Savior | Klaus Mikaelson

Chapter 66

Maddy didn't want to let go of Hope.

She held her every chance she got, sitting with her for hours in the NICU, fingers delicately caressing the little girl's hand while they waited to be able to take her home. Since she was doing fine, they only had to stay for another week before they would be allowed to take her to the Compound. Maddy hadn't even wanted to leave the hospital until they were certain Hope could come with them, too.

Everyone had gotten a chance to hold her by then. Even Ansel had dropped by to see her one afternoon that Klaus had gone to the store to get all the baby clothes that they hadn't yet purchased, since they had not expected her to be born so soon. He'd rocked her gently, smiling down at her, noting that her eyes were a dark blue, just like Klaus's.

"Thank you, for everything," said Maddy gently as she sat beside him, opening her arms to take Hope back once Ansel was going to leave. "If you hadn't been there, we both would have died."

He smiled slightly. "It was nothing."

"It wasn't nothing, Ansel, I literally died. I wouldn't have made it out alive if I'd been alone in there with Dahlia. She would have Hope and I'd just be in the Salvatore crypt, rotting away. It's thanks to you that Nik and I have our daughter with us."

He blushed. "How has he been with her?"

Maddy beamed, looking down at Hope, who had fallen asleep again. "He adores her. He's the only one who can calm her down when she cries. For some reason she prefers to be on his chest instead of mine. He talks to her when he thinks I'm asleep. Holds her in front of the window, telling her what her room looks like and how he's already gotten the perfect stroller so that she can see the world when we go out to walk. He feared he wouldn't be a good father, but he's already an excellent one." She put her hand on Ansel's arm before he could leave. "Please come and visit, whenever you'd like."

Ansel shook his head. "Niklaus will not like it."

"And how would you know what I'd like?"

They both froze when they saw Klaus in the doorway. He walked in slowly, hands tucked behind his back. "Forgive me," said Ansel quickly, moving away from Maddy. "I only wished to meet—"

"It isn't a problem," said Klaus calmly. "As Madeleine said, you are welcome to visit." It was clear he still wasn't a big fan of Ansel, and Maddy figured he probably wouldn't want to be present if Ansel came to spend time with Hope, but it was a step in the right direction if he was welcoming Ansel to the Compound even if he would be there. He obviously knew that without Ansel, there would be no Hope, and no Maddy, either.

Ansel's smile was much bigger this time. "Thank you," he said simply, before facing Maddy and nodding. "Get some rest, now."

He walked by Klaus on his way to the door, and Maddy was happy to see that the hybrid didn't tense as Ansel passed him.

"Everything alright?" he asked, coming to sit beside her.

"Everything's just fine," she said, passing Hope to him. "She was awake for him the whole time. Didn't do much more than gurgle, but she moved her hands when he was bottle feeding her."

Klaus looked down at his daughter, who whined a bit in her sleep once she settled comfortably in his arms. "She is absolutely perfect," he whispered. He turned to Maddy, putting one arm around her. "I haven't thanked you yet, love."

She raised a brow, resting her head on his shoulder. "For what?"

"For giving us a beautiful daughter. Enduring a truly terrifying labor and a pregnancy where I kept you trapped out of fear that something would harm you. I hope one day you can forgive me for that."