Caroline hadn't moved an inch from her perch on the Gilbert's porch swing. The retreating forms of both Klaus and Tyler ghosted before her, memories that left a tight ache in her chest. She wanted to leave, but somehow, it was as though she were glued in place, her hand tightly clutching one of the two chains that held the swing suspended in midair.
Her phone rung, vibrating in her pocket. Her limbs felt as though they were made of stone, frozen in time and space, but she forced herself to methodically drag her palm down her side and retrieve the device.
Elena.
Caroline's heart sank. Of all people, Elena Gilbert was one of the last Caroline wanted to talk to at the moment. Perversely, Caroline had wished that Klaus' name would appear on the touchscreen, or perhaps even Tyler. However, she knew well that if they had obtained the cure, Elena would want to tell Caroline the good news - or, if they hadn't, the bad news. Despite herself, Caroline hoped that they hadn't; why should Elena get her happy ending while Caroline didn't - and never would?
"Hello?" Caroline sighed, answering the call. She held the phone to her ear, pushing her blond curls over her hand where their orderly placement had been disturbed.
"Caroline!" Elena sounded neither happy nor disappointed, but instead, panicked. "Where are you?"
"I'm still at the lake," Caroline answered. She was careful not to give her friend hint of her emotional state, but Elena knew Caroline better than she was given credit for. She immediately picked up on the dreary tone she received in response.
"Care? What's wrong?"
Caroline paused. "It's...nothing. Just some drama with Tyler and Klaus, again." She scrambled to change the subject before Elena went probing for more information. "Did you find the cure?"
"Oh, right! Care, listen carefully to me. We don't have much time; Katherine hijacked the boat."
Caroline's blood ran cold, and her stomach fell to the same depths as her heart. She swore she would be sick.
"Did you say...did you say Katherine?"
"Care, she's back." Suddenly, the rest came tumbling out of Elena's mouth, as though she were on overdrive. "She just showed up out of nowhere! She must've been following us this entire time...she was waiting for us, Care. And Jeremy's gone. Katherine has the cure, and Bonnie's still out cold."
"What happened to Bonnie?" Caroline stood up, pacing the length of the porch as if she were a madwoman.
"Doesn't matter. Stefan's with her now; she just won't wake up. When she does, we're going to head back as soon as we can."
"It can't be Katherine," Caroline argued, trying to convince herself more than anyone out of it. "What about Shane? He's a total creep; maybe he has something to do with it. Or maybe it wasn't real."
Elena sighed sympathetically. "It's definitely Katherine. We don't have time for this. You don't have time for this. Care, you've got to get out. Skip town."
Her next words caught Caroline off guard, and she almost stumbled off the porch.
"Get Klaus."
"Elena, are you crazy?" Caroline gasped, clutching the wooden paneling on the side of the house for support. "This is Klaus we're talking about. Do you really think he'll help me? Elena, I - "
"He loves you," Elena argued, her tone indicating that she wasn't in the mood for this. "As much as I hate it, too - as much as we all hate it - he'll keep you safe. Get out of there. Klaus will know what to do, where to take you."
Caroline sighed in defeat. Elena was right about one thing - they didn't have the time to spare. Katherine had killed her once, and if past experience was any indication, she had no qualms towards doing it again. Caroline could very well be on her hit list, especially if Katherine wanted to provoke Klaus. She might have the same idea as Rebekah once had; she could cripple him with loss, bring him out, and force the cure on him. Five hundred years running from a madman probably didn't go over well with one's moral compass.
"Alright, I'm...I'm leaving now," Caroline informed Elena, taking the stairs two steps at a time. A snapping sound echoed from nearby, and Caroline broke into a supernaturally aided sprint.
As she pulled the driver's side door open, Elena offered her friend a parting piece of advice.
"Good luck, Care."
Caroline pounded on Klaus' front door with reckless abandon, her blond curls plastered against her neck from the overhead storm. Her thin cardigan was more suited for summer weather, leaving her a shivering mess.
"Klaus! Klaus!" She cried. The door began to ease open, and as her fist surged forward once more, a strong hand captured it before it could connect with his face. Caroline froze.
There, before her, an alarmed Klaus stood, dressed in a mere towel with his own sandy blond curls sticking unceremoniously to the back of his neck. Assessing her, he stepped aside and she ducked under his arm, seeking solace in the parlor.
"What do you want, love?" He spat acidly, careful to avoid eye contact. Had he been in a better mood, he may have taken her cardigan and hung it for her, but she did so herself. Still, regardless of his hurt pride, he hadn't been able to bring himself to turn her away, especially after seeing the relief and fear flooding her eyes.
"We need to get out of here," Caroline gasped, beginning to pace circles around the leather armchair in the next room over.
"Trying to buy more time for Tyler, sweetheart?"
He instantly regretted his words, seeing hurt flash in her eyes. She paused in her pacing, lower lip trembling.
"I...I don't know where he is," She admitted, shifting her weight nervously. Quickly, she changed the subject, resuming her earlier motions. "But I know where Katherine is."
Klaus looked up from the two glasses of champagne he had begun to pour with a renewed interest. He had chased the rogue vampire for over five hundred years, and he was still as intent as ever on ending her life. Although he had ultimately succeeded in his goal of breaking the curse and becoming a full-fledged hybrid, he had a score to settle with the doppelganger.
"Why are you telling me this?" He asked suspiciously, handing her a glass. He patted one of the cushions on the couch, and Caroline gratefully took her seat and a long sip of champagne before elaborating.
"Because Katherine isn't just back. She's back here. In Mystic Falls."
That certainly simplified things for him. Though, he couldn't help but allow for his curiosity to take hold for the time being.
"You expect me to believe that Katerina is so foolish as to walk directly into my arms?" Klaus stood before her, towering overhead in a display of intimidation. "Have your little friends decided it the most practical use to cure and do away with me? Trying to lure me with the promise of revenge?"
"No," Caroline quickly said. She countered his behavior, standing as well. Although she was significantly smaller than he was, she felt as though she had gained just the slightest bit more leverage.
"She has the cure," She continued, giving him a moment to allow her words to sink in. While Klaus had no reason to be frightened by Katherine, the cure was an ever present threat to his immortality and, subsequently, power.
"Then I will take it from her," He countered, turning away. Obviously, their conversation was going nowhere fast, and Caroline scrambled to catch his attention once again, but the one thing she had been hoping to avoid was all that sprang to mind.
Caroline rested her hand on his shoulder, swallowing nervously. "I'm in danger, Klaus," She whispered.
Klaus whipped around to face her, the expression he wore severe and penetrating. He loomed over her, eclipsing her in his tall shadow. She swallowed, backing away until, finally, she found the couch again and collapsed onto it.
The fury that was expressed in his lightly-colored eyes did not waver, though the knowledge that it was not for her was a quick relief. While she had become stronger with each and every passing day, she feared that she wouldn't be able to take down Katherine, even on a bad day. Even if she were to have strength on her side, Katherine was cunning and quick-witted, and rationality through a mind clouded with adrenaline was not a skill Caroline had yet mastered. Klaus had realized this, too - her age was certainly a liability in this scenario. In a fit of rage, he lifted the bottle of champagne - which was probably more aged and consequently more expensive than anything Caroline had ever owned - and broke it against the brick wall. Deep green glass shattered at his feet, and a puddle of liquid that glimmered gold when caught in the light pooled at his feet. His shoulders rose and fell rapidly for several moments, as his fists clenched and unclenched. Finally, the anger seemed to subside, and he turned back towards Caroline, decidedly far more calmed than he had been since she had appeared on his doorstep.
"I can protect you," Klaus rationalized, taking a seat beside her. She didn't fight him as he laced his fingers with hers. She even reciprocated the touch, squeezing his hand lightly. "As long as you remain with me, you'll be safe."
"I can't stay at your side constantly, Klaus," Caroline argued, regarding him with pleading eyes. "I can't stay in Mystic Falls. She'll kill me."
"She won't lay a finger on you!" He roared, veins as black as ink stretching from all corners of his eyes. He reached for his flute of champagne, prepared to break it as easily as he had the bottle, but he paused at the squeeze Caroline gave his shoulder. She gripped it tightly, rubbing circles into his shoulder, and slowly, the veins retracted, and the calm returned.
"Then take me away from here," Caroline begged, taking his hand in hers. She leaned closer, blue eyes gleaming with both passion, and some foreign brand of trust. "Please."
Klaus studied her for several moments. He searched for even the most fleeting glimpse that she may be lying, but all he found was fear and faltering hope. He led her hand to his lips, kissing her palm gently and releasing it before he stood again.
"I am going to go prepare for our leaving," He informed her, his tone gentle and soothing. "Don't think of leaving. I'll escort you to gather your things. My assistant, Miranda, will wait with you for the time being." As though on cue, the pretty, slim blond she had seen with Klaus on several occasions appeared, seemingly not compelled. Klaus left them then, disappearing to the second level via the spiraling staircase.
Although Caroline honestly attempted to make small talk with Miranda, she found that her nerves were too tightly wound to allow her to talk of much other than how grateful she was for Klaus at the moment. The conversation fizzled, and Caroline took to gazing outside the window for the time being. As she waited, she began to pick oddities out of the scene that she could see from the window. A rock out of place, a browning leaf hanging on what was literally its last limb. It was no surprise to her that she noticed a movement, as though black ink was swimming against a black backdrop. At first, she discounted it as a small animal, but the systematic behavior seemed all too human for a squirrel, bird, or any other sort of forest creature. She squinted, moving closer to get a better look. As she did, her nose tapped against the glass, eliciting a soft sound. A flash of illuminated white - flesh -appeared, though the view Caroline received was brief. It was most definitely human, however, and somehow, it had been able to detect the tap of Caroline's nose to a glass. She only knew one sort of creature that could hear that well.
A vampire.
As it fled, the urge to chase after it was one difficult for Caroline to squelch, but she managed to exercise the self control necessary to stay inside. Instead, she focused on trying to discern some other sort of recognizable feature in the darkness. Maybe it was just a teenager, and she was overreacting. Just as the person disappeared into the brush, she determined a single thing.
A brunette's curls.
I hope you enjoyed it! As of right now, I'm going to try to update this coming Wednesday. You can find me on Tumblr at beautyqueenforbes.