Through His Eyes (The Originals)

Savior

 I spent several days after living happily with Tristan. I hardly ever thought of my children. But one day I felt a sudden pang of guilt at leaving them.

 "What's wrong, my dear?" Tristan asked me.
 
 "I miss my children," I said. "I have to go back to the compound, Tristan. It's nearly Christmas, and I want to spend it with them."
 
 He looked hurt that I had suddenly decided to leave. But he said, "If that is what you want. I will go with you."

 "No! No, I don't think that's a good idea. I'm sure you have business to attend to anyway, being a leader of the Strix and all." I gave him a quick kiss. "I'll be back soon."  

~~~~~~

 I walked into that gloomy old house hoping to see my children at least being decent to each other for such a festive season.

 Instead, I walked in on what seemed to be absolute chaos.

 The first thing I noticed was Rebekah, back in her vampire body and not drowning at the bottom of the ocean. The others must have saved her. But her eyes were black, and she was attacking her brothers. I had come just in time to see her snap Elijah's neck and watch as he collapsed to the ground. Then Klaus and his human friend Camille appeared, and Klaus tried to calm Rebekah down while telling Camille to give Freya 'the cure'.

 "What cure?" I asked. "Has something happened to Freya?" 

 But no one paid me any attention. It was like I wasn't even there. Then Freya came down (to my relief, looking very healthy) and made a deep cut right into her sister's arm. Rebekah let out a cry of pain and fell back onto the table.

 Now, as the parent of this certain group of vampires, let me tell you this entire scene was one of the most horrifying things I had ever laid eyes on. How often had things like this happened when I wasn't around?

 "Can someone tell me now what's happening?" I asked.
 Everyone turned to look at me, as if realizing for the first time that I existed (that was really getting on my nerves).

 "And where have you been the last few weeks?" Klaus asked, eyeing me suspiciously. "No one has seen you since Thanksgiving."

 "Well, you were all busy. Perhaps you just didn't notice me." That seems to happen quite a lot.
 
 "You could have helped us," said Elijah.

 "From what I remember, you didn't want my help. If you must know, I spent some time on the bayou with Jackson Kenner-delightful husband you have, Hayley- and then I did a bit of travelling. I am not used to being in one place for so long."

 I must have been a better liar than I gave myself credit for, because they all seemed to buy it. Klaus still looked suspicious, but everyone was used to that.

 "I'm glad you're back." Freya pulled me into a warm hug. "You really need to learn how to use a cell phone so we can be more in touch." 

~~~~~~
 
 So, after that strange incident, everyone managed to get together for a happy Christmas. Hayley brought Hope and Jackson to the compound. 

 "So, you worked it out?" I asked Jackson.

 He shrugged. "Yeah, you could say that. The Mikaelsons are going to be part of our lives whether I like it or not, so I'm just going to get used to it."
 
 The holiday actually seemed to be going well. But I did learn that Freya had needed that cure because she had been poisoned by the Strix.

 "The...the Strix?" I managed to say. "Was Tristan de Martel behind it?"

 "It must have been him," Freya replied. "He is their leader."

 I excused myself for a moment to go outside. The same story had happened. I trusted Tristan, and this time he had my other daughter poisoned. Was he that bent on revenge that he didn't give my feelings much thought? He knew I certainly loved Freya.
 
 But then again, I had left him once because I had wanted revenge. How had Tristan felt when I left for America without a word?

 I looked across the street to see Tristan standing there, watching me. He smiled. I did not smile back.

 "I can't come with you now, Tristan." I said it softly, but I knew he could hear me. "I put aside all my thoughts of revenge because I love them. Killing Klaus means hurting them. With Esther gone, again, they need at least one parent to look after them. You need to put all your feelings of revenge, as well. I know you can do that, Tristan. If I could, anyone can."
 
 With that, I returned to my family.

 I came in just in time to say goodbye to Rebekah.
 
 "You're leaving again?" I asked her.

 "They think I'm in the ocean," she said. "It's better for them to think that. I have to go, Father."

 "Right." I patted her on the shoulder, not sure what else to do. "Be careful. Stay safe." 
 
Just as I was going up to bed, I heard, "You're in love with Tristan de Martel, aren't you?"

 Freya stood at the bottom of the stairs, arms crossed, waiting for an answer.

 I had been avoiding discussing it with her. How was I supposed to explain to her that her father was in a complicated romance with a man who was an enemy of the family?

 I told the truth. The entire bloody story. It took a long time to think up ways to explain everything (turns out talking your daughter about your love life can be very uncomfortable).

 "You still love him, though, don't you?" she asked once I'd finished.

 "Yes. I do. But I can't be with him if he's going to do things like having Rebekah thrown into the ocean and have a skull on her arm that makes her mad, and he had you poisoned today. I was with him just this morning. If it was Klaus he killed, I wouldn't be very sad, but I don't actually want the rest of you to die. I don't even know what Tristan is trying to accomplish."

 "Father," Freya took my hands in hers, "whatever Tristan is trying to accomplish, you need to decide whether you want to be with him or not. You can't keep going back and forth. If you love him, be with him if that's what you want. And if you decide you can't be with him, you need to tell him." She gave me a kiss on the cheek. "You'll figure it out. Merry Christmas, Father."

 "Merry Christmas, Freya."

 My festive mood had been entirely ruined.