Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
Author's Note: This is my first time writing these characters so I really hope I do them and their relationship justice. This is different parts in Season 3. This is for Klaroweek.
Klaus watched as yet another wolf's eyes started bleeding the red standing out in contrast to their face. The Ripper had already disappeared to go after Ray. He was starting to wonder if it was a good thing or a bad thing with the reactions of the wolves. This hadn't happened to him but perhaps that was because he was an Original. Sighing he stepped closer to the nearest female hybrid and stared at the trails of red making their way down her face.
He lifted her chin and stared at the eyes hoping something would change; something would end up fixing itself instead he saw the feral look in her eyes as she lost her sense of reason. He recognized it as a sign of attack and yet he waited hoping that something might snap into place but as her teeth changed and she lunged at his throat he broke through her chest and yanked out her heart.
The dead hybrid fell to the ground and he turned around to look at the rest of them. There was a group of them in the shadows huddled together their bodies shivering as the life force continued to leave their bodies. He stood there even as he heard another of his hybrids running towards him. Turning he shoved his hand through his chest crushing his heart and watched as the light left their eyes. The body fell to the ground a second later.
Hearing a noise that he didn't want to be hearing he turned to the group and watched as one by one they fell into the darkness that already surrounded them. A few more attacks happened and he killed them while he watched the rest of what was supposed to be his hybrids fall away until the only one left standing was him.
Failure.
That was what it was.
And Stefan had not returned yet. Surely he would since he knew that only Klaus could save him. Klaus sat down on one of the rocks and picked up the dark bottle staring at his failure. He supposed there perhaps was no way and that he would be alone. As he stared a lone figure came through the shadows and into the dim light before dropping the body of the first hybrid.
"They went rabid. Some of them I killed and the others just…" he paused remembering the light leaving their eyes…leaving the bodies and him to darkness, "bleed out." Klaus grabbed the bottle and stood up moving closer to Stefan, "In the end," he looked up, "they're all dead."
All of them dead.
Not one of them there to stand beside him.
Not one to stand with him.
Not one to stand for him.
And for what?
They had searched all summer and finally found a pack of wolves and for nothing. He felt the rage that had started to build burst out of him. Yelling he threw the bottle and then continued his anger out towards the sky feeling the need to rip into something…anyone. This was supposed to work. Turning back to his silent companion he roared, "I did everything I was told!" He had spent all those centuries on knowing how to break the curse it should not have been a failure, "I should be able to turn them. I broke the curse; I killed a werewolf," the memory of tearing out that woman's heart flashed through his mind, "I killed a vampire," the aunt had gone after his witch but it didn't matter as he had flashed over there and staked her watching her light leave thus completing the two sides of him, "I killed the doppelganger," he remembered as he had her blood slid down his throat and when her heart beat no more and there was nothing left he was free.
That was it. He was free of the curse his Mother had placed on him a millennium ago. He had felt it. There was something else wrong. Something else that needed to be done or taken care of in order to make his hybrids work and he knew where the answer lay. Looking up he noticed Stefan looking horrible as he stood there still not saying anything, "You look like hell."
Finally he spoke up, "Last I checked I'm dying," he held his arm out as proof the wound festering, "and you don't want to heal me." Klaus looked back at Ray, his first hybrid. Stefan must have noticed, "I had to take him out. I didn't have another choice." Then words that Klaus was not expecting came out, "I failed you. I'm sorry." He walked close enough for Klaus to be able to reach in and tear his heart out or break his neck or a thousand other things. Stefan did not lose eye contact, "Do what you need to do."
If Stefan was under the impression that Klaus was going to kill him then he was wrong. Klaus was not going to kill his friend; he wanted him by his side. Besides there was another problem here, "It should have worked." Klaus turned and got one of the other beer bottles off the ground before turning back to Stefan. Biting his hand he squeezed his blood into the bottle and handed it to Stefan, "Bottoms up." After Stefan took the bottle Klaus knew it was time to go, "We're leaving."
He began walking off but stopped and looked at the bodies littered across the once vibrant campsite. His hybrids were dead. Something had happened to cause that and he needed to figure out what it was. Usually the site of a battlefield was something to behold but seeing this only allowed the darkness within him to grow around his heart, he was once more alone. Though the hybrids were with him for a short time, he was now alone and unless he could figure it out he would always be alone.
His eyes turned to Stefan.
Almost alone, "It appears as though you're the only comrade I have left." Taking one last look at the bodies he turned and walked off.
Caroline could feel that Tyler still had his arms around her. She felt safe. She had Tyler there to keep her safe and she knew that he Mom was still in the house also there to protect her if her Dad came back.
Another sob escaped her as she realized that she had endured another round of torture but this time it was her own Dad who had done it. Over and over and over. She could still feel the sunlight burning through her skin. She could feel the hopelessness as she cried over and over for her Dad to stop. He had insisted it was because he loved her but if you loved someone could you really hurt them like he had her.
She didn't think she had to be fixed. She didn't want to be fixed. Though she had initially not been sure on the Vampire thing she had soon found that she could defend herself, she wasn't scared about things that she was sure would have frightened her before. And she would never age. That had been something she was back and forth on but really in the end she liked that.
Then the first shock came when she was shot by Mrs. Lockwood. That had not been as much painful as it had been worry that had moved through her. She wasn't sure what how she had known about Caroline or why she was going after her in this way. All she knew was that she hoped someone would come for her and that she would be able to last until they did.
In truth she knew that the real horror had been when she realized it was her Dad who was going to be the one torturing her. That was something that she couldn't have even conceived happening. It was true that her Mom hadn't easily gotten used to it but her Mom hadn't tortured her. She didn't think her Dad could…or ever would want to.
As she moved closer to Tyler she felt her ring press against her and all she could do was remember the feeling every time the sun had touched her. Then looking up and seeing her Dad's face and realizing how he felt about her.
Almost as if sensing her thoughts Tyler tightened his grip on her. More tears fell as she realized that even though she had these people on her side becoming a vampire seemed that it might be the end of her relationship with Dad.
Klaus was grateful that Rebekah had kept her comments quiet as they made their way in the truck. He sat there staring at his currently dead friend. He didn't want to think that Stefan was keeping something from him but Rebekah had. And he knew Rebekah; he trusted her. She might very well know what she was talking about.
So they were back in Mystic Falls. Perhaps when he got rid of whatever it was they could move forward and Stefan could let everything go. He had given Stefan the memories back; surely he could remember all the fun times they had together. They had been just like brothers. He glanced at the current coffin he was sitting on. Placing a hand on Elijah's coffin he hoped his brother was enjoying the time out he deserved.
Elijah had shown that he couldn't be trusted. Klaus had perhaps once more wrongly assumed the loyalty of another. He truly hoped that Rebekah was wrong and that Stefan would be on his side, with him. There was only one way to find out and that was to go forward and if Stefan did prove to against him maybe he would still find the loyalty of those who he would create.
Looking around the dark truck he laid his eyes on each of the other coffins, Kol…Finn…Esther….he swallowed and his eyes rested back on Stefan. Sighing he got up and kicked his dark boots and the moved back against the side of the truck. Stefan woke up and then hurriedly sat up looking around in…shock. He moved away from Klaus towards Kol's coffin and held up his hand in peace, "Just give me a chance to explain myself okay?"
He smiled, "No need. I'm not mad; I'm just curious. Rebekah seems to think you're holding onto something because of your old life. The thing is she's got flawless instincts borderline supernatural so I thought" he leaned forward, "I would check it out, see for myself what it is you've been hiding." He watched his friends' face for the signs of shock or worry and so a little bit of worry. Standing up he walked towards the back of the truck and opened the back letting the light shine on Stefan, "welcome back to Mystic Falls Stefan." Stefan slowly walked until the light shone on him. Klaus stood by the remaining shadow from the truck and watched Stefan with interest.
He would soon know what it is Stefan is hiding and hopefully then they could be free of this place and be able to move forwards with his plans and perhaps be fully at peace.
Caroline shut the door to her house thinking about Tyler. Sure he was sired but he wouldn't let that stop what he really wanted right? She thought about being with him and how everything had just fallen into place.
She trusted Tyler and she knew that he would keep her safe. He had been there for her when her Dad had tried to 'fix her'. He had been there when she and Matt had broken up. He was there for her just like she was there for him. And now…
She sighed as she made her way into her room shutting the door and getting into her pajamas. All she needed was some sleep. If she could sleep.
Ever since the Originals had come to town it made it hard to sleep. And now Rebekah was on her cheerleading squad. Something that was completely unacceptable. Another thing unacceptable was the fact that Tyler seemed to be all for Rebekah. In a way she knew, she just knew, that had to be the sire bond speaking and yet it really seemed as though the old Tyler was back.
Maybe that was the whole thing with the sire bond.
That thought brought about how Tyler had been killed. Sure he was alive now but he had died. He had died because Klaus had come and decided that he was going to play with people like they were toys or something. And now Tyler was sired to him.
Just one more thing to lose.
She got underneath her covers. She didn't want to lose Tyler but this life seemed intent on pulling everything away from her. That didn't mean she was going to give up but memories of her Dad in that room came back along with Tyler.
She burrowed further under her blankets and hoped that with sleep she'd be able to wake with renewed strength.
Klaus stared at Rebekah as her body once more changed; he hated having to dagger her again. Once more he would be alone. He had finally killed their Father but now he didn't have his family anymore. Stefan, the one he thought was his friend, had stolen them. He had stolen his family. Not only that, but Rebekah had found out what he had done to their Mother.
He touched her hair and sighed; he didn't want to lose her but if he left that dagger out it might very well happen. Rebekah would leave him and he really would be all alone. He looked out of the room he was currently in and saw the light briefly touching the inside of the room. He gave his sister one last look and left the room but not the darkness he could still feel.
He had become a hybrid. He had made more of him. He had them with him now. This home was made for his family. Now the only one who could live in it right now would be Rebekah and he wasn't sure if she would after what she had discovered. And Elijah…Kol…even Finn…Stefan had stolen them. They were the one thing Klaus had never stolen and now they were gone.
Just more proof that he couldn't really trust anyone. He walked into his studio. The art easel was there with a fresh canvas and yet he didn't feel any sort of inspiration. Instead all he felt was a need to tear someone's heart out and although he knew that he should kill Stefan he didn't want to lose his one friend.
He looked out the window and into the black sky feeling a bit calmer as he saw that the night sky reflected how he felt. He had to get his family back and he didn't care what it would take.
Caroline looked in the mirror as she tried to put in the enthusiasm that she was sure her friends would hope she had for her party. Looking at herself she realized that she didn't think she could end up happy, not really. She was stuck at seventeen just like she told her friends; there was no way around it. Her Dad hated what she was so much that he tortured her to fix her rather than try to understand that she was the same. And to top it off Tyler was sired to Klaus.
She had Tyler and they were happy. She just couldn't handle him being sired. And to Klaus of all people. It wasn't fair. But since when had her life ever really been fair? And it only increased in the unfairness since she had died.
It was being a vampire that ruined everything.
Because she was a Vampire she had lost her Dad, Matt, Tyler and any life that she wanted before. Everything was gone. And there was nothing.
Caroline looked over at her clock and realized that she still had to go and meet them. Looking back in the mirror she forced a smile and decided that was as good as it was going to get before turning and walking out the door.
Klaus looked up at the Forbes house. He remembered when Tyler had come running to him very upset at both Klaus and himself for having bit his lovely girlfriend. Klaus could hardly see why it was his fault exactly after all Stefan had been able to withstand being compelled to hurt Elena it had only been when Klaus had turned off Stefan's emotions that he did so. Klaus hadn't turned off Tyler's emotions.
Besides with this he would be in the Sheriff's good graces and that was one more check on his list. He had almost lost the Doppelganger because of Stefan's tantrum and he still hadn't returned his family yet.
Klaus let all those thoughts drop when he knocked on the door. The human boy, Matt, opened the door glaring at him. Klaus just kept his hands behind his back, "Tyler came to see me. Poor boy he seemed quite distressed. He said Caroline had had a terrible accident."
The boy stared at him before replying, "You made him do this to her; he would have never done something like this."
"I'm here to help Matt. My blood will heal her. Please ask the Sheriff to invite me inside."
"I know how this game works. You want something in return."
Very blunt. He shook his head slightly, "Just your support."
He continued looking at her without any deception or anger on his face making sure he saw that it was as simple as him wanting her support and wanting to heal her daughter. He watched as her gaze fell from severe to that of what a real Mother should look like, "Come in."
He stepped over the threshold and couldn't help sending the boy a look letting him know that he was powerless.
Liz showed him her daughter's room and then walked back leaving him to heal her daughter. Klaus walked into the bedroom and looked at the girl lying on the bed. He had noticed how beautiful she was before tonight but he noticed there was something else about her. Out of the corner of his eyes he saw the birthday cards.
Before he even had a chance to say anything the baby vampire asked, "Are you going to kill me?"
It was blunt and so honest that Klaus was taken aback, "On your birthday, do you really think that low of me?"
"Yes."
Klaus moved over to her and pulled off the covers seeing the festering bite which really did look quite horrible, "Ahhh, that looks bad. My apologies, you are known as collateral damage, it's nothing personal." The young vampire looked back up at him. It really wasn't personal though he needed an in with the Sheriff and what better way than saving her daughter's life? There was something different about this way. He was impressed that she would very openly speak without flinching or any fear or worry in her eyes. His gaze fell on a simple bracelet that must have been a birthday present. Perhaps from Tyler? He touched the bracelet, a smile touching his lips as he remembered different birthdays from the past, "I love birthdays. "
She scoffed, "Yeah, aren't you like a billion or something?"
"You have to adjust your perception of time when you become a vampire Caroline. Celebrate the fact that you are no longer bound by trivial human conventions, you're free. "
"No." Caroline looked up at him, "I'm dying. "
The fierceness and yet complete resignation with her fate stirred something in Klaus. Sitting on her bed he looked at her, "And I could let you, die, if that's what you want. If you really believe your existence has no meaning. I've thought about it myself, once or twice over the centuries, truth be told." She was looking at him as though she wasn't sure on why he was telling her or why he wanted to tell her anything. He leaned closer to her remembering what it was that had helped him get by all those lonely decades, "But I'll let you in on a little secret: there's a whole world out there waiting for you. Great cities, and art, and music." He reached down and touched her bracelet again before turning his gaze back on her, "Genuine beauty. And you could have all of it." He paused seeing the tears in her eyes, "You can have a thousand more birthdays, all you have to do is ask."
In truth he hoped that she would want to live but he knew at that moment it would be her choice. She looked up at him with the tears in her eyes that he didn't think she would show him. He watched as the choice became evident in her eyes. Finally she spoke, "I don't wanna die."
He could hear her truth in those words. Hear the utter longing to live and have all that he told her she could have. He pushed up his jacket and sleeve of his right arm. He then gently moved her into a sitting position almost resting against his chest. Raising his arm to her he softly said, "There you go sweetheart, have at it." He felt as her fangs dropped into his arm and as his blood brought life back to he whispered, "Happy birthday Caroline."
He let her drink until he was sure she would be healed. By the time he laid her hand back on her pillow her eyes were drifting shut. He knew that she must have had the poison in her for a while so it was sure to take the toll on her. Even though his mission was accomplished he couldn't help that feeling of not quite wanting to leave. Walking into her room and spending this little time with her he realized there was a light that shone from her, perhaps that was part of the beauty he had first noticed, perhaps not. Regardless it was there.
His gaze fell to her neck as he saw the bite was completely gone. Sighing he knew that he should leave; there were many other things that needed his attention. He didn't want to be out of this light he felt from her but he knew that he needed to leave. Standing up he exited her room but not before one last glance back at her light.
Caroline woke up after the night was over. She slowly sat up; she was still alive. She felt her neck and there was no more bite mark. She was alive. She was safe. Before she could think about more than that simply fact she looked over at her bedside table and noticed a long rectangular box with a white ribbon tied around it.
Picking it up she saw there was a stiff piece of white paper sitting atop it. Turning it over she saw the note read, 'From Klaus'. Unsure as to what he would leave her especially since she couldn't understand why he would leave her anything she pulled the ribbon off and opened the box. Inside it sat one of the most beautiful bracelets she had seen.
To say she was shocked was an understatement.
Who was she to this man? She was nobody. A means to an end, 'collateral damage.'
After Tyler had bit her she knew that she was going to die. After all it was a werewolf bite and what else could be done about it. Matt had brought her home and there was nothing her Mom, Matt or she could die. And then he had entered her room. He seemed to be almost taken aback by the fact that she had considered him low enough to kill her on her birthday; it didn't mean that she held back from telling him so. After all look at what he had done to Stefan. To Tyler.
And anyways she figured if she died then everything would be solved. She just wasn't sure if she really wanted to continue. But instead of forcing her to drink his blood he had talked to her.
'And I could let you, die, if that's what you want. If you really believe your existence has no meaning. I've thought about it myself, once or twice over the centuries, truth be told.'
He was a thousand years old and he had thought of dying. True it was only a couple of times but was it so wrong that she had considered the ease with which everything would come if she had died? Having the bite only made it more obvious that nothing could be done about it.
'But I'll let you in on a little secret: there's a whole world out there waiting for you. Great cities, and art, and music. Genuine beauty. And you could have all of it. You can have a thousand more birthdays, all you have to do is ask.'
Everything he said spoke to that part deep within her that wanted to see that. She wanted to go and see the world that was waiting; she may not want to do it right then but she wanted to go. To see everything that the world had to offer. Being a vampire she had realized the possibility of going to certain places she might not have been able to do if she had still been human.
Perhaps had someone else said that she might have decided to still live but there was something so heartfelt…so real that came from Klaus during what he said that she couldn't help but believe in that sincerity of those words. The idea that she would be around as long as he was still was barely within her thoughts and yet to be able to have that world, the genuine beauty, that was something she did want.
Even though her Dad had tried to fix her. Even though Tyler was sired. Even though she and Matt had broken up. Even though all those things had happened she still had much. Her Mother and she had never been closer. She considered Stefan as one of her closest friends. Elena and Bonnie were still there for her. Matt was still her friend and cared for her. And Tyler did love her.
'Genuine beauty. And you could have all of it.'
Caroline looked once more at the bracelet and then shut the box. Her life suddenly meaning so much more. And although the meaning had come about because of the one person who seemed to be after the destruction of everyone and everything she loved she still couldn't help but feel that gratification of not only his blood healing her physical but his words healing that broken part of her that had been taking over her.
Setting down the box she got up renewed with those words which would always be with her.