[2] Darkest Hour • The Originals ✓

l.

chapter fifty.

When Katherine woke up, the last thing she expected was to see Kai Parker at her bedside asleep in the chair. She looked around the room and recognized it as her own before her gaze settled on Kai again.

He looked peaceful, something he never really is due to the fact that he's always in his head. It was never a dull moment with Malachai Parker, but Katherine noticed that if you looked a little more, looked a little deeper, you could see that he just wanted to be accepted. Flaws and all.

It was why he and Rhea were best friends, why he was able to click with everyone here because no one judged him for what he had done. Sure, it could've been handled differently but at the same time his anger and feelings were justified.

Katherine couldn't imagine what he had felt when he learned that in order to keep him from merging with Jo because he'd win, his parents kept trying for twins. To be already considered an abomination is something that Matthias and Klaus knew all too well, it was why they didn't hesitate to remind Kai that despite being called such things, there are greater things in life to come.

Katherine didn't realize that she had been staring at him for a while until Kai opened his eyes and blinked several times. Katherine's face heated up as she averted her gaze in the hopes of not being caught.

"You're awake." Kai's sleepy voice hit her ears and she almost wanted to swoon at how nice it sounded. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I was run over by a truck." Katherine said after clearing her throat. "I'm a vampire Kai, I'm fine." She told him softly.

Kai frowned at that. "You were drained of your blood, injected with high amounts of vervain, and then tortured." He listed off and Katherine winced at the memory. "You are not fine."

"Would you be angry if I told you that I let Aurora do those things." Katherine said sheepishly as she noticed the rage and disbelief appear in Kai's eyes. "Kai, let me explain."

"Explain?" He asked her as he stood from his seat and began pacing at the end of her bed. "Katherine, I have never in my life met a more stubborn and idiotic woman than you. Yes, I was locked in a prison world but that doesn't mean I haven't met other people." Kai told her and Katherine was doing her best not to laugh at that. "Why in the world would you let her do that?"

Katherine sighed as she got onto her knees and crawled to the edge of the bed. Despite the slight hesitation, she reached out and grabbed Kai's hands, prompting him to stop and turn towards her. Katherine easily tugged him towards her, and she wrapped her arms around his middle as he remained froze in place.

"Elijah robbed Aurora, Tristian, and Lucien of a life by compelling them. Now, I don't care for the men, but Aurora is in love with Klaus and from what I remember from Matthias, he loves her too." Katherine softly explained. "I helped Aurora get her revenge on Elijah, deep down somewhere a part of me knows that Elijah loves me still, but I no longer love him or want him. So, I helped Aurora reveal a secret that Klaus deserved to know because it would give Klaus that final push to let Elijah go."

"You're supposed to be selfish." Kai told Katherine, making the girl giggle. "Why can't you just be selfish again?"

Katherine couldn't help but laugh as she pulled back a bit and smiled up at Kai. "I still am selfish, but Klaus is like a brother to me, I want the best for him."

Kai shook his head and wrapped his arms around Katherine, finally hugging her. "You're going to be the death of me."

"You're immortal Kai." Katherine reminded him. "I have an eternity of giving you heart attacks though." She joked.