A/N: I first posted this over on Ao3 and first wrote it after the season 3 finale of Originals so keep that in mind while reading this, please.
Caroline's day started out like any other. She had breakfast with Alaric and the girls before having to leave for work at the news station. She returned home later in the evening, spent time with the girls and helped Alaric with dinner as much as she could anyway which wasn't saying much sense she wasn't that good in the kitchen to begin with when the doorbell ranged.
Caroline wiped her hands on a dish towel. "I got it!" She told Alaric, she paused by the girls. "Dinners almost ready, girls. Why don't you help Daddy set the table and then wash your hands before dinner."
"Okay!" She heard the scraping of chairs behind her as Josie and Lizzie did as they were told.
She walked through the house toward the door, the doorbell sounded again signaling whoever was on the other side was growing impatient. She swung the door open and froze on the spot in surprise at the sight of the dark haired girl. "Hayley?"
"I know me showing up on your doorstep must be a surprise." She shifted on her feet her arm reaching out to her side.
Caroline followed the movement and her eyes widened as they landed on the little girl at her side who couldn't be more then five years old at the most just a year older than her own daughters. The little girl, had dark blonde curls and blue eyes and Hayley's facial features. Caroline quickly realized that she must of been Klaus and Hayley's daughter.
"I need your help." Hayley's voice brought Caroline's eyes back to her.
Caroline opened her mouth to respond but was cut off by the sound of her daughters', scampering feet on the hardwood floor and their small voices calling out to her. "Mommy, dinners ready and we washed our hands. Come eat."
Caroline paused turning in the door way to see her girls side by side. "Go ahead and eat with your father. I'll be there in a few minutes." The girls hesitated. "Go on." She encouraged, watching as they retreated further into the house to the kitchen.
Caroline turned back to Hayley to see her watching after her daughters. "What could you possibly need my help with?"
But before Hayley could respond Caroline could hear the heavy footfalls of Alaric as he neared them. "Caroline, whose at the door?" Alaric's voice cut through the air.
Caroline paused glancing at him as he came to stand just beside her, his eyes on Haley and the blonde haired little girl. "Right." Caroline looked back and forth between the two. "You two never actually met. Hayley this is Alaric Saltzman. Alaric this is Hayley Marshall, she's a werewolf."
"Hybrid actually." Corrected Hayley, catching Caroline by surprise.
"Okay? Why is there a hybrid and a kid at our door?" Alaric look to Caroline as if she had the answer.
Hayley sighed. "I need your help."
"And again I don't know how I could help you." Caroline frowned. "We don't even like each other. Why would you come to me of all people for help?"
"It's Klaus and his family." Answered Hayley. "And your the only one who can help me. Believe me I wouldn't be here if I wasn't desperate." She looked to Caroline. "Please.. just at least hear me out."
Caroline felt her chest tightened at the sound of Klaus's name. It had been a little over a year and a half since she had shown up in New Orleans with the girls for his help only to find out that no one had seen or heard from him in three years. It had always niggled at the back of her mind but she told herself that it was Klaus. He was fine. He was always fine. But now she wasn't so sure about that. And if Klaus was in danger than the least she could do was hear Hayley out.
Caroline looked to Alaric. "Alaric, I-"
"No, it's fine." Alaric cut her off, he had a hard time denying Caroline anything once he fell in love with her. "But I'm not inviting a hybrid into our home where are girls sleep."
"You don't have to invite her in." Said Caroline. "I can go talk with her somewhere else."
Hayley scoffed. "I came here for help not to hurt anyone. And I wouldn't hurt two defenseless little girls. I have one of my own and I wouldn't wish any harm to come to her."
Alaric looked from her to Caroline than to the little girl at her side. "Don't make me regret this." He muttered, exhaling out a sigh. "Come in."
Caroline stepped back allowing Hayley to pass the threshold. Caroline closed the door just as a small voice sounded. "Mommy are they going to help Daddy?" Caroline turned to see the blonde little girl staring up at Hayley with hopeful eyes.
"I hope so." Said Hayley, glancing up from her daughter's eyes to Caroline.
"Has she eaten? We were about to sit down for dinner." Caroline glanced from the little girl to Hayley to the little girl again.
"I was going to take her to get something to eat after I talked with you." Answered Hayley running a hand along her daughter's shoulder.
Caroline nodded and crouched down to the little girl's level. "Hi there, sweetie. What's your name?"
The girl stepped closer to her mother, looking up to Hayley. "It's okay. She's a friend." Hayley assured her daughter with a comforting smile.
The little girl looked back to Caroline. "Hope." She mumbled quietly.
"Hope. It's fitting." Caroline smiled kindly. "I'm an old friend of your father's. My name's Caroline. I have two daughter's around your age, their not much younger than you." Caroline paused making sure Hope was following along to what she was saying. "We were just about to sit down for dinner. Are you hungry?"
"Yeah." Hope nodded, no longer leaning into her mother as she had been.
"Do you like pasta? Ric here makes a mean chicken Alfredo dish." Caroline sent Ric a smile.
"I like pasta." Hope nodded a smile appearing.
"Good, how about I introduce you to my daughters and we'll get you something to eat, and maybe after dinner you can have a few cookies." Caroline glanced up at Hayley. "If that's alright with you, of course."
"It's fine." Hayley assured, taking Hope's hand in hers.
Caroline nodded, straightening back up. "We can talk while the girls eat." Caroline told Hayley leading them further into the kitchen where Lizzie and Josie were already seated at the table patiently. "Girls, I liked you to meet a new friend, her name's Hope." Caroline pulled out a chair across from Lizzie and Josie and gestured for the little girl to climb up while Alaric got another plate setting from the cabinet and place it on the table.
Hope looked to her mother first before climbing into the chair and settling comfortably. "Hi." She said quietly.
"Hi, I'm Lizzie."
"I'm Josie."
While the girls introduced themselves and began to ask each other questions quietly Alaric dished out food onto their plates and Caroline poured them each a glass of juice. "Go ahead and eat up." Caroline smiled softly and waited till the girls started to eat before moving back toward the kitchen island, and waving Hayley over as Alaric came to stand beside her. "Alright, so why don't you start with what happened to Klaus?"
"It's a long messy story and really complicated." Hayley sighed.
Caroline glanced towards the girls before looking back to Hayley. "We got some time."
Hayley nodded, taking a deep breath before launching into the story. The full story of the whole prophecy and sire lines that led up to the events of the Mikaelson's fall; by the end of it Caroline was leaning back against the counter, stunned, trying to process everything.
Alaric shook his head in disbelief. "Here, I thought we had problems a year ago when we were still dealing with Reyna Cruz."
Caroline ignored him. "Let me get this straight, Marcel, a vampire Klaus saved when he was just a boy and raised like his own son, incapacitated Klaus, poisoned Freya, Klaus's long lost sister whose a witch, bit Elijah and Kol - Kol who was supposed to be dead but was brought back by a witch name Davina who he was in love with and was also like a daughter to this Marcel - with a bite more lethal than Klaus's bite and not to mention the fact that Rebekah's hexed. And the only reason why any of the Mikaelson's are still okay is because their all anchored to Klaus whose been in unimaginable agony to save his family." Caroline paused. "Am I getting this right?"
Hayley nodded just as Lizzie's voice filtered over to them. " Mommy, can we have dessert now."
Caroline looked over to see all three girls looking over at them expectantly. "As long as you have finished all of your dinner."
"We did." Said Josie, looking eager for dessert.
Caroline grabbed up three small plates and three glasses, Alaric moving in sync with her removing their used plates and glasses and putting them in the dishwasher and walking over with the full plate of cookies and glass of milk. Hayley watched them as they moved in sync looking the perfect picture of domesticity.
After giving the girls three cookies each and a glass of milk Caroline moved back toward the counter. " I don't see how I'm going to be able to help you."
"I was unable to find cures for any of them." Hayley admitted. '"But I heard about a type of witch that could syphon magic. And I know your daughters are syphoners."
"You want my daughters to syphon the werewolf bites, the hex, the witch poisoning? Are you out of your mind?" Alaric shook his head sharply. " Absolutely not!"
Hayley looked to Caroline ignoring Alaric completely. "I don't know where else to go, what else to do. This may be my only chance to save them. To save my daughter's family. You have to help me."
"No." Said Caroline vehemently. " I am not getting my daughter's mixed up in this chaos. They should be no where near this mess you all found yourselves in."
Alaric who had been tense, shoulders relaxed with relief at Caroline's refusal to get their daughters involved.
"Caroline, please." Hayley hated to plea to anyone but she would if she had to. "This might be my only shot at saving them and Klaus. You owe Klaus after everything he's done for you. He kept Stefan safe, he saved you more than once. He-"
"Hayley, stop." Caroline cut her off firmly. "I didn't say I wasn't going to help. There's another syphoner vampire witch, and she's far more experienced in this syphoning magic business ."
Hayley paused. "I'm listening."
Caroline slipped her phone into her pocket. "So I was able to get a hold of Stefan and Valarie, their going to be here in a few days."
The girls had eaten and Caroline had gotten all three of them settled on the couch watching a little TV, while they sat in the kitchen with Hayley at the table.
"So she's going to help?" Asked Hayley.
Caroline nodded. "She is. We should leave tomorrow though."
"Leave?" Alaric repeated in confusion brow furrowing. "Thought you just said that Stefan and Valarie were coming here."
"They are." Said Caroline, not looking at him but staring steadily at Hayley. "But we need to go get Hope's father and bring him back here."
Alaric frowned. "It could be dangerous Caroline. We should just let his family handle it once Valarie helps them."
"Klaus has been suffering for years in agony for his family." Caroline said firmly, leveling him with a hard look. "And now that I know what's happened to him I can't just sit here and do nothing. I won't. " She turned her hard gaze to Hayley. "And I don't care if I have to do it alone."
"Caroline, are you sure about this?" asked Alaric eyes filled with concern.
The night had passed fairly quickly and Caroline was just waiting for Hayley to return so they could hit the road.
"Yes." She said firmly. "I know you're worried but I have to do this. I owe Klaus at least this much. Depending on how long it'll take to find where their keeping Klaus I should be back in a few days at the most, tomorrow if we're lucky."
Alaric looked like he was about to say something but the sound of the doorbell sounded throughout the house.
Caroline quickly went to answer it and let Hayley and Hope in.
"Hope!" Josie and Lizzie came scampering down the stairs. "Come play with us." The girls ushered her into their play room, the sound of Hope's giggles as she allowed the twins to lead her further in the house.
Hayley looked after her daughter disappearing further in the home, looking like she wanted to follow.
"She'll be safe here." Caroline promised.
Hayley didn't doubt that but the last thing she wanted to do was leave her with Alaric who she only just met even if Hope seemed to really like Caroline and his daughters. But still it was necessary. "I took care of hiding away the others." Hayley changed the subject, referring to the rest of the Mikaelson family.
"Then we should go. Hopefully by the time we return Valarie and Stefan will be here." Suggested Caroline. "I just want to say bye to the girls first." She glanced at Hayley. " I'm certain you want to do the same."
Hayley nodded, walking further into the house to where the girls disappeared to, Caroline moved to follow but was stopped by Alaric. "You better come back to us ."
Caroline could see the worry written clearly on his face. " I will." Caroline promised.
"Good cause I don't know what the girls or I would do if something were to happen to you." Said Alaric.
Caroline took his hand and squeezed it reassuring. "You won't have to find out." Caroline dropped his hand before he could respond and followed after the girls wanting to see them before she left.
The car ride had been mostly silent on the way to New Orleans. The only time Hayley and Caroline had spoken was when they stopped for gas and called Ric just a little over an hour ago to check on the girls.
But as they neared the city limits of New Orleans just half an hour away Caroline broke the silence. "Do you know where they might be keeping him?"
"I have a few ideas." Hayley admitted. "There's the Garden, or Klaus's home or the cemetery. We should check the garden and cemetery first. Marcel's most likely once again took up residence in the Mikaelson compound and if we can keep him from finding out why we're here or that we're even in the city the easier this will be for us."
"Avoiding the vampire that has a bite even more lethal than Klaus sounds like a good plan to me." Caroline rather not get mixed up with him, she'd been affected by a wolf bite more than she'd like.
"We shouldn't split up. New Orleans isn't like Mystic Falls. It's far more dangerous." Warned Hayley.
"I can handle my own." Caroline defended. "But I see your point. You know this would be so much simpler if we knew his exact location."
"We don't have a witch to do a locator spell, they would need something of Klaus's and we're already here, no point in waiting for your witch friend to do one." Responded Hayley impatiently.
"I wasn't suggesting we wait. I want to help Klaus just as much as you do." Maybe even more but Caroline let that go unsaid, her feelings for Klaus were complicated and even now she didn't completely understand them.
Hayley sighed, knowing she had snapped for no reason. "I know, it's just, this is the first real chance I've had in years of saving my daughter's family and making sure she'll actually have memories of her dad and not just a letter he left to her."
Hayley took her eyes briefly off the road to see the conviction in Caroline's eyes, the determination in the set of the blondes features, the belief in her every word. "And you." Replied Hayley with gratitude . "This wouldn't be possible without your help."
Caroline was surprised by her words and only nodded not knowing what to say. She marveled at how things have changed, years ago she wouldn't be able to even stand Hayley and now here they were trying to save Klaus and his family and it was the most civilized conversation either ever had with one another. The car once again fell into a silence as Hayley returned her eyes to the road and they must have covered more ground than they realized as they entered the city limits of New Orleans.
Caroline followed Hayley through the streets of New Orleans, thankful that they were always full with tourist making it easy for them to blend in. She didn't bother asking Hayley where they were going trusting that Hayley knew where she was taking them. They ended up at a old property and Hayley led her inside and to lower ground, and since they weren't at the cemetery she assumed it was the garden.
It was damp and old and poorly retained. The walls were only half finished with bricks stopping mid way. "What is this place?"
"It's where Marcel would keep the vampires that broke his rules. He would seal them up here, and he would starve them to the point of desiccation for years until he decided to free them or not." Hayley moved around, it didn't appear that Klaus was being kept there but she searched the place wanting to be thorough. "It was a prison of sorts for the vampires of the French Quarter."
Caroline's face scrunched up. "That's pretty morbid even for us vampires."
"Come on, let's go." Hayley sighed in irritation at coming up empty on their search for Klaus. "He isn't here. Hopefully he's in the cemetery or else we might have to try the compound and have a run in with Marcel which is the last thing we want to happen if we want to make it out of this city alive."
Caroline followed Hayley out of the garden. "You know wherever he's being kept Marcel might have the place being guarded. If that turns out to be the case we need to keep our guard up."
Hayley glanced at Caroline in surprise. "Good thinking. I hadn't considered that but it's a high possibility. We should be prepared if that happens.." she paused. "Just how much willing are you to get your hands bloody?"
Caroline looked at Hayley raising her head high. "This is Klaus we're trying to save." Said Caroline a hint of steel leaking into her tone. "I'll do whatever I have to."
Hayley shared a look with Caroline locking gazes with the blonde before nodding. "Good."
By the time they reached the cemetery the sun had set, the sky darkening. They moved through the cemetery. "Are we going to have to search this whole place?" Caroline wondered, if that were the case they were mostly likely going to be here well into the next morning.
"If we have to. It'll be a lot easier if there were some indication to where he was." Hayley responded as they walked by crypt after crypt.
"Why would Marcel even put him here, anyway." Caroline wondered .
"The irony I would guess." Hayley shrugged. "After all this is where Davina is buried and he blamed Klaus for her death."
Caroline nodded but paused mid step throwing her arm out in front of Hayley just as they reached another turn in the maze like cemetery.
"What-" Hayley began but Caroline quickly put a finger to her own lips in a signal for her to be quiet and nodded her head around the crypt they were just about to pass, Hayley looked around and notice there were several vampires who we're standing to attention and circling the area. Hayley whirled her eyes back around to Caroline and they both nodded with the knowledge that this was the sign they needed that they were on the right path.
Caroline pulled out her phone bringing up the message screen and immediately began typing, a moment later she showed it to Hayley.
There's six of them, two standing guard and four circling, we divide and conquer, come at them from the sides, take out the ones circling then take care of the two standing guards.
Hayley read over the text out plan, thinking it over weighing the pros and cons before deciding she liked the plan Caroline quickly came up with. She nodded her agreement. Caroline quickly pocketed her phone and with one last shared look they split off with Hayley going left and her going right.
Caroline moved around the surrounding crypts for coverage, she waited with her back pressed against the stone crypt peering around the side waiting for when one of them would turn their backs as they circled the area again. And when she finally did see her opening, she took a deep solidifying breath, preparing herself for what she had to do and vamp-sped forward, plunging her hand through his back, feeling his sticky blood wetting her hand instantly as she wrapped her fingers tightly around his heart, her grip tight and unyielding.
She could hear the vampire gasp out in pain, choking on his own blood that rose up from his chest, she could hear the horrible gurgling sound he made, Caroline winced at the sound before hardening her resolve and yanking her hand from his chest, taking his heart with her, the vampire dropped to the ground lifeless, his skin already desiccating, turning grey with black veins.
Caroline opened her hand, allowing the heart to drop with a plop with a sickening thud at the same time she looked up to the other vampire noticing her, a angry snarl left his mouth, his eyes darkening, fangs dropping, veins rising, she barely had time to react before she felt herself being slammed, her back colliding painfully into a stone wall with a resounding smack, hands gripping tightly around her throat, squeezing painfully.
"I don't know who the fuck you are but you're dying tonight bitch!" He snarled at her fangs flashing.
Caroline gasped as his grip tighten and she struggled trying to break free of his grip not bothering to try and reason with him after all what could she possibly say? He saw her rip out the heart of his buddy right in front of him with his own eyes.
She tried to pry his hands off her but he was stronger than she was but she wasn't about to go down without a fight, instead of trying to pry his hands from her throat she snatched out her arms gripping his head and snapping his neck with a hard twist. The vampires hands around her throat released and he collapsed to the ground for the time being. She instantly knelt down, plunging her hand into his chest and yanking his heart out. She didn't want this coming back to bite her in the ass after all was said in done.
She stood up and realized she must have caused more commotion than she realized because the standing guards flash forward onto the scene. She swallowed nervously looking between the two. "Any chance I claim self defense you'll actually believe me?"
They hissed, crouching and rushed forward, but she vamp sped out of their path, and appeared behind one, and went to snap his neck but he whirled around grabbed her and sent her flying into a tomb, her head smashing painfully into stone, she fell to the ground in a heap letting out a groan but she knew she had to get up immediately she couldn't give them a chance to finish her off. She pushed herself up just as the vampire rushed her and braced herself and waited, and then punched her hand into his chest, ripping out his heart.
She looked up in time as the other vampire advance on her but Hayley appeared in front of him, ripping out his heart, she dropped the heart and turned to face her. "You alright?" Hayley looked a little worse for wear, hair tangled, blood on the corner of her lip, her hybrid eyes flashing, her shirt smudged with dirt. Though Caroline didn't imagine she looked much better.
Caroline nodded, though she could feel the warm wet substance of blood trailing down her temple. "Yeah. Nothing I won't survive from."
Hayley nodded and they both moved toward the stone area that the vampires had been heavily guarding. "We gotta hurry, we don't need any other vampires showing up."
"Wait." Caroline paused, picking up on a faint sound. "Do you hear that?" It sounded like a slowed down heart beat.
Hayley paused. "Sounds like a heart. A slow beating one."
"Exactly. He's here." Caroline listened carefully following the sound to a bricked wall by some crypts. "Here." She said. And swung her fist out, pummeling the brick wall and began tearing it down, Hayley following her lead, only stopping when they made a big enough gap and could make out the broad-shouldered figure that was being sealed there.
Caroline's breath caught in her throat at the sight of him, a wave of emotion rising in her chest . "Klaus?" Her eyes roamed his entire face, his eyes were opened and he seemed to be aware but it was like he couldn't focus as his eyes flickered all around her and back again never staying in one place. "Klaus?" She reached a hand out, after wiping the blood off her hands onto her jacket and touched his face, her hand cupping his jaw. But he showed no reaction, no recognition of her, no sign that he actually felt her touch. All she could see was pain written clearly on his face, eyes blank.
"We don't have time for this, Caroline ." Hayley said impatiently and started to tear away the rest of the bricks sealing Klaus up.
Caroline nodded, dropping her hand and started tearing at the bricks. Knowing Hayley was right. They had to hurry.
Renewed with a new sense of urgency Caroline and Hayley had the wall tore down in just a matter of minutes and then they were supporting Klaus's weight in between the two of them and vamp-sped back to the car, loading Klaus into the back seat before starting the car and driving away from the cemetery quickly.
Caroline glanced back at Klaus's unmoving form. "What's keeping him like that?"
"A dark object is embedded inside his chest. A blade. It keeps him down and it's agonizing." Hayley informed her matter-of-factly.
"Shouldn't we pull it out?" Caroline demanded.
"We can't; for one he's going to be starving and we need to keep him away from the human population until that's no longer the case." Hayley shook her head. "But more importantly Freya , Kol, Rebekah and Elijah are all tied to him, he's their anchor and I don't know how Freya's spell actually works. If we wake him before the others are all cured I don't know what could happen to them and I can't let Klaus's sacrifice for the last four years be for nothing."
Caroline wanted to argue but this wasn't about her. This was about Klaus and his family . So instead she said nothing and turned her gaze out the window.
"He'll be fine once this is all over." Said Hayley, drawing Caroline eyes back to her. " I know you're worried even if you won't admit it to yourself."
Caroline looked away from her . Of course she was worried. Klaus was her friend but that wasn't all he was but she tried not to think about her complicated feelings for him. She knew if she analyzed her feelings more closely her simple life she created for herself with Alaric and the girls wouldn't be so simple anymore.
Hayley had dropped Caroline back off at her house before taking Klaus's body to where she was keeping the rest of the Mikaelson's. She returned shortly to Caroline and Alaric's home and was welcomed by Hope who seemed to be enjoying spending time with her two new friends Lizzie and Josie.
Caroline had cleaned up and had already filled Alaric in on what had happened in New Orleans. Alaric had been concerned and was just glad Caroline had made it back in one piece.
The next two days were tense. Hayley had rented out a family suite at an inn Caroline had recommended and Hayley often left to check on where she was keeping all the Mikaelson's, Hope spent most of her time with the twins. Alaric watched over them most of the time when he wasn't working.
And Caroline tried to keep busy, needing to distract herself. It was increasingly difficult, knowing they had Klaus back, knowing he was in agonizing pain and they were doing nothing to ease his suffering. She called in sick with work, and did tasks around the house anything to keep her busy, to push the urge to go find Hayley and just pull the damn blade from Klaus's chest and give herself peace of mind that she didn't have currently knowing he was in unimaginable pain.
It was a relief when Stefan and Valarie arrived if a little awkward. Caroline had gotten past her Stefan issues and even though her and Alaric had called off the engagement because she just wasn't at where he was, there was this tenseness between him and Alaric and then her and Stefan. Though that had more to do with the fact that she had chosen her family over Stefan but he had obviously gotten over it having gotten back with Valarie.
Caroline was quick to skip over the awkwardness and called Hayley who was at the inn with Hope. And it wasn't long before Hayley showed up with Hope and told her to go play with her friends. Hope had been more than happy to go to the playroom and find her friends. They had waited until they could hear the girls playing amongst themselves before getting down to business.
"So you're Valarie?" Hayley eyed the other blonde up. "You can syphon magic?"
"You must be Hayley?" Valarie returned. "Caroline tells me you need wolf bites, witch poison and a dark hex syphoned."
"Yes and I rather not sit around and chat about it." Hayley said pointedly. "So can you help me or not?"
Stefan who had remained mostly quiet spoke up. "She will. Klaus helped me when I showed up in New Orleans. The least we can do is return the favor."
"Syphoning not a problem." Said Valarie. "Just lead the way and we'll get this done."
Hayley nodded and made her way to the door with Stefan and Valarie following close behind. Caroline followed after them. "I'm coming with."
"Caroline." Alaric protested.
"I'll be back." Caroline called over her shoulder, closing the door behind her not giving him a chance to say anything else.
Caroline walked in behind the others into the family suite Hayley was renting out at the inn she was staying and Hayley led them to the room where Freya and Rebekah were being kept. "You should start with Freya first. It's a witch poisoning so I'm pretty sure it's magical." Said Hayley gesturing to the bed where both Freya and Rebekah laid.
"Where are you keeping, Klaus?" Caroline questioned, her eyes lingering on the Mikaelson she was seeing for the first time.
"Across the hall." Hayley answered distractedly.
Caroline nodded and started across the hall but was stopped by Stefan's hand on her arm. "Where are you going?"
"I just want to sit with him." Caroline told him, fighting off the urge to shrug his hand off.
Stefan seemed to realize that as he removed his hand from her arm. "You.. you still care for him, don't you?"
Caroline looked up at him but said nothing, her silence was answer enough though. Stefan nodded in understanding, taking a step back toward Valarie who moved to sit on the bed beside Freya.
Caroline turned crossing the hall, hesitating only a moment with her hand on the door knob before turning it and pushing the door open.
She paused at the sight of Klaus's immovable form laying on the bed before walking into the room quietly closing the door behind her and moving slowly to sit beside him on the bed. She watched as his eyes flickered to her but never stayed, constantly flickering all over. She reached for his hand and clasped it, encasing it in her own. "I know that you've been in constant pain but you just have to endure it for a little longer. Soon all you're siblings will be cured and then your sister can unlink you and everything will be fine." Caroline tightened her grip on his hand. "Out of all the ways for us to see each other again, I imagined it going differently." Caroline let out a sigh. "Well when I actually let myself think about it." Caroline paused. "What I'm trying to say is soon everything will be fine and you'll be with your family again. Just hang on a little longer."
She fell silent and just held his hand in her lap in one of her own and placed her other one directly over his heart and kept it there, feeling every slow beat of his heart.
Caroline could hear into the other room, hearing clearly as first Freya woke up healed and then Rebekah, both who had been stunned by what Valarie was able to do and surprised by Stefan's presence. The next ones to be cured were Elijah and Kol.
Caroline listened to everything that was said and done, never relinquishing her grasp on Klaus's hand.
She heard as Hayley filled them on everything, from her showing up on her doorstep, to Stefan and Valarie, to how they both made the trip and retrieved Klaus and now that everyone was cured all that was needed was for Freya to unlink them from Klaus and then the blade could be pulled from Klaus's body.
She could smell the fresh scent of blood and figure Elijah, Kol and Rebekah were feeding from Hayley's blood supply after all none of them had eaten since they'd been down.
The door opened and she looked over to see the original sister she had yet to meet. "You must be Caroline. I'm Freya." She walked further into the room. "How is he?"
Caroline thought it was pretty obvious how Klaus was. "How does he look?" She close her eyes immediately after. "I'm sorry that was rude." She offered Freya and apologetic look. "I'm just not used to seeing him this way."
Freya nodded, not taking offense. It was clear to her that the blonde cared deeply for her brother. "Rebekah and Kol are going to go out and get the few ingredients I need to do the spell. Klaus won't be like this much longer."
Caroline nodded, taking comfort from her words.
Freya walked out of the room moments later just as Elijah entered with a couple blood bags, he walked around to the other side and placed them on the bedside table. "Miss Forbes, I'd like to thank you for all the help that you provided for both Hayley and my family."
Caroline shook her head. "You don't have to thank me."
"I disagree. I'm not sure today would have been possible if it weren't for you." Elijah said, his words heavy with meaning.
"But I didn't really do anything, I just got Valarie to help out." Caroline denied.
"You didn't have to help Hayley. You could have turned her away the moment she showed up on your doorstep but you didn't. You chose to help her." Elijah pointed out.
"It wasn't about helping her." Admitted Caroline candidly.
"You wanted to help my brother." Elijah glanced at her hands encasing one of his brothers in her grasp. "I didn't know your connection with my brother was so strong."
"It's complicated." Caroline sighed.
"I find that the case with most the women in Niklaus's life." Said Elijah with faint amusement. "But what made you want to help him?"
Caroline was quiet deciding whether she should answer the question before stating quietly. "He's always been there when I needed him." And watched as surprise flickered across Elijah's features before his eyes shown with understanding.
Caroline watched from her spot beside Klaus's bedside as Freya readied the ingredients for the spell, the room was pact with everyone, every original sibling, Valarie, Stefan, Hayley and herself.
Caroline glanced back to Klaus, at his now opened shirt, her eyes drawn to the reddened skin where the blade had pierced and grimaced. Then back to his face still seeing his eyes flicker all over never staying in one place.
"Alright, get ready to take the blade out as soon as I finish the spell." Freya directed and immediately began chanting.
Caroline waited and after what seemed like hours but only minutes, Freya finished the spell and looked to Elijah. Elijah nodded, stepping forward and plunging his hand into Klaus's chest without preamble. Caroline sucked in a breath at the action and watched as he pulled a wicked looking blade out, hand covered in blood however her gaze was snapped back to Klaus when she heard him breathe sharply, a look of relief showing across the planes of his face, his eyes on his family standing, crowding around Elijah.
Caroline's hand tightened around his. "Klaus?" She breathed and watched his face for any recognition as his eyes snapped to her.
The reaction was immediate his blue eyes intensifying as they zeroed in on her, sucking in a surprise breath. "Caroline?"
"Hey." She breathed and Klaus's hand that she encased in her own returned the grip, his hand grasping her own and tightening.
"Nik." Rebekah stepped forward with one of the blood bags from the bedside table, she ripped it open and held it out to her brother. "You need to drink. It'll help you recover faster." She held the bag to his mouth.
Klaus allowed the blood to pour into his mouth and felt as the veins raised under his eyes, his hybrid eyes glowing, his teeth elongating. He dranked greedily at the blood, draining the bag. The other two followed.
As he dranked Caroline felt Klaus's hand releasing her own but he didn't move it away. No, his hand moved up grasping tightly at her forearm like he was trying to ground himself and she was his anchor. He grasped at her like she was a lifeline.
"I'll go get more blood." Rebekah said, leaving the room quickly.
"Where's Hope?" He rasped out, eyes zeroing on Hayley.
"She's safe." Hayley answered, standing beside Elijah not wanting to be far from him.
"She's with my girls." Caroline said, watching as his hybrid eyes return to her.
"Caroline." He said her name again almost like he couldn't believe she was there. Which was understandable it had been almost 5 years since they last saw one another and over three since they last talked. He tugged on her arm and Caroline leaned forward and let out a breath of surprise as his arms wrapped around her and crushed her to his chest.
Caroline hesitated only a moment before allowing herself to relax into him, her hands on his torso. "Caroline." His breath washed over her as he buried his head in her shoulder, she could feel him bury his face into her neck.
"Niklaus maybe you shouldn't, you've gone years without blood and in immense pain, you might not be able to control yourself." Elijah said worriedly as he watched the display of affection from his brother as he hugged the blonde to him almost desperately.
But no sooner had the warning left Elijah's mouth did Caroline feel Klaus's fangs ripping painfully into the skin of her neck. She gasped in pain as he teared into her neck, drinking greedily from her. She cried out softly in pain as his arms that once crushed her to his chest now gripped hers arms like a steel vice, keeping her from trying to break free.
"Klaus, stop.." but he was too far gone in his hunger for blood to register her words or her sounds of pain, his head gave a harsh jerk, the flesh of her neck ripping further, as he fed from her with a viciousness she never felt before not even when Damon had used her as his personal blood bag.
"Niklaus!" She felt herself being pulled away from him, small arms pulling her away as Elijah held Klaus in place. "Control yourself brother!" He urged.
Caroline stumbled back out of Freya's hold, hands at her torn neck, blood streaming down, soaking the collar of her shirt, blood escaping through her fingers wet with her own blood, dripping down. She could feel the effects of his hybrid bite already taking effect as her back hit the wall but she forced herself to remain standing using the wall to stay upright.
"Caroline!" Stefan exclaimed, reaching out toward her. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine." Caroline waved him off.
"No, you're not. You have a hybrid bite." Said Valarie, extending her hand. "Here, let me."
"No." Caroline said. "I'll be fine. I don't like being syphoned." Besides she knew Klaus would heal her himself.
"What the bloody hell is going on?!" Demanded Rebekah as she returned with blood, seeing Klaus being restrained now by both of her brother's, Elijah and Kol, and Stefan hovering by Caroline as she held a hand to her neck, blood seeping through her fingers.
"Nothing." Answered Caroline quickly. "Just get him more blood, before he tears into any more unsuspecting parties." She pushed off the wall, brushing past everyone and out the door.
"Caroline!" Stefan protested, moving to follow her but was stopped by Hayley's hand on his chest.
"Let me." She said and followed after her. "You're not leaving are you?"
"No, I'm looking for your bathroom." Caroline turned around. "I was going to try and clean up a bit."
"It's this way." Hayley led her into a bedroom with an ensuite bathroom.
"Thanks" Caroline said, walking in the bathroom and grabbing up the white hand towel beside the sink and pressed it to her neck
"I'll get you some more." said Hayley seeing the blood soak through the white towel.
"Good thing I'm a vampire or else I'd be dead." Said Caroline as Hayley returned, taking the extra hand towels from her. She could feel the blood had finally stopped seeping from the wound but the pain still flared. She soaked one of the towels and tried to clean the blood from her neck and once she did she cringed at the vicious looking tear in her neck. It look like she been mauled by a wild animal.
"That does not look good." Winced Hayley at the sight of the bite.
"I would say I've had worse but that would be a lie." Said Caroline with a wry twist of her lips offering up dry humor to inject some levity into the conversation. She glanced down at the blood soaked collar of her shirt. "Guess this is as cleaned up as I'm gonna get."
"Hold on." Said Hayley, disappearing from the bathroom doorway and reappearing just as quickly, this time with a dark purple t-shirt. "I don't know if it's your exact size but it's better than nothing."
"Thank you." Caroline said, accepting the offering, Hayley nodded and left the bathroom closing the bathroom door behind her, allowing Caroline some privacy and a moment alone to herself.
Caroline peeled her shirt off and tossed it to the trash and wiped away any remaining blood from her skin before pulling the shirt Hayley had given her on, wincing from the movement as the fabric brushed against the wound on her neck. The shirt was a fraction too big on her but it would do for now. She heard footsteps approaching the door and assumed it was Hayley.
She swung the bathroom door opened and her eyes widened. It wasn't Hayley at the door but Klaus. He stood there in just jeans, his shirt discarded. "Klaus." She watched him closely. "Are you okay now?"
"If you mean I no longer have the urge to drain you of your blood than yes." Klaus searched her face, taking in every plane and expression that filtered across her beautiful features. He was still trying to wrap his head around the fact that Caroline was even there let alone had a hand in helping him and his family. "I didn't mean to.." he paused unsure of how to apologize, he rarely apologized for anything . "I wouldn't intentionally.."
"I know." Caroline said, seeing he was struggling with his words. "I know, you lost control and it's understandable with that blade and everything." She reached out, her hand landing on his arm reassuringly. "You don't have to apologize. Not to me."
Klaus's breath left him in a whoosh of air his heart giving a heavy thud before he was stepping forward while also tugging her forward, making Caroline's body collide into his chest as his arms banded around her, hugging her to his body.
Caroline's muscles tensed for a moment before relaxing and wrapped her arms around his waist in return. "It's okay." Caroline whispered and felt his arms tightened around her and his face bury in the crook of her shoulder brushing against his bite on her neck and she was unable to fight off the wince causing Klaus to pull back slightly enough to look at the wound.
"Nothing, a little of your blood won't cure." Caroline dismissed his concerned look.
Klaus nodded. "Then, have at it, sweetheart." He tilted his head, baring his neck to her.
Surprise filtered through Caroline's system. "Don't we usually do this from the wrist. I distinctly remember the last time we were in this situation, it was the wrist. Both times."
"I figure the turnabout was fair play, love." Klaus said in amusement. "C'mon love."
Caroline locked gazes with him for a moment before nodding, she grabbed him by his shoulders and then leaned into his neck pausing just a brush of skin away from his neck and took a deep breath breathing him in and allowed her fangs to drop, the veins in her cheeks to rise as her eyes darkened with hunger, she opened her mouth and closed in on his neck, her fangs piercing his skin in a much gentle manner than he had with her, tasting his blood on her tongue, she let out a groan, and bit deeper, taking long draws of his blood.
Klaus banded one arm around her and the other gripping at her shirt , holding her tightly to his body, a moan vibrating through his body at the sensation of Caroline sucking his blood at such a sensitive part of his neck and feeling her enjoyment at the taste of his blood.
Moments later when Caroline released him, pulling back Klaus felt a wave of disappointment wash over him before he looked back at her, to see her tongue swipe over her lip, getting any remaining drop of his blood from her lips, his eyes drifted down, darkening.
"Thank you." Caroline murmured, watching him closely, seeing that his eyes had darkened as he watched her lips and fought off her body's instinctive reaction to him.
"I should be the one thanking you, after everything you've done for me and my family." Klaus Said, allowing her to see the sincerity in his words.
"You were always there when I needed you." Caroline replied earnestly, returning his gaze.
The sound of a throat clearing cut through the air and they both turned to see Elijah and Hayley standing just a few feet away.
"I apologize for the interruption." Said Elijah, though his eyes watched them with curiosity, specifically his brother.
"What is it?" Klaus asked, feeling ire at the interruption.
"I figured we could go get our daughter." Said Hayley, knowing Klaus and the rest of the family would want to see her.
At the mention of seeing his daughter again for the first time his lips ticked up into a smile. He honesty couldn't wait to see how big she gotten or what she was like. And nodded, reaching out taking Caroline's hand, instinctively, heading toward the door.
"Niklaus, you might want to put on a shirt first." Elijah suggested with a smile in his voice.
Klaus glanced down to his bare chest than back up to his brother flashing him a mildly irritated look.
But irritation quickly faded at the thought of seeing Hope again. His hand tightened around Caroline and felt a wave of contentment wash over him at having Caroline at his side and knowing he was going to see his daughter again. In that moment nothing else mattered.
A/N: There's a second part to this. I hope to have it posted soon. Anyway I hope you like it so far.