The next day dawned bright and clear, wispy autumn clouds casting a shade of gray over the crisp morning. A cool fog had rolled in, skirting the edges of curbs and clinging to Caroline's ankles as she walked. Though she honestly despised the idea of going to class today, she had a test, and she needed to stop blowing these things off.
I'm going to graduate, dammit, she told herself, subconsciously nodding her head in certainty. Caroline Forbes is going to graduate as a straight-A student, and then she's going to college. Eventually.
A yawn escaped her throat, and she shook her head. Last night she hadn't slept well – though it was easier to cope now, it seemed that for vampires sleep was more of a luxury than necessity – and the strange image of Elijah Mikaelson flitted through her mind. Had she been dreaming? Or had she really passed the time last night enjoying the company of an Original vampire?
It didn't matter. She lifted her chin and quickened her pace, ready to get to class and have her brain filled with something other than vampires and werewolves.
…
Bonnie rummaged through her locker, semi-organizing the chaos as she searched for her Lit notes. They'd all had a long day yesterday, so she was surprised to find Elena at her side in seconds.
"Oh!" Bonnie exclaimed, dropping her binder. Its contents spewed across the ground, of course. She forced a smile for her friend. "Elena, I wasn't sure if you'd be coming to school today."
"I need your help," Elena said quietly, a severe expression on her face. They knelt and began gathering papers, Bonnie grimacing at how much organizing she would now have to do. "It's Jeremy. I don't know what's going on with him, Bonnie."
"Elena. Chill." Bonnie resisted the urge to roll her eyes. If Elena had been a worrier as a human, she paled in comparison to the present. "Your anxiety instincts are through the roof. I'm sure Jeremy's fine."
Bonnie outstretched her fingers, a few papers gathering themselves under her hand as though magnetized. Her friend fell silent.
Only for a moment.
"Bonnie!" Elena gasped, her face lighting up. This time, Bonnie did roll her eyes. "You just – it's back! Your magic is back." She whispered this part excitedly, as though she'd just discovered some divine secret.
"Yes, Elena. Sure is."
They stood, Bonnie turning her back on her newly-undead friend.
She didn't know how to explain it; maybe it was just her witchy instinct, but Bonnie found herself entirely incapable of humoring the vampires. And unfortunately for her, now both of her best friends had turned. It was a good thing that Caroline had won her over post-death, because she could hardly stand Elena in her heightened state.
Still, friends were friends. As much as Elena over-worried, there could be something up with Jeremy. And that bothered Bonnie more than she cared to admit.
"So…" she said, stuffing her things back into the locker and shutting it with a light slam, "What's up with Jeremy? Why the sudden worry?"
The pair glanced over at his locker, where he was currently standing with April Young. He was smiling, kind of, but his eyes were lined with dark circles.
"He was up all night," Elena said gravely. "I could hear him moving around."
Bonnie's eyebrows raised.
"That's why you're worried." She turned to her friend, feeling suddenly less sympathetic to her annoying ways. "Elena. He killed a hybrid last night. Kid's not going to sleep well after that."
"And you're not worried at all? I thought you, of all people, would at least care –"
"I have class," Bonnie cut in, walking quickly away. She didn't need this. She needed to focus on her school work, and get as much of her homework done before the final bell today. She had a study date with Professor Shane that evening.
…
Elijah sat in his new bedroom, mulling over the previous night's events in his head. When answering Finn's summons to gather the family, he hadn't expected the business to include an open invitation into Rebekah's home – she'd been quite gracious about it, even. But then, Rebekah had always worn her love on her sleeve, and so of course she would invite her brothers to stay. It did bother Elijah that Rebekah herself hadn't been present for the family get-together, but he'd decided not to pry into the matter just yet.
They had discovered the Five.
Finn and Klaus seemed the most keen on the news – Kol could care less, he enjoyed the immortal life far more than the others – and Elijah knew their reasons for caring were exact opposites. Finn desperately wanted the cure for himself, most likely to end his own life… and Klaus only needed the cure for his doppelganger, to insure his immortality even further.
The four brothers talked it over in the cemetery, though Elijah himself remained mostly quiet. They agreed to stay in the area, and to limit their hunting (or "leave enough for the rest of us," as Klaus put it) until more was known of the Five. Since, well, Klaus had lost the last hunter.
"But, dear brothers," Klaus had proposed smugly, "I can assure you, there are other methods to finding this map, and I am well on my way with one of them."
Elijah suppressed a laugh. He wasn't stupid, as Klaus always seemed to assume. He could put two-and-two together.
"Yes, Niklaus, but how long will we be waiting on your new hunter to complete his mark?" Elijah asked.
The glare this had received from Klaus could kill. The younger hated being outsmarted at his own game.
"Soon enough," he had answered. "Very soon."
And so the Mikaelsons (minus one) had convened, leaving for their prospective estates: Elijah and Finn would stay with their sister, while Kol insisted on crashing at Klaus's mansion. They all knew he'd only last a few nights before the pestering wore Klaus down and he threw him out.
So Elijah now sat, fully-clothed in his best casual (black slacks, white button-up, black jacket rolled to the elbows) on the magnificent king-sized bed that Rebekah had provided him, sipping a scotch and staring resolutely at the opposite wall of the suite.
Something wasn't right.
He glanced at the clock – five. They day had scrolled by rather uneventfully, and Elijah couldn't help but feel rather lazy. But these days happened, on occasion.
Setting his scotch on the nightstand, he stood and straightened his clothes. It was time to pay his dear brother a visit.
…
Klaus sat at the bar of the Mystic Grill, downing some of their putrid alcohol and mulling over his plans in his mind. Word had gotten back on that second sword… and it was in the big city of the north. New York. The entirety of Manhattan Island would need to be searched, unless he could convince that sneaky witch to travel up and locate it herself.
He continued his musings in silence, unperturbed by the casual stares and glances aimed his way. He'd dressed unusually well for his visit here tonight. In all honesty, he was hoping that a certain blonde would stumble his way.
"Klaus."
And she had.
He turned to her, a smug smile already growing on his lips. Caroline stood there, hair falling in soft waves around her face, her big green doe-eyes staring into his own. She was a breathtaking creature, that was for sure.
She set her purse down on the counter and took a seat beside him.
"I want out," she said. Now her eyes wouldn't meet his at all. "The date, I mean. I can't do it."
"Well, sweetheart, maybe you should have thought that one through before you agreed to it," Klaus said. Breathtaking or no, he hated it when women were fickle. He took a long drink. "This deal's just not open for renegotiation."
"Klaus, please –"
"You know what, Caroline?" Klaus rounded on her, and was mildly amused to find that she didn't flinch or jump at his sudden agitation. She stood her ground. "I don't think that you fully comprehend the favor I have done you. Let me remind you, it was you who betrayed me. And I forgave you – ah," he smiled slightly, "Even better. I returned your confession with an offer to show you a good time. And that's all I want from you, love. Just a chance."
"I can't do it," she said. His clenched his jaw in frustration. "Klaus, I'm sorry, but Tyler –"
"Oh, Tyler," he spat. "Now, come on Caroline, we both know you're smarter than that. Your pathetic little high-school boyfriend ran off into the woods and cheated on you. Now please explain to me how you have some grand obligation to remain faithful."
She ground her teeth together. What he was saying wasn't true, but it hurt all the same. It hurt because she was certain that now, after the incident with the other hybrid, Tyler would likely turn to Hayley and forget Caroline altogether.
And it was entirely her own fault.
Klaus watched as she reacted to his words. Her eyes fell, not filling with tears, but falling in quiet defeat. No trace of her sunny disposition remained.
He felt a pain in his chest, knowing that this was his own doing. Or Tyler's, to be fair.
"Look at me, sweetheart," he whispered, reaching for her hand. Caroline wrenched it away, shooting him a sudden glare. He paused, studying her with care. "Caroline, give me this chance, and I will never hurt you the way that boy did. You deserve better. And you will have better."
She refused to meet his gaze.
"Well, Niklaus, I didn't expect you to be so easy to find," said Elijah, who stepped up on Caroline's opposite side. He looked between the two, Klaus obviously annoyed and Caroline only barely hiding her confusion. "But it's quite fortunate. I have some further business to discuss with you."
"Well, Elijah, I am sure this business can wait –"
"And I am sure your company won't mind the intrusion. Will you, Ms. Forbes?" He looked to her, and her heart fluttered. She was now officially surrounded by Original vampires, and that couldn't be a good thing. His proximity to her now was much greater than it had been last night, looming only inches away.
"Caroline," she corrected again, voice quiet.
Elijah responded by smiling at her, then looked up to his younger brother, who was positively livid.
"I should go," Caroline said suddenly. She snatched her purse and hopped off her stool, not bothering to hide how weirded-out she felt as she looked back at them. Two pairs of Mikaelson eyes stared back at her, one set warm and brown, and the other that familiar steely gray. She turned and left before the night could grow stranger, though she knew her attempted date-decline would be overlooked.
The two brothers locked gaze, Elijah appearing more smug than usual Klaus seething to himself. Elijah didn't know why that had made him feel so good.
"She's a lovely girl, Niklaus," he said, taking her seat at the bar. "I see why you're so taken."
"Yes, well it's easier to keep her attention without the constant interruption."
Elijah ordered a scotch, allowing Klaus the time to gather himself. The two complemented each other nicely, both well-dressed and equally handsome, yet so much each other's opposites. No one could guess that the pair were related, and they remained oblivious to the many female eyes they attracted.
"So, brother, what brings you here?" Klaus inquired, sipping his drink. Elijah could tell the hybrid was still on edge, but it was safe to approach a touchy subject.
"Rebekah, actually," Elijah answered. Klaus's gaze shot up, and he caught the flash of worry that he so skillfully covered up. "I was actually wondering where it is that you're keeping her."
Klaus laughed.
"I have underestimated you," he said.
Elijah leaned in, lowering his voice. "I'm afraid you have, Niklaus. And it's time we bring this daggering business to an end. Tell me where our sister is, and I can assure you, I will keep her out of your way. But she was not immortalized to spend eternity in a box."
The younger's eyes were still lit with laughter, as though he found his brother's request amusing. Elijah could keep his anger in check, but it flared at the condescension.
"I can't do that," Klaus said. He shrugged. "Sorry."
Elijah leaned in again, this time leveling a glare in his brother's direction. The façade of joking didn't leave Klaus's face, but Elijah could tell he had his full attention.
"Allow me to elaborate," Elijah said slowly. "If you do not release our sister from wherever it is you're keeping her, then I will take your beloved Caroline Forbes. And you will not see her again until I have Rebekah." Klaus remained as he was, revealing no emotion. "And you cannot argue that she has no effect on you. I know, brother, why it is she's caught your attention – it's obvious. You're not the only one who sees her light, and sees that she may one day love you back."
Klaus's eyes widened at Elijah's words, but it was only a flicker. Too fast for human eyes to catch, but Elijah wasn't human.
"I will take her," Elijah warned. "And when I do, you will lose whatever shred of opportunity you currently have."
The words hit Klaus like daggers. He didn't understand how he could suddenly not have the upper-hand anymore.
Elijah and Klaus stared at each other for a long moment. As far as kidnapping Caroline Forbes went, neither of them wanted it to come to that.
…
Hey guys! This is my first VD fanfic, and I'm pretty excited about it. I'm swamped with schoolwork but couldn't wait until the next episode to get my fix. Please leave me a review, they're what keep me going.
