A/N: my first fanfic, so be nice. R&R please. :)
Caroline awoke with a start. Sitting up she tried to clear her drumming head. She was pretty hung over though she couldn't remember why or when she had been drinking. Everything was a bit fuzzy and she wasn't able to pinpoint what had happened. She was relatively sure it had something to do with Tyler and Klaus and that she was extremely angry about something – most likely the reason she'd been drinking.
Shaking her head, setting it aside for now, she just now became aware of her surroundings. Sitting up she noticed that she'd been lying on a small bench in what she assumed to be the storeroom of some night club. It was tiny and the air smelled of sweat and alcohol. A dull neon light flickered at the ceiling partly illuminating cupboards filled with all kind of little things you needed to keep a club going – from napkins over clean rags and pots for swishing down after hours. The floor was covered in dust and everything looked a bit shabby. The flickering made her head hurt and the bench was hard her back consequently stiff. Her everything hurt and she had no recollection of getting here – wherever that was. She really needed to figure out what was up here.
Before she had any chance of making any plans on the best course of action a door, she hadn't noticed as it was huddled in a corner, creaked open letting in a thin stream of a warm orange glow. She was on her feet and ready to fight in the blink of an eye. "Up so soon, love?" She felt her body involuntarily relax at the familiar sight. "Klaus. Where are we and what am I doing here with you? Don't tell me you resigned to kidnapping me." She couldn't stop herself from asking, the words just seemed to tumble from her mouth though she knew with almost certainty that he wasn't the kind of guy to do something like that. Not with her that was.
He seemed genuinely confused "You don't remember?" She ran a hand down her face; she still suffered from a severe headache and was in no frame of mind for dealing with Klaus. What had happened last night? Leaning against the bare concrete wall at her back she returned her gaze to Klaus who was studying her, his head tilted. "What happened?" she demanded to know again. He frowned at her but answered "I believe the Bennet witch has need of further practice. As I came across the two of you in the Grill she got a little defensive. I would say the spell didn't work out the way she wanted."
Caroline closed her eyes trying to remember. At the Grill he had said. Moreover she knew something had been up with Tyler and yesterday there had been the Christmas town event…. Slowly the bits came back to her…
She had been on her way from the Grill searching for Tyler. She was so angry with him for not seeing what a bitch this Hailey was… because really, snapping her neck had just been mean. What was that for anyway?
She was in the middle of the town square still filled with people, when she saw Tyler talking to Hailey. What the hell?! She stopped and listened, Tyler seemed upset. "What the hell, Hailey?!", he held his voice low so that even with her vampire senses it was hard to hear everything, still she could hear that he was enraged. "Tyler…" Hailey almost seemed desperate. "After everything, Hailey? I thought you cared. About them, about us. And now you tell me you staged everything so Klaus would damn slaughter every one of my pack tonight?! Damn it, I fucking cheated on Caroline with you and that is what I get?" The rest of it was lost for Caroline as the said came through to her and left her mad with rage and sorrow. She barely registered the mention of the slaughter probably going on right now. He had cheated on her? So it hadn't just been pretense for him; the breakup played for Klaus… That bastard. After everything they had been through together, everything she had done for him he dared to… He didn't love her and he couldn't even say it to her face. Thinking she had wanted so hard for them to get through all this and come out well, she had fought so much for this relationship and he just put it in the trash for some werewolf bitch.
The pain was overwhelmed with her hatred now, a red gaze across her vision. She had to restrain herself from showing herself, but before she had time to contemplate her actions she had both of them by their throats and flashed in to an alley and held them against a wall. Feeling her fangs elongate and the veins under her eyes going all black, she looked at Tyler, surprise and anger as well as regret flashing in his eyes as he fought her grip, failing; fury strengthened. There he was, that pathetic jerk. She only spared a glance to Hailey, who kicked out. Before the kick had time to reach her, a sugar sweet "We're over" left her lips. Then she dropped them, simultaneously ripping their hearts out.
She remembered the fear in his eyes. Shock went through and with a thump the hearts met the ground of the alley, now stained crimson. She heard the sound, saw the bodies, but she stood there for almost a minute before everything reached her brain. She had killed them both, oh my god she had just killed them!
As the realisation came to her anew her eyes flew open in terror."I killed them" she whispered, for the moment totally unaware of Klaus' presence. Her knees gave out under her. She closed her eyes again, the rest of her memories coming in at a rush.
To shocked to do anything else she'd flashed home, feeling completely numb with pain. There was no room for guilt at the moment just pain at this betrayal from someone she had trusted with her everything. She had showered then and the water rushing down the drain had been bright red, a cruel reminder of what she'd done. Afterwards she had dressed and tried to forget, burned the clothes she'd been wearing and texted Stefan asking him to meet her at the Grill.
Her mother was doing another night shift, she realized parking out, noticing just then that she hadn't been at home, her car gone. It left her indifferent as it was no unusual occurrence. It was cold and she pressed her coat tighter to her body as she walked into the Grill. It was completely empty safe for Matt and Stefan and surprisingly Bonnie, Matt swishing the tables. They turned upon her entrance and Stefan flashed before her immediately, grasping her shoulders. "What's up, Caroline?" She had wanted to tell someone when she'd texted Stefan, was about to tell him what she had done when she looked at him, then at Matt and Bonnie who were looking at her as well. They would never forgive her for something like this. Stefan might understand the rage, but Matt? In his eyes this action would turn her evil. And Bonnie already hated vampires and this would just confirm her dreads. They would fear her, hate her, would tell the others. Caroline knew she couldn't lose her friends, not now. She couldn't tell them.
In an attempt to explain her apparent distress she told them the other worst news she could think of. "He killed them. Klaus killed all of his hybrids." Her voice was quiet, not betraying anything. They stared at her, then started at the same time "The hybrids?" "Oh my god, I thought!" They stopped. "Is Tyler…?" Stefan asked. Caroline shook her head grasping the opportunity to come away as innocent. There were tears in her eyes, out of completely different reasons than they thought. Bonnie and Matt looked at her with pity in their eyes. It physically hurt to lie to them but it was better this way. At least she could tell Stefan later, when they were alone."I'm so sorry, Caroline", Stefan whispered pulling her into a hug. "Oh Care", came from Bonnie as she too came nearer. She sobbed, her body giving out needing the support of her friends, the sorrow and grief and pain just too much and on top of it her despair at being dishonest with them.
That was when she heard it, low voices outside and then a scream. Listening to the footsteps approaching the Grill she raised her head. The door opened and she stared in an everything else erasing shock at Klaus, who was still wearing his tuxedo, now drenched in blood. Stefan let go of her, apparently just as surprised as she was. "A bottle of Whiskey, mate", Klaus said to Matt, brushing past her, his face completely void of emotion. As if on instinct she reached out, grabbing his arm: "What was that scream?". He slowly turned, his eyes menacing and cold. "This is not the time, love." He turned around again, when suddenly angry chanting started behind her and realizing what Bonnie was doing she turned her head. Then everything went black.
The whole load of emotions crashed down on her with the weight of a truck. Pain at the betrayal and the death of the hybrids, the second subdued. Guilt as she once again realized what she'd done. Anger hot and furious; at Klaus, at Tyler, at Hailey and at herself. The weight threatened to crush her. Her friends would hate her if they would ever find out. They would find out, of that she was sure, it was only a matter of time until the bodies were found. She had lost them too. She would have to leave. But still nothing of this explained her current situation. It had something to do with Bon's spell, Klaus had told her so.
Her eyelids fluttered open and she took in Klaus' appearance. He was still wearing what he had worn when he stepped into the Grill yesterday though he had washed his face. She was disgusted even as she had to restrain herself at the sight of the blood; she needed to feed. Remembering the scream she turned her gaze to his face. He was scrutinizing her just as she had been him. There was a notion in those clear blue eyes of his that terrified her for he seemed eerily calm. She had to know nonetheless, was more or less sure he wouldn't hurt her.
"What did you do?" she asked. He smirked, leaning against the door. "Remember now, don't you, sweetheart." He seemed to be in a dangerous mood. The smirk grew to a grin showing fang. "You should know, my dear" The grin long disappeared he went impossibly cold, unmoving like a stature. His voice was like steel when he spoke again. "that my hybrids betrayed me, planned to kill me after your precious boyfriend Tyler helped them unsire themselves. I'm afraid I couldn't let them live - I don't take betrayal lightly as you know. As for what you witnessed at the town center – I drowned our dear Carol. Her son upset me in the unhappiest nature. I would recommend him to leave town immediately."
Her body grew slack at the revelation. Though never fast friends with Carol she had valued her greatly and just killing her so cold-hearted to get to Tyler… she shuddered. But had she not done the same thing in her fury? There had been no thinking at that moment, just this unstoppable rage. Was that how Stefan felt when he went all Ripper? There was no way for her to judge Klaus considering her own actions. She might as well tell him. He was most likely the only person who wouldn't judge her. Raising her head she gave in to the need to confide in someone even if that someone was to be Klaus, their oh so hated enemy.
"There will be no need for that." Klaus shot her a dark look "Oh but I assure you, love. At the moment I may have bigger problems but he will find himself hunted down for the rest of his existence, living in constant terror. I do not forgive, love, and I do not forget." He was a tad grumpy today, she thought, but murdering 13 people in a row probably did that to you. She shuddered, reminded of the deaths she was responsible for. She drew her knees to her body and wrapped her arms around herself as a deep terror went through her. She hadn't been in control of her actions yesterday and that filled her with fear of herself; everything seemed unreal, somehow hazy. She needed to say it to really believe it, make it real. So she said before having the chance to think further about it "Sorry to disappoint, but I ripped his heart out yesterday, along with Hailey's. I wanted mine back. No one left to chase I am afraid. I don't take betrayal of that depth lightly." Somehow the cinysm helped. His eyes pierced her with a sense of empty bitterness behind them "He never deserved that heart."
It was silent, their gazes still locked. The only sound was the low buzz of the light overhead and the distant sound of cars on cobblestones. His stare too intense she had to tear her gaze away from his. She studied the room again trying to distract her. Where was she and how had she ended up here? She wondered what kind of spell Bonnie had cast. What would Bonnie do if in a rush trying to take Klaus out? She couldn't think of anything. Maybe the spell had gone wrong for Bonnie was still fighting for every bit of magic after the incident with the witches on the other side. Deciding it was best to try to use Klaus as help, she asked "Where are we and how did we end up here exactly." The dizziness suddenly coming back with full force, she added something "And why the hell am I suffering a hangover when I didn't even came to drinking myself into blissful oblivion?"
Klaus was honestly surprised how easily Caroline had set aside the slaughter he'd committed, no judgment in her eyes, just regret. But she had killed herself, which he did not understand. She was always fierce and strong, but he knew she had her vampire needs under good control. He felt how cold she was in her heart, could see it in the way she hugged her knees to herself as if to warm herself, knew she must be numb, as numb as he was after having killed the only ones ever to be anyhow similar to him in any way, his family, his servants. But there was nothing to be done now. Now his top priority was to find the cure and turn the Doppelganger human again so he would once again be able to create new hybrids. But to do all that first and foremost he needed to get away from here.
It was in his best interest to take Caroline with him, maybe this situation was even some twisted sort of fate giving him some alone time with her. So he told her: "We are in a night club in Chicago. It's five a.m. in the morning. For what brought us here – I believe that responsibility goes to your friend, the Bennet witch. If the information I got from the witches helping at the club is correct, then we were send back in time" Caroline's mouth gaped wide open. "To the nineteen twenties to be exact. As for the headache – that is most likely an effect of the spell." He smirked, even though the situation was anything from good, but being stuck here with Caroline couldn't be all that bad, but nonetheless his hybrids were still dead and there was no warmth or humor in the smirk.
Finally she pulled herself together: "You are telling me that Bonnie, my friend Bonnie, made the two of us travel back in time to the 20es? Why should she do that? That is just absolutely ridiculous!" She was on her feet again now, pacing across the room. That was just not possible. She might live in the world of vampires, werewolves, witches, hybrids and doppelgängers but time travelling? Things like this just didn't happen. On the other hand there was no obvious reason for Klaus to lie to her. She had to accept it, but still this was something different even for her.
She stopped, looking Klaus in the eyes again searching for any signs of dishonesty, but there was nothing, his smirk just grew wider. That smirk really gave her the creeps. He spoke again "Yes darling, the roaring twenties it is." She was reminded of the 20es dance at school, of what he had said that night – "you would have loved the nineteen twenties, Caroline. The girls were reckless, sexy, fun. They literally used to dance until they'd drop." They had been about to kiss at that, would have hadn't she looked away. But still the sexual tension in the air had been so thick you could have cut through it with a knife. The tension was still there every time they met, she just couldn't shake it off.
Apparently he would get a chance to show her the 20es now. They of course needed to get back – but until then…. He was still looking at her. Slowly the corners of her lips rose "A night club in Chicago you said? The roaring twenties?"
She might as well enjoy her stay.
A/N: I am not yet sure whether I'll continue, but that is partly dependent on you guys.