#0.08 : The Mimic //COMPLETE//

0.7 - The Calm

When Claudia finally regained consciousness, it was dusk. Of the next day. Five sat patiently by her bedside for a few hours each day. He was waiting to ask her about what she could do with his abilities.

"Claudia," the shit-eating grin he normally wore was plastered all over his face. "You appear to be better now."

"Yeah, I guess," she answered, "head hurts like a bitch though."

"Diego said you could do more with Klaus's power than he could," he started, "Have you discovered anything else about mine? I know we were close when we were kids."

Claudia shook her head. "The best I can do is spacial jump a little bit farther than you. I was always cautious about Father's warnings about time travel, especially after you disappeared."

"Damn it," he muttered. "I was really hoping you had figured something out about time travel that I couldn't. You were always bright way back when."

"Yeah, but quantum physics really aren't my thing," Claudia laughed, getting up off the bed. "Has anyone found Klaus?"

"He was in his room when I went by," Five told her. "What's more, he time traveled too. Not sure where he went, or should I say when but he was there for almost a year."

"I need to see him," she pulled on her hoodie and walked across the hall.

Klaus was inside alright. Bloody footprints led from the bath to his room. He looked exhausted and out of it. When Claudia walked in, he barely noticed her.

"Klaus," she whispered, gently approaching him. "I was so worried about you."

Her arms gently wrapped around his waist and pulled him close to her. She had always loved the way he smelled freshly out of the bath. Like lavender and vanilla.

"I- I was kidnapped," He swallowed, trying to find the words to describe it. "I didn't know where I was, and I was sober again, and they were just so.. so loud." A tear escaped his eye and felt on the top of Claudia's head. When he glanced down he saw the wound the mace had left there just a couple of days ago.

"What happened here?" He asked, but Claudia just shook her head.

"It's nothing. Just a scratch," she tried to get him to tell her about what he'd been through. "What happened to you?"

Klaus's mood flipped like a light switch. "I don't want to talk about it right now, Claudia," he snapped. "It was a long day, okay?"

Claudia pulled away from him and stared at his face, he was irritated with her. "Klaus, what's going on with you?" She asked, crossing her arms over her chest. "You've never been like this before."

"Just leave me alone for now, okay?" He hissed, walking out of the room in silence.

Claudia followed at a distance. She had heard these signs repeated to her time and time again, from patients at her shop. Patients who had come back from war. She shook her head to herself. That couldn't be possible, could it? And if it was, what war did he go back in time to?

She followed Klaus into the entryway. He took a look at the fallen chandelier. "What happened here?" He asked.

Claudia shrugged. "I don't know, I was unconscious for that part."

Klaus turned to her with an expression twisted with worry. "I knew you would be in trouble without me. I'm so sorry," he apologized. "I wish I could have been there." He sobbed.

Claudia stood in front of him on her tip toes and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "It's okay. I'm okay. I— I should have been there to protect you."