Grace // Klaus Mikaelson

30

*trigger warning*/PSA

just so you know before this all kicks off, this scene is going to have some adult themes with the content including a much deeper more explicit version of what happened to Grace and her parents. Obviously this is a trauma I would wish on no one, however, themes and events discussed in this chapter may be triggering to readers and may also be too mature for others. Although I would like to take this time to remind you that the TV series(s) upon which this book is based is rated 15 (at least in the UK, I don't know what it is elsewhere) and so you should keep this in mind for the content throughout, just thought I would give a warning due to the longevity of the adult themes in this chapter.

Any way that is the end of this PSA, this chapter will be a bit of a longer one too in celebration of making it to the 30th chapter!

Stefan opened his eye to an unfamiliar kitchen, Grace stood in front of him her eyes closed and her hands shaking by her side. He slid his hand into hers giving it a gentle squeeze.

It took a second for him to actually appreciate his surroundings, the house felt calm. Brimming with Christmas trimmings, he could smell the food cooking in the oven and heard laughter from the room over.

From Grace's reaction that was her family, she blindly tugged him forward - leading him from the kitchen into the next room.  A roaring fire flooded heat into the room, on one side stood a ginormous tree with presents spilling out from underneath with ornate decorations adorning every branch. At the other end of the room a baby grand was filling the room with beautiful melodies.

At the piano a younger Grace sat beside a man Stefan correctly assumed to be her father - sat atop the baby grand was a woman that was obviously her mother. It wasn't because they looked the same but because her smile simply was the same as Grace's - the way it traveled to their eyes and warmed a room more than any fire could.

As Grace's father tickled the ivories with the occasional input from his daughter, Grace and her mother sang in unison with the notes that were being played.

When Grace said she used to sing he didn't think she meant this, perhaps the occasionally harmonising with the radio but not this, their voices were pure honey.

He squeezed her hand again, the situation looked so full of love and happiness he wasn't quite sure he had revisited the right memory. Turing to face her, he was just fast enough to see her wipe away her tears.

"I was meant to be performing the next day, local choir Christmas fundraiser. I had a solo and everything."

"You were really good."

"Just watch." She said unable to move her eyes, too transfixed by her past she couldn't look away from her family. Stefan's ears pricked, there was a commotion somewhere outside, no one else seemed to notice - not that they would, it was far away and too subtle for human ears to pick up.

Suddenly he was ripped back to the present day Chicago.

"I can't do it."  She whimpered. "I just..."

"Shh." Stefan smiled. "I'm here - this next part is up to you, whatever you want okay." Crashing into his chest she sobbed, her arms tightening around him.  "I know, I know."  He comforted her, his hand tracing small circles on her lower back. He blinked and suddenly they were back at Christmas, she had decided to let him back in.

Still sitting at the piano Grace was singing along to the carol that her dad was playing as her mum just watched, smiling at her husband and child.

Outside there was another scuffle followed by a louder crash - loud enough that Grace's father stopped playing the piano.

"It's probably just an animal poking round the bins Ryan." Grace's mum brushed it off. "Just leave it."