A/N: This was just an Idea that came to me while watching TVD. This is set right after Caroline turns her humanity back on and disappears for a few episodes. To anyone reading my other story: Melt, I've gotten kind of disillusioned with it so I don't know what the future of it will be.
Klaus Mikaelson was the immortal all-powerful original hybrid. He ruled with an iron fist, no exceptions if you stepped out of line you died, it was a simple premise really. After 1000 years roaming the earth he learned that one constant among humanity mortal and supernatural alike was that people obeyed violence. He knew this, he wasn't afraid the rip the head off of anyone who crossed him. He would dagger his siblings if necessary. Most would say that any soul he had was gone, that in the cruelty of life it had been frozen solid and shattered into a million pieces, that there was a pit where his soul should have been. Some even say he was born without one. If you asked Klaus he would probably agree with you, it was easy to fit into a box. He was evil, despised, feared; the enemy. Complexity was messy, Klaus didn't like messy. So when Caroline Forbes walked into his life he ignored it. She was just a girl; collateral damage if necessary, but she defrosted the slivers of soul he had left, she turned up his dimmer switch. It costed him dearly, but she was worth it. He was the big bad hybrid, but he could reduce him to a pup begging for her affection.
Klaus sat in a plush velvet chair that he had procured from a baron at some point in the 1500s. A fire burned quietly in front of him letting out the occasional pop. The Mikaelson compound had a plethora of rooms to choose from, but he liked this one the best, maybe it was the chair. Klaus didn't really know why. The red paint and dark wooden floors made the room feel warm, Ironic. In his hands was clutched a history book on Italy in the 1500s, he read through it picking out all the mistakes, it was one of his favorite past-times. He chuckled at a portion that indicated that Leonardo da Vinci had never tested his helicopter design. He had, and it was an epic failure, so much so that Leo had begged Klaus to compel the memory away from everyone who had seen it. Leo was too smart to hide something an evident of vampirism from. Klaus's reminiscing was suddenly interrupted by the sound of a throat being cleared. He looked up from his book painting a murderous look on his face. It was one of his nightwalker minions standing in the doorway; a lanky boy with dark features. He loved to see them quiver in their trousers and by the looks of him this one was not the brave type.
"What is it?" Klaus asked irritated to have been pulled from his thinking. Such a marvelous process shouldn't be interrupted.
"There's a girl here to see you," The nightwalker did his best to hide the fear in his voice but was doing poorly. He must have been new Klaus thought to him. He liked the new ones best they were extra quivery.
"Whats your name," Klaus said putting a menacing tone in his voice. Smirking when he saw the nightwalker flinch.
"Um its Arthur sir," he gulped.
"Well Arthur If I let every single one of my Lady friends in here I would need a bigger compound so I'm going to need you be more specific." Sometimes he wondered if humans were devolving.
"Um she said her name's Caroline sir, she's ah very drunk sir we have her by the gate."
Klaus vamped to Arthur grabbing him by the neck and violently slamming him against the wall. "If you touched a single hair on her pretty blonde head I will rip out your spine and beat you with it. Then when your spine grows back I'll pull that one out too and compel you to beat yourself with it. " Fury clouded Klaus's face. The color left the nightwalker's face. He always had a talent for colorful threats.
"We didn't sir," the nightwalker choked out, struggling for breath. Since Klaus was pinning him to the wall by his throat. Klaus dropped the nightwalker, pasting a grin on his face he straightened Arthur's shirt and wiped away some the drywall dust that crumbled down from the sudden impact of a medium-sized vampire. Arthur tried to get air back into his lungs as quietly as possible as to not aggravate Klaus any further. Caroline was here? He had known she was gonna show up at his door one day but this was a little soon and drunk. This was not standard Caroline behaviour, but then again when was Caroline ever standard. After getting over his initial shock, he turned back to the nightwalker.
"Well, you should have just led with that, come on lead me to her." The nightwalker put his head down and silently lead Klaus out to the courtyard of the compound. The cement courtyard was a pretty sight at night with a fountain in the middle and fairy lights hung around the borders. The moon cast a white glow illuminating everything in its light. But the point of interest was not the beauty of the courtyard, it was the yelling emanating from a circle of nightwalkers. Klaus could make out the yells perfectly.
"Come on fight me asshat! What you're afraid of little ol me, or is it Klaus you're afraid of huh ah the big bad vampires stuck under the thumb of Klaus, not so scary now are yah." She threw a punch into the air missing any vampire substantially. The vampires circled Caroline giving her a wide berth anytime she took a step. They all remained silent as she attempted to fight them. Although she was seriously lacking coordination since she had one hand occupied by a bottle of some expensive looking liquor and it obviously wasn't her first bottle of the night. Her blonde hair bobbed around with her erratic movements.
"Let me tell you something he's really not that bad he does this thing with his tongue-" Although a drunk Caroline attempting to pick a fight was an amusing sight he decided this was his cue to step in.
"Alright love, I think you've had enough it's time to go inside," Klaus vamped up behind her pulling the liquor bottle out of her hand. Caroline collapsed backwards into his arms.
"Oh my knight in shining armour," Caroline snatched the bottle from his hands and knocked it back giving Klaus a sloppy smile. Klaus remembered the nosy crowd around them and looked up. Putting on his best soulless hybrid look.
"If anyone has a particular attachment to their heart I suggest they disperse immediately," The crowd did just that until the courtyard was bare of any nightwalkers.
"Very macho Klaus," Caroline drunkenly smirked at him. Klaus grabbed the liquor bottle back and whipped it over the roof of the compound.
"Hey the bartender I compelled that from was very cute," Klaus scooped Caroline up into a bridal position and easily walked back inside.
"I'm sure he was love," Klaus smirked at her. He was starting to like drunken Caroline. She was very comical. Once inside he brought her to the sitting room he had been sitting in previously and softly deposited her on a couch.
"Ever the gentleman Klaus," she extended herself gracefully on the couch. Even drunk Caroline was the model of poised.
"I try," he smirked at her.
"I have an idea, let's do shots!" Caroline pumped her fist enthusiastically at this statement.
"Actually I think we better start sobering you up,"
"Party pooper, I didn't even drink that much…well, there was the first bar, then the second, the third is kind of a blur although I distinctly remember body shots. Klaus felt his jaw tighten at the mention of anyone near Caroline's body.
"How about we get you some water," he said trying to unclench his muscles. He stepped into the hall in search for a minion. They were never there when you needed them, brainless creatures. Arthur came round the corner instantly freezing in place at the sight of Klaus.
"Ah Arthur was it get me several bottles of water and several blood bags, and make it snappy Arthur or I'll snap you," Arthur gulped and turned to go get what Klaus asked for. Obviously trying to get away from him as fast as possible. Satisfied Klaus walked back into the sitting room. Caroline was stretched out on the couch chugging a bottle of bourbon. He forgot he had bourbon in this room.
"I see you found the bourbon."
"You threw my bottle over a building, come on Klaus-" Caroline vamped so she was right behind Klaus she leaned into his ear. Her breath tickled his skin. "Have fun," Caroline Forbes was telling him to have fun. When had the roles reversed so dramatically? He wasn't about to be one-upped by Saint-Forbes. He gave her a wink and took the bottle from her hands taking a long swig. The familiar burn went down his throat. Although it barely made a dent, after 1000 years you tend to develop a tolerance. There was a hesitant knock on the door. Minions they chose the worst times. He went to the door opening it to find Arthur holding a basket filled with water and blood bags. Caroline vamped to the door and grabbed the basket from Arthur's hands. She haphazardly threw it towards the couch all though her severe lack of coordination caused it to miss dramatically, spreading the contents onto the floor.
She shrugged and turned back towards Arthur. "Good boy, now get us a music player." Arthur looked absolutely petrified.
"A music player really?" Klaus asked smirking.
"Yes," Caroline gave him her "don't screw with me look". Arthur looked to Klaus for an order.
"Well get the bloody music player then or do you have an objection?" Arthur shook his head, turned on his heels and left to go find a music player.
"Mmm I'm starving," Caroline turned to the blood bags scattered on the floor. She picked up a few and drained them her eyes fluttering shut at the sensation. She threw the empty blood bags onto the floor and flopped down on the couch again. They had an instant sobering effect.
"Why didn't you just drain the cute bartender," Klaus asked, a mischievous look in his eyes.
"Please I may be drunk but I still have my humanity," Caroline retorted. Klaus secretly was glad that Caroline's visit wasn't the result of a switch being turned off.
Klaus sat down in the velvet chair. Turning it so it was directly facing her. He made himself comfy.
"So, why are you here Caroline?"
"Ooh straight to business," Caroline wiggled her eyebrows. At his lack of response, she put on a serious expression "If you must know I lost your phone number."
"You lost my phone number?" Now it was Klaus's turn to raise an eyebrow at her.
"Well, I didn't so much lose it as I did delete it from my phone," Caroline admitted.
"and what terrible event pushed you to such an extreme," Klaus grinned at her.
"Well after our…tryst in the forest I was guilty, so I deleted you from life and your phone number was the first to go." Klaus's expression took on a somber tone.
"You were guilty? Did you regret it… did you regret me." Klaus's expression turned serious.
Caroline looked at him judging his expression before responding "I did at first, let's not forgot you killed Tyler's mom, Elena's aunt and who knows who else but I don't anymore,"
"Why?" Klaus knew he shouldn't be draining Caroline for information in her inebriated state, but he needed to know.
"Well for starters you're good in bed, or should I say against tree," Caroline drunkenly giggled at her own joke.
"Is that it, my sexual prowess?" There was no humor in his voice.
"No,"
"Then what else?" Caroline narrowed her eyes suspiciously at him.
"I'm not drunk enough to divulge that," using Klaus's momentary shock at her words, she snatched the bottle of bourbon still clutched tightly in his hands. She took a long swig and smacked her lips.
"Ah that hit the spot," Klaus was about to speak when another hesitant knock sounded at the door. "Took him long enough," Caroline grumbled. A trembling Arthur stood at the door holding a medium sized music player. Klaus really hated those nightwalkers always found the perfect moment to ruin everything.
"Thank you very much…uh, what's your name?" Arthur gave Klaus hesitant look. Klaus begrudgingly gave him a nod to go ahead.
"Ah Arthur," He gulped again. Klaus suddenly wanted to rip out his throat.
"Well thank you very much, Arthur," Caroline took the music player out of his hands and he turned and left after receiving an approving nod from Klaus. Caroline closed the door behind him.
"Man they're really scared of you,"
"Well I am the big bad Hybrid love, I rip heads off remember," Klaus said smugly. Caroline put the music player on the floor and pulled out her phone. She connected it to the music player choosing her party playlist. Pop music started blaring out the speakers. Caroline began to jump up and down moving to the beat of the song occasionally taking a swig from the bottle. She gave Klaus a sultry look and pulled on his shirt.
"Dance Klaus!"
"This is not music," he said remaining in place and giving her an incredulous look.
"Who cares," Caroline's carefree attitude was contagious and he let her lead him in a series of dance moves that involved a lot jumping and twisting. Caroline grabbed his hands and put them on her hips, Klaus had to admit it was kind of thrilling the music blaring, the movement, and the proximity. It was definitely better then what dance used to be. The beauty of the near teach wasn't nearly as exhilarating as the feel of his hands on Caroline's waist. The way the beat guided their bodies. He even let himself drink liberally from the bottle of bourbon and when that one ran out they cracked open another one although it was Klaus who drank the whole of that bottle then when that one ran out they opened another one until the familiar lull of alcohol took effect and his body loosened. Their dance moves became more erratic. They danced like they were escaping reality and maybe they were. They danced for song after song until they both finally collapsed on the couch breathing heavy from the dancing.
"Who knew Niklaus Mikaelson the soulless original hybrid was capable of fun that didn't involve murdering people." Caroline grinned at him.
"Well I'm capable of a lot of things love," he grinned back.
"I think the bourbon ran out 8 songs ago," she gave him a fake frown holding up the empty bourbon bottle.
"It's probably for the best." They sat in silence listening to the music until Klaus spoke.
"That doesn't answer my question."
"What question?"
"Why you're here, I doubt you came all the way to New Orleans to get drunk and ask me for my phone number."
"It was part of the reason," Caroline trailed off as if her mind had wandered somewhere else. Like there was a thought she couldn't quite grasp.
"What was the other part?" Klaus saw sadness cloud Caroline's face; he shifted to her on the couch and grabbed her hand.
"What's wrong Caroline?" Concern was evident in Klaus's voice.
"Even when you're drunk, you're still ever the gentleman." Caroline attempted a smile, but it came out strained, the earlier humor gone.
"Some things happened and I made some choices. Then when I had to face those choices, I couldn't." Caroline trailed off the memories hurt too much.
"What happened Caroline?" Klaus hurt to see her hurt.
"If I say it it's true and I don't want it to be true yet. I don't want to ruin tonight. Tonight is one night of liberty tomorrow we can deal with the aftermath."
"Okay," The earlier blissful feeling faded leaving a silence between. Filled with all the things neither of them could say.
"You know I've been a vampire a few years, but I've never felt dead. But then I felt so dead, I went through the tunnel and came out dead on the other side and then I was thinking when had I really felt alive? Like standing on a cliff alive, like yelling off the top of Mount Everest alive." Caroline went silent, maybe it was the alcohol, maybe it was just something Klaus had never seen but he couldn't decipher Caroline's face.
"So did you figure it out?" Klaus asked.
"Yah."
"Well." Klaus had an idea, but he wanted to hear her say it. Caroline was like a hurricane that collided with a sun. She swept through and uprooted your life and destroyed your walls, she made you long for things you thought you would never long for again. Then after the hurricane left the sun shined down and made you think that those things you wanted during the storm were actually obtainable. She warmed his cold hybrid heart. The hurricane had already swept through and now he was sole survivor climbing out of the shelter to wait for the sun.
"You." Caroline's voice was soft. A one syllable 3 letter word. A one syllable 3 letter word that made his heart skip a beat. Which made him discover he had a heart. He felt her breath on his face. When had she gotten so close? Their eyes locked inches from each other. Thousands of unspoken words passed between them. He watched Caroline's eyes drop to his lips then back up at him. The both held their breath, daring the other to make a move. Caroline's eyes fluttered shut and she leaned forward and their lips touched. It felt like years to Klaus. Maybe it was the alcohol, maybe it was their exhaustions from dancing, and maybe it was all the tension that had built up between them all the dreams and fantasies that they had secretly wished for. But they kissed and all the grey in their worlds became colored and as soon as their lips parted that faded so they didn't part their lips and they both found refuge in each other. The kissed deepened and suddenly Caroline was lying under him. Her hands were in his hair and on his neck; everywhere she touched felt like fire had burned his skin. He moved from her lips to kiss her collarbone savouring each taste of her. Suddenly the clothing between them felt like a wall, a wall that needed to be removed, but as she reached for his shirt he smelled the alcohol on her breath and he was pulled out of the fantasy. This wasn't right, as good as he felt being with her, he wanted to be with her wholly, not her drunken mistake.
"Caroline we need to stop," His voice was gruff with lust.
Caroline groaned in protest and it took every inch of self-control Klaus had built up in his 1000 roaming the earth to not abandon all his morals and take her right there.
"Caroline, kissing you feels amazing and if I could I would never stop, but you drank your way through 3 bars tonight and who knows how much bourbon love and if tomorrow morning you wake up and still want to do this I'm all for it, but tonight I think it's time to go to sleep." Caroline nodded at him groggily. Klaus gave her a strained smile and picked her up bridal style. She rested her head against his chest and drifted off in his arms. The weight of their moment and the lulling effect of alcohol putting her to sleep. She was peaceful when she slept, almost angelic. He walked to his room, one of the master suites in the compound. He tucked her into his bed and walked away. Although each step was painful he made it back to the sitting room without going back on his decision. He sat down in his plush velvet chair stolen from baron at some point in the 1500s. The fire long forgotten had burned down to embers and he watched it thinking that now he finally had a reason for this to be his favorite room and that maybe he could wait another day for the sun to shine.