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Katherine walked beside Klaus through the bustling streets of the town the had arrived in only weeks ago like so many towns shes pasted before as she sees Klaus scanning the crowd as he searched for amusement or a victim like always.
As she walked around she saw all boring things usually in small towns vendors shouting over one another, horses clattering against cobblestone the air smelling of smoke and fresh bread nothing of interest until she had saw him..crouched near a bread vendor’s stall half-hidden behind stacked crates, was a boy no older than eight or nine his clothes hung loosely on his thin framed sleeves too long, cuffs in, fabric worn pale at the knees dark curls clung messily to his forehead as though he had tried and failed to tame them with water his hands were small and red from the cold and she noticed he wasn’t crying loudly like some children did or would.
He was whispering to anybody near.
“Please… can I have some bread a little I haven’t eaten in days.”
Most people stepped around him without looking down, one woman nearly knocked him over with her basket as he steadied himself quickly, chin lifting with quiet dignity that did not belong to a child that young maybe that was what caught her to him not the hunger or the dirt smudged along his cheek but the way he tried to sit straight as if pride could make up for food.
Something stirred in her..something she had long buried beneath centuries of survival and fear and cruelty before she knew it she approached the vendor and with simple compulsion persuaded him to hand over a loaf of bread looking down a few feet from the boy she knelt beside him to his eyes that were startling a clear grey-blue as she held out the bread.
“Here… take this you shouldn’t go hungry,” she said softly.
He hesitated before accepting it, as if unsure kindness was real his fingers brushed hers cold which made her see the same in him after she found out what Klaus was planning to do to her centuries ago she too found it hard to trust anyone either.
“Thank you,” he said his voice hoarse but steady.
Klaus watched from a distance his expression was unreadable as he watched the boy clutch the bread carefully almost reverently breaking off a small piece instead of devouring it whole.
As Katherine rose slowly brushing her hands together she saw Klaus walking her way she had expected Klaus to probably be annoyed at her still moments of kindness even after centuries of bloodshed they both have shared and as he approached the way he always did with that lazy predatory charm and his feature smirk but she was wrong instead he stepped forward and crouched directly in front of the boy with no smile or his theatrics.
“Look at me,” Klaus said quietly. The boy did and Katherine felt it that subtle shift in that invisible tightening she saw in the boys eyes the same thing she had come to recognize over centuries from Klaus herself his compulsion as he looked into the boys eyes.“Now you will come with us,” Klaus instructed. As soon as the command was said the boy’s body stilled his fear smoothed away like a wrinkle pressed flat.
“I will come with you” The boy replied softly.
Katherine froze as Klaus straightened, already turning away as if the matter were decided right then and there as she stared at the boy at the unnatural calm settling over his small features.
Why compulsion she wondered Klaus rarely compelled unless it benefited him or he needed something in immediately but for the most part he preferred mind games, watching people squirm, break and beg just as he had done to her for centuries but this felt pointless and impulsive stepping closer to Klaus as she catches up to him lowering her voice.
“What are you doing?” she asked lightly though something cold coiled in her stomach as Klaus didn’t look at her.
“Must everything be a performance love?” he murmured. “Some things are simpler.”
Simpler that word unsettled her more than cruelty would have.
She looked behind her at the boy studying his face there was nothing remarkable about him no visible strength no hidden defiance in him just a thin, hungry child with dirt on his sleeves and exhaustion in his bones so why him as Klaus tilted his head slightly finally glancing at her.
“Don’t look so alarmed Katerina,” he said smoothly. “You wanted to play savior I am merely… accommodating you.”
But his eyes lingered on the boy a fraction too long although not with hunger or mercy something curious as a quiet chill moved down her spine after stopping as the boy catched up a few seconds later she placed a hand gently on the boy's shoulder.
“Don’t worry,” she whispered. “You’ll be safe… I promise nothing to trouble yourself with you..sorry I don't even know your name.''
“Jonas,” the boy said quietly. “My name is Jonas.” she didn’t know then how deeply that name would carve itself into her heart.
Over the following years because it has been years that Jonas has been with them which Katherine still never knew eventhough she actually had enough care to at least not harm a child she knew Klaus compelled him to stay with them for a reason trying to get him out would probably do the boy more harm if Klaus had a say in it which he made sure to remind her he did so while not ideal for Jonas to her surprise she raised him.
At first, it was practicality teaching him how to read, how to bargain with people, how to run silently if danger ever came with all those things she taught him she was surprised to actually care more and more for the boy and worry as after a while the first year of Jonas being with them winter came and while they had the luxury of warming there home more than most people even so Jonas caught a fever he burned and coughed through the night his small hands fisted in the blankets as Katherine stayed beside him pressing cool cloths to his forehead, helpless in a way she had not felt in centuries.
Too her surprise Klaus entered the room she wouldn't even think he would have even showed up and without speaking he sat a vial of his blood on the table then he left which shocked her seeing as when they first brought Jonas to there home Klaus compelled her to not give him any of her blood of course she had just chalked it up to him making her watch as anything that harms the boy she couldn't heal with her blood but what otherwise surprised her is he hadn't did mock her for caring about Jonas he didnt smirk as seeing him ill and he didnt even seen amused and soon after Jonas was recovering after drinking some of his blood.
It had been a year now since having Jonas in her life and while she still was skeptical what meaning Klaus truly had she couldn't shy away from the fact having him in her life did give her back some joy she had lost over the centuries one being her love of the piano and on one evening she saw it hers she had required years ago when they first became aware of its existence once of course after a while she never played as often but feeling the joy she did when she first played and seeing thr instrument tucked into the corner of the house they claimed on that evening she found Jonas sitting to it pressing random keys, fascinated by the sound.
“That’s not how you play it,” she said amusement slipping through her usual composure as she sat beside him guiding his fingers.
“Gently,” she murmured. “Like you’re telling someone something you can't put in words...something with enough practice you will play it easier then breathing.” He laughed at that and to her words he did practice a lot with her teachings and within months he could play simple melodies within a year, he played one of her favorites pieces she had wrote years ago.
The first time he played it without mistake, something inside her broke open and something she hadn't felt in a long time love not romantic but just love terrifying unexpected and most of all unconditional love she hadn’t realized she still possessed and during and after a year of playing this one day while playing
Klaus stood in the doorway while Jonas played but he didn’t interrupt him didn’t sneer at him he listened and when the song ended he gave the smallest nod.
“Well done most people can't master such things espically for someone your age.” Jonas glowed for hours afterward and she was still shocked at what she saw but glad at least Jonas didn't have to feel the constant hatred of Klaus like she has for so many centuries.
After that day watching Klaus with Jonas at the piano Katherine began to notice more difference in Klaus around Jonas small things moments that did not fit the monster she knew how for instance one day after returning from the street vendors earlier than expected she paused just outside the doorway when she heard Klaus’s voice as he talked to Jonas helping as the boy’s fingers fumbled over a difficult passage on the piano, striking the wrong key with a sharp discordant sound.
“I can’t do it,” Jonas muttered.
There was a brief silence as Katherine had expected impatience and mockery from Klaus Instead she saw this.
“You will,” Klaus said evenly.
She stilled. “You are better than your frustrations do not let it control you.” he said.
Jonas sniffed. “What if I’m not good enough?"
“It is acceptable to not be good at everything ” Klaus replied. “It is unacceptable to surrender to it or give up before trying.”
Katherine stood frozen in the hallway not believing what she was hearing that didn't sound like the man who had burned villages for so little inconvenience like he's done plenty and while she stepped back before they could sense her presence though part of her wondered if Klaus had already known she was there and simply chosen not to acknowledge it but already witnessing this things only got more clearer seeing Klaus when he was with Jonas.
Another time Jonas had tripped while attempting to practice sword balance in the yard landing hard in the dirt when Katherine had nearly intervened she was beaten too it by Klaus who reached him first and again he didn’t mock him or call him weak he offered a hand.
“Get up,” he said simply. Jonas hesitated before taking it. “Try again with more focus.” and after a while when Jonas managed a steadier stance the second time Klaus’s mouth curved just slightly as she saw a real smile not the predatory smirk he wore for the world one unguarded soon though it vanished as quickly as she'd seen it.
Another time became even more evident once most dangerous Klaus smiling at Jonas after he laughed at something absurd a pigeon stealing bread from a market stall the sound of his laugh startled Katherine more than any act of violence because it wasn’t cruel or sharp it was warm but she told herself she imagined it told herself monsters could mimic humanity well enough to make it convincing but over the few years the evidence accumulated Klaus correcting Jonas’s posture with patience, her secretly seeing Klaus tell him that strength was not measured in brutality but mentally and Klaus listening when the boy spoke truly listening sometimes she would catch him watching Jonas with an expression she could not name.
Not possession or contempt something almost… protective of him and that was when hope began to cloud her judgment because if Klaus could teach the boy to be strong without cruelty, If he could admit fear without contempt and If he could smile without malice then perhaps there was something human left inside him after all she began to believe perhaps the boy wasn’t softening Klaus perhaps he was reminding him of something maybe of himself as Klaus saw the boy seeing as that too is what drew her his innocence or maybe he saw his brothers in him although that's something she didn't like seeing as the same brothers were daggered along with his sister as they have been for a decade now maybe Jonas could reach the part of him buried under rage and betrayal or he could make the monster care perhaps Jonas was not simply surviving beside a monster perhaps he was awakening something buried deep within Klaus of course should have known better Klaus had always been capable of restrain himself he had simply never chosen to offer it to her.
While this had never been ideal to her this had become the new normal and over time which had been six years since Jonas first came into her life a little 8 year old boy now 14 year old young boy she naievly tried to build something almost normal as she'd help him get ready for school most days and she would laugh at his small jokes listen to him hum the piano piece while on there long walks to talk for fleeting moments it felt almost human almost ordinary almost enough to let her forget that monsters do not change and she had figured that out soon enough.
It was Sunday when she returned from a brief errand as she came back to there house they had occupied for years as this point as she had walked in seeing neither Jonas or Klaus.
“Jo?” she called softly and got no answer.
“Klaus?” still nothing as a strange stillness pressed against her skin as she walked toward the lake that was a little behind there house of course just stepping out she sees
Klaus walking towards her wet from the water his white shirt clinging to his chest and light brown pants soaked looking tight as droplets of water slid from his hair as he looked calm and composed and unbothered.
“Why are you looking at me like that..why… are you all wet you barely like to swim?” she asked faintly after a second. “Where’s Jonas?”
“Jonas is at school,” Klaus said casually moot facial expression.
“It’s Sunday,” she whispered looking at him with confusion. “Jonas doesn't go to the school house on sundays in case you forgotten he takes the day to the local church and pray even if you and I both no what a waste that is.”
“I thought I'd give him a practice in learning to hold his breath underwater,” Klaus replied tilting his head smiling.
She asked what as she started to get worried only then did she turn towards the water at first she saw nothing looking for a split second but then stopping as she gasped seeing a body beneath the surface floating too still as she pushed Klaus out of screaming “No…Nnn..No”
The word barely existed as she sped towards the water that was cold as she plunged in her dress dragged her down as she swam and reached him turning his body over almost wanting to throw up seeing his head lolled and his face pale as she kept shaking him to wake up.
“Jonas,” she breathed with no response but her mind refused to accept as she kept shaking him with no response.
“Noooo.. no.... no” She screamed as she dragged him to the collapsing onto the grass as her hands pressed against his chest as she forced air into his lungs though she already knew from her vampire hearing she couldn't hear a heartbeat.
There was nothing not even an echo cough.
“Breathe!” she begged as she kept pushing her hands on his chest. “Jonas come on please.” as she screamed finally seeing he was gone as silence rang throughout her head the world went distant and muted as she pushed his hair back from his forehead the same way she had every night seeing him as he did not lean into her touch..he didn't smile sleepily like she seen for years and he didn't hum the piano melody he'd done when they went on walks as it echoed in her mind.
Soon enough she had heard Klaus’s footsteps approached her slowly but she did not look at him, she couldn’t she knelt there, soaked and shaking staring at Jonas as if staring long enough might bring him back as Klaus crouched down beside her smiling.
“I told you what happens when you care about anything it makes you weak Katerina.” his says his voice was calm almost gentle as her ears rang he continued softly, “Of course you must have truly forgotten only a few centuries ago you betrayed me and denied me my chance to break my curse you chose your life and I promised you I would spend the rest of your life breaking you.” He tilted her chin upward looking directly at him very angry but also in partial shock .
“of course though this was just another example how weak you really are one little death and you fall apart even after all the blood as shed.” Her gaze was unfocused and hollow.
“From the moment I saw you show kindness to that boy I knew I could use him for something more than he ever would have been in his pathetic life so far,” he murmured. “I waited very patiently for the right time to see you bond with that boy to love him only a true mother could because we both know that's how you felt.” His eyes flicked down to Jonas.
"You have no idea how thrilling it was to finally kill that boy as I watched the fear in his eyes seeing him beg for me to stop as he chocked on water.” Something inside her should have ignited well it did rage and violence mentally but she knew it would be a waste Klaus could kill her so easily before she could hit him and it's not like he could die from a wooden stake even just hitting him felt pointless so she didn't and all that was left was just nothing but emptiness as he stood up and walked away she remained kneeling over his body as the wind moved the trees and Jonas laid there.
Hours has passed as Katherine went in and out of coherence as the sun sank behind the trees, staining the sky in white stars she moved not in the grief but the priority of what needed to be done and soon after she had carried Jonas back to the house she'd wiped the water from his face, dried his hands dressed him in clean clothes as her fingers were steady as she wrapped him carefully in a white cover folding the fabric with the same precision she had once used to tuck him into bed when he was smaller she did not cry as the tears felt impossibly null to the feelings she felt in comparison.
Outside the world continued birds quieted wind blew and when darkness had fallen she carried him to the lake once more as Klaus did not follow or perhaps he did as she was focused on sending Jonas off as she got the small wooden boat resting on the grass near the lake that she and Jonas used to use once in a while after placing Jonas inside gently arranging him as if he were sleeping for a moment her composure faltered she brushed his face through the sheet wrapped around him.
“goodbye Jonas ,” she whispered faintly her voice sounded distant as she stepped back and lifted a long torch from where it burned beside her as the flame wavered in the wind for a second just one her hand trembled she could still see him at the piano hearing the uneven melody feeling the warmth of his hugs to her as she stepped into the shallow water and pushed the boat outward.
Katherine lent the torch down to the boat as the flame arced through the night before setting the boat ablaze as fire caught quickly the lake water reflecting it all water and fire life and death hope and ruin she watched without moving as the boat burned drifting slowly across the lake surface as Jonas laid back to where he had met his death as smoke rose into the night sky and the flames consumed the last physical proof that she had ever dared to love something so fragile.
the heat eventually faded as the boat started to move out if visual sight the fire dimmed and the lake went dark again as she looked on she knows now Jonas couldn't save Klaus his own siblings couldn't save Klaus nobody could she had been foolish to ever forget that to believe that kindness could overthrow cruelty to think she could protect something innocent from a monster she had gotten stuck with for centuries all she could do was survive and perhaps if she had been wiser she should have taught Jonas how to survive instead.