The Original Baby Girl

Daddys Gentle Touch

As soon so their paws touched the stone floor of the courtyard, Merit flew up to their room as to avoid seeing the deed that had been forced on her.

Klaus paused for a moment to glance towards the study where his siblings all, accept Rebekah of course, sat writhing quietly.

He shook his head at the chaos that had broken out the moment his younger sister had turned to run. She never stood a chance. There was no faster species than a hybrid, before now anyways.

And now they all lie being tormented with a new change. Their cells, at a much more accelerated pace than he had experienced, were altering themselves. One witch and three vampires slowly transitioning into tribrid's. Klaus could hardly imagine the pain that they were suffering. He was already a hybrid when he was bitten. He assumed his prior state accounted for why he didn't have to suffer the pain of that venom circulating throughout his body, burning him alive from the inside, until it changed his very DNA like they had to now suffer through. With a sad sigh that conveyed his self hatred for being unable to help, Klaus jetted off after his little mate.

He found her curled up in their bed. Her beautiful luminescent skin practically glowing with the moonlight streaming in through the time worn panes of glass lining the wall beside the bed.

"Daddy?" Her soft voice flittered across the silent space between them, settling into his heart like a cherished memory.

He quickly shifted back into his flesh form. "I'm here sweet angel." He cooed as he slipped into the sheets behind her and pulled her tightly against his chest.

Merit's face rested gently on his shoulder. "Do you think I'm evil?" She sniffled softly. He knew she struggled with her self image even before the events of the evening, it was ingrained into her long before she was forced into this unfortunate assignment.

"What? No!" Klaus's delicious accent sent shivers down her spine. She could never help her physical reaction to him, it was perfectly instinctual to her. "What happened was not your fault. We knew mother put this task on you. We knew there was a price for running." He softly kissed her jaw line, before whispering into her ear. "This was not your fault."

After a moment of silent contemplation, Merit responded. "But do you think Rebekah will blame me?"

"No. My sister loves you greatly." He smiled encouragingly while he pinched her hip and nipped at her jaw. "More than she probably should." He joked.

Despite her giggles at the sudden tickling Klaus had ministered, Merit was far from happy. As soon as the giggles were able to stop, they did. And then she pushed her face into her Daddy's neck to comfort herself.

Klaus considered his options, he didn't want to push her any further today. He finally decided a long hot bath and then bed would be the best thing for her.

Her pulled her decidedly limp frame from the bed and settled them both into the bath after running the shower head over them first to sweep the earth from their tired bodies and down the drain. Klaus filled the tub with relaxingly hot water after they were settled in comfortably.

"Why do you love me? Is it because you have to?" The sudden, and heartbreaking, question broke the silence and startled them both.

"You should know by now sweet angel that I don't do anything that I don't want to." He practically scoffed.

"But you do have to." She stated sadly.

"No. I was given you as a gift. And I've known about you for a great number of years." He smiled remembering the moment he knew she was ready for him to find her. "I had every opportunity to ignore you and keep going on the path that I was. I didn't want to. I didn't know who you were, but I knew you were going to love me and cherish me for as long as I love and cherish you. I wanted you more than you could possibly fathom, and I love you because I've always loved you." He told her in a soft voice as he poured water over her hair lathering it clean, and rinsing out the strawberry scented soap. He soaked her hair in conditioner next, before brushing through it to de-tangle the mess, to give her hair a luxuriously silky texture.

"Always?" She splashed the water as she turned to look at him over her shoulder.

"Yes." He kissed her nose. "Always. Even when your vile mother would apologize to me for you running to my legs after returning from a hunting trip." He ran his nose along hers, not unlike the wolf they both were hiding under their skins. "I loved it when you would look up at me with those beautiful blue eyes and cheer with excitement. The way your little arms felt wrapped around my neck when I would lift you up. You were the most darling thing in the whole world to me then, just as you are now." He smiled gently.

"Why didn't you ask my mother for me?" Her lips began to quiver softly.

"No sweet angel. Don't cry." He hugged her close. "I wasn't old enough for my father to let me take a bride." He sighed heavily. "I would have had to wait a few more years to ask for you."

"It's not fair." She wailed. "Why couldn't I come first?" Her little age quickly slipped back down into place, and a little younger than usual. He found it comforting whenever she did this.

He could feel a tantrum coming on, this made him turn his lip up in a slightly hidden smile. "You did come first sweetheart. I just wasn't allowed to act on my desires. So I had to keep them to myself." He frowned at the memory of his father silencing him with his fist whenever he 'spoke out of turn'. "But I did always put you first sweet girl."

"That's not fair!" Merit pouted and splashed the water angrily.

"Yes, I know." He laughed as he restrained her arms. "Nothing that wretch of a father ever did was fair." He smiled as he kissed her nose.

"I would have killed him if I knew." Her tone was serious as her fangs elongated and eyes became jet black and vibrant gold.

"I know you would have." He smiled gently as he nipped at her nose that was mere inches from his. "You have always been a fierce little thing." He kissed her closed eyes. "That's why I love you. Because you are not afraid to be yourself. Regardless of others."

"Really?" She sighed heavily and lay down against his chest. "I always thought you were tolerating me."

"That is a lie." He growled loudly, startling her. "I loved you even when I caught you sneaking down to the creek to watch me bathe. I loved you for the countless times you would bring me a burnt portion of the food I brought back from the hunt. I loved you even when when others spoke ill of you and looked down on anyone who was gentle with you."

"You did?" She asked, clearly shocked. "I never knew."

"Of course I did. You were my sweet angel. Always and forever." He pulled her into his lap and kissed the side of her neck. "Why do you think I'd let you sit in my lap while I told the children stories of our hunts? Or why I made those many paintings for you?" He kissed the side of her jaw softly. "I loved you then, as I love you now."

The two chattered on about their past together, discussing different aspects of their lives and memories together. Klaus washed their bodies and rinsed the conditioner from her silky locks before drying them both head to toe.

Klaus would never let Merit go to bed with wet hair for fear of developing sores on her scalp as she used to as a young girl. He cuddled her small frame tightly and kissed her neck softly before they both fell into a deep and exhausted sleep.