Rue | Klaus Mikaelson

Chapter 22

Ibeth still kept her distance.

She wasn't going to rush back to the Compound just because Klaus made another promise (that he likely wouldn't keep) about being on her best behavior.

She figured maybe if, after a few months of him behaving that may, she felt more comfortable, then she would visit more often, mostly for Hope's sake. But she still had no intention of living there again, not even once the baby was born.

Klaus was going to have to work very hard for her to consider him someone worthy of being in her child's life.

Even without considering what Klaus was attempting to do, the Compound wasn't all that safe. Since Ariane spouted out her prophecy, the Mikaelsons were working nonstop to determine what she was talking about, what the weapon could probably be.

Davina, though glued to Kol's side, was still able to warn them that Ariane's vision likely wouldn't stay secret for long. The Strix Sisters were connected through the magic they performed together, and sooner or later one would either obtain the same vision through that connection to Ariane, or worse— Ariane herself would tell them. It was only a matter of time before they were in a race to find this item.

Ibeth was better off away from that frenzy.

"Well, I think it's a good idea to be here instead," said Nick, who was trying to do pull-ups from a tree branch. "Klaus really needs to check if people are actually asleep before he goes and does his little confessions."

"I'm assuming he knew you were awake even if I didn't," said Ibeth. "He probably just doesn't care because he knows you'll find out anyway. I tell you about the situation because you're old enough to understand it."

"And you know I wouldn't like it if you kept things from me. Aiden was the person you would tell about all that stuff. He's not here anymore, so it has to be me."

Ibeth nodded grimly. "It's been almost half a year now. Since he died. A part of it still feels unreal."

"He'd be really happy that you're having a baby," said Nick solemnly. "He always wanted to be the cool uncle."

"That's what kills me about this," she murmured, hands once again subconsciously drifting to her belly. "He was supposed to get to be here... he was supposed to have a chance to be with Josh, to watch you go to college, to hold my hand when I gave birth. He'd be cracking all sorts of jokes to distract me, I already know it. And I always thought if I had any children, I'd want them to know him. I'd want them to know all of my brothers. But first we lost Eve. Then Oliver. He betrayed us... but we still grew up together and I still cared for him. Then Aiden. Now I just have you and Jackson. Which is good, but I always imagined all four of you would be spoiling any kid I had. I imagined if I had a daughter, she would get all of you to play dress-up with her. It would be funny watching her try to braid your hair. She would climb on Eve's shoulders and ask to be walked around the Bayou like a little princess. And if I had a son, he'd learn his first curse word from Ollie, his second from Aiden, and his third from you. He'd learn to wrestle with you and he'd learn to do pull-ups from Jackson's arm. He'd follow them around like a lost puppy, so intrigued by everything they'd do. And boy or girl, my Grandma Mary would cook for them every day, make sure they're nice and strong and healthy. She'd sit them on her knee and tell them stories of what the Pack used to be like. Everything was supposed to be different. Not like this. I was supposed to have my sister and my brothers there to help show my children all the love they could possibly ask for. They'd have one big happy united family. Not a broken one like mine."

"You still have a sister," said Nick. "Just not the one you thought of, initially. Hayley will be there. Jackson and I will, too. And I know you're close with Rebekah and Freya, and even a bit with Elijah. And I know Vincent and Cami are gonna love this kid to death. Even Marcel and Kol will be really nice to it, I think. You'll have a whole village that's gonna love your little boy... or girl, if Hope is wrong. It just... is missing some key people, I know that. And it's never gonna hurt less that they're not here. But you'll be here and so will we and we'll tell them stories about Eve, Oliver, and Aiden so that even if they didn't get to meet them, they'll know what they meant to us."