Into the Deep End

Thirteen:

“You’re alive.”

Klaus arched an eyebrow. “Sorry to disappoint?”

Elena shook her head. “No! It’s nothing. Bad dream.”

“Bad dream, about me – dying?”

Elena nibbled on her bottom lip, hard. “You're all dying. You and your siblings.”

He looked at her with some sort of emotion that Elena couldn’t decipher, yet she didn’t care.

He was here.

Alive and inside her family’s Lake house.

Wait.

“How-?”

“Jeremy was kind enough to extend my brothers and I an invitation,” Klaus explained, bopping Elena on the nose – he really didn’t know why he did that. It was funny.

Kind of.

His amusement turned serious as he felt Elena’s forehead. She was a little warm against his cool hand. “Are you alright, love?”

“No- my head feels like it’s on fire.” Elena whispered, nose twitching, making Klaus crack a small smile. “What happened?”

“Your witch and Caroline noticed your absence, we all went looking for you after Derek and Chyanne were found with their necks snapped -...”

“Oh my God, are they okay?!”

“They’re fine.” Klaus replied, leaning forwards, holding Elena’s gaze. “Tell me, Elena. What exactly happened between you and my mother?”

Klaus sat there, impatiently-patiently awaiting for her flurry of excuses for the betrayal. He was already used to it.

“I...” Elena began, her eyebrows knitted together as she tried to remember, annoyance danced across her face as she rubbed her temples. “I don’t know, all I remember is the feeling of Esther stabbing me.”

A flash of realization came across her face as she glanced down at her now healed stab wound. All was left was a faint scar – another battle wound facing the supernatural.

“Wait – she needed my blood.”

There was a glint of something within his eyes – hurt? Betrayal?

“And you handed it over, willingly.”

Elena shook her head. “No. Esther took it by force after I burnt her.”

Klaus listened to her heart. It never skipped a beat – she was telling the truth.

Klaus arched an eyebrow. “You burnt my mother?”

“Don’t ask me how – I just did.” Elena shrugged. “She believed that my judgement towards you and your siblings are clouded.”

“And why would she care for your judgement of us?”

“After everything you and your family put me through?”

Klaus narrowed his eyes. He couldn’t find fault with that. “But why would it be clouded?”

“Because we’ve slept together, my blood runs through your veins, apparently we’re connected.”

“My mother believes that you harbour feelings for me based on our one night together?”

“Yes.”

Klaus let out a small chuckle. “One night, and my mother believes the worst.”

“Worst?"