Tangled: I Want You To Stay

Chapter Three

The following eight days pass agonizingly slow after Klaus and Stefan leave. I started to regret my decision to stay locked in the bathroom when Klaus returned. Maybe if I was more agreeable that morning, he'd have taken me with them, or at least come back by now. I was expecting him by last night, at the latest, so I've been majorly freaking out all day. I'm not running low on blood bags or anything, but I'm going absolutely fucking crazy! If I have to spend another day alone, without knowing what's going on with my friends back home and with Stefan and Klaus, I seriously might start contemplating suicide...

All right, I guess that's not true. I wouldn't kill myself. But I might start compelling the company of the new maid, Savannah, or even the grumpy owner who mans the front desk, Mr. Richie, just to keep from drawing faces on all the lamps in the room and creating 'new friends' for myself. Or the pizza delivery boy who has definitely been making flirty eyes with me since I've become a regular caller.

Speaking of Mr. Richie, I found out the same day that Klaus and Stefan left that one of them must have compelled him into forgetting all about his former maid. When I asked him about her, he gave me a blank stare and asked, "Who?" I didn't bring it up again, but I wonder what Klaus and Stefan did with her body. I wonder if she had any family that will start to worry about her. I wonder if maybe one day the police might show up and start asking questions. I hope to be long gone by then.

Thanks to my wonderful ability to remember the dates of all the social events in Mystic Falls, and there are a lot, I was able to figure out that today makes it ten weeks that I've been gone. Ten whole weeks that I've been trapped in this one room with no company except for the occassional visits from a psychotic hybrid who has a crush on me. And Stefan, that one night. I doubt I'll see Stefan again, and even though I was disgusted by his behavior last time, I still think the old Stefan is in there somewhere, hidden beneath the Ripper-Stefan that Klaus has molded him to become. I think that if someone could be there for him, like his friend Lexi was, that he could find his way back again. If I ever get out of here, I'll try and be that for him...if he lets me. I did tell him he was just like Klaus, and that's a pretty strong insult since I know how much Stefan loathes Klaus.

I don't know how I feel about Klaus. I have both blind hatred, for him keeping me trapped in here amongst other things, and intense longing, for his return so he can release me from this dumpy motel prison he's made for me, and I don't know which feeling is stronger. I am conflicted about letting one feeling overtake the other anyhow. On the one hand, if I continue to hate Klaus, I'm staying loyal to my friends but I'm ensuring my imprisonment be extended to indefinitely. On the other, if I give in to my hope that he can be changed, and I push aside the feelings of hatred, I am putting my trust in Klaus. That is just too big of a pill to swallow. How can I put all my trust in him when I know deep down that he has yet to prove himself worthy? He may have cured me of Tyler's werewolf bite, but Tyler only bit me in the first place because Klaus himself ordered him to. But Tyler has betrayed me before too, as I feel like almost every one of my friends in Mystic Falls have in some way, and Klaus took me away from all of that.

It's an impossible situation, and I've thought myself in circles about it for hours on end. If I think on it any longer, I really will go insane. But television has become tiresome, my CD's are played out and for some reason I can't get any good radio reception, and I haven't got much else to distract me from my thoughts.

When thinking of Klaus becomes too much, my mind usually wanders to wondering what my family and friends are doing at this moment. I assume my mom is working, since she's always working, but does she think about me? Does she still worry or hope I'll return, or has she accepted that as a vampire I should be on my own? Does she hate me now? I know that Matt hates me. He's terrified of me. I don't blame him, not after I attacked him in the woods because I couldn't control my blood lust. I kick myself for that over and over because it's the moment that I really lost him. Even after he accused me of having something to do with Vicki's death, I know that he believed me when I told him I had no idea that happened to her. It was the fact that I could hurt him, because he is human and I am a vampire, that is why it can't work between us. It still hurts, because I loved him, I really loved him, and he finally loved me back. Before I was a vampire, that is. I wish I could talk to Bonnie about all of this, but our friendship hasn't been the same since I turned. She will always have this deep-rooted hatred for me because I am a vampire and she is a witch, and it's simply in her blood. She will never trust that I won't hurt someone or kill again. I will always be a danger in her eyes, and I hate that my best friend sees me that way. I still worry for what her and Elena are up to. I hope Stefan found a way to contact them and warn them of what Klaus said to me.

In the end, all of my thoughts return to either Klaus or Stefan. It's pathetic. Klaus did call me a few days ago, though. The conversation was brief, but it was better than nothing.

.

When the phone on the night-stand starts to ring, my first thoughts are, 'Oh shit, it's the cops!' I think that maybe someone reported Tiffany, the maid Stefan killed, missing or they found her dead body somewhere off the highway in a ditch. I don't know!

"Hello?" I answer hesitantly after four or five rings.

"What took you so long?" Klaus' voice reaches my ears, and I frown and smile at the same time. What a strange combination. "I was starting to think you managed to escape."

The frown over-takes the smile as I realize I'd love to do just that. "And how exactly would I have done that?" I ask shortly.

"Just as fiery as always, I see," Klaus muses, the smile on his face evident by his tone of voice. "I take it you are well?"

"As well as can be, considering the circumstances," I note with sarcasm. "When will you be back? I am so over this room, Klaus. I need a change of scenery. This is getting ridiculous."

"Soon enough, love," Klaus assures me breezily. "You just can't rush things like this."

"You could have taken me with you," I remind him.

"You could have come out of the bathroom when I asked, Caroline," Klaus reminds back, and I grip the phone tightly as I envision him smirking at me in that annoyingly cocky way. "Don't be angry at me for your rash decision."

"Well..." I falter, not able to come up with a snarky remark. "I-I..." Quietly, I mumble, "I changed my mind. I didn't want to go with you and...Stefan."

"Ah, so it was Stefan who scared you off, then? The incident with the maid?" Klaus is clearly pleased to hear it wasn't him who repulsed me for once. "That was nothing, love. You should have been here to see what he did last night. It was-"

"I don't want to hear anything about it!" I cut him off before he can really get started.

"Don't be so naive, Caroline," Klaus says, his voice annoyed now, "This is what true vampires do. You have been sheltered by the Salvatores, but now Stefan has returned to his true nature, and you should accept it. It is how he was always meant to be."

"That's a heapin' load of crap!" I argue, "You just want him to be like you so that you don't feel like such a monster! You want Stefan to be just as uncaring and ruthless as you, because even though you have all the power in the world, you know it is nothing to have if you have it alone! Isn't that true, Klaus? Isn't that why you locked me up in here in the first place? Because you're scared if you let me out I'll get away, and you care too much! You don't want me to leave you too, because then you'll truly be all alone!"

I hear the phone click. Klaus hung up on me. Just great.

.

After that conversation, I was pretty smug. I told Klaus off, and I even got the last word. It was a semi-exhilerating feeling, especially since I haven't really had much excitement going for me the past few months. It was short-lived, though, because I soon began to contemplate the many possible forms of punishment Klaus may deliver for my harsh words. Because of that, I am anxious for his return in more than one way, and I hope he has forgotten our phone conversation when he does come back.

But that is highly unlikely.

Since Klaus didn't return last night, I've thought about possible things that could go wrong, but I know nothing too awful happened to Klaus because I'm still compelled. If he died, I'd be released from his compulsion. I tested it, but only because I was scared something happened. At least I know he's still alive. But I don't know what is going on and it's killing me!

I wonder why Bonnie hasn't attempted to do a locating spell to find out where I am. Does she really care so little about her so-called best friend? I mean, we've known each other since grade school, and she's given up on me so easily? It hurts me deeply to think that she doesn't actually care where I am or what happened to me. There has to be some other explanation. Then again, if she thinks I simply took off and left her, ditched her for Klaus, why would she bother looking for me?

I really made a mess of everything. Actually, no, scratch that - Katherine made a big mess of everything. She's the one who killed me and turned me into a vampire. She stole the moonstone and set a whole bunch of events into motion because of her selfish hope to regain Klaus' trust and save her own ass. When it comes down to it, she's the one who is responsible for Stefan and Damon turning into vampires as well. She's a big trouble-maker, and everywhere she goes trouble and death follow her. If I ever see her again, I will try my very best to kill that bitch. Hey, it might be a near-impossible job, but someone's gotta do it.

After showering and taking the time to style my hair, since I've got nothing better to do, I clean up the bathroom and the room. Since Tiffany was killed so easily, I had to compel Savannah to stay away from my room for fear something would happen to her too. She's only a few years older than me, and she's a sweet girl; I don't want her blood on my hands, which it will be even if I'm not the one to kill her. Once the room is spick and span, I turn on the television, but I can't find anything good to watch. I start continuing the list I started of all the places I want to visit and things I want to do after getting out of this room. I'll show it to Klaus when he gets back, and maybe then he'll see how much I really do want to get out of here and travel the world.

I am asleep when Klaus finally returns to my motel room. He knocks and calls out to me softly, and I stumble over to the door through sleep-filled eyes. I open it and blink a few times, rubbing my eyes to make sure I'm seeing correctly. Klaus smiles endearingly at my reaction before taking me into his arms and hugging me. He pulls us further into the room, closing and locking the door behind him.

"You're here," I breathe into his neck, surprised to find my arms tightening around his shoulders, almost like I actually missed him. But I guess, in a way, I did kind of miss him. "What kept you so long? Did something go wrong?" I don't even really know what I'm asking him. He and Stefan went to find some werewolves so they could make hybrids, right? But what happened after? Did they hunt down Tyler and his group and slaughter them? If not, is that what he's planning to do? Did they get back Klaus' stolen possessions from Elena and Bonnie?

"Honestly," Klaus replies, pulling away so he can look me in the eyes, "I don't know yet. At the moment, a lot of things could go wrong, but at least I've got a new batch of hybrids at my back."

"Are they..." I gulp, a little nervous, "Here?"

"No," Klaus answers, "They're just outside of Mystic Falls."

"And Stefan?" I query.

"I thought you didn't want to see him?" Klaus asks, a hint of...jealousy? in his voice. I'm not sure, but that's what it seems like. Why would he be jealous of Stefan?

"I just want to know if he's okay," I shrug, trying to feign nonchallance. If Klaus thinks I care, he might further harrass Stefan, whereas if I'm indifferent, hopefully he'll let him go. Unless he's not finished with Stefan yet. In that case, it won't matter what I say. I hope Klaus never figured out Stefan is on vervain and therefore un-affected by his compulsion.

"He's fine," Klaus replies, and then promptly changes the subject. "I haven't been able to find Tyler and his pack yet. If he's smart, he took them and ran far, far away. But it won't be far enough. I will find him. And he'll have nowhere else to run."

I don't like how scary his eyes get when he talks like this. They seem to change from clear blue to a deep, dark scary pit of death and evil. I shudder, pulling away from him further, completely out of his grasp. "You don't have to kill him, Klaus. You've got a new batch of hybrids, you said so yourself. Leave Tyler be. He didn't ask for you to make him what he is."

"I released him from the bonds of his werewolf gene, Caroline, he should be thanking me! I gave him a life free from the pain of the full moon. He never has to change again if he doesn't want to." Klaus points out all the reasons he thinks Tyler should be kissing his feet for.

"But he didn't ask you to do that for him," I repeat, "And that doesn't mean he should be your slave for the rest of his life. If you really wanted his loyalty, you'd have turned him and let him make his own decision. You'd be surprised the gratitude people can show when you give them the chance. Forcing someone into being in your hybrid army is never going to work, Klaus. They're always going to resent you in some way. They're always going to wish for a way to get away from you."

"You always have so much to say," Klaus growls, but he doesn't look as mad as he has in the past when I've spoken like this to him. Is it possible he thinks I'm right in some way? Maybe I'm breaking through his tough exterior finally, and he's beginning to change? "But we have a difference of opinion when it comes to my hybrids, Caroline. I am their creator, and I demand their respect and their obedience."

"Whatever, Klaus," I roll my eyes, "But if you leave me and come back telling me that you've killed Tyler, I will never go with you anywhere. I grew up with Tyler Lockwood. We've been school-mates since kindergarten. I won't stand idly by while you threaten his life. You can't expect me to pretend I'm okay with that, because I'm not."

Klaus sighs out his frustrations, grabbing a bottle of alcohol from the mini-fridge. He's lucky I'm not a lush, like Damon, or we'd have run out of alcohol a long time ago. Sitting down at the table, he finds my list that I left there before I fell asleep. The list of my hopes and dreams and wishes for my future outside of this room.

"What's this?" Klaus raises his eyebrows, very much interested in the neatly written words covering the front and back of five notebook pages that I found in the drawer of the bed-side table, right next to a copy of the Bible.

I am all at once embarrassed at the honesty in my words, and I make to grab for the paper, but Klaus is much to quick. He picks it up while simultaneously holding me at a distance with his other hand, so that he can scan over the pages. He begins to grin, a slow, mischievous grin. He puts the notebook back down on the table and turns to me.

"Well, love," Klaus states, "It looks as if you've planned out our trip. Wonderful. Now, all that's left to do is stop my Doppelganger from making any stupid mistakes, and get back my belongings, and we can be on our way. I'd say, by next week, at the very least, we'll be on a beach in Mexico somewhere. What do you think, Caroline?"

I listen to Klaus describe a small beach-side village in Mexico that he thinks I would absolutely adore, and I find myself smiling. It does sound enchanting. It is very tempting..."I think it sounds perfect. Are you sure we can't go now?"

"Caroline," Klaus says impatiently, "If we go now, we may very well end up arriving there dead. Don't you understand? I can't leave things the way they are. We're in a very precarious situation, and if Bonnie Bennett and Elena Gilbert aren't stopped, I can't say what will become of you or me."

"Why don't you just tell them what will happen?" I can't understand why Klaus hasn't thought of it sooner. "Tell them what they are doing will kill all the vampires in the world! Elena won't let Bonnie do whatever it is she's doing if it means Stefan and Damon's lives are in danger. And...me." If Elena even cares about me anymore, that is. "You have to do something, Klaus."

"Believe me, I'm doing something," Klaus assures me, "But unfortunately I can't snap my fingers and have the deed be done. It takes time. Do you really think if I told Elena anything she would listen to me? She wouldn't believe me."

"You're right," I concede, "She wouldn't." My shoulders slump, defeated, and I sit down on the bed and stare at the floor, my eyes unconciously drawn to the spot where Stefan dropped Tiffany's dead body to the ground.

"Don't worry so much, love," Klaus says gently, taking a seat beside me on the springy mattress of the motel bed. "I'll take care of it."

"How can you be so sure?" I ask doubtfully. I remember how he looked last week when he told me that whatever Bonnie and Elena took had the potential to wipe out the vampire race; he looked scared. If Klaus is scared, it's not good, even if he's trying to pretend right now like everything is okay. I can't believe him. Everything is not okay if there is mass vampire killing something on the loose. Suddenly, I'm too curious not to ask anymore. "What is it? What did they take?"

Klaus focuses his intense gaze on me, and I try and convey with my eyes that I really need to know, but he shakes his head. "It's nothing you need to worry about. If I think you need to know, I will tell you."

Sadly, I observe, "There's not a person in the world that you trust, is there?"

I see the flash of hurt cross his face before he steels over. I have such empathy for Klaus in this moment. It must be such a lonely life to live being Klaus Mikaelson. I touch his cheek, his skin smooth and soft to the touch, and try and tell him with my eyes that he's not alone.

He must read me loud and clear, because the next thing I know he has me flat on my back, pinned to the bed by his body. He kisses me with more fervor and passion than I've ever been kissed, and it's nice, but...something feels off to me. I just can't get over the fact that I'm kissing the enemy. But I know what he feels for me is real, and if I can make him, I don't know, somewhat human again then maybe he'll change. Love is all you need, right? Straight from the mouths of England's most famous rock band: The Beatles. And Klaus has that whole British accent thing going for him, so he obviously must know All You Need Is Love. I'm prepared to try and...love...Klaus if it means I can stop him from being a complete monster who terrorizes my friends.

"I have to go," Klaus regretfully informs me, "And I didn't bring you anything today, love, I'm sorry. But I'll be back tomorrow. Any requests?"

"Um..." I hum thoughfully, and then decide, "Chocolate." I smile sweetly.

"Chocolate," Klaus smirks, "All right. Until tomorrow, Caroline."

"Goodbye Klaus."

After Klaus leaves, I turn off the light and climb between the sheets once more, closing my eyes and willing sleep to come as quickly as it did before Klaus' visit. Right when I am about to drift off, I hear something that makes me tense up; the door to my room opens slowly and then closes. I don't hear any footsteps, but I can sense a presense in the room, one that wasn't there before. At first, I think it's Klaus, but I know it's not him. He wouldn't come in like that and not announce himself, especially not when he was just here. He'd know that it would scare me. Faintly, I hear a rustle to my right, and without hesitation, I lunge, grabbing my intruder and forcing them into the wall. I feel my fangs descend as I stare through the darkness, my eyes adjusting and taking in the features of the man before me.

"You really should lock the door, Caroline."

Even when I see it's Stefan, I don't loosen my grip on his shoulders, which I slammed so hard into the wall they have formed dents. I hiss, "What are you doing here?"

In a flash, Stefan spins us around so he's in my position and I in his, my back leaving my own impressions in the thin walls of the motel room, something I'm sure Mr. Richie is not going to be happy about. Smugly, Stefan points out, "I'm off the bunny blood, Caroline, remember? I'm drinking human blood, and I've got a hundred and fifty years on you; I'm much stronger than you are." To prove his point, he tightens his hold on my shoulders until I visibly wince in pain.

"What do you want?" I question, digging my nails into his hands, one of the advantages of being a girl.

Stefan suddenly drops his hands and steps back, chuckling quietly. "Relax, Care, I'm not here to hurt you."

I cross my arms over my chest, frowning at him sternly. "Then why are here? Why not knock on the door instead of sneaking in here in the middle of the night and scaring me half to death?"

"Technically," Stefan says sarcastically, sounding entirely too much like Damon for my taste, "You're already dead, so I don't see the problem."

"Can you drop the sarcasm and get to the point, Stefan?" I ask tiredly, returning to my spot on the bed and sitting down, facing the green-eyed vampire expectantly.

Stefan moves one of the maroon-colored arm chairs in front of the bed and sits, his face returning to the usual all-serious, down-to-business expression I'm accustomed to seeing. He places his hands on his knees and stretches his shoulders back while he gathers his thoughts. "Bonnie and Elena made some progress with Klaus' belongings," He tells me, "But there's one thing they can't figure out, and they need your help."

"What is it? What did they find?" I ask, refusing to give him my help without knowing what exactly I'm helping with. I won't help the vampire race become extinct, though. That's not something I can be a part of.

"Coffins," Stefan supplies, "Containing the bodies of Klaus' other siblings. His brothers Finn and Kol, and his sister Rebekah. But there's one more coffin, one we can't open. Bonnie's been trying to find a spell, but so far she hasn't had any luck. She's trying to contact her mother, to see if she can help."

"Coffins?" I repeat, my nose wrinkling up in both disgust and confusion. "You mean to tell me Klaus has been lugging around his family in coffins all this time? Just keeping their corpses with him?"

"They're daggered, Caroline," Stefan explains, "But if the daggers are removed, they'll wake up. Just like Elijah, remember?" I do. Elena removed the dagger from Elijah's chest to try and acquire his assistance with stopping Klaus from completing the sacrifice. So much for that; he completed it anyways and transformed into a hybrid.

"So who's in the fourth coffin, then?" I muse aloud.

"That's what we need you to find out."

"How am I supposed to do that?" I ask, gesturing with my hands just how impossible that sounds. "Klaus never mentioned that Elena and Bonnie took coffins from him. And I just asked him tonight what he's trying to get back, but he won't tell me. He says I don't need to know right now, but he'll tell me when I do."

"Convince him that you do need to know, and you need to know now." Stefan urges, "You have to, Care."

I can't help but wonder what Stefan's mind is thinking right now. How can he be both Ripper Stefan and still want to help Elena and keep her safe? How can he be a cold-hearted killer without feelings and still keep his loyalty to his brother and girlfriend? How can he have killed Tiffany the maid last week and stand here and call me 'Care' today? It doesn't make sense to me. It shouldn't work that way, but it just shows how hard the real Stefan is trying to hold on. He's clinging to what he knows: Elena, Damon, maybe even me? I don't know, but if I can help him remember his humanity, then I will. Maybe I'm stupid for thinking I can help Klaus and Stefan, but I have to try. Stefan didn't give up on me when I was first turned into a vampire and I was struggling to get a grip on my blood lust. He saved me from being killed by Damon, and he promised to always protect me. I might not have made the same promise to him, but I'm making it now. I'll do whatever I can to try and help Stefan through this Ripper phase. I won't be scared away again.

"I'll try, Stefan," I promise slowly, "But I can't guarantee Klaus will listen to me. He doesn't trust me. He doesn't trust anyone."

"And do you trust him?"

His question startles me. "What?"

"Do you trust him?" Stefan repeats, pronouncing each word slow and clearly.

"Why would you even ask that?" I demand, still not giving him a clear response.

"Well, what it looks like to me," Stefan shares, his tone grave, "Is you're falling for him, Caroline. You're letting him get to you."

"No, I'm not," I protest, desperate for him to believe me, for some reason.

"Really? Why did you let him kiss you, then?" Stefan nods at my 'deer-in-headlights' expression, "Yeah, I know you kissed him. Your lips are swollen, your cheeks are flushed, and you have his scent all over you." His lip curls up in what can only be described as disgust, and I want to shrink and hide. I'm suddenly ashamed of the kisses I so easily gave away to Klaus, all because of Stefan's disapproving glare. "Don't be stupid, Care. He'd kill you in a heartbeat."

"I don't think he would," I find myself saying, shocking not only Stefan, but myself. "I-I think he really cares about me. He...he is gentle with me, and he's different when-"

"Caroline," Stefan says sharply, "What are you talking about? This is Klaus. Klaus. He killed Jenna. He would have killed Elena if Bonnie hadn't done that spell to protect her. He turned Tyler into a hybrid and ordered him to bite you. How can you be thinking this way about him?"

"Who the hell are you to talk?" I ask heatedly. "You are no better! At least Klaus has never killed someone in front of me. He doesn't lose control, like you do."

"No, Caroline, he's just a fuckin' psycho who kills people for fun! He kills people because he thinks he has justification for it," Stefan tells me, "He's got this God complex, and now that he's a hybrid, he's even more convinced. He thinks he's all-powerful, like the wizard of fuckin' Oz."

"Okay, okay, I get it," I say with a roll of my eyes, but I can't help but be amused by what Damon always calls Stefan's 'poorly timed humor'. The Wizard of Oz? Really? "But did you not kill that maid 'just for fun'? Because that's what you told Klaus..."

Stefan huffs angrily, avoiding eye contact while he corrects, "No, that's not why I killed her! I did it because I was mad! I couldn't control myself. Is that what you want to hear, Caroline? That I lost control?!"

"Yes!" I throw my hands up in the air while nodding my head furiously. "Yes, I do want to hear that, Stefan, because at least you admit that you did lose control." That's like step one in every Twelve Step Program, right? Alcoholics do that...drug addicts...why not blood addicts?

Stefan's nostrils flare as he glares angrily across the few feet separating us. He takes a deep, calming breath and doesn't speak again until he's recomposed himself, something which I think he should be proud of. He hasn't lost all self-control if he can compose himself enough to reprimand my actions. "Just...get Klaus to tell you what he's hiding, Caroline, and try and remember that he's an original hybrid who kills people for sport. Try and remember that he's using Elena as a human blood bank, and that he keeps the majority of his family in boxes so that he can be in control. You've been in here for too long...you're not thinking clearly. Klaus isn't a mistake you want to make."

"And what kind of mistake do I want to make?" I snap, almost continuing on to say, 'You?'

Stefan sighs, "I'll come back again in a few days. All right?"

"Do I have a choice?" I ask stubbornly.

"No."

Please Review! I am pleased with the reviews I've gotten so far, but I'd love to hear from each and every one of my readers!

Next chapter: I'll have the flash-back where Stefan and Caroline kiss! And Stefan tries to break Caroline out of her prison...

-MissCarolineForbes