A/N: Hi guys! I'm super new to writing fanfic and would appreciate any reviews – even if you don't like it, and especially if you do! I'm a major klaroline fan, so I thought I'd write picking up after the mid-season finale and what I'd like to see happen. Thanks for reading!
Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep…
Caroline tossed her alarm clock across the room, not bothering to watch the small machine shatter into a million pieces. She crawled under her blankets, hoping that she could avoid life for a little longer. Two years ago she had had her whole life planned out for her- where she'd go to college, the dream job she wanted, what she was going to wear to prom. Now, everything she had planned was destroyed – shattered like the remnants of her alarm clock. But she was above feeling sorry for herself – one of the rare qualities the possessed was being able to find hope, even in the midst of such trying times as she'd had recently.
Since Tyler's failed attempt to bring Klaus down everything had gone out the window. Tyler was on the run from Klaus, so a rare phone call was all that Caroline had to let her know that her boyfriend was alive, out there somewhere fighting for his life. And then there was Elena, Stefan, and Damon – Elena was furious with Caroline for revealing her relationship with Damon to his brother. And Damon in turn was angry with Caroline for making Elena angry. And Stefan – well, no one knew where he went. After he had confronted Elena about her relationship with Damon something had snapped, and he disappeared. One evening Caroline had been heading up stairs to her bedroom when she saw Stefan's retreating form exit her bedroom window. She had called out to him, but when he turned she didn't recognize him at all – his face was expressionless, and his eyes were dead – if Caroline hadn't known better she would have said she was looking straight at the ripper Stefan. And just like that he disappeared, dropping out of sight – and apparently out of Mystic Falls. Caroline couldn't help but feel abandoned by her friend – they had been working together to find a cure for Elena, and Caroline had even put her life and relationship with Tyler on the line to help them out. And now she was left with nothing, not Elena, not Stefan, not even Damon. Bonnie and Matt were busy with Shane and Jeremy – so that meant the blonde baby vamp was alone.
"Well I guess the bands all broken up. And I'm all alone." she muttered sliding on her jean jacket and boots.
"Oh I don't know about that" Klaus leaned in the doorway of her bedroom.
"Klaus? What the hell are you doing here?" Caroline stared wide-eyed at the original vampire.
"Love, you tried to kill me. Again. Didn't you think we were going to have a chat sometime?" He walked into her room fingering the scarves hanging on the door to her closet.
"What do want Klaus?" Caroline asked, annoyed.
"I wouldn't be so hostile sweetheart, you seem to forget that you're at the mercy of an original vampire" Klaus peered at her dresser table, littered with photos, makeup, jewelry, and mementos. He picked up a picture of Caroline. She was dressed in her cheerleading outfit, a bright smile lit up her face, it was her freshman year.
"Please, make yourself at home" Caroline grumbled, pulling the picture away from Klaus.
"Don't mind if I do" Klaus appeared on Caroline's bed, arms folded behind his head, feet crossed, the picture of relaxation.
"Seriously, what do you want? I don't have time for mind games Klaus. Tell me why you're here or get out!" Caroline crossed her arms.
"Why? Do you have a previous engagement? Off to meet someone perhaps? I would warn you of my jealousy Caroline, except I know for a fact you don't have anywhere to go. After all the Salvatore brothers and the Petrova doppelganger are busy with their own drama, Bonnie and Matt are off with Jeremy, and Tyler is busy trying not to get killed. Besides, aren't you the queen of mind games?" Klaus' tone grew dark. "Even your dear friends knew that – otherwise why would they repeatedly elect you as my brand of distraction?"
Caroline scoffed, "because you have a creepy fascination with trying to take things that aren't yours?"
"If that was true, then please tell me, whom do you think you belong to? Surely not the unfaithful Tyler – his indiscretions could hardly warrant such allegiance. Unless of course you and the Scooby gang came up with that lie as well?" Klaus arched his brow.
"I don't want to talk about that Klaus, so if you don't mind – "
"Ah, but you see I do. I trusted you Caroline, I thought we were making progress only to find out that you were sneaking behind my back helping to not only unsire my hybrids, but also stage an uprising intended to end in my death." Klaus now sat up, his posture rigid with anger.
"First of all, don't give me that crap about trust and betrayal! You of all people, somebody who has hurt and betrayed so many should not feel so shocked when it happens to you. Second of all, I wasn't unsiring anybody – not that I wouldn't help if I could – and I didn't have anything to do with killing you. That was the plan that Haley fed to Tyler- a trap that he bought hook, line, and sinker."
"A trap? What do you mean a trap?" Klaus stood up, then appeared in front of Caroline – standing only inches away, his face full of intent.
"You don't know?" Caroline look shocked, her surprise though was quickly replaced with pleasure. She now had a bargaining chip. She hadn't know that Klaus was clueless about the extent of Haley's involvement – or that he had never question why she'd gone and exposed her supposed lover?
"Caroline. Tell me. Now." Klaus gripped her arms. His eyes revealing barely controlled anger.
"Let go of me Klaus, I don't know the full story. Besides I won't tell you anything unless you promise me that you won't hurt Tyler." She pulled her shoulder away and unsuccessfully attempted to shove him away from her. Sometimes she forgot just how strong the original was, he seemed to not have noticed her attempt to separate herself from him.
Klaus laughed mockingly, he obviously thought Caroline's request was not even worth considering. "Now come on love, I could easily compel it out of you. Now don't get me wrong, I admire your … courage, but I'm not going to let Tyler get off easily. He ruined almost a century of work, now you don't expect me to forget that?"
Caroline chewed her lip- which she always did when she was anxious. Freezing, she saw Klaus eyes watching her, his own lips parting in response. She released her bottom lip and took a deep breath. If she was going to reason with madness, she had to do it calmly – it was the only way for her to help Tyler and her friends.
"Klaus, despite you ruining the lives of everybody I care about, killing innocent people, and even killing family and friends – I'm willing to overlook all that. But I'm going to need you to seriously consider that killing Tyler could mean killing the only source of information that might actually save your life."
"What are you talking about Caroline?"
"Haley told Tyler something before you killed all your hybrids, she said that there was a required number of hybrids, and that she had lied to Tyler about having a witch to spell you. For whatever reason, it sounded like Haley had set Tyler and the hybrids up for you to kill them."
"Why? Why would she want that?" Klaus' voice was deep with curiosity and anger. He hated being manipulated, being manipulated meant being out of control – and that was something he would not tolerate.
"I don't know. But there is one person who can help us find out – Tyler. He's known her longer than anybody else around here. And apparently they were actually close…" Caroline's voice dropped off and Klaus read a lingering doubt clouding her eyes. Perhaps Tyler's Appalachian indiscretion hadn't been purely fiction after all.
Klaus was silent for a few moments, absorbing this new bit of information. Of course, why hadn't he thought about Haley's involvement before? Perhaps his rage had blinded him to a few crucial missing pieces of the story.
"Well Caroline, this conversation has been highly informative. I suggest you pack your things, it seems you and I are going on a little road trip" Klaus turned to leave, his walk full of intent.
"What?! What the heck are you talking about?" Caroline asked, incredulous.
"We're going to go hunting for the lone hybrid – this time you get to be Tyler bait, love. And don't even think about arguing with me. We're going, whether by your own accord or by my compulsion. Also, don't tell any of your friends – or I might be tempted to rip a few hearts out" He smiled, danger and self-satisfaction gleamed behind his features.
