OUTCASTS
— 29. Ruined

When Klaus had finally found Cadence, she was sitting in the compound, his baby in her arms. Hayden and Hunter sat beside her silently, staring down at the ground. They were in shock, to be true. Who wouldn't be, especially at their age?

What confused Klaus the most was that Marcel stood near her and around them were the bodies of all Marcel's vampires.

"I was too late," Marcel spoke up and Klaus gave him a look of confusion, "There should have been more time and yet, they're all dead."

"Looks like the wolves came back and finished what they started," Klaus answered quietly. He continued to stare at Cadence, wondering what her reasoning was. What did she gain from taking the baby there? Why would she care about these vampires getting cured?

"You took my daughter so I would heal Marcel and his friends," Klaus spoke softly and Cadence nodded slightly, "Just so you wouldn't have to go against my wishes and siphon the venom yourself."

"They protected me half my life. The least I could do is save theirs," Cadence replied and shrugged her shoulder.

"I suppose I've never seen such loyalty before. It's admiring," Klaus replied, smiling softly. He moved closer to Marcel, pulling up his sleeve, "Here."

Marcel sighed, staring up at Klaus. "This bite..." He trailed off uneasily and he looked around at the bodies, "All this. I know it didn't come from nowhere. This is the last note in a song that I started a century ago when I brought your dad to town. And for that, I'm sorry."

Klaus shook his head and knelt beside Marcel. "No," He argued, placing his hand on the man's shoulder, "You saved my child's life, Marcel. For that..." He trailed off and held his wrist out, "You deserve this."

Hesitantly, Marcel nodded and drank from Klaus' wrist as the older man continued to speak. "We will take down whoever brought this upon us," He promised as Marcel pulled away from his wrist, "I swear it."

Cadence smiled softly as she watched Klaus and Marcel share glance. She knew how much they cared for each other and yet they were both so stubborn about it.

Slowly, Klaus turned to her. He placed a hand on her shoulder and looked down at his baby. She laid in Cadence's arms, sound asleep despite the day she had.

"May I?" Klaus asked and Cadence smiled softly. The immortal hybrid cautiously grabbed his daughter, who began to cry as the sudden movement.

"Shh," He soothed her and began to smile more than he had ever expected he would, "It's okay. Hey there."

"Amazing, isn't it?" Cadence spoke up and rubbed his back affectionately, "The feeling of holding your child for the first time. There's nothing quite like it."

Klaus turned to Marcel and Cadence, beginning to laugh happily.

Feeling an odd sensation, from where they sat, the twins turned. They looked in the direction of the doorway, where they saw a man standing there. Blood covered his face and he held a stake in his hands, his eyes filled with hatred as he glared at Cadence and Klaus.

"It's not real," Hayden insisted and Hunter nodded, a part of him still feeling uneasy.

____

Later that day, in the compound, Klaus and Elijah sat in a room together, discussing what was to be done now that they knew Esther was the one behind the ritual that almost cost them the twins and Klaus' baby.

Hayley sat in the room next to them, holding Hope in her arms. In the same room as her, Cadence sat with the twins, reading a book with them.

"We should have felt our mother's hand in this," Klaus spoke to Elijah quietly, shaking his head, "We should have known she would not be bound by anything as obvious as death. And now she has control of the witches. And not only that, she craves the power within Cadence and her twin boys. They will never stop."

"No," Elijah agreed in a low tone.

"Nor would I expect the Guerrera wolves to back down. Hayley and the child are wolf royalty, as are Hunter and Hayden. And as such, they are a threat to Francesca's claim to leadership. They will never be safe," Klaus explained and turned to Elijah briefly.

"What was it you said to me earlier? That I've made enemies every day of my miserable life?" Klaus had asked and Elijah attempted to speak up to apologize, "Well, the worst of them are within these borders, brother. I have brought into the world a weapon they can use against me. And now we have involved others and they too face our enemies unwillingly..." He trailed off, glancing toward where Cadence sat with her two sons.

"Then we will arm ourselves," Elijah declared, refusing to admit defeat, "Brother, we've fought every adversary in this town and we have won. And we'll find them again, no matter who they are. We'll make this home a fortress."

"I will not have her live her life as a prisoner," Klaus argued back in a hushed tone.

"Then we leave here together, all of us. Cadence and the twins with us," He insisted and Klaus couldn't help but feel surprised by Elijah's sudden need to protect them. To be truth, he felt responsible now. They were just like Hayley. They didn't realize involving themselves with Klaus lead to a lifetime of heartbreak and chaos. And Elijah had been cleaning up Klaus' messes for centuries.

"Wherever we go, however far we run, those who seek power and revenge will hunt us, they will hunt her," He explained, lowering his head in shame as he spoke of his child, "She has inherited all of our enemies with none of our defenses."

"So whether we stay or we leave, we condemn them all," Elijah replied in disappointment.

"Cadence and her sons will never leave," Klaus declared, shaking his head slightly, "She has protected them their entire lives. She has her own way of doing it. She won't run. Nor will Hayley."

"Then what is there to do?" Elijah asked, a part of him feeling hopeless.

"There is a third option," Hayley spoke up and walked into the room carrying her baby, "I grew up in a war zone. My parents thought they could protect me, but in the end, they were slaughtered and I spent my childhood alone and unloved."

Hayley sighed deeply, staring down at the baby sadly. "I made a promise to my baby and to myself. That she would not grow up like I did. That she would grow up safe and loved,  and yet here she is on her first day in this world, with a grandmother who is bent on sacrificing her and--" She began to choke up a sob, "A..A mother who has to drink the blood of her own baby to survive transitioning into a hybrid. And I'm the one who loves her the most."

Klaus and Elijah sighed, staring up at the woman sadly. "I think the only thing to do is send her away," Hayley revealed, much to Klaus and Elijah's shock, "While we stay behind and clean up the mess we made."

"No," Elijah immediately argued back, shaking his head.

From where she sat in the other room, Cadence sighed. She eavesdropped on the conversation, but a part of her knew Hayley had a point. The only valid one.

The safest place the baby could be was away from them.

"This is insane," Elijah complained, immediately standing up from his seat, "You heard Genevieve. So long as she lives, that baby will be hunted."

Slowly, Klaus stood up and walked closer to Hayley. He turned to Elijah, a determined look on his face. "Not if no one knows she lives," He announced and Cadence turned, her eyes widening in surprise.

Elijah frowned, not understanding what Klaus meant. "What is it that you intend to do, brother?"

"Whatever it takes to save our family," Klaus declared, clenching his jaw.

About an hour had passed before Klaus found Cadence. She stood on the balcony overlooking the quarter, an unreadable expression on her face.

The twins were asleep in another room after the day they had, not that anyone could blame the poor children.

Turning her head slightly, Cadence had noticed Klaus walk in. She turned to face him, a cold look on her face.

"Cadence--" He began to say and Cadence shook her head.

"No," She spoke in a low tone, causing Klaus to frown.

"What do you mean, no?" Klaus questioned, moving closer to her, "You don't even know what I'm about to say, love."

"Actually, I do," Cadence paused, folding her arms across her chest, "You want me to leave this city, too. With Hayden and Hunter. I won't do it."

"Cadence," Klaus grabbed the girl's arms, but Cadence refused to meet eyes with him, "Just think about it."

"No. I'm not leaving, Klaus!" Cadence shouted at him, ripping her arms from his grip, "Anywhere I go, my sons will be in danger. They were born with targets on their back and we've made it this far."

"Cadence--" Klaus tried again but it was no use. He knew how stubborn she was and deep down, he knew she had a point.

"No, Klaus," Cadence shook her head and sighed, moving closer to him, "I'm not going anywhere and you can't make me leave. You can't make me do anything. Not unless I already want to do it and I don't want to leave."

She laughed humorlessly, shaking her head. "You have no say in what I do. It's not like your my boyfriend," She growled at him and Klaus lowered his head, avoiding eye contact with her.

There was a moment of silence between them, both of them unable to look at each other. Neither had no clue what they had become to each other. They cared deeply for each other and had kissed a couple times, but beside that, what even were they?

   Finally, Klaus lifted his head. He stared at her closely, unable to read her features. "You're right. I'm not," He finally spoke up, his tone cold and low, "You were nothing more than a partner, an ally in this war. And now this battle has come to an end, perhaps this partnership should end with it."

Not expecting such a statement, Cadence's face fell, her cold demeanor suddenly disappearing. She forced herself not to show it but what he said had hurt. More than anything.

A partnership?

Even if she knew he was only saying it to drive her away. She knew because she did the same thing.

"You're trying to push me away," Cadence argued, shaking her head in disapproval, "It won't work. I know what you're doing. Because I do it, too. I know because we are the same."

Cadence smiled sadly, moving closer to him. She tried to grab his hand, only to watch as he rejected her. "We are not the same, Cadence. You're not like me and hopefully, you never will be. Don't ever compare yourself to me," He told her quietly, trying to hide his shame.

As he stood in front of her, Klaus could see the pain in her eyes but he forced himself not to acknowledge it. He had to make her leave. He couldn't lost her because of the enemies he had made over the last ten centuries. Not her.

"Cadence, I..." He trailed off, forcing himself to remain calm and collected, "I appreciate you and everything you've done for my family and me since we've met, but our involvement with each other cannot continue any longer. Whatever it is...this connection between us, it must stop before it gets too deep."

"Why are you doing this, Klaus?" Cadence managed to get out as she forced herself not to cry. The tears were aching to spill but she couldn't. She couldn't let herself cry. Not over Klaus. Not over someone she shouldn't have cared about in the first place. It was her own fault. She had been warned about how it would end and yet, she had refused to believe it.

"I'm doing this to protect you," He finally told her, tears threatening to spill from his own eyes, "I have enemies at every angle and they are hellbent on destroying anything I care about, everything I find beautiful and..." He trailed off and cupped her face in his hands, "You are beautiful. And kind and caring, even if you don't want to admit it.  And I found myself falling for you, more than I would have ever expected to. You've been at my side this entire time, more than anyone else has been for centuries. Against those seen and unseen. Never once have I ever had someone understand my reasonings without judging me. Who thought like me. But you do. But it must end. All of it."

Cadence stared up at Klaus, trying not to cry. How could he confess his love and ruin what they have in the same breath?

"Klaus, please don't do this," She pleaded, choking back a sob, "I told you. I told you how everyone leaves me. And yet you do this?"

"Please, just go," Klaus pleaded, unable to look her in the eye. It pained him far too much, "I know I cannot compel you, but I am begging you. Leave. Please. Before it's too late. I don't wish for you to be ruined by this family as like so many others have been in the past."

"You've already ruined me," Cadence spoke in a soft whisper, wiping the tears from her eyes.

Hearing her words, Klaus's eyes filled with hurt. He sighed, watching as the girl turned on her heel before leaving.

He remained silent, slowly walking out of the room to see Cadence leading her two sleepy sons out of one of the bedrooms.

He forced himself to close his eyes for a moment, trying to hold back his tears. When he opened them, he watched Hunter awkwardly wave at him as they walked past him, obviously sensing the tension.

Hayden, on the other hand, fought against his mother's grip on his wrist, trying to move toward Klaus.

"Hayden, what are you---" Cadence began to ask, only to sigh as she watched him run over to Klaus.

Hayden smiled innocently as he ran over to Klaus, holding out a piece of paper. "I drew this for you," He informed the hybrid, handing him the paper.

Surprised, Klaus grabbed the paper and smiled softly at the boy. "Thank you, Hayden."

Hayden gave the man a soft smile, just before leaving with his mother and brother.

Klaus stood still for a moment. He watched hesitantly as they left, just before slowly looking down at the paper Hayden had given him.

Klaus felt a pit in his stomach as he stared down at the drawing. His eyes filled with tears at the sight of five stick fingers. Three of which were smaller than the rest.

It was supposed to be Klaus, Cadence, Hayden, Hunter, and Hope.

He couldn't help but smile sadly at the sight of it. It pained him more knowing there was a chance he'd never see Cadence or the twins again. It was for the best, though.

He refused to let any of them get hurt because of him. Especially the twins. They were innocent in all of it. They had no clue that the man they adored so much was an immortal hybrid who had killed thousands. With a list of enemies longer than a dictionary.

  They were already in danger because of what they were and who their parents were, being around Klaus would only make that beacon of danger worse.

It was for the best, Klaus continued to think to himself.

But was it really?

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Season one is finally done 🤪🤪

I have so many plans for season two from years ago and honestly it's a relief to finish up season one because that was what really had me in a writers block.

And now season two is here!!!