Protector- Niklaus Mikaelson

Past Meetings

Chapter Three: Past Meetings

Niklaus and Madeleine talked under the stars discussing among themselves all the times they had done something they were not allowed to do and not telling their parents the moment it happened or at all. A couple things were rather personal, and some were kind of out in the open for almost anyone to know about them. For some odd reason, Madeleine thought she felt like she had known him her whole life and that were was some sort of connection between the two. It was a good feeling, nothing bad. She looked back at Niklaus blinking several times before finally speaking with a slight tilt in her head.

"You know, all this time, while we've been talking. I keep feeling like I've seen you somewhere before. Do you know what I mean? I feel like I have met you before." She finally confessed after minutes of staring at him.

His reply was quick and in no form a question in return. "What do you mean."

"Well, I feel like —" She shrugged, "I don't know... Like we've already met. It's silly to think, but you do seem oddly familiar." She was becoming more and more confused.

He shook his head, "How about this — you say something that makes you think we may have met before, and I'll tell you if your accusations are correct or not." His response was plain and simple.

"Okay." She nodded as she began thinking of any memories that may have involved Niklaus.

She bit her lip. "The earliest I can think of was when I was about five and my foster mum took me to the grocery store with her because my brothers and sisters weren't home yet so the option of them watching me was out. She took me with her to go buy toiletries and all that, when I lost her near the toys section after I caught glimpse of a summer limited edition Barbie Doll that I really wanted. I was too focused on the doll that I didn't realize I had lost her."

"I looked everywhere," she furrowed her brows, "but all grown ups to a five year old looked the same. I went all the way to the back of the store where the clothes were and sat there with my legs pressed to my chest and my hands around them, crying. People passed me and did nothing but stare. They stared at me like I was some sort of invalid. I must have been there for twenty minutes, just crying, before a man showed up and crouched to my height and moved my hair out of my face. He looked at me and said:

'Is everything all right, love? Why are you crying? Where's your mum?'

"I looked at him and cried some more. I tried to explain what happened and that I lost her somewhere in the store. He got me up, dusted me off, and told me he would help me find her. So he did. We looked around again and found her talking to some man next to her trolley. He told her:

"You should keep a better watch on your kid. Someone could snatch up this little darling off just like that and you wouldn't even know that she's gone missing.

"She was very mad at him the moment we left and blamed me for causing her such embarrassment. I was caged up and not allowed to eat for two days and said I had to reflect on what I had done." She shrugged, "He was the only one that would help. You look like him. You never age right? So maybe that is why you appear to look familiar."

As she pointed out his physique he asked, "When you were five? And you're now what... sixteen? Eighteen?"

"Twenty-three." She replied.

He shrugged, "Close enough. That was a long time ago. Eighteen years. But yes, that was me. Anything else, love?" He asked.

She couldn't believe it. It was him. He helped her. Some days, when she was back in the system, she wished he could have just taken her with him and far away from that place.

She nodded, "One more, but I already explained that one to you. It was the hospital one."

Now, he nodded. "That one too. Look at the back of your bracelet. There's an engraving written out." He pointed out, only to have her shake her head with a smile.

"No need to look. I've memorized that sentence for years." She replied.

"I'll always be here, watching and protecting, my little damsel in distress. -N"

Once she finished reciting the words, she smiled widely and hugged him immediately. She nuzzled her face in his neck. He was shocked and taken slightly aback by her actions but hugged her back regardless.

"Thank you. Thank you for everything. For being there. For helping me. Thank you for staying with me when my mum couldn't because of work. Thank you for the bracelet." She said and with a small sniffle she finished, "Thank you so much."

He stroked her hair gently and nodded, "Of course, darling." She let go of the embrace and sniffled once more.

"Don't cry, love." He said as his facial features softened slightly.

She shook her head. "It's out of happiness."

His brows furrowed and she continued, "I finally found the man that was there for me, out of pure chance. I am happy."

She smiled and laughed lightly in-between tears and took out her phone from the front pocket of her jeans and saw it was already eleven in the evening. How the time flies when you're talking to a stranger you've met once (or eighty million times) before.

"I have to go. I still have to unpack my stuff from the piles of boxes I left in my flat. And I must sleep and re-energize myself to get started on writing a new song. I can avoid my manager for only so long." She explained to Niklaus with a small smile as she got up from the hilltop away from the tree.

He nodded and said with a serious tone. "Of course. I best be on my own way as well. Unfinished business and all."

At this, Madeleine furrowed her brows but did not question him and instead, she spoke, slightly hesitant. "Nik..."

He nodded in reply, "Yes, my dear?"

"Could you... not tell anyone what I said. About my life that is." She looked at her hands nervously and bit her lip. "This is just between you and I. Please?"

He smiled at her and nodded once more. "Of course. Just you and I. I'll keep your past safe."

"Thank you. And the same goes for yours. I am like a priest. It'll stay only between you and I unless you tell me otherwise." She said with a smile and a slight nod.

He laughed lightly at her words and actions and nodded, "Thank you."

She, in turn, nodded, as a silent form of telling him "you're welcome" and reached her hands up to the sky and stretched before she walked away.

"Hey, Madeleine," Niklaus said slightly loud enough for her to hear since she was already a few feet away from her.

She turned and looked at him, "Yeah?" She spoke in the same volume as him.

"Thank you for this... The talk, I mean. I really needed that." He said. His tone. It was sincere, and somehow she knew he meant it.

"Anytime. See you around Niklaus." She said as she turned away from him and continued to walk back to her apartment.

She must get her car brought over so she shouldn't have to walk everywhere. She thought this through during her walk back. When she arrived, it was eleven thirty. She grabbed her keys to open the door, but accidentally dropped them down right in front of it. She bent to pick them up and as she rose from the ground, a man stood right beside her with an angry expression plastered on his face. Oh great, she thought.