Once Upon A Dream • K.M.

(1.27) Steps

"Niklaus what the hell is your problem?" Eden screamed to him once they were alone. The alcohol was slowly streaming out of Eden's body as she became angrier and angrier at the hybrid in front of her.

"You wanted me to let him take advantage of you like that while you were clearly not in the right state to make those decisions?" Klaus asked her as though he had done Eden a great service.

"He wasn't taking advantage of me Niklaus. He asked me if it was okay to kiss me! I'm the one who initiated our kiss." She told him. Something about his expression changed, his face hardened and he leaned against one of the empty cars in the parking lot.

"So," He started, his voice infinitely more cooler than it had been previously. "What you're saying to me is that I should have let you continue on with your little rendezvous with that low life human?" Eden sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose between her thumb and pointer finger.

"He's not a low life, he's actually a nice guy." Klaus laughed hollowly.

"I'm sure that's right, he didn't even have enough decency to take you back to his home." Eden began pacing, trying to get her thoughts together in her alcohol-infested brain.

"Nik I keep telling you that it was me who started it. Why do you even care so much that we were kissing?" She looked back at Klaus who now was watching Eden pace with an unreadable expression.

"What?" She snapped, angry at the entire situation and frankly she was just ready to go home. Klaus looked to be about to say something, but just shook his head instead.

"Eden I was merely looking out for you, I just don't think you should have been doing things like that in your drunken state." He said in a lower voice. Eden sighed, running a hand through her frizzy hair.

"Well I guess that's a moot point now Nik, I'm not drunk and Levi is gone. I'm perfectly safe, you can leave." Eden turned her back to him, trying to think of a way for her to get back into the club now that all of her friends were already inside.

"Just, let me take care of you. I want to get you home safe." Klaus said from behind her. Eden turned around, squinting in annoyance.

"I'm very capable of getting home on my own, besides, Jana is still in there." She told him dismissively.

"Rebekah took her home, she wasn't in the best state." Klaus said quietly. Eden groaned, beyond irritated at this point. The only reason she even went out was because of Jana and now she was gone, Eden was sober, and she had absolutely no way home now that Levi was gone.

Eden took a deep breath, holding her head high. "I might as well just start walking home." She murmured, heading towards the entrance of the alley. Klaus pulled her wrist, jerking Eden back lightly and she tried to rip her hand away but he turned her to face him, a look of disbelief on his face.

"You want to walk home, alone, at three in the morning, in New York? Dressed like that?" He gestured toward Eden's dress and she shrugged with indifference.

"I don't have much of a choice Nik." Eden began walking again, and this time she didn't let Klaus stop her. Though to her surprise, Klaus was trailing a mere three paces behind her.

"Why are you following me?" Eden bit out in annoyance, not bothering to look behind her.

"Unlike one of us, I consider your safety to be an issue Eden. If escorting you home is the only way I can make sure you get home safe then I'll do it." Eden rolled her eyes, but didn't comment as they walked in silence. They were just hitting Broadway when Eden felt her heel snap under her and she slipped backwards, right into Klaus' waiting arms.