Who: Klaus, Elijah and Freya What: Klaus starts dreaming When: Sunday, August 13 - 3 am Where: Elijah’s place Warnings: Mentions of abuse and death Status: Log | Complete
When Klaus first saw all the talk of dreams on that network he hadn’t taken it seriously. He figured it was just a bunch of nut cases who were a little too into their dreams. That was until Klaus experienced them for himself. It was the first time he ever had dreams that felt so real. But they did. It was as if it were another life he had lived. One that wasn’t all that different from his real life. He was still the unwanted one, constantly getting beaten by Mikael. The only differences were it seemed to be during Viking times and there was one sibling that was missing. Freya. She was not only missing but according to her older siblings, dead.
Klaus woke up in a sweat. Rational thought left him. The dreams felt so real that he didn’t even try and remind himself they were just a dream. No, instead he jumped out of bed throwing on a shirt and left Kol’s place. All he could think about was his older sister. He needed to see her. To make sure she was still real.
At three in the morning there was no traffic and he made it to Elijah’s in record time. Klaus rushed out of the car sprinting to Elijah’s door. Instead of knocking he banged on it for entrance. “FREYA!” he yelled over and over again, fist punching the door.
Elijah woke up almost without any feeling of grogginess. The sound of Klaus’ voice screaming his sister’s name made him sigh for a moment. He could hear his brother’s wild heartbeat the closer that he got to the door. His neighbors would not thank him for this. “Niklaus, can you lower your voice,” came the first words and he unlocked the door.
He quickly assessed his brother’s expression. Something had changed. “Come inside and keep quiet. I do not have kindly neighbors. The dead could hear you screaming.” Which gave him a moment of pause before he looked at his brother again. “What happened?”
Even without vampire hearing, Freya was awoken by the sound of Klaus yelling her name, she just had to place herself and realize it was actually happening and in that time Elijah had already gotten to the door. Pulling on a cardigan over her pajama top, Freya went into the living room as well to look between her two brothers, arms crossed over stomach.
“What happened, is everything okay?”
Because clearly something had happened. There was no reason Freya could think of Klaus showing up at whatever time it was yelling like that. She’d ask if something had happened to Kol or Mareena, but he would have called about that. So what was going on and what did she have to do with it?
“No! I can not!” Klaus replied still clearly upset. He didn’t give a flying fuck about Elijah’s neighbors. All he cared about was seeing Freya. He did step inside though, not because Elijah told him to, but because that was where Freya was. “Where’s Freya?!” he demanded completely ignoring Elijah’s question about what had happened.
And then she appeared. Visibly tired (it was 3 am after all) but she was there. And more importantly she was alive. Klaus didn’t say a word, instead he did something he didn’t do often. He embraced his sister in a hug. Niklaus wasn’t exactly the type to show affection, but right now? He needed it.
Elijah tried not to show his frustration with the situation and Klaus because the moment that Freya showed up and he rushed toward her, Elijah knew. “The dreams,” he said quietly, lifting his gaze to meet Freya’s. His expression shifted and he shut the door. All the annoyances from before were forgotten in that moment and he moved a little closer, lightly resting a hand on Klaus’ shoulder.
His jaw tensed and he looked down at the ground for a moment. He had done something similar when he’d first started dreaming and knew that Freya was dead. He’d seen the others, but never Freya. He’d called her to make sure that she was still alive...even though he’d been exhausted. He’d just needed to hear her voice, to know that she was still alive. Of course, it was only a matter of time before he got to the other parts of the dreams. After a moment, he looked up at Freya again.
Of all the siblings, Freya was most likely the most physically affectionate, but even she was shocked as suddenly Klaus just hugged her. But even though she was still confused - though getting an idea on what was going on - Freya just hugged her brother for as long as he needed while looking at Elijah over Klaus’ shoulder, brow quirked curiously.
And it seemed as though Elijah had pieced together what was going on and it verified the theory that had been forming in her sleep addled brain. And it did hurt, knowing that she wasn’t there to help her family in these dreams, to see how much they could affect them in the waking world. It was one of those things she couldn’t actually fix and that was hard for her.
He heard Elijah mention the dreams. A subject he was certainly going to need more information on. But right now Freya he still needed to make sure his sister was okay. Releasing her from the hug he still kept her close, hands gripping her shoulders, eyes glued on hers. “You’re okay,” he confirmed to himself, a sigh of relief, but he still he needed to hear her say it.
“I need a drink,” he concluded letting his hands fall to his sides, although his eyes remained glued on his siter.
Elijah had wanted to protect them all from this, but there was no protection here. Not even he could fix it. Fixing things was a problem. It was something he was always trying to do. Clean up after Niklaus, fix whatever mistakes needed fixing. As concerned as he was for his brother, he was very well aware of the fact that he was dreaming, which meant that he was going to turn eventually. Elijah wasn’t sure when or how, but he would. He would turn and then they’d have to figure out how to deal with that. God save them all at that point.
But for now, he was focusing on the concerned portion of everything. It took everything in him to walk to his liquor cabinet at normal human speed. He’d wanted to go and come back, but he decided it was best to appear as human as possible. So he walked over, picking up a glass, and walked back to his brother with a bottle and a glass. Without saying anything, he poured Niklaus a glass and held it out to him.
Once Klaus let go of her, Freya just locked her eyes with his so that he could see she was being truthful.
“I’m okay, Klaus. I promise.”
Worried, but she was okay and alive and that even though in the dreams he’d had she wasn’t, here? Here she was still there and there was nothing to worry about on that front. As Elijah handed Klaus a drink, Freya just took his free arm.
“Let’s sit down, okay?”
She wasn’t quite sure how the conversation would go, what would be revealed, but if the conversation she’d had with Elijah was anything to go off of? Sitting was probably a good idea for now.
Klaus accepted the glass of bourbon taking a long swallow. It burned as it slid down his throat, but in a good way. He needed this after the night he had. Logically he wasn’t sure why he was so upset. It just felt too real. Niklaus couldn’t lose his sister.
“Okay,” he agreed taking a seat on the couch with the glass still in hand. He was fairly certain Freya hadn’t had any dreams. How could she when she was dead? But beside that when he had mentioned dreams to her she seemed just as perplexed why people would use a network to discuss dreams as he was. But Elijah. He seemed to know more. Hell he even admitted to sharing his own dreams.
“So, Elijah,” Klaus began another swallow from his glass. “Care to fill me in on these dreams?”
Did he care to? Not really. The problem with that was that Niklaus was as stubborn about things as Freya was and if he refused, then his brother would act out. Sighing, he grabbed himself a glass as well, pouring himself a drink. There were not enough drinks in the world, but he still needed it.
“Some people say that they show us alternative universes, lives we lived in a different place and time.” He frowned slightly. “It is complicated to explain and most of it will be better discovered over time on your own. I have dreamt parts of our childhood and other times in our existence, but mostly us as adults.” He was carefully concealing the part about being vampires. Niklaus was a vampire, but he was also a werewolf. He wasn't sure now was the time to explain all of that. He looked up at Freya then. “We lose our sister there, but we will not here.” At least not until she was older and had had time to grow old and live her life. He would fight anyone that tried to take that away from her.
There wasn’t much Freya could say about the dreams as she learned about them (truly learned about them that is as opposed to just seeing about them) after she had told Klaus about the network and even then she had no experience with them. So this wasn’t something she could really help Elijah with. What she could do though was provide a reminder for Klaus that she was in fact okay and she was there. So instead she just sat next to Klaus, absently keeping their arms laced, nothing overt but just acting as a grounding presence.
Still, it was strange hearing about the dreams, hearing that she wasn’t there but she just gave a small, sad smile to Elijah but said nothing else on the matter. She pretty much just had to accept that this was something she wouldn’t be able to share with her siblings.
Freya’s closeness was appreciated. Of course Klaus would never say it. But with dreaming that she wasn’t around? Yeah he needed her there. As for Elijah? Perhaps he would have been more pissed off if he hadn’t just dreamed of Elijah threatening Mikael after Niklaus was beaten. There was something off though, that none of this seemed to surprise Freya. Klaus had a lot of questions and he wanted answers.
“Why are they so similar to our real life?” he demanded to know. “Minus the fact that our sister -” he couldn’t bring himself to finish that thought. Instead he just finished off his drink holding it out for Elijah to refill. He was the one with the bottle after all. “And why is none of this a shock to you?” he asked looking over at Freya. Most times his voice would be filled with anger, but tonight things felt different. He couldn’t bring himself to yell at either of them for keeping things from him. Not after what he just witnessed.
Elijah allowed a moment of pause. Klaus would be demanding even at times like this. He filled his cup again and let out a long breath. “I don't know why. I came into this the same as everyone else on the network. There are likely multiple theories on the why, but no one actually knows.” He wished he had more answers than he did, but there wasn't anything else he could say for that.
Elijah would allow Freya to respond to the question that was directed toward her even though he knew the answer to that question. He felt guilt settle in his gut and tried to use more alcohol to silence it. It wasn't working all that well.
The fact that the dreams apparently mirrored the real world so much was strange. And it made it more confusing and hard to understand if that were the case, why had she died? It was one of the things she’d been trying to wrap her head around since she had gotten answers out of Elijah on what he’d been keeping from her. Still at the question directed at her, Freya sighed.
“I found out a few nights ago. I knew that something was being kept from me so I pieced together what was and wasn’t said.” Because like Elijah, she didn’t know how to broach the vampire part of everything. Honestly, there was nothing she could say on that fact as it wasn’t her directly so she only knew what she was told.
“I’ve been trying to make sense of it since.”
“And everyone dreams a life similar to their?” Klaus wasn’t about to stop with the questions. He deserved answers. Especially since Freya had apparently already gotten them. Elijah was keeping things from Klaus again.
“And neither of you thought to inform me?” Klaus growled. The anger was starting to take over. He took another drink before rubbing his temple. This was all a lot to take in. His mind flashed back to the dreams. No Freya, Elijah defending him. His face softened ever so slightly, anger leaving his eyes. However, he remained silent waiting for his answers.
“I don’t know. I don’t think so. Some people dream very unusual things which would be very difficult to recreate in this world.” He shrugged. “Ezio dreams of a life as an assassin in Renaissance Italy. Clearly he didn’t live that life and he isn’t an assassin here. Some things are the same for him and some are not. It’s hard to say.” They were both different things for one another.
Elijah resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose and just drank more instead. It was a healthy reaction, naturally. “Would you have believed me if I told you? Some things you have to experience for yourself before you can accept them.” He studied the knee of his pajama pants as if it was very interesting. “And I am telling you now.”
Freya should have expected the question and was just relieved that it wasn’t tinged with the usual anger it would have been. She could understand the question, initially she had wondered why Elijah hadn’t told her either. Yet once she knew, she had realized it was something she needed to experience to truly understand. And as she had been convinced that he was dying and just believed the dreams until she’d gotten proof? But perhaps a warning would have been better. But as Elijah asked, would Klaus have believed if just told?
“I can barely make sense of it, let alone find words for it and had hoped you’d escape the dreams.”
It wasn’t a great reason, but there it was and it was honest. There wasn’t much that could be done now about not saying anything about the dreams before now. Klaus had been back a little over a week and already dreams? Was there even a timetable for these things?
Elijah did have a point. He wouldn’t have believed him. But there was still part of Klaus that thought Elijah should have warned him in some way. That conversation they had on the network, Elijah mentioned he shared his dreams. He could have told Niklaus that he in fact dreamed of another fucking life. Whether Klaus believed him or not the warning would have been appreciated. Maybe not at the time, but certainly now that he had dreamed.
As for Freya? Klaus couldn’t exactly hold it against her. From the way she spoke it wasn’t as if she had experienced it herself. Which, how could she if she was dead anyway? So he would give her that at least.
He took another long swallow from his glass. “We didn’t exactly live in Viking times either, Elijah,” he reminded his brother. What he meant was other than the fact that Freya was gone the dynamic was the same. Mikael constantly beating Klaus. It seemed like some past life of their if you believed in that kind of thing. Which, Klaus now did.
“No. We did not.” There was more, so much more. He wanted to tell his brother, but he couldn’t form the words, couldn’t make them come out. In the end it would be better to let him figure things out for himself. He would still be angry with him, but what else was new these days? If it hadn’t already been so late, he might have texted Ezio and told him he was coming over.
“Like I said, things are complicated. Some details are the same and others are not.” Yep. He was just going to drink a lot more. So much more. He was not going to apologize for it either. “There is a lot that you don’t know and I can’t explain all of it.” He stood up then because he needed to pace a little, but he left Klaus the bottle before grabbing a different bottle for himself.
Viking time?? Well that was new. Okay Freya hadn’t asked much about the dreams after she had gotten the vampire and being dead thing out of Elijah. The rest of the details hadn’t exactly mattered. She’d been more concerned about how Elijah was doing and how he had to carry that by himself though she supposed Ezio must know. But with how worried he had been that she’d turn him away once she knew? That had been her focus. Besides what good would her asking about dreams she’d never have do?
She really did wish that there was more she could do to help in this situation but she didn’t know a lot and it was Elijah’s secret to tell about the vampire thing and who even knew how that would go here and now. Emotions were already raw and they were all tired given the time of night. So for now she would just stay as she was and hopefully help Klaus remain a semblance of calm so that things could at least be somewhat hashed out.
“You haven’t explained any of it,” Klaus shot back more in frustration than anger. He finished off his second glass pouring himself another. Usually he was the pacing type as well, but right now he wanted, needed to be close to his sister.
“You get any more answers out of him?” he asked Freya. Klaus knew she was a lot easier to confide in than himself. Hell he had just confided in her a few nights ago. Perhaps Elijah had told her more. In fact Klaus had a feeling that he probably did.
“I know.” Elijah’s voice remained calm...despite his pacing. “It is difficult to explain some things without revealing others. Things you need to discover for yourself.” He frowned. “What have you dreamt exactly? There is at least one thing that I can warn you about if you haven’t already become aware of it.” Henrik’s death. He could warn about that. He’d been killed by werewolves, but Elijah could easily just say it was wolves. It wasn’t a lie, just a half truth. He wouldn’t explain too much about it. Niklaus didn’t need to feel guilty on top of this. He would handle his anger and frustration as best as he could.
Elijah had told Freya more, but he’d been terrified she wouldn’t accept him. He wasn’t sure what to do with Niklaus in general, but it wasn’t like he could refuse to accept what he was when his brother had been the same. They’d promised always and forever. Elijah would still be there for Niklaus all the same. He just...couldn’t give up everything for him this time. He hoped he wouldn’t lose everything even with his best efforts. But none of this he could express.
And the way Elijah was answering things made it clear he was trying to avoid the whole vampire thing. Which Freya couldn’t blame him for that as she was now trying to figure out a way to answer Klaus’ question. Because yes, Elijah had told her more in the sense of being a vampire and how it crossed over, but nothing about things that actually happened. And then the whole dead thing. Then there had been a lot of drinking and not thinking about it because really what was happening to her family and why was there nothing she could do to fix it? Some big sister she was.
“Nothing that makes sense when it’s said aloud. But after putting together I die in them, I stopped asking questions.”
Perhaps it was a bit insensitive of him to talk about this in front of his sister, who was in fact dead in the dreams. But Niklaus was selfish. Especially at a time like this when he was still processing everything.
“Oh you know, same shit, different time period. Mikael decided to beat the shit out of me for hunting with you, for his blades going missing, for not giving him a necklace Esther gave me.” He refused to call his parents mother and father. It was also rare for him to ever discuss what Mikael did. He preferred to leave it in the past. Not think about it. But since his dreams had basically just been a series of beatings? And if Elijah was going to tell him more he supposed he had to tell him where his dreams left off.
“The last beating I received was for using his knife to make chess pieces. You tried to stop him and Rebekah threatened him with a sword.” And that was it. Nothing of Henrik’s death. “So what should I be warned of? Does Mikael finally succeed in beating me to death?”
Elijah’s expression darkened some. He would never forgive their father for what he did: here or in the dreams. He had done his best to keep things running smoothly for the younger ones while he could, but now...now, he didn’t feel the need to make nice with his father. “No. He does not succeed in that.” Though, he would shove his sword through their hearts eventually. “But Freya is not the only sibling we will lose.” A harsh reality that both he and Kol had lived through. “I know you will not thank me for the knowledge that you are waiting to experience another loss, but…” It was all there was outside of the knowledge of them being vampires. His gaze dropped to the ground and he went still almost immediately.
As Klaus described what his latest dreams had been, Freya gave up and went to get herself a glass so that she could pour herself a drink as well. Even if she had nothing to really contribute to the conversation of what had happened in the Dreams beyond being a constant presence and reminder that even if she was gone there she was still here, she was going to need a drink. Drink poured, she reclaimed her spot next to Klaus on the couch.
Well, Elijah had said that their parents were somehow worse in the dreams than real life. So taking a drink, she leaned back into the couch doing her best not to try and read too much into the differences of the dreams and what that meant for how things were there. It was too early/late for these sorts of thoughts.
Niklaus’s eyes followed Freya as she got up to get a glass. He wasn’t sure he was ever going to stop watching her, needing to make sure she was okay. But then Elijah’s words sunk in. Another of his siblings? It obviously wasn’t Elijah. “Spit it out,” Klaus replied with another sip of his drink. “Who?”
Elijah tried to mask the pained expression when he said, “Henrik.” The idea of losing any of them was painful to think about. It was what had been so unsettling about the dreams where he was trying to kill Klaus. His brother was nothing short of highly frustrating and far too paranoid to make any conversation an easy one. That didn’t meant that he wanted to kill him. Not here anyway. Sometimes the idea may have popped up now that the dreams were part of his life, but he always felt guilty about it.
As Elijah said who it was that also died, Freya looked down at her drink. It had been the comment that she and Henrik hadn’t been turned that had made her question and then piece it all together. Even so, it wasn’t easy to hear again that Henrik would also die in the dreams. She supposed that knowing they started in Viking times made more sense of the deaths, there was disease and violence that might not be as much a problem if the dreams were set in a more present sort of setting. (Admittedly she didn’t know if they moved forward but for that information…)
And so another drink. Because these sorts of conversations were always best with alcohol apparently.
Great. Something to look forward to. Klaus finished off his third drink, immediately pouring himself another. He wasn’t going to be able to drive back to Kol’s tonight. Just as well, he wanted to be close to Freya for the time being anyway. “Anything else I should know?” He had no words for having to go through the death of another sibling.
Elijah shook his head. It was a lie, outright. There was so much more that he had to know, but Elijah couldn’t bring himself to tell his brother about it. Not now. “You should...stay tonight. I’ll get you some blankets.” Because that was all he could think to say. “And I need to get some sleep before work tomorrow.” That being said, he grabbed an extra pillow and some blankets, putting them on the back of the couch. “If anyone needs me, I’ll be sleeping off the effects of this alcohol and trying not to have a hangover tomorrow.” Neither of those things would be happening as he wasn’t even currently buzzed. “I’m sorry about the dreams Niklaus. I wish you didn’t have to experience them.” He glanced up at Freya. He didn’t say the words, but he did his best to communicate his apology to her. “I love you both.” In case he didn’t say it enough. “There’s food in the fridge if you need anything. Goodnight.”
Freya sighed softly and nodded. She knew that there was more, but she also knew that with everything that Klaus had just dealt with emotionally, the whole vampire thing? That was a conversation for a different day. But that was something she couldn’t help with because she wasn’t going to go through it. She did agree that Klaus should stay the night though, there was no reason for him to get into a car accident on his way back to Kol’s. So instead she just gave a sad smile to Elijah in response and stood up, kissing his cheek before rejoining Klaus. She’d stay up with him until he fell asleep. It was at least something she could actually do.