Clair de Lune - K.M.

c h a p t e r f o r t y

Despite how much I missed Klaus, the adjustment of having him back in my life is not an easy one. We weren't apart for that long but almost feel like a different person from who I was before everything happened with us. I'm hardened from the heartbreak and it's a lot more difficult for me to open up to Klaus, even compared to how closed off I was at the beginning. But I know that I made the decision to take him back, meaning that I chose to trust him again. If I can't do that then there's no reason for us to even be together.

Along with working through problems of our own, there's also the issue of Klaus and the rest of my friends. It takes a long time to calm him down enough that he doesn't want to rip Jeremy and Elena's heads off anymore.

"If you can forgive me, you can forgive them," I say as Klaus paces angrily around the room.

"It's not the same, pup. I love you. I'm not particularly fond of your friends."

Thankfully Klaus comes to understand that this is one area where I'm not willing to compromise. I tell him that I won't tolerate him hurting the people I love again. He surprisingly understands and the two of us come to an agreement. No more secrets, no more going behind each others backs. We're on the same team now. Always.

Because of this, Klaus is now firmly on my team when it comes to finding the cure for Elena. It's still really important to me to get that for her and even though Klaus isn't happy about it, he promises to help.

"There's no way," Elena says when I tell her and Jeremy that Klaus is planning on aiding them in getting the cure rather than killing them both. "We killed his brother. He hates us."

"Oh, he hates you," I tell her. "I'd stay as far away from him as possible. Actually you should try to avoid eye contact if you can. But finding this cure for you is important to me, which means it's important to him."

"You two are back together?" Jeremy asks, eyeing me carefully.

I sigh.

"It's complicated but... yeah, basically. We've both done shitty things and-"

Jeremy holds out his hand to stop me and I fall silent.

"You don't have to explain. I'm not surprised, I saw how much you guys care about each other. I'm just glad that you got him to let us live."

"You and me both."

All in all, Jeremy's reaction to the news about Klaus and I being back together is about as mild as I'm going to get. Most of the people in my life are not happy about it, especially Tyler. My brother and I get into a screaming match about the whole thing that ends up with both of us storming out in anger. I don't really care what he thinks because I don't need his permission. I'm mainly just worried that he's going to tell my mom.

Even though that's a conversation I'd almost rather stake myself than have, I know it needs to come from me. Thankfully Tyler tracks me down later and promises not to rat me out.

"On second thought, maybe you should," I sigh, a knot forming in my gut as I think about telling my mom that I'm back together with her almost murderer.

"Yeah, she's going to kill you."

"Thanks, little brother," I say weakly. "I feel a lot better."

"You're welcome."

I decide to push off the conversation until after I get back from finding the cure. With Jeremy killing Kol and all the vampires he'd ever turned along with him, his mark is completed basically instantly. We have the map and Bonnie's creepy professor Shane uses it to find the location of the cure. I volunteer to go, intent on seeing things through and getting the cure for Elena, but Klaus seems to have a problem with my decision.