This first chapter is just a test on how I handle the story and what kind of responses I get. I think the characters seem a bit OOC, but I'm getting into them a little bit. What do you all think? Let me know.
1. The Escape
The door slammed and she leaped into action, ripping covers off of her body and quickly grabbing the suitcase hidden carefully under the double bed. Dumping the suitcase onto the bed beside her, she tore off her nightwear, her whole body shaking, struggling to get causal, warm clothes on. Her whole body was filled with adrenaline as she rushed around the master bedroom, making sure she had everything she needed.
Checking the folder with all the document they needed, she flipped through the passports, as if to make sure they looked real enough.
One was of the young woman herself, her blonde wavy hair tied back on the passport photo with her expressionless face. On the side had her birth 15th October 1987, along with her gender and the expiry date of the passport. And the name read 'Caroline Forbes'.
A small smile tugged at the corner of Caroline's pink lips as she was pleased that she would get her old name back.
Flipping through the next passport there was a photo of a young girl, whom looked almost identical to Caroline, having long wavy blonde hair and stunning chocolate hazel brown eyes. Just like Caroline's passport, the young girls' birth was displayed along with her name and expiry date.
21st April 2005
Courtney Forbes
Once again, Caroline looked over the airplane tickets, for one adult and one child, and sighed, deep in thought as she stared out the window, seeing the sun was rising in the distance. Caroline knew without a doubt she would have to go, but could she really drag Courtney into this? To drag her away from her friends and family? The life she grown up to know?
Seeing the time on the digital clock beside her, Caroline realised that the taxi she had booked would be here soon, meaning she couldn't mope around forever in self-pity. She needed to get moving. Stuffing the folder that had everything for their travels into her handbag and pulling up her suitcase, Caroline made her way out of the master bedroom for the last time, knowing if she remembered what happened in here at night, it would be too soon.
Caroline tip-toed down the stairs, even though she was sure he had left for work, it had become a force of habit. Placing the suitcase by the front door, Caroline took a deep breath before she took a glance at the mirror in front of her.
There was a fading purple bruise under her left eye, along with other fading bruises along her neck that appeared to be in the shape of fingers. Though, even if those bruises hadn't been on the blonde, she still would've looked like a over-worked mother. Sleepless nights were well known thanks to her dark circles under her eyes, along with her lacking in food, as Caroline just appeared to be skin and bone, even through her heavy material.
Pushing herself away from her endless thoughts of her worthlessness appearance, she tip-toed back up stairs of the house, heading in the opposite direction of the master bedroom. Caroline smiled again as she saw the sign on the closed door saying "keep out". She remembered when Courtney first got that, in hopes that Caroline would stop walking in on her trying to do her homework, which she always found odd. Normally any kid would look for any excuse to get out of doing homework.
But Courtney was different, she didn't really like doing homework, it just distracted her from other things that were going on in their lives, which Caroline always felt a heavy guilt about. Kids should be worrying about if they would get tagged that day on the playground, not about which type of bruise their mother would have when they return home.
Caroline carefully opened the bedroom door, seeing Courtney still asleep, clunching her pink, pig teddy close to her small chest. Caroline couldn't help but lean on the door frame for a moment as she continued to watch the young girl sleep, admiring how she could sleep so peacefully.
Once again, Caroline had a moment of doubt rush through her mind, wondering if she could really make Courtney go through the next couple of days, years really. Hiding from her own flesh and blood.
Approuching the bed that was covered by pink and purple covers, Caroline bent down to eye level with Courtney as she gently shook the youngster's shoulder. A few seconds later, her hazel brown eyes fluttered open, meeting Caroline's bright green ones. Still in a haze of sleepiness, Courtney rubbed her eyes as she sat up, looking at the time on her bedside table. Realization hit the young girl as her eyes widened, her small body becoming tense.
"Oh honey," Caroline muttered softly as she smoothed Courtney's blonde away from her delicte face. "We don't have to do this. If you want to stay we can."
Courtney started shaking her head before Caroline finished her sentence. "No, we can't, otherwise it will keep going on and I don't want him hurting you anymore Mom." Fear and tears clouded her eyes, "And one day, you might not get back up and I don't know what I will do..."
Caroline pulled her daughter tightly into her arms, hating to hear her worst fears: finding her own mother dead.
"Okay, okay, shhh..." Caroline whispered gently in Courtney's ear, contiuning to smooth her hair in effort to calm her down. It took a few minutes, but it did the trick as Courtney's tears started to die down. "Quickly get changed and gather up you're things, I'm just going to make a quick call."
Courtney looked back up at her mother, knowing look in her brown eyes. "Aunt Kat?"
Nodding, Caroline carefully tucked some of Courtney's hair behind her ear, love and affection clear on the mother's face. "I'll see you down stairs in a bit, yeah?" When the young blonde nodded in return, Caroline kissed her on the forehead before making her way out of the room and getting her new phone out from her pocket. The only number on there being of her best friend.
She began to call just as she was going downstairs, and Caroline was surprised when Katherine picked up on the first ring. "You at the airport yet?"
Caroline fought the urge to laugh, "Morning to you too."
"Well, actually it's afternoon." Katherine corrected, "You should really know this since you're flying out here soon."
Rolling her eyes as she went through the kitchen, scanning over the place to make sure she wouldn't leave anything important behind, Caroline replied to Katherine's question. "No, not yet. The taxi should be here soon, so we should get to the airport about an hour and a half before it takes off."
"Good, the sooner you're out of that house, the better."
Sighing, Caroline leaned on the doorframe that lead back into the hallway. "I still don't know Kat..." She glances up to the stairs where she knew Courtney would be in her bedroom, sorting through her things quickly. "I'll be taking her away from everything she knows; family, friends-"
"Her father abusing her mother." Katherine cut in harshly, making Caroline flinch. "Yes, you two will have to start again Care, but at least you'll both be safe. I mean, have you ever thought that one day that he might subject his anger and abuse onto Courtney?"
She had. The thought had scared Caroline, haunted her ever since she gave birth to her beautiful daughter. Even though she tried to convince herself that he would never go that far, that he would never hurt his own child, that convining was becoming less and less certain everyday. But now hearing someone else saying the same thing that her thoughts were screaming made all her doubts jump right out of her head and making her once more determinded.
A determined, protective mother.
Just then, Courtney appeared at the top of the stairs, dragging alone medium sized suitcase, along with blue backpack and her pink, pig teddy in her arms, smiling down nervously at Caroline. She knew then, right at that moment, looking at her beautiful daughter, she was doing the right thing. For the both of them.
TLT-TLT-TLT
"Snap!" Courtney examined an hour later, as she and Caroline sat on the floor of the disabled toliet's room. Neither of the girls were disabled, but it was a good hiding place until their plane was ready to board. Some might say that Caroline was being paranoid, but knowing her husband and his connections, it was better to be safe than sorry. "I win again mom!" Courtney smiled brightly at her mother, waving her empty hands in the air.
The two had been playing a card game that was to help Courtney with her vowles. During her first year at school, teachers spotted that Courtney was having trouble keeping up with the work and after some tests, they discovered that she was dyslexic.
"So, she's thick?" Caroline remembered her husband saying, causing Courtney to burst into tears and him storming out of the room. Caroline's hatred for her husband began then, seeing that not only was he hurting her, but also verbally hurting their daughter. But that night, Caroline - after a heated row between the couple - got the consequences of raising a "stupid" child.
Since then, he barely made effort with Courtney, which Caroline was glad for, as she didn't want him upsetting their daughter anymore. But at the same time, she felt sadness for her Courtney, as he didn't see all the effort and progress she had been making.
Smiling, Caroline placed her cards back down on the floor, "who knew remembering vowels could be so hard."
"Don't worry Mom, you'll get it." Courtney said with a cheeky wink.
Caroline laughed, "Is that so?"
Courtney nodded before she asked in a small voice. "Could I use the toilet alone please?"
"Yep, I'll go and get us some more hot chocolates," Caroline mumbled, grabbing the empty paper cups from the side. "You remember the secret knock right?" The blonde mother asked, standing up and slowly unlocking the disabled door.
"Yep; three, one, three, two." Courtney quoted as she knocked her knuckles on the floor she sat on.
Caroline smiled down at her daughter. "You have five minutes."
Making sure that Courtney locked the door behind her, Caroline - in a paranoid and anxious state - went walking through the halls of the airport (binning the paper cups as she went) and went to the main of the airport where all the cafes and shops were at. Seeing all the crowds, Caroline almost turned back around, but she took a deep breath, reminding herself this was her new life, so she would have to deal with big crowds once again. This was all for her and Courtney. She needed to at least try. Caroline started to make her way over to the Starbucks stand when suddenly, someone bumped into her from the right side and getting a bit of coffee on her brown jacket (she had since high school as well).
Frustrated as she just wanted to get the hot chocolates so she could get back to Courtney, Caroline turned to the person, her blue eyes blazing. "Would you watch where you're going!"
When she saw the person look her way, she was stunned for a moment by how handsome the man was. Flawless, dark curly blonde hair, along with piercing blue eyes that made her freeze in her place at first. Until he spoke that is.
"I was, maybe you weren't, love." The man spoke, with a strong British accent that would make any woman swoon, but Caroline just wanted to slap him even more for it.
Caroline simply scoffed, "Not only were you not watching where you were going, but you also got coffee on my favourite jacket!"
Instead of arguing back, the handsome man replied. "No worries love, how much will it be for dry cleaning?"
Rolling her eyes, she wiped the last remaining coffee and turned away, walking as she said. "I can pay for it myself thanks!" After saying that, she heard the man laugh and was attempted to turn around and give him the slap she knew he would have coming for a long time. But then she remembered her daughter with long blonde ash hair and hazel eyes, waiting for her in the disabled toilet and then all of Caroline's anger went away.
Soon returning to her daughter with two paper cups of hot chocolate, Caroline's mind left the mysterious man's grin and back to the real reason they were at the airport. To escape. After another few games of "Snap", the girls soon made they're way to the gate where their plane was. This is was where paranoia started to grow, as she held on tight to her daughter's hand to the point where Courtney almost cried as Caroline held it so tight, which she frequeally apologised for. Getting on the plane was no actual problem, the only problem was that Caroline was dragging her through the plane halls as she ran, Courtney struggled to keep up with her mother.
"Mom," Courtney started as the two finally sat down in their seats, and Caroline's hands were clapping on her thighs until Courtney laid her hand on them. "You need to calm down. We're on the plane now, nothing is going to go wrong. You need to relax."
"I won't relax until we're in the air," Caroline stated and then added, "And also, I need to go to the bathroom now, are you going to be fine on your own?"
Courtney nodded as she got her backpack out from under her seat, "Yeah, I'm just going look through Van Gogh's work."
Ever since they found out she was dyslexic, the school advised Caroline that it will help if Courtney appdapted some hobbies, mainly in the creative crafts area. So Caroline took her to an art museum and Courtney fell in love; she loved to paint, draw and (try) read about all types of artists, Van Gogh being her favourite. Because of this as well, and looking up facts of all different artists, it helped improve her reading and writing and her determination to read overcame nearly every obstacle.
Caroline smiled as she got up from the plane seat. "Alright, I'll be about five minutes as I think my bladder is going to explode."
Courtney giggled as she watched her mother practically run to the toilet and looked down at the slim book that was on her lap, a painted picture of Van Gogh on the front, and opened it up, looking at the paintings as she flipped through.
"Ah, Van Gogh" Courtney looked up to the voice to see a man standing near her mother's seat (Courtney was sat next to the window), looking down at her book. "Good choice there, one of my favourites."
Anything her mother taught her about talking to strangers went out of Courtney's mind as they began talking about Van Gogh. "Yeah, mine too!" The little girl examined with a wide smile. "I love how his paintings always seem to smooth me, whenever I'm sad or scared, it always seems to calm me."
The man raised an eyebrow in surprise, "Really? Why is that? Some people say that they are sad themselves."
"I can see why they would say that," Courtney agreed, looking down at the booket on her lap. "But the strokes and the colours... they all seem to blend in and... no matter how sad it can be, it always seems to draw you in, you know?"
The man stared at the smart young girl in front of him, the corner of his lips lifting up slightly. "How old are you, may I ask?"
"Nine," Courtney replied, "my mom took me to my first museum when I was six. I'll never forget when I first saw a painting of Van Goghs."
"Well your mother is a smart woman for raising such a smart daughter." The man commented.
Courtney's smile brightened as she slightly blushed and then she suddenly remembered her mother. "Umm, sorry to be rude, but my mom will actually be back soon and if she sees me talking with a stranger-" Courtney cut herself off, knowing full well she shouldn't give too much away.
"We can't trust anyone Courtney," Caroline muttered to her daughter when they stood in the line to get on the plane. "Not until we land at our destiation and find aunt Kat, okay?"
The man simply chuckled, waving his hands in surrender. "No harm done treasure, have a good flight."
Courtney smiled once again at her nickname the man had given her and waved him goodbye as he left. "You too!"
It was a few mintues later when Courtney's mother returned and Courtney couldn't help but wonder if she will ever get to meet that man again. He was very nice and seemed to have a very good insight in art, or at least had a great interest in it. While her mother always listened to her words of art and was stunned at how smart Courtney was to the subject, Caroline never fully understood her daughters world and that was okay for Courtney. Because it was Courtney's world. But having met someone who spoke art too, it made Courtney want to meet more people like that.
On the otherside of the plane, the man stared out the window, thinking about the wonderous girl he just met and when he should once again visit the Van Gogh museum when his phone started to ring, bringing him out of his thoughts.
Seeing the caller ID, the man smirked. "Marcellus, what is the pleasure of this call?"
"We've got a problem Klaus," the man on the other end of the call replied. "A Lockwood problem."
Klaus growled quietly under his breath, "What problem would that be."
"Manchester is offically theres." Marcellus stated and Klaus could hear ruffling of papers in the background. "They killed Diego just a few hours ago, and his men."
Running a hand down his face, "I'm sorry for your loss, I know Diego was one of your friends." When Marcellus didn't reply, Klaus went on. "Send Alaric down there to keep an eye on things, whether he's able to tell us when the best time is to attack and get the city back."
"On it boss," Marcellus hung up then along with Klaus doing the same. Leaning his head back on the plane chair, he tried to picture one of Van Gogh's paintings and smirked slightly, realising the young girl was right.
TLT-TLT-TLT
The plane journey was tiring and long, but once they landed, Caroline amazingly calmed down much more, relieving Courtney in the process. That was until they got off the plane itself and into the crowds of the airport also arriving. The luggage was no problem to get, it was only two cases. Getting out to the exit area was, as putting were pushing and shoving each other, almost making both girls fall at one point.
But once they got outside however and to the pick up zone, Caroline heard a familiar voice.
"Well, isn't it my favourite girls?"
The two blondes whipped behind them to see Katherine Pierce standing next to a black SUV, hands on her hips and smirking at the both of them as she approched them.
Courtney smiled widely as she ran over to her godmother, wrapping her arms around Katherine's waist as she examined. "Aunt Kat!"
Though Katherine wasn't very fond of children, she loved Courtney to pieces and that showed as she returned her goddaughter's hug, smiling as she did. "Good to see you too kiddo." She held on to Courtney with one arm as she grabbed Caroline's hand in the other, smiling encouragely. "Welcome to England."
If I contiune with this story, the next chapter will be longer and will be set in three months time. :)