AN: Thanks for the kind reviews, follows and fav! To answer your question, even if the theme of this story is kind of dark, considering the looming death of Klaus, but it is not a sad story. The theme is fairly sad but Klaus calm and easy persona was meant to even it up and make it a light reading. I kinda need this to be light and easy since I have a few angst stories to write.
Thank you once again and please keep reviewing!
Caroline woke up at 5 am, 2 hours before her alarm. She lay still in the same position she woke up in for awhile. Memories of what happen last night flashes through her head but she can't afford to mop around and cry like a baby. She had to be strong and happy and only hope her positivity in a way will make Klaus's situation better. There is no use in negative sentiment when she has a 3 month deadline to get whatever cure possible for Klaus. Caroline got up to brush her teeth and splash water at her face. Feeling more awake now, she went out to make some coffee. Klaus was still sleeping when she checked. She wanted to sit down next to him, taking in the comfort that at least right now he's fine with her. But she shook her head and turn around, back to her room. There's a balcony outside her bedroom and she set her coffee cup on the table and lay down on the rocking chair. The sky was transcending from the dark night to the early morning day. She sees the business parlor down her apartment complex have few people going in and out of their shop, preparing to open for the morning business.
There are still several more hours until she need to get ready for work and her usual self would start making a mega breakfast and getting ready beforehand. But Klaus was still sleeping and she did not want to wake him up. Feeling restless and needing something to do she slide the glass door open and went to retrieve her phone from the bedside table. She check the news and follow up about the National Assembly she has to attend and report for Times today.
One of the main agenda on the assembly meeting today is about hydroelectric that the president plant to build in Columbia river basin in Oregon. The amount of electric it would promise to generate and the fact that it will regulate near to 0 pollution gain many supporters and that is what the news is mostly going on and on about. But Caroline dig deeper and found out a few days ago that the company to build the dam and generate electricity is not US government but a company from China. It started to get fishy. But from the government plan release, it still look like America will still benefit a lot from power plant. Caroline go through the process of negotiation between US and China several times but still sees no problem. She then previous step by step taken to build an electricity dam and there it is. Miles and miles of forest around the river will need to clear out before they can build the headquarter and factor to produce energy.
She search some more. The forest is filled with rare wood: Ebony, Kingswood, Black Bocotes, all are rare tree species - meaning they are super expensive.
This is a scam. It's used just to cut down trees and sell them. From that time on, Caroline quickly turn on her laptop and do more research, printing the important points and highlight the part she can abstract to ask questions.
There was a knock on the door, she glanced at her phone and it's now 7:40 am. She looked down at herself, she's all grown up now, she can't just go walked around in her pajamas in front of men right?
She must be crazy, it's just Klaus.
"Good morning, mistress of the house. Can I interest you in the menu for breakfast this morning?"
Caroline almost rolled her eyes, "I'm going with you. I won't have you ruin my kitchen." Caroline walked passed him and Klaus needed to stifled a smile at her choice of sleepwear. Long sleeve pink pajamas with little white bow dancing all over. It was cute in his opinions, she like those long silky pajamas, in fact, when she was young, she prefer to just wear pajamas when she knows she's only staying at home. Some thing never change.
She was taking out bacon, ham and eggs out of the fridge. Then took a pot and filled it with some water before putting 2 eggs inside, and hard boil it. The way she handle things in the kitchen so skillfully is so different from when she was in her young clumsy self.
xxx Back when Caroline and Klaus were 10 xxx
Caroline just got an easy bake oven kit for Christmas and she can't wait to try it out. In her red comfy onesie, Caroline carry the big box upstair to her room. She knew it could be messy but she can't risk Kol ruining the cookies. With Klaus trailed behind in his light blue pajamas, the boy looked at the girl half walk half jump up the stair in amusement. Caroline was obsessed with making the best chocolate chip cookies to beat his mother. Why it matter to her, Klaus has no idea. They reached her room and she already set the box down, Klaus was about to close the door but was stopped by Kol.
"What are you love birds up to?"
"Shut up, Kol!"
Klaus gave Caroline a look that say he is not approved with her language, she is his sweet Caroline afterall. The girl put her arms in her chest, folded, "Please make him go away? I really want this to be good." Caroline bit her bottom lips and looked at him with her puppy eyes, something she just learn to realize it will make him agree to anything.
"Kol, Caroline want to try making cookies here. You can't come in and mess up."
"Why do YOU get to be inside and I'm not?" Kol looked like he could stomp in irritation right there.
"Don't worry, I won't eat it all. We'll share once it's done." Klaus said with a cheerful smile. Kol did not say anything but he did not look so happy either. Klaus just closed the door.
It took a few minutes for Klaus to realize Caroline will make anything but cookies. the ready made dough that she mix in the small bowl is way to running, and nothing like the cookie dough he saw his mother made. The girl looked happy though, her mother never cook so she probably doesn't know what the cookie dough before bake look like. When she was at his home, she always eat them but never went through the process of helping his mom making them.
Her small hand smirl around the bowl trying to make sure it is all well mixed together. The motion send runny more-milk-than-dough consistent in her bowl flying over the floor and her one sie. Klaus inched away but his eyes dance with amusement watching her.
She poured it into the pan. It looked like runny liquid was poured into the baking pan.
"Oh." She said to herself. As if she just realized her mistake of putting too much milk inside and now the liquid is way to watery for her to rolled into balls and pressed into cookies shape and bake.
"May be they'll just be baked into cookies." Caroline said silently to herself and Klaus mouthed wow and shook his head. She really has no clue.
And she put the cookies in the oven waiting patiently for it to be cooked.
Of course it didn't turn out right, it's clumpy and taste still raw. Caroline was frustrated but Klaus just brush off the dough that stick to her face off. His messy hand bring it to his lips.
"It actually taste pretty good if it was baked well."
"Really?" Her eyes hopeful.
"Totally the oven fault."
"Totally." Caroline agreed and left the room, after all it's Christmas and the real treat was down stairs. Mrs. Mikealson's ginger bread is just as good as her cookies.
Left behind was Klaus who sighed and cleaned up Caroline's mess. That girl is forever banned from cooking he thought to himself.
Now he looks at her frying bacon and get the bread toasted while waiting for the hard boiled eggs.
"You seem to handle the kitchen utensils better,"
"Get your ass over here and set the plate, Mikealson! I'm not your servant."
Klaus smile dropped and he gave her a look. He doesn't like her using cursed words. But Caroline doesn't seem to care. Klaus set the table, and make some coffee.
"I need to work today since we haven't talk about where we go from here yet. But once I got back, we visit your doctor. I need to know what exactly you have to do to help you get better." Caroline said as she break the shell of the hard boiled egg, sprinkled some salt and pepper in it, and dig in.
"Woah." has he become one of her project now?
"No backing out. We had a drift, you haven't said sorry, but it's ok, we'll continue that after you get better. Now your job is to do what I said so you can be happy healthy Klausy again."
"May be while you're at work I should talk to my manager too."
"You do that." Caroline said and Klaus smiled at the bossy demanding command. Many times his siblings told him they hated that but it never irritate Klaus and he actually like it when she get all fiesty and tell him what to do.
So adorable.
Before he forgot, he took out his phone and turn it on. Immediately there are beeping of all sort of notifications and texts.
"Is that normal?" Caroline asked. Klaus just shrugged and call back his manager whom has been calling him nearly 50 times last night.
"Good morning, Julie."
"Good morning? You know how worried I am? You ditched a gig Klaus that give us bad name!"
Like he cared.
"What do I have today?" Klaus managed to asked in a controlled well mannered voice.
"You have modelling for W at 10, and a short interview with clevver."
"I might not make it back at 10."
"Where the hell are you? I'll drive down there and drag you down here myself if I have to!"
"That might not help. I'm in New York."
"What's this new attitude I'm seeing? You're better than this Mikealson."
Truth to be told, Klaus could careless about work. He would only choose to work when Caroline is busy and away. Otherwise all his time is meant to spend with her until he died. But he chose to remain polite here, he understand his manager anxiety. In showbiz, many stars are arrogant during their 15 min of fame and that's their downfall. It's always better to keep a nice attitude so there are people to help you when you're in trouble.
"I'll call to apologize to W in person if you want to. As for Clevver we can just do skype or online interview. They like me and we used to do that several times before too."
Klaus ended the phone call.
"So how are we going to do this? We practically live in different state, Klaus."
"My penthouse in New York is ready. We can start packing your stuff and move there."
"I'm moving?"
"Unless you intend to make me sleep on the couch for 3 months, sweetheart. You don't have a guestroom"
Oh... Caroline thought to herself. The thought of them living together never crossed her mind. She just assume they will spend more time together but moving in?
"Don't worry, love. It's only for 3 months."
Caroline glared. He seriously joked about this?
"In the meantime, I'm hiatus and will only take up work that can be done here in New York."
"I have a project to take care of, but I'll mostly stay home, mostly I work from home anyway."
"Great." Klaus smiled and finished his meal.
In the National Assembly Meeting, the president has a seat in the front of the podium with his 6 other council behind his back. The head of each ministry were in front of him, forming rows and rows of important government officials. At the back, there are 3 rows of chair, for invited reporters to note down and inform public about the news.
Her phone vibrate in her blazer pocket, lucky she remember to turn the phone on silent. It was a new number calling her.
"Hello?"
"Yes?"
"Hi Miss, You're listed as a patient's emergency number. Mr. Mikealson has gotten into an accident. He's in the ER of the City Hospital now."
"I'll be there." Caroline replied in an almost automatic voice. Her head was swimming through the information.
Klaus. Accident. City Hospital.
She has to be there.
Caroline shove the hand sized small notepad into her handbag and stand up ready to leave the room. The guard at the door did not allow her to leave however. She's still in her dazed state and can barely make out what the guy in police uniform was telling her.
It's almost like the time is going forward so slowly. Her brain shut out all information were given to her. She can only think about Klaus right now.
"You don't understand. Klaus is in the hospital. He needed me." She said like it's something the men in front of her was supposed to know. Her eyes blink and tears oozed out of it. She quickly wipe it away, "Let me go." She said again this time with authority in her voice as she try to pass through the men without success.
One of the officer tap on his ear and Caroline knows he's calling for back up. She tried to push through harder. By now, almost everyone was turning their head around to see what's going on at the back of the room.
The man Caroline assume to be head of security comes. "What's going on here?"
Something snapped in her head she did the most stupid thing she's ever done. But she needed it, if she waited, the assembly is a full day meeting she can't see Klaus until 5, if she make enough trouble, her agency will come and bail her.
"I HAVE A QUESTION!" Caroline shouted, interrupted the president's speech. The remaining people who did not turn their head to see the reckus are now all watching her.
"Miss, I assure you time for question and press is at the end of the meeting."
"Was the Hydro power plant plan to launch this year just a scam to cut down trees and sell them to China?"
The room buzzed with whispers.
"Miss, again, the question - "
"There is no study on how much electricity the dam will generate yet and we already agree to build the power plant, knowing fully well we need to cut down trees near the Columbia River. All those rare tree that need to cut down will sell for high profit not to mention animals killed in the process and I'm guessing there are plans to skin the tigers and plug those elephant tusk too?"
Caroline was escorted to the head quarter of the secret service for questions. After 2 hours, she was release one the police has done their interrogation and got the letter of apology from her agency. Not caring about her boss scolding her, she quickly apologize and run to the hospital.
By the time she got there and was divert to his room Caroline was dripping in sweat and panting for her breathe. Klaus has to be alright, looking for a cure for a terminal disease is hard enough and now he got into an accident too? Caroline was almost brought to tears again when she thought may be she could be preparing herself for the worst to happen.
But when she opened the door, 3 nurses was at Klaus's side. In his hospital gown, he was grinning ear to ear, mirth in his eyes, the brunette nearest to him on his right touch his bicep softly and asked if she could take a picture with him, he flashed his charming smile and pulled everyone for a selfie.
"Caroline!" He said cheerfully when he finally noticed her.
Caroline was sure she should be relief that he was ok but it only serve to make her blood boil at the image of women crowding around his happy self. If the disease and the car crash doesn't kill Caroline definitely would. She was almost in jail because of THIS?