SLEEP | N. MIKAELSON

ten

Klaus didn't know how to react to Vanessa's confession. He understood now why she didn't like to be touched, and why her past seemed to haunt her so badly.

He wanted nothing more than to hold her in his arms and tell her that everything would be alright. He wanted her to feel safe with him, to trust him. But he knew that it would take time. And it just so happened time was the one thing Klaus had plenty of.

"You think I'm crazy now, don't you?" Vanessa finally broke the silence that had settled in the room. "You don't want anything to do with me anymore."

"That's not true," he shook his head. "I think you've suffered through terrible hardships without asking for assistance because you were scared. But you don't have to scared anymore, because I'm going to help you. I promise."

"But I am just all kinds of messed up and you can't see that."

"Oh, I see it alright, love. Of course I see it. But I believe that everyone is messed up. You just have to decide what kind of messed up you're into," Klaus let out a soft chuckle; it was the kind Vanessa wanted to hear over and over again for a very long time.

She looked up at him with tired, bloodshot eyes, and she looked past the tough exterior. Vanessa saw the young boy that had been mistreated as a child, she saw the boy who knew her pain and she felt a piece of her heart for him.

"You were abused too, weren't you?" Her voice was soft, not wanting to reopen old wounds.

Klaus licked his lips and rolled them between his teeth before answering, "Yes, I was."

She didn't know what to say, so she told him she was sorry. He told her not to be, that it was a long time ago, that he had healed. It wasn't the whole truth, but it was enough to ease her worries.

"I'm tired, Klaus," she said wearily, "and I'm scared. I am so scared to fall asleep because every time I do I see their faces. I hear their screams. I smell the smoke and I feel like I'm choking. I'm tired, and I can't wait for this all to be over. I can't wait until I'm dead."

He wanted to tell her that she couldn't possibly mean it, but he knew from the broken look in her dull eyes that she did.

"I can help with that, if you like," Klaus offered. "You can go to sleep and I promise that you will dream of nothing but happy endings. All you have to do is trust me."

"How can I trust you when I barely know you?"

"You trusted me enough to tell me of your past, didn't you?" Vanessa wouldn't admit it, but she did trust him. More than she had trusted anyone before. "C'mon, love, take a chance."

She bit her lip and finally nodded. Klaus motioned for her to come closer and she found herself laying in his arms. Vanessa felt at peace, she wanted to stay in that moment forever.

"Close your eyes," his soothing voice instructed. "Just relax. You're safe with me."

Vanessa did as she was told, and soon enough she had fallen asleep. Although, this time she wasn't haunted by ghosts of her past.

For the first time in a long time, Vanessa fell asleep and went to a place where she felt nothing but pure happiness.