The woman was wearing a pink, floral blouse with fitted jeans and short heels. She stood straight and proud in the doorway, still only reaching a height of five foot seven. The woman scanned the group, her eyes saccaded between Neil and Niklaus.
Niklaus scanned the woman's features, he couldn't believe it.
"Mom?" Niklaus tried moving forward but it felt like someone had punched him in the stomach.
His feet fell from under him as he dropped to his hands and knees, the breathe gone from his lungs. He gasped for air, the tears built in his eyes and he made no effort to stop them from falling.
Niklaus felt a hand softly, caress his back.
"My dear, sweet boys." Evelyn knelt beside Niklaus, caressing his back with one hand and holding Neil's hand with the other. "You've come back to me." Evelyn's voice cracked as she pulled her boys into a firm hug. "I've missed you."
"I'm sorry.." Niklaus spoke breathlessly and breaking. "I'm so, so sorry."
Evelyn gently clasped Niklaus's chin.
"Don't be sorry." Evelyn spoke softly. "It wasn't your fault.
"My Luna!" Another voice called from inside the house.
"I'm out here!" Evelyn stared at the man who appeared in the doorway. "Daniel, look who's returned!"
"My princes!" Daniel's face dropped, as he knelt in front of Niklaus and Neil. "Δεν το πιστεύω ότι επέστρεψες!" Daniel stood and pulled Niklaus to his feet. "It's good to see you both again. Καλωσήρθες σπίτι!"
"Daniel!" Niklaus threw his arms around Daniel. "Oh my gods, it's good to see you too."
Niklaus took a deep breathe and wiped his eyes.
"Who else is here?" Niklaus turned his head from Daniel to Evelyn. "Who. Who else survived?"
"Come inside." Evelyn pulled Neil and Niklaus inside. "Daniel, show their friends where to go."
Daniel nodded and gestured for Harper and Olivia to follow.
"So, tell me about yourselves!" Evelyn continued to drag Neil and Niklaus through the hall. "Where have you been the last nine years?"
"After the incident I was living on the road." Neil quickened his pace to match Evelyn's. "Then roughly four years ago I found Harper."
"Oh?" Evelyn grinned. "Who's Harper?"
"I am." Harper chimed in from behind them. "I'm Neil's mate."
Evelyn let go of Neil and reached back to Harper. "Then that makes you my son too." Evelyn looked at Olivia. "Is it too much to hope you're Niklaus's mate?"
"I am." Olivia smiled.
"Then you're also my daughter!" Evelyn's grin widened and she pulled Olivia into the group. "So, Niklaus where have you been?"
"I'm sure you remember ten years ago when I was.." Niklaus clears his throat. "Kidnapped."
"Yes.." Evelyn's smile faltered slightly. "I remember."
"Well I had been held captive for nine years." Niklaus scanned the people around him. "Then, last year, I escaped and ended up at the Red Vine pack."
"Niklaus, I'm so sorry." Evelyn's grin dropped as she spoke. "We never stopped looking for you."
Niklaus didn't give a response, he didn't know how to answer.
Niklaus listened to the conversation, he listened to the happy overlap of voices that belonged to his mother and brother. Niklaus looked over his left shoulder and saw Olivia, he smiled and pulled her closer with his right hand.
"Do you still need to use the bathroom?" Niklaus spoke close and softly so the others couldn't hear.
Olivia nodded and mouthed "Yes."
"Okay." Niklaus mouthed and chuckled. "Hey, I'll meet you in the main room. I want to show Olivia something." Niklaus broke his left hand away from Evelyn's grip and pulled Olivia towards the closest bathroom.
Niklaus leaned against the wall outside the door as Olivia went to the bathroom.
"Hey, Niklaus?" Olivia sounded uneasy.
"Right here." Niklaus spoke through the door. "You okay?"
"Yeah. Um.." Olivia spoke barely loud enough to hear. "I. I need you to ask Evelyn for a..tampon."
"Oh.." Niklaus stifled a laugh. "Yeah. Let me go ask."
Niklaus started walking up the hallway, still hiding his laugh. He thought it was cute how Olivia sounded embarrassed to ask him about that.
"Oh, there he is!" Evelyn gestured to Niklaus as he walked into the room. "We were just talking about you."
"All good things, I hope." Niklaus smirked.
"Of course." Evelyn waved Niklaus over. "Come, meet your little brother, Nathaniel MacTear."
Neil was sitting on the couch laughing with a little boy. The little boy had an even head of half-blond, half-black hair and their mother's green eyes.
"Hey Nathaniel." Niklaus sat on the other side of the boy. "Oh, mom. Olivia needs you at the bathroom." Niklaus cupped the side of his mouth and whispered. "Lady problems."
Evelyn nodded and walked into the hallway.
"So Nathaniel." Niklaus turned to the little boy. "Did mom ever tell you about us?" Niklaus gestured to himself and Neil.
Nathaniel stared at Neil and Niklaus for a moment before nodding his head.
"She said you were lost." Nathaniel fiddled with his thumbs, he seemed shy.
Neil, Niklaus, and Harper spent the next thirty minutes talking to Nathaniel. He was shy and hesitant at first but slowly became more open and friendly. As they asked and answered questions Neil and Niklaus discovered that Nathan was just like them growing up. He loved running and wrestling with the other wolves his age, they discovered how smart Nathaniel is and that his favorite subject is math.
"Can.." Nathaniel looked scared. "Can you tell me about dad?"
"Does mom not talk about him?" Neil and Niklaus furrowed their brows.
Nathaniel shook his head.
"I've tried asking mom about him." Nathaniel's face turned doleful. "She doesn't like to talk about him."
Neil and Niklaus looked at each other. They weren't sure how much, if anything, the could tell Nathaniel.
"Nathan.." Niklaus spoke halfheartedly. "I'll speak to mom, I'll see if I can't get her to tell you about dad."
"Klaus.." Nathan's eyes sparkled. "Can we go for a run later too?"
'Klaus.' Niklaus smiled, it had been a long time since someone called him that. "Sure, we'll all go." Niklaus stood and walked from the room, the grin plastered on his face.
Niklaus knocked on his mother's door. He heard no answer and slowly opened the door. Niklaus called for his mother again and still received no answer. Niklaus walked along his parents room, the memories of his father flowing through his mind. Niklaus stopped at the end table, a picture of his father, Elijah MacTear, sat on the table. His father looked happy, he was holding two babies in his arms, their heads rested gently on Elijah's shoulders.
"That was the happiest day of his life." Evelyn took the picture and smiled as she stared at it. "This was taken the day you two were born, he was so happy. He was the only one who could get you two to stop crying, you know." Evelyn chuckled and placed the picture back on the end table. "I suppose you came in here looking for me, so what can I help you with?"
"I wanted to talk to you about dad actually." Niklaus sniffled and cleared his throat. "Why haven't you told Nathaniel about him?"
"Niklaus." Evelyn swallowed a lump in her throat. "I know that it was you that day. I didn't want to tell Nathaniel and ruin his perception of his oldest brother."
"I understand." Niklaus nodded. "Mom, if it's okay with you, I'd like to tell Nathaniel everything. He deserves to know."
"You're right." Evelyn gave Niklaus a tight hug. "I'll tell him with you."
Niklaus returned his mother's hug, it had been a long time since he felt the love of his mother. Niklaus sniffled again, placing a kiss then resting his cheek on the top of Evelyn's head.