Always Yours.

@ momentai.
Kol grinned widely at her words, "Does tomorrow night work for you?" He questioned. He knew it was a bit forward and soon, but he just wanted to get to know her better. He had never willingly just helped someone before like he had with her, but Kol was different now. If he was the old Kol, he would have let that vampire tear Clara apart and wouldn't have blinked twice, but this was the new Kol that now knew what it was like to die...twice. He didn't want some innocent girl to have to find that out herself.

Clara smiled with the mention of it before she nodded. “Yes, that works perfectly fine with me,” she decided with a small grin. This wasn’t how she expected her night to go but after getting lost or whatever, she felt a little more optimistic about things; everything was going to be great and she believed it. “Um, we can exchange numbers, in case anything comes up for either of us?” she offered up, pulling out her phone to hold it out to him, figuring it would be a smart idea, just in case.

@ momentai.
Kol was more than excited when she agreed to the time. He pulled his phone out of his jacket pocket quickly before handing it to Clara and taking hers from her hand and putting in his number before handing the phone back to her with a smile, "I'll call you in the morning, love. To set up a time for me to get you." He said with a small chuckle. Kol didn't think that this was how he night was going to turn out, but he was really happy that it did, "I'll see you tomorrow, Clara. Sleep tight." He said before he turned and started to walk down the street back to the compound.

(I’ll skip to the next day!)

Klaus was still dealing with the knowledge that Charlotte was alive and had been on Marcel’s side this whole time. But, it was a new day and he was set on approaching the day with a different outlook. He was still angry with Marcel for his part in bringing Mikael to New Orleans and for keeping Charlotte’s status of being alive a secret, but he wasn’t going to let that stop him from focusing his attention on Charlotte for now. Leaving the compound, Hope being left with Hayley, he headed out in search of Charlotte.

---

When Clara woke the next morning, she found it oddly surprising that she’d managed to sleep so well. For a long time, she figured it was probably because the night before, though strange and different, had left her to look forward to today. Climbing off her bed, she decided to focus on picking out an outfit to wear for tonight, since it’d probably be best to be as prepared as possible so that she could get ready early-ish. She felt strangely giddy with the thought of going to dinner with Kol, especially when she’d only just met him, but she was looking forward to it.

@ momentai.
Charlie was lost in thought as she wandered through the streets of the city. She had taken up residence for the time being on Marcel's pull out couch. Charlie intended on finding her own place inside the Quarter. Marcel may not be allowed back in the city, according to what he said Klaus has declared, but that didn't mean that she was banished. Klaus would never banish her, and Charlie knew that, which is why she was currently walking down the streets of the Quarter as her mind was reeling with thoughts of the very man who banished her best friend. She hadn't seen Klaus since 1918, and seeing him now was a strange feeling. Charlie was so weak back when she knew him, but she wasn't now. She had helped Marcel rebuild the city after Mikael sought to destroy it in search for Klaus. Klaus had always been her weakness, and more than likely always would be.

---

Kol grinned as he woke the next morning, realizing that he would get to see Clara again that evening. He picked up his phone and sent her a quick message, Morning, Love! I'll be by your apartment at seven to pick you up for dinner. He went and quickly hopped in the shower before getting dressed. Kol had a lot to do before he arrived at Clara's to pick her up. He made sure to get flowers and make the reservations at the restaurant. Kol hadn't ever really gotten like this over a girl before, and it felt really nice that he was able to do this. Clara was different and Kol really liked that about her. He was determined to find out more about this lovely woman he had saved.

As Klaus walked, it didn’t take him too long to spot the familiar woman who’d caught his attention so long ago. He watched her from where she was, mildly surprised that she was in the Quarter after all the talk of Marcel. Regardless, he was pleased to see her and, before long, he moved to approach her. “Beautiful day, isn’t it, love?” he questioned, arching a brow as he joined at her side, peering over at her with mild curiosity. “But, then, it is New Orleans. Most days are.” He shrugged idly, mostly hoping for conversation. “I think we deserve a chance to catch up.”

---

Clara’s attention was pulled from her closet when she heard her phone vibrate. Moving to retrieve it from the nightstand, she grinned slightly when she saw the text. Good morning! I’ll make sure to be ready by then. She hesitated for a moment before adding Can’t wait! to the end of the text and she sent it. Returning her attention to her closet, she huffed quietly as she debated on what to wear and eventually settled on an outfit. Deciding that it was her final choice and she wasn’t going back on it or debating it further, she went to her bathroom to start getting ready, starting with a shower.

@ momentai.
Charlie looked over in surprise when Klaus joined her side and spoke to her about catching up, "Why yes it's been over a century, I do think we need to catch up." She replied before she looked around, "Care to join me for a drink?" She questioned as she nodded her head at a bar on the corner of the street. Charlie could really use a drink in that moment. She was so caught up in her thoughts about Klaus that it wasn't really registering that he was here with her now, "I'm sorry for yelling at you yesterday and making you angry." She said after some time as they walked into the bar, "It was just a shock to see you, and I had a lot of emotions running through me at the time."

---

The reservations were set and all Kol had to do was go get the flowers and then wait for the time to come to go pick up Clara. Kol entered a flower shop that was in the Quarter near the compound and quickly started looking for flowers to give to Clara. He didn't want roses because they were too cliche, so he had to decide on something else. After searching for almost twenty minutes, Kol wasn't sure if he would ever find good enough flowers, but then he found a bouquet of daisies that he knew were the right ones. He quickly picked them up and paid for them before heading out of the store to put them in water before tonight.

(I’ll leave out Clara for now, until nighttime~)

Klaus was relieved that Charlie wasn’t chasing him off and he offered a small smile to her before he eventually nodded. “I think a drink would be a wonderful way to spend out time catching up,” he decided easily, figuring that at least they’d be in public, so perhaps they would each try to stay calm and deal with whatever issues arose without attracting attention. He was mildly caught of guard when she apologized and he stared at her for a long moment before he followed her into the bar and led the way to the counter to sit. “It’s quite alright, love,” he assured her easily, “We were both startled with seeing each other again after this long. At least we’ve both calmed down a bit since yesterday, I assume.”

@ momentai.
Charlie nodded, "I'm still out of sorts with it, but I'm calm." She replied before she sat at the bar and ordered a beer for herself and also ordered Klaus's usual, "I assume your drink of choice hasn't changed in the last hundred years." She stated as the bar tender brought back over their drinks. Charlie quickly took a long sip out of her bottle and looked over at Klaus, "Where did you go? After you fled?" She questioned him. She had been in New Orleans since the day they left, only leaving when she was faced with no other choice and had to go to New York for five years.

“You’d assume correctly,” Klaus told her easily as he offered a small nod, though he leaned against the bar while they spoke, peering over at her and taking her in. Even though he’d had the time to come to terms with the fact that she was alive, it still amazed him that she was right there. “Rebekah and I went to Chicago and stayed there for a while. Then Mikael found us there as well.” And they’d had to run again, because that’s all they’d been able to do each time Mikael had caught up with them.

@ momentai.
Charlie nodded in response, "Are they okay? Elijah and Rebeckah?" She questioned. She had been close with all three of them back in 1918 when they were in New Orleans the first time. Elijah like a brother and Rebeckah like a sister to her. Klaus had always been something different entirely. Her best friend. Her family. Love of her life. He was so many things, but the day they had to flee, she lost everyone. Marcel had been her saving grace, and now she was torn between two sides. She had no idea what to do.

Klaus nodded slowly in response. “They are,” he confirmed as he looked over at her. “Elijah is in love and Rebekah is trying to find her happiness.” While it worried him, the possibility of being alone without his siblings if they found their happiness without him by their side, he wanted what was best for them. It took him a long time to see that and perhaps he wouldn’t have if it weren’t for his daughter, but now Hope helped him accept all of that. “How have you been?”

@ momentai.
Charlie raised her eyebrows at his words, "Elijah is in love? That's amazing! I certainly thought I would never see the day he let himself love someone." She replied. Charlie knew that Klaus often times feared being alone without his siblings, she could definitely see that he was happy that they were doing what they wanted with their lives. When he asked about her, she shrugged, "I've been good. I have been in New York for the past five years dealing with some business with family." She explained, "While I didn't think I would be there for five years, I definitely enjoyed my time there. My great nieces and nephews are about my human age right now and they were so excited to welcome their cousin to the family."

Klaus arched a brow as he listened to her, offering a small nod in response as he took a sip of his drink. “Well, do they know about you at all?” he asked with curiosity. “Or do you just show up and announce that you’re family and they accept you into their good graces immediately?” He looked over at her, though, watching her for a few moments. “Though, I suppose there is another thing I’m curious about - why did you stay in New York for so long?”

@ momentai.
Charlie laughed lightly at her words, "Well their parents are my niece and nephew. They know what I am, so they were more than willing to let me introduce myself as their older cousin. They're only nine and ten years old, so they didn't really question it much." She explained with a smile. Charlie loved being able to spend time with her great niece and nephew. When Klaus asked whey she was gone for so long, she shrugged, "I didn't think my business up there would take more than a year at most, but I hadn't been around my family in so long that it was nice to be there. I got to watch my family grow up. When I first got there the youngest, Emily, was four years old. Her brother, Derek, he was five. I hadn't been around kids that young since my niece and nephew were little, but I moved here and I never really got to see them grow up. I just ended up staying longer than we all thought I was going to be."

Klaus nodded gently as he listened to her, taking in her words and processing them for a few moments. “If that’s the case, then why did you return now?” he asked with curiosity as he looked to her, eyeing her. She seemed to have been enjoying her life away, her life with her family, especially if she stayed there for five years. He couldn’t imagine why she’d come back after all this time if things had been going even remotely well for her in New York. “Was your family the only business you had there?”

@ momentai.
Charlie laughed lightly at his question before she looked down at her bottle and sighed, "It was at first. Then I got very attached to my family. Watching them live their lives. I almost felt human again. Then there was--uh--a guy. His name is Hunter and I met him when I first arrived back home. He was in a coffee shop that I stopped in. I became my usual klutz self and I tripped and spilled my coffee all over him. He and I became close friends after that and we ended up dating for three years." She explained before sighing, "We broke up a few months ago. I'll spare the details, but after that I decided I needed to get out of New York and that it was time for me to come back to New Orleans. And here I am."

Klaus could feel a spike of anger and annoyance with the mention of a guy, but he forced it down. He knew he didn’t really have a right to be angry; they’d never actually been together and he had left. That didn’t make him all that accepting of it, though. “Was he human?” he asked with curiosity. Moreover, he was curious to whether he would ever run into this Hunter. Perhaps the guy would get sense and come chasing after Charlotte. Of course, that was the last thing Klaus really wanted, but he knew it was a very real possibility. If the man was smart, he’d realize what he lost and go after her. It was what Klaus should have done, even if he and Charlie hadn’t been together.

@ momentai.
Charlie couldn't help but laugh at his question before she nodded, "He was." She replied before taking a long sip from her drink, "He was human and made me feel more human every moment I spent with him. It was about a year and a half when he found out what I was. He was pissed and hurt, but he came back to me and we made things work. For a time." She explained. She frowned as she thought about Hunter before looking over at Klaus, "So any women in your life who make you feel more human?" She questioned.

Klaus listened to her quietly, a small frown on his features as she explained more about the man, Hunter. That twinge of anger, of jealousy, still resided in his chest, but he decided to ignore it in favor of continue the conversation. “Not particularly, no. I don’t much care for feeling human, though,” he pointed out. He hadn’t needed to feel human; being who he was, what he was, meant that he could protect those he cared about. There had been a time where he hadn’t been able to, of course, but he could now, and he would. “Being human has too many drawbacks, too many vulnerabilities.”