The Vampire Diaries

Adam shrugged.

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"Always be here for you."

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"Show me something?" Tatia whispered, changing the subject, "show me a memory, of us, your favourite one?"

"Ah, don't make me choose a favourite." Klaus replied with a quiet laugh.

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"Thank you.." Astrid whispered quietly in response to that, "I'm always here for you too, pretty boy. Love you so much." she mumbled quietly before asking quietly, "I- I know this is really off but... can you tell my mum for me? I- Can't bring myself to it." 

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Adam grimaced and mumbled, "I've made it awkward now, haven't I?"

"Just any then, some of your favourites."

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Kol sighed and nodded.

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"It's only awkward if we let it be."

"That's awful of me, isn't it? But.. I can't do it. Can't choose, can't admit that I've chosen. It needs to be my dad I stick by, otherwise he'll die.." Astrid whispered quietly.

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"Mm, I suppose." Adam replied with a small shrug. "So uh, was it nice, back when you grew up? What was it like?" 

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Klaus just gave a nod and brushed his thumb against her cheek, showing her all of the secret kisses and flirtations they had shared, letting her feel how happy he was when after thinking she was dead for so long he found her again and their wedding day.

Tatia closed her eyes and smiled softly at the memories, tucking her head onto his chest and within a few minutes of the memories she was asleep, having wanted something happy to fall asleep to.

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"She'll understand."

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"It was tough. But sailing... Raiding... Battle. There was no better feeling."

Astrid just gave a small nod in response to that, whispering, "I hope you're right, I really do."

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"What were the point exactly, of the raids? Was it just to kill people.. that's what they made out back when I was in school, learning about all that kind of stuff."

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Klaus held her close silently then.

Kol kissed her forehead and phoned Klaus.

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"It was about discovery, about taking peoples treasures and bringing them back to gift our families. Honour our gods. Killing was honouring the gods, sacrificing to them."

Adam just nodded a little bit in response to that, "I can see the joy of discovering places that you never knew of before, but, not in killing but it was your culture I suppose so.." he shrugged.

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"Hi Kol," Klaus greeted in a whisper after the first ring.

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Astrid stayed close to Kol, listening silently.

"Astrid has chosen her father, to preserve his life."

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Adam nodded. "It was our culture. How I was raised."

"She's made the wrong choice," Klaus replied with a small hiss, "Where has he been all the times she has needed him, hm? Too obsessed with hurting Tatia, that's where. She does really this is going to crush Tatia, doesn't she? Does realise she has made the wrong choice. It shows how much her mother means to her, hm? To choose the man that beats her own mother over her mother herself." 

Astrid flinched at Klaus' words. Shaking her head and leaving the room, heading down the stairs and watching her father and son from the doorway.

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"I like cars." Adam replied with a shrug, "My dad taught me how to fix 'em up and I was actually good at it, y'know? Not like Rian who was book smart. Love driving and modifying them and fixing them. I've set up my own garage in Spain."

"She loves them both equally but if she picks Tatia then Adam dies and she can't let that happen! You make out like Tatia is that bothered anyway! She'll just have another baby to replace Astrid, no big deal."

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"I was a hunter... Had a pack of dogs that I took hunting. Your great grandfather was a farmer, the other a fisherman."

Adam just nodded a little bit to show he was listening, glancing to his mother when she entered the room.

Astrid smiled a bit and just sat the other side of her father.

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"Don't be ridiculous!" Klaus hissed, "Tatia just deserves a bit of loyality from her daughter instead of Astrid acting as if he is such an amazing person when he is vial, absolutely vial. He came here and hurt Tatia again, Kol, actually came to the hospital. She needs to open her eyes and see how much of a monster he is, how he deserves to be on the Other Side."

"With some of the stuff that you've done I'm sure he could say the same about you."

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Adam smiled at her.

"Don't stop talking because I'm here," Astrid whispered, "It's nice to hear you two talking, bonding."

Adam just shook his head in the negative, "Na, I uh, have to go now anyway... Go have a drink with Adrian or something like that." he whispered, "It was nice meeting you properly, granddad.. You don't seem as bad as they all say, still think your a bit of an idiot for hurting grandma though." he glanced to his mother, "I'll give you and dad a call before me and Ollie head back to Spain, you can baby sit Zosia for us before we go or something if you want." he offered before getting to his feet and heading out of the house.

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"I've never treated anyone like he has treated her."

"You've hurt people for no reason which is worse." Kol hissed. "Just tell Tatia that Astrids chosen Adam." He sighed before putting the phone down.

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Adam watched him go, saying a quiet goodbye.

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"Hey dad." Kira greeted as she walked in with her younger brother, grimacing when she saw he was on the phone. "Sorry." She whispered as they sat down.

"That looked like it was going well," Astrid mused gently when her son had left, asking her father quietly, "Did it? You think me and Kol done an okay job - raising him?" 

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Adam pulled his phone from his pocket and called Adrian.

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Klaus rolled his eyes when Kol hung up, putting his phone on the side before looking over at Kira and Lucas, "Hey you two, you okay?"

"Yeah... We organised a party for mum. Make her feel better. Well. Lucas did most of it, when can she come home? We even got Mia to agree to come."

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"Of course I do, you're a great mum,"

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"What?" Adrian answered.

"I just had an interesting conversation with someone, it got me thinking about things... I'm leaving in a few days so this is the only chance but I thought I'd give it a go, do you fancy a drink? I know you still don't like me but we need to talk things over." 

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Astrid just gave a small nod before asking, "What'd you think of Adam? How did getting to know each other go?"

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"I don't know when now, Kira," Klaus frowned, "Astrid's dad came... hurt her again."

Kira frowned deeply. "Can't you just bring her home? I'm sure she'll feel better at home... We can't cancel when everyone's agreed to come, it'll make her feel better."

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"I guess it went well."

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Adrian was silent before sighing. "Sure, where?

"The bar down the road from yours?" 

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"When has it been arranged for?" Klaus asked quietly.

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"That's good." Astrid whispered before telling him almost silently, "Mum just done the worst thing ever and made me choose - you or her. If I choose her then they'd kill you, if I choose you then she'd never speak to me again. I choose you. Simply her asking me to make a choice like that made me inclined to choose you, the fact they'd kill you if I didn't choose you made me choose you. I choose you, so, it'd be amazing if.. I don't know, if you could leave mum be now."

"I got what I wanted. She admitted she cheated and was wrong. I'm done with her now... Thanks for choosing me."

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"Sure... When?"

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"Like four hours or so from now? I think anyway. You know she'll be happy, cry a little and realise we love her."

Astrid just gave a small nod in response to that, whispering, "Thank you for finding a way to come back to life, thought I'd never see you again - ever. It was a nice surprise." 

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"As soon as you can?"

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"I'll get her there in time," Klaus confirmed with a small nod.

"Okay, Tams working so okay."

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"Cool." Kira grinned. "See you soon." She whispered as she got up and headed out.

Lucas got up, hesitating before kissing his mothers unbruised cheek and heading out.

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"I thought it'd be a while before I came back."

Klaus watched them go silently before resting his head on top of Tatia's gently.

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"I'll see you soon then," Adam replied cheerfully before hanging up.

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"Does it matter?" Astrid asked quietly.

Tatia was sleeping softly in his arms.

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Adrian headed towards the bar.

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"I suppose not."