act three, chapter twelve: the new deal

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Buffy frowned in confusion as she looked around. She knew where she was, but she just had no idea how she had gotten there. A voice was guiding her to the door that led to the basement of the old, abandoned witch house. The blonde hesitated for a few seconds before opening the old, probably rotten wooden door with a sigh.

Being here felt wrong, but also so right and Buffy had no idea why that feeling had settled in her chest. The air was thick with dust and the scent of damp wood, making her nose scrunch up slightly. She took a cautious step forward, her boots creaking against the uneven floorboards as she descended into the basement, the feeling not leaving her for a second.

When she stepped down the last staircase, she was met with an all too familiar sight of four coffins, after all she had seen it so many times this summer during her trip with Klaus and Stefan.

She recognized Elijah's coffin rather quickly. Buffy didn't even have to open the coffins to know that he was inside, and she wasn't sure if she should be freaked out by that or not.

Buffy quickly shook the thought of her mind and walked over to the coffin at the back of the room: the one that stood slightly higher than the others. Stefan had stolen these coffins, how could she just know where they were, or maybe this was her mind playing another trick on her.

Her hand hovered over the coffin for a minute, hesitating again to open it like she had done with the basement door. She wasn't sure about what she was gonna find inside, but her curiosity got the better of her.

The girl lifted the lid of the box, pushing it so it would stay open. Her eyes widened in surprise when she looked down at the figure inside of it. "Klaus." The girl muttered, glancing at his still form. His face was peaceful, almost too peaceful, as if he were simply sleeping rather than lying inside the coffin. Buffy felt her breath hitch.

She had no reason to be here. No reason to know where this place was. And yet, she was standing right in front of Klaus Mikaelson, the Original Hybrid, locked away in the coffin Stefan had stolen, but the blonde knew that Klaus was still walking around in Mystic Falls, right?

"What the fuck?" The girl muttered under her breath as her eyes wandered off to his hands, which were resting on his chest. His fingers were wrapped around a necklace with a blue stone: her necklace that Stefan had given her to protect her from vampire compulsion at the start of last year.

One of her hands reached for the necklace around her neck, but it was gone.

A voice cut through the silence that was hanging around the dusted basement like a blade.

"You shouldn't be here, girl."

Buffy spun around, surprise falling over as she locked eyes with Mikael. "Oh, you're kidding me. I'm in hell."

Mikael let out a low chuckle, his lips curling into a cruel smirk. "If only. But no, girl, this is very much real." He took a step forward, his presence filling the already suffocating space. "Though, I suppose for someone like you, knowing the truth might feel worse than hell."

Buffy narrowed her eyes, her heart pounding against her ribs. "What truth?"

Mikael's jaw tightened. "You're a weakness, girl. And weaknesses are meant to be eliminated."

Buffy's breath hitched, but she refused to back down. "Then I guess we have a problem."

Mikael's smirk returned, slow and cruel. "Oh, we do. Niklaus does not love. He does not cherish. He uses. And when you are no longer of use to him, he discards." His lips curled into a sneer. "But, I can help you get rid off him. This time I'll make sure he's really gone."

She wasn't sure how she thought she was going to react at Mikael's words, but a laugh left her mouth and another quickly followed. "I'm sorry, but you're pathetic. I'm sorry, I just had to tell you that. God, even when you're dead and six feet under, killing him is still the most important thing."

Yes, she wanted his gone as well, but at least she wasn't making it her life mission.

Mikael's expression didn't waver, but his eyes darkened with something cold and dangerous. "Amusing," he drawled, watching her with quiet calculation. "You laugh now, girl, but let's see how amusing it is when Niklaus finally turns on you."

He vamped over to her, and Klaus's coffin was gone and so were the other ones. Instead Buffy felt herself stumble as she fell back. She expected a hard fall, but her back touched a soft surface and it didn't take her long to figure out she found herself in a coffin. Mikael was gone and Buffy quickly wanted to get out, but before she could, Klaus appeared next to her coffin, closing the lid before she could react and darkness swallowed her whole.

Buffy's breath hitched as she slammed her fists against the inside of the coffin. "Klaus!" She shouted, her voice muffled by the thick wood. "What the hell are you doing? Let me out!"

"Buffy!" Alaric's voice came through to her as she shot up in her bed, gasping for air, her body drenched in cold sweat. "You okay? I heard you muttering in your sleep?" He asked, his fatherly concern shining through.

Buffy's heart hammered in her chest as she looked around, disoriented. Her room was dim, the only light coming from the soft glow of a lamp beside her bed, which she assumed her dad had turned on.

"Yeah... yeah, I'm fine." She muttered, still trying to steady her breathing as she rubbed her hands over her face. Her pulse was slowly returning to normal, but the lingering sense of unease wouldn't go away.

Alaric sat next to her, his brow still furrowed in concern. "You sure?" He asked, his voice soft. "I've never heard you like that before."

Buffy nodded, though she wasn't sure if she was convincing him or herself. "It was just a bad dream, that's all."

"Alright." Alaric nodded and his gaze softened. "If you need to talk about it, you know I'm here, right?"

"Yeah, I know. Thanks, dad." Buffy muttered, pushing some hair out of her face, not even realising that she had just called him dad to his face. Alaric's expression softened even more at the word "dad," His eyes warm and full of love for his daughter.

"Try to get some more sleep, okay?" Alaric spoke, a hand on her shoulder and Buffy nodded as she laid down on her bed again.

It wasn't that she didn't want to sleep; it was just that the dream was too vivid, too real. She wasn't sure what was worse—the nightmare itself or the nagging feeling that it wasn't just a dream.

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The moment the Grill opened its door, Buffy was making her way over to the bar, in desperate need to order a coffee. After her strange dream last night, the girl hadn't slept anymore: afraid that her other nightmare: the one in the woods, was going to interrupt her sleep again and just the fact that she couldn't go back to sleep.

Her eyes drifted to the counter as she leaned on it, barely aware of the other people milling around. Her mind kept flashing back to the nightmare she had last night, the suffocating feeling of being trapped in the coffin with Klaus and the cold, cruel words of Mikael. Every time she closed her eyes, all she saw was Klaus's face, peaceful and lifeless. The nightmare was still fresh, and she was afraid it would creep into her thoughts at any moment.

"Can I get you something, sweetheart?" The bartender's voice cut through her thoughts.

Buffy blinked, realizing she'd been standing there in a daze. She quickly gave him a small, tired smile. "Yeah, um... just coffee. Black. Strong. Please."

"Coming right up." He said with a nod, his voice kind.

After a while the bartender slid the coffee in front of her, and she wrapped her hands around the warm mug, grateful for its comforting heat. The bitterness of the coffee was enough to pull her out of her thoughts, but just barely. She stared at the dark liquid for a moment before taking a long sip.

"What's wrong?" Buffy froze when she heard his voice as he took a seat next to her.

Buffy's fingers tightened around the coffee mug. There, sitting next to her, was Klaus. His piercing blue eyes met hers and she could see a hint of concern in his gaze.

She quickly pulled her attention back to her coffee, trying to act like she wasn't just caught off guard by his sudden appearance. "Nothing's wrong." She muttered, avoiding eye contact. "Just... tired. Bad night."

She could feel his gaze on her, the weight of it pressing into her like a physical presence.

"It's really nothing." She repeated, but this time her voice cracked just slightly, betraying her. She hated how easy it was for him to see through her walls. "Just... a dream." She finally admitted in a soft murmur.

Klaus didn't speak at first, letting her words hang in the air between them.

"Tell me about it." He said quietly, his tone softening. He didn't push, but his presence was insistent, warm, like he was offering her space to talk without judgment.

Buffy sighed, rubbing her thumb along the edge of her coffee cup.

"I was trapped." She started. "In a coffin." She hesitated, unsure of how to continue, but Klaus remained still, waiting patiently for her to finish. "And Mikael... he was there, saying all these awful things. I don't even know why it's bothering me this much. I mean, it's just a dream, right?"

Klaus's gaze darkened, and for a moment, Buffy could see the flicker of something cold, something dangerous in his eyes. "Mikael." He muttered, almost as if the name itself was enough to make his blood boil. "I'd say you're better off not listening to anything that man has to say. He's gone anyway, you shouldn't let it bother you."

Klaus's jaw clenched when Buffy still wasn't easing up, and for a moment, Buffy thought he might say something more, but instead, he leaned closer to her, his eyes locked on hers. His gaze softened, though there was still a trace of anger in it, directed at Mikael, perhaps. "Love," He said, his voice quieter now, "nothing in that dream was real. And I promise you, Mikael is not going to do anything to you."

Then Buffy said something she didn't think she would've at first, because it would probably mean working together with him, but she did. "I think I know where Stefan is keeping the coffins."

Klaus's expression shifted, his eyes narrowing with a mixture of surprise and calculation. He leaned back slightly, taking in what Buffy had said. His lips curled into a slow, almost dangerous smile.

"You do, do you?" His voice was low, laced with intrigue, but there was an unmistakable edge to it. "And why would you want to help me find them?"

Buffy's fingers tightened around her coffee mug, her gaze flicking to him briefly before she looked away, not sure if she could explain why she was offering this. "I don't want to help you." She replied, though her tone softened as she continued, "I just want Rebekeh and Elijah back."

"Is there a problem here?" Damon's voice came from behind them and when Buffy turned around to face him, she saw that her sister was right by his side.

"Oh, don't mind me." Klaus spoke, signalling to a man by the door to come over to them. "I just came down to my local pub to grab a drink with a mate." The man finally arrived at the bar and Elena immediately recognized him as the man who had been running after her this morning.

"I'm surprised you stuck around town long enough for happy hour." Damon replied.

"My sister seems to be missing. Need to sort that out." Klaus spoke but he already had a feeling where Rebekah was. And he officially knew his feeling was right when he saw his mate glaring at the doppelgänger, who looked back at her sister with guilty eyes.

"Cute blonde bombshell, psycho. Shouldn't be too hard to find if Buffy's here." Damon spoke again, smirking at his friend as he pretend he didn't know Rebekah was daggered in a box.

"Truth is I've grown to rather like your little town. Think I might fancy a home here. Oh I imagine you're wondering how does this is affect you. The answer is: not in the slightest. Well, most of you anyways. As long as I get what I want and everyone behaves themselves you can go on living your little lives however you choose. You have my word." Klaus spoke, leaning his back against the bar, his arm brushing against Buffy's, who quickly pulled her arm back, away from his grasp. It was clear that with most of you, he had meant her.

"What more could you possibly want?" Elena asked, annoyed but also feeling scared, but she had a feeling that was just still from this morning when she had been so paranoid.

Even though Klaus didn't reply, he just smirked at the two. It was clear what he wanted: his family back and the girl next to him.

"Come on, love." Klaus spoke as he stood up, Buffy quickly finished her coffee and stood up as well.

"You're going with him?" Elena asked, looking at her sister with surprise. She was quite sure that Buffy hated the Hybrid just as much as she herself did.

"I'm sorry, should I stay and wait for you to stab me in the back as well?" Buffy spoke, barely glancing back at her sister as she made her way to the exit of the grill.

Klaus followed closely behind Buffy, his steps deliberate, as if the very act of being near her was a privilege he'd grown accustomed to. As they reached the door, his voice dropped low, just enough for her to hear.

"You know." He said, his tone teasing, "if you wanted a reason to leave, you could've just asked me to take you away. I would've been more than happy to make sure you never had to deal with them again."

"I'm just mad at Elena because she daggered my date." Buffy muttered under her breath.

Klaus couldn't help but chuckle at Buffy's words, his eyes sparkling with amusement. He stepped closer to her, his voice still low but filled with that usual smooth charm as his hand found its way to her back.

Klaus leaned in just a little closer, his fingers lightly brushing against her back as he spoke, his voice a mix of amusement and something darker beneath the surface.

"Ah, so it's the date you're angry about. Well, love," He murmured, his breath warm against her ear. "if you wanted, I could make sure Elena never has the chance to ruin one of your evenings again."

"I don't want her dead, Klaus. I just wanna be pissed at her for daggering Bekah. Don't kill my sister, Klaus."

Klaus chuckled softly, his lips brushing against her ear as he pulled back just a fraction, his gaze still locked onto hers with a mix of amusement and something more.

"Fair enough." He said, his voice smooth and full of understanding. "But, love, if you ever change your mind..." He trailed off, his smirk widening as he watched her, clearly enjoying the way she held her ground.

He straightened up, his posture effortlessly commanding as he kept his eyes on her, a hint of something playful yet dangerous lurking in the depth of his gaze. "I'll make sure your problems are dealt with, no matter who they are." He spoke as he opened his car door for her and it was clear he wasn't just talking about Elena anymore.

"Rebekah is at the Salvatore Boarding House." Buffy spoke when Klaus found his way to the seat next to hers. Elena and Damon had told her, but even the dumbest person on earth would have figured out where they had left Rebekah to rot.

"Let's go then." Klaus replied as he started his car.

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"So love, you have no idea where Stefan is?" Klaus asked when the two of them entered the Boarding House. He wasn't stupid, he also knew that Stefan and his mate had become thick as thieves this summer.

"No, I've tried to call Grumpy, but it's just going straight to voicemail." Buffy spoke and by the way her words came out, Klaus knew that she was worried. "Stupid basement." Buffy muttered as she started going down a familiar staircase, unlike the one in her dream last night.

"My poor sister. I can't turn my back on her for a moment." The hybrid spoke when he caught sight of Rebekah's body on the ground. Buffy crouched down on the floor, right by Rebekah's side. "So, why exactly did your sister dagger mine?" Klaus asked.

"I think she wanted to make sure Rebekah didn't mess up the plan or something, but the entire evening went wrong anyway." Buffy spoke, brushing some hair out of Rebekah's face and her heart broke at the grey veins that overtook her face. "When Rebekah wakes up, she'll come after Elena."

"I think we can control Rebekah, love." Klaus spoke as he watched Buffy's hand wrap around the dagger in Rebekah's back.

"It's the first time I've been able to get to the basement without Damon or Elena being here. I think they would stop us if they knew we were here right now." Buffy spoke as she pulled the dagger back, completely pulling it out of her bag.

He took a step closer, his presence heavy and comforting as he stood beside her, watching her gently tend to Rebekah after she turned the blonde on her bag. He held his hand open to her, asking for the dagger back, but Buffy only raised her eyebrows at him.

"The dagger doesn't work on me, love, so even if you were planning on using it on me, it won't work and it's not like you're gonna dagger Rebekah again."

"I think I'll hold on to it for a little while." Buffy smirked up at the man as she pocketed the dagger.

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After a while, Rebekah still hadn't woken up and Buffy had gotten multiple calls from Elena, but only when her mother called, she picked up the phone.

"Buffy, where are you?" Her mother's worried voice came through the phone. She was clearly in distress.

"I'm at Caroline's." Buffy lied, not sure if her mom was with Elena or not. It had been quite a while since Buffy and Klaus had left the Grill and Elena and Damon could've left right after they did. The only thing that she did know was that they weren't here.

"Alaric is in the hospital. A car ran him over." Jenna quickly continued, even though she could clearly hear that her daughter was lying.

"What?" Buffy straightened up against the wall and Klaus worriedly looked over at his mate, even though he had been listening in on the conversation between the mother-daughter duo.

Buffy's heart dropped. Alaric? Hurt? She hadn't heard anything about it, and the shock of the news made her feel dizzy. "Mom... is he okay?" Buffy asked, trying to keep her voice steady, but she could hear the panic in her own tone. Her mind raced, her heart pounding in her chest. She didn't even know if she should believe it.

"I don't know, honey." Jenna's voice trembled, her distress unmistakable. "They're not saying much, but we need you here. Please, come home."

Buffy closed her eyes, shaking her head slightly, as if trying to clear away the fear that was beginning to cloud her mind. She couldn't leave Rebekah like this, but she also couldn't ignore the worry in her mother's voice and the own worry she felt for her father.

"I'll be there as soon as I can." Buffy replied, her voice strained. "Just... keep me updated. I'm on my way." She ended the call. Her eyes met Klaus's, and she could see the concern etched on his face.

"Are you going to be okay?" Klaus asked, his voice unusually soft, his hand gently brushing the side of her arm. "I can go with you if you need me."

Buffy looked at him, surprised on how kind he was with her. She took a deep breath before answering, "I need to check on my dad, but I'll be back for Rebekah. Just stay here with Rebekah.. please."

Klaus gave a slight nod, but his eyes followed her as she moved toward the door. "Buffy." He called her back, holding up his hand with his car keys. "Take my car keys. You'll get there faster."

Buffy hesitated for a moment, surprised by the gesture. She hadn't expected Klaus to offer his car.

Her fingers brushed against his as she took the keys, and for a second, their eyes locked. She nodded, grateful for his offer, even though she hadn't asked for it.

"Thanks." She said quietly, her voice soft but sincere.

Klaus watched her closely, his gaze intense. "Make sure you come back, love. I'll be waiting."

Buffy couldn't help but feel a small tug at her chest as she turned and walked out the door, clutching the keys tightly in her hand.

As she drove toward the hospital, her mind raced with thoughts of her father. She couldn't afford to lose anyone else. Not now. Not after everything she'd already been through.

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Buffy made her way through the hospital, her heart racing as she tried to push aside the worries swirling in her mind. She had parked Klaus's car in a spot she wasn't sure was legal, but the fear for her father had made her forget about that. When she reached the nurses' station, she asked the closest nurse in a hurry, "Alaric Saltzman—what room is he in?"

The nurse gave her directions, and Buffy made her way to the room, her nerves still tingling with anxiety. She didn't know what to expect, but she couldn't shake the worry that something was still wrong.

When she entered the room, her eyes immediately landed on her mom and Jeremy, both sitting beside Alaric, who was awake and looking a little groggy. Buffy sighed in relief as she took in the sight of him sitting up, his face still pale but his eyes alert.

"You're okay." Buffy stated, obviously relieved as she walked over to him and wrapped her arms around him, holding him tightly. Alaric's arms hesitated for a moment before he returned the hug, his body still a little stiff from the injury.

"I'm fine, kiddo." Alaric murmured, his voice rough but comforting. "Just a little shaken up. But I'm alright."

Buffy pulled back slightly, looking at him with a soft smile, but her eyes were still filled with concern. "You had me worried. I thought..." She trailed off, not able to finish the sentence, her chest tight at the thought of almost losing him.

Her mom turned to her, a faint smile crossing her face. "He's okay, sweetheart. Just a little banged up. The ring didn't heal him, but at least he's alive." Jenna reached over to Buffy to give her hand a squeeze. She was happy that Alaric and Buffy had been growing closer. It made her happy that they finally had a bond.

"So, the ring brought you back to life, but it didn't heal you. Does that mean it's broken?" Jeremy asked, his tone casual, like they were talking about the weather.

Alaric looked at him, shrugging. "I don't know. It's never happened like that before. I guess I have Damon's blood to thank for the fact that I'm still walking." He paused, then grinned slightly. "He said to say you owe him a drink."

Jeremy raised an eyebrow. "Funny. I'd rather have head trauma."

Buffy let out a chuckle and her parents also couldn't help but laugh, but it was short-lived. Alaric's expression turned serious, and he looked at Jeremy. "Hey, Jeremy... you okay?"

Jeremy didn't look at him at first, then gave a half shrug, trying to hide the way his mind was racing. "Why wouldn't I be? I shot a hybrid in the back and chopped his head off with a meat cleaver. Typical Sunday, huh?"

"Wait." Buffy stopped moving as she listened, not even surprised anymore that someone would chop off a head with a meat cleaver. "A hybrid did this?"

Jeremy just nodded slowly, trying to play it off like it wasn't a big deal.

"Yeah." He replied, his voice flat. "It was one of Klaus's hybrids. The same one that was with him at the Grill this morning."

Buffy's chest tightened at the mention of Klaus's hybrids. She didn't want to think about him right now, not with everything going on. But hearing this made her mad. He had made a promise and she actually had believed he would try. Guess not.

"You're telling me you killed a hybrid... just like that? I think I've got to remember that one: always have a meat cleaver with you." Buffy spoke.

"I took it from the kitchen, silly."

Buffy couldn't help but roll her eyes at Jeremy's response, a half-smirk forming on her lips despite the heaviness of the situation. "Yeah, but still, it's always a good idea to bring a meat cleaver to a fight." She said dryly, but the sarcasm in her voice couldn't fully hide the frustration she was feeling. She crossed her arms, trying to hold back the anger that was bubbling up inside of her.

"I think we both know that's not going to be the answer every time." Buffy added, the lightheartedness in her tone replaced by a hard edge. She glanced over at Alaric, who was watching the exchange carefully, and then back at Jeremy, who was clearly trying to brush it all off.

"But seriously, Jeremy," she continued, her voice softening a bit. "You don't need to take all of this on alone, okay? Killing hybrids, dealing with all the supernatural craziness... it's a lot for anyone. I know you want to protect everyone, but there are ways to do that without risking yourself every time."

She paused, looking at her brother, the weight of everything between them settling.

"I'm not saying you can't handle yourself, but you don't have to do it by yourself." She added quietly.

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Buffy Sommers-Saltzman

Where are you?

Klaus Mikaelson

Back at my place.

Buffy had texted Klaus when she arrived back at the Boarding House, going directly to the basement, but Klaus was gone and so was his sister. She quickly received his address and drove there.

When she finally arrived at Klaus's place, she took a deep breath before stepping out of the car. As she made her way to the door, she could already feel the anger bubbling up in her again.

When she actually reached the door, she didn't bother with knocking. She pushed it open, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation. The silence inside was unsettling, but she didn't have time for silence.

"Klaus!" She called out, her voice sharp with annoyance. "Where are you?"

Her eyes scanned the empty hallway, but he was nowhere in sight, until she heard a voice behind her. "Love, what's with the tone?"

"One of your hybrids ran over my father. Is this your way of showing me that you're gonna try, run my father over? By nearly killing him? He could've died!"

Klaus's expression shifted instantly from relaxed to serious. He stepped forward, his eyes narrowing slightly. "I had no part in that." He said, his voice calm.

Buffy didn't let up, her fists clenched by her sides as the anger bubbled back to the surface. "Really? Because the guy who did it was standing right next to you this morning. Don't tell me you had no idea."

Klaus took another step closer to her, his presence overwhelming as he towered over her, but there was no intimidation in his posture. "You think I'd harm your family again, Buffy?" His voice dropped lower, almost a growl, as his gaze softened just slightly, more focused now on her frustration. "If I had wanted your father dead, I would have made sure it happened. That's not my style, and you should know that."

Buffy swallowed hard, her chest tightening at his words, but the sting of his calmness still didn't make her feel any less furious. "Then why the hell did one of your hybrids—one you're supposed to control—run him down like that?"

"I don't control every move they make." Klaus answered, his tone betraying a flicker of annoyance that he quickly masked. "But you're right about one thing. That was a mistake. It wasn't supposed to happen, and I'll make sure it doesn't again."

Buffy shook her head, not convinced. "A mistake? You think I'm supposed to just let it go because you say it's a mistake?"

Klaus stepped forward even more, his voice quieter now but no less intense. "What I'm saying, love, is that I don't let things like that slide. Not when it comes to you." He paused, his gaze softening, though his words remained steady. "I will make this right. You have my word."

Buffy felt the anger in her chest loosen slightly at his words, but she wasn't ready to let go of it completely. Not yet. She wasn't even sure if he was actually telling her the truth about Alaric's accident. Maybe this was all part of some kind of plan? She narrowed her eyes, trying to read him, trying to figure out if she could really trust what he was saying.

"Where's Rebekah?" Buffy decided to ask, but when she saw Klaus' expression fall, she already regretted her question. "What did you do?" She asked, passing by him, entering a room to just find Rebekah on the floor, still wearing her homecoming dress.

"Klaus!" Buffy scolded as she ran over to the blonde, whose neck Klaus had snapped.

"She came at me and stabbed me!" Klaus replied like a little child. "She'll be fine in a few minutes."

Buffy crossed her arms and let out a frustrated sigh. "Unbelievable." She muttered, shaking her head as she sat down on the edge of a nearby chair.

Klaus look at Buffy. "What? You're acting like I buried her six feet under. She'll wake up, throw a tantrum, and we'll all move on."

Buffy shot him a glare. "That's not the point, Klaus."

He smirked, clearly amused by how annoyed she was. "Then what is, love?"

She ignored him, turning her attention back to Rebekah's still form. There was no point in arguing with him—he'd just twist her words until she was even more frustrated. So instead, she decided to wait. Rebekah would be up soon, and then she'd have something actually productive to do.

A few minutes passed in silence, except for Klaus casually pouring himself a drink like he hadn't just knocked his sister unconscious. Buffy kept her eyes on Rebekah, watching for any sign that she was waking up. And then, finally, she saw it—a twitch of Rebekah's fingers, then a sharp inhale as her eyes flew open.

Rebekah groaned, her face twisting in pain as she blinked up at the ceiling. Then, as if everything came rushing back to her at once, she sat up quickly. "That bastard!" She hissed, turning her glare straight to Klaus.

Buffy sighed. "Yeah, welcome back."

Rebekah rubbed her neck, clearly still feeling the effects of having it snapped. "You snapped my neck, Nik!"

Klaus, completely unfazed, took a slow sip of his drink. "And you stabbed me. Fair's fair."

Rebekah scoffed. "I wouldn't have stabbed you if you weren't such a controlling psychopath!"

"Sibling love. Truly heartwarming." Buffy muttered under her breath.

Rebekah's eyes flicked to Buffy. "Wait—what are you doing here?"

Buffy rolled her eyes at Klaus. "Came to yell at Klaus. Got distracted by you lying dead on the floor."

Rebekah groaned again, shooting another death glare at her brother, but the blonde was caught off guard when Buffy's arms found the way around her waist. "I'm glad you're okay now."

Meanwhile on the other side of the room, Klaus was staring longingly at his mate, wishing that she would one day look at him the same way as she was looking at Rebekah right now.

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I'm not sure if anybody likes it, but I was bored yesterday and made some other playlists! I have way too many playlists but making them is just my daily ritual...😆 So if you like music... make sure to check it out! My spotify is Katherinesalvatore!

Be sure to comment and vote if you want. I love reading them and your support keeps me so motivated!

Katherine xoxo

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WORDS: 5490

POSTED: MONDAY 03/03/2025

WRITTEN: MONDAY 03/03/2025