"If you had told me a few hours ago I wouldn't given a lick about her dying… but as it turns out… you may be of use to me after all."
There is no vampire cure and Klaus does not care about seeing Elena die. He turns his back on Stefan and Elena and the one chance Elena had just walked out the door.
.
.
.
I can't believe it. How can one believe that her best friend is going to die?
I can see the venom spreading through Elena's body. She is shuddering. Stefan is whispering in her ear that it's going to be okay.
But it's not. I can see it in Damon's eyes as he watches them. And then he looks at me. And I can tell that while Stefan is resigned and no longer fighting for Elena's survival, Damon will always fight for her.
He gestures his head at the door and runs outside. Not just outside the room but he keeps running. I follow him.
We stop not too far from the house. I notice just far enough to not hear Stefan anymore. I'm assuming that means that Stefan can't hear us. Steely determination is on Damon's face.
I'm ready.
Whatever it takes to manipulate or force Klaus. My mind runs through so many scenarios my head hurts. But I'm not sure we wouldn't get cut to shreds by the hybrids the moment we step on Klaus' property. Force? Manipulation? A deal? What does Klaus want?
Damon's breathing slowly, his eyes unfocused. Then he looks at me and I wonder what he could possibly have planned that he needs to weigh his words. I wait.
"Klaus doesn't care for Elena," Damon says "not since her heart stopped beating. He doesn't even care for his own family who are lying in boxes."
This isn't the peptalk I was waiting for.
He hasn't been exactly looking at my face. Not the most appropriate moment, but this is Damon we're talking about. But I notice his eyes drifting. He's not leering at me, he's avoiding my eyes.
Then he looks up. Straight into my eyes and he doesn't have to say it.
I've figured it out but he still says it.
"Klaus is fond of you," he whispers. So softly that a human would never hear it. I doubt I would have heard it if we weren't so close together. I didn't notice that. He's trying to manipulate me. Make me go for it.
Go for what?
I realise that it doesn't matter. Whatever I have to do. For Elena. I would do anything for her.
"Of course I'll do it, whatever it takes".
Damon smiles. I still see the worry etched on his face but he's obviously relieved no more manipulation will be needed to get me for agree.
But I don't know what I'm agreeing to.
"How?" I ask.
Damon's looking as vulnerable as I've ever seen him.
"I actually didn't think that far ahead. In fact I'm not really thinking at all," he admits.
.
.
.
I'm standing in front of Klaus' house. I don't even remember how I got here. I remember Damon saying something else to me, but I couldn't take it. I was imagining the things I would say, what Klaus would reply.
None of it would work. I didn't know Klaus well, but I knew him enough, he would see right through me.
"Hello, Caroline"
Ah, fuck. How did I not notice him standing right in front of me.
I looked at him sheepishly, ducked my head involuntarily out of embarrassment.
He laughed.
He gestured his minions away that were approaching. He looked at me questioningly as I struggled to speak.
His face hardened as he saw me struggle.
"Not sure where to start? I'll do it for you," Klaus said to me. " 'Oh dearest Klaus, I am truly sorry for dodging your affections I will say whatever I need to, to make you want to save my best friend. And then you will be nothing to me again', right?"
I cringed. I opened my mouth to speak. I shook my head so slightly without even meaning to.
His gaze softened. I saw the hurt on his face. I didn't know where to start so what came out of my mouth was a complete surprise to both Klaus and myself.
"You told me you would take me anywhere. Rome, Paris, Tokyo."
Klaus was taken aback. Out of all the ways he anticipated me begging for Elena's life, this was not one of them. It wasn't even one of the possible options I had thought about to this point.
Why would I say that?
"You said there's a world out there. Art, music. Everything."
He traced a curl in my hair and then brushed it behind my ear.
"If only I believed you. But people don't change. Vampires don't change," he said sadly.
"I don't believe that," I told him strongly "Your choices define you. You have free will. You can change your course". I believed what I was saying. I believed that he could be a better person. The person who drew me a horse. The person who bought me a dress and danced with me and told me he fancied me.
A person who wouldn't kill just because he could.
A person who wouldn't let Elena die.
And I prayed for that person with every part of my soul. I wanted him to be the Klaus that I had seen in the briefest of moments. A flicker.
"I believe people can change. That people aren't inherently bad or evil. That they can make their live what they want it to be – defined by their choices".
He knew what I was saying.
Your choices, Klaus.
Choose me.
Love me.
Love me enough to save the person I loved.
"So," he smirked. "Make a choice".
I was confused. This was for him. His choice to make! Did he choose good or evil? Would he do something selfless for once in his miserably existence?
"Rome, Paris or Tokyo?"
I laughed. Only for a moment because that's when he chose to pull me in. His breath slowly on my lips.
"No," I said, pushing him. Panicked. "I won't".
"Caroline, I would never hurt you". But I knew he would. If I was in his way. He would kill me without a second thought, the moment playing with me conflicted with his plans.
Wouldn't he?
We were no longer touching, his hands were no longer softly touching my back. I didn't think Klaus would ever force me.
Would he?
"Pick one. Give me a week. Separate rooms, and if I so much as kiss you without your permission, you can do whatever you want with me".
He was too close. I was feeling dizzy. I couldn't trust my impulse control with a five minute conversation, how could I deal with him for a week.
"Promise?"
"I promise you the world. Whatever you want. If I'm not in that world.. that's your decision".
"We go to a foreign city for one week, you don't so much as touch me in any way shape or form or creep into my room or do anything stalkerish. For Elena".
"I can work with that," he said to me, smiling.
"Work with what?" I asked in frustration. I was so frustrated. How could he affect me like this?
"I fancy you, love".
"You've said that before. What do you WANT?"
"A chance. One chance."
"For Elena," I repeated.
He came closer, this time at human speed. I could evade him if I wanted to. This time I let him. He lifted my hand and kissed it gently.
He smiled at me in a way I've never seen before. Like he didn't care for anything. The plans, the deceit, the chase. Like he was happy.
He didn't let go of my hand and held it. He turned and moved slowly away. Not dragging me, but I soon go the message. I moved with him and soon we were running.
Even as we were walking up the steps to Stefan's room we were still holding hands.
Even as he offered his wrist to Elena he didn't let go.
I smiled. But he better let go pretty darn soon, because I need to pack.
We turned to leave.
Stefan and Damon looked at me curiously.
"Where are you going?" Damon asked with concern in his eyes. He knew I made a deal, and he didn't care what it was for Elena, but at least he was a little worried.
Klaus looked at me. "You didn't choose," he accused me.
"I got sidetracked! You distracted me," I said, pouting.
"Well?"
"Paris. Take me to Paris."
"My pleasure, love."