My demons are too dark...
The abyss is too deep...
Pulled out by your spark....
It's retribution I seek...

    .Ravenna.

    A sigh escapes my lips as I take in Klaus' figure wrapped around me once again. I should have about a zillion and one reason to not go on with whatever the hell I had stirred up last night but I couldn't bring myself to care about any of them. My fingers lock into his silky dark hair and his arms tighten around my waist as a light snore leaves his lips. One more glance at the window and I'm certain the sun was just about coming up, a few minutes from now. He was leaving the hospital today, he had told me that.

         "Klaus?" I whisper, trying to get him to loosen his grip on me. He mumbles incoherently, not budging and I'm moved as I attempt shifting him off. "At this point, I have no idea if this is cute or annoying."

        "Why don't you try annoyingly cute?" He mutters and I jerk him away from me when I realize he's been awake the whole time.

            "Asshole." I grumble, pulling down my shirt to cover the open skin which he had so tightly wrapped himself around.

       He gets off the bed and walks towards me, a smirk plastered to his face. "I love it when you call my name. It's...exciting?"

          I ignore him, shaking my head. I grab my boots and stuff my feet into them while I subconsciously reach for my jacket. "I have to go."

           "What? Why?" His bothering questions come on and I stop to stare at him.

        "I can't have your dad or anyone meeting me here. Plus, I'd have some heck of an excuse to give my aunt when I get home. She's a pain in the ass." I groan, recalling Jenna and her troublesome personality.

         "Or you could just tell her you were with me." He suggests.

          "She doesn't know there's a you so let's keep it that way, shall we?" I finally tug on my jacket and head for the door.

        "You're just leaving?" He straight out asks, staring blankly at me. I turn to glance at him, lifting a brow, pretending not to know what he wants.

        "Yeah, what?"

        "Can't I get a..."

      I close the gap in between us before he completes his sentence, placing my lips to his. "Get well soon." I drop my voice to a whisper as soon as our lips disconnect and without another word, bolt out the room.

     .Niklaus.

       Elsie shows up a few hours after Raven leaves. I was all packed up then and had been awaiting her arrival, which seemed to take longer than required.

        "I thought you'd be out like a log," Elsie says, dropping my bag into the car trunk. "How'd you sleep though?"

        I think back to the good night's sleep I had gotten with Raven. I craved more of those. Wrapping my arms around her waist, leaning against her warm abdomen. It was probably the best sleep I had ever gotten in my life. We had taken a huge step to being closer than ever, just when I thought I had lost her. She really had her way with leaving me in shock. Just like with the kiss this morning. At least it wasn't a flinch and she didn't go to being mean to me after we had shared a really intimate moment.

        I look towards Elsie who was now at the entrance of the driver's seat and nod my head. "It was good."

       We make a stop at a coffee house to get an appetizing breakfast of mocha latte and some scones before making the final stop at home.

        "Are you going to tell me or do I have to ask?" Elsie suddenly snaps out in annoyance, glaring at me when I settle at the kitchen island to finish up my scones. I stare at her in confusion, obviously not taking a hint of what she was talking about. "You've been grinning all morning, what the hell happened after I left last night?"

          I avert my gaze, nibbling at my scone. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

       "Was it Taylor?"

     "C'mon Elsie! Taylor, really?"

     He face immediately goes to that of surprise in that moment and she waggles her brows. "It's that someone else, isn't it?"

       "Elsie..."

      "What's her name? I want to meet her!"

       "You can't!" I immediately screech.

     She places her hands to her hips, leaning against the island. "And why the hell not?!"

          "She's well...different."

      She taps her chin and lifts a finger. "Here's me giving one..." Another finger goes up. "Two," and then another. "Oh wow, three fucks!"

       I hate her sarcasm.

      "What's her name?"

       I finally get off my stood. "Ravenna but she prefers to go by Raven."

        "Just like you prefer going by Klaus."

      I grab a glass and pull open the fridge. "Not that you respect my choice anyway. You still call me by my full name!"

          She launches herself towards me at that, her arms tightly wrapping around my neck from behind. "And why the hell not?! Niklaus is such an exotic name!"

         "You don't say." I grab the jug of milk and pour myself some before returning it.

        "I still want to meet her."

       "You will...when the time's right." I gulp down my milk and finally make my way out the kitchen.

        As exciting and fun as Elsie was, I didn't want to take much chances with Raven now. I wanted to get to know her better first. Clarify a lot of things and make sure she wasn't just going to slip in between my fingers because she did seem like the kind of person who'd fuck me up in so many ways if things went awry.