The Devil In Me

Chapter 40

"And what do you wish to do with these?" someone asked, holding his former clothes gingerly.
"Dispose of them" he ordered. His gaze turning back to the fire. It was all so familiar, the life he had thought he would never return to again. He could have lived forever without returning to society, the shallowness of the company, and frivolous nature of the events, the fancy and fine clothes and inane small talk. But, he would endure it, he would embrace it even. For he was still Lord Niklaus Mikaelson, married to Caroline, with a daughter. It was stunning, unbelievable, yet there it was, and if he was to be accepted back into that life, if he was to ward away potential threats, such as Lockwood, he would have to play the part, he would have to return to the man he once was. Suddenly, he had so much to lose again, so very much, and he knew, he could not withstand loosing it again.

Toward Caroline, his emotions were unknown. He felt anger at her, for not telling him, and then anger at himself, for making it so very hard for her to tell him. He felt frustration at his family, for hiding it from him, and then frustration at himself, for becoming a man they no longer trusted. Caroline belonged with him, and he had never known it more that today.

Wither or not Lockwood would be a better husband and father than him mattered not, for today, seeing his wife, the light of his life, sitting by his daughter, he knew he would do anything to be in their lives, to belong with them, to never be parted. And no matter how Caroline denied her heart, and denied him... he had seen it in her eyes, her love for him, so undiminished after all this time. When the judge had asked her to deny her love for him, and she was unable, he had known he was making the right decision. She might have been happy with Lockwood, peaceful and serene, but she would never love him, as she did Klaus, and for a woman like Caroline, that would never be enough.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

The next day, the tailor arrived, and fitted all the ladies for their gowns, a final time. Ellie was also fitted, which she was very excited about, and Caroline was glad of the distraction, when Klaus arrived with Kol, only a small bag with his possessions, and followed him upstairs. She knew he was being taken to the guest room, and she was grateful that living 'as man and wife' was not being interpreted more literally. Ellie noticed the commotion in the hall, and wandered out to see. Caroline followed her, in a rest period, as the tailor tried once again to meet Rebekah specifications.

"Whose bag is that?" Ellie asked, hanging onto her Uncle Kol's hand, and pointing at Klaus's army issue pack on the floor. She looked at it with wide eyes.

"It is your fathers" Kol said, bending down to lift her up. She squealed as he threw her in the air a moment.

"Oof! You are getting too big, soon I will not be able to lift you" Kol teased her, and laughed as she hit his chest with her fists.

"No matter, my daddy can lift me, he is very strong." she said.

"Is he really?" Kol said, making a doubtful face at her, making Ellie giggle.

"I see my sister is making it as difficult as she can for the seamstress." Klaus's voice came from behind her, and she whirled around, clutching her robe around her. He was walking slowly up the hall, clearly watching her, watching Kol and Ellie.

"Well... she is allowed I suppose" Caroline said, giving him a small smile. Her eyes moved over him, suddenly seeing the change in his appearance. He looked so achingly familiar at that moment, as thought he had stepped from her memories. His breeches were tight, the muscles in his legs only more defined. His narrow waist emphasised by his nipped in tailcoat, dark green, his shining boots a deep brown. His face, lightly stubbled, and his hair, as golden and curled as ever, she realised she was staring, all of a sudden, and looked away.