If you could see that I'm the one who understands you, been here all along so why can't you see, you belong with me?
As a human, Caroline always feared death, she just couldn't wrap her head around the fact that it was forever. Once you died, that was it, everything died with you. Memories, feelings, all gone because you just ceased to exist.
She remembered when she first found out about vampires – when she had the misfortune to be used as one's plaything. Damon Salvatore. He used and abused her delicate human body, something she would never forgive him for. No matter how much Elena seemed to like him. He compelled her to forget, but she regained control of her mind thanks to his crazy impulsive ex-lover.
Katerina Petrova a.k.a Katherine Pierce. After an accident involving a horse and cart, Caroline found herself in a local hospital. She was getting better but then Katherine being Katherine had to go and put a kink in the plan. She fed the blonde her blood and smothered her with a pillow. Thus the end of Caroline Forbes aged 17. Born 1871, human and happy, died 1888, turned vampire and afraid. All to send a message to Elena Gilbert and her two lapdogs, the Salvatore brothers.
Elena Gilbert, the perfect girl that everyone wanted. Caroline was good friends with her but she despised how everyone automatically bent over backwards to accommodate poor Elena. The pity party for her really was sickening. The girl attracted trouble and it annoyed Caroline to no end because somehow, she always ended up caught in the middle.
Until Nik helped her of course. She first heard of him when his older brother Elijah came to town to 'collect Elena' for the ritual. The one where she, as the human doppelganger was to be sacrificed resulting in Klaus becoming a true hybrid once more. Of course, they found a way around Elena dying, as usual. And somewhere between then, Klaus had taken to Caroline, and secretly, she had didn't mind him all that much anymore.
'I fancy you, is that so hard to believe?'
For Caroline, it was at the time. She was so used to everyone going straight for Elena and bypassing her that it became second nature. Klaus was different, however. He only wanted Elena for the ritual; he wanted Caroline completely. For once, she was someone's first choice.
From there, their unusual friendship took off. While everyone crowded Elena, Klaus looked after Caroline. She had suffered a lot and he couldn't understand why her 'friends' didn't seem to care too much. She had been made a vampire against her will, been used and abused, been bitten by a werewolf, tortured by her own father and had to watch him as he suffered through transition to eventually die.
So, Klaus took it upon himself to do something for the beautiful blond girl that he didn't usually do; help.
He bought her jewellery, gave her sketches, took her to dinner, got to know her, made her laugh. And she loved him for doing it. Both liked the other, but never acted on their feelings, merely tried to ignore them and stay best friends, as they had for many years.
It had been 24 years since Caroline had become a vampire, so technically she was still a 'baby' which Klaus constantly teased her about. She hated it, but couldn't help but giggle at him. He was the greatest best friend she could have asked for.
Sure he was an Original. And a Hybrid. And like a billion years old. With an anger problem at times. But he protected her and cared for her when no one else even took a moment to stop and think about her. He hated seeing her hurt or upset so he had a knack of cheering her up, always. She treasured his hugs. They were good hugs. Caroline always knew that Klaus was never one for affection, partly because of how Mikael treated him many years ago, but with her, he never held back. He put her first.
She remembered the first time she felt truly safe and happy. Of course it was with Nik.
-Alaric had tortured her; stuck pencils in her hands and vervain in her arms until she was frozen in pain. All because of Elena. It wasn't that Caroline didn't love her, she did, and she didn't mind trying to protect her, but she felt things like that always happened to her. And no one seemed to even care.
Then when she ran, she was caught by someone from behind. Caroline being Caroline tried to let out a scream, but it was quickly muffled.
"Sh, it's okay, it's me," Klaus whispered, taking his hand away from her mouth.
"It's okay, you're safe. We'll save Elena. You go straight home. You stay inside, do you understand?" He asked, turning her around to face him. He could see the scared look in her eyes.
"Do you understand me?"
"Yes... Thank you," Caroline nodded, looking into his eyes. They stood like that for a few minutes before he flashed away. Standing in the hallway, many thoughts passed through Caroline's mind, but then she realised where she was. Pushing them aside, she did as Klaus asked and flashed home, locking the doors and windows behind her.
She sat huddled on her bed, reflecting on the night's events. Klaus had saved her first, her. Not Elena. Caroline knew she sounded selfish, wanting to be put before Elena but she couldn't help it.
And Klaus, wow. His voice was delicious and she cursed his accent. It wasn't fair for him to be able to turn on his 'fuck me' voice like that and instantly make her feel safe and secure. She had suspicions that he made his accent more pronounced around her, and when she was in his presence and he spoke softly to her, she practically clamped her legs shut. His werewolf side would have a very sharp sense of smell, not good for someone like Caroline, i.e. in denial. She laughed at her own lack of self control, she became an absolute puddle around Niklaus.-
That's still true now, Caroline thought to herself. Tonight was the night for memories it seemed. She found herself remembering the first time she ever told someone she had feelings for Klaus. She told Stefan. Stefan. Crazy, right?
-"I know," He said simply and Caroline's mouth dropped.
"I know you like him Caroline, hell, you probably love him. I see the way you look at him, it's the same way Rebekah looked at me before we got together; when I was too naive to see what was right in front of me," He offered her a half-grin and she smiled, feeling herself relaxed. It felt good to get her feelings out in the open and not be judged severely.
"I think I love him," She whispered to the brown haired vampire.
"You do Care, and you know, I think he loves you, but you're both to afraid to say anything. Don't be ashamed because you love him, he may not be perfect but none of us are. I've probably killed just as many people as he has, yet Rebekah didn't care that I was a ripper. You are not an awful person Care, you are a good person and your ability to look past others flaws is what makes you so. We can't control who we love, even the best of us can't," Stefan sounded sad and Caroline got up, enveloping him in a hug.
"And you're a good person too Stefan. I know you may not think it, but you are, and your brother loves you, no matter what he says," She smiled reassuringly and Stefan perked up a little.
"I mean it Care, you need to tell Klaus you love him, don't let it stay hidden for long," He warned her sternly, before hugging her back tightly.-
Her fingers were woven tightly with Klaus' as they strolled leisurely around the ship, still only the crew and them knew that the ship was sinking. They could hear the people on the lower decks splash out of their rooms into ankle deep water, but no one on the C Deck and above knew yet. It was chaotic silence.
They stopped at the side of the ship, Caroline clinging to Klaus, wrapping her arms around his neck and resting her forehead on his.
"Nik," She murmured. Be brave Caroline.
"Hm?"
"I love you," She whispered, looking into his eyes.
"Well that's reassuring, because I love you too," He smiled, speaking just as quietly.
"I have for a while Care."
"I have for a while too Nik," She smiled, pulling him into a soft kiss. It happened accidentally.
Author's Note:- Since you all were so lovely, I decided to add another cheeky wee chapter with some background on the pair. The italic paragraphs are two separate flashbacks! Please let me know what you think :-) x
