16 Years later HAVEN TOWN
"Mom I can't find my socks!" a girl calls out, standing in front of the mirror she combed
through her long raven black hair, carefully settling her bangs carefully above her eyes.
"It must be in the drawer, darling" her mother replies from the kitchen.
The girl walked across the mirror to her cupboard and started rummaging for her socks in
the drawer while fiddling with the pendant that hung around her neck. Her blue eyes
landed on the thing she was looking for.
"Gotcha!" she says grabbing her socks and putting it on.
"Did you find it?"
"Yes mom"
"Okay then, get ready and come down for breakfast"
"I'll be right down in a minute"
The raven head came down the stairs catching sight of her mother in the kitchen and then
her eyes shift towards her father who was seated at the dining table reading a newspaper.
A smile spread across her face as she thought that they were the most loving parents
anyone could have. She thought her mother was the prettiest she had ever seen, her long
brown hair tied neatly into a bun and her big purple eyes adding to her beauty giving her
an aura of the most beautiful and graceful princess while her father looked like a prince
straight out of a fairytale. His black hair a little long resting neatly on his neck and short
strands of hair falling over his forehead, a pair of spectacles sat on his nose and his grey
eyes fixed themselves on the newspaper he held onto.
"Dakota, what are you doing spacing out? Come on here breakfast is ready"
"Yes mom" she says making her way to the table then sitting down she says good morning
to her father who cheerfully replies, "Good morning, my daughter!! Come give daddy a
hug!" he spreads his hands apart.
Dakota simply stares at him 'okay I take back what I thought about him being a prince' she
thinks to herself and begins to eat, leaving her father brooding in disappointment.
"Rei, she won't hug me anymore" he sighs out.
"Klaus" she laughs it off. They were halfway done with breakfast when they were
interrupted by a knock on the door.
"I'll get that" Rei says walking up to the door and on opening it she finds a boy looking
through strands of blond hair covering his amber eyes and a smile plastered to his flawless
face.
"Good morning, Mrs. Winters"
"Ah! Stephen, good morning come on in"
"Dakota it's Stephen, he's come to pick you up as usual" Rei teases them in amusement.
"Stephen!!" Dakota perked up as she saw her best as well as her childhood friend.
"You ready?"
"Yes!! Let's go!!" she replies sounding bubbly, and then turning to her parents she waves
them bye for the day and slings her backpack over her shoulder. The remaining two simply
watch their daughter and her friend make their way out of the door.
"You know what day it is tomorrow" Rei looks up at Klaus the man who had saved her 16
years ago with whom she had formed a bond of friendship and understanding. Her gaze
shifted dropping to the table she says, "How could I not know Klaus, it's the full moon tomorrow..."
"I worry for her and the fact that it gets worse every month-"
"I know very well "Rei cuts in.
"Each time it's going to be difficult but everything comes with a price" a sigh escapes her small mouth but Klaus holds her hand in a reassuring manner.
"Everything will be alright"
"Klaus...I can't thank you enough for everything"
"You are making it seem like I'm doing a favor on you" he smiles removing his hand from
hers then looking out the window he continues, "Rei...don't you want to go back… you
know, to where your husband is".
Startled she looks at him; her eyes soften at the thought of Gai. How many years had it been
since she saw him, deep in her heart she longed to return to his side but she knew it was
dangerous to go back.
"Dakota is safe here...I must protect her and...this place seems like the only safe place for
her…and..." she takes a deep breath before continuing "Going back now is meaningless..."
Klaus listens silently, he clearly understood her intentions but he cared for her deeply and
that is why he wanted her happiness and he knew very well that even though Dakota was
her happiness, it was Gai that completed her world although it stung him a little he was
quite aware that there was a line he couldn't cross and so even if as a friend he would
continue to protect her with everything. That was what he decided to do, no that was all he
could do for her, the woman he slowly came to love. For years he hid his unrequited love
and for more years to come he would suppress these feelings and make sure to hold it in
unnoticed.