𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐩𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐲 | 𝐭𝐯𝐝

-30-

I spent the night in a small hotel room in New Orleans. I watched as the cab containing Stefan and Damon sped off. I was on my own again, but I know I'll be alright. Even though it was almost two in the morning, I texted Klaus to pass by time.

"Hey, Nik." I said into the speaker, sitting against the door on the floor. "Are you alright, River? You could stay with me. Why didn't you come back? What happened?" He rushed. "Yeah, I'm alright. I'm pissed if anything. I couldn't come back, Nik... I couldn't be with Stefan. He made a decision. I wasn't worth fighting for." I quoted. "He said that?" I heard anger slip into his tone. "Calm down. Let me tell you what happened." I sighed. "Have you been drinking?" Klaus asked. I looked over at the many glasses on the nightstand and desk.

"...No, not at all. Maybe a little. I said I didn't wanna leave New Orleans because it felt like home and I told him how I loved it when I returned while we were separated. He kind of just..." I put the phone on speaker and put my hands on my forehead. I had no tears left to cry so my head ached and was bloody hot. "Uhm, then we argued and I just decided to stay and left them." I shortened the story. "Go get some water. Where are you staying?" He requested. I gave him the hotel name and he shortly hung up. I did as he said and got some water and laid down. My eyes fell heavy and soon closed.

-

I woke up to the feeling of a car going up and over a speed bump and the smell of leather filled my nose. My eyes fluttered open and I looked around confusedly until I saw Klaus. "Good morning." He said, handing me a water bottle. "Hi." I greeted, taking the water bottle, and uncapping it. After I finished drinking a bit, I put my hair into a bun quickly. "What time is it?" I asked. "1:34." He told me. "Oh shit. Where are we?"

"About forty minutes until we're back in Mystic Falls. You'll be staying with me for the time being." Klaus told me. I just nodded and looked out the window. I can't believe all of this is happening. And why do I feel almost fine about it?

-

I've been sitting by the window of Nik's art room for a while now to avoid the many phone calls I was receiving from Damon. Klaus would step in a few times to make sure I was alright and still alive or add details to his painting before exiting again. I really appreciate him for that and would make sure he knew every time. I didn't exactly want to move from this spot as the sun was beaming above the driveway and grass to make it look quite beautiful.

It's about that time again when that strawberry blonde Original will come lurking about. I thought. Almost on cue, the door opened and he stepped in with two water bottles and a clear glass. He put the glass down on the stool beside a blank canvas and walked over to me with his arm out to offer a water bottle. "Thank you," I mumbled, moving my feet so he could sit down beside me on the small sofa.

He sat down and took a sip from his bottle. I looked outside again. "It's a nice day outside," I commented. "Would you like to paint it?" He offered. "Hm?"

"Paint it." He repeated. "Er, yeah. Yeah, sure."

He got up and offered his hand for me to take. I got up and he began setting up all of his painting utensils and colors. He moved the canvas towards the window so that I could look out at the sky. "Alright, I expect you know a bit about painting, yes?" Klaus asked. I nodded. "It was a hobby I took up while in Paris in 1932," I told him. "Here." He gently nudged me towards the canvas. I picked up the paint palette and stared at the colors and the sky. Klaus walked back to his desk and began working on snowflakes again.

I was lost in the painting for what felt like five minutes when I smelled Stefan's cologne enter the room. I slammed the paint down and sped towards him, but he was already ahead of me and turned us around so I was in a chokehold against the wall. Klaus tore him off. "So much for calm." He remarked. "I called you." Stefan sighed, crossing his arms like he was done with the situation already. "And I didn't answer. Funny how those devices work, hm?" I raised my eyebrows and walked over to the canvas again. One of Klaus's minions walked in. I believe his name is Adrian.

"You said it was urgent." He said to Klaus. "Yes, take this to the Mystic Grill immediately." Klaus walked over to the painting he was adding details to as he walked in and out of the room. "You want me to be a delivery guy?" Adrian scoffed. Klaus walked forward and closed the space between him and Adrian. "What I want is for you to do whatever I say. Without the attitude."

Adrian picked up the painting and walked out. "Be careful with that!" Klaus ordered. "Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves, you know." Stefan scowled. "What do you want, Stefan?" I questioned. "Elena is sired to Da-"

"I told him."

"You told him?!"

"Looks like you were gonna say it yourself anyway," I muttered. "We'll talk about this later. This means I need to find the cure now more than ever and yet here you are making postmodern snowflakes." Stefan glared at Klaus. "I've delivered. I retrieved the Hunter's sword from Italy which we'll use to decipher the map hidden in the Hunter's mark. You're the one who is supposed to deliver the Hunter and his mark." Klaus got up to wipe the paint off his hands. "Well, Jeremy is the hunter, and he has to keep killing vampires to complete his mark, but we can't quite figure out how to keep him from killing us."

"Sounds like quite the chore. Which is why I feel perfectly justified doing a little charity work." Klaus smirked. I looked at him with an eyebrow lifted. "Wait you actually found it?" I wiped my hands off and followed him to a vault. "Why would I lie to you? We're in this together."

Klaus turns the dial on the vault and opens it up. He took the silver sword out and placed the sword down on a table. "The hilt acts as a cipher which we'll use to decode the marks on Jeremy's tattoo when he's killed enough vampires to complete it." He explained, taking a seat on the sofa and propping his feet up on the same table. Stefan picked the sword up and examined it. "I heard you moved out of your house and right into River's old apartment. How awkward now looking at it. Bit of a martyr move, hm?" Klaus chuckled. "I'm not here to bond, Klaus. With either of you."

"Good. Kinda the whole reason I tried to stay in New Orleans anyway." I sat down on the sofa beside the window again. "On the contrary, I think right now I'm the best friend you've got," Klaus said.