Dusk til Dawn | n.mikaelson (book one)

XIII: Ordinary People

"Tell me about your family." Briana whispered confidently as she sat up straight in the bed she shared with Klaus. 

She had begged him to stay to keep her mind off everything and everyone back home. At least that's what she told herself, but selfishly she enjoyed talking with him. Learning about his experiences of the course of his life that made him who he is, but there was one thing he never spoke about: his family. 

He shot her a confused look which she returned with a sigh, "Come on, we always talk about me. I want to know more about you." She persisted.

His arm wrapped around her shoulder, his free handed twirling a piece of her hair in between his fingers. She gave him a look with begging eyes that made it impossible for him to refuse whatever she asked. 

He sighed in defeat, "We were normal once, when we were human. A simple family. Mother, father, siblings." He spoke softly, vulnerably. 

Briana adjusted herself underneath his arm, laying on his chest she rose her head upwards to watch as he spoke. His eyes still fixated on the hair in between his fingers. 

"You were close with your siblings." Briana inquired. "What happened?" 

"I loved them. All 5 of them. I still do. But a choice had to be made. For awhile, Rebekah was the only one who stood by me." He spoke slowly, a sad smile creeping on to his face at the mention of his siblings. 

"I didn't realize there are 6 of you." She spoke, encouraging him to continue the conversation. 

"My mother bore 7 children. The oldest died before I was born. Plague. There there was my oldest brother Finn, Elijah who you've met, Me, Kol, Rebekah and my youngest brother Henrik." Briana noticed a tinge of sadness in his voice at the mention of each of them, but specifically Henrik. 

"Henrik was young when he died. I had taken him out on the night of the full moon where we were attacked by werewolves. It was forbidden, but I was always so drawn to them. Henrik didn't survive. Besides my mother's infidelity, it was the moment in my life that truly fueled my father's hatred towards me." Klaus spoke and refused to make eye contact with the brunette. 

He spoke with apprehension that at any moment Briana would realize the monster he had become. But she didn't, she listened intently, grateful to be learning more about him and how he came to be the way he is. 

"I'm so sorry." She whispered comfortingly, her hand making his way to his face to stroke his face. 

It was then when they first made eye contact. He immediately felt seen. Not for the persona he portrayed, but for the person who truly is on the inside. The boy who just wanted to be loved. To be wanted for all of his flaws. 

He grabbed her hand from his cheek and brought it to his lips, kissing it softly as a sign of gratitude for her lack of judgement. She smiled softly. 

"This was just the beginning of my father's endless abuse. He would tie me up, beating me senseless, bounded my werewolf side all while my siblings watched. He made sure I knew that he was stronger and he always would be, and I would always be an abomination. One that had taken one of his children from him. His real children." 

The last sentences sent shivers down her spine as she related. While Bill's abuse was never physical, he acted completely different towards the girl the second his biological child was born. 

Briana's heart ached for Klaus. She assumed this was just the beginning of the abuse Klaus endured at his father's hand. A person in his life who was supposed to protect him and love him unconditionally, was the one who caused him the most pain.