"But Damon!" protested Elena. "It's not fair!"
"When are you going to learn, my baby vamp, that life isn't fair?" said Damon, pulling Elena into his embrace. He kissed her on the forehead then pretended to look sternly at her. "No more buts. You're going to college. It's the least you can do after I wasted so much energy compelling various departments just so you can get into the same school as Caroline and Bonnie. Right, Caroline?"
Seated at the Salvatore's cushy sofa, Caroline rolled her eyes dramatically. It's been a month since that eventful graduation day. An entire month since Elena had chosen Damon. And the longest duration Caroline had seen Damon being caring consistently. Even his usual sarcasm was laced with traces of happiness - something Caroline couldn't help but notice from hanging out at the Salvatore's mansion that frequently - an "arrangement" that was owed more to the lack of hangout buddies than anything else.
Stefan haven't returned her call since he left town after he went to dump Silas's petrified body in the ravine. Caroline figured he was still heartbroken so she tried to ease up on the voicemails. Bonnie had texted her and Elena to inform them that she would be spending the summer with her mom. Her replies were infrequent and she never answered her calls. Caroline even had to go down personally to the administrative department to compel the receptionist to check if Bonnie had been accepted into the same college as her. The last time she saw Bonnie was after the graduation ceremony, before she went to employ her witchy powers to close up the veil. Caroline could feel it in her gut that something wasn't adding up. She wanted to ask Jeremy about it, but he was looking so dejected and keeping to himself and avoiding conversations that involved Bonnie, Caroline thought something must have happened between them. So she tried to employ tact and didn't push her luck with him. Matt had gone on a tour with Rebekah, whose guts Caroline both hated and admired. She almost wished she had tagged along - she was that desperate and bored. And Klaus had...
"Caroline! Help me out here!" said Damon, interrupting her thoughts.
Caroline sighed and stood up. She turned to Elena. "Damon's right, Elena. You have to come to college with us. I even helped Damon compel the girl at he dorm just so the three of us can bunk in together."
"See! Miss Mystic Falls agrees!" proclaimed Damon, engulfing Elena in yet another bear hug.
Caroline pretended to gag when Elena giggled like a schoolgirl. She looked at Caroline and said: "Thank you, Care. For everything." Caroline returned a smile at her friend. She was genuinely happy for her that she had found happiness even though she was convinced that Stefan was Elena's one true love, but... it was just too bad.
"I'll leave you two to your lovey-disgustingly-dovey whats-its you guys are doing," declared Caroline, standing up. "I'm just going to... run some errands."
"You sure you don't want to hang out?" asked Elena.
Damon wriggled his eyebrows at her, pretending to be serious, wringing yet another giggle from Elena.
Caroline rolled her eyes for the nth time. "Nope. Pretty sure not. I'll call you. Bye, Elena. Bye, Damon."
"Bye, Care," said Elena as Damon picked her up again and threw her down on the sofa Caroline had just vacated.
Caroline heaved a sigh of relief as she stepped out of the mansion. One could only take so much of such massive public display of affection. She hopped into her car and started the engine, driving autopilot to her house. She parked her car, turned off the ignition, closed her eyes and leaned back in her seat.
"He's your first love. I intend to be your last... no matter how long it takes."
Caroline kept replaying the scene over and over in her head. She raised her hand to touch her cheek at the spot where Klaus had placed a chaste kiss, after his momentous declaration of love. He had proceeded to walk her home and make another speech that was so out of character for him. Just like how it shocked Caroline beyond words that he was actually allowing Tyler to come back to Mystic Falls as her graduation present, he said. She sighed. He had taken all her preconceived notions of him as the enemy and turned them all around, little by little, bit by bit. It was easy to convince herself that she did not harbour any positive thoughts of Klaus - until he had gone and prepared a speech so moving she couldn't deny the stirrings in her heart. But none of it mattered anyway, since he had made up his mind to go to New Orleans and let her "lead the life she deserved".
Caroline gave herself a mental kick. "Damn it, Caroline. You will not mope. You will not pine. You will focus on college and be an overachiever in everything you do!" She took a deep breath and nodded her head. She will make the most of her life by preparing for college - something she had confidence in. It was the most human thing and neurotic Caroline was good at doing human things. Almost.
She grabbed her bag from the passenger seat and stepped out of the car. She was fumbling around in her bag for her house keys when she sensed someone standing behind her. She turned around and her mouth dropped open when she recognized the figure.
"Tyler?" whispered Caroline.
Time seemed to stop as the both of them stood there, eyeing each other intently. Finally, Caroline brain registered Tyler's return and she threw her arms around him. She couldn't believe it. After Klaus left Mystic Falls, she had called Tyler and left him a voicemail, telling him that it was safe to come back, that he could stop hiding. And she had left him several more voicemails, every day, for two whole weeks. But Tyler hadn't returned any of her calls. Yet here he was, standing in front of her... stiffly and not hugging her back. She stepped back hesitantly and searched his face for signs of happiness, but she could find none.
"How did you do it?" asked Tyler, a muscle in his cheek ticking furiously.
She blinked, confused.
"How did you get Klaus to allow me to come back to Mystic Falls? What did you have to promise him this time round? Another date?" Tyler spat out the last word.
"What?!" was the only thing Caroline could get out.
"How could you, Care? How could you trust him after all he's done?"
"But..." stammered Caroline. "It isn't what you think, Ty. Klaus... He saved Damon! Damon was... The veil was down, the hunters came back, and one of them shot Damon. The bullet was laced with werewolf venom. He was dying, Tyler! He would have died if Klaus..."
"Klaus killed my mother, Care," interrupted Tyler. "Klaus killed all my werewolf friends and turned them into hybrids. Then he killed all of them when I set them free of that bastard's sire bond! He killed Jenna, Elena.. And you! He tried to kill you - twice! Have you forgotten? God! How can you stand there and defend him to me? How can you be on his side after all that he's done?" Tyler's voice broke with anguish.
Caroline could only gape as she struggled to gather her thoughts.
"Because you deserve to be happy. Because I want you to be happy. No, I need you to be happy." It wasn't even a compromise. Klaus had given in to her demands completely.
"Tell me the truth, Care. Do you have feelings for him?" Tyler looked dead straight into her eyes.
"I... what? ... No... No! I don't have feelings for Klaus," retorted Caroline weakly. Her heart dropped as soon as the words left her lips. Even she herself couldn't hear the conviction in them.
Tyler shook his head, deflated. The fight seemed to leave his body. Caroline saw his shoulders heave as he took a deep breath. When he looked up, there was a burning intensity in them. She saw in his eyes a gulf between them that had widened impossibly by anger, sadness and disappointment. "I thought you were better than this, Care," he said, turning away quietly.
"Tyler, wait, no..."
But Tyler was gone in a flash.
Klaus sat back in his chair, to all appearances nonchalant and relaxed, enjoying the party. But he was fuming mad inside. He had spent the past month in New Orleans trying to establish his place in the hierarchy in a town he had built. A town that had somehow became Marcel's town. Marcel, Marcel, Marcel. Klaus wanted to drive a stake through his devious heart, or snap his charming neck then rip said heart out, or bite him and wait for him to die of the werewolf venom. Or all of the above. But that useless witch Sophie had forbid him to do anything rash. Forbid. He almost snorted out loud. As if anyone could apply that word to him.
But here he was - not being rash, not being impulsive. Basically a puppet of that idiotic witch who couldn't even practice magic to boot. Curse Elijah and his twisted notion of power and family. Curse that wretched werewolf girl who was carrying his child. But most of all, curse that unfailingly charming guy who was, at the moment, belting out the last high note in that frigging song on the elevated platform in his immaculate and tastefully furnished mansion.
A resounding applause rippled through the crowd as Marcel waved to everyone. Grinning, he announced into his mike: "Thank you. Thank you." Pretending to take an imaginary fedora off his head and sweeping his arm in a dramatic arc before bending down into a low bow. "Now, let the party begin!" The crowd cheered and clapped again. "If it hasn't already!"
Klaus watched as Marcel concluded his little show. People seemed to worship him. Klaus had seen how his lackeys and the girls that hung around him looked at him in adoration. It was a strange thought to grapple with. He had never had that kind of rapport with the people around him. Not even with his hybrids...
Klaus managed to plaster a smile on his face and prevent himself from rolling his eyes as he watched Marcel saunter his way through the crowd, stopping every few seconds to give someone a high five like those pesky celebrities of this time.
"Klaus! How do you find the entertainment tonight?" asked Marcel.
"It's adequate." answered Klaus non-committally.
"Come this way. I'm going to introduce you to the 'sheriff' in our little gang. He's the one who polices the use of magic in this town."
Klaus raised his eyebrows, doubtful.
"There he is. The man of the moment, Tom, if not for whom, we would not have the witching community on their knees." declared Marcel, waving his arm at a tall and well-built guy who looked to be in his mid-30s.
Tom held out his hand and Klaus looked down at it for a moment, before giving a slight nod as acknowledgement. Marcel then made a show of spotting someone in familiar at the opposite end of the room and said: "Well, I'll leave you two to get acquainted then."
Klaus was immediately suspicious. It had been this way for the past five parties they've been to. Marcel would always "introduce" Klaus to someone important in the hierarchy then slip away quietly. Klaus was sure that something fishy was going on when the "VIPs" held on to him, guiding him away into this room or another, pretending to want to share some important information with him to keep up the charade. He had caught on the first time but by the time he managed to extract himself politely - curse the witch and her damn rules again - Marcel would be long gone.
This time, Klaus was not going to let him get away. As he moved to follow Marcel, Tom grabbed on to his arm. Klaus turned slowly and cast a glance at the hand hindering his progress and raised his eyes to fix the guy with a death stare. "Touch me again, and it will be the last thing you will do in your sorry life."
Tom let go of Klaus's arms and held out his hands in mock surrender. But the gesture had cost Klaus a few precious seconds. When he turned away from the imbecile, Marcel was already gone.
Running out onto the streets, Klaus took his cellphone out and dialed Elijah's number.
"He just slipped out. I lost him. Because one of his lackeys was pawing at me! Can't you get the witch to do a tracking spell or something on him? We can't lose him again! Damn it!" swore Klaus, venting his frustration by kicking at the empty can of soda which happened to be lying in his way.
"Bid your time carefully, Niklaus. Marcel will be suspicious after your little episode with his lackey tonight - if he isn't already," chided Elijah. They were standing in the kitchen of the new Mikaelson household which Elijah had acquired it after he got reassurance that Klaus was going to settle down in New Orleans.
"Well, if you and this useless witch," said Klaus, waving in Sophie's direction, "just let me kill him, we would stop him that much sooner."
She stood leaning against the kitchen island with her arms crossed. A few choice phrases to reply Klaus crossed her mind, but she chose to bite them back this time round. Klaus was right. She was useless without magic. Magic that she couldn't perform for Marcel would surely find out and then Anne's sacrifice would be for nothing.
"Be reasonable, Nik. We've already been through this. You don't know how things would go if we took that route. This town is too much under Marcel's influence. As of now, we're outnumbered. It wouldn't be wise to make any rash moves. We should hold out, get under his skin, suss out what he's planning before we show our hand," said Elijah.
At that moment, Klaus caught Hayley loitering behind Elijah.
"What? I was just coming down to get some water," she said indignantly.
Klaus let out a frustrated growl. He starred daggers at the insufferable girl who was the reason for all his problems. She had become the leverage that everyone was using against him, the reason he was no longer the puppeteer but the puppet. Struggling against the invisible strings that were suffocating him, he needed to lash out at someone. He wanted to attack someone to an inch of death, just so he could feel in control again. But his present company didn't make for good victims. So he settled for storming out of the house. He was trapped. And there was no way out - not if he wanted to rule this town. He had to bid his time, like Elijah advised him to. He huffed angrily. He wanted to pick a fight so bad. And although he could feel the cooling breeze walking out in the streets, it did nothing to soothe his anger.
Before he knew it, he had walked into a bar and sat himself at the counter. "Scotch, neat. Make it a double. And quick." Klaus ordered the bartender.
"Hey, if it isn't the $100 guy," he heard the bartender say. He looked up at the smiling blonde, surprised that her name came easily to him. "Camille. Cami."
Camille raised an eyebrow enquiringly at him.
"Klaus."
"I'll get you that Scotch, Klaus."
Elijah watched Klaus's retreating back and sighed inwardly. Getting Klaus to cooperate had never been a walk in the park. But recently. the difficulty level had hitched up a few notches. Klaus had always wanted to do things his way, like a spoilt kid with tons of insecurity issues. Every time things didn't go his way, he would lash out - and that usually included killing someone or stabbing one of his siblings.
"I apologise for Klaus's outburst," said Elijah, turning to face Sophie. "He's generally a disagreeable person. But even more so when things don't go his way."
"Yeah, I might have failed to notice that," replied Sophie sarcastically. She took a breath and stilled herself. She shouldn't vent her frustration on Elijah, who had been nothing short of polite and diplomatic since their first meeting. "I mean, it's fine. Sorry I can't help much. I'm gonna go back and see what else I can dig up that I haven't already. And I'll see what I can do without resorting to magic."
"Thank you. I will see you out."
When he returning to the kitchen, he saw Hayley with her knees drawn up to her chest, balancing on the barstool, a glass of milk in her hand.
"He hates me, you know. I swear I can sit there doing nothing and he would still be able to find fault with me. If it weren't for the abomination growing inside me, I wouldn't be here, " said Hayley defiantly. She stood up suddenly and pushed past Elijah to run to her room before he could see the tears gathering in her eyes.
Elijah downed his Scotch in one gulp. One could only have so much self control before one snapped. And for that moment, he was glad that he didn't have to entertain Rebekah's scowls and moods too.
He leaned back onto the wall and closed his eyes. He wondered how long this ordeal would last.
"Matt, look! Isn't this gorgeous?" said Rebekah. Twirling into the open space at Piazza San Marco with open arms, she created long dancing shadows from the purplish glow caused by the streetlamps and bright moonlight. It was almost 4am in Venice and the plaza was empty except for the both of them.
Matt smiled at her enthusiasm and followed her into the square. The grogginess he felt at being dragged out of his bed in the middle of the night by Rebekah forgotten in the beauty of the scene before him.
"Here, let me show you something,"she said pulling him in the direction of the St. Mark Basilica. Matt had recognised the building from the various guidebooks they browsed at the airport.
Following her lead, they moved as quietly as possible into the church, up numerous flights of stairs, finally finding themselves seated below one of the arches at the top of the Campanile di Marco.
"I used to come here to watch the sunrise after... after Klaus killed Alexander."
"The psychotic caveman ex-boyfriend with the bad hair?"
Rebekah laughed. "I had thought he was really in love with me," her voice bitter with introspect. "If Nik didn't have werewolf blood in him... All of us would have... Nik was so angry after..." she trailed off.
"So you came here to hide from him?"
"Sort of. The hunter's curse drove him mad. It was all my fault. At times when I couldn't take it, I would come here and sit and watch the sunrise. It gave me hope, somehow. Reassured me that the world would keep spinning despite the setbacks you encounter in life. To not be afraid to take that leap of faith to try something new. That there will always be a chance to right the wrongs. That there will always be time to make mistakes and learn from them as long as you're alive. And I was immortal, Matt." She paused and sniffed. "Quite ironic, isn't it, that I, a creature who belonged to the night would see the light as hope. The light that could easily burn me to ashes if not for this flimsy ring I wear."
Matt put his arm around her in silence. Rebekah scooted closer to him, and she thought she saw a familiar silhouette standing at the end of the square, looking in their direction before sulking into an alley. But he was gone in a blink. The nagging feeling was soon forgotten as she watched the first dapples pinkish sun rays peek out from the horizon.
The church bell chimed five times. In unison, two silhouettes stepped toward each other in the dark, nameless alley which smelled of vomit, alcohol and garbage. They were of a similar lean and muscular build and each exuded a confidence and lethal air.
"Have you gotten what we need?" asked the taller of the two.
"Almost there." replied the other shadow.
"We're running out of time. And the boss is getting tired of waiting."
"I know the deadline. We're still far from it. Patience, my friend, is a virtue."
"Try telling that to him," scoffed the first figure. "Still, he wanted to convey his message: You will get him what he wants, then you will get what you want."
"Deal still stands."
"Deal still stands."
Then they each took a step back and turned to walk away.
A/N: Everytime I want to type Caroline I end up getting three letters "Kla" out first. Must be a Freudian slip. I also ship Wallijah - Elijah and any wall that he happens to be leaning against.
What do you think? Good/bad/meh? Too much/little internal dialogue? Let me know! I have the skeleton of the story out, but no buffer because I'm too anxious to get this out first. I'll try my best to update the next chapter as soon as possible. Fingers crossed it's this weekend.
PS: Sorry I love eye rolls so much.
PPS: We're going to check in on the other beloved characters in the next update!