Hello darlings!
This is my first Klaroline fanfiction, so please be gentle. The story takes place in season 5 of TVD and season 1 of TO. I stayed true to canon up to episode 5x08 and episode 1x06. Then the story takes on on its own. Klaroline-fantasies did the cover and howlingforklaroline proof-read it (you can find both on tumblr). So, I hope you enjoy it. Let me know what you think.
BREATH OF LIFE
I was looking for a breath of life
A little touch of heavenly light
But all the choirs in my head sang,
No oh oh
- By Florence + The Machine
Klaus was in one of his favourite cities in the world, surrounded by great art, beautiful music and booming culture. And yet he wasn't happy. He considered New Orleans his home, not because he had been born here but because he made this city. He created it and made it thrive. And with time, work and a lot of compulsion, the city had become one of the supernatural capitals in the world. Sure, there were others, but none were his. Not as much as New Orleans.
He has never been good with sharing and he was even worse with giving. Even though he never had any intention of returning to the city, at least not in the foreseeable future, he was lured back here and when he found out Marcel had taken what he has considered his, he wanted it back. See, the witches made a mistake when they thought they could demand his help by binding Sophie to Hayley. He didn't care for the child and even less for the werewolf. He wanted answers, so he manipulated her, they both got drunk and he fucked her. He was a man after all. The whole thing with the baby was a clusterfuck and he only agreed to it because of Elijah. Somewhere, underneath the big bad hybrid persona was still a little honour left when it came to his family. Even though he had told himself over and over again that all they did was betray each other, they also always found their way back to one another. Always and forever.
So, now he was in New Orleans, fighting a war against Marcel, who had not only taken over his city but now threw it into his face at every opportunity he got. He was the one who taught him everything and by God, he would have it all back. Why he didn't simply rip out Marcel's heart was beyond him. It would be easy and he could have been done with it in day one. But alas, he was never one for the easy way. His family probably believed he didn't want to kill Marcel because of their past. Yes, he had once considered him a close friend, somewhat a son, but Marcel had betrayed him by never getting in touch with them, by letting them believe he was dead and in this time stealing everything that was his. He might have even set Mikael on their tail. Therefore, ripping out his heart would be too simple, too easy and too quick. He intended to play with him, to watch him as he would slowly but steadily lose everything. He knew Marcel had his doubts and didn't completely trust him, Klaus had been his mentor after all, but on the other hand he also never shared everything. Still, it would be wise to treat with caution, one must never underestimate his opponents since that only lead to losing and Klaus did not lose.
Walking home from Rousseau's he kept thinking about the different plans he had for Marcel. He had correctly assumed Cami would be a great help and she was. He liked Cami but that would never get in the way of his was with Marcel. As he has told her, everyone has a role to play and hers was to be his little informant. Maybe if things were different they could have been friends. Although he had a feeling she would want more and Klaus knew he never would. Thinking of another blonde, he shut everything out for a few moments, forgot his plans, his ambition and his revenge. He forgot about his family, his promises and the werewolf. His mind wandered to Caroline and for a few moments he felt at peace.
He ignored the crowds on the streets, lost in his thoughts. New Orleans has always been a buys town and most of the time he revelled in this fact but at other times he wanted to slaughter everyone, paint the whole city red, just to have a moment of silence. There was always music and talking, people everywhere. Tonight he wanted some peace, so he bypassed everyone and went straight home, his thoughts still with a certain blonde.
He wasn't sure and didn't exactly know when and how it happened but he wanted her. No, he needed her to be his. At first she was a distraction, a challenge, a way to get to Tyler but every time they were alone together it was like she could see straight into his soul. She wasn't always happy with what she saw, he knew that, but still she was drawn to him, no matter how much she resisted. And he wanted her to yield. He had told her once that she was beautiful, strong and full of light that he enjoyed her and it was true. It wasn't just a line with which he had hoped to get to her. He was being truthful for she was filled with light and he needed light in his life. And not just any light, it had to be hers. Because with that light came a sharp mind. From the first moment they were along together, her lying on her deathbed, bitten by Tyler, she told him the truth. She was always honest, whether what she had to say would please him or not. And he admired her honesty. Not many people dared to speak their mind to him, to lash out or provoke him, but she did. His family didn't really count since they couldn't actually die. But she could and she knew what he was and yet she always told it to him straight. He chuckled when he remembered how she yelled at him when Silas got into his head and for a moment there was fear in her eyes. However, she didn't run, she stood her own and he respected her for it.
She has played him many times and often he was aware of it but for some reason he was so drawn to her that he didn't care. Betrayal after betrayal and still he hung on her every word, was happy about every smile she bestowed upon him. It was pathetic and yet, he couldn't stop. The big bad hybrid pining after a school girl, a mere baby vampire. But he knew she did it all for her friends, her family and it had been out of loyalty and loyalty was important to him and it was a strength that made her extremely endearing to him. She protected her own and did what she though was right even if she often failed to see the bigger picture.
They were friends now or so he hoped. She gave in little by little but before he could get her New Orleans came into play and although he didn't really want to he had to leave. Thinking of buying her a plane ticket, getting her to go with him plagued his mind often but he knew she wasn't ready. Not yet. But maybe one day. She'd been so young when she was turned, she needed to go through college and live a somewhat normal life before she would consider coming to him, he knew, if she ever would. But oh, how he hoped. He'd done so many terrible things, awful and despicable, and he would have done most of them all over again. He had a deep sense of self preservation and a need to protect his family, by whatever means possible. Right or wrong, he did what he had to and often what he wanted. And yet sometimes, on rare occasions – mostly when he was with her, he felt some remorse. But when you've lived for a thousand years, you learn sometimes, and playing nice doesn't get you places. Plus, he never wanted to be nice. He wanted power and control and didn't really regret how he went about it. But oh, it felt so lonely sometimes. Being on the throne, everybody fearing you but nobody really there to share it with you. Not in the way he wanted at least.
He arrived back at his house and wanted some peace and quiet and so he turned to the other thing that allowed him brief retrieve from everything that was going on – painting. Choosing a large canvas he picked some brushes and paint and started his work. He let everything go, his mind was blank and his hands worked on their own.
Now that they had Bonnie back, Caroline was happy. She thought it was weird all summer when she hadn't heard from her. Well, the emails didn't really count, since they came few and far between; Caroline wanted to talk to Bonnie. Her summer sucked. Everyone was somewhere else or doing something else. Elena was always with Damon, enjoying their new found love. She tried to tag along a few times, but it didn't really work for her since they were kissing all the time. It was like she was on a honeymoon with them. Matt was gone, sightseeing and doing who knows what else in Europe with Rebekah. And she was happy for him, really, she just missed him. Jeremy was back but they had never really been that close, plus he was always acting weird and busy. Stefan was gone, same as Bonnie no phone calls, even no emails from him, nothing. And Tyler, oh my god, Tyler. She thought he would come back the minute she left him that voicemail, telling him in a super excited voice that he could finally come home. But he never did. He didn't return her call for two weeks and when he did, he told her he loved her but couldn't come back. Not yet anyway because a pack needed his help. She tried to understand, she really did, and to a degree she understood but not completely. Why was there always something more important than her? Why did she always have to come second?
So what did she do? She hung out with her mom and threw herself into planning. She started to organize things for college, helped Elena enrol, she got a room for them, she picked out the colours, gathered everything they would need there from linens to appliances. She planned and organized until she was too tired to think about anything else. Or someone else, because she never would have imagined to miss a certain someone so much. She buried everything that was unpleasant or bothering somewhere deep inside of her mind and only focused on happy things, because the minute she started thinking, she would break.
Caroline was excited when college started. Her mom had helped her and Elena move in and she had a hard time letting her go back to Mystic Falls. It was funny how much closer she was to her mom now that she was a vampire. Herself and Elena had settled into their new room and tried not to worry about Bonnie too much. She'd be in touch when she could, she probably needed some time. Or that is at least what Caroline tried to tell herself. There was also still Stno news from Stefan and that bothered her. They were best friends and she expected at least a text or an email. Maybe he was somewhere out of range, taking some time for himself and a break from all the drama. He said he would be going away for a while and she understood perfectly, she just hoped he would contact her soon. Tyler left her another voicemail that evening, saying he still couldn't come and she cried herself to sleep.
Life was never fair and they didn't get to start college happy and excited. Things have quickly gotten complicated and Elena had to go back home to help Damon. Caroline stayed and promised to find out more about what was going on on campus. She didn't sleep well that night and when she got up in the morning she took a blood bag out of the mini fridge and sat back on the bed. She drank her blood and stared at the stupid mini fridge, her mind quickly taking her back to graduation. "He's your first love, I intend to be your last," was what he said and even though she loved Tyler she wasn't completely indifferent to his words. She thought back to all the times they spent together, to all the times she played the blonde distraction and secretly enjoyed getting to know him better, to the both times he saved her life even if he had put it in danger first. Drinking his blood was exhilarating and she would never forget its taste. It was rich and full and even though she was dying and in pain she could taste every single drop. The problem with Klaus was that even when she was fighting with him, bickering or just letting out her anger and frustrations he showed her a part of himself she had never seen in him before. She betrayed him so many times and yet she was still alive. They had somehow became friends towards the end and how that happened she still didn't know.
To be completely honest with herself – and she rarely was when it came to Klaus – she was drawn to him and to his darkness. She had eyes of course and it didn't hurt that he was smoking hot and when he opened his mouth and that accent came out, her knees almost gave out a few times. But there was much more to him than the big bad persona. He had a softer side that wasn't any less ruthless yet still somewhere in that darkness there was something human. And just as any other human he craved some human connections, he wanted something real. He was terribly lonely, she knew that and on some level she wanted to erase that loneliness. But she couldn't just forget about everything he had done, or maybe it would be more accurate to say she didn't want to. Because as Stefan once said, they weren't really that different from him. And deep inside she knew he had been right.
All these musings were beside the point because she had Tyler and he was her real love. Wasn't he? Where is he then, Caroline's mind screamed at her but as always she buried the pain deep inside her and put on her brave, yet happy face and went about her day.
Things were getting heated in New Orleans. Klaus was suddenly at war with Marcel and with the witches. He had always hated witches; they were such fickle creatures with a really nasty streak. Still, the war was silent and manipulation as well as preparations were in full swing. He needed to focus and put all his attention into this.
It might have been funny to an outsider to see how he and Marcel interacted. Both pretended to be friends, sharing stories and memories, sometimes even came to each other's aid but both knew they weren't really friends. He wasn't sure how much Marcel suspected but he knew him well enough to know he didn't buy this whole friend act. And he was right not to because Marcel would lose everything. He would see his empire crumble and he would live to bow to a new king, to the rightful king, to him. He desperately wanted to see the look on Marcel's face when he'd know he had lost everything, when he realized who was more powerful and who bowed to no one.
Klaus remembered how he felt empty and rejected when Caroline didn't want to come to New Orleans with him. He knew she felt something for him and if he had more time everything might have turned out differently. She needed more time, he knew that but still he wished he was there to remind her about all the possibilities and all the potential. He was in love with her and it pained him to be so far away, to not see her smile, to not see her eyes brighten up when she was happy, not touch her silky porcelain skin and to not hear her beautiful voice. But at the same time he was glad she wasn't here with him. For one reason, she would be a distraction and he couldn't afford any distractions. And for the other, more important reason, she was a liability, a weakness Marcel could exploit. He had to make sure no one would ever find out about Caroline, not the witches and certainly not Marcel. Caroline needed to be protected at all costs and the cost this time was that he needed to be alone here and figure out how to solve his problems on his own. Just to imagine something were to happen to Caroline pained him, to actually live it would destroy him. He always said to his family that love was a vampire's greatest weakness, that they must never care and he still believed that. Caroline was his greatest weakness but he couldn't help himself to fail to care. He had guarded his heart for so long but for Caroline he kept breaking all his rules.
So, he would do this the only way he knew how, keep her hidden and with that protected.
Stefan was in trouble, her feeling that something was off turned out to be right and she felt awful about not acting on it, not doing anything. To make everything even worse Bonnie was dead and that crushed her. If Tyler hadn't shown up, she wouldn't have made it. But he came back and for a little while she could forget. Now, he was her distraction.
She wanted to desperately make them work, she tried to get him enrolled and back together, for real this time but it didn't work. She wanted everything back to normal, breathe again and be happy. It didn't feel right but she buried those feeling deep inside her once again and pretended. But Tyler wasn't going to play along, no he had to crush her hopes again and break up with her. He blamed Klaus; of course he did, saying they were only able to be together because Klaus allowed it. Which was bullshit, because even though it was Klaus that let go his revenge of Tyler and in doing so enabled him to get back to her, Tyler was the one who didn't act on it, he was the one who couldn't let go. Once again, she wasn't enough. She desperately tried to get him to stay, to not leave on a personal vendetta again Klaus he could never win but he wouldn't hear about it. She even uttered an ultimatum, saying they were done for good this time and he still hadn't stayed. And just like that they were over, her hopes and dreams crushed.
When she was alone, she lashed out, kicked and smashed things and blamed Klaus. He was a good person to blame in her situation, she didn't have to face him and could let her anger and frustrations out by yelling at him, tell him to fuck off and stop ruining things for everyone. It was all his fault because he killed Tyler's mother and he kept bringing misery to her and her friends. Everything would have been so much better if never set foot in their town in the first place. She felt somewhat better after a couple of her private outbursts, letting her emotions out but deep down she knew they weren't justified. It wasn't really Klaus' fault and she knew that. Not that she would ever admit it out loud but the break up wasn't the only thing she was upset about. She was also upset because she wasn't upset enough. And that was Klaus' fault because he made her feel, and more importantly he made her feel something for him.
Caroline kept herself busy; working with Katherine was weird yet surprisingly fun. She hated her for so long, yet wasn't able to hold her grudge any longer. Maybe because Katherine was human this time or maybe because Caroline understood darkness and loneliness a bit better now. She gave in to her own darker side and it brought results and kept her mind of things.
And then they brought Bonnie back. It was such a wonderful day and Caroline drove straight into moving Bonnie in with them, having fun together and starting really living again. She was happy and excited and hope returned to her. She immediately went into party mode and started planning. A party for Bonnie's return and enrolment into college would be the perfect way to spend Friday night. Elena was all for the idea and Bonnie agreed too.
They'd invited everyone they saw during the few days before Friday. Elena called both, Damon and Stefan but Stefan didn't want to come. Caroline wanted to be there for her friend, but Bonnie needed her too and Caroline needed to let go for a night, so she debated it for a few moments and then texted Katherine to look after Stefan a bit. She was worried and if she couldn't be there for him at the moment because she was at Whitmore and Stefan was in Mystic Falls, that didn't mean she couldn't try to help him in another way. Katherine texted her back, agreeing and reminding her that they weren't friends. Again. As if she didn't know that.
Friday came and after the lectures the party was soon in full swing. Caroline and Elena had prepared everything earlier, decorating the dorm and compelling their way to a crazy amount of alcohol. Sometimes being a vampire had its perks. Well, quite often actually. She remembered how a certain immortal had once told her that she liked feeling strong, ageless and fearless and he had been right. She felt good and wouldn't trade her vampire life for a human anything. Even if she had been turned against her will, she enjoyed it now and looked forward to all there was to come.
Caroline dressed into a green knee-length dress and curled her hair a bit. She applied some more make-up and laughed at Elena who made some college jokes. Bonnie was a bit distracted and Caroline wasn't sure if that had to do with a certain vampire's brother now also a hunter or Bonnie being the anchor now. She also wasn't sure what Bonnie actually was now – no longer a witch, they'd figured that out. But was she human or was she a ghost in human form, she wasn't sure but decided not to dwell on it until they had to. And knowing them they'd have to sooner rather than later. But Caroline decided to put all heavy stuff aside and just relax and have fun tonight. All the problems would still be there tomorrow.
"I think the jello shots are ready," Elena said, bringing three over. Each of them taking one, Caroline added, "To college and our friendship."
Clinking their plastic cups together, they each drowned their shot, enjoying the sweet alcohol laced jello.
The three of them exited their room and each grabbed a random plastic cup with some type of alcohol in it went straight to the dance floor. They danced and laughed and Caroline thought about the last time they did that together. It was fun, albeit it was a bit crazy and tension was in the air. She missed this and was glad all three of them were back together.
Elena spotted Aaron and went to greet him and Bonnie magically disappeared soon after she had seen Jeremy join the party. Caroline was happy for her friends and danced alone for a while until Jesse joined her. She decided to throw caution to the wind, put all other resolved and unresolved feelings on a shelf and dance with him. He was a brand new vampire and all his senses were magnified and she remembered how she went through her adapting period. Thankfully, Stefan was there for her and she knew Jesse needed someone too, and Caroline and Elena had decided to help him. She was a bit drunk already, consuming a fair share of alcohol in the past hour so she decided to be bold, kissing him. And he kissed her back. She enjoyed it although she didn't feel anything. But it was all good fun so she continued to kiss him. But then he bit her. She saw the fear in his eyes and he pulled back and before they could talk about it, he disappeared.
"Seriously," Caroline huffed.
Caroline frowned and wondered why he had bitten her when she wasn't human and vampires didn't crave vampire blood. She had decided to talk to Elena. She spotted her on the phone, presumably talking to Damon, who had been prying or probably torturing information out of Wes, and walked towards her.
"Hey Care, I just talked to Damon making sure he wouldn't kill Wes," Elena said relieved, looking over at Aaron sitting on the stairs by himself.
Caroline raised one eyebrow, still doubting Damon would let the good doctor live. "Yeah, about that. Maybe you should go over there and make sure, and while you're add it make Damon ask Wes if he did anything fishy to Jesse."
"Why would you think that," Elena asked perplexed.
"Jesse just bit me," Caroline admitted.
"He did what," Elena said, quickly pulling Caroline into an empty hallway.
"It was an accident, but something just feels off. I mean why would he bite a vampire? That's just weird," Caroline pondered. "I've never heard of vampires craving vampire blood as well as human."
"I'll go talk to him," Elena said and sighed. "Always so many problems. Look, you stay here in case he comes back and we'll talk about this later." And with that she was off.
Caroline returned to the party but she didn't feel really festive anymore. She danced to a hip song but wasn't really feeling it, so she went to grab a new drink. She absently checked her phone, but there were no new messaged or missed calls, she'd just have to wait. She tried to reach Stefan but he didn't pick up. She hoped he was alright.
Jesse didn't come back and Caroline added him to her problems-to-solve shelf. She'd just wait for Elena and they'd figure this out together later. She didn't want to listen to the music and people chatting anymore, but she was still in the drinking mood, so she grabbed a bottle and a jacket and exited the dorm. She didn't make any conscious decisions about where she was going, but wanting to avoid the street she opted for the woods. She kept drinking and was pleasantly buzzed by the time she reached a little pond somewhere in the woods. She sat down on a log and just stared at the scenery. It was beautiful.
She was lost deep in her thoughts and didn't notice movements in the distance. She whirled around when it was almost too late, coming to face with a wolf.
"Oh shit," was all she managed to get out before the wolf attacked her.
It was a big wolf with a dark brown colour. Its eyes were yellow and screamed with danger, its teeth were bared and dripping with saliva. Caroline knew that since vampires were werewolves' natural enemy, she couldn't reason with him. It would be either kill or get killed. She went into survival mode and tried getting a hold of the wolf's neck. The wolf snarled at her, a threatening growl escaping from somewhere deep inside him. They rolled on the floor and she somehow managed to throw him off and to stand up, desperately trying to find something to defend herself with. All the alcohol in her blood wasn't helping with her orientation. She really needed to start to learn how to properly fight. Even though she was strong and powerful and humans posed no threat whatsoever to her, she now and then found herself in trouble when fighting another vampire. She was still considered quite young for a vampire and although she was stronger than the newly turned ones she was no match for the older ones. Plus, she had no training and that didn't help her cause. And she desperately needed to change that.
The wolf was back on her in a second but she fought him off and managed to slam him into a tree. Wiping the sweat from her face she turned into the opposite direction of the wolf and started to run. She wasn't fast enough and for a moment she wondered why. She should have been faster. It was then she noticed a bite on her forearm. She looked at it quizzically, not remembering any pain but kept moving. For a second doubts and a rush of panic entered her mind, why was she running when she has just gotten bit by a werewolf, she knew the consequences. But she couldn't give up, so she kept running. She heard the wolf growl somewhere behind her and its steps were getting louder and closer. She pushed on even though she knew the running would cause the poison to spread through her body quicker. But she wasn't fast enough and she turned around just in time to push the wolf away before it sank its teeth into her.
The wolf whimpered but was back on its feet in no time. Caroline got ready for another attack but the force with which the wolf crashed into her caught her by surprise and she stumbled. She took the wolf with her and finally managed to grab it steadily by its neck and snapped it quickly. She felt pain when she crashed on the forest floor and winced.
"Damn it," she looked down at herself and noticed a branch puncturing her ribs. The pain felt overwhelming and she knew she was about to pass out. She fished her phone out of her jacket; a bit surprised it was still there and didn't fall out during the struggle. She had trouble concentrating with the poison in her system and a branch staking her and couldn't focus on the screen so she just redialled the last called number. She forgot whom she called last.
"Caroline, what's up," Stefan picked up after a few rings. She could hear noises in the background, a waitress bringing Stefan another drink. "Thanks," he murmured absently to the waitress.
"Stefan," she breathed a sight of relief, "I need help."
"Care, what's wrong," he suddenly sounded much more alert. "What happened? Where are you?" The noises dimmed, he probably exited The Grill.
She wanted to smile but the only emotion her face showed was pain. "I was attacked by a werewolf, I'm somewhere in the woods behind the campus."
"Caroline, just hang on, help is on the way," Stefan quickly said, trying to keep the panic from his voice.
She wanted to say something more but could feel herself getting weaker. Her eyes flickered closed, but she pried them back open. She was about to lose consciousness and she just prayed help would be there soon. The last thing she saw before she blacked out was the bright full moon.
Stefan rushed out of The Grill and tried to reach Elena. After she didn't answer he called Damon. No luck there either. Neither Bonnie nor Jeremy answered their calls and he swore loudly while getting behind the wheel and speeding of towards Whitmore. Caroline had been bitten by a werewolf, he wasn't sure how bad it was and how much time she had. He was not about to lose his best friend, so he formed a plan and called the person he really had no wish talking to right now.
Klaus stared at the painting he has just finished. It was dark with some red streaks in it, an abstract painting. He wasn't sure what he wanted to portray with it. He got what he wanted by painting, a peace of mind for a few hours, and didn't really care much for the end product as long as the process was effective. He needed an outlet and painting was the way to do it.
He heard footsteps coming through the front door and voices following them. Rebekah, Elijah and Hayley. He didn't care for their company and decided to take a shower and get the paint of his hands. He pulled off his henley and started unbuttoning his pants when he heard his phone vibrate. He ignored it and went into the enclosed bathroom, stepping into the shower and letting the hot water wash away the remains of the day.
When he returned to his bedroom with only a towel wrapped around his hips, his hair still damp from the shower his phone was still buzzing consistently. With a sigh he went to his bed stand and picked it up. His called ID said Stefan and his curiosity was instantly piqued.
"Stefan, to what do I owe the pleasure, mate?" he spoke into the phone. He hadn't heard from the residents of Mystic Fall in months.
"I need your help and I need it now," Stefan said. "There has been a werewolf incident."
Klaus sighed, "Of course there has." The little Scooby Doo gang constantly got themselves in way over their head and frankly he was tired of it. It was always Elena this or Elena that and if by a small chance it wasn't about Elena some other idiot got himself in trouble. Quite possibly Damon.
"What happened," he warily asked Stefan.
"I don't know exactly. All I know is they were supposed to be at a party they threw in honour of Bonnie's return to the living when she went off on her own and ended up in the woods, bitten," Stefan explained. "She called me but the line went dead soon, I think she's lost consciousness. I'm in the woods now, trying to find her and then plan on driving towards you. I don't know how much time she has."
Klaus positioned his phone on his shoulder and held it with his head while listening to Stefan ramble. He dropped the towel and went to his closet to get dressed. Quickly pulling on some boxers and jeans, followed by a black henley. He really didn't need this now.
"I don't have time to keep running back and forth Stefan." He knew he'd go; Caroline would never forgive him if he let Elena die.
"Klaus," Stefan started to say, but Klaus cut him off. "I don't care about your precious Elena, Stefan." He was fed up with all this teenage drama. "She's a vampire now and I therefore have no use for her anymore."
"Klaus," Stefan stressed again.
"What," Klaus growled into this phone.
"Look, I know this isn't convenient for you but frankly, I don't care," Stefan spit back. "And it's not Elena, it's Caroline." And with that every reservation he had about helping them went out the window.
He stopped in mid-step and let out an angry "Damn it." He quickly put on some socks and shoes and ran his hands over his face. "I'll be there as soon as I can. Get her somewhere close to the airport, a motel or something. I'll call you." And with that he ended the call, grabbed his jacket, his keys and rushed downstairs.
Dread spread in Klaus, gripping his heart in a hard squeeze. All he could think of was not her, please not her. He hoped he had enough time, that she wasn't bit all over her body and that the venom would spread slowly. He made arrangements for his flight, sparing no cost for an immediate red night flight. He flashed to his study, where he could sense Elijah. It wasn't the best time to leave New Orleans but he had to go. Marcel could keep this town if it meant Caroline's survival.
"Brother," he said immediately after entering the study where Elijah was reading a book, "I need you to hold down the fort for a while."
Elijah looked up from his book, surprised, "What? What do you mean?"
"Something has come up, I need to leave," he answered, running his hands through his hair. "I'll be back as soon as I can."
He turned to leave but Elijah stopped him, "What do you mean something has happened? What's going on?" Elijah looked at him perplexed.
"I need to go to Mystic Falls, a werewolf bite," Klaus explained but wouldn't give him any more details. He didn't need to know.
Elijah wanted to ask more, but stopped when he saw the expression on Klaus' face. Klaus looked worried and troubled and Elijah hadn't seen Klaus emotional over somebody else in a long time. He was surprised to put it mildly, but now was not the time to dig into this. There would be time to figure this out later.
"Go," he said, "I'll look over things here. Do what you need to do, brother." Klaus just nodded in thanks and left.
Stefan found Caroline lying on the forest floor, her phone next to her hand. She looked so peaceful, like she was sleeping. And if it wasn't for the dead wolf next to her and her bloodied clothes, he would believe she was taking a nap. He got closer and saw the branch piercing her. Kneeling down, he grabbed the branch and pulled in out. Caroline whimpered silently and Stefan was relieved. He had known she wasn't really gone because her complexion hasn't turned grey, but he was afraid and was glad to see some sign of life.
He gently picked her up and sped back towards his car. He wanted to change her clothes, wipe the blood from her but couldn't afford it. Time was of the essence, so he carefully laid her down on the backseat of his car and wrapped her in a blanket. He closed the door and got into the driving seat and sped off.
He was on the road for half an hour when his phone rang.
"I'm about to board the plane," said Klaus, "I'll call you when I land at Ronald Reagan airport. Get a room in a motel nearby and wait there."
Klaus was about to hang up before Stefan could say anything or ask him any questions. But he couldn't press the end button before asking about her. He didn't want to let Stefan know how much this was affecting him but he couldn't not ask either.
"How's she doing," he said in a calm, controlled voice.
"She's hanging in there," Stefan explained. "She was staked when I found her, just lying there unconscious on the forest floor, but luckily the wood missed her heart. She has a bite on her forearm and it seems to be the only one."
"Boarding has started," was all Klaus said before the line went silent. Stefan sighed, grateful that Klaus was on his way. He knew the hybrid fancied Caroline, his actions showed it again and again. He thought back and remember all the time Caroline played Klaus bait and felt bad because there was never a guarantee it would go according to their plans but every time she came back, unhurt and most importantly alive. Klaus could be fickle and to let her off the hook with her heart still inside her showed he cared about Caroline. How much Stefan wasn't sure, but enough to come and save her, that he knew.
Klaus closed his eyes. He couldn't get Stefan's words out of his head. He kept replaying them and imagining Caroline on the forest floor, alone and hurt. He had considered leaving her with some protection but decided against it in the end. He regretted that decision now, she would be pissed that he was sure of, but at least she'd be protected.
The plane was in the air and he hated the wait. He couldn't do anything but think and he always preferred acting to thinking. He was the all powerful hybrid and nothing could destroy him but while he was sipping his Glenfiddich the only thing that went trough his head was his plead to not be too late. There should have been enough time with only one bite but the adrenaline that must have flown through her veins and the staking definitely needed to be taken into consideration. He knew this was a race against time now and damn everyone, he would get to her in time.
He smiled slightly while nervously tapping his knee against the seat, remembering how she came to him when Elena stole her prom dress. She had been so distraught and he found it endearing. Obsessing over a dress was such a trivial thing and her desire to outshine Elena was so human. He admired her humanity since he knew his had been long gone. He got her the perfect dress and she had been so happy. She smiled sweetly at him while she thanked him, slightly kissing his cheek. He was glued to his spot and even though she spun around quickly, a slight blush brushing her cheeks before she ran off, he found himself unable to move for quite some time. And when he finally returned to his living room, he did so with a smile on his face.
He went to see her later that night but ran into Tyler. He shouldn't have been so bothered by the fact that Tyler got to hold her in his arms that night, dancing with her and kissing her. But he was and he wanted to let his anger out on Tyler, ripping his head from his shoulder and crushing his heart in his hands. But surprising both of them, he let him go and even though he threatened to hunt him down he never had any intention of doing so. And in that moment he was absolutely sure he was in love with Caroline. He knew before but he didn't want to give in, he didn't want to care, but when he let Tyler go to spare Caroline the sadness and loss he knew with absolute certainty. And for the first time in centuries someone else had come first.
She had confronted him about his feelings before, when she was lying on the Gilbert couch, dying of his bite. Subconsciously he knew he loved her then but wasn't ready to admit it to himself just yet. He enjoyed her and yes, he cared, but love, what did he know about love. But she knew and when it came down to it he couldn't let her die. The world would be a much darker place without her light in it.
He never went in on the prom night, although he had desperately wanted to. And yet he surprised himself for a second time that night, walking home and leaving Caroline to her perfect evening.
When the plane was finally about to land, he let out a sigh of relief. He couldn't have let her die then and he surely wouldn't now. She was too important to him and he'd be damned if he let her go without a fight. Pushing the images of her dying, life leaving her body, out of his mind, he put back his seatbelt. Not that he needed it, but the incessant light wouldn't turn off otherwise and the flight attendant would come to reprimand him. He wasn't in the mood to hear someone nag him, so it was easier to just go with it.
Caroline went in and out of consciousness several times. She knew she was in a car but couldn't remember why. Everything hurt and she felt hot one moment and freezing the next one. She desperately wanted to ask what was going on, where she was being taken but couldn't form the words or bring herself to speak.
She thought she noticed Stefan in the car with her but couldn't be sure. Because while at one moment she was in the car, she wasn't always there. Caroline also found herself in the werewolf cage, getting vervained over and over again. At other times she was bound to a chair, with cuts all over her body, the sun burning into her skin and her daddy just stood there telling her she was a monster. She cried, trying to tell him that although she was a vampire, she wasn't a monster. She has made mistakes but she tried to be good. Why couldn't he just accept that? Why couldn't he see that his daughter was still there, that she wasn't suddenly another person, that she still had feelings and loved him with all her heart?
Then she was suddenly back in the car and she noticed they weren't driving anymore. She was alone in the car and she wanted to get up, get out but as much as she tried she couldn't move. At least not enough to make a difference. She couldn't breathe normally anymore, it was hard and she found herself grasping for air. Then suddenly, she felt herself being lifted and carried somewhere. A door opened and Stefan – she thought she caught his scent, although she couldn't be sure – he'd laid her down on a bed and covered her with something soft again.
In the next moment she wasn't with Stefan anymore, she was in the Lockwood cellar, listening to Damon talk to her mother. She wasn't her daughter anymore, Liz had said. And Caroline felt so much pain in that moment. She ran out of the cellar, when Elena suddenly appeared. She needed someone to hold her, to accept her, to tell her everything would be ok but Elena's eyes were cold and mean.
"You're a monster, Caroline," Elena said vindictively. "No one is ever going to love you. You'll never come first. Stefan didn't fall for you; Damon only used you because you are so pathetic and weak."
"Please, Elena, stop," Caroline pleaded, sinking to her knees. But Elena kept going on, "Bonnie hates you, Matt couldn't love you, you can't hold on to Tyler because he sees right through you. You disgust me."
She opened her eyes and found herself back on the bed. She felt a wet cloth on her forehead but couldn't remove it. Her hands felt too heavy and she had no energy left. She closed her eyes, focusing on the calming voice somewhere beside her.
"It's going to be alright, Care," the voice kept saying, "just hold on a little while longer."
Klaus didn't have any troubles finding the motel. It was in the near vicinity of the airport and looked like a shit hole. Stefan had texted him the information before, letting him know they were in room 18. When he approached the room, trying to appear at human speed, although really not caring much at that moment, he could hear voices.
"Please," Caroline murmured. "Stop, make it stop." He sped up and flashed to the room. He didn't knock, just swiftly entered and closed the door behind him. The room was dimly lit but he could make out Caroline, lying in a pool of sweat on the bed. For a moment he just stood there and although it seemed like a lifetime to him, he knew it must only have been a second. He pried his eyes from Caroline when Stefan stood up from the chair beside the bed.
"Thank God you're here," he said relieved. "I'm not sure how much longer she can hold on."
Klaus dropped his jacket on the foot of the bed and rolled up his sleeve. He gently grabbed Caroline to make room and sat down behind her, leaning back on the headboard, pulling her with him. He bit his wrist and put it to her mouth.
"She's been in and out this whole time," Stefan explained, "the hallucinations have started sometime on the road."
Klaus just nodded, not able to utter a single word. She wouldn't drink at first but when he managed to get some of his blood into her system, he felt her fangs on his wrist and she started sucking. He didn't realize he was holding his breath, and when his eyes met Stefan's relieved ones, he let out a sigh of relief himself. Stefan's eyes teared up slightly and Klaus knew they had found a common ground for the time being. He always appreciated Stefan and remembered their friendship fondly, and even though this Stefan wasn't as amusing as he once was, he could appreciate him nevertheless. He was a good friend to Caroline and he would be forever grateful Stefan hadn't let Caroline die when she was first turned – he overheard Damon talking about it one evening, how he wanted to put the Barbie down before she could cause any more problems and God forbid endanger the precious Elena – but instead helped her through her transition to her vampire life. Not that he would ever tell him so, but still.
He felt Caroline's fangs retreating and he slowly removed his hand, his wrist already healing from the wound. He wanted to remain sitting there with Caroline but wouldn't do so in Stefan's presence. He'd seen enough as it was. So he slowly got up and laid her back down, adjusting the blanket securely around her. She needed her rest now.
He exited the room and Stefan followed him, quietly closing the door behind them.
"Thank you," said Stefan, leaning against the street light beside the motel.
Klaus just nodded. He wanted to tell him he hadn't done it for him, but that would only prove how much Caroline really meant to him. He then wanted to say something sarcastic, but didn't have it in him either. He was just relieved he got there in time and didn't lose her.
"Are you going back to New Orleans," Stefan asked him.
He nodded once more, "there are things going on and I need to get back soon. I'll wait until she wakes, then I'll be on my way." He wanted to make sure she was ok. He knew she was, but he wanted to see it for himself nevertheless.
"Can you wait with her then," Stefan inquired, "I want to go and grab her some fresh clothes. The ones she's wearing now are all bloody and ruined."
"Yeah," Klaus said. And with that Stefan was gone. He was grateful and a little suspicious that Stefan knew he needed a few moments to collect himself. He took an unnecessary deep breath and walked back into the room. She was sleeping and looked so peaceful. Since she was covered with a blanket you couldn't see any blood or torn clothes, so she looked completely normal.
He sat down in the chair next to the bed and just looked at her. When he first came into the room, she looked so broken and fragile and Klaus knew she didn't have much time left. Even though he knew he loved her, he never imagined just how much. He couldn't imagine his life without her. Even if she never loved him back and never gave them a chance, he would be fine as long as she was part of this world. He wanted to be king, he wanted the world at his feet, loyalty whether it was given freely or forced – he didn't really care – but when it came to her, she had complete free will. What would or wouldn't happen with them was up to her.
Now that she was safe and healed Klaus could afford to get angry. He was pissed at her for taking such bad care of herself. She should have been more careful. Who in their right mind goes into the woods when there's a full moon? She was too careless and too stubborn for her own good. So, Klaus decided to put a protection detail on her. She would never know and what she didn't know couldn't possibly piss her off. It's not that he didn't trust her to take care of herself but she didn't have the best track record when it came to her safety. He chuckled, she surely was a magnet for danger. For being immortal she came near death way too many bloody times. And he couldn't afford to constantly worry about her. Not when there were still wars needing to be won.
Caroline stirred then and he waited for her to open her eyes. He wasn't sure if he wanted to scream at her or kiss her and never let her go. His emotions were all over the place and he didn't know what to think or what to feel.
Caroline woke up confused and disoriented. She was in a foreign room that smelled stale and looked worn. Not knowing how she came to be in this place, she tried to remember. The last thing she remembered was walking in the woods, drinking and thinking about things she had no business to think about. What had happened? She felt fine and she knew she hadn't drunk enough to cause a memory loss. Suddenly an image of a brown wolf came to her and she gasped – she remember fighting the wolf, trying to outrun him but weakening due to the bite, how the wolf caught up with her and how they struggled. She managed to snap his neck but in the process fell on a thick branch.
She bolted into a sitting position and frantically looked around the room. If she had paid closer attention before she would have noticed him immediately. But she was too engrossed in trying to find out what had happened and failed to see him sitting calmly in a grey chair behind the bed. When her eyes met his a myriad of emotions passed between them. She couldn't bring herself to look away or bring herself to say something. She had so many questions but all she could do was look at him. She hadn't seen him in so long and she realized she had missed him. So instead of jumping him with a thousand question, she just sat there and let peace and relief calm her. She was safe and everything was alright.
"I see now that I was wrong before," Klaus said, suddenly breaking their bubble, "this here seems more like our thing."
Caroline realized then that he had saved her life once again. She got bit and his blood was the only cure. And since she was feeling fine, the bite was no longer an issue. She still couldn't bring herself to speak, so she only smiled timidly at him. Caroline had never been described as timid but she felt bad for getting herself in trouble, yet thankful that he came. Although she still had no idea where they actually were.
"Do you remember what happened," he asked her, still leaned back in his chair. He looked so regal and here she was sitting on the bed in a torn green dress, her hair messy and make up smeared.
"I remember walking in the woods, needing some time to myself when a wolf surprised me," she finally spoke. "We fought and although I killed it, it somehow managed to bite me."
Before she could continue and say that everything after that was a blur, Klaus stood up swiftly and growled at her, "What the hell were you thinking? Did you not realize there was a full moon? Or did you just ignore it?"
He was fuming and although she felt guilty, she wasn't going to go down without a fight. "Of course I didn't realize there was a full moon. I would never have gone into the woods if I had known."
He started pacing, his hands on his lips as if in silent prayer, "How could you not have checked? You're a vampire, Caroline, you have to be aware of these things."
She got up, starting to feel angry herself. He was acting as if she were a mere child. She might have been irresponsible but not intentionally. "I know that, I don't need you to lecture me," she snapped at him.
"Well, obviously you do," he spun around towards her, pointing a finger in her direction.
"I know I didn't think things through," she spat at him, "but so much has happened and it just got too much and I needed to breathe again. I was suffocating and I needed to get away to clear my head."
"You could have gotten killed," he raged on, storming towards her.
"Well, I didn't," she let out and took a step backwards. He was getting dangerously close to her and although she wasn't afraid of him, she was exhausted.
"But you could have," he persisted and kept moving forward until she was backed into a wall. "You could have," he repeated in a defeated tone.
He kept looking at her with his intense blue eyes and she could see pain in them and suddenly realized this haunted him. He was furious with her because he was afraid for her. He had been scared that something would happen to her, that she would die. And whether she wanted to or not that made her insanely happy. She took a small step towards him and laid her hands on his chest. She could feel his tremors, he was shaking slightly.
"But I didn't," she said softly this time. "And I'm ok now."
He grabbed her shoulders roughly, and if she were human she would have bruised heavily. She wasn't sure who moved first but she went forward while he pushed her back against the wall when their lips collided. Her hands moved around his neck while his roamed her arms and settled on her hips. For someone so strong and rough his lips were soft when they attacked hers. She opened her mouth and granted him access to her tongue, moaning loudly when their tongues first touched. He tasted divine and she couldn't get enough of him. He kept devouring her mouth, taking and giving at the same time.
He left out a grunt when he pulled her up towards him and her legs moved around his waist automatically. If her heart had the ability to still beat, it would have skipped one just then. While she kept one hand on his neck, the other one grabbed his hair, trying to bring him closer even though there was no space left between them. Her lips were as hungry as his and the electricity surrounding them was sizzling. His hand moved to her neck holding her firmly in place while the other moved lower and brushed her breast. She let out a groan and leaned into him, begging him to be touched. His hands moved to her shoulders and removed her dress straps in a swift movement. She didn't protest when the top of her dress pooled around her hips, instead she ran her hand through his hair, giving him permission to continue. His lips left hers but continued over her cheek do her neck. He sucked her favourite spot on her neck, grazing it with his teeth although never biting down, while at the same time moving his hand in slow and perfect agonizing movement under her bra. Her cupped her breast and she could have died of pure bliss. Grabbing his Henley she pulled it over his head frantically, hating that they were apart for even a second. She had seen him shirtless before and secretly admired him then too but touching him was a completely new experience. Her hands roamed his back and shoulders and she could feel how aroused he was. Her stomach was swarmed with butterflies and she was dripping with wetness between her legs as he buried one hand in her hair and pulled. They were both on fire.
There was a loud crash somewhere outside and Klaus pulled back, bringing them out of the all consuming trance. They were both breathing heavily, almost panting, when they appraised each other. His eyes never left hers and she saw warmth in them and also some fear and immediately knew he was giving her an out but she wasn't ready to let go just yet. If she would, she would start to think and she didn't want to do that then. Grabbing his shoulders and with it one of his necklaces she pulled him back to her and kissed him again. His hands were gentler this time around and his lips didn't attack anymore, yet still devoured her hungrily. It was a long languid kiss and she forgot about the whole world in that moment, leaving only him and her. While their tongues danced a seductive dance, his arms roamed her body.
Klaus couldn't believe what he was about to do, but he gently pulled back. He stroked her cheek affectionately and said in a husked voice, "Stefan will be back any minute now."
"Stefan," Caroline echoed confused. She couldn't remember her name in that moment, let alone anything about Stefan.
"He went to get you some new clothes," Klaus explained smirking at her, "you called him after you were attacked and then he called me. He drove you here so I could reach you as soon as possible after I landed. And when I healed you he left to find a store."
"Oh," was all Caroline said to his explanation.
"Allow me," he said and pulled her dress back up.
"I should probably get cleaned up then," Caroline said, still lost in him.
Neither of them moved from their position, eyes firmly trained on each other. Klaus lowered his head and brought his mouth to hers once more, gently nibbling her lips. He couldn't get enough. He knew before that she would taste exquisitely but after he had gotten a taste he couldn't keep his hands of her. He cursed Stefan, wishing they were alone and could continue this.
Letting go of her, removing his lips from hers took more effort that he ever thought necessary, "Go."
She looked as annoyed as he felt but went to the bathroom anyway. He picked up his Henley and put it back on. He needed to get himself back under control, so he took a few deep breaths and ran his hands through his hair, trying to put it back into place. He couldn't believe she had let him kiss her or that she returned his kisses in such vigour. Not wanting to over think it and find all the possible reasons why she had done so, he revelled in his feelings instead.
Stefan picked that moment to return to the room, carrying a bag with some new clothes for his girl. Because whether she knew it or not, whether she wanted it or not, she was his. Klaus knew there would be no other for him and based on the day's events he was hopeful she would eventually give him a chance. He had no doubt he was not what was best for her but he was selfish enough to ignore that. He wanted her and by god he'd have her.
"I would have returned soon, but the stores haven't opened yet." Stefan eyed him curiously, "Where's Caroline?"
"In the bathroom, getting cleaned up," Klaus explained. Stefan seemed to accept the explanation, moving towards the bathroom door, knocking.
"I got you some new clothes," he said and Caroline opened the door.
"Thank you," she said happily, accepting the bag. Stefan nodded and when he turned around back to him, Caroline's eyes met his for a moment. They were heavy with desire and unspoken emotions. She smiled and disappeared back into the bathroom.
"I'll be right back," Klaus said to Stefan, "need to make some travel arrangements." Without waiting for a reply, he exited the room and pulled out his phone to book a flight. He didn't want to leave Caroline here, but he knew she wouldn't come with him. Not yet anyway. Plus, it was better this way. He had a new determination to deal with Marcel once and for all and get his city back.
He could hear Caroline and Stefan talk in the room, Caroline thanking Stefan and him filling in many blanks. Klaus successfully booked a flight in a couple of hours and before he could return back inside Stefan and Caroline exited the room. She was dressed in black jeans and a beige top and looked angelic. She was holding a new jacket in her hands. Her hair was still down but not messy anymore. She cleaned up and there were only slight traces of make up left on her face.
Stefan nodded at him, "I'll go fill up the gas and pick her up in a few." He not so subtly gave them a few more private moments.
"When's your flight," Caroline asked nervously.
"Soon," was all he said.
Caroline was at war with her own emotions. She didn't know what to say or what she wanted. She felt that after kissing him she couldn't just go back and ignore it but at the same time it didn't change anything. He would still be conquering the world and she had a college she needed to attend. She knew she could always transfer but she wasn't ready to leave her friends behind yet, plus her mother needed her too. They shared a few heated kisses, though there were no declarations of love and a happily ever after, she knew that, so why did she feel so sad that he was leaving then? She wasn't ready to go with him but at the same time she felt like a part of her was leaving with him. It was all too much too soon.
"I'm still not ready," she said with teary eyes.
"I know," he answered her, brushing his fingers over her cheek gently.
"I'm not saying no," she elaborated, "I'm just saying not yet."
Klaus didn't say anything; he just pulled her towards him and held her close for a few moments. He couldn't bring himself to speak so he just buried his head in her hair, memorizing her delicious smell. Her arms embraced his hips and she leaned into him. She held on to him firmly and he kissed her neck one more time.
"Thank you," Caroline said, "thank you for coming and for saving me once again."
He chuckled, "anytime, love." And while Caroline smiled at the familiar nickname, he pulled something out of his pocket. "Here, this is for you," he smirked. "Although I really hope you will never find yourself in this situation again, I also know you always find trouble."
She smacked his arm and pretended to be offended, "Hey!"
"I just don't want to leave anything to chance, love" he handed her a plastic bottle halfway filled with his blood. "Put it in a freezer," he warned her.
She found herself speechless once again and just nodded gratefully, "Not that I think I'll need it, but thank you." She pecked his lips once more and when she retreated he pulled her back and kissed her more thoroughly.
"Oh, I haven't even told you about all the things that have happened during the summer and in the last month," Caroline exclaimed, "and you haven't told me anything about what's going on on your end." But Stefan was already approaching with his car and they were out of time. He let her go and put some distance between them. He could care less about what Stefan thought now but he wasn't sure about Caroline.
"Seems like it's time for you to go," Klaus said and Caroline frowned. "Maybe you can call me later and tell me all about it."
That seemed to cheer her up and she gave him one of her dazzling smiles, "Ok." He smiled back, suddenly very happy with how the day progressed. "And you'll fill me in on what's going on in New Orleans."
Stefan pulled over next to them and Caroline opened the passenger door. "Bye," she said, still smiling, although a bit more sadly now.
He just nodded and looked at Stefan, giving him a look that portrayed he better watch over her. Stefan nodded and they drove off once Caroline got into the car.
Klaus watched them drive off. She truly was amazing. He could never grasp how and why she lived in her friends' shadow when she shone so brightly.