Body & Soul - Klaus Mikaelson

Nineteen

"Welcome back to Chicago, Stefan."

I pull my head away from the car window at the sound of Klaus's words. It has been a long drive with a lot of silence. Klaus found himself a chauffeur, so I tucked myself away in the back seat of the car, away from the annoyed and angry people. Napping didn't work so well, the daunting presence in the car prohibited it, but at least I finally get to leave the car. I follow Klaus and Stefan out of the vehicle. Klaus leads us towards a warehouse. Stefan glances back at me, a confused look covering his face.

"What are we doing here?"

Klaus opens the door wide for the two of us, "I know how much you loved it here. Bringing back memories of the good old Ripper days."

Stefan sighs heavily, "Blacked out most of them. A lot of blood. A lot of partying. The details are all a blur."

"Well, that is a crying shame. The details are what makes it legend," Klaus glances to me, "You ever been to Chicago, love?"

I frown at him, "Once. I drank the booze and ran. I wasn't staying more than a week anywhere then."

I barely remember my one visit to Chicago. It was the first place I went to after my parents died. I just ran. Hitchhiking brought me here, and I drank away in a bar for a week. It was something to release the grief. As I quickly found, it didn't work as well as I wanted to. The buzz wore off too soon and reality would hit harder than the hangovers every morning. I made up my mind to stop wasting my life. I replaced the alcohol with determination. Then I took off, determined to find the Pack my father belonged to, the one I would belong to. The Pack I never found.

Klaus hums, "Word was the Ripper of Monterrey got lonely, so he escaped to the city for comfort. It was prohibition. Everything was off-limits then, which made everything so much fun. Chicago was magical."

"Yeah, well, I'll take your words for it," Stefan grumbles. "Like I said, I don't remember most of it."

Stefan walks away from the doorframe and Klaus's playful expression drops, "Down to business then."

"Why are we still with you?" Stefan asks annoyed, "We had our fun, your hybrids failed. I mean, don't you want to move on?"

"Mmm," I hum, "Past the ego and the narcissism would be great too."

Klaus sends me a look that could kill me, unfortunately, he doesn't put me out of my misery. Following him around has been tiring and it's getting worse the longer we go. Where I used to see chances for him, he closes them. He shows no remorse, only when he wants to be closer to me. And it's something that seriously irks me.

His inability to be sorry is resentful. He wants me to pay attention to him, yet at the same time, he kills any hopes for him to be good. After killing the whole wolf pack, my views of him have only worsened. Where I used to hope he would do anything to get his way, now I know her will. I'm just waiting for the moment when I become the dead wolf.

Klaus's eyes narrow at me as he speaks to Stefan, ignoring my attitude, "We're going to see my favorite witch. If anyone can help us with our Hybrid problem, it's her."

"Your Hybrid problem," I mumble as he moves towards the car again, ready to travel farther down the road. 

I glance again at the city in the night, and I long for the freedom I once had back in Mystic Falls.

~~~~~~~~~~

Klaus drags us through Chicago and my eyes memorize the streets. I've been through this part before. From the foggy memories I have, I recognize some of the buildings. The alcohol did more damage than I thought it would. But then again, for small periods of time, I forgot the grief and it did work. Never understood how I could be so good with memories and yet the alcohol could tamper them. But I lived and I learned, and now I don't drink.