Good Intentions

36: Hollow, Empty, Numb

Klaus and Hayley had laid the girls in coffins. They wanted them to be comfortable. They were in the painting room as the family calls it. The rest of the family were down in the lounge, no one really spoke, no one knew what to say. Nothing they said would make anyone feel better it would just be a waste of energy.

Stefan and Care were sat with Damon they came straight over when Klaus called. He knew Care was fond of Azalea, she didn't trust just anyone with her children so he felt it was only fair he knew. And despite him and Damon not always being on great terms, he knew Damon would need his brother right now. Though he was growing concerned about Damon, he looked hallow, absent. Everyone felt numb and empty but there was something about the look in Damon's eyes that didn't sit right with him. Though he still couldn't bring himself to say anything. Not out of spite, he just didn't know how to make him feel better. What would he say? 

"I'm gonna head back to the apartment," Damon announced standing up. "Do you want me to come with you?" His brother offered to stand too. He shook his head. "No, you should go to the twins... They will be worried about Z... I'm just going to pick her a dress out... She wouldn't be impressed if she was wearing her sweats forever." He tried to joke but his laugh didn't reach it just showed how much pain he was in right now. 

Klaus looked at Hayley, he was concerned. "I'll come and help..." "No, I'd rather be alone right now." "Are you sure? I think you should-" Klaus tried but Damon cut him off. "I can't be here knowing she's upstairs rotting... I need to be alone." And he left quickly.

"Do you think you should go after him?" Care asked Stefan. "He needs space...He's hurting." "We gave him space with Elena and him-"He's not like that anymore he's not explosive." He argued though everyone knew it was Azalea how stabilised him. Every time his anger was bubbling too high he'd look over at her she didn't even have to be looking at him, he just needed to see her and suddenly he was calm and thinking about his actions. 

"We should head to the twins," Stefan said standing up. "You're welcome to stay." "I can't." He said before leaving. Care kissed Klaus' cheek. "I'm sorry for your losses... If you need anything please ask." He nodded. She hugged Hayley tightly. "They're really amazing girls." She praised. 

Marcel had spoken a word to anyone but Azalea since seeing her laid on the floor. He wouldn't look at Bex. Her eyes reminded him too much of his sisters. He refused to put himself through that torture so he just shunned her. His gaze was fixed on the flickering flames as they burnt the logs in the fireplace. Hope and Azalea would sit in front of it right on the rug with their hot chocolates on cold winter nights like tonight he was picturing them sat there giggling as they played guess the spell giggling when one of them would give up and make a spell up. He almost cracked a smile as he listened to their lives on loop in his head. He was tormenting himself. But he couldn't break the cycle. 

Hayley's gaze was fixed on a painting that was hung on the wall. Klaus painted it not long ago of the family, he copied it off of photographs piecing them together to make a big family portrait. They don't have a photo of us all together so he made one for our lounge. Where they spend a lot of time. Hope and Azalea's part was a cute moment of them cuddling. Hayley went back to the moment she captured the picture of them. They were at the beach, this summer. Hope had insisted they go when it was warm so they did. And they were lining up to get beignets for the second time that day. Azalea was hanging over Hope teasing her. She called both their names camera at the ready as they turned Hope held onto Azalea's hands that were draped in front of her making it look like they were having a cuddle Hayley snapped the shot. A few actually. Azalea pecked Hope's cheek in the next photo. And in the final one tickled Hope, and hope tickled her so they were laughing looking at each other. Hayley had that version of the photo printed in a frame beside her bed.