Chains | N.M

04 | hope mikaelson

Chapter Four
ʜᴏᴘᴇ ᴍɪᴋᴀᴇʟsᴏɴ

"Have you ever heard of astral projection?"

At the question he found himself halting all movements. Of course he'd heard of it before, hell, he'd heard of everything, and he knew exactly what she was asking.

His mind trailed off as he thought of how different she would be. He couldn't begin to imagine how she would look, too many variables in play for him to even try. Maybe she would keep to herself like her uncle Elijah, rowdy like Kol, or violent like himself. Any good qualities she would get from her mom, he knew that for a fact.

He turned his head slightly to look at River who was now set on her bed, writing in her notebook, seemingly fine with the fact that he hadn't answered her question.

"I can see her?" he asked, drawing River's attention. The excited, yet scared look in his eyes peeked her curiosity, and she found herself nodding her head.

"As long as I know where she is," River confirmed. That meant this was now or never, as Hayley wasn't going to be staying in one place for long. It was smart, and he was glad, but that left him with little think time. "You don't have to talk to her... if you don't want. The option is always there."

He didn't, and even he found that odd. She was older know, meaning she could see him for the monster he was. He loved Hayley, but god know what she told Hope about him.

"No, I just want to see her," he decided. River nodded, setting down her pen and closing her notebook. She put a hand to the side of his and and looked into his eyes.

"Are you ready?" He nodded, closing his eyes, and when he opened then again they were on the outskirts of a forest. River removed her hand from him, turning to look at the secluded cabin.

There was a patio on the side on the house they were at, the glass doors letting the moonlight inside the house. A little girl, appearing to be around six, was looking out side. Her hair was in two braids, the auburn color slightly glistening in the moonlight.

Klaus must've saw her too because River heard his breath hitch and when she turned to look at him, his body had gone completely stiff. She smiled as she stepped back, preparing to go back to the mind room and let him be alone with her.

"No, I want you to stay," he said once he realized what she was doing by how her eyes turned a beautiful silver. She contemplated it for a moment before nodding, not thinking anything of it as the hybrid took her hand.

The girl, Hope, looked behind herself as if checking for something before slowly pushing the patio door open and stepping outside. Klaus furrowed his eyebrows, not understanding what she was doing. It was around ten at night and frankly, he was a bit upset Hayley wasn't watching her.

"No, I only need one more," they heard someone say. Upon looking in the direction of the voice, he saw Hayley sitting on the front porch talking on the phone. After a pause, Hayley spoke again, "We're following another lead tomorrow."

Klaus figured she was talking to someone she was close with, but really no names came to mind. His attention was quickly brought back to Hope when laid on her stomach in the grass. Klaus couldn't quite see what she was doing, so he walked closer, pulling River with their intertwined hands.

She was drawing the tree line, and the most adorable smile was on his face as he realized. "She draws," he whispered happily, watching as Hope looked back and fourth from her paper and the forest. He had to admit, it was pretty good for a six year old.

Hayley grumpily hung up the phone a couple minutes later, and Hope must've heard the door slam because she immediately stood, clumsily making her way back inside, turning the light of shortly after.

River looked back up to Klaus, "I can get us inside?"

Klaus had a brief look of confusion on his face, but it was gone before she could be sure it was there. He didn't understand why she was so nice, so willingly helpful. And the fact that he had spent a year with just her and still couldn't figure it out nagged at him.

But he had an eternity to figure it out, if she wanted to be near him for an eternity, that is.

Klaus shook his head, "No. I think if I stay here any longer I'll cry."

She smiled, "And we wouldn't want that."

Before he knew it, they were back in the mind room. River unclasped their hands, and Klaus immediately missed the warmth of it. Before she could get too far, he gently grasped her wrist. "Thank you for letting me see my little girl. Really. It meant a lot. Once we get out of here, I'll make everything up to you, I promise."

River hadn't really thought of what would happen for them specifically when they got out. Honestly, she had things to do, like bring her brother back to life, and regain custody of Remedy. Being in here was a way of passing time, just until she got enough information to storm wherever he was being held. Her "mind controlled friends" as she like to call them had so far been no help in finding her brother.

She smiled and nodded, not yet ready to tell him the complete truth, "I'll hold you to it."