SAFE & SOUND | THE ORIGINALS

four

Alana frantically ran around the room as she searched everywhere. Tears welled in her bright blue eyes, blurring her vision as she continued to rummage through every book and cranny in the room.

Back against the wall, she slid down and sat on the floor, tightly clutching her knees to her chest.

The old wooden door burst open, a worried looking Klaus appearing in the threshold.

"What's all this ruckus about?" He demanded, but his tone quickly soften when he saw the tears streaming down her cheeks. "Alana, love, what's wrong?"

Klaus was by her side in an instant, crouching down to her level on the floor.

"It's missing," she answered in between sobs. "I can't find it anywhere."

"What's missing?"

"My necklace."

"Alright, it's okay. Calm down," he stroked her arm gently. "Where was the last place you had it?"

"I took it off to shower."

"Did you check the bathroom?"

A sheepish look appeared on her pretty features as she hung her head down in embarrassment.

"God, I'm so stupid."

"No you're not," he reassured. "You're stressed. Tell me what's wrong."

"I'm fine."

"You're a terrible liar."

"It's nothing. It's stupid," she swiped her fingers under her eyes.

"I'm sure it's not," Klaus moved so he was sat on the floor next to her. "You can trust me."

"I just – I feel like sometimes maybe I would have been better off staying in France, you know?" She ran a hand through her sandy brown hair.

"Why would you think that?"

"I am a disappointment. I have to be. It's the only explanation I have. I've never had one, but from what TV taught me growing up, fathers don't ignore their daughters like Elijah ignores me. He's always with Hayley or Hope or you. Anyone but me, really."

"He's not ignoring you, and he certainly doesn't think you're a disappointment. Quite the opposite, actually. He thinks you're ignoring him."

"I don't mean to. I really don't. I'm just not sure how to act around any of you." Alana looked over at her uncle. "I don't belong here."

"I'll only tell you this once so listen very carefully," he lowered his voice, locking eyes with the young girl. "A thousand years ago my siblings vowed always and forever, not just to each other, but to all our family. Well, not our parents but that's beside the point. The point is, you are a Mikaelson. It's in your blood. You belong here because you're family. You're one of us whether you like it or not."

Alana looked away for a second and wiped the tears that had formed in her bright blue eyes. She turned back to face him and, because of their awkward position on the floor, wrapped her arms around him.

"Thank you," she spoke, her words barely a whisper as she buried her face into his neck.

"It's quite alright," came his reply, "you'll be okay, love."

And for once, she believed the words coming from his mouth.