Edgewalkers

I am the bad guy... again

Klaus POV

I was waiting in our car in front of Caroline's building for my sister to return. It took her quite some time but when she finally did come out, she didn't look all too happy. She took a seat next to me and slamed the door shut.
"What did you do?", she hissed at me angrily. Confused, I looked directly at her.
"What do you mean?", I asked. I wasn't aware of doing anything unusual that had something to do with Caroline.
"Kol, Elijah and you, you all are in big trouble! Why didn't you tell me, you were out beating up those four dudes who told father about what you did?", she growled reproachful.
"How do you know about that?", my expression darkened.
"What do you think? Caroline saw you! I actually had to convince her to still even sit with us in school! And she won't talk to you so soon again, that's for sure!", she said.
My heart sank. No, not her. Everyone but her.
"What does she think about me now?", I asked quietly, not even looking Rebekah in the eyes.
"She doesn't understand because she doesn't know about our situation. If she were to find out everything at once, she would probably quit speaking to all of us. We need to give her time.", my sister sighed. "Look, I am not blaming you for this. It was a pretty bad turn of events. However, I won't make excuses for any of us. After what our parents have done to us since Henrik's passing, we haven't been the same. Everytime we take or rather are forced to take these things, we change and you know it." It sounded like she was trying to placate me.
"She should know about this.", I said. "Why doesn't she remember?"
"A side effect perhaps? Or father has pulled some shit again?", she shrugged her shoulders. "Are you sure, it's her?"
I nodded. "A hundred percent certain."
With a sigh, she let herself sink more into the seat. "Just our luck."
"We should head back.", I mumbled, checking the time.
"Yeah, you're right.", she nodded. "Do we have to?"
"Else, he'll be even more upset.", I shivered at the thought.
"Let's go then.", Rebekah eyed me carefully and I let the car engine roar.
It was really humiliating: Klaus Mikaelson, the feared and unbreakable hybrid, the one noone dared to oppose, scared of his own father.

When we pulled in the driveway of our mansion, my body started to tense at the sight of the familiar entrance arising before me. I parked the car and tried not to panick while stepping out. Rebekah went up to the door and opened it, then we both looked at each other once more before finally going in. It was very quiet inside, our siblings were probably all in their rooms as well as their significant others, who never showed their face when father was home. Rebekah gestured for us to go to the kitchen and I nodded, not having eaten anything since yesterday evening. We moved as silently as possible, even opened up the refrigerator without making a sound. There wasn't much food left, noone had bought anything yet but we just took some noodles with sauce and wanted to make our way upstairs. However, before we had even reached the stairs, the aura darkened drastically and I stopped out of instinct, knowing he would be mad if I didn't. My sister did the same.
"Where were you?", the familiar and scary voice asked.
Rebekah was the first to turn around.
"We checked on someone.", she said truthfully. I was just hoping she would not say the name of the previously seen girl.
"Who?"
My sister shot me a worried look.
"A friend.", I spoke for her.
"Friend?", father laughed. "Maybe Rebekah's friend! We all know, you do not have the capability to make friends, Niklaus!"
I clenched my fists in an angry manner but didn't say anything.
"Turn around, boy!", my father demanded but I didn't move. "I said, turn. Around. Boy."
Slowly, I turned my face to him. He was standing way to near and could reach me in a matter of seconds.
"I heard about you beating up my informants.", he hissed.
"Informants? I'm afraid, I don't know what you mean?", I lied.
He just rolled his eyes and took a step forward. "Do not try to fool me, boy! That will just make things worse. You never do as I tell you!"
"That's not true, I always...", I started but was cut off by a pretty hard punch in the gut which made me flinch more than just a little.
"As of tomorrow, you will only go to college and come back home. No other activities! Do you copy that?", he growled. I nodded, still in pain.
"Good. You both can go then. But Rebekah. I want you and Kol's girl to prepare dinner!", he ordered and my sister bit her lip to not say anything against it. Father had a rather old-fashioned sense of social roles, which bugged everyone in the family. But who were we to oppose him?
"Oh and Niklaus, one more thing?", he stopped me from following Rebekah upstairs.
"What?", I wanted to know and turned to him, only to receive three more punches.
"For beating up my informants, you scum!", he said angrily. "Now you can go."

Upset, I slammed the door shut behind me. How dare he! I hated him so damn much! But more importantly, now, Caroline hated me. I was the bad guy. Again. Holding back a yell, I punched one of my bags to blow off steam. Yes, I was cruel. Yes, I was impulsive and yes, I was a monster. But she... she had seen good in me. Now, she probably despised me. I wrote her a message, telling her I was sorry for what she had to witness and promising, there was an explanation for this. She didn't answer. Frustrated, I sent my pohne flying onto my bed, holding back another angry growl. My outbreak was disturbed by someone knocking at my window. Surprised, I went nearer to see my guest and saw Hayley standing on the little platform in front of the glass, grinning at me. I opened and she jumped in.
"Hey, Klaus.", she smiled.
"Hi.", my voice was a bit sore, which had me clear my throat. "Aren't you supposed to be in Elijah's room?"
She shrugged her shoulders. "I was, just a few seconds ago. But we heard you coming back and I was worried so I decided to drop by."
"Through the window?"
"I wasn't going to be spotted by your lame excuse of a father.", she grinned and let herself drop onto my bed.
"So, what's up? You were out visiting that friend of yours, right? The one you asked out when we got your siblings from school?", she wanted to confirm.
"I didn't exactly ask her out.", I said.
"But you do like her?"
"Let's say, I fancy her, yes."
She gave me a develish grin. "Fair enough.
"Don't look at me like that. She hates me.", I sighed.
Hayley raised her eyebrows. "Why's that?"
"She saw me and my brothers beating up some traitors..."
The girl folded her legs for a more comfortable sitting position. "Isn't she aware of the family methods?"
I shook my head. "She's new here. However, it still bugs me. Sure, she'll come around eventually but she should already know all this!"
Surprised, Hayley tilted her head. "How come?"
"She knows me! Not in the best way possible but she's seen me before."
Her eyes widened. "Is she one of the girls you saw in that town that you told me about?"
"Exactly."
"Which one? The one with the dead parents or the other one?"
"The other one."
Hayley took a deep breath and let that sink in. "Damn. So it's serious?"
"You could say that.", I sighed.
"But wait, if your father sees her, he won't know she doesn't remember, right?", Hayley worried.
"He's the one who made her forget but do you really think he'd care?" My fists were clenched once again, thinking about what he could do to her.
"Isn't it better then, if you two aren't associated with each other?", my friend suggested. I thought about that for a second.
"I'm not sure. I mean, how can I protect her when she's not with me? Then again, she doesn't want my protection.", my eyes wandered around my room in thought.
"Or she doesn't need it?", Hayley added.
"Maybe."
We were both quiet for a second, listening to the sounds downstairs. It seemed like Rebekah and Davina had started preparing the meal. Father really was ruthless, leaving this up to them by force. We all despised him.
"Look, Klaus, how about this: you wait a bit until that girl of yours has settled down and you then try talking to her again. Eventually, everything will work out in the end.", Hayley stood up and strechted her arms.
"That would probably be for the best.", I said.
But it would be hard. Not being able to talk to her, her seeing me through the same hateful eyes everyone else did. It was going to be unbearable.