𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝘀𝗵𝗲𝘀 ~ 𝗞𝗹𝗮𝘂𝘀 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘃𝗲𝘀

~ Chapter One Hundred One ~

"Well, I'd say we successfully averted another crisis!" Klaus cheered as he and Dusk settled in the living room for the rest of the night. And true to her word, Dusk left the porch light on for Five and Victoria. It may have been a long day full of screaming kids and cheering crowds, but as Dusk settled in with a warm bath and some cozy Christmas PJs, it felt like heaven.

The aroma of chocolate filled the air as Dusk walked to the couch where Klaus snuggled with one of the plastic-covered pillows. But as she was about to set the cups of hot cocoa on the table, Klaus gasped like she had just murdered someone in front of his eyes. "The coasters! Don't forget the coasters!" He insisted, gesturing to the small stack in the center of the table. First, an extreme germaphobe, and now he's concerned about me ruining the furniture. Dusk bit her tongue as she caved into his insistence. 

He reached over to the arm of the couch, grabbed the remote, and handed it to her. But as Dusk flipped through the channels, nothing interesting caught her eye. Nothing but the same old new stations, reruns of children's shows, and the occasional comedy that barely got a chuckle out of her. Eventually, she stopped on a classic Christmas movie. It felt like ages since she last saw it, but in actuality, it must've been at least a week. As the Peanuts gang flashed onto the screen, showcasing them skating around on the frozen lake, Dusk tucked her legs underneath her, slowly laying her head near Klaus's shoulder. Unlike all the other times, Klaus didn't flinch upon feeling her touch. He peeled his eyes away from the screen to take in how peaceful and content she looked.

The way her eyes fluttered as she tried to pay attention to the movie but also get some rest. How she'd snuggled her head deeper into the pillow, and her soft sighs and coos could turn his heart into a puddle of goo. I guess... a couple minutes of proper snuggles never hurt anyone. Klaus slightly leaned forward as he slipped the plastic poncho over his head and set his medical gloves to the side. "Come here, baby..." Klaus whispered into her ear. The brown blonde's eyes fluttered open with a hint of surprise. As her vision adjusted and Klaus patted his thigh, she knew she wasn't imagining things. Klaus shed his protective armor just for her.

Tossing the pillow to the side, Dusk inched closer to him, laying her head on his lap as he stroked her hair. His rough yet gentle touch felt so foreign yet so familiar. But it served as a reminder that while the Klaus she married did have a few protective boundaries, the gentle and loving man she fell in love with all those years ago was right where she left him. "I feel like I don't tell you often enough how much I love you," Klaus whispered. "You don't have to tell me. I know you still do," Dusk assured. Klaus took her hand in his, his fingertips brushing against her ring. Against the soft glow of the TV, the tiny diamonds shined against his hand, and he remembered that fateful day all too well.

~~~~~~~~~

Three Years Earlier...

The sterile white walls of the hospital room were a cold and familiar greeting as Klaus shifted in the bed, gasping as if he had spent a lifetime underwater. The EKG beeped louder than ever before as Klaus could still feel the pounding in his head from the fall. "What the hell happened?" He muttered to himself. "You big dummy..." A sob-filled voice broke the silence and before he could fully turn around, Dusk came rushing towards the bed, hugging him as tightly as humanly possible.

"Dusk," Klaus patted her back, and she pulled away, her eyes crimson and wet with sadness and worry. "I-I'm so sorry..."  He mumbled. The relief in Dusk's eyes quickly faded into anger, and no matter how hard she tried to remain calm and composed, seeing him tied to machines and tubes only fueled her disappointment. "Sorry? That's all you have to say?! You scared the shit out of me, Klaus!" She shouted. "Do you have any idea what it felt like to get a call from Five, telling me that you were OD-ing in the bathtub?!"