Role Reversal

Chapter 6: The Long Night, Part Two

"So, why do you feel helpless, Klaus?" Cami leaned forward, sipping her coffee.

"Well, isn't it obvious?" He responded with disdain. "My powers are gone, I am supposedly dying, and the only advice I have been given is by my treacherous underling, Marcellas, who tells me to embrace my weaknesses. Can you think of a reason why I shouldn't feel helpless?"

"You feel what you feel. There isn't a right or wrong way. The key is understanding why you feel the way you do."

"I already told you why."

"There's more to it than that. You like to be in control of your world and, right now, you aren't. Going a step further, your power has been taken over by something, or someone, else. As a result of your helplessness, you feel angry because you didn't have a say in any of this...Wow, this sounds familiar. It seems a know a thing or two about someone controlling my mind..." She raised an eyebrow at him, but all she received back was a scowl. Shrugging her shoulders, she continued. "So, my recommendation is to focus on what you can control. You probably aren't aware that you still are making choices that have nothing to do with anyone or anything else." She stood up and walked over to his canvas. "Look at this amazing piece of art. This was all you, Klaus. No one told you what to create."

He studied the artwork from where he sat. He remained silent.

She gestured to his phone. "You chose to communicate with me. Your choice completely."

"Is there a point to all this?" He said softly, attempting to sound annoyed, but taking on a more curious tone.

Cami sat back down a little closer to him on the couch and placed her hand on his. "You are still Niklaus Mikaelson. Even as a human, you are the same controlling, ego-maniacal, brilliant artist that you were before all this happened." She paused before continuing. "Are you afraid?"

"Afraid?" He almost scoffed. "You must be joking."

"It's okay if you are. I would be if I was in your situation."

"This whole ridiculous conversation is going nowhere." He removed his hand from hers and grabbed his phone, furiously dialing as he stood up and began pacing. She could hear Elijah answer on the other end. "You better have some news for me, Brother. I cannot endure this insanity much longer."

After a moment of silence on Klaus's end while Elijah was speaking (Cami was unable to make out what he was saying), he handed the phone to her. "Here. He wants to speak with you."

She looked up at him in disgusted amazement. She snatched the phone from him. "Hello, Elijah."

"Well, you would think that by my brother's reaction, you had him tied up in a torture chamber somewhere. He obviously is getting impatient."

"Every time I even suggest that he's feeling some emotion that he thinks makes him weak, he gets all pissed off and clams up. In this case, he got pissed off and had to call Big Brother to tattle on Big Bad Cami."

Elijah chuckled. "He never learns, does he? Patience is a virtue that he may never obtain, unfortunately. How is he feeling?"

"I've been giving him pain pills as scheduled. Look, maybe if you were here he might..."

"No! I forbid him to come here!" Klaus pointed in anger.

"Excuse me, this is my apartment!" She fired back. He pressed his lips together in fury, then continued to pace.

"Cami, my physical presence would do no good," Elijah responded. "Perhaps Marcel?"

"That's a good idea. I'll call him right now!" She hung up with Elijah and began dialing, still angry.