empty bottles: k.m.(under construction)

devil in the deep dark quarter - chapter 26

'And to what do I owe the pleasure?'

Astrid smiled at the warm voice of her husband. His simple existence calming her from her stirring feelings. For a century, she had been Klaus in every way. "The tyrannical and all powerful Queen of New Orleans who fell for absolutely no one because she had her hope for a bastard who doesn't deserve her" as Thierry Vanchure so affectionately put it.

With Nik's return to the Quarter, she was getting used to being known again - being exposed. Of course, Marcel was powerful but no one knew Astrid like Niklaus did. He knew her through and through, from her favourite food in every single country the Mikaelsons had rested their heads to what kept her up at night. Nik and Astrid were a pair and no one dared came between them.

This would explain why Marcel had Diego snap her neck that fateful day - even their son knew to not separate them. Astrid had mixed emotions about her conversation with Marcel. On one hand, she was angry at herself for revealing her true opinion to someone who she should consider an enemy and on the other the honest Hybrid Wife had officially returned.

Both husband and wife had temperamental problems but no one pulled Klaus back from the edge more then Astrid. She was the one Rebekah called when she couldn't quell her brothers rage, the brunette would rush past her and grab Klaus without fear. His anger would crumble at her touch.

'How is she?'

Nik had also began to recognise his wife again. Her blindly loyal tendency making him smile but it faltered when he thought of Kieran's condition.

'I'm not sure the Father is going to survive much longer, sweetheart.'

She had to stop for a moment in the street. Her sense of normality slipping through her fingers. She could never forgive Marcel for the part he played in Mikael's arrival but she had lost him nonetheless and now Kieran's demise. 'I should come back'

St Anne's Church.

'Cami?'

Astrid peaked her head around the door and her jaw dropped. 'What the hell happened?'

Father Kieran laid on Davina's old bed hooked up to different wires, but he was dead. 'Cami?' She asked, going to her side. 'Klaus gave him vampire blood'

Astrid looked between the pair in shock, 'He's a-'

'I couldn't just let it end there. I had to say goodbye. I know he's not gonna wanna turn' Cami looked at her friend with tears in her eyes, 'Oh, Cam..' Astrid pulled her into a bear hug, letting her blonde friend cry silently into her shoulder and running a hand through her hair. 'It's gonna be alright, sweetheart'

Nik made eye contact with Astrid and she gave him a small smile, "thank you" she mouthed to him. "it's okay" he mouthed back.

'I'm afraid I have to go.' Klaus spoke up and Cami broke away from Astrid, 'What happens next after he wakes?'.

'He'll be in transition, love. He'll be craving blood but we'll be back before then' Astrid still had hold of her shoulders but wanted to leave with Klaus.

'He's gonna be furious with me. He's a priest. I turned him into a vampire. What kind of desperate move is that?'

'You want to say goodbye to your uncle, Cami. You did nothing wrong.'

'Astrid, could you stay?'

She nodded instantly, welcoming a mending of their relationship.

...

The Hybrid and the human sat together on a pyre and awaited Father Kieran's return, Cami looking like she could burst. 'How do you cope?'

Cami's question threw her off guard. 'Cope with what?'