Simple Secrets || N. Mikaelson

~2~

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Talia leaned against the counter of the bartop, her black hair tied into a clean bun, brown eyes studying the granules of wood. She was waiting for her 1 o'clock. Who appeared to be quite late. 

Lifting her eyes, she found herself meeting green ones and a smile touched her lips. "Sammy, so you're my informer." 

The man nodded, looking mildly anxious, but that was his usual look. "Yeah, Ms. Talia, I am."

Talia nodded, tapping her nails against the bartop briefly and uncrossed her legs before crossing them again. She was itching for information on the doppelganger, anything to make him happy. The yellow lights above highlighted the young woman in an eery beauty, giving her the appearance of someone dead. Her skin looked glowing but paler, shadows cast under her beautiful eyes. It was how she felt, on the inside at least. 

"Alright, what can you tell me about her?"

Sammy leaned forward, his green eyes flitting away from Talia's searching gaze before quickly meeting it again. The woman briefly wondered what he was thinking, but the thought left her mind as soon as he spoke. 

"Her name is Elena Gilbert and she lives in Mystic Falls, an orphan. She, uh, she's got these two vampire brothers looking out for her, another Katherine, if I'm honest. The Salvatores." 

Talia chuckled softly at the name, memories of her past coming to play. She had known a Salvatore once in her life, a long time ago, though. A Damon Salvatore, a real piece of work vampire. She had never really liked him, he was an arrogant bastard, but he was a good guy, deep inside. "Thank you, Sammy, I'll be sure to have Klaus take you off the List if that information proves fruitful."

"Of course, Ms. Talia. Tell Klaus that it's a pleasure doing business with him." Sammy stood and ushered off, his hunched back making it harder and easier to get through the crowd. Talia almost sighed, Sammy was a good informer but he had screwed Klaus over, and the thing was, there was no way not to have Klaus Mikaelson kill you once you've betrayed him. 

The young woman stood, wiping dust and grime from her black pencil skirt, momentarily checking her hair in the mirror behind the bar, she headed back to her Maserati Granturismo convertible and prepped herself for the four hour drive home. 

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Klaus lounged on his couch sipping bourbon when the front door opened and the familiar footsteps of Talia's heels click-clacked their way towards him. He felt that familiar excitement at seeing her, his heart skipping a beat at the sight of the stunning brunette beauty in front of him. 

He fought the urge to smile and pull her into his embrace as the anxiety of her leaving his sight, even for a few hours, drifted away. He didn't truly know what he would ever do if he did not have Talia. 

But, his companion's dark eyes held a look he hadn't seen on her much. Rebellion. 

"Talia, did the informant prove fruitful?" He stood slowly, stretching like a cat awakening from it's nap. His eyes wandered over her, as if her presence meant nothing to him, and slowly moved to the coffee table that held his bourbon. 

Filling another glass and swishing it around, the vampire tilted his head and caught Talia's gaze, letting her know it was okay to speak. Over the years the woman had become quite obedient, a trait he wasn't sure if he approved of or not, some days he wished he just had someone to challenge him, not another person who obeyed his every command in fear of him. Had he caused this? Had he forced her into this submission? 

"Yes, it did, Klaus. Yet, before I tell you what I learned, I want to make a deal." Sudden fear filled Talia's dark eyes and he watched as she nervously wet her lips and popped her knuckles. She was terrified of him. 

"Oh? What deal do you wish to make?" He gave her a onceover, attempting to construct a vague idea of what was going on inside her head. 

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Talia was tired, that was what she was thinking in the moment. She was tired of being used as a symbol, a perfect trophy wife that followed Klaus from place to place and made everyone see him as this powerful man with a beautiful woman at his side. She wanted her freedom, and the drive back here made her realize that she would never get it if she was chained to him always. 

It was a weary existence and Talia Monroe wanted more. Craved more. Klaus used to tell her everyday she was beautiful, he attempted to tame the self-deprecating thoughts that had plagued her mind. Yet now he was busy, off doing his thing but always expecting her to be there waiting. She did not want to wait anymore. 

Today was the day she would finally be free, as long as the words were able to leave her mouth. 

"I want my freedom, Nik. From you, from this life. I can't be constrained to only leaving the house when following something for you. I'm your soulmate, not your maid or assistant. I'm a woman, not a trophy wife for you to cart around and make others jealous. I want to leave. Permanently." 

Klaus looked in shock, his red-tinted lips parting, his blue eyes staring at her with this sudden fury. "Talia--"

"No, Nik! You have lived a thousand years, I've only lived fifty. Thirty years at your side, I want my independence." Talia sucked in a breath and kept his gaze, trying to stay dominant for once. 

"If you die, I die, you know that. I have to keep you safe." His fury only grew, blue eyes held betrayal and pain, but he couldn't enact that rage onto her, she was only human. 

"Keep me safe? More like keep me in a box. You treat me just like you have treated Rebekah, Kol and Finn for a millenium. Who does that? You're my best friend, Klaus, and I love you, but I can't stay with you, not anymore." She felt tears gather in her eyes and similar tears were gathering in his. The rage was slowly becoming a sadness and the two stayed apart, staring at each other with agonizing pain in their souls. 

"I understand, love. But I hope you understand that without you, my life loses meaning." 

Talia sighed and wiped away the stray tears that leaked onto her cheeks. She moved forward and wrapped her arms around him, holding her best friend close. "You lived a thousand years before me, now that I have found the doppelganger you can live without me, build your Hybrid army and no longer be alone." She rested her palms on his cheeks, letting his arctic blue eyes focus onto her earthy brown ones. Talia let him briefly enter her head for the information before pulling away, a soft breath exiting her lungs. 

"Talia, be safe, please." He pressed his lips to her forehead, his eyes closing momentarily as the pain of the two separating slid over them. They had never truly left each other before, so the question they were both thinking was how would this entail?