Secrets (Sequel to Vampire? TVD FanFic)

Part Nineteen

I was sat on the porch steps, angrily scowling at the floor. I heard Klaus approach me and sit down. "I don't want to talk about her, and I don't want to talk to you."

"Well then listen," He said quietly. When I didn't respond he continued, "It was a full moon and the villagers were all going into the under ground caves to hide from the werewolves. Henrick was always interested in the idea of being a werewolf and what it would be like, he asked me if I would come with him to see them turn. I told him that he was crazy and it was too dangerous. However, he insisted that if I didn't go with him, then he would go alone... I had no choice. We snuck out of the caves and hid so that we could watch them.

"He was so excited, he wouldn't stop talking even when I told him to be quiet or else we would get caught. We waited hours, until it was nearly morning, when Henrick thought he saw one. He wanted to follow it and see it turn back into a human. Before I could stop him he ran out of the spot we were hiding in and disappeared into the woods. I tried to go after him, but I couldn't find him... Until I heard his screams.

"I found him lying in his own blood, his body shredded. I was too late, he was dead. I picked him up and carried him back to the village, shouting for my Mother. Shouting for anyone to help me, to help Henrick. He was so small in my arms, so young and innocent. He didn't deserve to die and it was all my fault, if I'd have got to him sooner... If I'd have forced him to stay in the cave..."

I sighed as I listened to his story, hating myself for feeling sorry for Klaus, for letting him get to me and for letting myself forgive him. "It wasn't your fault Klaus." I placed my hand on his knee in a gesture of comfort. "Henrick told you he would have gone regardless and I'm sure he would have done. You can't blame yourself for something you didn't have control of. He ran off, Klaus, you tried to save him but you couldn't. You couldn't save him and it's not your fault, after over a thousand years I think it's time to accept that and move on."

"You're one to talk," Klaus muttered before apologising, "Sorry, I shouldn't have said that... It was insensitive."

"You're right though, I do blame myself for Elizabeth's death," I closed my eyes to stop the tears from falling and steadied my breathing. "My parents had a son before I was born, but he died of pneumonia at the age of twelve, they had me in hope for another son to carry on their family line, when I failed at being male they tried for another child eight years later. I was thirteen when Elizabeth died, for those five years of her life I raised her, my parents didn't want anything to do with her because she wasn't their perfect son, so it was left to me.

"It was the middle of winter and she begged me to take her out into the snow, she had never played in the snow before. I thought it would be harmless so I took her outside, we played in the snow for hours. The next day I woke up to find her in bed, sick. She got worse over the following week, so my parents called for a doctor. Turned out she had pneumonia too, and that was the end of any connection my parents had with Elizabeth. I was with her every day leading up to her death, and guess how many times they visited her? Zero. They didn't visit her once," I looked down at my hands as I spoke, and was shocked to see Klaus take hold of one of my hands and squeeze it gently.

"You and I are more alike than we thought," Klaus whispered.

"Yes, but you've still got your family Klaus, if you choose to... I don't have anyone," I said, looking straight in front of me, avoiding looking at Klaus who I knew was watching me.

"You have Elijah, and the Salvatore's," Klaus said.

"Damon and Stefan would kill me in a heart beat if it meant saving Elena," I replied dryly, hating the fact that it was true. Before we came to Mystic Falls it was the three of us against the world, and ever since Elena came along it seems that is not the case anymore. Damon and Stefan will do anything to protect Elena, and if that meant throwing me to the wolves - maybe even literally - then they would do whatever it took. "And you took Elijah from me."