Savior | Klaus Mikaelson

Chapter 84

Hope was sick again.

"First she was cold," murmured Maddy as she sat beside her, pressing a rag to her forehead. "Now she has a fever. Are you sure you're not in pain, princess?"

"It doesn't hurt," she said quietly. "I just feel so cold."

Maddy sighed, pressing her hand against her neck and feeling her skin was incredibly hot. "You feel cold, but your body is burning up... and I don't know what else to do." She glanced up at Klaus, who was on his phone. "Are the others almost here?"

"They won't stop by the house," he said. "Elijah is going to speak to Vincent directly. Marcel and Hayley have already offered to follow leads with the witches. Elena will bring Anita here. Your brothers are arranging for Theo's transport to the pasture here, and are helping to pack our things, because we brought practically nothing with us."

Hope coughed, and Klaus set his phone down immediately to sit on the other side of her. "Are the birds gone?" she asked him softly.

He nodded, brushing his knuckles across her cheek. "Yeah, they're gone, sweetheart. And when you're better, which will be soon, you and I are going to share the biggest plate of beignets you've ever seen. No one else gets to have them, they're all for you."

Hope managed a smile. "Not even Mom?"

"I'll get your mother a tray of her very own. She loves beignets, and could probably eat hundreds of them." He winked at Maddy before turning back to Hope. "And then, you can tell me where in this big, wide world you'd like me to take you next."

"You always say New Orleans is your favorite place," said Hope.

"It is. But being here in our home, seeing these walls, I am reminded that it is people who are best suited to fill our hearts. Wherever I am... as long as I am with you and with your mother... I am in my favorite place."

Hope closed her eyes for a moment. "Vincent was supposed to help me feel better. But I feel worse."

"I'm sorry, princess," whispered Maddy. "We're not sure why the purification didn't fully work, but we're going to figure it out, okay? Your Uncle Elijah is trying to figure it out, and so are Hayley and Marcel. Your uncles will be here later, they're just working on bringing Theo so you can see him."

"Do you know what it is?" asked Hope. "The Hollow?"

Klaus and Maddy shared a look. "No, sweetheart, we don't," said Klaus.

"It wants those other kids," said Hope. "I can feel them. I think it wants me, too."

"We're not gonna let anything take you," Klaus assured her. "I promise you that. We're going to keep you safe, always and forever."

Hope held up her pinky, and Klaus brought his to hold hers. "Try and sleep, okay?" Maddy said softly. "We'll be right here."

Surprisingly, Hope managed to sleep, her pinky still coiled with Klaus's. Maddy remained there, massaging her head tiredly, and waiting for her phone to chime with any updates.

"Rebekah's heading here," she said after a while. "Matt had to go back to work in Mystic Falls. Jenna and Ric are safer at home, given they have a bun in the oven. Caroline and Tyler are staying to watch over the Willoughby Lake house for a bit, just while everything is moved out, and while we decide whether we want to keep it or sell it. Do you think we should have my brothers bring all our stuff here?"

Klaus glanced around at all the cobwebs in the room, and a broken bit of the wall. "We'll need to fix this place up, first. If this Hollow wants Hope, I'd be inclined to say that we leave as soon as she is well. However, I do not believe that will stop it from hurting her again, given it reached her all the way in Vermont. We could stay here... see the threat reduced to ashes. I'll compel some workers to start working on the opposite wing of the house. Once that is repaired, we will transition to rooms there while we wait for this to be fixed. My sirelings showed no mercy when trashing the place. I'm surprised it wasn't burned down."