A/N: Thank you for the reviews, follows and favorites for the 1st Chapter, doing my share in spreading the love for Klaroline fandom which I proudly belong to. I really hope they are endgame in the TVD/TO saga but sadly, it may not be meant to be with all the rumors about TVD ending S6 (really!) and TO going another direction. Whatever happened to the "I will be your last" fangirl faint moment that happened in S4.
I don't love my Klaroline any less, but comparing the EP's of TVD and Arrow, the Arrow team is all about fan service and I love my Olicity. So calling on the TVD/TO EP's…. (sorry for the rant, my rants are usually reserved for twitter verse…but if you agree, can I get a hell yeah and a follow lollipopsays)
Here's hoping I don't drop the ball on this fanfiction story.
As usual, I don't own anything and all the mistakes in this story are mine.
Read on shippers and spread the love!
EXPOSED
Chapter 2
"What the hell were you doing there?" Rebekah asked Klaus.
"Saving the girl obviously…" Klaus answered calmly.
"Nik, I don't have any patience right now for your cryptic talk, you are supposed to be in London but then you're not. And of all places to be, you would be right there with Care, being her savior, not that it's not appreciated at all. But, to repeat my question, what the hell are you doing here!" Rebekah practically screamed at her brother.
Klaus was seated opposite Caroline eyeing the girl who had her head thrown back and her eyes closed before turning back to his sister, "I finished my business earlier. It was easy to track Ms. Forbes as the online sites and social networks catalogues her every move so I wanted to do a little recon before the mission. It's a good thing too since she needed the rescue," shrugging.
Caroline finally opened her eyes and looked at Klaus for a few seconds before speaking, "why do you have so many names, Klaus, Nik, Niklaus, is it necessary in your line of work?"
Of all the things he would have thought she would say, that was not one of them which was why he laughed, "really that's what you want to talk about?"
Caroline rolled her eyes and then looked at him, "I'm curious, sue me!"
"Fine, my full name is Niklaus but nobody but my brother Elijah who I assume you have already met calls me that. My family calls me Nik but most everyone else calls me Klaus. My old unit calls me by my call sign Wolf. Anything else you want to know while you're at it?"
"Old unit? You where in the army?" Caroline asked frowning.
"British Special Forces, 22nd Special Air Service, SAS retired, at your service," Klaus all but saluted.
Caroline raised an eyebrow, "retired, too old?"
"Do you have anything to drink around here?" Klaus asked around as he stood up. Caroline directed him by pointing to a bar near the corner of the room. After pouring himself two fingers of scotch, he went back to stand directly in front of Caroline, "too old, not likely. I can keep up with the best of them. Reckon I can even do better."
Caroline rolled her eyes again, "figures, humility becomes you."
"Believe me little girl, in my profession it's not conceit or arrogance. What we do, it's not for the faint of heart. It's a dangerous world out there and we keep it safe for sweet little girls like you," pointing his scotch tumbler toward Caroline.
Asshole, Caroline thought. To think I found him attractive to begin with. Not conceited my ass! And who was the little girl he kept referring to anyway, her. There was nothing little about her and to hell with any man who would make her feel inferior. She was Caroline Forbes, and she was a big star! And it wasn't conceited or arrogant for her to think so, Caroline huffed.
"Something to say over there?" Klaus goaded her.
Stefan rolled his eyes at the two of them, "okay that's enough fun. I already called Elijah and he's on his way here so we can get back to what's our main concern, Caroline's safety."
Klaus just spread his hands and gestured that it was fine with him while this time Caroline smiled as if she had a secret. Because she suddenly had a thought, she would put Klaus in his place. Use her assets and remove that smug smile from his face, asshole.
"Bekah," Elijah pecked her on the cheek. "Stefan," as he took the hand that was stretched out to shake, nodding to his brother, "NIklaus," before turning to Caroline, "Ms Forbes, we meet again."
"Please call me Caroline, no need to be formal," Caroline told Elijah.
"Caroline then it is. I'm sorry to hear about your incident earlier but as I gathered Niklaus was on hand to assist. Are you injured in any way?" Elijah inquired.
"The only thing injured is my pride. I hate feeling like a damsel in distress. The incident, it was deliberate wasn't it? I looked both ways before I started to cross, the street was empty," Caroline asked Elijah.
Elijah looked at his brother speculatively, "I think my brother would be in a better position to answer that."
Since Elijah had taken the seat that Klaus formerly occupied, Klaus took the liberty of just leaning on the mantle as he spoke. "The car accelerated as it neared Caroline," drawling out her name, "it was definitely aiming for her. This stalker, he's escalating. Doing this in broad daylight was a risk he was willing to take. This is a very serious threat on your life," looking at Caroline gravely.
She laughed nervously before saying, "seriously! What did I ever do to have someone want me dead."
"You didn't have to do anything at all sweetheart. It could be anyone, an old lover, a friend, a fan, somebody with a problem with the world, anyone. Now he's obsessed with you. We have a profile started based on what Stefan here has sent us, the emails, letters, phone calls," Klaus looked at her all the way from across the room, his eyes steady on her, "we will get this son of a bitch."
Elijah nodded turning to Klaus, "I brought the team you chose with me, they are outside. I didn't want to overwhelm Caroline first. I suggest we meet with them first, have you give them assignments."
Klaus nodded back then started to walk toward Stefan, "is there a place I could meet with the team, somewhere more private?"
Stefan looked at Klaus thoughtfully before glancing at Caroline, "the library is best I think, you can also use it as a temporary head quarters. Practically nobody uses it except for Caroline, when she has time to read."
Klaus gave Caroline a cogitated sweep before nodding, "I'll get the team settled them. Oh, the team will be bunked here, in shifts off course. Don't worry about accommodations. We've been to worst places than this, just wanted to give everyone that heads up."
A few minutes later, the team trickled into the library, Matt Donovan, Marcel Gerard, Bonnie Bennett, Jeremy Gilbert and Enzo together with Elijah and Klaus.
Klaus passed around folders to everyone. "Bonnie, we need intel to be a priority on this one. There was an attempt earlier, at least all signs point to it being one. You can set-up your computers here. This will be our base of operations."
Bonnie smiled, "liking the digs. It's been awhile since we had something remotely like this."
Klaus smirked, "well don't get comfortable. The Alpha team is still best used for tactical military aid and not for celebrity babysitting, but this is a favor to our dear sister. At the same time I will warn you, we don't have a clear cut grasp of the perpetrator or perpetrators yet."
Klaus glanced at the faces of the team members, "we need everyone on alert. Donovan and Gerard will take first watch. Gerard will patrol the perimeter tonight while Donovan will take a position at the main doors. During the day time, Gilbert will switch places with Gerard and Enzo you switch with Donovan. Elijah and I will go through all of the entry and exit points and see how secured they all are. We convene back here at 0800, clear?"
After everyone had affirmed that they had understood, the team all headed out, Donovan and Gerard to their assigned posts. Gilbert to assist Bonnie bringing the equipment in and Enzo getting the supplies they would need for the mission.
"What happened earlier?" Elijah asked his brother now that they were alone.
"The threat is legit brother. Let's just hope the girl is not stubborn enough with what needs to be done to ensure her safety. I have no patience for spoiled brats who think the world revolves around them. "
"Seems to me that wasn't really your impression of Caroline, besides you're getting along quite fine," Elijah scrutinized his brother.
Klaus narrowed his eyes at his brother. "Believe what you want. I have to catch Enzo before he leaves. I need to pick up my car then head to my apartment to get a change of clothes. Can you stick around longer, it will probably only take me a couple of hours. Then we can go through the entries and exits together."
Elijah nodded then gestured for him to go ahead, "I'll have a talk with Bekah and Stefan in the meantime. We need to know who has access to this place."
Caroline was seated on the built-in couch of her bay window in her room when she noticed Klaus hurrying across the driveway calling out to one of the men who she had no doubt now comprised her team of bodyguards.
He took the passenger seat side then they quickly drove away leaving her thoughts again focused on Klaus.
"You know, there are perfectly good bedrooms upstairs that you can use. You don't have to be camped out here in the library," Caroline said as she leaned from the doorway holding a mug of steaming coffee.
Klaus rubbed his neck bending his head in the process, "I've been to way worst places, believe me. This is quite fine. Besides," referring to the paperwork in front of him, "I'm still shifting through these."
Caroline settled down beside him, placing the cup of coffee in front of him, "thought you would need that if you intend to stay up."
Klaus tilted his head to his side so he was now facing Caroline, "didn't know you cared that much."
Caroline leaned back on her chair and put up her legs and folded them on one side, "wouldn't want my hero to think I didn't appreciate the save earlier," she challenged.
"At your service…..at least for now," he saluted her.
"I mean it, the bedrooms I mean. This house has an excessive amount of bedroom. God knows why, there's only me and most of the time when I'm on tour or shooting a movie this place is empty. I don't really have stay in help with me, don't like strangers much," Caroline shared.
Klaus leaned back after he placed the coffee cup back on the table, "so you prepared this yourself?"
Caroline gave a fake smile, "I've been known to be self-sufficient and not some spoiled celebrity brat."
Klaus did not bite to the barb she threw his way, maybe she heard him before. He instead went back to the previous conversation.
"When Elijah and I did the rounds earlier, we noticed a bedroom in the ground floor, two doors down from here. If you are really serious with your invite I might take you up on it, the team would appreciate a nice place to bunk on in," Klaus told her.
"Get them settled in then, that's perfectly fine. How about you, still insisting on staying here? There are bedrooms empty upstairs," Caroline repeated.
"Wouldn't want to invade your privacy, the better to secure the upstairs if access to it is limited," Klaus justified.
"I'd feel more safe while this is unresolved if someone was upstairs with me. In another room of course, but near enough for emergencies," Caroline said quietly.
"There you go, that wasn't hard to admit wasn't it. It's okay to be afraid sometimes, it puts you on alert." Klaus searched her face for something before he responded. "Let me just put order on things here," referring to the files, "before I take a peek upstairs. You should be taking your beauty nap by this time, it's 1am in the morning."
"I'll wait. Then you can escort me upstairs," Caroline shrugged.
Klaus exhaled, "fine, you win. Let's take a look upstairs."
Klaus ended up in a bedroom two doors down from her, right at the top of the staircase, ideal for a line of defense posture but not before he had brought her to her bedroom checking the window and doors on her outer room before doing the same in her bedroom proper.
By the time he had finished his inspection of her windows, Caroline had removed her robe and was just sporting a teddy that revealed all her curves. Klaus had to clench his jaw and bite his cheek to prevent a facial reaction from showing. He had immediately turned away as he felt his other body part down south start to respond.
Caroline started to walk toward him, placing her hands on his shoulders and leaned in to kiss his cheek before whispering, "a hero deserves a goodnight kiss."
Klaus had stepped away, almost stumbling in his haste, not quite his usual in control self. He gave her a side look and nod before he walked out of her room and closed her bedroom door with a heavy thud. He took a moment to ground himself thinking to himself, this girl was going to be the death of him.
He knew she was doing it deliberately, not quite seducing him but goading him. Not that her seducing him was bad, under different circumstances he would have pounced, it's been awhile and he needed the release. But, she was a client and his rule was simple. He kept his distance so his judgment was not clouded. Caroline Forbes was off limits. But if she kept throwing herself however subtle that was, he had to be prepared. He opened his temporary bedroom door with a thought. He compared Caroline Forbes to confronting a Taliban army, wondering where his chances of coming off unscathed would be higher.
As Klaus exited her room and closed the door, Caroline bit her lip and smiled at her success. Ha, it was easier than she thought. She got the smug asshole unhinged. He was after all suppose to guard her body, why did he have to do it from a distance when he could do it up close and personal.
Caroline happily went to sleep with a plan forming in her mind.
Done with Chapter 2, hope you enjoyed it. Reviews are appreciated.
