Bring Me To Life | The Originals (1)

A Closer Walk With Thee

"I know more about the trials of fatherhood than you might imagine, Camille."

"And it worked out for you so well the first time, why change a thing?" she asked sarcastically with a roll of her eyes when she noticed where his attention had turned and she gave him a pointed look as she stood up from the bench.

Klaus closed his eyes for a brief moment, letting the memories of the past wash over him and he grimaced as he recalled the words he had spoken to Marcel so many years ago: 'Family can be more than just those with whom we share blood. We can choose.' It was those words that had cemented Marcel's fate, that welcomed him into fold and that was the moment everything changed between them. The hybrid scoffed to himself as he grabbed a glass of scotch from a waiter's passing tray and he slouched down lower in the booth, glaring blankly at the tabletop as he continued to sip his drink.

The sound of glass hitting glass erupted over the noise of the bar and everyone's attention was drawn to the dark-skinned man that had climbed on top of the bar counter. Marcel offered the gathered crowd a grin as he held up a glass in one hand and a bottle of scotch in the other as he inclined his head in greeting to the masses.

"I know I haven't been around these parts lately. It's a testament to Father Kieran that we could come together and share a drink, and a story or two. Kieran rolled into town on a rusty old cruiser after his daddy died twenty-five years ago. And damnit, that guy could party!" the former king stated with a chuckle as he shook his head, causing the audience laughed softly along with him and he bit his lip for  a moment before he continued with a smile on his lips, "That was, of course, before he took his vows. But, even then, he was committed to the Quarter. He knew that this town needed him. And, we still do." he finished solemnly as he made eye contact with Cami across the room and she smiled shakily with tears in her eyes as he raised his glass in the air, "To Father K!"

"To Father K." the audience murmured quietly in return as they copied the gesture and Cami discreetly wiped the tears from her eyes as she departed from the disbanding group. The ambiance was slightly overwhelming as she hurried into the backroom for some privacy and everyone continued parting in honour of the man of the hour.

Marcel sighed sadly as he kept his gaze locked on the blonde's retreating back and then climbed down from the counter of the bar once she was out of sight. He took a long pull of the scotch bottle in his hand before setting it down on the bar and pouring himself a glass of the amber liquid. While vampirism had many positive attributes and many negative traits, one of the few that was a combination of the both was immortality. Eternal living gave you amble opportunities but out living the ones you love was the ultimate definition of a curse. It was painful existence.

The former king sculled the glass of scotch before slamming it down on the countertop and he stiffened when he felt a hand press against his back as he closed his eyes. He felt hot breath on the side of his neck as rage boiled inside of him and he curled his hands into fists on the counter as he clenched his jaw. He was about to open his mouth to snap at whomever it was but the familiar scent of vanilla assaulted him and he immediately relaxed under her touch as she pressed a sloppy kiss on his cheek.

"Hello, handsome." Imogen greeted him with a sedate expression as she took a step back and he turned around to face her as he leaned his elbows on the counter behind him. He took a moment to look over the modest black outfit with a smirk on his lips and she glared at him until he held his hands in surrender.

"Good. Come here, I'm sorry about your friend." she told him sincerely as she pulled him into a tight embrace, guilt marring her features and he melted into her touch as he allowed himself to grieve for the loss of his friend.

While he could be himself with his followers, his friends, he was the leader and it fell on his shoulders to maintain morale so he couldn't seem weak or vulnerable but he didn't need to do that with Imogen. The witch had seen him broken down in tears, enraged until the point he could see red and all she did was patiently wait for him to calm down and held him while he cried into her shoulder. Imogen was the one person he could count on through everything, they had their differences but he knew she would never betray him. They were family.