Chapter 1
Now that Finn is on the loose and out for blood, it is time to turn our attention to the next problem at hand: How to protect Camille. I am under no illusions that Finn's fancy for her will deter him from harming her if his purpose is a revenge mission against me. What better way to hurt me than to hurt the people I love. Not that I'm in love with Camille…at least, I don't want to be. At this moment in time that would be a horrible inconvenience, for both our sakes.
Camille sits there looking forlorn and shaken up after the dramatic climax to the day's events but soon sparks to life when conversation turns to where it is safe for her to go.
"We need a temporary base for Camille, while Finn is out. The logical thing would be for you to stay here, Camille. Finn would expect that you go into hiding and that I would send you as far away as possible." As soon as Klaus says it, Davina's eyes practically burst out of her sockets,
"You must be joking! We need a safe hiding place, Klaus!"
"This is as safe a place as any. I can protect Camille better than anyone can!"
Camille, finding her voice at last, pipes up to join in the heated discussion about her wellbeing, "He has a point, Davina. Who better to keep me safe than an Original vampire who cannot be killed? I fancy my odds here. Klaus can hardly do anything if I'm miles away. If I'm found, what happens then?"
Davina, unhappy with the way the conversation was leading, tried another tactic to prove her point,
"Okay, that may be so. However, Finn is a smart witch. He will not attack unprepared. He will lie low until he reaches full power, power that he will most likely use to manipulate some allies into fighting alongside him. When he launches an attack here and Klaus and Elijah are distracted, who is left to protect you then? Staying here is a terrible idea, Cami. I'm not just saying that because I don't trust him…" If Klaus could be killed through looks alone, Davina's eyes would be a dagger straight to the heart. However, she had a point, despite the fact it ate Klaus up to admit. It seemed the only other solution was literally staring Klaus in the face. Except this solution came with its own set of strings attached. Right now, the person he knew would do their upmost to keep Camille safe and who had the ability to protect her at all cost was his protégé, and Camille's former lover, Marcel. That's two truths Klaus doesn't like to admit, but this one must be said out loud.
With a heavy heart Klaus admitted this small defeat, for the sake of Camille, "Look, we all have the same goal in mind here. We want to keep Camille safe, so that leaves only one option." he turned to Marcel and looked him in the eyes. What he saw there, was a burning desire to help. He knew, in that moment that Marcel could do this. He could protect her.
"Marcel, you must take Camille and get her away from this place. I trust you can keep her safe?"
"Of course I can. I care about her just as much as you." Marcel announced, as much to Klaus, as to the silent Camille, ears perked and eyes alert as the two vampires discussed her fate. Marcel, not understanding the depth of feeling Klaus had toward Camille, angered Klaus, who at this point, did not even understand his own feelings for the vulnerable human. Klaus, not ready to admit aloud anything beyond a simple interest in Camille's safety, forced himself to accept that no matter what Marcel thought about Klaus' feelings for Camille, the main thing, at this moment in time, is that he cared enough to protect her.
Throughout this exchange, Camille stood there looking from Klaus to Marcel, absolutely speechless, unsure how she managed to get herself into such a situation where two vampires were practically fawning over her safety. Both wanted to be the protectors, yet in the end, Klaus was the one who made the ultimate sacrifice and for this, she felt an overwhelming surge of compassion for him. Even Davina could sense the tension at the air at the final outcome of the conversation. She knew where Camille's heart ultimately lay. Hell, it didn't take an all-powerful Clare witch to see it, Camille was like an open book. She was destined to go into hiding with Marcel but her heart would remain here, in New Orleans with this Original monster.
