come back there anyway”

“Doomed ? Why ?” asked Klaus without understanding.

“The Travelers. They… they made me have visions about an hypothetical life with Elena. I didn’t understand why I dreamed that things so I called Elena and she confirmed to have the same dreams. Valerie was pregnant and I didn’t want to come back to Mystic Fall with her so we went to an her old acquaintance. I came back and I get captured by the Travelers”

“Why were Travelers interested in you ? What did they want ?”

“Qetsyiah and Silas belonged to the Travelers covens, but when Qetsyiah created the immortality spell, their coven had been cursed. To brake the curse was necessary the blood of both of Doppelgängers, mine and Elena’s.”

…

Stefan and Elena had their last vision together. They were married, they lived together, in their own house, they had normal life, without vampirism, or cursing-death situations, they talked about normal things, they had… had children and they were happy.
They lived a normal life and they were happy, because that was the life they both wanted to live.

“Elena ?”

Elena turned toward him and asked “Did you feel that too ?”

Stefan nodded then said “And then it just ended”

“Does that mean that it’s over ?” asked Elena with tears in her eyes.

Stefan nodded again and he was surprised that he had tears in his eyes too. That vision was… beautiful and painful. Too much painful. It remembered him everything he lost, everything the vampirism took away from him. All the possibilities he could have had if he had stayed human.

“Yeah… It’s over” said Stefan.

“They weren’t real” said Elena with embittered voice.

“It was a spell. Showing us what we wanted to say”

“There weren’t vampires, my parents were still alive… It was a fantasy like a movie. It’s a lie we’re never going to have.”

“But it’s still felt…” Stefan couldn’t say how it felt.

“Amazing” said Elena, knowing the other’s though.

“Yeah”

It was so much amazing. Stefan was happy in that vision, so happy as he hadn’t felt in so many years. He had a wife, someone who shared his life with until the day he died, someone who loved him, who would die for him. He had children who were born in a shining world where their father wasn’t an abomination, a killer, a ripper.
That vision showed him a place where to come back at it, a place where he felt “home”.
In that moment, Stefan felt so lonely.

“You know… the life that we had… It was amazing too. It wasn’t a spell or a prophecy. It was real. We fell in love on our own and we had ups and downs, we fought and…”

“I died” continued Elena.

“We changed both of us. We grew and we grew apart but that is real and that’s life”

“You can cook”

“And you could again. A fantasy”

Elena laughed. She was still sad about the situation but now she accepted it too. She couldn’t have that life anymore, but the life she had was beautiful and she could still have an happy life with the people she loved and who loved her back.
Stefan was sad too but he had accepted that he would be a vampire a long time ago. It was beautiful, anyway, living the life of his dreams for once.

“I’ll always love you, Elena”

“I’ll always love you too”

And he did. He loved her, she was important to him and he was happy to share that moment with her.

“You can still have a family, Stefan. Valerie’s pregnant. When all this situation’s over you will have an amazing family.”

“And you can still have your own family with Damon. Maybe you won’t have any child but my child will be your family too”

“Thank you” said Elena taking his hand.

Stefan smiled. He could still have an happy life, he had to hold on.

…

“Having that vision… dying because of travelers…”

“Wait, dying ?” asked Klaus angry.

“Yes. Anyway, when I came back to life I understood that I had waisted too much time. Going away from you, ignoring you, pretending not to love you anymore… I shouldn’t have. Maybe this is because I came back here at the end. I don’t want die without having looked you in the eyes and say how much I still love you. I don’t want you to die without I can do anything to help you. I want to stay here with you, because you’re my home. You’re home I’m looking for”

“And what about your perfect life with Elena ?” said Klaus a little anger about that story too.

He still hadn’t completely passed over the fact that Stefan choose Elena over him twice. And when Stefan told him about his visions about his perfect life with Elena, Klaus was tempted to go away.
He was jealous, so terribly jealous that he was asking himself why he hadn’t killed the doppelgänger before. But then Stefan said that things to him and he got calm, remembering that Stefan was there with him and not Elena. That Stefan was here for him, because he still believed that they could be together again. That they still could be something beautiful. 
At the end Stefan always came back to him.

“It was perfect but not perfect enough. Bothe me and Elena love someone else. Maybe our loved ones wouldn’t like living a human life like us, but we accept it because we accept them, their strengths and their faults. We don’t want them to change because in that case it wouldn’t be real. And I love you, because you’re real, because what we had was real. Having that vision made me understand that I had to come back to you. This is because Valerie went away. She understood that there wasn’t any place for her in my heart and that I would have stayed with her only for Lex. She couldn’t accept so she’s gone. What about you ?”

“What about me ?” Klaus laughed then he said “I’m angry. Like always you would say. But I feel in this way. I’m angry because you were right, because I care about you so much that I’m still angry that you have chosen Elena over me. I understand you reasons, trust me, I do. But I’m jealous about you. I don’t accept that someone else had dared to flirt with you when you were alone. I’m angry because you died, someone killed you and i couldn’t rip him or she apart, limb from limb. I’m angry because you had cut me off from your life for nine years. I’m angry because you were nowhere to be found, because you have also changer your number to be sure I can’t contact me. I’m angry because you needed my help and you didn’t ask. I’m angry because I knew falling in love with you was a trouble but I couldn’t stop myself from doing it. I’m angry because I LOVE YOU !! I love you so much that it hurts”

Stefan was wordless. Was that really happening ? Was Klaus really declaring his love for him ? After all that time ?

“I’m angry because I let you go. I’m angry because… I could never though that I was capable of loving someone so deep and so hard, and sometimes this love is so painful that I can barely breath. Because I would live for your smiles, what makes you happy makes me happy too. What scares you or what hurt you I want to tear it apart. I would do anything for you, I soul be everything. I was your enemy once, the sword which passed through your chest only to hurt you but now I’m going to be your shield. If you still want me I will protect you and your boy until the day I die”

Stefan didn’t say anything, he kissed Klaus instead. He stood up and then grabbed Klaus from his T-shirt and then he kissed him. Klaus surrounded his new with his arms and kissed the other back.
Stefan couldn’t say how much he missed kissing that perfect lips which seemed to match perfectly with his.
They couldn’t deny anymore, they belonged to each other, they always have. They could fight, they could go aways, hey could hide their feelings behind a wall of lies, they could pretend, they could lie, but at the end their love was stronger than their stubbornness.
But Stefan wanted to know another thing before.

“Why me ? Klaus… why me and not someone else ? I know why I’ve chosen you. Because you’re a unique creature, you’re a King. You’re my… brother, my best friend, you’re my lover, the only person who always accepted me. But why me ?”

“Because you’re the only one who has always accepted me too, for who I really am. When you met me, that first time, you saw a King while other saw an abomination. You thought I was something beautiful, something to admire and love not to fear or despise. It should be me to question why you had chose me.”

“I don’t think so. As I said I’m… well… there’s nothing special in me.” said Stefan looking down.

Klaus grabbed his chin and made Stefan looking him in the eyes “Look at me, love. Don’t ever say anything like that ever again. You’re special, okay ? You’re special to me. You’re the only person who always accepted me, loved me, even when you hated me you still loved me. You’ve never stopped to believe that there could be something good in me. You’ve never looked at me like I was an abomination. You have listened me, understood me… God… I hurt you in any possible ways and you’re still here in my arms. And I love you”

“Did you really say that ? Twice ?” said Stefan with a bright smile “What happened to the Klaus Mikaelson I used to know ?”

“Oh, let me think…” said Klaus pretending to think “… He had been heartbroken since the man he loved went away from him, then he had become a father, he risked to die a lot of times and he started to go to a psychologist”, He laughed thinking about his “sessions” with Camille.

…

Klaus was knocking at Camille’s door, almost desperately. He had already left Hope at home and he quickly arrived there. He needed what he could consider his best friend - confident. He needed Camille’s help not to screw things up again.
The young woman opened the door and she looked surprised when she saw Klaus with messy air and the look of someone who was going to have an heart attack.

“I need your help” was the first thing Klaus said.

“Yeah… I can see it. Come in”

Klaus nodded than he came inside and sit on Camille’s couch. Camille closed the door, then she sit next to Klaus. She was truly surprised to see Klaus so nervous and so… distraught ? What did happen ? It had to be very serious if it was making Klaus’ legs trembling.

“Klaus… What’s going on ?” asked Camille with a calm voice.

Klaus didn’t answer right away, not because he wasn’t ready to reveal his feelings to Camille, she already knew everything about Stefan, his feelings for him and the way he screwed up everything as always.
Camille consulted him after having seen him broke down in tears. He had a terrible day, where Stefan’s missing at his side seemed stronger than ever. It was the day after his trial and after a near death experience, he truly needed of Stefan at his side. But the other wasn’t there with him and Klaus felt more lonely than ever.
So while Camille was hugging him, he told her everything about the love of his life, about their first met in Chicago, their first kiss, the first time Stefan told him he loved him… he told her anything.
Even how he lost him.
But now Stefan was there again and he needed her to conquer Stefan’s heart again.

“He’s back, Camille. He’s back… and I don’t know what to do. I only know that I don’t want to loose him again” answered Klaus with low voice.

Camille, after few seconds, perfectly understood who Klaus was talking about. There was just one person who could make Klaus behave that way.
The Infamous Stefan Salvatore.

“I met him and… I invited him for a date, this evening. But… I’m scared. What if he doesn’t love me anymore ? What if he doesn’t forgive me for what I did to him ? What if… He had a son and… What if he doesn’t want me to be a part of his life ? What if…”

“Klaus, you’re delusional !! Stay calm. Why are you so negative ? Did he refuse your invitation ?” asked Camille.

“No he didn’t. He accepted.”

“Then you can’t say these things. He wouldn’t have accepted your invitation if he hadn’t loved you. I’m sure that… in this moment, he’s nervous and scared as much as you are. Probably he thinks that it’s too late for him too for having a place in your life.”

“I can’t loose him again, Camille. He’s the love of my life”

“But you didn’t say it to him. Now you have to do it or you’re going to loose him for real.”

“I don’t know if I can. I’ve never loved anyone since I met Stefan and I’ve never reveled my feelings to anyone.”

“You can. Because you’re Klaus Mikaelson and you can fight for the love of your life”

Klaus smiled then he took Camille’s hand. He was still scared about his date with Stefan, but he felt a little better too. Yes, he was Klaus Mikaelson, he could do everything he wanted, he could have everything he wanted and what he wanted was his Stefan back and he would.
He would have his Stefan tonight.

...

“You made up the last thing, admit it” said the younger vampire with an astonished look.

“Oh no, I’m completely serious. My friend Camille, yes I said friend, studied psychology and she… well she looked to understand me pretty well too. I like talking with her, she’s smart and gives me good advices, with Hope and… with you”

“Did you talk about me with her ?”

“Believe it or not… I called her before tonight. I asked her how to declare my feelings. She knew I’ve still a lot of problem to admit to be in love with someone. I used to consider love a pathetic humanity habit, but I will never regret to have fallen in love with you. You and Hope are the best things in my life.”

Stefan smiled then he kissed Klaus again.

“So… I can finally say we’re together now ?” asked with a clear happiness in his voice “Or will you let me go again ?”

“Where did you think to go ? I won’t let you go ever again, Ripper. There’s no loophole for you. Unfortunately you fell in love with a stubborn, capricious, spoiled, paranoid, jealous, possessive, complicate older hybrid who loves you with all his heart”

“Well, he’s not so luckier. He’s in love with a vegetarian, weaker, stubborn, boring, , crazy, jealous, control freak younger vampire with funny hair. I think is fear enough”

Klaus grabbed Stefan’s hand and then he said “You’re my everything, Stefan, don’t forget about this. Never”

They kissed and hugged each other. They lounge danced together, and their hands were toughing the other’s body. And that was just the begin. Finally, after all that time, they were finally together. They knew it wouldn’t be easy. There were both complicated and stubborn, but they loved each other enough to pass through anything. They would fight, they would hurt each other with words, but they would love each other too, they would make each other happy. They would create something beautiful. Their happiness. Their everything.

…

Klaus was irritated, truly irritated and bored. He had been seeing his sister and her new stupid friend having fun together all night.
God only knew how much jealous he was in that moment. How could that guy kiss and touch his poor little sister in that way ? Would he take her away from him ?
Klaus would never let it happen.
How Rebekah managed to convince him to come there tonight was still a mystery to Klaus.
But Bekah looked truly happy with him. She was in love with him already and Klaus couldn’t accept it. He didn’t accept that man with that ridiculous hair and he would never do.
He moved toward them and he grabbed Rebekah by arm.

“It’s late Rebekah, I…”

“Get off me !” said Rebekah getting free.

Rebekah was truly anger with him in that moment, but Klaus couldn’t care less. He wanted take her far far away from that freak show.
The clown himself stood up, ready to start a quarrel with him, but Rebekah stop him.

“Stefan don’t, he’ll kill you. Nik’s is lot stronger than he looks”

Stefan was looking at him with curiosity. Who was that guy ? What did he want from them ? He didn’t look so strong, but Stefan followed Rebekah’s advice.
Whoever the blondie was, he emanated power and danger and he scared Rebekah, so he followed her advice.

“So this is the famous Stefan Salvatore I’ve been hearing so much about…” he looked at Rebekah and said “You’re right he does have funny hair.”

Stefan laughed with irony, without saying anything. That block was a dick and he wanted to make him shut up with a strong punch right in his face.
Klaus remained pleased by other silence. If the baby block had dared to talk him back he would have killed him instantly.

“I’m bored. I want to go home”

“Then go without me, I’m not your girlfriend”

“No, you’re my sister, which means you have to do as I say”

Then Klaus looked at Stefan with challenge, as he was daring him to fight against him. But Stefan didn’t attack him, he just looked at him with curiosity, then he smiled, like he was an old friend.
And that was just the begin.