Half of the room absolutely explodes at the new information. The residents of Mystic Falls can't believe what they just heard. Klaus Mikaelson, the man who had been terrorizing their town, is married?!
"YOUR HIS WIFE?!" was the collective thought that they all seemed to voice at once. Åse, already annoyed with the large group, replied dryly, "I think that's what I just said." She spoke as she gestured to the screen that was now dark.
With the way she had replied and from what they had already seen of her the group chose to be smart for once and left her alone. They all still sat in their seats in complete disbelief, but they were silent nonetheless.
After things had been quiet for long enough the screen turned back on and everyone's focus shifted.
The Vampire Diaries
Season 3: Episode 1
The Birthday
It's nighttime and the screen has a caption that says "Tennessee" as a white two story house is shown.
A blonde female walks out of the front door calling out, "Rudy! Rudy! Come on. It's too hot to make me come looking for you." The girl bends down to pick up a dog toy and when she stands back up she gasps and takes a step back because Klaus and Åse are standing there holdings hands. In one of the worst American accents possible Klaus is the first to speak, "I am so sorry. We didn't mean to scare you."
There is a collective silence that washes over the room. That is until one person let a snort slip out and then everyone else started laughing. Even Klaus himself lets a small laugh out because he can see how bad the accent was. When he looks over at Åse he sees that she's quiet for the most part but her shoulders were shaking showing her laughter. She turns to look at Klaus and just shakes her head with a small smile on her face that he can't help but to return.
The girl still looks slightly scared but she asks, "Can I help you?" Klaus glances around as he answers, "Yeah, our, uh, our car ran out of gas a couple miles back." Åse decides to inject herself into the conversation. "It feels like I've been walking forever." She even gestures down to her feet as she says, "These heels are killing me." The blonde girl looks between the two in front of her as Klaus keeps talking, "Yours is the first house we've come to, so we were just hoping we could use your phone." With a suspicious look the girl asks, "Don't you have cellphones?" Simultaneously, both Klaus and Åse reach into their back pockets and grab cellphones. "Heh. Battery died." "And we forgot to bring a charger."
The blonde is still looking between the couple in front of her with suspicion. So, Klaus decides to try again. "Look, I promise we're not serial killers. We just want to use your phone." The girl takes a deep breath before uttering out a "Sure." Åse, now seeming impatient, says, "So... we can come in?" "No. I'll get the phone and I'll bring it out to you." This obviously not being part of the plan irritates the the two Originals. So much so that Klaus drops his American accent and says, "I thought you country folk were supposed to be more trusting." "I'm from Florida." Åse just rolls her eyes and says, "Well, that explains it." Klaus then speeds over, grabs the girl by the throat, and compels her to, "Show us a little southern hospitality... sweet pea."
Inside the house there is an African American woman shown cooking as she says, "I bet you a hundred dollars that dog ran off to a house with air conditioning." When the woman turns around she sees Klaus holding the back of her friends neck with a smirk on his face. She then hears the clicking of heels on the floor and turns her head to the left and sees Åse leaning on the doorway with a blank look on her face and her head tilted slightly to the right. "What's going on?" Klaus keeps the same smirk he almost always has as he says, "Please don't be alarmed. We've been told Ray Sutton lives here." "He's almost never here. He's on the road mostly." Åse is the one to speak up, this time with a smirk painted on her blood red lips, "But I expect he makes it home... once a month." The woman looks between everyone that has now gathered in the kitchen without saying anything. "That's what I thought." Klaus has now taken a few steps closer while still keeping the blonde woman under a tight grip. He asks the African American woman while staring straight into her eyes, "Where is he now?" The woman stays silent for a few seconds until Åse interjects, "If we have to make you tells us, it's going to be infinitely more painful for you." Both Åse and Klaus let out small laughs at her insinuation.
The woman, seeing no other choice, decides to make a break for it. She runs past Åse and the woman quietly laughs as she lets her. As the woman makes it to the front door she quickly yanks it open. Only to scream as she finds Stefan already standing there waiting. Åse, Klaus, and the girl he's holding come up the hallway behind her as Klaus says, "I love it when they run." His wife is right there agreeing with him when she says, "It is quite enjoyable, my love." The woman, still holding onto the door handle, realizes what situation she's in and quickly tells them, "He's in Tulley. It's near the border. A bar called Southern Comfort. It's off highway 41." Klaus and Åse both nod their heads and Klaus also says, "Thank you, love." He then looks too the now crying blonde in his hold, "Now... may our friend come in your home?" With shaky breaths she lets out a "Yes." Stefan opens the door and takes a couple slow, yet deliberate, steps inside with a blank look on his face. Klaus pushes the blonde towards him as he says, "Kill this one quickly," Åse finishes his thought by pinning her gaze straight on the woman who ran as she says, "Make that one suffer." She then walks over to Klaus who is standing by the front door and intertwines her fingers with his, "We'll be in the car."
As soon as the front door closes and the two are outside they hear the two women screaming. They look to each other with matching smirks on their faces as they keep walking without looking back.
The entire room was overcome with different feelings. On one side the Mystic Falls residents were stunned, angry, sad, and just plain upset. Klaus and his wife had just terrorized two innocent women. Then they dragged Stefan into it by making him revert to his Ripper ways and kill them. However, on the Originals side they were all pretty neutral about the situation. They were all thinking that it was a tame encounter compared to a lot of others that have happened over the years.
The screen goes dark for a couple seconds and when it comes back on it shows the bar that one of the now dead girls was talking about. It zooms in to a particularly nice car for such a run down place. It's the same SUV that Klaus, Åse, and Stefan have been using this whole time. Inside the car Klaus and Åse are in the front seats talking while Stefan is in the back looking extremely bored.
"I don't particularly like this plan either, love. Unfortunately, it is probably the best way to get his attention." Åse just rolls her eyes and as she gets out of the car she says, "You own me for this, Nik." "Was already planning on it." The camera stays on Åse showing her outfit as she walks into the bar. She's wearing heels, tight black pants, and a black backless spaghetti strap top that hangs low on her chest. Her hair was left down in waves and as she made her way up to the bartender her red lips quirked up into a smile.
She saw that Ray was already sitting down so she ended up taking the seat next to him as she said, "I'll have what he's having." Ray looked over and Åse had to practice every ounce of self control she had when she noticed him looking her up and down. "What's a pretty little thing like you doing in a place like this?" Åse could barely hold in her cringe of disgust as she turned to her right and leaned on the bar top. "I don't think we know each other well enough for you to be calling me that, but that's neither here nor there. What I want to know is if your name is Ray Sutton." Ray didn't even notice the predatory look in Åse's eyes as she saw his gaze lock onto her very exposed cleavage. "For you sweetheart, I'll be whoever you want me to be."
"Ray? Ray Sutton?" Åse let out a breath of relief when she heard her husband's voice from behind them. Ray reluctantly pulls his eyes away from Åse and looks towards Klaus as he asks, "Who wants to know?" Klaus lets out an evil smirk as he says, "The one who's married to the beautiful woman you were just hitting on." Ray immediately turns towards Åse and she waves her left hand showing off a gorgeous diamond ring sitting delicately on her ring finger.
"Other than that though, we've been looking everywhere for you. We started in Florida, Pensacola. Met a young chap there who you worked with before you moved to Memphis. Now he directed us to two lovely young women." Åse finished his thought, "And they led us here. To you." Ray had started to look uneasy so he decides to get up and say, "I think I'll be going." Klaus has other plans though because he stands up and grabs ahold of Ray's arm and says, "Not so fast, mate. You only just got here. Now your type are very hard to come by." Klaus had let go of Ray's arm so the man tries to leave by turning the other way, but when he does someone else is already there. Stefan. "Yeah, I wouldn't do that." Ray comes to a quick realization as he is backed up against the bar, "Vampires."
"You're swifty swift, Ray. Yes, our friend here is a vampire. He's compelled everyone in the bar, so don't look to them for any help." Klaus takes a second to look at his wife as they basically have a conversation with their eyes. When in reality it was them communicating telepathically, not that anyone needed to know that just yet. Åse nods her head at him and he gives one back before continuing to talk to Ray. "My wife and I, however... we're something else. Different kinds of monsters."
Klaus' words raise immense suspicion and fear within the Scooby Gang. They've already seen how much damage Klaus can do without being a hybrid. They can only imagine how bad he'll be now that he has the powers of a vampire and a werewolf. It was also extremely unsettling when they heard what he said about his own wife. Calling her a monster made them want to both see her in action and run as far away as possible.
Åse stood up from her stool and moved to Klaus' side where he instinctively put an arm around her waist. She looked from Klaus to Ray as she spoke, "He's got some vampire, he's got some wolf." "He... what?" Ray looked very confused as she kept going. "A hybrid, Ray. He's both." "So, what does that make you?" Åse looks Ray directly in the eye as a cruel smile makes it's way onto her face. She runs her tongue over her teeth before saying, "All you need to know is that I could kill you without so much as lifting a finger." Before any questions could be asked Klaus started talking again. "You see, I want to create more of me. Now, you being the first werewolf we've come across in many a moon, pun intended, Ray, I need you to direct me to your pack." Ray had started to shift uncomfortably and glance around at all of his surroundings. Åse, noticing the antsy behavior, snapped her fingers in Ray's face and said, "So... where can we find them, Ray?" "You can't compel me, it won't work." Both Klaus and Åse turned to look at Stefan who had been quiet this whole time. The vampire looks between the two before slightly nodding his head and calling out to the bartender, "I need a scotch on the rocks, please." When he looked back at Ray he was pulling a small baggie from his back pocket. He was opening the bag as he spoke to Ray, "Tell you what, Ray. We're gonna play a little drinking game. Something I like to call truth or wolfsbane." Klaus had moved to sit on one of the barstools with Åse perched on his lap. The hybrid looked at the werewolf and said, "Oh, this is gonna be fun, Ray."
The scene changes to show Ray chained against a wall, his head leaning on a dart board, and several darts sticking out of various points in his body. The werewolf is writhing in pain as Stefan is shown leaning on a table as he swirls the tip of a dart in a glass that has a mixture of scotch and wolfsbane. Klaus is sitting in a nearby chair watching as Stefan tortures the man. Åse is nowhere to be seen. Stefan straightens himself and takes a few steps before throwing the wolfsbane dart directly into Ray's neck. It was at this moment that Åse decided to come back. She walks over slowly as she speaks almost condescendingly towards Stefan, "Nice shot, but I would've gone for the eye." She takes a seat right in Klaus' lap, straddling him, as she rests her hands on the base of his neck to absentmindedly play with the necklaces he's wearing.
Stefan chooses to ignore Åse's jab at him as he walks up to Ray and removes the dart he just threw. He stay's standing in front of the werewolf to continue questioning him while simultaneously torturing him. "We can end this right now, Ray. Just tell me where your pack gathers for the full moon." Ray grimaces in pain as he pants out a response. "I can't." Stefan props himself against the wall with his arm as he puts his face only a foot away from Ray's as he says, "I know, I know, you live by a code and all that. But see, they aren't gonna let me stop until you tell me. And I do whatever they say. That's the way it goes around here."
Stefan had been looking down this entire time with his eyes shut trying to block out what was happening on screen. He didn't want to become the Ripper again. When he was like that it was all bloodshed and no control. He hated it. The group of Mystic Falls residents that surrounded him looked him over with pity, but he wouldn't meet their gaze. While Stefan was getting his silent pity party Åse had been observing his movements and mannerisms both on and off screen. In what they were watching Stefan seemed more loose and spoke more carefree. Offscreen he was rigid, tense, and wasn't speaking to anybody. Åse had a theory of why he might be acting this way, and she really hoped that she was right. If she was it would cause chaos.
While Stefan kept at it with Ray, Klaus still had Åse straddling him. He held her by the hips making small circles with is thumbs as they quietly conversed. They were interrupted when a dark haired girl walked up saying, "Hello, Mr. Klaus, Ms. Åse. I have some information for you." Åse was listening to the girl but she noticed out of the corner of her eye that Stefan had also started to pay attention. So, she tapped Klaus on the shoulder and as he looked at her she imperceptibly nodded her head backwards towards Stefan. Klaus got the message loud and clear and nodded to his wife that it was okay. The dark haired girl from beside them spoke up again. "You told me to tell you if I saw anything. I saw that guy's brother Damon at the farmhouse." Klaus nodded his head at the girl then said, "Well, thank you, Claudine. You just tell your friends to keep up the good work with the neighborhood watch, huh?" The girl quickly nodded before walking away.
Klaus and Åse were quiet for a few seconds as they looked each other in the eyes. Stefan had seen them do this same thing several times over the course of his stay with them. At first it really weirded him out, but now that he's gotten used to it he just wants to know what exactly is happening and what could possibly be going through their heads.
It seems as if some of the other people from the Scooby Gang had picked up on Klaus and Åse's looks as well. Bonnie was the one to speak up this time, however she did keep her gaze on the screen while she talked. "You two look at each other like that and it makes me think you can just look and know what the other is thinking. No need for words, gestures, or anything like it. What's up with that?" The married couple knew that they didn't want to expose Åse's secret unless it was seen firsthand from the screen they were watching their lives on. So, they went with the same excuse, which isn't even a lie, that they've told countless others when this question inevitably came up. Åse was the one to speak for them both, "Well, when you've been married for as long as we have, it would honestly be a travesty if we couldn't read each other that well." Caroline, ever the romantic, just had to ask, "How long have you been married?" Åse had to look down and to her side that Klaus was sitting on so no one except him could catch the ghost of a smile that made it's way onto her face before she answered, "Since we were human. Over a thousand years ago." Everyone that wasn't on the Originals side of the room was absolutely stunned. To be around someone, let alone married to them, for that long seemed unachievable to them. The young blonde vampire was still shocked but just had to ask, "And you aren't tired of each other? Not bored?" Klaus and Åse shared a quick glance before answering at the same time, "Impossible." Their shared answer had everyone sitting back in their seats contemplating what they just heard.
Claudine walks away but Stefan is right there once she's gone. "My brother's still on our trail?" Åse had let her head fall forward onto Klaus' shoulder as he answered, "He's getting closer. I'm going to have to deal with it." As he finishes his sentence he pats Åse on the butt twice signally for her to get up. Once she's standing Klaus does as well while saying, "Or I could let you handle it, my love." The both of them take a few steps away before Stefan grabs one of their arms each while saying, "No, no, no. Let me handle it." Åse looks down at where Stefan's hand is, and only has to glance at his face with a blank look to get him to let go. After Klaus watched the exchange he gently pulls his wife so her back is leaning on his chest as she glares at Stefan. Klaus, knowing Åse wasn't going to speak to Stefan now, asked him, "Why should we let you leave?" "Because you know I'll come back." "Do we?" "You saved my brother's life. I'm in your service." Åse rolls her eyes and slumps her head forwards at Stefan's words. Knowing exactly what she was thinking Klaus said, "Oh, that almost sounds so tedious and indentured. Aren't you even having the least bit of fun?" He had gestured over to Ray who was now just standing there, still in pain, but watching everything play out. Stefan brushes off the question and just says, "I'll make sure that my brother doesn't bother us anymore." Without waiting for a response he walks away. He makes it all the way to the entrance before he hears Åse speak up without even looking at him, "If you so much as think about betraying us I'll know about it, Salvatore. So I would think long and hard about every choice you make. I'm not known as 'Gravedigger' for nothing." With that Stefan leaves the bar, but not without a close up of his face showing emotions like sadness and anger. What was surprising though was the guilt seen behind his eyes if looked at for long enough.
"He's lying about something and he feels guilty because of it." The statement from Åse has literally every head in the room turning towards her. Not at all bothered by the attention she decides to elaborate. "Stefan is obviously very good at hiding his emotions," she says as she gestures to the screen. "So good that he can even fool Nik. However, if he had been turned around as I threatened him he quite possibly could have given himself away." She stays quiet for a few seconds letting everyone think about what she said. She speaks up once again but is looking towards the Mystic Falls side of the room as she says, "He's probably trying to hide that Doppelbitch is alive while simultaneously keeping up the Ripper facade even though his emotions aren't turned off." Everyone in the Scooby Gang had the same worried look on their face as they glanced between Elena, Stefan, and the Mikealson couple. The tension was as thick as the silence when the screen started to play once again.
The screen goes black for a few seconds and when it comes back Ray is now strapped down to a pool table looking considerably worse than when Stefan left. Klaus is walking around him while Åse sits and watches in a nearby chair. "Ok, it's a three step process, right? This is step one." He makes it back to Ray's head and says, "I want you to drink from my wrist." Ray looks to Klaus and defeatedly says, "I already told you where to find the pack. What more do you want from me?" Åse groans in frustration as she throws her head back. "He just told you Ray! He's literally giving you step-by-step instructions." Klaus looks over to his wife with a small smile as she just tosses her hands up in the air before letting them fall back down and slap against her thighs. Focusing back on Ray Klaus says, "Have you been listening to a word I've been saying, Ray? I have great plans for you." He picks up a knife, slits his left wrist, and then shoves it to the werewolves mouth and forces him to drink his blood. The hybrid looks over to Åse who stood up in anticipation and says, "He'll thank me for it later." When they both look back at Ray Klaus calls out, "There we go, that a boy." He finally pulls his wrist away and that's when Stefan walks back into the bar and over towards both Originals. Ray lifts his head and asks, "What are you going to do now?" Klaus looks to Åse and with a small nod she walks up behind Ray as she says, "It's time for step two, Ray." Within a blink of an eye she grabs Rays head and and snaps his neck. Killing him.
Both Åse and Klaus turn to Stefan who stayed quiet until Klaus spoke to him. "You're back." "Did you doubt me?" "Me? Not for a second. My wife, however, doesn't trust you as far as she can throw you." Stefan turns to said wife and sees that she is already looking at him. She doesn't say anything at first which is unnerving, but what makes it worse is when she smirks at him as if she knows something that he doesn't. After a few seconds she says, "I knew you'd pass the test. You still care for your brother; for your old life." Stefan hadn't directly conversed with Åse very much so he still didn't know how to approach her. He ended up just trying to be nonchalant as he said, "I don't care about anything anymore." She just smirks to herself as she watches his back since he's facing away from her. "You put on a good show, Stefan. I'm sure Nik almost believes you, but I know I don't. Let's hope, for your brother's sake, he does." Stefan was still turned away from Åse but he was now sitting at a nearby table. She silently walked up behind him like a predator stalking its prey. When she stopped she leaned down so that she was whispering right in his ear, "You never stop caring about family, do you? But every time you feed, the blood makes it easier to let go."
And the screen goes black.
There was a resounding silence in the room after Åse's last words. The woman herself was squeezing Klaus' hand because she knew they were both thinking along the same lines. They both just wanted to keep their family safe. No matter how much bloodshed it would create. Neither of their lives have been easy, and they know that. However, they will use whatever means they can think up to make sure that they can create a place where their family can stay safe for as long as they live.