1. „Thank you"
Caroline stood in front of his mansion. She knew she didn't have to go through with this. It wasn't late yet, no one has spotted her, she could have just easily turned around and walked away. But she didn't ... She had come here to thank him. And a funny thought entered her mind. She had never done this before- not even when he saved her life (even though it was his fault Taylor bit her), not for the bracelet, not for the dress or for that beautiful drawing that still laid in her dresser. No, never, not even once. But now she just knew she had to do it. It was burning her inside and out. And ... Well, a part of her, I guess, just wanted to see him. She was just getting ready to ring the doorbell and have a one on one with a certain member of the Original family(any one of them is super scary, no favorites here) when she saw ... Him ... He was standing in the garden, all alone. And for a moment she let herself absorb him. He looked vulnerable. Not like a big bad hybrid killer but like a human being. And for some reason this is how she wanted to remember him, even though it was breaking her heart.
"Oh silly Caroline", she thought, "Wouldn't be just easier for you to see him as a cold blooded killer? Don't make this so hard on yourself, go there and do what you came for. And get the hell out of here."
With that small pep talk Caroline went to him. He was still looking somewhere, in the distance. He knew someone was approaching, probably even knew it was her, but didn't turn. So she just whispered, gently as she could: "Thank you."
Finally he turned. And stood there, saying nothing. It was so strange.
"Well Miss Forbes, you are welcome", he said while trying so hard not to sound as if his voice could break any second. "But I do have to worn you, since I'm a busy man and don't have time to come and rescue you every time you and you boyfriend get a little frisky. I can't be sure it worked. I haven't done it before, you know? He is the first hybrid that was unsired, so to speak."
"Well I'm pretty sure it worked", Caroline said just to say something and stop this strange agony.
"For your sake I hope it did, Miss Forbes."
It killed her how he called her Miss Forbes, she didn't know why but she would give the world for "a sweetheart" right now. But this was it. What she came for, just to thank him and nothing more. Taylor was free of compulsion and they could go on with their lives. And she turned to walk away when she heard her name. Was she imagining it? No, it was him.
"Caroline? You didn't ask me why."
She turned to face him once more. As always with just a few words and that perfect accent he intrigued every bone in her body. It was just something he'd do, completely nonchalantly.
So she asked the only question she could: "Why what?"
He smiled with that crazy smile of his. She hated that smile. Well ok, didn't exactly hate it but it always made her feel uneasy and like she was fifteen again or twelve.
"You didn't ask me why I unsired him. I mean you always ask that question. Why did I save your life, why did I invite you to the ball? Why did I fancy you? What on earth has happened to that why? It's strange to me that you don't want to know why."
Caroline stood still, saying nothing. He did the same. And then she took a few steps and was standing very, very, disturbingly very close to him. She could almost see into his eyes, those beautiful penetrating eyes. And she could almost see into his soul, or so she wanted to believe. That he had one and that she could see into it. And so she had no other choice but to be honest. For some silly reason she could not help but to be honest. With him.
"The time of "the why" has past. I don't have to ask why because I know why." And she turned away before he could see the tears in her eye. This was no time to be a cry baby; this was a simple "thank you" call, nothing more and nothing less. But she couldn't help herself. Caroline Forbes has always been a bit of a self destructive mess.
"But if I asked you why and asked you to be honest …"
She was so sure he wouldn't answer that, he would just walk away or even smile with that smile she should have despised. Once again, he managed to surprise her. Once again …
"Then I would say-for you …"
She wanted to turn around and face him but couldn't. She knew if she did she would do something she would regret. She would let her emotions take a hold of her. But he didn't stop.
"I meant what I said, the night of the ball. It would have been my greatest pleasure to show you Paris and Rome and all those beautiful places you deserve."
She had to say something. But what? Her mind went blank. "You, you could have compelled me." She couldn't believe she actually said that. What the hell was wrong with her? My God she really was a blonde sometimes. "Good going Caroline, give him ideas", she thought while being extra mad at herself.
"Yes, I could have done that. Can't say it never crossed my mind. I think you know I'm used to getting what I want, and how crossed I can get when that does not happen. So compelling you would be the logical step, wouldn't it? But truth to be told and you know I don't tell that one often, I didn't want just another compelled beauty by my side. I wanted you. The real you, "the beautiful, strong and full of light" you."
Caroline didn't know what to say. Yes, he had told her she was beautiful and strong and … many of times but it never quite sounded as true as tonight. Like he knew this was in a way a goodbye and he had nothing to lose, or didn't care anymore even if he did lose it.
"If I can't show you Paris at least I can make you happy and grant you your biggest wish."
"You, you want to make me happy?" Caroline mumbled.
He smiled but with a smile of a broken man or a hybrid, whatever, he couldn't' hide it any more. Pretending goes just so far. She knew what she was talking about, since she was playing the same game and cracking.
He came close to her. So close she could feel him touching her even though he wasn't actually doing that.
And then he was. He raised his arm and caressed her cheek. For once she was glad she was dead and not breathing, if she had … Well lets just say she wouldn't be right now. Her eyes were still closed as he was touching her cheek, she could bear to open them because she knew … Once she did, he would stop. But this couldn't last any longer. It was killing her, and somehow she knew it was killing him too. So she opened them and was instantly in close contact with his eyes, the most painful eyes she had ever seen. He was hurting, and she still couldn't believe it was because of her. And how it didn't bring her any pleasure to know this, but pain. Her very own, almost touchable and heartbreaking pain.
"Genuine beauty should be happy." She closed her eyes for a split of a second and he was gone. She opened them more widely to convince herself she was actually here and that it all wasn't just some twisted dream of hers. But no … She could still sense him, even though he was gone. She stood there, alone … And then she closed her eyes and just once more whispered, to no one, to the lovely stars above I guess: "Thank you".
As she was walking home she started thinking about the date she was having tonight. Taylor said to dress up because he was taking her somewhere nice to celebrate that he was free and they had a chance to start over. Yes, she should have been happy, exhilarated, over the moon. She wanted this for months and now it was happening. It wasn't a joke or a scam (she knew with her unbeating heart Klaus wouldn't do that to her) or a dream cut short when awakening. It was real. And God damn it she should have been the luckiest girl in the world right now. But why did she feel like the saddest one instead?
This is my first story ever written and I just want to say that English is not my native tongue so I'm sorry for the mistakes. I would really like some reviews so I would know if I should keep on posting ... This is kind of just the first chapter.
