Heart Of Darkness II ((ON HOLD))

Chapter 2: Life or Death?

Katherine let out a heavy sigh as she entered the mansion hours later. She was exhausted. And she wasn't even carrying anything. "Hey! Be careful with those! They're worth a fortune." She scolded one of the hybrids who was carrying her bags filled with shoes.

"Darling." She looked in Klaus' direction almost instantly at the sound of his voice, but her eyes widened when she saw the familiar werewolf sitting across from him. She didn't think she would still be here.

"Did you enjoy yourself?" He stood from the couch and wrapped his arms around her. He was both surprised and pleased to see the hybrids still with her. It eased his mind knowing she was now listening to him.

She smiled, gladly returning his embrace. "Mhm." She mumbled before lightly pecking his lips.

"Love, you remember Kalina right?"

Katherine only gave a small nod. Genuinely socializing without a goal in mind had never been her strong suit, not to mention she was tired and still needed to dye her hair. "I should watch them and make sure they're not destroying my things." She said gesturing towards the hybrids who were now going up the stairs with her bags of clothing and shoes.

"Go on." He assured her it was okay with a small smile on his lips as he slowly pulled away from her.

"You really love her huh?"

Klaus looked away from the top of the stairs once he could no longer see Katherine and instead looked in the direction of Kalina's familiar voice. "I do." He whispered taking his seat back on the couch. "I want to be with her forever. And yet forever is the one thing I am not certain we can have. She is human and she is dying. And even if I manage to fix her dying state, that would only leave her with sixty some odd years." His voice was a quiet whisper now but he didn't miss Kalina's comforting touch of her hand placed over his. The sensation was strange to him, since he usually wasn't one to be comforted. But he gladly welcomed it in this time.

"Selhání se nerovná vzdání se." Kalina spoke with a sympathetic smile.

"I know. It is what I told her a few weeks ago. But truthfully I believe I was attempting to convince myself of it more than I was her. I am trying to find something, anything, to save her life. However, I'm afraid so far I have come up empty handed. And I know time is running out despite her putting on the bravest face she can."

He watched as Kalina shook her head.

"That's not what I meant. Sure, try to find a way to save her. If you love her then you have to try. But what I meant was, focus on the now. The failure to find a way to keep her alive should not equal giving up entirely on the life you want with her. Even if you don't have forever, you should enjoy what you do have. Whatever time is left, you should spend it with her."

He blinked in surprise for a moment, not having been expecting her to say that, but soon his lips were shaped into a hard line. "I do not want to do that. To focus on my time now when we could have longer if I spent more time searching. That is what sounds like giving up. Settling for whatever measly offering the universe thinks is acceptable."

"The universe isn't in charge, Klaus. Life and death are. And they both happen whether we want it to or not. This isn't a vendetta against you. This something that is simply happening. Unfortunate, yes. But you can't let it destroy you. Don't spend more time looking for a way to stop her impending death than you do just being with her. You'll regret it. Trust me."

It was then he noticed the faraway look in her eyes. "I take it you've had a similar experience."

She gave him a small nod. "Not exactly the same but, similar I guess. I had a brother. A twin. We were supposed to do this together. Commanding the pack. But I was too busy trying to prove myself to our father to notice the vamps who had been following us for an entire week. Instead of spending my time with Kaleb, practicing how we would command a pack together, I spent it trying to prove I was worthy to my father so he wouldn't think Kaleb was more capable. My own stupid jealousy I guess." She scoffed and reached for the glass of bourbon Klaus had poured out for her. She downed it quickly. "It was my fault he was killed. And when I found his body, the first thought that went through my mind was how the day before I spent twelve hours training deeper in the woods with my father. And I couldn't even have one more second with Kaleb." She shook her head, forcing the thoughts out of her mind.

"Don't assume you'll find something to save her. Don't assume you'll always have tomorrow to try. Because life hits you when you least expect it. And so does death. Selhání se nerovná vzdání se."

Klaus' expression had changed into a slightly somber one. It was difficult to fathom not dedicating so much time to finding a way to save his love. But at the same time, he couldn't argue with Kalina. She was right. If he never found anything, then that was all wasted time he could've spent with Katerina. "Let me turn the pack then." He finally whispered looking at her. "All of them." He clarified, letting her know he wasn't just talking about the thirty members who gave her the okay. "If I have more hybrids, I can keep some here to protect Hayley and my unborn child, whilst the others can go in my place to find a possible cure for Katerina."

"I can't do that." She answered with a small shake of her head. "It has to be their choice. I told you that from the beginning. I'll talk to them again and explain everything. But if they still say no, I'm sorry. But you're going to have to find more werewolves." She stood up ready to leave, but turned to look at him with one last piece of advice. "Don't let desperation allow you to do something stupid. Don't dishonor George Thomas' memory and don't ask me to dishonor my brother's."

He let her leave then, without so much as a nod of acknowledgment. He didn't want to forcefully turn the pack members that declined being a hybrid. He didn't want to do that to the descendants of the pack he once considered family. But if he was pushed into a corner, if he was truly left with no other choice, then he would. Because he loved Katherine. And if he had to choose between honoring George's memory and the possibility of saving her life, it wouldn't even be a choice. With a deep sigh, he reached for the half full whiskey bottle and refilled his cup.

"Have you ever thought about just telling Klaus the truth? This has to be annoying you at least a little." Hayley grumbled as she applied more of the brunette hair dye on Katherine's hair, putting a more generous amount on the strands of grey. "I mean this is the third time you've had to dye your hair in two weeks. You do know this many chemicals isn't making your hair any healthier."

"Hey no one is forcing to do it. You're the one who offered." Katherine chuckled, leaning her back a little against the chair in her bedroom. "I could easily dye my own hair."

"That is so not the point Kat. I mean, you can't keep doing this forever. You need to tell Klaus the truth so he can hurry up and find something to save you. You know if anyone can do it, it's him. I hate the guy eighty percent of the time, but you have to admit he is resourceful."

"It's not that simple. He's busy with the city. Not to mention you. Besides. I never wanted him to try in the first place. I know the probability of him finding something is way too small. Maybe there is some way to save my life. But he's not going to find it. Not before I die. I'm running out of time and we both know it. I'm not just going to shove that in his face. He has enough going on."

"Way to be optimistic, Kat." She muttered setting the now empty hair dye bottle down and reaching for a shower cap.

Katherine rolled her eyes, glad Hayley couldn't see her as she tucked her hair inside the plastic shower cap. "This isn't about my optimism. Or lack thereof. It's about how I don't feel like being led down a road of disappointments and false hopes in my last moments okay? I thought you of all people would understand what it was like to not want to be forced into something."

Hayley scoffed. "And I thought you of all people would understand why I don't feel like giving up and accepting that I'm going to lose my only friend." She snapped. "But why would you care? You're with Klaus ninety percent of the time anyway. Maybe next time he can dye your hair too."

Katherine's lips parted open both in shock and in protest at Hayley's words, but before she could even muster up a defense, she was already walking out the door and slamming it shut.

A deep sigh left her lips as she took a seat on her bed. "Great." She grumbled to herself and shook her head. Now she had to both hide her dying state from Klaus and find a way to make Hayley not be mad at her anymore. If this was it was like to live a normal life with a significant other and a friend...she had to say she almost missed running from Klaus. At least that was simple and didn't involve apologies or keeping secrets to spare someone's feelings.