Enigmatic Finales: A Klaus Mikaelson Story {8}

Chapter 22: A Lot Of Hair To Braid

"Sorry for messing up your clothes." I told Grace as I gingerly entered her room, both of us now cleaned up.

"Don't worry about it." She murmured quietly. "Everyone in this household knows how to get a blood stain out."

"That's true." I said with a sombre smile. "You won't remember it but when you were a baby, I got into a fight with Hayley. And you scampered out of your room to comfort me, and I picked you up, all covered in blood. It took forever to get you clean."

"Why were you fighting?"

"She tried to dagger me and raise you in hiding whilst I was asleep." I explained. "Admittedly, it was a little—"

"Let me get this straight." Grace interrupted. "You were mad at Aunt Hayley for trying to raise me without you! Isn't that what you literally just did?"

"It's not that simple Grace."

"No, it's not! Because you erased my mind too!" She snapped. "Do you have any idea what I went through? No, how could you? You abandoned me."

"I was trying to save your life."

"What life?" She asked in exasperation. "You wanted me to grow up in a world where you were missing and I didn't even understand why you were gone!"

I didn't have the words to express how I felt anymore, but I knew my daughter was hurting and that I was the cause of her pain. But my actions were necessary, whether she liked it or not. But I had done enough arguing today.

"Pause."

Grace was startled by my words, and I saw the recognition flash in her eyes. She seemed hesitant and I wondered if her anger was too far gone to overcome, but instead she nodded and gestured for me to sit beside her.

"It's quite a shallow thing to begin with but you are so so beautiful." I remarked as I gazed at my daughter. "I already thought you were the prettiest girl in the world, but you have somehow become even prettier."

"Oh my god, Mom stop it." She groaned.

"I simply cannot help it, you are gorgeous." I beamed. "And not to start nagging so early, but what happened to your hair?"

"You don't like it?" She immediately started fiddling nervously with her now straightened locks.

"Like I said, prettiest girl in the world." I interjected quickly. "I'm just used to the curls."

"They were really hard to take care of." She said with a shrug. "Dad tried, but it always took like 8 attempts to get anywhere. And Keelin helped when she could, but then they had the pregnancy to focus on so that fell through. So I started straightening my hair, it's easier and it's prettier than my—"

"Not true." I interrupted. "You are always beautiful. And your natural hair is not ugly."

"I didn't say that." She mumbled.

"You didn't have to."

"It was...hard being by myself." She explained. "I felt better when I could just fit in."

"Grace Marceline Mikaelson you are the standout in every possible arena, in every way." I corrected proudly. "You are too spectacular to fit in."

"You're only saying that cuz you're my mom."

"It's because I'm your mother that I know it's true." She rolled her eyes, but I saw the hint of a smile. "If you like, I can braid your hair and you can tell me everything about your life."

"It's been two years."

"You've got a lot of hair to braid."

She laughed, but she sat down on the floor whilst I gathered the various hair creams, gels, combs and brushes required.