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chapter forty-two ━ there goes the ticking bomb

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❝ the fallen angel fell too far ❞

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thirty votes and thirty comments for the next chapter!

SAYING WHAT SHE was thinking would only hurt his feelings or get him irritated. But she truly couldn't help herself, biting her lip as she attempted to contain a smile. She was amused at his painting but she did find a fascination in watching him. In fact, she always had. Her eyes would follow his every movement as if she were trying to memorize the way he painted. They had also gotten into the habit of doing art at the same time. While he painted, Melody would mimic whatever he was painting and turn it into a sketch. It was their secret hobby they wouldn't tell anyone about because they would share stories, laughs, smiles, kisses, and touches. It was romantic.

Klaus sensed her watching and turned his head from where he was assessing his art, smiling back at her which made her smile back. Melody came over and stood beside him, her eyes brightening with mischief. "I love the snowflake." Right when she said it, she had to cover her mouth to stifle her laugh because she knew that his work wasn't literal for the most part. It always was complex and had a hidden meaning. Besides the sketches of her which he would argue was complicated and far from simplistic.

He sighed heavily, his eyes closing for a beat. "I don't know whether to be offended or grateful that you enjoy my work." A smirk was pressed against the back of his shoulder blade and opened his eyes, turning his head to look down at her.

Melody was staring up at him with a certain look in her eyes that he knew well. Without a word, he tilted his chin down towards her, moving his shoulder out of the way. She lifted her head up, her lips about to brush against his when footsteps sounded through the room, followed by someone clearing their throat. The couple looked over at the Salvatore, eyes narrowing in irritation at being interrupted. It seemed as they always were.

"Looks like a giant snowflake," Stefan commented, head jerking in the direction of the painting that they were standing in front of, covering half of it from his sight. He walked further into the room, not at all looking apologetic at what he had walked into. Even though Melody looked as if she were plotting his murder. In all honesty, he wouldn't be surprised if she was.

"I prefer to think of it as an expression of postmodernism," Klaus retorted, sounding quite annoyed that his work was being taken literally. "It's my donation to the Winter Wonderland charity event." He gave him a forced smile as he wrapped an around his girlfriend, knowing that she didn't care for people walking in on her showing affection. "Now leave."

Stefan didn't listen to his demand, staying in his place. Adrian — one of the hybrids — came in and instantly Melody made a distance between herself and Klaus, spinning on her heel as she drifted over to the window.

"You said it was urgent," Adrian spoke, his eyes going to the only female in the room before he caught the distasteful twitch on his former alpha male's lips which led him to believe his presence had caused Melody to move away.

However, the Original kept his temper in check, flicking a hand towards his painting as he didn't bother looking at him anymore, instead staring at the woman who was dragging one smooth finger across the window, causing the sun to dim, hidden by clouds that suddenly appeared. "Yes, take this to the Mystic Grill immediately."

Now it was Adrian's turn to look unpleased, withdrawing from snarling and lunging at him at being ordered around, despite the fact that he was no longer sired. But he had to keep the act up, unfortunately. He silently prayed he was doing a good job. "You want me to be a delivery guy?"

The air shifted as Melody turned her head to look at him, her expression blank so he could not tell what was going on in her head. What he did not know was that the female was now suspicious, watching him warily. Something was off with the hybrids and the more she found herself observing her surroundings and becoming more paranoid due to her growing darkness, the more she became convinced that the supposed soldiers were no longer loyal.

She took two measured steps towards Adrian, making him stiffen though he had tried to hide his tenseness and failed. Her eyes stayed trained on his face while the other two in the room watched her, ready to intervene if she did anything. "Drop the attitude before I cut off both your hands and drop them in a river." He gulped. "You are going to take the painting to the Mystic Grill now." Then she took a steady breath to calm herself. "Be careful though, it is still wet we don't need it smudging."

Klaus and Stefan exhaled in relief, exchanging a glance. Adrian grimaced but obeyed, moving past her and took the painting carefully as if it were glass, carrying it out of the room. Her eyes followed him. Not longingly, but empty, like she knew something. The vampire decided to move onto the reason he came here before Melody chose to consider him collateral damage. "Elena is sired to Damon. Which means I need to find the cure now more than ever and yet here you are making postmodern snowflakes."

Melody sat on the couch, crossing her legs as she sat up straight, looking proper which was unlike her and yet her old habits of being a princess in the Enchanted Forest could never be removed. Whenever she did something royals do such as sitting poised, it meant she was thinking. And if she were to be at a table at that moment, she would have been tapping her nails against the surface. What she didn't understand is why Stefan still cared. If he didn't, why was he wasting his time here?

"We've delivered all we can," she pointed out to Stefan, nose scrunching up slightly. "We retrieved the Hunter's sword from Italy. But in order to decipher the map, the Hunter's mark needs to be completed. You and Caroline are the ones who are supposed to deliver the Hunter and his mark."

He kept calm, steady when speaking with her. He didn't miss the annoyance that flashed in her eyes when she noticed how he was acting around her: like she was a ticking bomb. "Well, Jeremy is the hunter, and he has to keep killing vampires to complete his mark, but we can't quite figure out how to keep him from killing us."

Klaus came back into the conversation, standing by the couch next to the fairytale woman. "Sounds like quite the chore. Which is why I feel perfectly justified doing a little charity work with Melody complimenting the job I have done." To make his point that the male's presence was not adored, he pressed a gentle hand on Melody's shoulder, rubbing the back of her neck with his thumb.

"Or maybe you two are lying about having found the sword."

At the accusation, Melody jolted up into a standing position, moving towards a painting hanging from the wall with such grace that it almost was inhuman. Her ivory handed pulled it away from the way, turned the dial, and then opened up the secret compartment to reveal the sword lying there. She picked it up by the hilt, going over to him as she held flat against her gentle palms.

"The hilt acts as a cipher which we'll use to decode the marks on Jeremy's tattoo when he's killed enough vampires to complete it," she explained, her fingers brushing against the said piece. She allowed him to stare at it before she went back, returning it to its place before locking it, moving the painting back in place. Her movements were normal and so Stefan didn't notice how the sword vanished by her magic. Just because he was on their side, doesn't mean she trusted him yet.

Melody went back to her place on the couch, suddenly looking smug. "I heard you moved out of your house. You are more than welcome to stay here."

Stefan didn't say much about her words, merely closing his lips into a fine line before he even bothered to respond. "I'm not here to bond, Melody." Surprisingly enough, he did not throw anything about her wanting to kill Elena in her face.

"Aw what a shame, I thought we were on the same side." She tilted her head, her chocolate brown eyes staring straight at him. "We are on the same side, right?"

The look on his face hid everything that he was thinking, his shoulders relaxed, expression tranquil, void of anything that would tell her otherwise. And yet when he answered her, it sounded like the truth, exactly what she wanted to hear. No one would have suspected a thing if it were the average person. This was Melody Mills.

"Of course we are."

And Melody Mills knew he was lying.

———

Klaus was not surprised to hear that Stefan was going against them. Both had suspected it to happen so the problem was not too difficult to fix. What neither knew was that while they were focused on making sure Stefan did not find the sword, there was something stirring in the shadows. And the result was not anything they would be prepared for.

Without so much as a second thought about it, Melody had followed him to the Salvatore Boarding house where she snapped his neck, using her magic to cloak his unconscious body for a few hours. And because Caroline was on their side, not even she knew about the plan Tyler had to put Klaus down. So that was just one step towards the bomb getting ready to explode.

She attended the Winter Wonderland Charity event because despite it not being in her plans, Klaus insisted that they go to get some quality time together, hopefully not enduring any drama which was a pipe dream. Melody accepted his offer anyway, wearing a simple, casual white dress that faded to navy blue and a white short cardigan that went just below her breast, in the spirit of the fake snow that was being deposited onto the ground by machines. The snow wasn't nearly enough or real and the sight made her frown.

Klaus had an arm wrapped around her as they watched some kids play, throwing snowballs at one another. She wore a sad smile on her face and then sighed, looking to a certain couple that was standing much like they were, just the female was laying her head against him as her husband had one arm around her shoulders. The hybrid noticed her look but didn't know what to say.

A silence stayed between them before Melody saw that the machines making the fake snow had started to malfunction, coming to a stop so nothing was spewing out anymore. The kids all frowned, going to their parents with disappointed looks on their faces. She didn't like that one bit. So she took matters into her own hands.

She rubbed her fingers together, the clouds from earlier no longer dark and menacing. Now, it was a misty grey and snow started to fall from the sky slowly. The flakes stuck to the ground and in a matter of seconds, the snow was abundant, increasing. But there was no chilly wind, no blizzard. Only the wide grins on the kids' faces when they reached up into the sky and felt it. Some even stuck their tongues out.

Melody's smile turned bright as the snow started to attract everyone's attention. Even the adults came over and started to play with their kids. Klaus was in absolute awe, looking down at her but she wasn't looking at him at all. Her eyes stayed on the cheerful kids who were bundled up in their coats, their cheeks getting rosy from the cold.

Then finally she seemed to feel his stare and looked over at him. "What?" she asked innocently, some of the snow in her hair. While he looked at her, it was almost like they were both human, in StoryBrooke together, not involved with any drama. Like they were normal. "Those machines were pathetic and that snow was unacceptable." He rose an eyebrow, a teasing smile growing. "Oh don't give me that look."

"What look?" he questioned, a bit embarrassed that she could have this effect on him without her even having to give effort. He was positive that she didn't know her effect on him. She couldn't possibly comprehend just how human she made him feel. When she gave him a playful look, shoving him with her hand gently, he grinned widely. "It was a kind gesture." Then he debated on whether to say this or not but said it anyway. "You're good with kids. And I truly think you would make an outstanding mother one day."

Melody blushed madly, ducking her head as she tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, caught off-guard by the compliment. She didn't know what to say really since she had never put much thought to what she would be like as a mother. No doubt she would be protective beyond belief like her father. That was only her behavior though. What she never thought about was who her significant other would be. Not until Klaus that was.

"For what's it's worth, I think you'd be an amazing father. Your future kids should be proud."

He was now caught off-guard, eyes widening before he looked away at the kids playing, opening his mouth to say something before he closed it. Klaus Mikaelson never once thought about having kids besides Marcellus who had perished many years ago. Since then, not a single idea of adopting another kid crossed his mind. Yet with her he questioned his past decisions, thinking that just maybe having a kid wouldn't be too bad. But he had the impression he couldn't get her pregnant since he was a vampire. Well, half.

"I don't know. I've never put much thought to it." Klaus didn't look at her still, his pride not letting him. "I never had any desire to adopt any kids. Running from my father for over a thousand year didn't exactly leave me with many opportunities." His voice was quiet and she caught that single word that made his entire response warm her heart.

Had. He said that he had never had any desire to have kids. Did this mean he was reconsidering? She didn't ask though but she could tell from his expression that he didn't wish to stay on the topic any longer. And so she dropped it, taking a deep breath. There was something else she had been meaning to say but didn't know how to.

"Klaus, I'm sorry for how I have been acting," she sighed. "I promise that I'm not usually as angry or vengeful. And I'm sorry that you constantly have to hold me back or keep me from doing something irrational even though I'm positive everything I've been doing regarding this cure has been just that."

He finally looked at her since the topic of kids was over. Then he shook his head, staring her straight in the eye. "Don't apologize, love. I myself have quite a temper, as you know, and find myself vengeful when anyone crosses me. But I will say you react quicker than I do." He tried to smile teasingly at her.

Melody smiled back but could not keep the pain from seeping through from their previous discussion. Now she couldn't stop thinking about having a kid with him. However, her ability to actually be pregnant herself from him wasn't possible. The thought made her frown because it wasn't like there was a spell and he wasn't taking the cure anytime soon. And the more she thought about it, the more her heart started to break.

She plastered a smile on her face and then excused herself, telling him she was going to go into the Mystic Grill to use the restroom since it was across the street. When she got there, she found herself looking over at the booth she sat in when they saw each other face to face and he asked her what her choice had been. And she chose to trust him. That was nearly a year ago. Now here she was, fighting to get Rebekah the cure and kill Elena. Stupid, pathetic Elena. 

That was the second step to the bomb exploding.

The scary thing about this? Melody had blinked and suddenly she was over at the table, one hand on top of it. Her eyes went wide as she turned around, seeing Hayley standing there with a concerned expression. It was genuine.

"Hey? Melody are you okay?"

The fairytale woman stood there for a moment, catching her breath she didn't realize she had been holding. She could feel her heart racing for whatever reason and she took deep breaths to calm herself down. "I'm fine." Her lie was blatantly obvious, making her curse herself for it. But Hayley didn't ask. "Is there something you need?"

A grim look went over the werewolf's face, almost like she felt guilty about something. Yet it vanished just as quick. Melody noticed and figured that she probably was good at concealing emotions like she was.  "Look, anyone can see how much you care about Klaus. I personally don't like him but you do which is why I'm telling you this."

Instantly the brunette's body stiffened, her breath catching in her throat as she prepared herself for a betrayal. Who was it going to be this time? Stefan again? Caroline? Klaus himself? She gestured a hand forward for her to continue on, leaning back against the table to keep herself from collapsing because she could feel her dark magic flaring up.

"The hybrids are going to put Klaus down with the help of Tyler. All of them are unsired and they have a plan to move Klaus's essence into Rebekah's body. Then they are going to throw them into the ocean in cement." Hayley paused. "Tyler called it killing two birds with one stone. He wanted my help so I lied and told him there was a witch who could help them achieve their goal."

And there was the third step to the bomb exploding.

Melody felt her temper rising, her grip on the table tightening. "Where are the hybrids going?" Her teeth gritted together as she took deep breaths to keep herself from making the windows burst. She had to keep calm, keep control. In her mind she was calling out to Klaus, telling him to come and help her before she did something she would regret.

"Near the Lockwood cellar," Hayley replied, refraining from withering underneath the female's dark magic that she could feel from where she was standing.

Without a response, Melody brushed past her, walking fast out of the Mystic Grill. Her brain blanked, focused on one thing and one thing only: keeping these hybrids from ruining her happy ending. The light posts flickered as she passed, going to find a secluded spot so she could teleport there.

There went the fourth step.

———

Klaus had ended up sitting on a bench near the fountain, the kids playing in the snow far behind him as he put distance between himself and then, not wanting to think about his lost chances of starting a family with someone he cared for deeply. The minutes passed by and his concern grew. Melody hadn't returned in over twenty minutes but he figured she needed space. So he allowed her to have time.

Stefan walked up to him suddenly, rubbing the back of his neck since he had just woken up from the encounter he had with the female earlier before the event had started. The hybrid sensed him but did not look up from even the briefest moment. "Where have you been all day?" The question was rhetorical.

"I've been around," he mumbled, sitting down beside him.

His old friend scoffed. "You really think you would be able to get close to the sword? The second you obtain any information over me and Melody, you will soon forget our comradery and leave us in the dust. Consider this insurance." Still, he didn't look at him, clenching his jaw to keep his worry from bursting.

"I don't trust you either of you."

Now that made him turn, looking at him with utter disbelief. He and Melody's plan was going smoothly. No one knew that Elena was going to be killed besides the present company and Caroline who was most likely at the Mansion, crying over Tyler again who clearly didn't deserve her. So yes, he and his girlfriend were the supposed bad guys. Still, why couldn't Stefan just be on their side? See how Elena corrupted him?

"We showed you the sword," Klaus pointed out. "I explained its value. We've been on your side the entire time. What do you want from me? A secret brotherhood handshake?" The snarky comment came easy, not being able to hold himself back from getting nasty because he was truly annoyed.

Then suddenly their conversation shifted. Stefan was the one who changed it. "I found the letters. You've had a few pen-pals over the centuries."

Klaus smiled smugly all of a sudden, having never forgotten about his collection he made over the years. Not even Melody knew about it. Because those letters were the one thing reminding him that one day, she'll leave and he will be alone once more. No matter how many times she tells him otherwise, he knows deep down that he is alone.

"Well, is keeping my victims' letters really so different from writing their names on a wall?" he questioned Stefan. "Like you did, Ripper?" Stefan didn't have a response to that. Klaus's smile broadened as he knew he had caught him, pointing out a similarity between the two of them. He didn't say anything for a moment before his smile fell, fading away quickly. 

"Loneliness, Stefan," he continued. The said vampire listened intently. "That's why you and I memorialize our dead. There's the briefest of moments before we kill where we literally hold their life in our hands and then we rip it away. And we're left with nothing. So, gathering other peoples' letters or writing their names on a wall is a reminder that in the end we're left infinitely and utterly alone. Because no matter who is with us, they always leave in the end."

But if only Klaus knew just how wrong he was. And if only he knew how his view would change in a matter of thirty minutes.

———

None of them knew what was coming. That was until Adrian approached the hybrids, the last of the group to arrive. All of them stood in the woods, waiting for the witch to arrive to help free them. Some would call them poor souls who had been in the wrong place at the wrong time. But in Melody's mind, they were traitors, filth underneath her shoes, nothing but soldiers. None of them knew that they weren't going to live to see the sun rise above the horizon.

There goes the final step.

Adrian was the first to die, the Hunter's sword pierced through his chest, straight through his heart. Then the sword was removed and then his head with one quick motion. Kimberly screamed in horror, watching the male fall to his knees before falling to the side to reveal Melody standing behind him.

Her gorgeous dress now had blood splattered on it, her white cardigan gone. She had a furious look on her face, glaring with hatred. Black veins ran from her hands up to her eyes, her eyes pitch black as her dark magic had taken over. Then she smirked wickedly at the sight of them all moving away from her.

"You know, I usually like using my magic to get the job done. But this sword..." she trailed off, her tone cold as she ran her hand along to bloody blade, getting some on her skin. "It reminds me of my home. And it is a beautiful sword. I would despair if I couldn't test it out." She laughed darkly, moving closer to them like they were prey. "Now, who's next?"

Now some were stupid enough to charge for her. One launched into the air but she swiftly slashed his chest before removing his head. Blood got onto her cheek and her eyes stayed pitch black, the veins growing prominent as she slashed at another's throat. The only thing running through her mind was a single word.

Kill, kill, kill, kill

She aimed one at a hybrid's chest, pinning him to the tree. Her hand glowed red by her magic as she thrust her hand into his chest and yanked out his heart. More blood soaked her dress. Her smirk grew. Then she spun and slashed at another's throat, bringing her sword down to remove his hand.

Before she knew it, they were all dead. Except for one. Melody breathed heavily, standing in the middle of her destruction, looking pleased. Her head rose as she heard the faint crying of another hybrid. She stalked forward towards the Lockwood Cellar, her bloody fingers on her left hand dragging across the wall as she walked down the stairs with deadly grace.

Kimberly backed up from her until she hit the bars of the Cellar, clinging to them like it was going to save her. She was sobbing, pleading for her life as she had witnessed her entire pack perish because they crossed paths with Melody Mills. But surprisingly enough, the hybrid stood there, not falling to the ground as the fairytale woman pointed the sword's tip at the floor, the blade making a sickening sound against the rock.

"Where is Tyler Lockwood?" she asked sweetly, looking perfectly innocent beside the blood all over her, no smirk on her face but a curious and an expression of fake pity. Kim continued to cry, not answering her which made her blood boil. She pressed the sword to her throat, getting dangerously close. "Answer me, darling, and I'll make it quick." No answer. Her free hand lashed out and grabbed her throat, threatening to choke her. "One last time. Where is he?"

Finally, she got an answer. But not one she wanted and the sheer look of horror on the hybrid's face made it known that she was aware of how her reply would bring no joy to the woman's face. They were all going to die. She was terrified, being forced to stare into her black eyes, the midnight veins protruding from her face.

"I don't know."

Melody tsked, getting closer to her face. She slowly smirked, her lips curving upwards as she leaned to her ear. "Wrong answer." And then she pulled back and stabbed Kim straight through her throat, making the female gasp for air. But it was too late. Soon enough, her head fell off, falling to the ground along with her body.

Her head tilted to the side as she hummed to herself, turning on her heel as she began to walk back up the stairs casually as if she hadn't just murdered twelve hybrids. Melody made her way back to Town Square. Little did she know, Klaus was searching all over for her, his gut telling him something was wrong.

There at the fountain was Carol Lockwood, sitting at the edge of a stone fountain, leaving a worried voice message to Tyler. She didn't know what was coming. Not even when she sat down her champagne glass next to her, taking her shawl off with a sigh. Melody approached her, her perfect dress spattered with blood, along with her cheeks. The darkness had faded, not satisfied.

"Good evening, Carol." The Mayor looked at her and then gasped in horror, hand going over her mouth. "You're looking for Tyler I assume." Her words sounded so sweet but by the Heavens, she looked evil. "I'd like to have a word with him if you know where he is."

Carol's lip quivered as her body started to shake. Now if Melody were to be in control of herself, she would have felt so undeniably guilty for killing the mother, not the hybrids, but this mother. Because she was reminded by the conversation she had earlier with Klaus about kids. Her eyes went normal for a second but her darkness would not let her return.

"Melody, please, don't hurt him," she begged. "He's my son. He's all I have."

She didn't look like she cared, laughing softly. The sound was musical, almost as if she were an angel coming down to Earth and was experiencing a joke being told. "And you are all he has." She sat beside her slowly, smoothing her dress down over her knees. "There's a beauty to a mother's love, don't you think?"

And then she grabbed the back of Carol's neck, dunking her head into the water surrounding the fountain. The Mayor struggled in her grip, trying to fight her off but she was no match for her strength. Melody held her head under until she took her last breath, the life draining from her eyes. She removed her hand and then stood up, walking away before she caught sight of Klaus coming towards her.

He was too late. His eyes went wide as he took in her appearance, blood, darkness, everything. Then with a gasp Melody jolted, her eyes returning to normal as well as the veins vanishing. She pressed a hand to her stomach, looking down at her dress to see all of the blood. Tears instantly reached her eyes and she looked up at him.

"Klaus?" she called, starting to sob. "What happened to me?"

He didn't have an answer. Klaus couldn't respond because there were no words. Nothing but the shock on his expression told how he was feeling in that exact moment. But there was one thing certain in his eyes, the thought ringing in his head until he felt like screaming in rage. Because all this time he told himself that he could help her through this. The truth was clear now.

The angel had fallen too far

———

Wow, talk about a heavy chapter, who. Anyway, I don't have much to say since something happened to me yesterday and I don't feel like myself right now. So in a way, this chapter was me venting, even though I had everything that would happen in this chapter planned before the event happened to me. But please, I am begging you guys to comment and give me feedback on Melody's situation now that her dark magic has fully taken over her. Because I honestly don't know if you guys are liking this plot at all.

Please let me know what you think about Melody's darkness and then that conversation she had with Klaus about kids.

I hope you guys have a great day/night and don't forget to vote on this chapter, comment your thoughts, and follow me for updates!

( credit : @pepperronys )