Enigmatic Fears: A Klaus Mikaelson Story {7}

Chapter 79: His Love Is Unparalleled

Nik helped Grace put on her chains as the three of us stood in the cellar preparing for her to turn. He was doing his best to be comforting and she was doing her best to be brave and I couldn't help but have my heart glow at the sight of two of the people I loved most in the world.

"It's only pain. It's manageable." My husband explained. "If it gets too much, you just have to close your eyes and—"

"Sing." Grace finished. "I know. I'll be okay."

"You are so strong baby." I told her as I engulfed her in a warm hug.

"Mom, you're smothering."

"I know, I know." I held on for a moment longer before pulling away. "Okay, I'll let you two have your wolfy bonding moment."

"Now Grace—"

"Dad, it's alright." She assured him. "And I'll tell you all about it afterwards. Scouts honour."

"You weren't a scout." He said with a sullen smile.

"You get the point." She replied with a roll of her eyes. "I'll see you after."

"Yeah." Nik murmured, well aware that for him there was no after. "I'll see you after."

"Lizzie and Josie made a siphon tonic, so I'll go—"

"No, let me." Nik said with a look, that told me he couldn't be here right now.

"Okay, my love." I pressed a kiss to his cheek before letting him run off on the errand.

"Mom, is dad okay?" Grace asked.

"Yeah, yeah." I said with a thin smile. "He's just upset because he blames himself for triggering your curse."

"Right." She replied, somewhat unconvinced.

"Your father loves you a lot, Grace." I murmured. "I hope you know that."

~Klaus POV~

Klaus walked out into the hallway, hoping to recompose himself, only to be shocked by his brother's sudden reappearance.

"I thought you had gone." Klaus remarked.

"And miss the chance to say goodbye?" Elijah spat out bitterly. "It took me a while, I'll admit. I couldn't figure out why Fiore was asking such cryptic questions. Until it finally came together, like some twisted jigsaw puzzle."

"Elijah—"

"I won't allow this Niklaus." Elijah told him sternly. "You know that."

"And you know this is the only option."

Elijah launched himself at his brother, but Klaus was just as quick defending himself against each blow, but it took him too long to realise that Elijah meant not to hurt him, but to grab the stake. Elijah nimbly took it from the hybrid's pocket before sending Klaus flying into the wall.

"You tell those girls to take me instead." Elijah instructed as Klaus landed on the floor with a large thud.

"No!"

"And you will take my life."

"I have burdened you enough."

"Your family needs you, Niklaus." Elijah instead. "Your wife, your daughter, your son!"

"I'm not gonna kill you!"

The two of them began to fight once more, this time with Klaus taking the lead, and managing to get the upper hand with his brother. The tides began to turn, and Elijah almost overpowered his brother, only for Fiore to appear and rip the two apart.

"Fiore, you mustn't!" Elijah insisted. "You cannot let him do this."

"I have to." She told him with a pained gaze. "It's like you said. His love is unparalleled, and it would be foolish to get in the way of it. Even if it'll hurt just the same."

"This isn't what I meant, Fiore!" Elijah insisted, but it was too late, and her hands were already latched onto his neck.

"I'm sorry, Elijah."

"Niklaus!"

"Take care of them for me, Brother." Klaus murmured before Fiore snapped his brother's neck.

"Come on." Fiore said as she ushered him away. "We have to get Grace out of here before he wakes up."

He nodded and the two dashed into the cellar where their daughter sat, chained to the wall. Grace looked up in confusion as her father ripped off her binds with little effort.

"Come on, sweetheart." Klaus urged.

"What are you—"

"We don't have time." Her mother told her as we quickly ushered her out of the cellar and into the woods.

"Guys, what is going on?" Grace said as she came to a halt, annoyed by her parents' silence.

"You shouldn't do this inside." Fiore said. "It's better that you do it out here, in nature, under the moonlight."

"Drink this." Klaus said as he reached into his pocket and handed her the siphoning serum.

"AH!" Grace cried out as she fell to the ground.

"It's starting." Klaus murmured. He got to his knees as he tried to talk his daughter through the transition. "Grace, listen to me. This is really going to hurt so you need to focus on the air in your lungs and the ground beneath you."

"Urgghhh." Grace groaned as the pain continued.

"The first time can take hours—" Fiore added.

"Hours?"

"Only if you fight it like your mother over here." Klaus quickly interjected. "For all the good it did her."

"Dad!"

"The pain will make you want to delay it because you think that it's all you can take, but if you let it in and you allow it to swallow you hole—then it cannot break you."

"Okay." She said with a renewed strength.

"And when you're done, you run wild and free." Klaus told her with a fond gaze. "I am so proud of you."

"I can't watch." Fiore said as she cowered into her husband's shoulders.

"Blossom, look."

He guided Fiore's gaze to their daughter who had shot up into the sky as the Hollow's magic left her once and for all. When she dropped to the floor, what they saw instead was a bright grey wolf that was their daughter's new form.

"She's beautiful." Fiore murmured.

"She is."