Klaus jerked awake, hissing and clutching his side. There was a rather stubborn wound there that refused to heal.

"Morning." I got back on the bed, my legs curled under me, fresh bowl of water and rag in hand.

"What's happened, where is-" He choked on the word.

"Your siblings went to go take care of it. Why didn't you tell anyone where you were going, you idiot."

"I had to be certain it was him." Klaus admitted quietly.

I wrung out the rag, starting in on his hands. I'd already gotten his face and neck. "We both have our demons, I thought we were going to face them together."

"You will not face Mikael. Ever." Though his voice was stern, his eyes were a stark contrast, soft as he watched what I was doing.

"I guess it doesn't matter now, we're all trapped within the compound. As soon as Hayley and Camille heard his name, they sprung into action. Freya's placed a boundary spell so nothing can get in or out." Including ghosts.

Didn't want a repeat of earlier.

Relief washed over his expression. "I'll need her to amend that last bit." He began trying to sit up, but I pushed him back down. It wasn't hard.

"Where do you think you're going? You're in no state to go an fight an Original level threat."

"I'm going to help my siblings."

"Then get up." I challenged. "I don't want to see you wince at all."

He fell back on the bed in sullen defiance.

"That's what I thought. Now lie still and tell me what hurt you that badly?"

"White oak. Mikael carries it in the hopes of driving it through my heart. I think a splinter of it is in my body, you'll need to dig it out."

"What was your plan then?" I got to the wound, feeling gently around for any foreign object. "Go fight your father, and either die by his hand or by the splinter finding your heart? You weren't going to tell anyone?"

"His death is far more a priority." He muttered darkly, but I'd caught it.

I knew I found the splinter- chunk of wood when he let out a low groan. Splinter my ass. "What about our kids?" What about me? "You were just going to leave them."

Klaus grit his teeth as I dug my fingers under his skin. "They have you." He threw his head back into the pillows.

"They're supposed to have more than me." I shot back. "Wait. I need something."

On the nightstand sat my knife.

I grabbed it, flipping it open.

"Don't you dare." Klaus eyed the blade.

"Stop being a baby."

"When's the last time that thing was disinfected?"

"Literally the other day." He gave me a look. "What? I did. Sam and Dean taught me how to take care of my weapons and this happens to be my favorite knife."

I unsheathed it, carefully cutting just enough to get to where the wood had gotten to.

"I'm still not happy you went after Mikael alone." Selfishly, I wished he'd been here, when he was.

"Yes, you've made your stance-" Klaus hissed. "Perfectly clear." He grit out.

"I know you were probably trying to protect us." Given the reactions of those around me... "Because you're overly protective of those you love, but this, this was reckless."

"In my defense I was unaware he was in the city. I'd gotten a tip from an unreliable source."

I got it out, laying it on the nightstand. "Still, you could've at least brought Elijah along or something."

"No, he was meant to stay behind and..."

Wait. My eyes narrowed. "You had him here to test me." Holy shit, he did. "I don't need that."

"Lucien escaped. I wanted to ensure you could defend yourself in the unlikely event that I was unavailable."

"You know I can."

"Perhaps you can indeed, though Lucien is far older and more powerful than the run of the mill monsters you and your meatheads might have encountered."

"They're not meatheads."

"I'd prefer to confirm your abilities myself."

"Like I'm going to fight you in this state."

He hummed, taking my forearm in his hands, holding it up to his mouth. "May I?"

Klaus did need blood.

I nodded, watching in morbid curiosity as he bit into my skin. It was an odd sensation, having someone drink from me.

It hurt, sure, but it wasn't all that unpleasant.

He drew back, a bit of blood at the corner of his mouth, his tongue darted out and collected the last of it.

Gods, that was hot.

"That wasn't nearly enough to heal you."

Klaus moved too fast for me to process. One moment I was sitting next to him, and the next, he was hovering over me, hybrid eyes staring into mine. "I'd have to drain you entirely to heal the kind of wound I have."

"So this white oak, it could kill you?"

"Don't go getting any ideas." He shifted his weight, slotting himself between my legs. "Your special room still exists, I have no qualms about throwing you inside."

I swallowed. "You wouldn't."

"Oh I would." Klaus leaned down, dipping closer to my neck, right where my mark was. "Without question."

"You're going to drag me back to Mystic Falls just to prove a point?"

"Perhaps I should. It'd keep you out of trouble, trapped in that house of ours."

"And our kids?"

He shrugged. "There's lots of room."

"Forgetting something? The Salvatores and their friends infest that town. They despise you." As if we were even entertaining this. "It'd be nice to see Jeremy again."

He nipped at my mark and I shuddered. Klaus grinned against my skin.

Fucker.

"You're wearing my shirt."

I laid my head back. "I wear your clothes all the time. Maybe it'll stop you from tearing them."

"Hardly. You look far more tempting."