It was a mission, really. This was not some kind of excuse to see Klaus. That would be what Caroline is telling herself when she accepts Katherine's offer to help Nadia with her wolf bite. Just a little favor. No big deal. What could change in less than a day, especially with Damon as her sidekick?
Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries in any shape or form. That goes to Kevin Williamson, Julie Plec and the CW.
Hey, my lovely readers. This is a mini-series I'm working on after being inspired by last week's episode of TVD. I hope you like it.
The Cost of Little Vials of Blood
Everyone was arguing. It always felt like everyone was always arguing anymore. When would they ever not be in the middle of some kind of drama? Caroline watched Stefan glaring at Katherine. She still had no idea how it was that Katherine had been able to fool them for this long. It just seemed impossible that she could pull off the ruse for this long. And how had Caroline not noticed. Oh, yeah, Klaus…
"Why would we help you with anything?" Stefan snapped at Katherine. Caroline felt Tyler tense next to her. Or maybe he had already been tense due to their proximity. He was still angry at her. As much as Caroline understood why he was angry it hurt her.
They had known each other their entire lives. They had never been that close until he found that he was a werewolf and then things had changed between them. She had helped him and seen a different side. Now, Caroline was afraid that the other Tyler was lost forever. In spite of her feelings for the Original Hybrid, she honestly did not want to hurt Tyler no matter what jerk he was acting like lately.
Turning her attention back to the argument in progress, Caroline focused on what Katherine was saying because it seemed to have something to do with Caroline. "Nadia," Katherine looked down at her daughter who was also in the room sitting on one of the Salvatore's couches in the Great Room, "was bitten by Tyler here," Katherine glared at Tyler.
"Because she attacked Caroline," Tyler snarled, folding his arms over his chest and glaring back at Katherine. Caroline smiled at Katherine who then narrowed her eyes.
"As I was saying, Tyler bite my daughter and now she needs Klaus' blood to cure her," Katherine continued as she turned to gaze back at Stefan.
Tyler stiffened and Caroline blew out a long breath. She had a feeling where this conversation was going as Matt looked at her from his position on the couch next to Nadia. The only person in the room who had yet to know that Caroline had slept with Klaus was Bonnie. Caroline was now waiting for Katherine to blurt it out and for Bonnie to freak out. More drama. Caroline rolled her eyes and then refocused on the conversation.
"What does that have to do with us?" Tyler questioned Katherine. "Klaus is gone. If you want his blood then you can get on a plane and go ask him for it. And may I add, good luck since he hates you almost as much he hates me."
"This is not helping," Nadia cried out, her eyes wide and her expression becoming pained as she pulled up her sleeve to reveal how nasty the bite had gotten. Caroline noticed Tyler smirk at the vampire's pain and Caroline bit her lip trying to not think about all the reasons that this attitude made her feel guilty. It was not entirely her fault.
"You know that I can't ask Klaus for his blood," Katherine snapped at Tyler and then turned back to Stefan. "But I can offer you something you want in exchange for your going to fetch the blood Nadia needs."
"What?" Stefan replied as he stared back at Katherine, his expression wary as Katherine smiled back at him without any joy.
"You want Elena back, yes?" Katherine told them looking around and no one answered immediately. They were waiting for the string that was attached to the deal to appear. "If you get the blood then I will allow you to kill me so you can have Elena back."
"Sure you will," Tyler snapped sarcastically.
Katherine sped in front of him. "When you have a child then you'll understand." Without waiting for a response she whirled around and sped back to Stefan. "Do we have a deal or not?" Holding out her hand, Katherine waited for Stefan's reaction.
Stefan hesitated and looked at Caroline who nodded at him. Taking Katherine's hand, Stefan shook it. "Yes, we do."
Katherine was now smiling genuinely and a tear trickled down her cheek. "Good. Thank you, Stefan. And thank you, Caroline." Katherine turned to stare at Caroline and she shifted from foot to foot as everyone turned to stare at her.
"What are you thanking Caroline for?" Tyler snarled at Katherine.
"Ty," Matt called gently but Tyler didn't turn to look at him.
"What are you thanking Caroline for, Katherine?" Tyler repeated his question, moving closer to Katherine.
"Tyler, stop it," Bonnie snapped but Caroline knew by the slump of Bonnie's shoulders that she knew she could do nothing to help. She no longer had her witchy mojo so she could not give Tyler a headache that would have him lying in a heap on the floor.
"I won't stop, Bonnie," Tyler shouted. "She's implying that Caroline is going to New Orleans to retrieve the blood. Well, she's not. So, get over it." Tyler shouted at Katherine, Nadia got up from the couch to stand between her mother and the enraged hybrid.
Tyler came to stand in front of Nadia. "Get out of my way," he snarled at her.
"Why? What will you do? Bite me again. Tear my heart out. Then none of you will get your precious Elena back because my mother will see to it," Nadia snarled back and then she whined loudly before starting to sink to the floor.
Matt got up and picked Nadia up from the floor. "Tyler, man, just let it go," he begged his friend.
"No," Tyler shouted, looking around him. "It's bad enough that she slept with him but she's not going to his city. If she goes how do any of us know that he'll let her come back home. And then what are you going to do?" Tyler moved his gaze from Katherine who seemed to be taking his comments under consideration to Stefan who looked unhappy and then to Nadia who just looked like she was in pain. "It's too much of a risk. She's not going and that's final."
"That's not you're decision to make, Tyler," Stefan said calmly as he looked back at Tyler who was becoming enraged again.
"You're kidding, right, Stefan? Do you not care about what happens to Caroline? Klaus is dangerous. In New Orleans he has more power than he ever had here. We can't send her in there alone," Tyler argued. "And I'm telling you that we're not sending her at all."
"TYLER," Caroline shouted, feeling her own fury building as he spoke. "You do NOT get to tell me where I can and cannot go. You gave up the right to have an opinion the day that you walked out on me."
Tyler's jaw dropped open as he stared back at Caroline. She could see that she had finally struck a nerve reminding him of their breakup and that it was his decision to walk out on her. Not the other way around. Now, he no longer had a right to have an opinion about who she spent time with. Not that this would be spending time with Klaus. This was a mission and she had yet to say that she would take it.
"So, are you saying that you want to go?" Tyler asked quietly, his gaze darkening and she could see his walls coming up like a solid sheet of steel.
"No," Caroline replied and Katherine opened her mouth to protest. "But I didn't say I wouldn't go either. I'm simply saying that you don't get to tell me what to do."
"You're the only one of us that Klaus will listen to," Katherine called as she leaned against the couch close to her daughter's head. "Caroline, you of all people owe me nothing and I know that you probably don't like my Nadia given her part in helping me. But imagine that you had a daughter," Katherine's eyes were pleading with Caroline and Caroline was shocked. She had never seen Katherine express anything this close to human anguish and it was becoming difficult to say no.
"Yes," Caroline said before she knew what she was saying the word just floated out of her mouth before she could think about what it meant. "But you will stay here and you will stick by your word or I will find you myself and you will wish I hadn't. Understood?" Caroline replied to Katherine allowing, her expression to show the darkest parts of herself, as Klaus would put it, that she hated to display in front of others because it scared her. At this moment it seemed appropriate.
"I will keep my word," Katherine swore and smiled widely.
Stefan moved to stand closer to Katherine. "Yes, she will because I will be here to make sure she doesn't go anywhere," Katherine seemed to grow even happier at that turn of events.
"And who's going to go with Caroline?" Tyler snapped, staring at Stefan in horror. "She can't go by herself. It's too dangerous."
"Why don't you go with her? Then you can get killed," Katherine retorted with a grin.
"You're not helping, mother," Nadia moaned from her place on the couch. Her head was in Matt's lap and by this point it looked like if Caroline did not leave soon that her deal with Katherine would be moot.
Stefan seemed to be thinking about what to say, "Damon and Bonnie can go with her."
"Are you nuts," Tyler yelled at Stefan. "Have you traded brains with Damon because your plan is insane?"
"No it's not," Bonnie replied slowly. She had not looked Caroline in the eye since Tyler had mentioned Caroline having had sex with Klaus but now she was staring at her friend. "I'm already dead. Kind of. So, Damon can't do much to me. I can make him keep his fangs to himself. And Damon is the strongest one in our group. He'll be the best one to protect Caroline, Tyler."
"Or he'll start chowing down on the local vamps and piss off those is charge of New Orleans and none of you will ever come back," Tyler argued.
"Look, Damon needs to be able to control his whole ripper thing," Caroline told the group. "And Rebekah or Elijah could compel him to stop wanting to feed on us until we can find a cure for whatever Wes put into his system." Gazing at Stefan, she saw that he had been thinking the same thing when he smiled at her. 'Go, Team Steroline,' Caroline chanted internally. 'Best of friends make the best of teams.'
"Why would they help you?" Tyler snapped but Caroline could see that he was giving up by the way that he moved closer to the entrance of the room.
"Because…" Caroline couldn't think of a reason that they would help.
Tyler shook his head in disgust. "You weren't planning on having Rebekah or Elijah doing it. You were going to ask Klaus to compel Damon. Weren't you, Care? Geez. Who are you trying to kid? Huh? He's in love with you and you're falling for him. And I'm out of here."
Before anyone could say another word, Tyler disappeared out the room and Caroline could only stand there feeling uncomfortable. Sighing loudly, Caroline turned to the others. Now that Tyler was gone, she felt like she could talk a little more openly without trying to save his feelings. "Bonnie, you need to stay here," she ordered her friend who looked puzzled.
"Why?" Bonnie asked and Caroline had to think quickly. To be honest, Caroline did not want her best friend with her when she saw Klaus again. The upside of having Bonnie with her would be that it would make Caroline restrain herself from jumping Klaus' bones. The downside was that she would also prevent Caroline from being able to convince Klaus to help and she knew that Bonnie might not approve of her methods. Then there was the bit where Caroline wanted to let lose, just little a bit. Like a mini vacation from herself. Or at least the self she showed everyone at home.
"Liv needs your help with her witchy stuff. What if she burns down a building? And I can handle Damon. We'll just get him some vampire blood and shove a lot of vervain in some syringes so whenever he goes rippery on me I'll just make him take a long nap. I'll be fine," Caroline told them cheerfully and then tried to push some of the cheer down in case they became suspicious that she actually wanted to go.
"How will you get vampire blood?" Bonnie asked Caroline and then she noticed Stefan rolling up a sleeve.
"So, we need bags for the blood," Caroline said and looked at the others.
"Check Damon's room," Stefan replied. The others looked at him quizzically. "He had a thing about draining people and vampires and likes to be prepared just in case." Stefan explained. "Katherine," he said and Katherine rolled her eyes before rolling up her own sleeve.
Caroline decided to not roll up her own sleeve in case it gave Damon a taste for her blood. If she was going on a road trip with him, she did not want to give him extra reasons to try to chomp down on her. Bonnie came down with the bags and needles they would need, Caroline went straight to work drawing the blood, finding ways to pour it out more quickly without hurting her friend.
"That should be enough," Caroline proclaimed when they had ten bags of vampire blood while Katherine and Stefan sucked down other kinds of blood to bring back their strength. "Now, I guess all we need to do is get Damon out of his cell."
Walking downstairs alongside Stefan, Caroline felt nervous. She was well aware that Damon might try to attack them. She had seen Stefan when he was a ripper but had yet to encounter Damon under his new desire to eat them. "Hey, Damon," Stefan called as he peered inside the cell and Damon lifted his head slowly. He did not look good. All grey and slightly sunken around the eyes.
"Hey, baby brother, come to visit?" Damon called with a weak grin. "I thought that you were supposed to come by tomorrow morning; otherwise I would have put on my chipper face." Cocking his head in Caroline's direction, his eyebrows scrunched together. "What's Caroline doing here? Don't you have a mid-term to take, honey?" Smirking at her, Damon made Caroline want to call the whole road trip idea off.
"No," Caroline stated flatly, sneering at Damon and then she noticed the wary look on Stefan's face as he gazed back at her. "Sorry. But, seriously, Stefan, are you really sure that this is a good idea. Maybe Tyler is right."
Damon's face scrunched up in confusion. "Look, kids, I know I've been in the basement for way too long, letting you two play leader but what in the hell is going on here. And why do I have this sneaking suspicion that I'm being dragged into the middle of the newest little scheme."
Now, it was Caroline's turn to smirk as she looked from Damon to Stefan who answered his brother's question. "Good news, brother, you're right. And you're being let out for a trip."
"Oh, goody," Damon replied as Stefan threw him a blood bag and then opened the door. Damon barely paid attention to them while he drained the bag. "What do you want me to do?"
Stefan shook his head. "Caroline, he'll be fine. And if he isn't, I'll make sure his death is slow and painful." Damon looked up at the comment and his eyes narrowed.
"Okay. You've got my attention now," Damon said. He pushed himself to his feet and came to stand in front of the two.
Caroline decided to go ahead and tell Damon. "We made a deal with Katherine. She's going to give us Elena's body back without a fight. The thing is that we have to go to New Orleans and get Klaus' blood because Nadia got bitten by Tyler. We're hoping that one of the Originals will be kind enough to compel you to not want to eat your friends and family anymore."
Rolling his eyes, Damon flung the empty blood bag over his shoulder. "That's just great. What I really wanted to do today was go on the road with you two boring, uptight members of the Scoobie gang."
"I'm not going," Stefan informed his brother.
Damon's eyes widened. "You want me to go on the road with Blondie?" He asked incredulously. "No. No. NO WAY, Stef. I'll end up killing her halfway there just because she's, you know, Caroline."
"Gee, thanks, Damon," Caroline snapped, throwing her hands in the air and then turning her back on the two older vampires. Whirling around on her heel, Caroline moved so that she was two inches from Damon's face. "You will control yourself. We will go to New Orleans and get this mission accomplished. And you will be better for it. Do you understand me, Damon?"
Damon stared back at Caroline. "Now I get why Klaus likes you so much."
Taking a step back, Caroline decided to let Damon's comment go. "Whatever, Damon. Are you coming or not?" Caroline was not sure if Damon was actually going to come with her or not but when she heard his footsteps fall into place behind his brother's, she smiled triumphantly. 'New Orleans, here we come,' she thought giddily.
Okay. So, that's chapter one. I would love to hear your thoughts on this first chapter and we'll see how things go. Oh, and Klaus will be in the next chapter as our Caroline and Damon arrive in New Orleans.
Thank you to anyone who reads, favs, follows and reviews this story.
Peace,
LL