The next night aboard Titanic, Caroline was scheduled to attend another elegant dinner with all the high-class passengers. She wasn't looking forward to it. More dull talk about how there was no reason for her to attend university when she was engaged, and why she shouldn't use one designer over another for her wedding dress. Did they honestly think she couldn't form her own opinions about a simple dress? It was ludicrous. The way they treated her like a child. She was a woman, and wanted to be treated as such. But she also knew that would never happen. Not in her world.
It was noontime now, and she was dressed in a bright green dress, with white trimming. Her hair was done up in neat curls, and she was leaning against the rails outside the ship, looking out into the clear blue ocean. This was the place her mother had set up a meeting for her to greet the captain's children. Elena and Jeremy Gilbert, she believed their names were. Oh how she continued to pray that they weren't as stuffy as the Lockwood family. Maybe they would be more like Mr. Saltzman. One could only hope.
She wasn't sure what time they were supposed to get there. It had already been twenty minutes since she had arrived on deck. What was keeping them? Were they as reluctant to meet her, as she was to meet them?
Right on cue, Caroline could hear laughter from around a nearby corner. The noise caused her to turn abruptly, surprised by the joyous sounds. Was that…was that supposed to be them? Her head cocked quizzically to the side as two people—a boy and a girl—came running toward her, all smiles.
They were both dressed in fine clothing. The girl wore a powder blue dress, with her chestnut hair down in loose curls. The boy was dressed in a man's finest attire, his black suit clinging to his rather muscular body. Despite their pristine ensemble, neither of them wore the signature frown that went along with those clothes. They were happy. Caroline didn't understand it…how were they not more…lifeless? Everyone she knew looked as if they had something stuck up uncomfortable places. Nobody ran around joyously with one another. Nobody was ever allowed.
"Ah ha! I knew you would never be able to catch me," the young brunette joked with the man who had been chasing her playfully. They both stopped just beside Caroline.
"I don't understand how you have so much energy! In a corset, no less," the man laughed, resting his hands on his knees to catch his breath.
"We women are tougher than you think," she said smugly, nodding her head once. She then turned to Caroline, and gave a small curtsy. "My apologies. We did not mean to run late."
"Don't worry about it," Caroline said, slightly confused. "I presume you are Elena and Jeremy Gilbert?"
Elena nodded cheerfully. "We are. And you are Caroline Forbes? Our father told us to look for a woman with hair as gold as the sun, and a fire in her eyes that burned just as bright."
"Oh," she mumbled, surprised. "I guess that would be me then. It's a pleasure to meet you both."
"As we are pleased to meet you," Jeremy said kindly, taking her hand gently in his, and placing a soft kiss to it. "It's so nice to meet someone else our age. We were beginning to think nothing but stuffy old men and women were on board."
"We've tried sneaking down to third class, but someone always manages to catch us before we get too far," Elena shrugged, rolling her eyes.
"I…I'm a little confused," Caroline mused, "You mean you both don't enjoy first class? You sneak around?"
"First class has it's advantages, sure," Jeremy nodded, "but it's nothing compared to the parties I hear they have down below. Father never lets us go because it would look bad, but I think he secretly tries to distract his crewmembers so that we may experience them for ourselves. His plans just never work. And he would never admit that he is okay with it either."
"But you can't blame him for trying," Elena reminded him.
"Your father sounds like a great man. I haven't had the pleasure of meeting the captain yet," Caroline informed them.
"We shall remedy that as soon as we can," Elena grinned. "But for now, let us walk? Maybe get to know each other better before dinner?"
"That sounds like an excellent plan," Caroline said calmly, nodding in agreement. Truthfully, the two Gilberts seemed like very favorable people. She was relieved to find they weren't anything like the Lockwood family, or her own mother. They were carefree despite their class standing, and they certainly seemed to know how to have a good time. Could these be the type of friends she was looking for this whole trip?
"Father tells us you are to marry the Lockwood man?" Jeremy asked, stepping in line beside Caroline, while Elena occupied her other side.
"Um, yes, I am. We begin the real wedding preparations after we arrive in America."
"Oh, a wedding!" Elena clapped. "I love weddings. I am afraid I will never marry though."
"Why ever not?" Caroline asked, utterly perplexed by her statement. The girl was stunning, how could she not have a suitor? Were men not throwing themselves at her feet?
"Our dearest Elena is quite the picky one," Jeremy whispered conspiratorially into Caroline's ear. He chuckled when Elena tried to slap him on the shoulder for such a remark. Even Caroline couldn't stop the grin that appeared from his words.
"That is not true! It isn't my fault you men are such brutes. Always criticizing how us women act around your godly selves. No, I much prefer a man of lower class. I want someone who knows how to have fun with me, and will treat me as I should be treated."
"See? Picky," Jeremy smiled. "I think she just wants a taste of the forbidden fruit."
"Jeremy!" Elena chided, shaking her head. "You will understand some day when you meet a girl. Would you want somebody like the stiffs we met yesterday, or would you want somebody like Caroline and I?"
"Oh, I doubt I'm anything like you two," Caroline said sadly, ashamed she couldn't say she was as fun. "I'm not like that."
"That's not what it looks like to me," Elena commented, giving her a reassuring smile. "You just need the right friends to show you the way."
"You don't understand. My mother has certain expectations of how I should behave, as does my fiancé. I can't just act like I haven't been raised in riches my whole life."
"Who says?" Elena challenged. "We do it all the time. We were born with this status, we didn't ask for it."
"But do you not enjoy the benefits of being raised in such a world? All of the delectable food, comfortable beds, and gorgeous clothing we receive from it?"
"Yes, of course. But would you rather have all of that, or the freedom to do as you please without judgment?" Elena asked quietly.
Caroline bit her lower lip, turning to Jeremy as if he would have some form of answer. He looked at her expectantly, awaiting her reply. He thought like his sister. It was so new, seeing such caring people want the same things out of life as she did. But she knew they would be disappointed to find that just wasn't how life worked. If there had been a way out of marrying Tyler, she would have found it by now. There wasn't though, and that was the problem.
It was nice to dream about traveling to far off places, and not worry about such proper behavior, but it would never be realistic of her to believe such dreams would come true. Yet, she couldn't burst Elena and Jeremy's bubble. They seemed so happy, so optimistic. How could she be the one to tell them they couldn't achieve all they dreamed of?
"You're right," Caroline smiled. "I would love that kind of freedom over fine clothing any day." It wasn't a lie. She simply didn't believe it would ever happen as much as they did.
"See? You are just like us," Elena said happily, looping her arm through Caroline's. "For you to think otherwise is preposterous."
"Is your fiancé like you?" Jeremy asked, intrigued. "Or is he a snob like all the others?"
"Tyler is not a snob," Caroline lied expertly. "But he is satisfied with his wealth and status in society."
"Snob," Elena and Jeremy deadpanned in unison. Caroline looked taken aback by their frank observation.
"We know what his parents are like," Jeremy told her. "We just wanted to know if he was like them too."
"And it sounds like he is," Elena agreed.
"No, no that's not it," Caroline tried to argue, but it was a weak attempt. "Tyler just…he doesn't…"
"You create such a strong argument for him," Elena teased.
Caroline sighed in defeat. There would be no getting anything past these two. "No, Tyler is not like me."
"I'm so sorry," Elena said sincerely, patting Caroline's hand soothingly. "I mean it. I would much rather never marry than be in your situation."
"Uh…thank you?" Caroline mumbled. How was she supposed to take that as?
"My sister means well, but sometimes words just fly out of her mouth before she can stop them," Jeremy told her playfully. Caroline smiled. She did know that feeling.
"I believe we are much the same in that sense," Caroline assured her.
Elena gave her a bright smile in return. "Caroline Forbes, I wish I had known you sooner. The good times we would have had together."
"We know her now though," Jeremy said cheerfully. "Let's be happy for that."
"Yes! In fact, you should come to our quarters this evening to prepare for dinner! It will be a grand time," Elena said excitedly as the idea came to her.
"I would love that," Caroline said, genuinely pleased for the first time since arriving on Titanic. For the first time this trip, she had something to look forward to.
"Splendid!" Elena said, beaming at her new friend. "Shall we continue touring the ship then? Until it is closer to dinner?"
"That sounds fine," Caroline giggled, walking with the both of them back inside.
It was a weird sensation, talking to someone that wasn't in her immediate circle of people. She didn't have to pretend with Elena and Jeremy. Caroline could truly show her deepest desires around them. But, at the same time, they could never know how unhappy she was with her engagement. That was still her secret to keep. Elena seemed to comprehend a little of what she was going through, but not as much as she thought. The brunette didn't know just how emotionless Caroline had become since the impending marriage had been announced.
So she would hide it from her. Elena and Jeremy would not know how awful she felt about being imprisoned aboard the ship. It was why when dinnertime approached, and she was readying herself for that night, she put on a smile for them. It was only for them, however, because no one else cared if she smiled or not. As long as she behaved herself, her mother and Tyler didn't care if she enjoyed anything that happened around them or not.
That night, she wore a beautiful, deep crimson dress to dinner, with black sequins scattered around it. Her hair was up in tight curls again, and she wore heels that were far too uncomfortable. Elena wore a dark blue dress, with white lace around the edges. Her hair was done in much the same fashion as hers too. Caroline couldn't help but feel a little jealous at how effortless her beauty was. The other girl could have worn her robe to dinner and been just as admired.
Once Jeremy had changed into yet another tux, the three of them walked to dinner together. There, they met her mother, the Lockwood family, Mr. Saltzman, and the other rich passengers whose names currently escaped Caroline's memory. It was all procedural greetings, as she expected. There was idle chatter that meant nothing, smiles that never quite lit up her features, and laughter from jokes that weren't funny at all.
When all the hellos had been said, they sat down, only to begin more mindless talking that Caroline didn't bother to listen to. Elena and Jeremy were preoccupied with questions Richard Lockwood continued to ask them. Mostly because they were the captain's children, and he would never dare ignore them. Every move was a game, a carefully planned strategy put into motion. It was all so fake that Caroline wanted to vomit. The only real conversation she had been involved in was the one with Jeremy and Elena earlier that day. And how refreshing that had been. Why couldn't she go back to that?
As Caroline sat there, observing the Gilbert siblings speak with her soon to be father-in-law, her fiancé laugh with her mother, and Mr. Saltzman explain the ship's machinery to a couple of unknown faces, she felt her chest tighten. It was all suddenly too much for her to handle. Watching her future pass before her very eyes made her stomach queasy. This was what she would be doing for the rest of her life. She may have spoken about dreams and freedom with the Gilberts, but that was not what her life would be. Those thoughts were nothing more than a fantasy to help her sleep at night. It was this kind of get together she would be forced to sit through. It would be a never-ending cycle of parties and dinners. Forever.
"Excuse me," she said quietly to anyone who even bothered to notice her presence.
No one looked up from his or her conversation, of course. Without looking back at her table, she quickly strode outside of the dining area. Caroline wanted fresh air. She wanted to get away from her life. She wanted that freedom she so desperately reached for.
So she ran.
She started sprinting across the wooden floors, her hair loosening from its tight bun as she did. Before she knew it, tears were streaming down her face. A few passengers looked at her funny, but none bothered to stop her. They just ignored the crazy, spoiled heiress who probably didn't get the diamond necklace she had been pining for. It's not like she would have any real issues to be concerned about.
It was too much. All of this was just too much for her to deal with. She was young, and it would never end until death. This life she was starting would be with her years unless she did something about it now. Caroline would be sad to leave her mother, Mr. Saltzman, Elena, and Jeremy behind, but they couldn't—or wouldn't, in her mother's case—help her escape this fate.
Caroline's feet didn't stop moving until she ran straight into the railing at the back of the ship. Nobody was around her, and all she could hear was the crashing of waves against the monstrous ship she stood on. Here, she found that peace she so often sought for. But it wasn't enough. Not this time. This time, she needed more. If she wanted freedom, it would have to be achieved by a new means.
Very carefully, Caroline held on tightly to the rails, and put one foot over the ledge. Slowly, she put the other foot over, her body shaking slightly from her precarious position. It took her some time, but she eventually turned completely around, so that her body was facing the ocean, and she was standing on the side of the railing that no one dared occupy. Her heart beat rapidly as she extended her arms, still holding on with an iron grip to the rails.
This was it. She could do this. All she had to do was release her hands, and she would get that highly desired independence. This was something she would do for herself, and not for anyone else. No one would tell her she could or could not let go. No one would tell her to get back on the boat, and stop throwing some unnecessary tantrum. She would be free.
Or so she had thought.
"What are you doing over there, sweetheart?" a voice called to her.
Caroline's head snapped around to look at the man who dared to stop her from doing what she wanted for the first time in her life. His blue eyes watched her warily, his feet inching closer to where she stood. But he wasn't too close. At least there was that. Why did he look so familiar? The man had to be lower class though, so where had she seen him?
"Go away," she said weakly, but with a determined expression. "I'm busy."
With that, her head whipped back around to look at the ocean, her eyes closed. This man wasn't going to stop her from doing what she wanted. How dare he think it polite to just interrupt her like this? Couldn't he see that she was attending to important matters?
Caroline heard a small chuckle from behind her. "Are you now?"
Did she look like she was kidding? The nerve! "Yes, now please leave," she said curtly, not turning to face him again.
"Come on, just…give me your hand. I'll help you back over. I assure you, the water looks the same from over here," he said calmly.
"Just don't come any closer!" she spat back. "I'm going to do it! I'm going to let go!"
This time, Caroline did turn around. She saw the worried expression on his face, and how he seemed to be analyzing her movements. He lifted up a cigarette in his hand, taking one last drag before tossing it over the edge, and effectively moving closer to her. When her eyes met his, there was a certain, knowing glint in them that she hadn't seen before. He smirked as he put his hands in his pockets, and looked at the ground. For some reason, Caroline couldn't take her eyes off of him now. What was it about him that tickled her memory?
"No you won't," he said quietly, obviously certain of his guess. "You won't jump."
Klaus looked up at the night sky, smoking leisurely on a cigarette while he lied on one of the many benches. Elijah had long since gone to bed, and Damon was off having a drink alone, no doubt chatting with some unsuspecting lady he had just met. Stefan had left only moments ago, claiming he was tired. So it left Klaus to linger on deck longer, not ready to go below just yet. He was on the greatest ship ever built. Why in the world would he want to sleep away his time on board?
The stars shone brightly, lighting up the sky, as did the lights on the ship. The glow that surrounded him was serene, and he was sure if anything, he could fall asleep there. This was what he had been accustomed to for months. Sleeping under the night sky without a roof over his head. It was a familiarity that brought him peace.
Everything around him was changing so fast. For the better, of course, but he still had to adjust his mindset because of it. He was actually going to be with his family. Rebekah and Kol were but a few days distance away from him. Even if it wouldn't be the life of riches, he would be home. And that was enough.
As he took another drag from his cigarette, he heard a set of clicking, moving hastily across deck. The noise caused him to jolt upright, searching for the source.
It was the girl. The woman he had seen yesterday was running toward the stern, but why? Why was she crying? Such an angelic face shouldn't be so upset. His brows furrowed as he continued to watch her, unsure of what he should be doing. Did he need to find someone to help her? Would it be acceptable for him to speak to her now? She was where his people resided, after all. Social class certainly shouldn't be a problem now.
He watched intently as her hands gripped the rail so much so, that her knuckles had to be turning white. Slowly, he stood up, finding it easy to start moving in her direction. Screw getting someone else, he was right there. Might as well help her himself.
By the time he moved up a small set of stairs, he saw the girl had placed herself over the ledge. Her body was getting closer to the ocean, as she extended her arms to shorten the distance. Bloody hell, she was going to do it. She was going to let go. Was she out of her mind?! The water was freezing! Did she mean to drop to her death?
Casually, he strolled over to her, trying to be nonchalant about his approach. Best not to frighten the poor girl anymore than she seemed to be already. His eyes roamed over her body, studying the way she shook just a little, and how it wasn't from the wind. How her hair was a mess, but she still looked beautiful all the same. What kind of problem could such a creature have to want to end it so soon? She looked younger than he was for crying out loud. Did she not realize how much she had to live for?
"What are you doing over there, sweetheart?" he called softly, trying not to startle her.
Her head turned so quickly, he was afraid she would get whiplash. Her eyes darted to his feet, watching how he moved just a little closer to her. Smart girl. She was very observant.
"Go away," she attempted, but even he could hear the pitiful tone she held. "I'm busy."
Klaus grinned at how her stubborn little expression was set on not letting him talk to her. She turned away from him now, looking back to the ocean. He chuckled, unable to keep his amusement in. So she really was as fiery as he had thought her to be.
"Are you now?" he asked, trying to think of anything to say.
"Yes, now please leave," she demanded, her temper getting the better of her. Klaus shook his head, even though she couldn't see. There was no way he could leave now. It would be a cruel punishment to deny the world her spirit.
"Come on, just…give me your hand. I'll help you back over. I assure you, the water looks the same from over here," he said calmly, trying to lighten the mood when he held his hand out to her.
"Just don't come any closer!" she hissed. "I'm going to do it! I'm going to let go!"
His eyes met hers when she finally looked around, and he was captivated instantly. This girl wasn't fooling around. She was going to jump, and he couldn't let her do that. Not taking his eyes off of her, he took his last drag from the cigarette in his hands, and tossed it overboard. Thankfully, his plan to get closer had worked. She hadn't protested once.
And then it hit him.
This girl didn't want to jump. Oh no, she didn't want to jump at all. She was just scared, and she wanted someone to tell her it was okay. This woman wanted someone to pull her back from death's grasp. Why though? What was going through her pretty little head that would make her want to leave this world in such a way?
His hands slipped into his pockets, as he decided what his next move would be. He could feel the smirk tug at his lips, and his eyes fall to the ground, no longer able to hold her gaze. The intensity of it frightened him.
"No you won't," he said quietly, certain of his assumption. "You won't jump."
The blonde looked at him incredulously, her eyes widening. "Excuse you? You don't know what I will and will not do!"
"Unfortunately, I disagree. See, you would have already jumped, if that was your intention," he nodded, scratching his chin indifferently. "So…you won't jump."
"For the last time, go away! You are trying to distract me, but it won't work!" she huffed, turning back with a newfound determination. He looked at her sadly, wanting so badly to help her back over. But she was a scared little girl, and it would take a little more coaxing.
"I can't," he sighed. "I'm involved now, and if you jump, well…I am afraid to inform you that I will have to jump in after you."
"Ridiculous," she muttered. "You'll die."
"I know how to swim," he said, beginning to take his shoes off. If she thought he was joking, she was sadly mistaken.
"This is idiotic of you. Stop undressing yourself! You won't jump in after, you couldn't handle it."
"I would get over it," he assured her. "Truth be told, I'm more concerned about the water's temperature."
The blonde seemed to consider his words for a moment. Good, he was planting a seed of doubt. "How cold?" she asked meekly. And his plan was now in motion.
"Freezing," he said simply. "Trust me, I know how it will feel against your skin. My brothers and I used to play a game, to see how long we could stay in the water during winter. It was a show of manly strength, to us. But the water…it quickly deflated a boy's ego. My skin burned, and felt like thousands of tiny needles were poking at me, trying to hinder my breathing. I couldn't think straight. All I could do was focus on the pain. Not an all too pleasant feeling. It's why I'm hoping you'll save me here, so I don't have to relive my childhood. It wasn't a time I would want to experience again."
Klaus watched the gears in her head turn furiously, deciding on whether or not to take his word as truth. Her eyes had stayed glued to him the entire time he told his story. That doubt he had planted in her mind was growing, he could tell. But she wasn't there yet.
"You're crazy," she mumbled, facing the water again.
He chuckled. "Ah, I've heard that before. See, I've thought about it myself, once or twice, over the past few months. But I'll let you in on a little secret," he whispered, moving closer to her yet again. He could feel her breathing hitch, and was sure her ears perked up just a bit more. "There's a whole world…out there waiting for you. There are great cities, and art…and music. Genuine beauty. And you can have all of it. You can go and experience everything the world has to offer. All you have to do is ask."
He had moved sufficiently closer to her at this point. In fact, he was close enough to touch her. Klaus watched as her eyes fluttered about, unsure of which direction to take. But her lips began to tremble, and she shook her head slowly.
"I don't want to die," she admitted through her tears.
"Take my hand," he offered again, moving it closer to where she was. "Let's get you back where you belong."
Her hand flew to his, and she held on tightly as she began to carefully maneuver herself so that she was face-to-face with Klaus. Two beautiful blue eyes looked up at him through long lashes. The wait had certainly been worth this. She was stunning. A small grin tugged on his lips, but this time it was genuine.
"Now that's more like it," he smiled. "I'm Klaus Mikaelson."
"Caroline Forbes," she said quietly. Caroline. What a beautiful, fitting name.
"Come on, Caroline. Let's get you over here now," he said gently, moving his other hand to her back to help her climb over the ledge. She smiled, and began lifting her foot up to come over.
What neither of them expected was for her dress to get tangled up with her foot, and for her to quickly lose her balance.
He reacted quickly, holding tightly to one hand while she held on for dear life to the rails with her other. Her screams pierced the otherwise silent night, and he tried so hard to pull her back over.
"HELP ME!" she screamed, tears falling fast down her cheeks. "PLEASE!"
"Look at me, Caroline!" he instructed her, watching as her eyes finally met his. He nodded his head, trying to calm her down. "Just hold on, okay? I won't let go. Now pull yourself up, you can do it."
Caroline nodded her head, pulling on the rails with one hand, while he pulled on her other. Together, and with a little more encouraging on his part, they pulled her back over. She landed on the wooden floor with a thud, and both of them were breathing heavily. He had almost lost her, right when had had been so sure everything was fixed. That had to be one of the most unpleasant experiences he had gone through so far. At least while on Titanic.
But the universe was out to prove him wrong.
The sounds of footsteps running toward them could be heard now. Klaus looked up while he was on his knees, still catching his breath. Crewmen had arrived, and were looking at Klaus with wide eyes. Why did they look at him like he was such a monster? His brows knitted together, and he surveyed the predicament he had missed.
Caroline's dress was torn at the end, and his clothes and shoes were over to the side. Oh no. He realized exactly what this looked like.
"YOU STEP BACK, AND DON'T MOVE," one of the crew warned him.
"Fetch the master of arms," he instructed another man.
Klaus did as he was told, and moved back immediately, lifting his hands in surrender. Perfect. He did one good deed, and was punished for it. That was just his luck.
It didn't take long the master of arms to arrive, and for Klaus' hands to be cuffed behind his back. Caroline sat on a bench, a blanket wrapped around her. There was a small crowd now too, which included a couple of men he didn't know. One, however, he remembered from yesterday, when he had met Caroline on deck. The man she had promptly stormed away from.
"How dare you think you could touch my fiancée?! How foolish to believe such a thing!" The man yelled about, coming to stand in Klaus' face.
"Tyler!" Caroline intervened. "Please! It was an accident!"
The small group got quiet, and Tyler turned to her, astounded by her unexpected words. "Caroline…what do you mean?"
"I-I was leaning far over and…I slipped," she stuttered, looking up at Tyler innocently. "I-I wanted to see the uh…the uh, uh…"
"Propellers?" Tyler finished for her, a tight smile on his lips.
"Yes! The propellers. I wanted to see them, but I slipped. Mr. Mikaelson here saved me. If it weren't for him, I would have fallen."
"Is this true, son?" the man behind Klaus asked. He looked at Caroline, not understanding why she wanted to lie at first. But he quickly understood. So he had no other choice but to go along with her story.
"That's exactly what happened," he assured the group.
"Then the boy is a hero! Now back to our brandy, eh?" some fat lard of a man exclaimed from behind Tyler. The man behind Klaus began undoing his handcuffs. Once his hands were free, he rubbed them gently, watching the men begin to slowly disperse. Now that his business had been taken care of, nobody cared any longer about the third class man who had saved the sad girl.
"Let's get you back inside," Tyler said, moving Caroline away.
"Perhaps a reward for the young man's rescue?" the fat man suggested. Maybe he wasn't so bad after all.
"Right…Mason, a twenty should do it," he said dismissively.
"Oh? Is that the going rate for saving the woman you love?" Caroline asked, raising her brows in challenge. Tyler turned toward her slowly.
"So you are displeased? What to do…" he mused. "I know…"
Tyler walked toward Klaus casually, nodding his head as if to persuade himself to follow through with what he was about to give him. "How about you join us for dinner tomorrow? You can tell us all about your heroic rescue again. What say you?"
"Sounds spectacular," Klaus smirked smugly, not needing another moment to think it over. If another chance for him to see Caroline were presenting itself, he would not reject it.
"Wonderful," Tyler said, going back to Caroline and walking her toward the ship. Caroline gave him one last, thankful look, before following Tyler obediently. Right as they were all about to walk away, Klaus turned toward the butler.
"Mind sparing a smoke?" Klaus asked, amused. Mason turned back to him, frowning intensely before tossing Klaus a cigarette. He lifted it up slightly, indicating that he still needed a light.
"You know what I find interesting?" Mason asked, moving closer to Klaus and lighting the cigarette for him. "How Caroline's accident happened so suddenly, yet you still found time to remove your jacket, and your shoes."
With a knowing grin, Mason walked off, not giving Klaus another glance. But it didn't matter. Mason's words only meant Klaus would have to be more careful around Caroline. They would not cause him any uneasiness. Surely that wasn't supposed to scare him off.
He had gotten a taste of what it was like to be around her now. There was no way he was giving up that easily.
Caroline looked down at the brush in her hands, staring blankly at it. Her thoughts were consumed with the mysterious Klaus. It was still nagging at her that she didn't remember where she had seen him before. Those eyes…they weren't forgettable. And yet there she was, drawing a blank.
Except...a memory did tickle Caroline's memory. One of her time outside yesterday, and staring down at the third class passengers, and a particular man who had been blatantly gazing at her. It was those very blue eyes she had faced tonight. Oh, why hadn't she recognized him sooner! No wonder she couldn't get him off of her mind.
There was a sudden knock at her door, bringing Caroline from her revelation, and she looked through her mirror to see Elena walking in cautiously, checking around the room for anyone else who might be preoccupying the space. What could she possibly want at this hour though?
"Is it alright for me to be here?" she asked, her robes held tightly together as she tiptoed through the room. Caroline gave her a small smile, and nodded.
"It's fine. Why though? Shouldn't you be in bed?"
"I should be a lot of things, but alas, I am not any of those," Elena replied, smirking as she sat down on one of the couches. "I was worried about you. I heard of your unfortunate accident on the stern. Are you okay?"
Caroline stood from her seat, and ventured over to join her. "I'm fine. A little frazzled, but alive."
"I am so happy to hear that. Tyler made it sound like the poor fellow who saved you was more to blame than anything else. I had to see for myself if that was true."
"Klaus was not to blame! He saved me, not the other way around," Caroline sighed. Dinner tomorrow night was obviously going to be a wondrous time now.
"Oh? Do tell me more about this Klaus fellow," Elena smiled, getting excited at the idea of gossip. Caroline only rolled her eyes playfully. Of course that's what she would be interested in more. A part of Caroline was happy for that, however. She needed a distraction from the eyes that haunted her.
"There isn't much to tell. He is from third class, and this was the only time we've ever spoken with each other. He was kind, very wise beyond his years, and so…gentle."
"What a first impression he must have made," Elena suggested slyly, lifting an eyebrow.
"Indeed it was," Caroline mused, distracted by her thoughts once more. "Quite the impression."
After a couple minutes of silence, Elena broke Caroline from her reverie. "You know, I wasn't supposed to say anything, but I hear Tyler has quite the engagement gift for you."
"It wouldn't surprise me. What does that have to do with anything?" It was a rather odd statement considering the current topic. Why bring up Tyler's inevitably expensive present?
"Does Le Cœur de la Mer ring any bells?" Elena asked knowingly.
Caroline shook her head. It didn't mean a thing to her. "It means 'the heart of the ocean' in French, but I know nothing besides that. Why?"
"If you could only see this diamond, you would know why it is important. I hear the jewel was worn by Louis XVI, and is an astounding fifty-six carats. Not a present to take lightly. It must have cost him a fortune to obtain."
"Elena, please tell me where you are going with this, because I am very lost," she said, confused.
"Well you tell me. Tyler has gone many lengths to get that necklace. Does it not impress you that your fiancé would spoil you in such a manner?"
"What?! Absolutely not! I do not want to be bought! I want to be earned! And Tyler Lockwood has never earned anything in his entire life!" Caroline vented. She felt winded from her quiet rant, letting it all out while still making sure no one heard. Her new friend simply took it all in.
"What about this Klaus fellow? Has he earned your affections?" Elena suggested indifferently.
"He has earned far more from me than Tyler ever will!" she fumed, crossing her arms at the very thought of Tyler. "He knows what it means to work for something. Or someone. He could actually make a woman happy."
Caroline realized her mistake as soon as the words left her mouth. Elena knew she did not want to marry Tyler, but Caroline had never admitted to being unhappy. She turned with wide eyes to Elena, who only looked at her with complete understanding. A feeling that was very foreign to Caroline. With a comforting pat to Caroline's arm, she made the poor blonde feel secure about her little confession.
"Do not fear. Your secret is safe with me. We are in the same boat, you and I. It seems we both yearn for love we cannot have with our status. We pine for what is real. And that is why I am going to help you tomorrow, when he joins us for dinner. Anything at all to help him swim with the sharks."
"Elena," Caroline smiled, leaning forward to hug her heaven-sent friend. "I don't know what I would do without you."
A/N: Yes, I finally got this out. Dedicating this to Becky for motivating me via an awesome review poster (as can be seen on my tumblr). A big thank you to Amy (KindOfAmy) for taking the time to beta this for me too. You are both awesome.
Thank you to everyone who read the first chapter, and reviewed, followed, and/or put this in your favorites. Always a motivator too!
Now, to address the questions/reviews I've received worrying about the ending (And rightfully so, I don't blame you one bit haha). I've been talking with Amy about ways to make this different from the movie, so while I can't avoid all deaths, the ending might be different. All I can say is, you'll have to read to find out =P
Love you all for reading! Hope to see you soon =]