Ok, so this is my first fanfic ever, so be kind. I am by no means a writer, so bare with me. First off, although I like writing this, I've actually held onto this for almost 2 years! I kept going back and fort because honestly, the shows kinda destroyed my love of the characters. I don't watch either of them anymore but I know a few names and basics for a couple of the new permanent cast that I am including. As I stated before, I'm not a writer in anyway, but I get creative at times and use different outlets; this is one of them. I don't know if I'll write any other fic besides this but who knows.
A few things, I have basic plot points and an ending in mind, but again who knows, I may completely change it. This follows a lot of different characters, but it is mainly Klaroline (and although it is Klaroline centric, they don't actually meet for a while... They have their own journeys beforehand). There is no Haley (besides maybe a snide jab down the road), nor is there a Camille (sorry but never jumped onto the Caroline 2.0 bandwagon), also barely any Elena (I prefer Katherine :D ). This spans a lot of years so there are gonna be a few fast forward moments/scenes. I'm still not sure how I'll be spacing the chapters and I'm still filling in gaps, so I may not post the next chapter for a while, but I did want to at least put up the starting point.
Alright, without further ado, my story….
PS. I appreciate criticism but what I won't tolerate is just plain mean comments, so please be aware that I do pay attention. Let me know what you think, Thanks!
Edit: So that people are aware, Klaus and Caroline's first interaction is in what I've labeled as Chapter 7. This is the prologue not Chapter 1.
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Mystic Falls High
Its graduation day and Caroline couldn't be more ecstatic. They'll all officially be entering the adult world and will be able to create the lives they've always dreamed of. She's standing alone contemplating the future that's ahead. Her blonde curls sway in the light breeze as she adjusts her cap so it doesn't mess up the hard work it took to get everything perfect.
She sends out a group text to the girls to meet behind the bleachers before they have to line up. Elena and Katherine show up first. They might be twins and they may have looked identical when they were kids, but now they're like night and day. Elena is sunshine, always smiling and friendly towards everyone while Kat is darkness, always looking for trouble and only close to those few she's let in and learned to trust. But, they're both her best friends and fill different roles in her life.
Elena glides up to Caroline and hugs her; her pin straight hair flowing around her. "What's up Care?" She pulls back and smiles.
Caroline returns the smile. "Let's wait for Bonnie." Caroline has an announcement for them, as well as a question. They sit down on one of the benches to wait.
Kat starts to get restless; she wants this day to be over. She keeps fidgeting and pulling on her gown. "God I hate this thing. It's itchy! I can't wait till I'm out of this stupid gown and we can go celebrate the way we should." She smirks, thinking of the partying she has planned for them. She takes off her cap, running her hand through her curly locks. She was ready to party and be done with high school since the first day they even started.
"Hey, guys!" Bonnie comes running up to them, the sun making her caramel skin shimmer, "sorry I took so long. Grams kept wanting to take pictures. I don't know what she's gonna do when I actually get up on stage to get the diploma." They all laughed.
"At least you don't have to give a speech. Everyone expects me to say something amazing. I think my choices are going to surprise them later, like they did my mom, dad and Matt this morning." Caroline looked apprehensively at her best friends. She was sure she was doing the right thing for herself but for some silly reason she was worried about how her friends would react.
Elena furrowed her brows, "What do you mean?" she asked.
Caroline grabbed a strand of hair and started twirling it nervously. "Imskippingcollege….." she blurted. She ducted her head and waited for the barrage of questions.
Elena's eyes widened. Kat smirked and looked impressed while Bonnie just seemed confused.
"Why?" Bonnie asked. She twirled her cap in her hands waiting to hear what Caroline had to say. It's not like she could really judge her friend; she really was just curious. This wasn't like Caroline at all.
"I want to experience the real world before I jump into another 4 years of school. That's all I've ever done and I want to experience something else. I literally have never gone beyond Mystic Falls and I don't want to continue down that path." Caroline felt so guilty when she told Liz. She was this years Valedictorian and yet she was choosing to travel instead of going to any university she wants and making her mom proud. As much as she didn't want to be selfish, this was her first opportunity to finally do something for herself and she was going to follow through. She also didn't want to turn into her mom and be stuck in this small time life forever. Matt understood – then again he chose not to go to school either, but for a different reason. Her dad was excited, his little girl was growing up and he always thought her life was meant for something bigger. "It's not like I'm never going to go, I just want to skip a year. So instead I'm gonna backpack across South America." She smiled and looked up at the girls excitedly.
Kat snickered. "You, backpack across South America? Miss Head Cheerleader? Miss Miss Mystic? Oh this is going to be epic." Kat knew she was being bitchy but she was a little jealous. This was the type of thing she usually did, but her parents had made it clear; if she didn't go to college, then no trust fund.
"Hey! I can do it!" Caroline scrunched her face and pouted. She raised her chin, puffed out her chest and folded her arms to try to make herself look tough.
Bonnie shook her head and smiled. "That sounds awesome Care; I wish I could do that." She admired the fact that Caroline was taking chances.
Elena stared at her friends. "But we've been talking about going to the same school since we were kids. What are we supposed to do? Wait for you?" They had made plans; it wasn't fair that Caroline decided she wanted to go off on her own.
"Well that's kinda why I asked to see you guys. I was wondering if any of you would like to join me?" She asked hopefully, "Matt insisted on coming." Caroline looked at Elena trying to convince her. "You know how protective he tries to be."
Elena looked down at her hands and started fidgeting. Knowing that Matt was going to be there had instantly solidified Elena's choice. She had always felt safe and cared for with Matt, but at some point during this last year she had realized she wanted more. She wanted passion, and he couldn't give her that, he was just too nice for her.
Kat looked at her sister and could sense her unease so she jumped in and said, "We can't, as much as you know I'd love to. Our parents are paying for our tuition and a place of our own near Whitmore, if we screw up, then we don't get anything." She rolled her eyes. Caroline kept scrutinizing Elena's reaction, something was up with her and her brother but she wasn't sure what.
She turned to Bonnie with a puppy dog look and Bonnie laughed. "You know what, I'm in. I mean who's gonna stop me, my parents? They've never cared before; they're not even here for my graduation. I'm sure Grams will understand. She's always saying I need to see the real world and have as many new experiences as I can." Bonnie hugged Caroline with a huge grin on her face.
Caroline started bouncing on her heels, making her blonde curls bounce around her. "Yay! We'll leave in 2 months. I already have everything planned you just need to get stuff ready and packed for a week, nothing big just comfortable clothes, 'cause we're gonna be carrying everything. We're only carrying the essentials and live with what can be provided to us. If we do need anything my dad set up an account we can take money out of at any time. We're going to have so much fun!" Caroline stopped bouncing and looked at her friends. "You know, I can't believe it. We're actually all here. We made it." The girls smiled. Caroline turned to Bonnie, "Bonnie Bennett, are you crying?"
"It's our last hoorah before our lives change." Bonnie said teary eyed.
"Aww. Group hug, guys." Caroline demanded.
Kat scrunched her face. "Uh, I don't do group hugs."
Caroline rolled her eyes, "Oh get over yourself." She pulled all the girls in and they hugged.
They heard their teacher calling them to start lining up. It was time. They sat through a couple of speeches and then it was Caroline's turn. Her speech about life after High School was a hit, she got a standing ovation and she couldn't have been happier. The song that that year's class had chosen was a cliché but it fit. Graduation by Vitamin C started playing and each student's name started to be called. When Caroline's was called everyone could hear Matt, Liz, Bill and his partner Stephen cheering from the audience. Although she'd had her doubts she now knew she was heading down the right path for her life.
2 months later Caroline, Matt and Bonnie were saying goodbye to everyone they loved and to the only place they'd called home. This was the first time, but not the last, that they'd be leaving Mystic Falls. They were ready for the adventure ahead.
During the next 8 months they travelled all through South America. They would stay in one place for a month and then they would pick up everything and go to the next spot. Anything that they picked up along the way that they couldn't carry with them, they'd send home. Caroline and Bonnie had a hard time adjusting in the beginning but Caroline was determined to follow through. By the 3rd month, they were experts. They started out in Colombia and followed down the Pacific Coast until they got to Argentina, then they went through Uruguay to end in Brazil.
Both Caroline and Bonnie eventually found the career path they would look into as soon as they got home. For Caroline it was photography, she got some of the most amazing shots and knew what she wanted to study when she got back. Bonnie in turn took her photos and gave them a story, their story, then sent it back home. She eventually started a blog to recount their adventures whenever they had internet access. She wasn't sure what she could study for this but it would come to her sooner or later. For Matt it was different; although he was having fun, he also missed Elena. They would Skype as much as possible, which honestly wasn't a lot. He could sense something was going on with her but she kept saying she was fine. He wasn't really allowing himself to gain as much from this experience other than traveling because all he could focus on was her.
Back home Elena was finally enjoying her first year of college. A couple months in she ended up meeting new people and making many new friends. Caroline and Bonnie weren't there to hear and share everything in this experience so she felt a bit of resentment but she wasn't about to wallow about it for too long though, so she starts going out and partying with her new crowd. Eventually she meets Vaughn and starts to hang out with him. She tells herself they're just friends but she knows he has feelings for her.
Kat begins to question her sister, she may consider herself the wild one, but she doesn't toy with people's hearts, especially when said heart belongs to a friend. Kat insists Elena needs to tell Matt the truth and just break up with him, but Elena insists she still loves him. Kat warns her she's playing a dangerous game and when they come home it's going to blow up in her face. After Kat keeps pestering her about coming clean, Elena starts to distance herself from her twin. Matt would be coming home soon and she'd deal with it then. Since then Kat actually dives into her schoolwork for once. By the end of middle of the second semester it's clear she'll even make the Dean's list. But she's starting to miss her friends and can't wait for their return unlike Elena.
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London
Klaus had taken his younger siblings out to watch a movie to get his mind off of things. Mikael had been getting worse with his anger towards him and he couldn't understand why. He had just graduated with pretty good grades and was even accepted into the university Mikael had been pushing him towards. He needed out of the house so he'd asked Rebekah and Kol if they wanted to go see a movie and they jumped at the chance. Now they were back and sitting and waiting in the car. None of them really wanted to go inside, but Klaus knew they couldn't hide there forever, especially with Henrik inside. He sighed and got out of the car and the other two followed.
Klaus could hear Mikael screaming before he even entered the house. Bekah suddenly felt nervous and didn't want to go in anymore so she tried to get Klaus to take them shopping instead. She really didn't feel like witnessing another one of Mikael's fits of rage. Although Klaus didn't want to deal with it either, he could hear his mother crying trying to calm his rage, and he knew Henrik was somewhere upstairs hiding and probably hearing everything. Kol looked at Klaus and shrugged; he would follow his brother's lead no matter what.
He placed his key in the keyhole. "We can't leave Henrik alone, I promised." Klaus was very serious when it came to protecting his siblings. He turned the door's handle and they all walked in. Not even 5 seconds later and Mikael had him up against the wall by his throat screaming at him.
Rebekah's eyes went wide and she rushed to help Klaus, but Kol blocked her. He didn't want her to get hurt in the process. "Let him go father!" Rebekah screamed while her mother sobbed but said nothing.
Mikael had one of his hands wrapped around Klaus' neck. "It's your fault boy! I will not have a bastard living in my home!" Mikael screeched at the top of his lungs.
Klaus didn't understand anything that was happening. His father had always been hard on him, even abusive at times, but this was different he could see it in his eyes. He kept trying to remove Mikael's hand to breath. Kol finally tried to pull Mikael off of Klaus but he wasn't nearly strong enough. If Klaus didn't do something soon Mikael would kill him, so he swung at the only man he had called father. Mikael let go and staggered back, Klaus fell to his knees gulping for air. Kol bent down next to him to make sure he was alright.
"Are you bloody mad, father!" Klaus yelled. He was rubbing his neck trying to soothe his throat.
Mikael grabbed Klaus by the back of his neck and pulled him up close to his face. He looked madly at him and spoke so clearly and calmly, "You are no son of mine and I want you out." Mikael screaming was more of a comfort than hearing him this eerily calm.
"Mikael, please, leave Niklaus be. He knows nothing of this." Esther said meekly.
Kol was standing next to Rebekah in case Mikael redirected his anger on them. Usually Klaus would take the brunt of the beatings but he'd been at the end of Mikael's anger enough to want to keep Rebekah safe. He turned to his mother and wasn't sure if he should try and protect her too or let it be.
Mikael let go of Klaus and charged at Esther, "You will shut your bloody mouth if you plan on staying with me in this house." And to Klaus' shock, she did as he said. Mikael turned to Klaus again looking crazed. "I want you and everything that reminds me of you gone. From this point forward you will not receive anything from me or this family. Nobody cares about you boy!"
Klaus was so angry and hurt that he was shaking. He held the tears back for as long as he could. He didn't want to appear weak in front of Mikael. He looked at his mother, sitting down now with her head in her hands, as she let Mikael treat him like trash for the last time. Out of anger he decided then and there, she was dead to him.
Rebekah looked at Klaus and walked around Kol towards Mikael. "Your wrong father, Nik has me and our brothers and we will not let this go on any further." Rebekah held her head high in defiance and Kol nodded his head in agreement. Klaus looked at Rebekah astonished; he thought she would stay with their mother. He thought they all would and he would be alone.
"So be it. When I return, I want you all out!" Mikael stormed out and a couple of minutes later they heard his car speed off.
Klaus couldn't hold his emotions in any longer and the tears fell from his eyes defiantly. Rebekah hugged him, but he just stood there watching his mother with so much pain inside him. She wouldn't even look at him.
"Nik let's get our things and go before that arse comes back. I'll call Elijah; Kol make sure Henrik gets himself packed." Rebekah started taking charge and rattled off commands.
At this, Esther's head shot up, "Henrik is staying here."
Klaus sneered at Esther. "You're a nutter if you believe I'd ever leave my brother here with the likes of you two. If you try and stop us, I will bring hell upon you both." Klaus was done with his mother; he wanted nothing more to do with her.
When Elijah got the call, he immediately left work and came to help them. Esther tried to talk to him, explain the situation, but he would not hear her at this point. It didn't take them that long to pack since they mostly took clothes. That house was filled with evil memories and they didn't want to take anything that would remind them of their horrible life there. Little did they all know that Mikael would never return. When they packed the last of their things Rebekah pulled Klaus aside, she wanted to make sure he understood that she would stand with him.
She looked him straight in the eye. "I'm sorry she turned her back on you for him Nik. I will never do that."
Klaus heard what she was saying but the damage his mother had caused was done.
Elijah and Kol heard Rebekah and went to stand next to them. "Nor will I." Elijah stated as he unbuttoned his suit and laid his hand to rest on Klaus' shoulder.
Rebekah looked to her brothers and extended her hands. "We stick together as one. Always and forever."
Elijah took her hand first and extended his other hand at Klaus while Kol grabbed Rebekah's other hand and waited for Klaus to join.
"Yes, dear brother. We stick together as one." Kol gave Klaus a look that said - trust us.
Klaus sighed and reached for Elijah and Kol's hands then looked at the car where Henrik was reading one of his comic books. He turned back to face them. "Always and forever." It was a promise.
They stood there; forming a circle for a few seconds then decided it was best to leave. They didn't want to stay too long, incase Mikael arrived and decided he wanted to go off on Klaus again.
Later on they found out that because Mikael had been drinking so much, in his rage he hadn't been paying attention as he sped along the road. At some point he ended up crashing into another car and died on impact.
When the police finally came to see Esther, she realized what she had done and that she would now be alone in her grief. None of her children where there to bury their father, and besides her, the only other people in attendance didn't truly know Mikael. When the will was read, everything had been left to her, but she didn't feel like it belonged to her alone.
Her children had suffered enough at the hands of Mikael and she thought giving them what was rightfully theirs would be the first step in their forgiveness. With the estates, she sold most of them and placed one in Henrik's name. She knew the others would not take it. Mikael had come from old money and he was a tycoon with his business, so when it came to the monetary assets he left behind; it would last them all two lifetimes without ever having to lift a finger. Thus, Esther did what she thought was best and split it between her and her children equally.
Klaus wanted nothing that came from his mother or Mikael, but after enough debates with Elijah and Rebekah, he realized he could use some of it to further his art career until it took off and he didn't need it anymore. He was only 18 and didn't have much work experience.
They had been living in Elijah's one bedroom flat, but as soon as the money came in, they bought a house. Later on Klaus bought himself a loft so he could paint in peace. He slept there whenever he was in one of his bad moods and when it became too much to be around his family. He tried not to use Mikael's money as much as possible, so he sold his art for as much as he could, which was very little at first.
As much as he loved his family, finding out that he was not Mikael's son had damaged him mentally and emotionally. He saw himself as an outcast and distanced himself when he would remember. His siblings tried to comfort him but it would always end up making things worse. He wished he could separate Mikael from his siblings but whenever they tried to comfort him all he heard was Mikael's voice booming over theirs making him feel worthless.