✧✶⭒☆⭒✶✧

She was running, she didn't know how long she had been running, but she was running. Her bare feet hit the warm earth, the spongey dirt and dead leaves, mixed with twigs. Dress ripped, hair in its natural state filled with leaves and twigs.

How long had it been? Days? Weeks? Months? She didn't know anymore, she didn't know much of anything, besides the fact she had to keep running.

They had never let her out of the tunnels before, she wasn't even sure how she had gotten into the woods. Had she been freed?

Talia couldn't recall, all she knew was that she had to keep running. Her legs burned, her lungs swelling with oxygen. She just had to get to a phone . . . was she even still in New Orleans?

Call . . . Klaus? Marcel? Rebekah? Elijah was probably still daggered, locked away somewhere. Far away. What day was it?

She felt her head begin to pound and realized how dry her tongue was, it felt like a solid mass in her mouth. A mass of sandpaper scraping against the roof of her mouth, swollen behind her teeth like something unnatural.

Find water then civilization. A phone and call Klaus.

Her bare feet hit pavement and she looked down, realizing she had found a road. A road? Had she really escaped? But, the girl knew not to let herself be lulled into such a false sense of security.

She should've followed the road, that's what a normal person would do. But if she did they would follow, it was what was expected of her. No, the Companion had to fight what they planned for her to do. To do the unexpected.

She crossed the road, running down a ditch and moving deeper into the woods. Her head pounded, filled with cotton balls that were soggy and heavy, weighing her body down.

Stumbling, Talia fell to her knees but leaped up again. Just as she did, a crossbow bolt whizzed past her ear and she spun, falling to her stomach and wriggling towards some underbrush.

This was new, they had never done this before.

Her dark eyes peered wild-eyed out and if her mouth was wet, it would go even more dry at the sight of Rebekah. Her friend collapsed to the forest floor a stake sticking out of her back.

Ahead of her, Hayley kept running, far more pregnant than the last time Talia had seen her. The young woman was sprinting through the woods and behind her wolves came out of the trees, killing the mysterious attackers.

Talia followed Hayley, grabbing the girl's arm and whipping her around. Hayley had wild eyes and terror clear across her face, but confusion became apparent at the sight of Talia. "Talia? You're alive? Oh my God, Klaus . . . oh, God." Hayley's dark eyes flooded with tears and she flung her arms around Talia, obviously overwhelmed by fear and the pregnancy hormones.

The Companion stiffened under the sudden physical touch. Physical touch meant pain, that was a fact. At least a fact recently. Hayley released her when she felt her stiffen, her gaze moving past her to the bodies. "My baby, they tried to kill my baby." Her hand flew to her swollen stomach, something flashing in the girl's eyes. Rage.

Talia grabbed Hayley, pulling her back and away and further into the trees. They were still after her. Whoever was after Hayley might still be out there, too. "Come on, we're not safe." The Companion croaked, her voice hoarse from not being used, and began to run, sprinting in fact, away from the bodies and Rebekah and everything.

Phone, she just had to find a phone. Phone meant Klaus. Klaus meant safety.

Seeing Hayley confirmed she was still in New Orleans, that was good. She hadn't gone too far. Her head was pounding, something was wrong.

Alarm bells kept ringing in her ears, something was wrong.

She looked down at her legs, swallowing back the bile at her shredded knees. Had it been the underbrush? The fall? She didn't know, she didn't care.

The adrenaline hid the pain, swallowing it so she didn't feel anything. Anything at all.

The shirt she wore was sticking to her skin, sticky with blood and sweat and grime and other things. Hayley grabbed her arm, she was panting hard and trying to get her to slow. "Wait, Talia, wait."

The werewolf groaned, grabbing her stomach. Talia fell to a stop, looking back at her.

The warm air signalled summer, maybe spring. But New Orleans was always hot, she didn't really know. Talia didn't know what to say, sweat sliding down her back and between her eyebrows and under her eyes. Her mind was blank of any thoughts other than one, which was the need for survival.

"Klaus, we can get to Klaus. Come on." The Marshall girl grabbed her hand, tugging her along. They were walking, no-longer running and Talia couldn't argue.

Exhaustion swamped over her, the adrenaline draining away as she came to a stumbling halt. Turning, Talia gagged and retched, her body wanting to puke but nothing came out.

Hayley pulled her along, both of them shaking and crying and exhausted. Finally, they stumbled out of the woods.

In the distance, Klaus and Rebekah were approaching and she saw her best friend's eyes widen at the sight of her just as her knees gave out and she collapsed.

He flashed forward, scooping her into his arms and cradling her tightly against his chest. "Talia." His gaze darted to Hayley momentarily, the mother of his child, as he held his soulmate. "Where was she?"

Hayley was leaning against Rebekah, her eyes drooping and her legs shaking with the effort of holding up her body. "Running through the woods. Bleeding, alone, terrified." Hayley groaned and Rebekah helped her into the car while Klaus sat in the back, not leaving Talia for even a second.

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Hands on her skin, her face, her shoulders. Hands brushing her hair back and cleaning away the blood. She groaned, pulling away from the gentle touches, her curls free and wild. Her dark eyes flashed open.

Sleep was dangerous. Being asleep left her weak.

She leaped up, stumbling away from whoever had been touching her, her eyes wild and unfocused. She needed water and food and sleep, but there was no time. She needed to survive.

But, he was right there. His blue eyes and blond curls and worried face. "Sh, Talia, you're safe." He remained sitting next to the bed, his hands lifted and his face open, letting her read his emotions.

He was letting her know she was alright. Her throat was parched and she opened her mouth to say something but all that came out was a croaking cough. Klaus was at her side in an instant with a water bottle, holding it to her lips.

"What happened, Talia? Who had you?" He brushed her hair back, his face worried. "You've been gone for weeks, where have you been?"

She lifted her head, closing her eyes as a throbbing headache burned in her mind. Shaking her head, a choked sob escaped her, falling into his arms and letting him hug her. So long since a hug, years and centuries and millenniums.

His arms wrapped tightly around her, supporting her easily against his body. Normal was good. Normal was necessary. Normal was what she starved for.

Her hands curled into his shirt, holding him tighter. "Don't leave, please." Her voice was weary, rough and faint but he picked up the words easily.

Klaus rested his nose against her forehead and his lips were centimeters above hers. "Never again. You're never going to leave my sight ever again." She sobbed, tears running down her cheeks as he supported her, letting her weight sag in his arms. "Who was it, love? Was it the witches?"

Her head shook from side-to-side. "Originally, yes, but no." She swallowed and looked at the bed. She was safe, she could sleep.

Falling onto the mattress, her mind was alive with terror, creating images that weren't there. "Sleep with me, please." Her gaze moved to her hands, unable to control the blush that flooded her cheeks.

He didn't argue, slipping off his shoes as he slid into the bed with her and she curled against his side.

The thing people didn't realize about Klaus Mikaelson was that he was a cuddler. He enjoyed physical touch to an extreme and loved having his lovers wrapped up in his arms.

So, when Talia rested her head on his chest, her arms wrapped around his torso, he held her close and tight. The Companion slipped off to sleep while her soulmate stayed awake, protecting her always.

✧✶⭒☆⭒✶✧

Despite his promises, in the end Klaus had to leave. Leave to continue his plan for taking over New Orleans.

Talia sat up in the bed, slowly climbing out and stumbling down the stairs. She paused at the sight of Klaus and Sophie Deveraux in the sitting room, Klaus half-way through whatever angry rant. "-I dismantle Marcel's army, and whilst I've been busy fulfilling my part of the bargain, you allowed Hayley to be attacked and almost killed by a gaggle of lunatic witches. You should be glad I'm not killing you for your coven also being behind the kidnapping of my soulmate." He sat down in an armchair, his eyes flashing a dangerous gold for an instant.

"I had nothing to do with it, I swear," the witch pleaded, struggling to beg for her life under the immortal eyes of the Original. He radiated power and it gave Talia a headache, even from her position half-way down the stairs. "Hayley and I are linked, remember? She dies, I die."

"Then, who were they?" Rebekah stalked into the room, glaring daggers at the witch.

"They're a faction of extremists," Sophie explained, looking between the Mikaelson siblings and ignorant of Talia on the stairs. "Sabine stupidly told them about some vision she had about the baby. For your soulmate, I honestly don't know. Probably because she's a separated soulmate and easier to grab than yourself. The blood is incredibly rare, as in 1 in 100,000 soulmate pairs, which is rare enough on it's own, and can power any spell. From what I've heard, though, Talia escaped Agnes and I didn't even learn about it until today, I swear."

"What type of vision?" Klaus prodded, poking at the only part of the girl's rant that he was able to get an answer too in the moment.

Sophie groaned, scratching at her neck. "She has them all the time. They're totally open to interpretation." Sophie shrugged, leaning forwards on her knees. "I'm guessing she's wrong on this one."

Talia slowly entered the room, dressed in Klaus's henley and not the white shirt she had wore before. A shirt that was completely red from blood, her blood.

Her legs were bare, showing off cuts and lacerations on her thighs and knees. "What was the vision, witch?"

Sophie sucked on her teeth, staring up at Talia with massive, dark eyes. Shock clear across her beautiful face. "Pretty much that your," she nodded to Klaus, "baby would bring death to all witches."

Klaus laughed, seemingly incredibly happy about that as he flashed to Talia's side, holding her up. "I'm growing fonder of this child by the second."

Rebekah moved so she was perched on the arm of the couch, gaze moving to Talia worriedly before returning to the abducted witch. "Sophie, look. I promised Elijah that I would protect the Mikaelson miracle baby whilst he tries to win your witch, Davina's, loyalty. Why don't you tell me just how extreme this faction is?"

Talia sighed, looking at Klaus with a frown. "Can we get food?"

Her soulmate nodded, smiling softly and supporting her to the kitchen where he prepared a sandwich, obviously listening to the conversation in the sitting room. He looked up as he placed the food in-front of her, though. His attention on her and the witch. "How'd you sleep, love?"

She lifted the food to her lips, giving herself some time to answer. Taking a bite and chewing slowly, the girl groaned at the pain on her abdomen.

No-longer perfect and unmarred, the area was covered in badly wrapped bandages that protected a multitude of stab wounds and cuts. Klaus could obviously smell the blood but had yet to say anything.

She swallowed, feeling her chest burn as the food went down, dark eyes fluttering closed in pain. "Fine." Liar.

Klaus's phone rang before he could prod her further, and he answered it quickly. "Marcel, bit early in the day for you, isn't it?"

Talia perked up at her boyfriend's name. Marcel, she had to see Marcel.

"Rather you than me, all that responsibility seems like such a bore," Klaus spoke lightly, his gaze on Talia.

She moved forward, desperate to talk to the vampire. "Nik, please." Her voice was low, too soft for the King of New Orleans to hear, even with his sensitive hearing.

"Dead witches in the bayou. Sounds like less of a problem and more like a cause for celebration." Klaus began pacing, circling so he was behind Talia. She moved in her seat to follow him with her eyes, her shoulders rolling in under the weight of all the pain she had experienced in recent times. "Well, why not? I haven't been to the bayou in ages. I'm on my way, with a surprise, may I add." He winked at Talia who smiled widely at that.

He returned to the sitting room as Talia stayed in the kitchen, eating her sandwich. She heard arguing and then Klaus returned and helped her off the stool and get dressed, before guiding her from the house with warmth he didn't show to Sophie or his sister.

Picking her up, the vampire flashed them away from the house, from Hayley and Rebekah and Sophie Deveraux.

He was keeping his promise, he wasn't letting her out of his sight.

✧✶⭒☆⭒✶✧

They arrived near the bayou just as Marcel did. The Hybrid placed her on her feet, steadying her with his arm around her waist. But, Talia pulled away from him at the sight of her boyfriend who froze at the sight of her.

"Talia?" He croaked out her name, shock making his dark eyes widen and she sprinted forwards, rushing into his embrace. "You're back. What happened? Who had you? Where did you find her?" Marcel's gaze moved between her and Klaus, his hands lifting to cup her face.

"Easy on the touch, she's hurt. I found her wandering around last night." Klaus met her eyes, his hands linked behind his back as he watched carefully. "You still have yet to tell me who had you, Talia."

The Companion closed her eyes, relaxing into Marcel's touch. "It was them." She shrugged, unable to explain further than that. "They don't have a name that I know of. Hunters, fae people, I think." She swallowed, resting her forehead against Marcel's shoulder and breathed deeply. "It was all a game to them."

Marcel brushed his hands over her curls, smoothing them down and back. "You're safe now, T." He kissed her forehead and she pulled back slowly, looking between them both.

Two immortals protective of her. In different ways for different reasons, but both of them cared for her and she cared for them in turn. But Marcel wasn't Klaus. He would never matter to her like her soulmate.

She returned to the Hybrid's side, ignoring the smug look he shot his friend as she tucked herself against him, her body shaking from the oddness of the normalcy.

Marcel directed them to a shabby, rundown bar called 'Big Auggie's Bayou Bar' and she headed inside with him while Klaus made a call outside.

Inside it was cramped, dark and the air was hot and smelled like beer and bikers, She remained close to her boyfriend who never let her stray more than a foot away. "Are you alright, Talia?" The moment they sat at the bar, he had directed his full attention on her, worry clear across his face. "You smell like blood, Klaus said you're hurt. Why hasn't he given you blood?"

She shook her head, unable to answer the question. "I don't know." Swallowing, Talia looked around the crowded room, her eyes closing as she recalled running through the woods, the trees scratching at her.

Klaus returned before another thing could be said, taking a seat on Talia's other side. He looked tired and stressed, his hand dragging over his scruffy jaw. "Everything okay?" Marcel queried, peering up at the Hybrid.

"Just the usual," Klaus supplied, shooting Talia a reassuring smile, "temperamental sister." Marcel nodded and Klaus began to look around, his hands rested on the bar top, stress clear across his handsome face. "So, where's your informant?"

"Tomas? He's out sniffing around." Marcel was completely at ease, slightly slouched and a charming smile on his face. "Grab a drink, then we'll chase him down."

Klaus tugged off his coat as Marcel motioned for a bartender, placing it on the back of a chair and reached out, interlocking his hand in Talia's as if he could feel the fear rising up her spine. "I suppose it will give us time to talk things over, like why you haven't returned Elijah."

The Companion began humming softly to herself, zoning out of the impending argument as she clutched Klaus's fingers like a lifeline. Her mind wandering as she began to feel overwhelmed.

She couldn't focus, her dark eyes lifting to the wooden slat ceiling above, mind wandering with thoughts. Flashes of red eyes filled her thoughts, claws digging into her body and growls filling her ears.

When she zoned back into the conversation, Marcel and Klaus were discussing Davina and she stood from her seat, deciding to wander away from the vampire-witch talk. She headed towards some arcade games, settling down at a seat and popping in a few quarters.

She could feel Klaus's eyes on her, making sure she was safe, not letting her wander too far from his sight. It was comforting in comparison to the feeling of being watched she had had for the past month. Not a good watch, either.

Talia peered back at him, at his blue eyes and the intensity of his gaze. His faint smile as he swished his drink and nodded, telling her she was safe. She was okay and everything would be alright.

Her fingers darted to the buttons, beginning to play the mind-numbing arcade game. Eventually, Marcel came over, his hands moving to her shoulders and she stiffened at the sudden physical touch. "Hey." His voice was low, a sweet smile plastered on his lips. "You good?"

Talia nodded, flicking an annoying curl out of her eyes as it hung off her forehead. "I'm . . . fine. How are you?" The small talk was annoying, awkward in truth.

"I'm alright." She scooted forwards, shrugging off his touch and relaxing when she was free of the physical constraints, no matter if it was hands or not. "Are you sure, T?"

He moved so he was resting against the arcade game machine, crouching so they were more eye-to-eye. He reached his hand out, letting it hang in the air between them . . . letting her decide if she wanted to take it. Talia sighed, staring at his hand and then looked away and he dropped it, letting it fall back into his lap.

The duo sat in silence for several long minutes and then Marcel kissed the top of her head and returned to the bar. She swallowed, feeling tears burn in her eyes.

Turning, Klaus was leaving and she sensed Marcel studying her. Finally, the vampire returned holding some alcohol he handed her. The two sat in-front of the arcade games silently as Talia sipped the bourbon. She studied her boyfriend who had his head ducked.

Finally, he met her dark gaze with worry clear across his face. "Truth or truth?"

She nodded, studying his features. He was so open about his emotions, that was what made him a good leader, how honest he was. But, it also made him weak.

"What happened that night? After Thierry, I turned around to look for you and you were kissing Klaus, then the next thing I know after Katie attacked, you were gone and Klaus said the witches grabbed you. We looked for you for weeks, but locator spells didn't work and you were gone." Marcel rested his head back and it bumped the machine, but he either didn't notice or care.

Talia swallowed, recalling that night. That had been a million years ago. "I didn't kiss Klaus. I mean, I did, but not on the lips. It was on the cheek, and it was an apology, not romantic. The witches did grab me." Talia swallowed and moved forward, her breath stopping in her throat as her knee brushed his. Physical touch was a no-no at the moment. "I missed you, Marcel."

He smiled easily, his head tilting to the side. "I missed you, too, T."

She smiled softly, studying him and they stared at each other quietly, listening to the faint music playing in the bar and the smell of puke and stale cigarettes and booze in the air.

When Klaus returned, Marcel left Talia to continue his conversation with him. Eventually, Rebekah came in as well. The Original winked at Talia as she passed, walking up to the boys with disgust clear across her beautiful face.

Talia finished her bourbon and took Klaus's distraction to head outside and get some fresh air from the boozy bar.

Her arms crossed over her chest, the girl locating Klaus as he rushed past her and moved towards a pale man that he cornered behind a van. She looked away, feeling her stomach churn, though her soulmate hadn't noticed her.

When he turned, though, his pale gaze locked on her dark one and he quickly made his way to her side. "Are you alright?" His hands remained at his sides, evidently able to tell she had trouble with physical touch.

She smiled faintly, bobbing her head in a nod. "I'm okay. Are you?" The stress was obvious around his eyes, pulling his lips down further and further into a deep frown. Fingers lifting, she brushed her index and middle finger of the sides of his lips, subconsciously trying to pull it back into a smile.

He caught her hand, and she froze, realizing what she had been doing. Slowly, Klaus kept her gaze as his palm engulfed hers, splaying her hand out so it cupped his cheek and he rested against it, eyes closing for an instant.

He kissed the inside of her wrist and let her hand go, eyes flashing open a moment later. Offering out his hand, Talia didn't hesitate before sliding her fingers through the gaps of his, letting him pull her into his chest. "Come on, love."

It took her a long time before she realized he had never answered her question.