Inopinatum [1] ➳ N. Mikaelson [COMPLETED]

➳ 22: the reckoning

A loud gasp broke through the silence as Valentina shot forward with her eyes wide. Recalling the moment in the warehouse, she studied her surroundings and took note of the coffins, the familiar floor of the truck, and Stefan lying unconscious a few feet away. She groaned while rubbing her neck and glanced over at Klaus, who stood in the corner with his arms crossed and a displeased expression on his face.

She placed a hand on the wall to pull herself up off the floor while meeting his gaze in confusion. He pushed off from the wall of the corner and walked over to her. "You have some explaining to do, my sweet."

Tilting her head to the side, Valentina furrowed her eyebrows. "What do I---"

"The doppelgänger. " Klaus replied simply and watched as her face fell with dread for a split second before she tried to cover it up. "Don't bother lying. You're horrible at it." He spoke over when she opened her mouth to respond.

Her green eyes shifted around as she debated her approach to the topic. She looked down at Stefan and then back at Klaus, knowing there was no way to lie herself out. "What do you wanna know?"

After she told him about Elena surviving the sacrifice and keeping it a secret, Valentina watched him pace the floor. He suddenly stopped in place and spun around to face her with an angry look. "Why?" He asked vaguely causing her to throw her hands up in exasperation. "Why'd you hide it?" He reiterated with more context.

"It wasn't my secret to tell," Valentina replied, her gaze flashing down to Stefan in a hinting manner. "Plus, you never asked so..."

Klaus scoffed incredulously while rolling his eyes. "Did you even bother to consider how it may have affected my hybrids?" He asked bitterly.

She opened her mouth to retort with a finger held up in the air, her face suggested she was about to come off as defensive until it shifted into a sheepish smile. "No. I didn't really consider it." She replied honestly. "Sorry."

"At least you're honest. How does Stefan know about Mikael?" He questioned warily and looked over at her, changing the subject. "And what does he know about Mikael?"

"I didn't tell him anything, Nik. I swear." She promised frantically with a shake of her head, a panic rising inside of her at the idea of Mikael's return. "I would never."

Klaus approached her again and placed his hands on her upper arms. "I know you didn't." He honestly assured, rubbing the palm of his hands up and down along the back of her arms. "The question is: who did?" He rhetorically asked before backing away from her and walking over to the back. "Come on, my love."

"Where are we going?" She questioned curiously but followed behind him regardless.

"You'll see." He mused with a devious smirk on his face, rolling the door to the truck open.

Her face turned up in surprise when the Mystic Falls clock tower came into view and she gulped anxiously. Klaus hopped down to the pavement outside the vehicle and then held a hand up toward Valentina, offering to help her get out. She grabbed ahold of his hand before jumping beside him. He squeezed her hand gently causing Valentina to look down at their embrace and smile slightly.

"Now, where would my doppelgänger be?" He asked her curiously, not pulling his hand away from hers. He wanted to savor that moment. Even if it was small.