The Originals: Rewritten

Ch.20: A Closer Walk With Thee

Klaus was sitting alone at a table with a glass of scotch, everyone else partying to celebrate Kieran's life, when Cami joined him.

"Hey! Earth to you!"

Klaus noticed the wounds on her face.

"Your face—"

"Will heal. Listen, I wanted to thank you---"

Klaus held up his glass. "—Unless you've come equipped with the means to fill this, no additional platitudes are necessary."

"Okay... I'm in a crap mood because my uncle just died, and people are partying like it's Mardi Gras. What's your excuse?" She noticed Klaus scowling. "Klaus, seriously, what's going on?"

"I've been having these dreams about my dead father. No diagnosis necessary, luv. I've already got this one covered: my fears of fatherhood, of scarring my child as my father scarred me, are manifesting as nightmares." He gave her a fake smile and took a long drink. "It's horrifically cliché."

"Truthfully? I'm just surprised to hear you acknowledge out loud that you're going to be a dad."

Marcel entered the bar, which Klaus noticed.

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

Cami saw Marcel walk up to the bar. "And it worked out for you so well the first time, why change a thing?"

Cami left the table.

Klaus continued to sulk and drink at his table, as he glanced over at Marcel. Marcel saw the photos of Father Kieran, Sean, and Cami by the bar, and grabbed a bottle of scotch to make a toast to the entire party.

"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 darn it, that guy could party!" He and the audience laughed. "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 raised his glass. "To Father K!"

The audience repeated him and drank in his honor and went back to their festivities. Cami became overwhelmed by the atmosphere and rushed into the back room to be alone, only to find Francesca there as well.

Francesca was holding a drink.

"Looks like we had the same idea. It's Cami, right? I've been informed that Kieran's necklace is missing. The key that he always wore? I assume he left it for me."

Cami was stunned. "Excuse me?"

Francesca smiled in embarrassment. "How rude of me. I'm Francesca Correa, I took over your uncle's position of Faction representative when his...mental faculties were compromised."

"His faculties weren't compromised. He was hexed," Cami corrected her.

"Hexed by one of our enemies! Look, I'm invested in protecting the people of this city, and to do that, I need the key."

Cami was angry. "It must have fallen off during the events that led to his untimely death. I am so sorry." Cami then stormed away. As she pushed her way through the party, she passed Katherine whom noticed her mood. Katherine watched as Francesca exited the back room and approached the bar.