Katherine sat at the edge of the bed, watching Lucien sleep.
They were back in the Mikaelson mansion, a day after escaping Sodom and Gamorrah- Elijah having flown them as fast as he could.
Unlike most mornings, she didn't run her fingers through his hair or trace the outline of his face.
The previous night had taught her that lesson - her gentle touch had sent her flying across the room, pinned against the wall by an unconscious surge of telekinetic force.
So she maintained her distance, hands folded in her lap, observing the steady rise and fall of his chest.
The morning light filtered through gauzy curtains, casting the opulent bedroom of Klaus's island mansion in soft gold.
Lucien's eyes opened suddenly, darting around the room before settling on her. No gradual awakening - just immediate, complete consciousness, the way prey animals snap to alertness.
"The view is beautiful," Katherine said after a long moment of silence, letting him gain his bearing, nodding toward the window where azure waves crashed against white sand. "You can see all the way to the reef."
Lucien didn't respond.
His gaze remained fixed on her, unnervingly steady.
The sheets shifted as he adjusted his position, revealing the scarred palms that had once been pierced by Isaac's nails. Katherine noticed but didn't comment.
Remembering his conversation with Dracula and "crucifixion" being one of the things that bastard had done to him.
The silence stretched between them, thick.
Katherine had lived five centuries - she recognized the hollow look in his eyes, the careful way he held himself, as if expecting pain from any sudden movement.
She had seen it in plague survivors, in women who escaped the witch trials, in soldiers returning from Napoleon's disastrous Russian campaign.
It being what weeks of every touch being followed by pain doing to someone.
But she had never seen it in someone so young.
Finally, Lucien moved. With deliberate slowness, he pushed himself upright, swinging his legs over the side of the bed opposite Katherine.
Katherine watched curiously as he stood and circled the bed toward her chair. His face revealed nothing, but his eyes never left hers.
"Lucien?" she asked softly.
Without speaking, he reached for her hand. His touch was light, almost hesitant, as he guided her to stand.
Katherine allowed herself to be led to the bed, curious, not resisting as he gently pressed her shoulders until she lay on her back.
Lucien crawled onto the bed, positioning himself above her, hands planted on either side of her head. His face hovered inches from hers, eyes searching for... something.
Katherine remained perfectly still beneath him, recognizing the importance of this moment.
Whatever was happening, Lucien needed to control it.
"What do you want?" she asked, her voice gentle. "Whatever it is, I'll give it to you."
Slowly, telegraphing her movement, Katherine raised her hand toward his face. Lucien tensed but didn't pull away.
Her fingers made contact with his cheek, and for a moment, he remained rigid. Then, gradually, he leaned into her touch, closing his eyes, his scarred palm coming up to press her hand more firmly against his skin.
"Katerina," Lucien finally spoke, his voice barely above a whisper. The struggle was visible on his face, as if the question required immense effort. "Are you mine?"
Katherine's brow furrowed in confusion. "Why are you asking me that? Haven't I shown you already?" She asked after a moment of silence.
Lucien shook his head, pushing her hand away from his cheek.
He opened his eyes and looked directly into hers, and for a moment, something shifted in his gaze.
His irises flashed golden yellow, and Katherine sensed rather than saw two different energies in there, looming over her, unknown to her - the archangel and the Dark Side, both aspects of his.
The power emanating from those eyes made her breath catch.
"I need to know. Now." His voice grew firmer. "I... I know myself right now. And I-" he paused, visibly struggling with how to phrase it. "I can get attached. Very, very attached. I don't- I don't have as much control over it right now as I normally do... Whether I want to accept that or not."
Katherine realized he was being deliberately vague while making his meaning clear.
He understood exactly what his trauma would do to him psychologically, and he was facing it head-on.
Too smart to let himself be controlled by anything without making use of it for his purposes- even natural, psychological and physical responses after what happened to him.
"I've given you everything," Lucien continued. "You're safe from Klaus. You're stronger than ever. You have your daughter back. As long as you don't start hurting innocents, I will never go after you."
His expression hardened slightly. "This is your final chance to walk away. If you stay after this moment, you are mine - permanently. Death itself won't be able to take you from me, and if you betray me..." his voice dropped to a whisper. "I will bring upon you torment that will make even Iblis weep."
"You need to make your choice," Lucien said, his voice dropping lower. "Will you stay with me? Be mine forever? Never be touched by anyone else but me? Never desiring anyone but me? Loving me- loving me above everyone else, always your first love?"
Katherine at this was silent, only looking into those blazing eyes.
---------------------------
In the mansion's living room, Klaus stood by the window, glass of whiskey in hand despite the early hour. The amber liquid caught the morning light as he gazed out at the ocean.
Elijah sat on one of the couches, impeccably dressed as always, while Stefan occupied the opposite one, his posture stiff with unresolved tension.
"So, you remember," Klaus said, breaking the silence. It wasn't a question.
Stefan nodded, leaning forward slightly. "I... do. The moment Lucien made me his 'Champion,' it broke. I remember everything from the 1920s."
Klaus took a measured sip of his whiskey. "And what do you intend to do now, old friend? Now that Dracula is dead and you're no longer being used as a living blood bag."
Stefan's eyes narrowed, his composure maintained despite the flinch that threatened at Dracula's name.
The reference to "living blood bag" sent phantom pains through his body, memories of decades of torture threatening to surface.
He remained silent for a long moment, gathering himself.
"I'll... fulfill my purpose, I suppose," he finally said. "My first actual purpose in life."
"And what's that?" Klaus asked, eyebrow raised.
Stefan looked up, meeting Klaus's gaze directly. "Protecting the Son of God. Lucien."
A slow smile spread across Klaus's face. He set down his glass and settled into a single armchair, establishing his dominance in the space.
"It's all good and well that you've found a purpose for yourself," Klaus said, his tone deceptively casual. "But for you to say you'll protect MY son-" he emphasized the possessive, "-well, you'd need permission from his father."
His smile sharpened. "That sounds like living quite close by, and as you can see-" he gestured around them, "-this is my place."
Stefan remained silent, neither acknowledging nor challenging Klaus's claim. The tension between them thickened, the unspoken challenge hanging in the air.
"What is with all the testosterone in the air?" Rebekah asked suddenly as she and Elena entered the living room.
Elena looked awkward and out of place among the vampires, her thirteen-year-old frame dwarfed by their presence.
Klaus's demeanor shifted completely as he noticed Elena. His voice softened, the edge of threat gone entirely. "Elena, good morning. Did you sleep well?" he asked gently.
Elena nodded, still visibly uncomfortable but responding to his kindness.
"It isn't anything too big," Elijah answered Rebekah. "Niklaus and Stefan are talking about their roles in Lucien's life."
Rebekah's gaze shifted between her brother and Stefan, lingering briefly on the latter.
For her, the 1920s had been just about a month ago, before Klaus had daggered her. The memories of her relationship with Stefan were still fresh, though she chose not to dwell on them right now.
"Where is Lucien?" she asked instead. "Is he still asleep?"
"Yes," Elijah confirmed. "Katerina is watching over him."
At Katherine's name, Stefan instantly became alert. "Katherine?" he muttered, standing abruptly.
Without another word, he began speed-walking toward Lucien's room.
Klaus seeing this, could only sigh, as he rose in annoyance, careful not to startle Elena with sudden movements. "For God's sake, Elijah," he hissed, "must you have such a big mouth?"
Elijah raised his hands in confusion, palms open and fingers splayed, his expression questioning.
Klaus hurried after Stefan, speed-walking after him, choosing not to use his vampiric speed, as the release of dark magic, could startle Lucien.
Something he at this very moment, very much didn't want to do.
Rebekah slapped her palm against her forehead as understanding dawned. "Stefan and Katherine have history," she explained to Elijah's questioning face. "She was the one who caused his death and him becoming a vampire."
Elijah's eyes widened. "We must follow them," he said instantly after understanding, rising from his seat. "We cannot let Stefan Salvatore do anything foolish that he may regret."
----------------------
Katherine studied Lucien's face, her expression shifting as realization dawned. "You're... afraid," she murmured. "Afraid that since I have Nadia back, you're no longer the one I love fi-"
"Just-" Lucien interrupted sharply, "-just answer the question."
Katherine fell silent, gathering her thoughts. When she spoke again, her voice remained gentle.
"You're right," she said. "You have given me everything. Safety, care, power, purpose, knowledge, understanding, my lost daughter - just... everything." She held his gaze steadily. "If you've given me everything, then... How can I possibly put anyone above you? Yes, I want to be only yours, and no one else's."
Uncertainty still lingered in Lucien's eyes. "What about Nadia?" he asked- despite fearing bringing it up, yet still knowing it to be necessary. "She's your daughter. How- how can you love me more than her?"
Lucien knew he was probably being... unfair. But he just- he- Elara and Malek were still growing, in slumber, only with him at the briefest of moments before this, and now with the Brand of Sacrifice him even fearing contacting them.
Vader, his Shadow Self, is constantly inside the Veil, Lucien only able to interact with him, by using his grace, which he has an extremely limited amount of, it growing back slow- and his Qareen is extremely young, not even having lived a life to make such a conscious choice.
He just- he needed this. He needed someone, someone besides himself to love him more than anything else.
He will never allow a situation to come where a damned choice needs to be made- but he still NEEDS it.
Katherine smiled, a touch of sadness in the expression. "Though my daughter and I are finally together, and I love Nadia - probably would die for her - we just... can't ever be that close." Her voice softened further. "And don't you get it? You've given me EVERYTHING."
"You are my dear, beloved god, and I can't love anything more than my god. Be you wrathful, destructive, lustful - be it towards me or other women - so long as you claim me, keep me safe, at peace, then I will always love you above everything in this world."
Lucien's expression remained guarded.
He wanted - needed - to use the Force to sense her emotions, to verify her sincerity. But something held him back - fear that it was all a lie, something too good to be true.
Finally, he reached out through the Force, touching her emotions.
What he found there made his breath catch.
Truth. Absolute, unwavering truth.
The last barrier crumbled.
Lucien suddenly leaned down and pressed his lips to Katherine's, kissing her. After a moment of wide-eyed shock, she responded, her hand coming up to gently cradle the back of his head, closing her eyes and leaning in.
The door burst open.
Stefan stood frozen in the doorway, his expression morphing from concern to shock. Klaus appeared directly behind him, nearly colliding with his back.
Rebekah arrived next, followed closely by Elijah. Elena peered around Elijah's arm, her young eyes widening at the scene before her.
Kol appeared last, vampire-speeding to join the group at the doorway- having heard the commotion, and the Wildest of the Mikaelsons, never misses entertaining drama.
He peered over Elijah's shoulder, taking in the tableau of Lucien and Katherine locked in a kiss.
"Bloody hell," Kol muttered, breaking the stunned silence. "They really do grow up fast."
----------------------
(Author note: Hello everyone! I hope you all enjoyed the chapter.
Do tell me how you found it.
So, finally, Lucien has truly, and completely accepted Katherine into his heart- and she is now his.
Well, I hope you all enjoyed it, and I hope to see you all later,
Bye!)