Warrior | Stefan Salvatore

Chapter 6

Klaus was having a great time.

Graciela had planned to be quiet the rest of the car ride. But soon, it proved that her plan was not going to work out.

She had her hands over her ears, trying to sleep while he kept going on and on about how bad of a decision it was for Hayley to marry Jackson. Finally, the topic of conversation was changed when Hayley asked very loudly if Graciela had enough feminine hygiene products. They were passing by a store and she wanted to know if she needed anything.

She did not, in fact, need anything. But to get back at Klaus, she proclaimed that she was running low on just about every type of tampon and pad known to mankind. Hayley made him stop at the store, and the two went in. Graciela took her sweet time deciding (because she knew Klaus was watching them from the car) and in the end, only grabbed a box of tampons. One small box.

"Was that really necessary?" asked Klaus sourly once they started to drive.

"Yes," she said flatly. "Or would you rather I bleed all over your safe house?"

"I ought to tell Elijah to put you in diapers since you clearly want to act like a child."

"How about we listen to some music?" asked Hayley, turning up the radio. "Graciela, you were a choir kid, why don't you give us a performance?"

"God, no," said Klaus, turning the radio down. "I will not have her screaming her lungs out as if she's being murdered."

"Aw," said Graciela playfully, "don't want me to practice for the day you inevitably kill me for some stupid reason? Thought you'd enjoy it."

"Don't tempt me, little runt."

"Are we almost there?" asked Hayley impatiently.

"Almost." The sun was already coming up. "We'll be there in an hour."

Graciela decided that it was finally time to fall asleep.

She awoke when she sensed the car coming to a stop. She was just sitting up to rub her eyes, the car barely slowing down when Hayley leapt out of the passenger's seat, rushing toward Rebekah and Elijah, who were waiting with Hope in their arms. Klaus put the car in park and followed after her. Graciela was left to get his keys out, then walked over sleepily.

Klaus and Hayley were very happy to be reunited with their daughter. Graciela had never seen the Original hybrid look so normal. Smothering his little girl with kisses, holding her hand, pressing his forehead against hers. Not two seconds ago the man had been making her want to gouge out her eyes and now, he was being very tender.

"Hello there," said the blonde beside Elijah. "You must be Graciela."

"It's nice to meet you, Rebekah," she said politely, extending her hand to her. "Elijah's told me a lot about you."

"Well, I am positively thrilled," she chirped. "Finally, the family has more girls in it."

Graciela turned to look at Hope, smiling. "She has Klaus's eyes," she mentioned, waving at her. Hope gurgled in response.

After they unloaded the bags from the car, they reconvened outside. Rebekah was putting firewood in a pile, as if to make a bonfire. In the meantime, Klaus explained what he'd told Hayley and Graciela about Finn's revelation.

"Curse on the first-born?" asked Rebekah. "What the bloody hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Well, according to Finn," said Klaus, "our sister Freya didn't die of plague. She was taken as payment by our aunt Dahlia, who then cursed all Mikaelson first-borns for eternity."