For All My Love And Rage |Originals AU

6. The Long Path

A/N: Please vote and comment!

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Niklaus Mikaelson could feel the Hollow's presence as he strolled through the streets of New Orleans for what—he believed—would be the last time. He did not yet know her name, nor her connection to his family; he had no reason to think the Hollow would ever harm him or his daughter. In that moment, while he slowly made his way to the French Quarter, Klaus wanted to believe the presence he felt was only a ghost; perhaps a vindictive one, the ghost of one of his many victims, waiting patiently to see the Big Bad Hybrid finally get his due. But part of him wanted to believe it was the ghost of someone he loved once. But part of him wanted to believe it was the ghost of someone he loved once.

 

 

He thought of Camille, and of his siblings, the ones who died and the ones at death's door... All because of him. It was all his fault...

 

 

Such thoughts hurt far too much, so he focused on Hayley and Hope. Images of the two warmed his heart, but the knowledge he might not see them again for ages to come killed all the scraps of happiness he had tried to achieve.

 

 

Then he thought of Camille, and of his siblings, the ones who died and the ones at the brink of death... all because of him. Such thoughts hurt him far too much, so he focus on Hayley and Hope. Images of the two warmed his heart, but the knowledge he would not see them again killed all the scraps of happiness he had achieved.

 

 

In the end, with nowhere else for his mind to run, Klaus could not help but think of Mikael as he walked to face his Destiny. Hollow's presence was oddly familiar; it reminded Klaus of his father. Yet, strangely, he was sure the ghost was not Mikael. Hollow's spirit was distant, awfully quiet and crueler than the Destroyer could ever hope to be... Mikael was nothing like Hollow, in the same way everyone on Earth prayed Hope would be nothing like Klaus... Hollow's presence was oddly familiar; it reminded Klaus of his father. Yet, strangely, he was sure the ghost was not Mikael. Hollow's presence was distant, awfully quiet and crueler than the Destroyer could ever be.. It was nothing like Mikael.

 

 

Comparing Mikael to a cruel spirit, Klaus was yet to meet, proved to be a worthless distraction. So he turned his attention to the lively streets all around him.

 

 

"I wonder if Mikael would do the same for me..." Klaus thought numbly as he watched a young father lift his toddler son over his shoulders. "He would do it for Freya." the thought cut through his heart, bringing tears to his eyes.

 

 

"Would Mikael give his life o save me?" he asked himself, a scoff stuck in his throat. Klaus was more than certain he knew the answer. His father had tried to kill him, after all.

 

 

"But that was not the real Mikael. " A quick voice whispered from a dark corner in Klaus' mind. Such a thought surprised him, but Klaus could feel in his bones he was right. "Yes... the Mikael from my childhood would do anything to save me." a tender voice whispered from within him, bringing tears to his eyes. "Mikael was a good father then. He loved me... He was a good man... When he was himself..."

 

 

Klaus stopped just outside the Compound, breathing heavily as hot tears ran down his cheeks. Soft memories of Mikael flashed behind his eyes. His father used to put him to sleep; hold him tight after Klaus woke up from a nightmare; teach him how to tie his shoes; play with him; carry Klaus on his shoulders when he was too tired to walk; sing to them and tell stories by the fire; Mikael gave him gifts, paints and brushes mostly. Every time he came back from a hunting trip; Mikael protect him whenever Klaus wandered too far into the dark forest... His father loved him more than anything...

 

 

He wanted to stay still, like a statue, forever lost in those beautiful memories. Yet the flashes disappeared just as fast as they had first appeared. The memories were the sweetest Klaus had ever remembered, but he could tell they were forbidden. He was not supposed to remember Mikael as being kind and tender. His father had to be a monster for the story to make any sense...

 

Klaus knew he should not go looking for those memories again, no matter how much he wanted to do so. The memories safely looked away, in a dark corner of his mind. He could not even ask why, but fear shook his bones just at the mere thought of breaking the unspoken rules of his own mind... As though acknowledging Mikael was a good father would destroy everything....

 

 

"It's for the best." Klaus thought, holding his breath as he marched into the Compound, his chin held high. "It's not like missing the good version of Mikael would do me much good now..." he scoffed, forcing his lips to stay still and begging his eyes to stay dry. "My father will not save me today...."

 

 

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Mikael reached the Compound a few minutes after Klaus had walked in. He had run through the streets of New Orleans like a madman, desperate enough to burn down the world. Mikael would do anything to prove Klaus was wrong about him.

 

 

No matter what happened, the Destroyer will save his son.

     

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A/N: I know it has taken me forever to update this story, which is why I'm putting some extra effort into it this last month. I hope you enjoyed it. i know it's all still very short chapters. I'm working on making some longer ones too. Please let me know what you guys think about this one!!!