The Arrangement – Chapter One
Summary: Caroline Forbes just found out her mom has cancer and with no job she's now in financial straits. With excessive medical bills and the threat of losing her childhood home, Caroline is desperate. Klaus is a rich businessman and the employer of her best friend/crush Tyler. When Caroline goes running upset to Tyler, she finds Klaus instead. After a passionate night, Klaus has a proposition that could get Caroline out of her financial problems, but it will come at a price.
Author's Note: This is going to be a Klaroline story. Please review and let me know if you guys are interested in me continuing this fic. Things to also note about this fic is that Klaus and Caroline are both humans. I don't think I'm going to put vampires in this story but you never know.
DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING EXCEPT THE STORY IDEA.
"I'm sorry Miss. Forbes, your mother has cancer." The words bring my world to a halt.
"What?" I ask, shocked. I must have not heard her right. Yes, that's it, I didn't hear the doctor right. My brain is still shut off from my math test earlier this morning.
"Your mother has cancer. It's stage 4 and has metastasized to several of her organs. Best case scenario we could probably give her 6 months without chemo, 1 year or so with it." The middle-aged brunette nurse tells me. She places her hand in the middle of my back, trying to calm me. It doesn't work. Nothing can soothe me now. My mommy was going to die and there is absolutely nothing I can do about it.
"I have to see her. Does she know?" I ask, trying to suppress the tears in my eyes.
"She knows." The nurse tells me. I see her lips moving but her words barely register.
I run down the hallway, ignoring the everything around me and make a beeline for my mother's hospital room. She was just lying there, her short blonde hair skewed every which way. Her eyes closed peacefully as she sleeps soundly. By just looking at her you wouldn't be able to see that she has brain cancer that will probably kill her. She looks like her normal self. She looks healthy.
I can no longer hold the tears back. They rush down my face, soaking the collar of my shirt. I look at my mother's sleeping figure. I can't let her see me this distraught, it would only upset her. I have to go and do something productive, like making scrapbooks for her. She always admires my scrapbooks.
Hearing her stir, I dash out of the hospital room, not wanting to risk her seeing my tears. Right now, I just want to be with Tyler, he always knows how to comfort me.
The office looks mostly empty when I get there. Most of the employees had gone home already. I look at my watch, it's almost 8. Tyler should still be here, he usually got off just after 8. He works on the top floor, being a security guard in the Mikaelson House building.
I take the elevator to the top floor where Tyler is usually stationed outside the executive offices. The tears welling back up in my eyes again as with every elevator ding.
The front desk is empty, and Tyler is nowhere to be seen. I can't take it anymore. My heart is too heavy. My mom has cancer and my best friend is nowhere to be found. The day just kept getting worse and worse.
I collapse and slide down to the floor by the elevator, consumed by tears and screams. I needed to pull it together, I had to be strong for my mom.
"Hello?" I hear a gruff voice say. The accent is not American but instead is British.
I look up to see a tall figure standing over me. It definitely wasn't Tyler.
"I'm sorry, I'll leave. I was just looking for Tyler." I try to say, not sure if it comes out coherently or not. This guy must think I'm crazy.
I try clumsily to get myself off the ground, my heels sliding on the slick floor. I feel an arm wrap around my torso as I am lifted off the floor.
"Are you okay, love?" He asks.
"Yeah, I'm sorry, I thought Tyler was working tonight. I didn't mean to just barge in here." I wipe the tears from my face.
"He was supposed to work tonight, I sent him as security with my sister." He tells me. "If it's an emergency I can call him for you."
"No, I've just had a bad day." I say, as I begin the waterworks all over again. I hit the button to get in the elevator. This was stupid anyways, I need to calm myself down and go back and see my mom.
"Would you like a drink?" The man asks me. I turn back to face him. He looks at me with pity, like I'm a sad puppy in the pound.
"No, I wouldn't want to intrude." I tell him. I don't even know this guy. I shouldn't make him put up with me when I'm in this state.
"Come on, you won't be a bother. I've had a rubbish day as well." He pulls me, stumbling, away from the elevator's opening doors.
He walks us through the darkened hallway and into the room radiating light at the end of the hall.
Once we get past the door I know it must be his office. It has got a huge mahogany desk in the center with a large golden name plate reading "NIKLAUS MIKAELSON". Bookcases cascading every corner behind it. The far wall is all glass windows, showing off the lights of the town. Directly across from the desk is the biggest television I've ever seen in my life.
"What would you like to drink?" He asks. He sits down in the chair behind his desk, swiveling it around to reveal the liquor cabinet.
"I'll have whatever you're having." I tell him, taking a seat across from the desk.
"Bourbon it is then." He takes the big heavy bottle and lays it out on the desk along with two small glasses. "So tell me love, what exactly happened." He asks, handing me a glass of the alcohol.
"My mom has cancer." I take one big gulp, then down the rest of the drink. It burns as it cascades down my throat. The burning turns into numbness as it spreads through my chest.
He stops drinking his bourbon mid drink. He raises his eyebrows as he looks at me. "Oh, man. I'm sorry, that's heavy love." He pours more of the amber liquid into my glass until it's full again before topping off his own glass.
He leans back into his chair, intertwining his fingers together. "Is there anyone I can call for you? I sent Tyler off to protect my sister from self-destructing in Georgia but I can call someone else for you if you want."
"All I need is this Bourbon." I say, lifting my glass, I down the rest of the liquid again. I can feel myself starting to detach from my body as I become buzzed. I take the Bourbon and pour another glass, then another until I can no longer feel anything. He drinks almost as much as me.
He's looking at me like a scientist looks at their project. Everything I do seems to intrigue him.
Putting the empty glass back onto the desk, I go to stand up. "I guess I'll go now. I…" My head begins to spin.
"Woah, woah, love. I can't let you drive yourself. I'm leaving also, I can give you a ride to your house." He tells me.
I don't remember much of the elevator ride down to the ground floor. I'm coherent but the emotional trauma I endured earlier mixed with the numbing bourbon has made me indifferent. I just try desperately to keep my mind off of my mom. Off of the disease ravaging her body.
I slide into the limo with this guy…Niklaus Mikaelson if the name plate in the office was his. Being this close to him makes me realize just how handsome he really is. His eyes are stunning. When he looks at me, even in our drunken stupor, I feel like he can see deep into my soul. There's still a look of pity upon his face. He feels sorry for me, that's the only reason a stranger would do all this.
"Where to?" He whispers to me.
I search my mind for my house address, but it doesn't come to me. All I can think about is being in that house alone. I almost tell him to take me to the hospital but the words don't come out.
Instead of saying an address I just sit there, staring at his beauty with heavy eyes.
"Are you okay?" He asks.
"I don't want to be alone." I tell him.
Without even thinking about it, I lean in and capture his juicy lips in mine. I knew I would regret this in the morning. Hooking up with your best friend, your crush's, boss is never a good idea. I couldn't bring myself to care about the consequences. As he kisses me back, I find myself letting go of all the pain I was feeling. Tonight, I just want to be consoled.
A/N: I hope you guys enjoy this! It's a story I'm quite excited about. REVIEW and let me know if you think I should continue.