Dark Paradise - Niklaus Mikaelson

Chapter four

When she awoke, Ellika was in a large bed, the soft mattress and warm sheets unfamiliar to her. Sleepily, she rubbed her eyes and began to sit up, arms coming around her to help her. She looked up and found herself staring into the swirling blue of Niklaus's eyes, which as of now held a large amount of concern. 

"Careful, love, " he murmured, gently brushing a strand of hair out of her face. She looked up at him, shock displayed on her features. After speeding away from the witches and his brother, he had fed her his blood, watching her wound stitch itself back together, before covering her in his jacket and speeding to his house on the outskirts of New Orleans, and laying her sleeping form in the bed of one of the many rooms.

"Nik..." She trailed off, choosing to simply stare at the hybrid, as he stared back at her, both in a lost in a trance of wonderment. 

There was a chair beside the large bed that Ellika currently resided in, which the original had been sitting in for hours, watching her sleep. He had things to do, but apart of him had been too afraid to leave in case she didn't wake up. However, after a while, he had left, beginning his plan to take down Marcel; and as part of this plan, Elijah was currently lying daggered in a box in Marcel's attic.

After this, he had returned to his wife's side and waited once more for her to wake up. She had been unconscious for about 72 hours.

Niklaus began to walk back, unsure of how comfortable his love would be around him, having been apart for centuries. Quickly however, she caught his arm, and began to laugh.

Actually laugh. 

The one sound he had craved through near all of his immortal existence, was finally once again echoing in the room, no longer just a memory playing on repeat in the confines of his mind.

The witch then practically launched herself into his arms, clinging to him as if her very being depended solely on the contact within their embrace.

"Nik," she said, this time full of joy, as his arms tightened around her frame. "I can't believe you're here," she laughed again, and Niklaus was sure he had never felt so alive in that moment, despite having spent centuries being a walking corpse.

The hybrid laughed too, smiling wildly as he picked the witch up off of the bed, and placed her on the floor, still not ending the embrace. He didn't think he ever wanted to let go of his Ellika ever again.

However, unfortunately, the siphoner let go at that point, still giggling and said, "I've missed you so much."

Niklaus laughed once again and said teasingly, "Not as much as I've missed you, I assure you."

And with that, they embraced once again.

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Having run her a bath and left her some clothes he thought she would deem suitable, Niklaus left Ellika in the house to meet Marcel. After much discussion, she agreed not to go anywhere and he promised to be back within and hour. The hybrid was still unsure whether he wanted to reveal Ellika to Marcel, or anyone in New Orleans for that matter.

An hour later, Ellika emerged from her room, now with her wet hair in braids and dressed in the outfit Niklaus had provided her with. She had initially frowned at the length of the skirt, but Nik (who had since returned and was now in his study, waiting for Ellika to be done with her bath)  had reassured her it was a common -if not rather modest- length in today's fashion. 

He had refrained from mentioning that he had carefully considered what she would be comfortable in, and that the wardrobe in his - their - room had an entire section dedicated to clothes that he had bought for her, specifically picked out to suit the time but also keep her comfortable.