Empath ‣ Klaus Mikaelson [1]

Twenty-Four

Talia showered back at the hotel room, letting her worries flow down the drain before she slipped into a nightgown and swaddled herself in the covers.

Klaus laid down and expected her to turn on her side so she wouldn't have to face him, but was pleasantly surprised to see her place her head on his chest.

Needless to say, he was rather glad Stefan was staying in a separate room.

She wrapped her arms around his waist and stayed where she was, attempting to drift into a deep slumber with his rhythmic heartbeat drumming into her ear. It wasn't working.

"What's got you troubled, love?" he murmured, his thumb brushing some hair out of her eyes.

"Other then the obvious, I'm just surprised," she replied, tapping a finger to his chest right where his heart was. "I didn't think you had one."

"Of course I do," he said tiredly. "What else?"

"I can't sleep," she admitted. "I'm scared I'm gonna dream of Mikael again. Ripping out my heart or even having weird premonitions."

"Have you had any premonitions before?"

"No, but it felt like he knew something I didn't. Like he was giving me hints. He taunted me. I didn't think he was real, but he was telling me to find him. I'm not gonna do it because that's what he wants and I'm not a total moron."

"He doesn't have that power."

"He can infiltrate my mind. He has some sort of power."

"He's desiccated."

"So? We have some sort of connection. Maybe because he killed me a century ago."

"And he will never have the opportunity to do it again now that I'm here. Understand?"

She nodded.

"That won't subside your worries?"

"I just can't sleep."

The smallest grin appeared on his lips as he stripped the other bed of its sheets and comforters, grabbing some pillows too.

"What are you doing?" she asked tiredly.

"I've been around a millennium, but I've known this trick since I was a boy," he explained, opening the hotel door onto the balcony. He did spend big bucks to get nice rooms.

"And what is this trick?" she asked.

"Look up at the night sky," he said, lying down on the floor of the balcony with a comforter covering his body.

And so she did, lying down beside him.

"Count the stars. It'll help you drift off to sleep."

"Are you sure?"

"I used to do this to help my little sister sleep."

"You have a little sister?"

"I do, love. She's a bit of a handful, but I can't help but love her. She's family."

She laid her head on his chest and began counting the stars she could see, surprisingly drifting off to sleep.

When she fell asleep, Klaus remained awake, counting to 8,083 before finally falling asleep as well.

The next morning, Talia woke up locked comfortably in Klaus's arms, the morning sun kissing their faces. She kept her eyes closed, not wanting to wake him. She wished to stay like that for longer than she wanted to admit, but wishes wouldn't help.

"I know you're awake," he murmured into her hair. "Your heart beats different when you're awake."

"I thought you wouldn't notice," she hummed in reply. "Hate to admit it, but I was getting kinda comfortable."