Always & Forever

No Regrets

A/N: Haley's behavior of being so possessive of her and Klaus's child, Hope, really irritated to me no end - especially when everyone seemed to be taking her side. Klaus has his own special way of doing things - and while burning Elijah's beautiful violinist vampire girlfriend sucked - I enjoy watching them. Deep down he does care, for his family, and Hope. So out of irritation from earlier episodes of the show towards Haley and the others, here's a little tidbit about what I think Klaus should have done when Dalia offered.
Oh and please let me know how I did with Klaus - he's a bit difficult to the demeanor of to keep it nicely original and authentic.

They had succeeded - Hope and Dalia were bonded to one another. Freya had been immobilized, but he'd - after some thought - convinced Dalia to free Freya and let her live. Afterall, they needed someone to tell the others that Dalia and Klaus had succeeded.

"See my nephew," she asked with clear triumph in her Welsh tone. "Aren't you glad you listened? I have even proven to be reasonable, by setting dear Freya free."

Klaus held his infant daughter in his hands, having managed to soothe her crying to a halt. "Yes this is lovely, and all well and dandy, but we must be going, before my dear brother and sister decide to come searching for us." He said in his smooth, husky, with a tad hint of crisp welsh, Britain accent. "I'd much prefer to be away from this town as soon as possible, before heads roll," he says in an airy tone as he climbed into the passenger seat with Hope; still not that trusting of his aunt to hold his daughter just yet. "So please take your time sweet aunt, but I'll be leaving with or without you if you don't hurry the hell up." He shuts his door as she climbs in and starts the car.

"Easy dear nephew," she says as she glanced at him. "We're both in this together now. I know you must be feeling some form of regret or... 'cold-feet', if you will, about your decision. But you've made your choice and the bond is done. Hope and I are all you have now, and vice versa." She turned her head to look him in the eye as she shifted the gear into reverse. "I swear to you that as long as you don't do so, I won't betray you or Hope - that includes endangering you both."

She pulled out, turned and headed down the dirt road, before she pulled out onto the freeway and began their journey away from New Orleans.

Klaus only thought about one thing, as he slowly pushed the words, which had been whispered by Rebecca, to the back of his mind.

"We stick together as one - Always & Forever."

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"Daddy! Daddy!" Yelled a high-pitched voice; a little figure dressed in a white flowy dress with flowers on it, complete with matching sandals and a hairband, was quickly making her way up a small slope towards him.

Klaus smiled as his little girl ran up to him, arms outstretched, as her expression was full of excitement and pride.

"Hello there love," he said in warm affection, as he picked her up. Her little arms wrapped around his neck tightly before she pulled back. "What's got you so excited?"

"Graunt Dalia said I've become a master of making flowers bloom or blossom!"

Klaus smiled. "That's really impressive love; I'm glad you're learning so quickly. You'll be a master of all skills concerning witchery, and no one will dare oppose you," he said allowing pride to trickle into his words. The little girl smiled up at him.

"I'm going to go practice in the garden!" She says before wriggling down and then speeding off, with help from her enhanced vampire speed.

He watched her go with a warm feeling in his heart. Her name definitely suited her - it complimented her personality and appearance well.

"She's progressing well - in the magical arts and her fanged-side."
Klaus turned his head to acknowledge Dalia.

"Afternoon Aunt - I assume there were no complications."

She shook her head, "None, asides from distraction of butterflies." She appeared thoughtful for a moment. "Even then, it's not much of a problem; it's...pleasant."

Klaus turns his head back to watch Hope. "She's growing so fast."

Dalia stands beside him, "Indeed, and it's such a beautiful sight. When she becomes of the adolescent age, she'll be magnificent." She glanced at her nephew clearly amused. "The boys will definitely flock after her in crowds."

He gave her a pleasant smile that reached his lips, but not his eyes where fierce protection, mixed with mischief and a slight evil gleam lay. "Yes, if by flock, you mean limp, lifeless corpses, which I will step over to keep up with her joyful spirit."

Dalia throws her head back and laughs, before wiping away an imaginary tear. "Oh sweet Nikolaus, she's not even six yet, and you're already planning to destroy her suitors."

He gives a simple shrug, "Why I'm only providing a generous service of protection and shielding her from the ridiculous notion of love from strangers," he said modestly.

"Love was needed to bring her into this world," Dalia countered.

"Untrue dear aunt - love is needed to keep her happy and safe, warm and loved. Not," he said raising a finger, "to bring one into the world. That would be a fortunate privilege or luxury," he said all the while his eyes still on Hope. "The only good thing I ever got from her mother wasn't love, but Hope herself; nothing else."

Dalia glanced at him. "I assume you felt nothing for her?"

Klaus let out a breath, with mock thoughtfulness. "Not a thing. She was merely something that I took out my drunken misery on. That misconception was founded such an irate mistake, until I first laid my eyes on Hope." His eyes softened, but his snippy and derisive tone didn't leave his voice. "However, she made the mistake of trying to take my daughter from me to live with that flea-ridden wolf pack! Everyone else agreed with her and was willing to help her - my siblings included, so I had no choice but to follow the one person who actually didn't want to take my daughter from me. Those foolish - such a huge lot - enough to aid in doing so, were immediately put down." He tucks his hands into his leather jacket pockets, "Hence the reason why Haley and her flea-ridden brute of husband, Jackson, are now trapped in their lupine forms, all-day-everyday, until one night each full-moon." He said in a rather cheery tone on the last sentence.

Dalia nodded, "I suppose her mother did go too far in certain instances. Either way, things have been done and decisions have been made; our life has been just fine without all of them."

Klaus nods. "Exceptionally," he agreed.

They stood together in silence for a heartbeats watching Hope making daisies bloom, with concentration and pride on her little face.

"You have no regrets then? About betraying your siblings? Your daughter's mother? The boy you saw as your own son," Dalia asked, her eyes still on Hope, gentle and soft.

"We stick together as one - Always & Forever."

He watched Hope's face brighten even more when a butterfly flew to the now blooming flowers. She held out her finger where one of the magnificent monarchs landed on her little fingers. Others flew to her hair if not the flowers, until she giggled and let out adorable squeals.

"None what so ever."

A/N: That's it.
I hope you enjoyed it.
Please leave comments; feedback is welcome.