"Klaus, I...", my mouth was dry and I wasn't sure what to say. He had actually forgiven me, I'd lie if I said that didn't fill me with utmost joy but leaving the family behind to travel with him? As much as I loved him, I didn't think that was a good idea. Especially after what was going on with Heather...
"You don't have to decide right away, I know it's rushed. Take your time to decide. That's only fair after what I did.", he told me calmly, taking the pressure off me which I was very thankful for.
"Can we talk about something else then?", I asked, wanting to think about the matter later on and not on the spot.
"Sure. Whatever you want to talk about.", he smiled.
"How are your siblings?" I hadn't seen Rebekah, Elijah and the rest of the bunch for a while now and I imagined them to also have changed as they would have had to go through some rough times as well.
"It's been pretty complicated lately.", Klaus admitted. "We accidentally turned someone into one of us and dear god, I didn't think our being to be this complex." For a moment, he was quiet, then shook his head in disbelief. "Then again, you'd know about all that, wouldn't you?"
"I might.", I chuckled, just waiting him to figure out that's how I came to be a vampire as well. He probably knew by now but kept his thoughts in his head, perhaps afraid to cause a paradox. Maybe a wise idea.
"You told the girl about me, right?", he wanted to know instead, recalling Ellie's reaction from before.
"Ellie? Yeah, I did. She used to love hearing stories about you when she was younger. You kinda were her childhood hero."
Surprised, he raised his brows. "I was? Whyever would she think that?"
I on the other hand raised my shoulders. "I don't know, it's what she picked up from the stories. Though fairly, I didn't portray you as the big bad but rather as the person I have gotten to know throughout the years."
A smile crossed his lips.
"Did you tell her about the future?", he then asked curiously.
"Yeah, a few things here and there.", I admitted. I'd basically told her about the people in my life and that included my future friends. As I thought about them, a great pain filled my heart. Bonnie, Elena, my Mom... I missed them deeply. I vividly remembered them, all the things we'd gone through together, all the fond moments we'd shared... and now they were centuries away, living in a world which I wouldn't see for a couple hundred years. Would they even recognize me? I'd grown a lot since my journey began, helped raise five children and experienced past decades. Perhaps I should choose history as a major in college? I'd definitely score aces, that's for sure.
"Doesn't you telling her about the future create a paradox?", he wondered and I simply shook me head. "Why not?"
The words were hard to get out but I managed to not sound heartbroken when saying them. "Because she is no part of that future."
No, my little angel wouldn't be there. Nor would her siblings who'd taken over my heart from the days they were born. How could I ever not be here for them? Especially after what they were going through with Heather. Kilian surely couldn't handle this alone and he shouldn't have to. He had to deal with his own grief. Did this mean I had to decline Klaus' offer? But I did really want to see him more again, I missed him and since I had not seen him for so long plus had thought that he was with someone else, my heart ached when thinking about going with him. I would also see the other Mikaelsons again. Rebekah would probably be delighted and god knew how dearly I'd missed her too. Damn, this choice was hard.
However, thinking about it, the Mikaelsons had centuries more, I could rejoin them whenever I wanted to. This was obviously different with Ellie and the rest. They were mortal. And how vulnerable that made them, so easily breakable. No, to leave the children and Kilian alone in a situation like this? I would have to be heartless to do so.
Ellie's friends left before midnight and Klaus and I returned back inside when they did. When Eric and the others walked out the door, Ellie was smiling but as soon as the door closed, her grin disappeared. It hurt to see her sad on her birthday. But the day came to an end before the tragedy took place. We'd just been waiting for it, gathered around the kitchen table, all sitting in silence, the wait more torturous than when it did happen.
Kilian and I asked the kids if they really wanted to see their mother pass but all of them insited on coming with us. Heather was almost completely still, managing a smile when seeing us come in. She lifted her hand to touch mine, letting me inside her head. There was complete darkness, I couldn't even catch sight of Heather herself. The sickness had manifested in her mind, only allowing her to speak and have me give the messages to her family.
"Thank you for your kindness to come and walk me through this act of life's most feared hardship.", I repeated after her. I could already feel the tears arise in my eyes but surpressed them in order to keep talking to her family.
"I'm sorry it had to happen today. Ellie, I know this is not easy for you but I want you to still remember your birthday in a good light. See it in the sense that you were surrounded by the people who love you and who wanted you to have a good time. I know you will some day understand a mother's love when you bear your own children. Perhaps you will tell them of me, their grandmother?"
Ellie, after hearing those words, started to uncontrollably sob and made herself smaller to compromise her pain.
"Aiden, sweety.", Heather said and her son looked up, his face as blank as ever, staring at his mother's almost closed eyes. Though even his gaze was glassy, I made out pain in his eyes. He was afraid of what she'd say, wanting not to fail her in her final breaths.
"You, honey, are so strong, sometimes stronger than you can handle. But that is okay. In fact, I'm proud of you. Proud of the man you are growing into."
Behind Aiden, a few parts of furniture flew into the air. He didn't seem to know how else to let out his abilities and thus tried to do it in an unharmful way. A tear forced its way down his cheeck, he wept in silence, not moving a muscle. Kilian pulled him into an embrace and for the first time his fingers twitched and furniture fell down to the ground. He clutched his hands around his father's arm and cried while his mother continued with her speech.
"Dalia, my little craftsgirl. You are so broadly talented. The figures you made were perfect and my baby, you have so much potential. Do not let that go to waste, open your wings and show the world what you can do, alright?"
Heather's voice got a little quieter, her power fading with each word she spoke. Dalia took her sister's hand, in the other holding Caleb who had been still the entire time. He really was a miracly well adjusted baby. In the meantime, Thorn braced himself, aware his turn was next.
"My second youngest, Thorn, my baby.", Heather forced the words out one by one, not wanting to give up before being finished. "I'm sorry I was rarely there for you but I hope you nevertheless know how much I love you. Because I do. So, so much."
He gave her a nod, and squeezed her hand long enough that she noticed before he let go again to avoid catching her sickness. Her fainting smile widened as she quickly moved on to her husband.
"Kilian, my love, my heart. You've been by my side throughout this whole dilemma and I thank you for that. I can't put in words how much I cherish you and how much I am filled with sorrow to know that you will have to continue to be strong without me. I, however, have no doubt that you will pull through because I believe in you, I always have. You have convinced me to take in Caroline's request and it couldn't have proven to be more right. You see the good in people and I love you for it. Tell Caleb of my regret to not raise him as well and tell him, I love him like my own when he's old enough."
The whole family was crying now holding each other tight. It was getting harder to understand Heather now but she seemed not yet to be ready to go.
"And now to you.", I repeated after her but then my voice started breaking. "Caroline."
With a sharp inhale, I tried to continue.
"You've been a very welcome addition to our lifes and I never want you to feel like you made us do things that were hard on us. Whatever I decided was because I care for you, I love you as a friend and a member of this family. Because that is what you are."
Unable to continue, I broke down into tears. She was right. They were like family to me.
"One more thing.", Heather started but this time, I couldn't repeat after her. My vocal cords were too overtaken by my sobbing.
"I initiated something else, a gift to you."
A gift? What kind of gift?
But Heather never explained it. She tried to, I could hear that but I was thrown out of her head before she let out her last breath. We all watched the light fade from her eyes, seeing in terror how our beloved friend, mother and wife left us. When we started to comprehend what had just happened, we were left to deal with the loss. All of us were crying, holding each other but each in their own grief. Klaus stepped closer, taking me into his arms to comfort me.
"Let it all out, love.", he whispered. "It's okay."
"I can't leave them.", I said back quietly. "Not like this."
"I know.", he nodded. "I know."
I know it's unusual for me to update on a Friday but better late than never, am I right? I didn't want to post this during the Christmas holidays because of the not so festive events of this chapter but I do hope you had a great Christmas or whatever else you celebrated❤
I'll see you guys next chapter, bye bye.