The Vampire Diaries

"They're not coming back tonight at least, staying on the ships to be safe."

He nodded.

"I'll find you tomorrow, by the river? Adam will have plenty for me to wash and he'll have Astrid."

He nodded.

"I love you." Tatia whispered before heading back to her mother and daughter.

He watched her go.

The next morning, Tatia was waiting by the river as she washed Adams clothes clean.

---

"Morning sweetheart." Adam said softly as he woke Astrid up, Tatia having carried her asleep to the hut earlier this morning where Adam had been waited.

Astrid blinked her eyes open sleepily before his voice sunk in and she opened her eyes, giggling and and hugging her father tightly, "Hi daddy."

---

Klaus soon walked to her.

"Hey sweetheart." Adam repeated with a grin, picking her up and holding her close. "You've grown big!" He mused.

---

"How angry was your father?" Tatia whispered as she turned to face him. Her throat was beginning to bruise and her cheek and eye too, a bit of dried blood under her nose.

"Broke Kol's nose, couldn't get between the two in time to take the blow for him this time." He whispered, reaching his fingers into the water and using his thumb to wipe the blood off of her gently.

---

Astrid nodded, "Uh huh. I'll be the same height as mummy eventually, I reckon! I missed you."

"I missed you too darling, so much, I couldn't wait to see you again."

---

Tatia winced a little at his touch. "At least you are not hurt. Kol will heal? Your other siblings, your mother are okay?"

"I did not avoid the blows either, just did not receive any broken bones this time. Mother is fine, as is Bekah. Father doesn't hurt the girls.

---

"Mummy said I can have a kitten off grandma! I picked one and called her Thea and picked one for mummy too!"

"Is there anything I can give you to make you feel better? I'm sure I could make a salve or a pain reliving soup or something for you."

---

"I know. But you can't have one sweetheart. The hunting dogs would kill it. Your mother told me about the kittens this morning and I told her the same."

Astrid frowned deeply at that and shook his head, "Nu uh. Mummy said I could! I already choose one."

---

"No, I am fine." Klaus whispered. "Don't worry about me."

"Fine. We'll get them and then you'll have to watch the dogs ripping them apart. Is that what you want?"

---

"If you're sure:" Tatia whispered, going snack to scrubbing the clothes.

"No......"

---

"Make one for yourself," Klaus replied.

"Well then there you go."

---

"There's no need. I'm not hurt that bad. Adam got angry over some kittens I promised Astrid. Said I was giving her false hope. He grabbed me by the throat and pushed me, I don't think he meant tot push me as hard as he did though..."

"Tatia..." Klaus frowned.

---

"I named her though... where will she live?"

"If she must still be yours I'm sure your grandmother will keep her."

---

"What? I'm sure he didn't mean to hurt me so bad." Tatia whispered, having slowly been slipping back into the mindset she'd had when she first married him; he didn't mean to hurt her. Thinking that way made it easier for her to live with him.

He just sighed and shook his head, wrapping an arm her gently and kissing the side of her head.

---

"Mm.."

"Problem solved then, mm?"

---

Tatia kissed him back gently before continue to scrub at the shirt, despite the fact it was making her hands sore and the shirt was clean.

He took the shirt from her and put it away before pulling her into his arms and just holding her close.

Tatia snuggled into him and relished in the comfort he was providing.

Klaus pressed his face into her hair as he held her close.