Angel Knight was no stranger to dead bodies lying around the house.

With Klaus Mikelson raising her, it was only a matter of time before she saw a body or two turn up before he had the opportunity to clean it up. While Angel could never imagine killing someone herself, she had grown accustomed to seeing people die. Killing was just part of his nature and she had learned loving Klaus meant putting up with his killing sprees.

Her calm composure was what confused Elijah the most as she simply watched the life drain out of the three helpless women with a bored expression plastered on her face. Usually, Elijah wouldn't be so rash as to drain the life out of someone in front of a child but he had been daggered for several decades and his hunger overtook his self-restraint.

"Done yet?" Angel questioned, picking at her nails in boredom as the last body finally collapsed to the floor.

"Why don't you ask dear Elijah," Klaus grinned as he poured himself a drink, watching his brother wipe the blood from his face. Angel simply tilted her head at Klaus as she studied him carefully. She had witnessed him happy before but it had been nothing compared to the carefree, joyful man she observed now. 

"How long have I been asleep?" Elijah was less than amused as he discarded the bodies to face Klaus. While he had many other questions, most including the young teenager sitting on the sofa, he had to be positive he had all the details.

"Oh, I'd say fifty years," Klaus shrugged as he sat next to Angel, throwing his arm on the back of the sofa. "Give or take."

"You don't know?" Elijah's voice wavered as he struggled to keep himself in control, however, he found it difficult with his brother's nonchalant attitude.

"I had other matters to attend to," Klaus kept his answer vague as he thought of all the late nights he spent taking care of Angel and all the time he put into raising her right.

"And the others?" Elijah didn't need to elaborate as everyone in the room knew he was talking about the rest of their siblings.

"Still daggered," Klaus shrugged. "Had to put one in Rebekah a couple of years ago after she spilled our secret to her lover. I'd say that was seventeen years ago."

"Then you've been alone for the past seventeen years?" Elijah questioned in disbelief at the fact his brother had remained alone for so long. In Elijah's experience, Klaus always had one of them undaggered so he would never be alone.

"I wouldn't say alone," Klaus defended as he sent a wink to Angel, who simply rolled her eyes in retaliation. "Angel is more than enough company."

"Stop putting ideas in his head, dad," Angel muttered in disgust as Klaus chuckled at the girl. Elijah seemed taken aback for a few seconds as he processed her words, or more importantly, what she called Klaus.

"Well, it's true," Klaus shrugged with a teasing grin, knowing exactly what he had been doing. "I don't need anyone else but you."

"God, do you always have to be so cheesy?" Angel teased as she playfully pushed Klaus away from her.

Elijah watched carefully as the two interacted, noticing the way his brother's face lit up when he conversed with the younger teenager. He couldn't remember the last time he has seen Klaus so happy and carefree since they had been turned into vampires. It made Elijah question who exactly was the girl that was able to bring Klaus happiness when his own family couldn't.

"So Elijah," Angel turned her attention to the eldest vampire. "Have any embarrassing Klaus stories to tell?"

"I have a few," Elijah couldn't help but smile at Angel's eagerness to embarrass Klaus. Somehow, the girl emitted only happiness and innocence, making it almost impossible not to like her.

"Care to share a few?" Angel requested with such innocence that made Elijah wonder how the girl could ever get mixed up with the likes of Klaus.

"Someone's here," Klaus stated before Elijah could answer, much to Angel's disappointment. Klaus straightened in his seat moments before a knock at the door echoed throughout the manor until it reached the study where Angel could hear it.

"I hate it when you do that," Angel mumbled but couldn't help the grin that covered her face. Part of her had always been jealous of her dad's special abilities that came with being a vampire but Angel didn't want to be a vampire. She loved her father, but staying the same age for eternity seemed quite dull to her.

Klaus smiled cheekily back at Angel before speeding to the front door, leaving Elijah and Angel in the study alone. Elijah eyed Angel carefully as she beamed in her seat and he deduced now was the time for questions. 

"How long have you been with Niklaus?" Elijah questioned as he watched the girl stand up and walk over to the table with alcohol. He raised an eyebrow, assuming she was too young to have a drink, but didn't comment on it.

"Oh, ever since I was a baby," Angel explained as she poured herself a drink. Now that Klaus was gone, there wasn't anyone to stop her from having a drink or two. "Someone left me on his doorstep and he's been there for me ever since."

Angel lifted her glass to take a sip but found it suddenly ripped from her her hands. Releasing an annoyed sigh, she turned her head to find Klaus standing across the study with her drink in his hand.

"Dad," Angel whined as Klaus took a sip of her own drink.

"You know the rules, Angel," Klaus reprimanded her, setting the drink down while she gave him the best pouty face she could. "Don't give me that look. It won't get you anywhere."

Angel huffed as her face fell into an annoyed expression. She wasn't surprised by his words as he had never let her drink anything more than water or milk. Even a sip of wine was prohibited by Klaus. She loved him dearly but sometimes Kluas could be too overbearing in trying to protect her. 

"Now, if you're done questioning my daughter," Klaus turned to Elijah, who was surprised Klaus didn't seem angrier. Instead, he wore the same carefree look he had been wearing since Elijah had woken up. It was almost unnerving to the older vampire. "Would you like to see your room?"

"I suppose that would be nice," Elijah responded as he straightened his suit and followed his brother out of the study, however, not before he cast one more questioning look over his shoulder at Angel.

Angel sighed as she was left alone in the study with nothing to do. Deciding she wouldn't just wait around for Klaus to return, she found her hands brushing over the dusty books on the shelves as she searched for something entertaining to read. Her search ended when her eyes caught sight of Canterbury Tales, her favorite book in the entire study.

Plopping back down on the sofa, she flipped the book open to the first page and began reading. Angel had almost finished the book by the time Klaus sped back into the study. She was so immersed in the book that she didn't even notice he had arrived until he set his hand on the book, drawing her eyes from the words in front of her to him.

"About time-" Angel started, tossing the book to the side but stopped talking when she saw Klaus with his finger to his lips, telling her to be quiet. She tilted her head, confused as to why they had to hide their conversation from Elijah. Her eyes widened in realization when Klaus withdrew a small, silver dagger from his pocket and held it out to her.

"In case anything happens," Even though his voice was quiet, his words were strong and steady.

"Are you sure?" Angel questioned, filling every word with doubt. She knew what the knife did and how important it was to Klaus. If she lost it, there would be no way for Klaus to dagger his siblings like he had been doing the past three hundred years.

"There's no one I trust more," Klaus stated, determination set in his tone as Angel realized it wasn't up for discussion. 

"Elijah won't hurt me, dad," Angel stated but still took the knife from Klaus. "I know he's not like that."

"Elijah won't touch a hair on your pretty little head," Klaus agreed with Angel, only confusing her more. "It's not him I'm worried about."

"You're waking them up," Angel realized as she noticed his indecisive face. It was a look he always wore when he talked about his siblings and a look Angel had connected to him pondering the thought of finally undaggering them. "Aren't you?"

"It's been a few hundred years since my family has truly been together," Klaus seemed sad when he reminisced the good times he used to have with his family. Angel frowned, knowing she would never be able to give Klaus the happiness his family gave him. Little did Angel know how much more she did for Klaus than his own siblings. "I think it's time again."

"Whatever you think is best," Angel pushed aside her own feelings as she focused on Klaus. "I trust you, dad."

"I know you do," Klaus smiled, but it was more sad than happy, "I just want you to be safe. My siblings aren't going to care about you as I do."

"You'll protect me," Angel stated with as much conviction as she could. Kluas had always been there to help her and she knew he always would, no matter how much she didn't want his help. "You always do."

Klaus knew she was right as he would always protect her, no matter the cost. Protecting her from heartbreak has always been his immediate concern the past few years as he found her sneaking out with boys. Now that he was undaggering his siblings, he has to worry about one of them harming her in retaliation. Klaus would protect Angel from them, just as he always had.

They day he wouldn't be there to protect her was what Klaus feared the most.