So, this is my first attempt at fanfiction and I don't have a Beta, so please be gentle. If I get positive reviews, I will title this and post it on
"If it isn't my favorite Original Hybrid dick" Damon smirked, quickly trying to slam the door in the ancient vampire's face.
"Now Damon," Klaus began, easily pushing the door open with his foot, "is that any way to greet an old friend after he's been away for so long." Klaus strolled into the boarding house past Damon and immediately made his way to the liquor cabinet. Seeing Elena seated on the couch near the fireplace, Klaus offered her a nod while picking up the decanter to pour himself a drink. "And how are my least favorite Salvatore and second to least favorite doppleganger doing?" Both attempted to ignore the Original as he drained his glass and added derisively, "Elena, I see that you finally picked a brother. Pity…, I thought you would keep the matching set."
Attempting to hide her surprise and discomfort at the unwelcome guest, Elena finally spoke. "What are you doing here Klaus?"
Klaus turned to view two of the larger obstacles he has faced in his long life. Damon, the bad boy redeemed by his love of the anemic vampire by his side. And, of course, the doppleganger. Klaus didn't know how someone could be both self-absorbed and a martyr but, somehow, Elena managed to find a way. Studying the two, Klaus could not help but notice that something was off – especially with Damon. He was used to the elder Salvatore being cautious, glib and disdainful; he couldn't help noticing something new. Fear. Even in the most dire of situations, Damon tended to retain his cocky coolness and sarcastic tongue. Now, he was on guard and, Klaus perceived, scared in the presence of the Original. Instead of being gratified by Damon's reaction to his presence, this only served to further exacerbate the gnawing feeling of dread that Klaus could feel growing in his gut.
"Well" Klaus began, walking past the couple to settle into one of the plush sofas, "imagine my surprise when I learned of the strange goings-on back in my hometown of Mystic Falls." While imperceptible to the human eye, Klaus was able to discern Elena giving the slightest start. "I never intended to return to this Godforsaken town but what choice did I have once one of my most trusted witches mentioned that, yet again, you lot have managed to create some kind of supernatural maelstrom." Klaus tipped his glass to feign a toast, "cheers mates," drained another glass of the potent amber liquid and returned to the liquor cabinet.
Scowling and offering his signature sarcasm, Damon said "sure, help yourself, what's mine is yours…said no one here. " Klaus smirked, relishing in Damon and Elena's discomfort. Picking up what looked like the oldest and most expensive glass of scotch, Klaus returned to his perch on the couch.
"You still haven't told us what you're doing here," Elena glared. "I mean, as you put it, you never wanted to come back to Mystic Falls and it's not like anyone wants you here."
"Oh Elena, dear girl. I am the strongest being in the world so when I hear that something of great power has given rise, you can be assured that I will investigate." This time, both Damon and Elena were noticeably shaken by Klaus's words. No more time to play. "So, I suggest that you start at the beginning or," Klaus nonchalantly looked at the glass in his hand and added, "I will tear you both limb from limb."
Damon scoffed, "Well if your witches are so in-the-know, why do you need to hear from the peasants? Just let them fill you in on all of the witchy juju. It would have saved you a trip." Damon stopped and considered for a moment before hesitantly adding, "but we all know that's not the entire reason you came, now is it Big Bad? You heard something went down in Mystic Falls which happens to be where your favorite blonde happens to live. But why come here? I'm sure you know that Caroline is enrolled at Whitmore and..."
Damon was interrupted by the bottle of bourbon crashing into the wall above his head at such force that shards of glass buried themselves deeply into the grain of the wood with no hope of being dislodged.
"She isn't at Whitmore" Klaus hissed. Elena blanched. "I learned that she hasn't been there for months!" Klaus stalked towards Damon, shouting "how is it that not one of my hybrids or vampires reported this to me? I've had forces watching her since my departure - I took every precaution! Not one contacted me and why? Because they were compelled! Who has the power to compel my vampires, hmm?" Klaus grabbed Damon by the throat and thrust him into the wall, splintering the wood. "It wasn't an Original. My siblings have been with me in New Orleans. So, I ask again, who compelled my people to neglect their duties?"
"Silas" Elena whispered, her voice trembling.
"No, Elena!" Damon cursed and struggled to release himself from Klaus's steel grip. With a flick of his hand, Klaus broke Damon's neck and tossed him to the side.
"Yes, Elena," Klaus hissed, stalking towards her. "Do continue, sweetheart."
Klaus took Elena by the elbow and guided her to the closest chair and unceremoniously flung her into it. With his hands gripping each arm, he had her caged in so she could not escape. However, he quickly noticed that she did not fight, she simply averted her gaze. Cupping her chin, he lifted it so he could get a better look at the face that had plagued him for centuries. This was not the girl he remembered, she seemed tired, defeated.
"Elena, I need you to tell me what happened. Where is Caroline and why would Silas compel my men? The last I heard, Silas was taking quite the power nap in a safe at the bottom of the lake."
Elena took a deep breath and finally met the hybrid's eyes. "We all thought that but it was Stefan in the safe... With Bonnie dead after raising the veil, Silas, Silas was able to take his true form and, it turns out that that form is Stefan…"
Releasing Elena's chin and pulling up a chair to sit across her, Klaus sat and ran his palm across his face, a clear indication of his exhaustion. "Another doppleganger? Lovely. Continue."
Elena continued to fill Klaus in with all that happened during his time away. Silas rising, Stefan drowning over and over during the course of the summer, Katharine taking the cure, Silas draining her and becoming mortal, Qetsiyah's appearance and grudge, Stefan losing his memory, Amara coming back as a lunatic… Klaus remained impassive during the entirety of Elena's story.
"Elena, sweetheart, can we jump to the part where you tell me what has happened to Caroline?"
"He took her."
Klaus lurched forward, grabbing the arms of her chair again and to pull her closer.
Caught off guard by the sudden movement, Elena began to stammer, "she got away. She and Stefan, they got away!"
Placing his palms on the sides of Elena's face, Klaus forced her to look at him. "Why? Why would Silas take Caroline?" Sensing her hesitation, Klaus began to apply pressure. "We can do this the easy way or I can crush your skull, Elena. The choice is yours."
"Silas, he, he fooled us. We thought he was Stefan. Except Caroline. She, she knew there was something off with him but we didn't listen to her."
Klaus couldn't help but smile. "Well, I always knew that Caroline was far more intelligent than the rest of you lot. Continue."
"You and Silas, both. Once he revealed himself as Silas, he forced Caroline to help him find the anchor to the other side. He promised her that he would bring Bonnie back and return Stefan's memory if she came with him. " Elena took in a deep breath before she continued. "They travelled together for months. Caroline figured out that Amara, Silas's love, was the anchor and they found her but, like I said, Amara was crazy and she betrayed and killed Silas. Qetsiyah swooped in and finally got her revenge on Amara by cutting her throat."
"What else, Elena? You are testing my patience."
Elena continued to stammer. "I don't know everything. Caroline came back with Bonnie - Silas kept his promise to Caroline and made Bonnie the new anchor. Stefan didn't have his memory but, otherwise, we thought it was all over. Silas was dead so we assumed Qetsiyah would kill herself to join him. We thought everything was getting back to normal." Elena gave a pained smile, reliving the brief moment of respite from the drama that was her life. "Jeremy took Bonnie away so she come to terms with coming back from the dead and losing her powers. Me and Care went back to Whitmore."
"Anyway, Caroline and Stef decided to road trip it for Spring Break - Care said they needed to get away. So they left and not long after Caroline called to warn that Silas was still alive and that he took Stefan because his needed his blood for to create an immortality spell. Caroline made a deal with him - he would keep him alive if she handed herself over to him. Of course, she did."
Klaus's jaw clenched at the thought of Caroline, once again, offering herself up as the sacrificial lamb for her friends. Would the girl never realize her own worth? Would her so-called friends ever cease to put her in harm's way? "And you just let her?"
Elena flinched. "We looked for them, we tried getting a witch to do a locator spell but she said that Silas must have spelled wherever he was keeping them so they couldn't be found."
"So, you say Silas needed the blood of his doppleganger for a spell. Why would he need Caroline?"
Unable to turn her face away, Elena quickly averted her gaze. "Silas, um, he got fixated on her. You could see it even before Amara betrayed him. Taking the others that, that was just his way to get to her. He wanted -"
Klaus was so tense and fixated on Elena's words that he failed to hear Damon waking. "Elena," Damon choked out, "stop."
Turning to see Damon struggling to stand, Klaus urged Elena to continue. "What did he want, Elena? What did he want with Caroline?"
"What do any of the psychopaths Barbie attracts want with her?" Damon supplied, trying and failing to sound glib. "I mean, who better than you to answer that little query, O Evil One?"
"Just because I haven't decorated this house with your entails doesn't mean that I won't. Now, Elena," Klaus said, returning his attention to her while Damon continued to regain his strength, "do finish your story. Tell me what happened to Caroline."
Before she could respond, Damon interjected, "No need to worry about Barbie, she's fine. Stefan got his memories back. He and Barbie managed to kill Silas and Qetsiyah… Caroline is safe with Stefan. They got away, far away." Damon's voice trailed off and Klaus could see that his gaze had turned to the fireplace, he was seemingly lost in his thoughts. Shaking it off, Damon turned back to Klaus who had finally released Elena and was standing to face the elder Salvatore. His signature smirk returning, Damon asked, "So now you have what you came for. Maybe it was the spell Silas was working on or maybe it was Silas and Qetsiyah biting it that made your witch's spidey senses go all tingly but, as you've heard, Silas is gone, Caroline and Stefan took off together and all is right with the world." Offering a devious smile, "So, now you are free to go back to New Orleans and raise whatever aberration of nature came out of that she-wolf."
Damon moved to the bar to make himself a drink while Klaus let the knowledge that his little indiscretion was not a secret in Mystic Falls. Did Caroline know?
Before Klaus could work up the nerve to ask, Damon continued, glass in hand. "I mean, a one thousand year-old hybrid knocks up a teenage wereslut and then moves her into his big ole mansion. Hugh Hefner would be so proud," Damon finished, throwing his drink back with flourish.
Klaus balled his fists and could feel his palms sweating. He's a one thousand years old vampire/werewolf hybrid and his goddamn palms were sweating.
Looking gutted, Klaus rasped "Does Caroline know."
Elena opened her mouth to respond but Damon cut her off, "If you're asking if Caroline knows that you and the slag who broke her neck and betrayed her ex-boyfriend decided to go all Twilight and produce demon spawn, the answer is she doesn't give a damn."
"Damon, don't!" Elena cut in.
Damon's smile never faltered, nor did he move his eyes away from the hybrid as he continued, "Come on Elena, Klaus has the right to know, doesn't he. This involves his two favorite people in the whole wide world, right?"
Elena moved back to the couch in front of the fire and hugged her knees to her chest, obviously upset.
"I've the right to know what?" Klaus choked out, dreading the inevitable. He knew that Caroline would find out about the baby eventually. He knew that she would feel hurt, betrayed even. Klaus being Klaus, he simply believed that he would be able there to orchestrate the events surrounding the confession; he would be the one to break the news to her, he would be there to explain himself and beg for forgiveness. The hybrid was fully prepared to grovel before the girl he cared for, a girl who wasn't even his.
Damon returned to the bar, refilled his glass and prepared another drink for Klaus. Damon slowly walked toward the hybrid, relishing in the power shift. With a drink in both hands, Damon stood squarely in front of the ancient hybrid and looked him directly in the eye. "Well you see, I don't think Caroline cares because she and Stefan are together. As in together, together. As in he is the Ken to her Barbie."
The news was like a shock to Klaus's system, it was like ice water had been injected directly into his vein. He didn't even react when Damon reached out, grabbed his hand and placed the drink in it. "There you go. I thought you might need that" Damon finished, patting the apoplectic hybrid on the shoulder. Damon then moved to the couch to sit with Elena.
"You lie," Klaus breathed out. He slowly regained his composure and walked to face the couple. "While Stefan is one of my best mates," Klaus began, regarding the amber in his glass, "I have to admit that he has the most deplorable taste in women. Now, Damon, while I do appreciate your little attempt to dissuade me from finding Caroline, I remain undeterred. Now, for the last time, where. Is. Caroline, " Klaus roared, lunging at Damon
Elena quickly situated herself on the couch to block his path. "He's telling the truth."
Klaus grabbed her by the throat, effectively lifting her to eye level. Damon jumped up to extricate his girlfriend from the hybrid's iron grip. Klaus's other hand easily found its way around Damon's neck and he began to squeeze.
Klaus brought the girl's face closer to his. She could feel his hot breath against her cheek as his pupils began to dilate. "Let's try that again, Elena," he said compelling her. "Where is Caroline?"
"I don't know. She went away with Stefan and we don't even have a way to call them," she choked out.
"Why would he take her away?"
"Silas tortured her, her mother was murdered by Travelers…" Klaus winced at this news, thinking of the pain Caroline must have endured at Silas's hand, the trauma of losing the only family she had.
"Elena, stop, fight it," Damon rasped, struggling against Klaus's hold.
"You will continue until I get all of the information I need."
"Stefan took her away so they can live a normal life. He loves her." Klaus saw the tears welling up in the girl's eyes.
Klaus couldn't help but loosen his grip while trying to digest this newest disclosure. It couldn't be true. He felt his strength begin to drain.
"Why would they leave Mystic Falls?"
"Caroline is different after what Silas did to her. He needs to keep her safe while she's…" Elena abruptly stopped. Damon moved so quickly that not even Klaus could defend against the attack. However, the hybrid never would have predicted this move.
Klaus looked on in surprise as Damon reached over and snapped his girlfriend's neck. The vampire and hybrid squared off. In all of their skirmishes, and there were many, Klaus had never seen Damon in this state. The fear that the ancient sensed earlier was still present but now the air was equally charged with something else. Determination - the kind of determination that comes from someone willing to risk everything.
"Stay away from Caroline," Damon breathed, his voice just above a whisper.
"Since when did you become her guardian, Damon? As I see it, you've always been the first to throw her into the lion's den if it meant keeping your darling Elena safe from getting her hair mussed." Circling his prey, "Elena said Silas tortured Caroline. Where were you then, mate? Hmm?"
"Where were you?" Damon challenged, his voice raised. "I've failed Caroline a million times but I will not fail her or Stefan, now."
Coming toe to toe with a being hundreds of years his senior, Damon added, "If you go anywhere near them, I will find a way to kill you."
"We shall see."
Before Damon knew it, he was standing in his living room alone with Elena dead at his feet.