Role Reversal

Chapter 2: An Unexpected Side Effect

Cami set her box down on the table and turned back to watch Klaus look around as he stepped inside. Holding her hand on her hip, she proclaimed, "Different view coming in from the front door instead of my bedroom window, huh?"

He closed the door and gave her a knowing smile. She couldn't help but grin back at him.

"Bourbon on the rocks, right?" She began to ready the glasses, but Klaus intervened in a flash and had the drinks poured before she could say a word.

"This is your night off, after all." He held out a drink to her.

She smiled hesitantly, then accepted the glass and drank. Their eyes met and Klaus never took his gaze off her as he took a drink of his liquor. The cool burn felt good as it ran down her throat, calming the frazzled nerves that still lingered after her attack. He stepped towards her and placed his hand on her shoulder, causing Cami's body to straighten as if on alert. "What are you doing?" she asked in a controlled voice.

He was studying her neck in great detail after gently moving her hair out of the way. "You have a bruise. I just wanted to see how bad it is." His thumb gently brushed the skin on her neck as he removed his hand, sending a slight shiver up her spine. He looked into her eyes and flashed a charming smirk. "You can relax now, Love. You have nothing more to fear."

Avoiding the obvious flirtation, Cami replied in her most serious voice, "Well, Klaus, I wish that were true. The Guerreras have their werewolf minions all over the place and it is not safe for any of us mortals. I can't even do my grocery shopping in peace! Please tell me you have a plan to get them under control."

"I always have a plan. You should know that by now," he replied calmly.

"Except when you're distracted by beautiful red-headed witches," she replied through clenched teeth as she poured a second glass for herself.

Klaus set his glass down and clasped his hands behind his back and looked down at the floor. "If I didn't know any better, I would say you were jealous of the late Genevive." He looked back up at her, eyebrow arched, anxiously awaiting her response.

Cami looked at him in surprise. "Late?"

Klaus nodded.

"You killed her, didn't you?"

"Well, my reputation would naturally lead you to believe that, but I was not the one to end her miserable life." He poured himself another glass. "Her witch friends turned on her."

"Why?"

"I don't know, Love. I really didn't keep in touch with her towards the end. Do you have any more of this bourbon?"

Cami blinked, absorbing the fact that another death took place and it was just one of so many to Klaus. She then walked over to the cupboard behind Klaus and grabbed another bottle. "Here." She turned to face him and felt her breath catch in her throat as she realized how close she was to him. The scent of his cologne made her slightly weak in the knees. "I've been saving this for a special occasion," she studied the label on the bottle, avoiding his intense stare, "perhaps this is as good a time as any, with Genevive's death and...your daughter." She looked up at him and saw a brief flash of pain in his eyes. "Did you even get to see her?"

After a brief moment, Klaus calmly replied, "Yes, I did. She was beautiful."

"Look, I don't know how you've been handling your grief, but I hope that by now you've at least passed the angry phase of loss. Am I right?"

"Oh, I continue to feel anger, Camille. As you know from our many therapy sessions, I don't ever let go of anger."

"Believe me, I get it. I get that about you. I was hoping for your sake and for Haley's that you would handle this one different."

Klaus began to clench his jaw, then closed his eyes briefly and relaxed. "I know you're trying to help, Cami, but I really don't wish to discuss my child's death. I'm sure you can understand."

Her compassion for him overwhelmed her. She reached out and placed her hand on his shoulder. "Of course, I understand. I'm sorry about...well, I'm so sorry that you are going through this." She raised her glass. "To our loved ones that we have lost...may their souls be at peace."

He raised his glass to hers and they both drank. Leaning over, he placed a soft kiss on her cheek. "Thank you, Camille."

Cami felt as if she would melt into the floor. All she could do was muster a friendly smile. She watched him look over at the table where the box sat, unopened.

"Perhaps you should open your box. See if it was worth the street battle it survived tonight."

Cami walked over to the box and began to open it, welcoming the distraction from the feel of his soft lips on her cheek. "This is from my cousin Charlie. It's some ancient piece of..." she paused as she pulled it out of the box. "...history. Wow." She held it up to the light, causing the crystal pieces to sparkle. It was shaped like a chalice, but very shallow and in an hourglass silhouette. It was similar to a black marble, but not as smooth, with a jagged finish. The crystal decorations were small, but very beautiful and placed in an odd pattern across the bottom. As she stared at it, she could see Klaus come closer out of the corner of her eye.

"Where did this come from?" He asked slowly and deliberately. As they both stared at it, a slow smoke began to rise from the top. Cami gasped and lost her grip on the relic. Klaus quickly grabbed it before it fell too far and was immediately brought to his knees. He yelled out in pain as an invisible energy caused his veins to protrude against his skin.

"Klaus!" Cami kneeled down next to him and carefully placed her hand on his shoulder. The stinging heat emanating from his body caused her to quickly retract her hand. "What the hell?" She watched the smoke rise from his skin. "Let go of it!"

"I can't!" His hand trembled as he desperately tried to remove his fingers from the object. Cami reached for it and was able to take it into her own hand. She examined it, then looked at Klaus, who was still writhing on the floor in pain.

"Something's majorly wrong, isn't it? You have burns all over! Why aren't you healing?" She grabbed the hand that had held the object and examined his palm. He winced as she gently touched one of the burn marks. She stared at him for a moment. Then, she got up and proclaimed, "I'm calling your brother."

"No!" He stood painfully and grabbed her arm. "No. He will be affected, too. I know what this is. I've heard of it before." His pain seemed to be subsiding.

Cami's eyes grew wide. "What is it?"

He stumbled over to grab the glass he was drinking from. He squeezed, but could not break it. Then, he smashed it on her counter, cutting himself in the process. Holding his hand up to show the blood dripping down, he said disdainfully, "I am human."