The Vampire Diaries

"Well that's his own fault then," L.J muttered quietly, "I'd cling onto whatever dad would say to me, take it as truth, if dad died for good and it was the last words I'd hear him speak... How did Nate die anyway? You lie to Holly and Nikki when you said he got killed in his sleep?"

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Klaus held her close, smoothing her hair down gently as he soothed, "Sshh, you have me. I'll never leave you."

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Astrid shook her head in the negative, "You won't with me, with us, I trust you, pretty boy."

(( It's more sad RPing them, haha xD ))

"We found his body hacked up, staked to the ground, partially burned... He probably died screaming in agony. There was no way I could tell them that. Especially Holly. At the time she'd just found out she'd never have her own biological baby. She was broken... Telling her that... Well you remember how depressed and suicidal she was when you were growing up. I couldn't take that risk."

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"Promise daddy? Promise?" Vanessa whispered as she closed her eyes. "You can't ever leave me, ever ever."

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"Astrid we can't do this. Not yet, not now."

L.J just grimaced at that and gave a small nod in response.

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"I won't," Klaus promised, "Don't worry, you'll always have me."

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"It's not like it's only the first year without her…. It's been awhile, Kol," Astrid sighed, resting her head on his shoulder.

"So I'd appreciate it if you didn't mention it to them."

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"No it's not, but it's going to take more than five years for you to get over losing your mother."

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Vanessa was silent then, cuddling into her father.

"No, I know that. I'm not saying that aI'm still not devastated, I'm just-" Astrid began, cutting off when she began to tremble.

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Klaus held her close.

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"I won't,"

"Love you daddy..."

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Kol just pulled her into a hug.

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"Thanks Jay... Do you mind waiting here half an hour or so whilst I call someone in to clean up the restaurant? I had to pull a fire alarm so people would leave."

L.J just nodded subtly in response to that, "Sure,"

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"I love you too, Ness,"

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Astrid buried her face in his shoulder.

Vanessa kissed his head before heading into the restaurant.

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Vanessa snuggled into her father as she went to sleep.

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"I'm sorry Astrid... If me and Bekah hadn't been stupid enough to get caught your mother wouldn't have died..."

Astrid frowned deeply and moved her hand up to tangle her fingers in his hair, "I'm just glad I didn't lose you aswell, pretty boy, your my best friend."

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"And you're one of mine." Kol whispered as he kissed her gently.

She closed her eyes and kissed him back deeply.

"Shall we go see these fireworks ten?"

"Mm, yeah…. Yeah, let's."

Kol took her outside, sitting down on a bench with her as he watched a few do the fireworks that were being set off already.

(( Repost for the others? ))

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Astrid leant into him as she sat beside him, glancing up at the fireworks and watching them in silence, "Time to start another awful year without mum," she sighed.

Vanessa kissed his head before heading into the restaurant.

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Vanessa snuggled into her father as she tried to sleep.

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"I'm sorry Astrid..."

"Don't apologise, it's not your fault." Astrid whispered quietly, shaking her head as she kept her gaze on the fireworks.

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Klaus smoothed her hair down gently.

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L.J watched her go.

"Show me mama? Show me her being happy with you?" Vanessa whispered.

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Kol just nodded with a sigh, wrapping his arm around her.

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Vanessa came back out around half an hour later, damp patches here and there.

L.J glanced over at his mother with a deep frown.

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"Even though you think it is," Astrid added quietly, leaning over so she could rest her head on his shoulder.

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Klaus frowned deeply, reaching his hand up to brush his fingertips through his daughters hair as he showed her how happy they both were when they found out Tatia was pregnant with her.

"Bit of water damage, nothing the insurance won't sort out in a week or so." Vanessa mumbled as she got in the car.

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"I like seeing mama happy, like seeing you happy." Vanessa smiled as she drifted off, fingers uncurling around his shirt as she finally dozed off.

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Kol was silent, pressing his lips to her forehead.

"It isn't…. I feel awful enough about her dying, don't you blame yourself. You got hurt, you couldn't help that."

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Klaus just nodded subtly, kissing the top of her head when she finally dozed.

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"Maybe you should have a limit on the amount of people you let in there, mum, if things are really getting that mad."

"If we stop letting people in we lose money."

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"It was out of mine and bekahs own stupidity though."

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Vanessa slept peacefully curled up against her father as she did most nights.

"Not really," L.J replied with a shake of his head, "It'd increase business in the long term, customer service and satisfaction will go up, which'd make people want to come back."

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"No, no it wasn't." Astrid replied with a shake of her head, resting her hand over his and interlocking their fingers. "Don't blame yourself, Kol."

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Klaus just watched her sleep in silence.

"Most people are regulars anyway Jay."

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"I was stupid enough to go get drunk which is how they caught me. It's on me, if I wasn't a stupid drunk you'd still have your mother."

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As she slept, Vanessa seemed of her parents, though most of her mother was what Klaus had shown her as she was too young to remember.

"No, no, no…" Astrid whispered with a shake of her head, squeezing his hand as she moved her other hand up to rest on his cheek, leaning up to press her lips to his as she whispered, "It is not your fault, pretty boy. Don't blame yourself, that's an awful thing to beat yourself up about."

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