Chapter One - The Betrayer, The Friend
Bonnie Bennet, the protective best friend, the witch, the moral compass. She walks up the stair to her best friends apartment in grief. She has a choice to make. A hard choice that could either ensure her best friends safety or cause her immeasurable pain. Maybe her friend will agree with her and the choice won't be hers, but she doubted it greatly.
Knock, knock, knock. The sound of her small dark hand on the wooden door brings her back to reality. She hears the sound of feet shuffling across the floor and she braces herself with a smile, knowing that what she was about to do could possibly wreak havoc on her friendship with her friend and godchildren.
About a year ago, Caroline received a letter from an anonymous person, later to recognize himself as a man. At first he just sent a letter, explaining that the two of them were supposed to be together. She quickly threw it away, brushing off the obtrusiveness of the mail. About five weeks later, another letter came. This time explained himself to be a man, and defined in intricate detail exactly what he thought of her physically. It was gross. Again, Caroline threw the letter away, and she once again brushed off the encounter, though this time it required a little more effort to forget about. Two weeks after the second letter arrived and was discarded of, flowers appeared on her door step, delivered by a delivery woman, and a letter was attached. They were her favorite flowers, white daisies. This revealed that not only did he know her intricately, but also that he knew her address. He however was not courageous enough to deliver the flowers himself which revealed how shy this man was. It was not until the flowers were hand delivered and a P.O. Box number was given in order to contact him did Caroline become truly scared about the situation. The flowers were immediately discarded of.
After this, Caroline did not hear from the nameless man until her birthday, a month later. This time a gift was at her door when she arrived home from picking up her daughters from school. There was no name, and despite her girls begging her to open it in front of them, she had a terrible gut feeling. She took the gift to her room - only after she turned on a movie for her girls and started on dinner - locked her doors and placed the gift on the bed. It wasn't until now that Caroline decided that she may need a second opinion about the whole situation. She did what any young woman might do, Caroline called her best friend, Bonnie Bennet.
Bonnie was over in record time after hearing the fear in Caroline's voice. Caroline did not move from her room till she heard rapping at her front door, at which point she moved to unlock the door and allow her friend in. Both women immediately moved to Caroline's room to talk privately. The blonde quickly explained the situation and showed the evidence of the still wrapped gift. The brunette was silent. But then she moved. Bonnie Bennet, ever the protecter, carefully unwrapped the rectangular gift to reveal a pink cardboard box, department store worthy. She placed the gift on the bed and pulled the top off while Caroline stood waiting anxiously. Inside the box was a note that read:
My Love Caroline,
Happy birthday my sweet girl. I wanted you to have something special for your birthday. You can wear this tonight at your dinner party and be reminded of me. I look forward to meeting you in person, but now it is not yet time. Do not fret my sweet, we will meet soon, and when we do, sweet girl, we will make up for all this lost time.
- Your Lover
Bonnie read the letter out loud stuttering at some of the 'terms of endearment' he used. She then handed the paper to Caroline before reaching into the box and pulling out a red teddy set including garters and every kind of strap mechanism a woman could wear. Bonnie looked over to see Caroline analyzing the note and had to call her name to grab her attention. Caroline's eyes went wide at the sight of the garment and then reached for the crotchless panties in the box. She quickly dropped them on recognition and a hand went to her mouth with her gasp. Tears filled her eyes as she saw the items laying on her bed and her friend moved to enrapture her in an embrace. She was quick to notice that all of the items were her exact size and it made her heart clench more in fear. The only ray of hope was the fact that Caroline never liked red under garments, at least one personal fact was only hers.
After the two girls talked it over, they decided to wait the stalker out, as he would not hide in the shadows for long, they presumed. He had yet to be aggressive and she was a vampire for goodness sake. She would throw the gifts and letters away immediately after reading any writing, only to make sure there were not any threats being made, and she would not acknowledge anything else about the matter. She received some sort of non threatening contact over the next eight months or so, always shaken, but never truly afraid.
Until today.
Today, Caroline received a letter. But this time, something changed. Even in the earliest lines of the letter, he seemed angry and aggressive. But it was not until the very last line of the note that Caroline began to feel like she might go crazy.
"Tell Lizzie and Josie to be expecting gifts soon and that I cannot wait to meet them in person this week."
Not only did the psychopath specifically mention her children by nickname, but he also mentioned a time in the near future that he would wish to meet them.
Her children.
That was when maternal instinct came in and took the reigns. And like hell were they going to let up any time soon. So, Caroline decided to call her best friend once again, claiming an SOS.
Bonnie heard the sounds of feet approaching the door, then the sound of Caroline scolding Josie for almost answering the door without her mom. Moments later, a beautiful, yet flustered blonde answered the door. At the sight of Bonnie tears welled up in her eyes and she lunged forward in a hug.
"Thank God you're here. I need help," Caroline spoke rapidly in Bonnie's ear.
"I'm here to help," was Bonnie's quick reply before pushing Caroline back into the safety of the apartment.
"Aunt Bonnie," two young girls squealed. The twin thirteen year olds reached for their aunt and enraptured her in a hug.
"Look what we got," Josie exclaimed as she proudly pointed to her newly padded bra under her shirt. Lizzie immediately cried out in distaste at her twins bluntness, but besides her blush did not seem too upset.
"Wow girls, look at you, growing up so fast!" Bonnie exclaimed as she encouraged the girls about their newly established womanhood.
The girls nodded enthusiastically before Caroline dismissed them to go pack.
"Pack? Pack for what?" Bonnie said out loud in wonder.
"We're leaving," Caroline stated as she rushed to her room where clothes were laying everywhere and a suitcase sat open. Two pieces of paper sat on top of the clothes in her suit case, one obviously a todo list and a packing list in true Caroline fashion. The other was a letter which quickly passed hands from Caroline to Bonnie.
After quickly reading the letter over, Bonnie made a statement she knew could get her in trouble.
"Care, before you leave, you have one more option."
"What? I have thought and thought and thought and there is nothing that could possibly fix this besides leaving or trying to find him. And I'm not a baby vampire anymore, I can't just run around trying to catch the bad guys. I've got the girls to worry about. They want more freedom now that they're growing older and I want to be able to give it to them without the fear of my crazy psychopath stalker finding them," she reasoned with a sigh of exhaustion.
"Don't get mad at me for suggesting this, but you've got friends in high places, Care," Bonnie responded.
"What, you? No, absolutely not. I'm not bringing you into this more than I already have," she stated as she moved around the room to continue packing.
"Caroline," Bonnie stated, "Do not play me a fool. I know for a fact that you have already had this thought cross your mind. Call him. Call Klaus."
"No, that is totally not happening," Caroline said with a sarcastic laugh.
"And why not?" Bonnie countered, "He's in love with you, plus he's a parent too now. He would understand, and even if he didn't, he would help you."
Caroline threw down the shorts she was folding and looked at Bonnie dead in the eye.
"Oh, I have no doubt in my mind that he would rush to my aid, but you know what he said last time I saw him? He said that he would stay away, until I came to him at least, then he would never let me go again. And he has kept good on his word, for fourteen years Bonnie," she exclaimed.
"And you miss him terribly," Bonnie stated with softened eyes.
"No, yes, I don't know. It's not okay either. I can't miss him, it's wrong," Caroline whispered.
"And so is stalking someone. Ironically enough, I think that Klaus is the lesser of two evils right now. I think you need to go to him and I think that you need to let him help you."
"The answer is no Bonnie, drop it," Caroline stated with new strength.
Bonnie sighed in recognition that she couldn't fight with her friend anymore. Her mind was made up, yet so was Bonnie's. She knew what she needed to do and she would do it regardless of how much her best friend might resent her. Because that's what a best friend is, someone who does what is best for their friends not what makes them the best of the others friends. And in that moment, it was decided.
Bonnie was going to New Orleans, Louisiana.
"Okay," Bonnie said with fake resolve, "How can I help?"
Caroline smiled at her friend and instructed her on helping the girls pack. They would leave for New York in the morning.
Bonnie watched as her best friend and only two godchildren walked through the doors to the bus. Five hours later and they would all be five hours away, safe. From there, Bonnie and Caroline would decide what to do. Bonnie had been given the task with tracking down Stephan and was given Caroline's future location where her and the girls would be staying. Bonnie was set to arrive in New York in three days.
Three days to fly to NOLA, find Klaus, persuade him not to kill her, convince him to leave his family and only daughter to come to New York with her, remind him not to harass Caroline, and make it back to New York by 12pm.
Easier said than done.
Bonnie drove back to her apartment before grabbing her bag she had packed and the tickets on her nightstand. She hadn't taken anything with her while dropping off Caroline in fear that she might see something and realize Bonnie was not being entirely truthful.
After double checking that nothing was left on and all doors and windows were locked, Bonnie headed for the yellow Taxi Cab outside her apartment building and quickly loaded all of her things. She was already behind schedule and didn't have time to waist.
The driver quickly took her to the airport thanks to his questionable driving, and helped her to unload all of her things. An hour later, she was checked in, through security, and five minutes from her terminal. She was on schedule.
Caroline had managed to occupy the two thirteen year olds with early birthday gifts. New iPod Touches were in the hands of the excited girls as they worked to figure out all of the gadgets. Meanwhile, Caroline was attempting to find the nearest motel to their end location. It was hour six already on the bus because some other passengers took extra time at the rest stops. Every single rest stop. Caroline now remembered why she never traveled via bus. It smells, its slow, and she was ninety-nine percent sure that the person in front of her had a bad case of flees. Seriously, just take a bath!
Moments later, Caroline received a text from Bon Bon.
"I've got it all figured out, I'll be in NY by the girls bedtime… Address?"
Caroline was surprised to say the least. She thought it would take at least a day to find and contact Stephan. She frowned at herself as she realized that she was doubting her best friend. How horrible is that! Sighing she texted back the address and an 'I love you' before shutting off her phone and leaning her head back in hopes of finding some relief to the pounding in her head.
Her mind traveled back to the day before and Bonnie's suggestion. She could admit to herself that she had lied to her friend. She did consider calling him. She was positive he would help her. And yes, she misses him terribly. And maybe if she didn't have the girls, maybe she could accept the offer to spend time with him, but she isn't the number one priority anymore. Her priorities lie in two places, and neither of them are her love life.
Her mind continued to run at one-hundred miles an hour and it always took her back to him. Some things don't change. Fourteen years and she still had the drawings, dresses, and jewelry. Fourteen years and she still dreamed of the day he came for her regardless of the lies of rejection she sent his way. Before she knew it, Josie and Lizzie were climbing over each other to the window seat to see the big city in the distance. It wouldn't be long now. In an hour or so they would be settling, and in a day or so Bonnie would have helped her with the next move.
Maybe fourteen more years and she'll be ready for him, just not right now.
Bonnie tried to sleep on the plane ride to NOLA, but had no considerable success. She was trapped by the allure of gazing out the window in wonder. She could very well die today, or tomorrow, or the next day. Hopefully not at all, but Klaus was dangerous. Bonnie exited the plane and even in the air-conditioned airport, she could feel the climate change. The humidity in the air clung to her skin and made her feel moisture in places that she believed she had never felt it before. Welcome to the South, she thought to herself.
She took a taxi from the airpot to the center of Louisiana after grabbing her bags, knowing Klaus and his family had a thing for hard liquor, she directed the cab to Bourbon Street.
The sounds of saxophones and other instruments filled her senses as she smelt the cajun cuisine. She had the driver drop her off at Bourbon Street and figure she would walk until she got lucky, while also learning the lay of the land. If Klaus really was the king he said he was here, then she had no doubt that he would have one of his hybrid lackeys bring her to him immediately.
She was mildly surprised when it took a hybrid five hours to approach her, clearly a Bennet witch, in a vampire/werewolf city. She was equally proud of herself for knowing that she would never need a locater spell with Klaus, he would always find her first.
As she followed the gruff man/vampire/wolf, still lugging around her luggage, and quite frankly a little unnerved at the fact that the man hadn't offered to help her. Witch or not, she was still a lady and would love some help.
She walked into the Mikealson home and realized how stupid she was for not just directing the cab to the largest in city manor, of course they lived here.
"Ahh, look who it is, the Bennet witch," she heard a strong voice boom. A voice she loathed. The voice of Kol Mikealson. He walked down the stairs and approached her with the ever present Kol swagger.
"Darling, you look as amazing as ever," he stated as he reached to grab her hand and place a kiss on the back side.
She rolled her eyes.
"You do realize that I'm not a teenage girl anymore and you cannot just woo me with flattery," she stated flatly, trying to look as annoyed as possible.
"Wow, you certainly have matured, little witch. My, how the years have treated you well."
"Oh lord, did you just hit on me again. You do realize that in human years, I am nearly twice your age," she stated with a disgusted scoff.
"My dear, once you've been around as long as I have and seen as many women as I have you realize age is just truly a number," he stated with a wink at the end, "Besides, what are you thirty? I died when I was 20, you're only ten years older than me. In human terms of course."
Important fact about Bonnie Bennet: She absolutely hates smirking idiots who believe a little flattery will find their way into her pants.
Bonnie scoffed and was about to return a rather witty remark when she heard the sound of a second pair of shoes descending the staircase.
"Bonnet Bennet, to what do I owe the pleasure," Klaus' voice rose above all as he drew nearer to her.
"I think we should take a walk," Bonnie stated seriously while casting and uneasy glance at the other man in the room.
"Leave us, brother," Klaus demanded immediately without taking his eyes from the witch. Kol grumbled and complained, but complied nevertheless as Klaus lead Bonnie towards the main living room parlor.
Bonnie proceeded to take a seat on a single chair opposite the couch and waited as Klaus poured himself a Bourbon. How original. Pun intended.
"Bonnie, I must admit that I was not expecting to see you down here, after all, its been a while since your friends and I held quarrels in Mysic Falls. I might have expected you a couple years ago, but you're no longer a young child. I thought you would have moved on," Klaus said to insult her as he sat down across from her. Bonnie then did something absolutely insane.
Two things actually.
"Let me just clarify something really quick," Bonnie stood abruptly and paced over to Klaus, he of course was unaffected.
"I loath you with every fiber of my being," she spoke strongly, and as his eyes widened in anger and surprise, Bonnie went for it.
Bonnie Bennet kissed Klaus Mikaelson. Ew.
Not even a second later, Bonnie was pushed against a wall, held off the ground by the hand wrapped around her neck. Klaus roared in rage.
"I do not appreciate being taken advantage of," he growled.
"Oh… thank… god…," Bonnie choked out, "You still…love her."
Immediately Klaus dropped her from his grasp and allowed her to gasp for air. He moved away from her as if he had been struck by lightening.
"What in bloody hell are you talking about," Klaus exclaimed, because that was a mighty accusation to make of the original hybrid.
"Caroline, I needed to know if you still loved her," Bonnie said as she stood and shook off the violent encounter. She moved to the bar and poured herself a Bourbon as well before handing Klaus the bottle.
"Here, sit, you're going to need that by the way," she stated as he took the bottle. He had hardly said anything.
"Witch, know that if this is some scheme to get me back involved with your little gang back in Mystic Falls, I will end you."
"Oh calm down, you can pout later. I need your help."
"With what exactly would that be. I prefer to be informed," Klaus stated as he poured himself another Bourbon.
"Caroline, as I mentioned earlier, needs your help," she practically pleaded.
"And why exactly is she not here, why are you here in her place," he grumbled.
"Klaus, she's in trouble," Bonnie said quietly before handing him the box and note that she had taken from Caroline's apartment after the third time he contacted her. The box that held the lingerie. The box the was supposed to be for her birthday.
Klaus received the box and read the letter as Bonnie began to tell the story of how Caroline was a mom to two teenage girls now.
"This was about seven months ago, for her birthday. She got a letter or gift of some sort about every week following. Sometimes more, hardly ever did a week pass without some sort of contact. Yesterday, one arrived that stated that he planned to meet the girls this week and had 'gifts' for them. She became frantic and called me," Bonnie explained, taking not of the rage that filled Klaus' face as he took in the lingerie in the box, before continuing, "I told her to call you, but she wasn't having it. She and the girls packed bags and took a bus ride to New York. They're in a motel on the outside of the city right now, waiting for me to arrive in three days after tracking down Stephan. I came here instead."
"Is she single," Klaus asked as he shoved the garments back into the box along with the note before throwing them both in the raging fire.
"Would it matter if she wasn't?" Bonnie asked, knowing full well the answer.
"Absolutely not," he stated firmly. Then he stood, finished the last shot of Bourbon in his glass before taking powerful steps up the stairs.
"We leave in an hour, feel free to use any bathroom to freshen up," he said as they both walked down the hallway the lead to the bedrooms.
As Klaus reached his door and turned in, he turned to see Bonnie closing the door to the powder bathroom.
"Witch, what are the girls names," he questioned.
"Josie and Lizzie," she said with a smile before shutting the door and she could have sworn that she saw a glimmer of a smile cross his face.
Klaus and Bonnie sat on the private jet Klaus ordered in complete silence, both lost in thought. Bonnie was deeply concerned for the wellbeing of her best friend and godchildren while Klaus was beyond anxious to see the woman he hadn't seen in far too long.
"So witch, tell me about Caroline as a mom, tell me about her girls. I should hope that I should understand better than I might have previously because of Hope."
"Well at first it was easy. She had Ric. Then it was hard. Then she didn't have Ric. But you know Care, she always rises to a challenge. She did everything and more for those babies and they are her number one priority. They're brilliant as well. Josie is defiantly the more outgoing of the two, and Lizzie prefers to keep to herself, and even though they aren't related by blood, both carry distinct Caroline traits. Both are very opinionated and both are very stubborn," she responded as her eyes clouded over with love for her godkids.
"Yes, I remember Hope at a young age began to show some of the same traits. I would go as far as to say that she and I share the same traits that Caroline shares with her kids."
"How old is Hope now?"
"She's just turned fifteen," he said with a soft smile she never thought she would see on the Original Hybrid.
"Ahh, I see you made it through puberty alive, now you are entering an even harder time," Bonnie replied with a smirk.
"Ha!" Klaus exclaimed, "Now what could possibly be worse than a teenage girl going through puberty? I had Rebekah move in to help out with Hope during that time and I didn't even have to tell her about it all. All I had to do was go get her favorite snacks and deal with everything and it was still hell."
Bonnie snorted and shook her head.
"Klaus, you really have no idea, do you?"
"I promise you nothing is worse than puberty."
"Two words Klaus, 'Teenage' 'Boys'," Bonnie said with a smirk.
"What? No, Hope isn't interested in boys yet," he said dismissing the topic.
"You really think she would tell you if she was?" Bonnie questioned with a laugh.
"Hope tells me everything," he persuaded.
"You think a fifteen year old girl would tell her serial killer father who could have all of New Orleans slaughtered in an hour with one command about a boy that likes her, or her him, or even worse, both of them liking each other at the same time?" Bonnie questioned rhetorically.
Klaus snorted and made a mental note to question his sister about the topic later. If Hope didn't talk to him then surely she must talk to Rebekah. Surely she felt like she had people to talk to.
Klaus sighed.
He needed to find Hope a mother figure, and he always had Caroline in mind, but he never wanted to go back on his word to stay away. But now was his chance. His chance to find a mom for Hope and maybe have a lasting relationship for once in his one-thousand year life. Another hour and he would see her. Another hour his life would change.
I'm coming, sweetheart
Caroline was just tucking the girls into bed and kissing them goodnight when there was a knock at the door.
"Hold on girls, I think Aunt Bonnie just got here," she explained as she left the one bedroom in the motel room and moved to the living room to access the door. She glanced through the peep hole and after confirming that the person knocking on her door was Bonnie, she opened the door. Quickly the two girls hugged, but they quickly separated as Caroline pushed her friend away. From the new angle over Bonnie's shoulder she could now see he was with her.
Fourteen years and he hasn't changed a day, physically. Oh but his eyes, they were older, wiser.
"Klaus," she whispered in awe. Somehow she thought she might be indifferent to him when she would first see him again but the rush of emotions that waterfalled down upon her put that suspicion to rest.
"Sweetheart, you look as radiant as ever," he said as a softness covered his eyes. He hadn't see her in person in fourteen years. Her hair was still more beautiful than honey gold and her eyes sparkled with life. She seemed to have become more beautiful with the tiresome job of mother hood and the sweats she stood in did more for him than any lingerie he had ever seen anyone else wear.
"I'm going to go say goodnight to the girls," Bonnie spoke quietly, not wanting to disrupt this moment. She then noticed that they simple continued to stare at each other and continued with, "Maybe you two could go for a drive or something to talk."
"Sweetheart," the man with the accent spoke in question. He was asking her if she wanted to go for a car ride with him, yet he was asking so much more at the same time.
She nodded her head at him before turning to Bonnie and saying, "They were just about to fall sleep. I didn't know there were going to be five of us so the twins are in the bed room and you and I were meant to sleep on the futon. I'll get the joined room when we get back and you can get your own bed."
Then she turned to Klaus and said, "I'm going to go tuck my girls in, I'll be out in a minute."
She gave him a soft smile before turning away and walking into the motel room where Bonnie was waiting.
"I am going to kill you Bonnie Bennet," she stated in the lowest whisper knowing that Klaus could more than likely hear every breath she took.
"I kissed him to get him here, you better be grateful," Bonnie stated with a smirk.
"You did what?!" Caroline screeched, and when she realized her tone she repeated it in a low whisper again.
"See you do care, told you," Bonnie teased.
"Why does that even matter, and keep your voice down," Caroline scolded, "Besides, I thought you cursed the air he breathed?"
"Oh I did, and I might still, but boy does he have a soft spot for you and Hope. I think that its worth looking into," Bonnie said as she started to walk towards the bedroom.
Caroline simply scowled at her.
She then proceeded to open the door to the girls room and walk in followed by Bonnie.
"I love you girlies," Caroline said as she kissed each of their foreheads.
"Mom where are you going?" Josie asked.
"Oh, an old friend showed up so we're going to catch up and he might even help us out a little bit," she explained as vaguely as possible. She still had yet to explain the entire situation to the girls, but little by little she was revealing information.
"Are you alright mama," Lizzie asked with true concern, her brow creased over.
"Don't worry about me honey, I just haven't seen my friend in a really long time and was surprised. That's all," she finished with a smile before giving them one last hug and allowing Bonnie in for some of the love.
"I'm going to go see my friend now, okay? I'll be back after you fall asleep but Aunt Bonnie is going to stay with you guys and maybe you can all catch up before you fall asleep," she said with a wink at the end.
"Okay mama, I love you", "Love you ma", were the responses she got before leaving the room, blowing two more kisses. She walked out the front door, locking it behind her, and walked out to the black SUV Klaus had rented. She climbed in the car silently, and the two old friends shared a smile, before Klaus slowly pulled out of the parking lot, beginning their drive.
Only Klaus was able to hear Bonnie as she answered the girls questions about 'Mommy's friend' with, "Oh my dear girls, let me tell you about the most wonderfully complicated love story to ever exist."
Klaus was smirking like never before.
