Chapter 4
The weeks passed slowly as homecoming approached, as she and Matt met with Tyler nearly every day, but a little before the day of homecoming Matt stopped going with Caroline. She didn't mind because it gave them more time to each other to discuss where they were in regards to each other. She was proud that he had his bloodlust under control, and she finally had him keeping his urge to compel his way through everything away. It seemed like he was in control, but it never left her mind that he was still sired. She had tried to get him to go with her to turn into wolves together but he didn't want to shift; and a part of her missed it but didn't want to change alone. So on the nights she had to lock up her father she would bolt the door and listen as the chains rattled and her father grunted with his shifting before she would shift herself.
She felt better in her wolf form guarding her father, and found that they could understand each other when they attempted talking in wolf. It seemed to keep her father calmer and he didn't try to break out like he always had before. And when he started shifting back she would shift with him so she could get into her clothes before giving him his. What made it better was that her father wouldn't do their normal torture session afterwards and she would go home to see her mom looking at her worriedly, but since it was better she smiled for reassurance. And the days after the full moon her father would call her mother, so Caroline would go far enough away to not overhear; but when she came back her mom told her she was allowed to shift in the house as long as she didn't leave or get seen. She debated it but thought it would be better if she didn't because she never knew when someone would stop by; she didn't want to risk getting seen and have the privilege revoked.
Another problem was her friends would meet regularly and she wasn't invited; she didn't like not being informed on what was going to happen. It felt like they didn't trust her like they couldn't Tyler; even though they knew she wasn't sired and he was. She had caught snippets of their conversations but not enough to give her anything. She could see Elena and Bonnie always whispering to each other, with Matt occasionally joining them. She hadn't seen Stefan much, but when she had it made her feel helpless; she wondered if she could help him like her father planned to do with Tyler. She knew Stefan had been compelled to turn his emotions off and report everything back to Klaus; apparently the guy needed more than one spy to get his information from. She was just glad Klaus hadn't been back or gotten a hold of her at all; she wouldn't have talked to him anyway.
So when she arrived at school to see everyone standing outside and the fire department running in and out, she looked around to find her friends. She couldn't find Elena or Bonnie but she saw Matt and he told her the gym had flooded so they would have to cancel the dance. She groaned when she thought about all the work she had put into homecoming and now they couldn't even have it. Something must have happened because there was no way the gym would just flood; she wondered if it was part of the whispered conversations of her friends. But as she went through the crowd she heard that the dance would be moving to Tyler's house and wondered what was going on.
Had Tyler sabotaged the dance? Had her friends? She didn't like not knowing, but there wasn't anything someone could do to keep her from going. When she got there she saw a band playing and beer kegs everywhere with her classmates already dancing around. She tried to find Tyler first to see if he would tell her anything but picked up on the scent of hybrids and knew it meant that either Klaus was in town himself or he had sent his new little creations for him. She decided to keep to her normal friends for a while since she didn't see Elena or Bonnie anywhere; also seeing Matt hanging with his football friends. When Tyler found her she gave him a look but didn't say anything, so when he asked her to go inside with him so they could talk she followed thinking he would fill her in on what was going on. What she didn't expect was for everything to go black after feeling his hands on her neck.
Klaus POV…
He made sure everything was in order before speaking to Tyler to see if he knew about any plan his friends had. They had been inside the house since he didn't venture out much because he had invitation to the Lockwood mansion. He didn't trust that his father was dead, even if Stefan had told him he saw the body, and he had compelled him before leaving. During one of the ventures out of the house he spotted his second-made hybrid talking to a few humans; looking extravagant in a red dress that clung to her. He looked around to his hybrids knowing they were to protect him with their lives, but he didn't know if she knew what was going on or not.
He didn't want to risk losing such potential so he pulled Tyler out and started speaking to him. He let him think he knew something was going on, pointing out how dangerous things could be for any of the humans there; along with his friends. Then he pointed out Caroline, referring to her as Tyler's pretty little girlfriend, knowing it would motivate Tyler to get her out of the picture for her own safety. He wasn't a 1000 year old idiot; he knew Tyler hadn't broken up with her, nor had he even told her what he had shared with the boy the night he turned them. So he had to set things up just right; if he wouldn't let the girl go he would make sure Caroline left Tyler. He had turned a few alphas during his time away and couldn't wait to see how she reacted when he told her the truth. No doubt she would decline them all, still thinking she could be with Tyler, but in the end she would have to give in to her nature. When he had talked to Tyler he had made sure to ask how he was adjusting and how his friends had been accepting him.
He didn't care one way or another for Tyler's adjustment; he just wanted information out of him, but he had to make it seem like he cared to make the boy loyal. He hadn't been expecting to hear that Caroline wasn't sired to him; he knew something had been different with her but he hadn't been able to place it. Hearing there was no sire bond with her and knowing he couldn't control her another way, he knew he would have to appeal to her or use leverage against her should it be called for. As she was now she was a complete wild card and he couldn't have that; the only reason he hadn't made Tyler tell her the truth yet was so he could keep her under watch unknowingly.
Tyler had also told him how much control she had over her hunger and that she and the quarterback had been trying to help him with the bloodlust and compulsion. What struck him was when Tyler told him about Caroline's invitation to transform into wolves with her. Had she been shifting on her own free will? How often had she turned? What was the girl like in her wolf form? It was a sight he wanted to see. He knew the Forbes line was a powerful line, considered highly compared to other lines, but he didn't have all her information yet; family records were hard to come by for her so he was relying on memories which weren't much since he had never actually seen a Forbes wolf shift. No doubt there was more to the girl and her family that what he knew; maybe he should track down her father. But with Caroline being such a wild card it was likely her father would be just as difficult.
Once he was sure Tyler had Caroline out of the picture he went back inside, staying near the door in case whatever plan being played out happened inside. He wasn't too surprised when he saw Mikael alive; since he had daggered his own siblings he should have known the compulsion would still be true if Mikael was daggered instead of staked. What pleasantly surprised him was Stefan keeping his own brother from killing him, giving him enough time to grab the stake and kill Mikael. Another surprise had been Katerina pretending to be Elena for the Salvatore's so Elena would be safe. He might want to older doppelganger dead but she could wait. There was work to do here; so he released Stefan and let the party play out. He stayed in one of the free rooms, listening in on the sounds of everyone below, and wondering what Tyler had managed to do to get the blonde out of the way.
After the party he could hear Tyler pacing around in another room and guess he had incapacitated her. He had a lot to feel good about with his father finally dead after 1000 years of running and he would no doubt overhear the infuriating blonde a couple rooms down when she woke up. Tyler had told him he had followed one of her commands just like with the sire bond, but it had surprised them both; since neither of them knew why she had been able to. It was just surprise after surprise with Caroline and he briefly wondered if she had dug through her family history to find out all the answers; since Tyler had said she was always on top of everything that came her way.
Hearing her gasp awake in the other room and the bed squeak from Tyler sitting next to her and keeping her from shouting, he walked silently over to the wall to hear better. He heard Tyler tell her he was trying to protect her and she was arguing with him about not needing him to. He overheard them bringing up the sire bond and Tyler defending him and himself before Caroline started fussing with him again. He knew the boy felt hopeless in the other room when he ran out of comebacks against his girlfriend, and heard him say 'I get it' before hearing him walk away and out the door. He heard Caroline blow out a breath and could imagine the frustration on her face before standing and leaving the room herself. He was tempted to pull her into the room he was occupying for a little chat but thought it would be better not to since they could be heard.
He had been happy to know she wasn't in on Damon's plan for Mikael to kill him until he heard Tyler accuse her that she would be if her friends had told her about it. But her loyalty to her friends was the same loyalty he wanted for himself. When Tyler had told her he knew she would have stepped in to defend her friends she hadn't answered, which let Tyler and himself know the boy had been right that time. A wild card devoted to getting rid of him wouldn't do; he would have to step in soon and convince her otherwise. The first step would be to get in between her and Tyler; with Tyler being the weaker link of the two. He could pretend to be the boy's friend and get him to trust him; not only would it tear the couple apart but he was sure it would bring her around more since she would try to save Tyler from him.
He had lost a few hybrids that night, a couple alphas included, but he still had a couple to try and tempt the girl with. He doubted they would be very effective in wooing her but he would be able to see if she could command them like she had Tyler. He didn't have to worry about her commands overruling his because he was older and THE alpha, and she couldn't issue him a command, but if she could control other hybrids and wolves he could place her high in his ranks; but only if he could get her loyalty and that was the problem. He had walked over to the window when he heard the front door open and saw the blonde stomping to her car as she pulled her phone out. She hadn't called anyone, but he could see her fingers moving as she sent out a text. When she was standing right next to her car she looked back down at the phone and let out a frustrated groan, with a little growl mixed in. When he was sure she and everyone else was gone he left the room he was in to search for the little pup; finding him in his dad's old office with a glass of what smelled like whiskey.
"Mind pouring me one too mate?" Klaus asked and watched as Tyler poured another glass and brought the bottle with him as he took a seat and motioned for Klaus to sit across from him.
"I don't know what to do anymore… I mean I'm with her, but at the same time I'm not." Tyler said frustrated and Klaus resisted the urge to laugh at the boy's whining.
"I told you this would happen. And it's just instinct pulling her away. Did you expect an alpha to listen to you?" He stated and asked as he looked over at the pup to see him groan and bury his head in his hands.
"No but she could have understood I was trying to protect her." Tyler finally answered when he lifted his head back and threw an arm out with his justification.
"Women can be difficult sometimes." Klaus offered since he didn't bother with actual feelings or affections with women; lust was easier.
"You have no idea how she is; how she's always been. She's just so stubborn and no one has ever got her to change her mind unless it was a better idea or something."
"That's an alpha trait mate…" Klaus stated but Tyler shook his head and cut him off; if he didn't need Tyler he would be dead for that.
"No that's a Caroline trait… imagine growing up with her. We used to hate each other, but our mom's being best friends had us spending a lot of time together."
"I bet she gave you a lot of trouble." Klaus guessed as he tried to imagine the couple younger arguing over everything; he bet the blonde won those fights.
"I was terrified of her sometimes… I mean I can be an ass and a lot of people would back down. But she would always outdo me… she can be very intimidating when she wants to be."
"Oh I don't know mate… she can't be that intimidating…" Klaus offered but inside he smirked at finding out he had been right; she always won.
"You didn't grow up with her. I learned by the time we were 5 that she would always get revenge on me and it would be either embarrassing or it would make me stop and think before even looking at her the wrong way."
"Well you can't overpower her because you're not an alpha, so that sounds normal." Klaus played it off as he tried to keep from laughing at the boy; always getting outdone by a girl had to be embarrassing for him.
"And now that she's a vampire she's even stronger… but it's like it didn't change anything for her; she's in complete control of herself." Tyler rambled and Klaus hid his smirk behind a sip of his drink.
"I wonder how that is… although she probably went to one of your vampire friends for help…" He offered as he set his glass back down; it didn't really matter who taught her control in the long run.
"Or her dad. He's the one that she would probably run to."
"Why is that?" Klaus asked as he wondered how that would have gone; not every wolf would accept the fact their child had become a hybrid.
"Because he's the one that taught her how to stay in control of her emotions so she wouldn't make a kill. I don't exactly know how it was done because I only locked up with him a few times and I'd have to leave when I was me again; but they would be there for hours afterwards."
"My sister mentioned torture…" Klaus inserted and saw Tyler flinch a little; it was obvious that Caroline's father had been an influence on both of them, but likely it was a bigger one for Caroline.
"I wouldn't put it past her dad to torture her; and I know she said he helped her. His idea of helping her involves tying her up and torturing her until she isn't affected by the problem anymore." Tyler stated angrily and Klaus felt his own anger come up. He didn't like the idea of one of his hybrids getting tortured, but the fact it was voluntary made it worse. It made him think of all the time Mikael had hurt him and he couldn't think of why she would let her father hurt her when he had always wished Mikael hadn't hurt him. It made him realize that, in a way, Caroline was outdoing him and that wouldn't do; he couldn't have the other hybrids rising up and going against him from thinking he was weaker than someone he had turned.
"And she lets him?"
"He's her dad… doesn't that mean he's an alpha too? I mean he's older so she'd have to listen to him right?"
"He would be an alpha but her being an alpha female and a hybrid might change that; there are other circumstances that could come into play." Klaus explained but didn't delve too deep; there were too many secrets to keep about wolves, but he wondered if Caroline was one of them.
"Like what?"
"What do you know about her family line?"
"Only what you've told me… her dad never let me know anything; and I doubt he even told her. She wouldn't tell me even if he did."
"Well that's a shame… he must be hiding something very important to keep her in the dark and torture his own daughter." Klaus mused out loud and looked at Tyler's confused expression. He really couldn't stand the boy, but hearing that her father could give more information and possibly be a good candidate to be a hybrid made him debate whether or not he should confront the man. "I wonder something… he may not be able to be compelled but I wonder if he's as strong-willed as he made his daughter to be."
"He's a hard man and I think she was already strong-willed… he didn't start conditioning her until a year and a half ago."
"Conditioning?" He asked slightly confused at what Tyler was referring to.
"Torturing but they call it conditioning."
"Has he given you the same treatment?" Klaus asked, even though he wouldn't really care, but he knew he had to seem that way. He wouldn't entertain her father torturing Tyler and possibly killing the best leverage he had with the local supernaturals; specifically Caroline.
"No… he was more worried about making sure Caroline didn't trigger her wolf gene."
"I bet he dislikes that she already has very much then." Klaus theorized out loud and saw Tyler shift uncomfortably in his seat; almost like he didn't want to answer. Klaus focused on using the sire bond to get Tyler to answer and saw the boy take another drink before giving in to the influence.
"She told me she thought he would kill her but he didn't."
"Did she tell you so you could help her or was she just going to let him kill her?" Klaus asked seriously since he didn't want to chance Caroline being killed off by her own father; especially since he didn't know her full potential yet, but it was already more than the rest of his hybrids.
"She was just telling me because I told her my mom was still having problems accepting it."
"So it was just idle conversation?"
"Yea… that's all we can really have right now."
"Because I'm just so evil that I'm forcing your will on everything?" He asked sarcastically and saw Tyler give a laugh as he rolled his eyes.
"I know I'm sired but I don't think you've made me do anything I wouldn't have done already."
"Well that seems to be only your opinion… you're a part of my service; that makes us comrades of sorts." Klaus stated trying to keep the boy loyal while evading the usage of the sire bond he had used on him. He needed Tyler to trust him or at least want to for his plans to work. He didn't know what the Salvatore's would try next and Tyler would be a good tool to use on them. And of course, Tyler would be the only way to ensure Caroline didn't go against him when the fighting really began.
"It's nice to have someone to talk to that doesn't think I'm plotting against them all the time."
"Trust me Tyler… there will be a day you'll have more friends that understand you. I'm having the rest of my hybrids come to town. I'm giving you the job of taking them in, teaching them to control their urges if they need it, and passing on my orders while I'm busy."
"What orders?"
"I'm currently in construction of my own house here in Mystic Falls… once its finished I'll build some smaller houses to serve as outposts for the hybrids that'll be staying with you; maybe buy a few houses in the area until then so you're not overrun."
"What does that mean for my friends?" Tyler asked and Klaus could see the worry on his face so he decided to not be too graphic in his warning.
"It means they need to learn that they need to do as I say or things could get ugly. In time I'll reunite my family since this was our home 1000 years ago; it's time to be a family again since Mikael's dead."
"Elijah and Rebekah right?"
"I have a couple more siblings… but not to worry yourself. Just do as I say and I'll keep you high in the ranks. You may not be an alpha but you have your usefulness and you have connections."
"You mean my friends?"
"They won't hurt you Tyler… you're friends with Elena, Bonnie, and Matt; then there's Caroline. The Salvatore's won't kill you because Elena would turn against them; if not for your friendship with her then through other connections like Matt and Caroline. Not to mention I'm sure your girlfriend would kill either of them for laying a finger on you."
"Damon she would… but not Stefan. He may not be her friend right now but they were friends when his emotions were on."
"So I observed the night I turned the two of you… he helped her stopped her shifting; she trusted him. It's a little odd that she trusted vampires before she was one."
"Well Matt grew up with us and got turned right before I triggered my wolf gene while he and Caroline were dating, but Stefan protected her from his brother when he came to town. Damon wanted to kill her but Stefan stopped him and they've been friends ever since."
"So Caroline was dating Matt, who was your best friend. Did you steal her from him?" He asked genuinely curious since he had seen Caroline dancing with Matt at the 60's dance and had thought it was strange for an un-triggered wolf and a vampire to be together.
"No it wasn't like that… I mean I kissed her but she shot me down; told me we were just friends. Then Matt got changed and broke up with her because he was afraid he'd hurt her. By then she knew she had the wolf gene and I remember she told him she was just as dangerous, but he just couldn't risk it. It was a couple months later we got together. It was kind of shocking."
"How would it be shocking? I mean you clearly expressed your interest when she wasn't available…" Klaus asked not following the boy's explanation; surely they would have just jumped at the chance.
"Because I let my uncle's friends hurt her in between the time they broke up and we got together."
"How so?" Klaus asked as he grew more confused on why Tyler and Caroline were even dating if he had already betrayed her beforehand.
"My uncle had come to town when my dad died and tried to keep me from becoming a wolf, but Damon killed him. And because Caroline wouldn't help go against Stefan, Matt, or Damon they thought she needed to learn pack loyalty. They tortured her while I was there, but I didn't do anything to get her out of it; Stefan came for her."
"I'm beginning to wonder if she and the rippah didn't have something going on together." Klaus mused out loud with the new information; she had went against her own kind for vampires and that was more than a little odd.
"They didn't… trust me. He promised to protect her after Damon tried to kill her and he was keeping that promise. He probably only made it because she's Elena's best friend but he still made it. And I just stood there. When Stefan rescued her I was sure they would kill me but she stopped them; told them it was better I live with what I had done."
"You weren't joking about her getting revenge." He stated with a chuckle and Tyler shook his head and letting out a laugh. "So how did it go from revenge to a relationship?"
"I showed up to apologize and she slammed a door in my face, but when Matt and I got taken to be used in your sacrifice she came with Damon to get us out. She had Damon get Matt out of there when I started to turn since she knew I wouldn't attack another wolf."
"Oh but you still managed to bite Damon that night… since Stefan had to trade his servitude for his brother's life." Klaus inserted so he could show Tyler just how much he owed the little blonde hybrid; it sounded like she had repeatedly put her life on the line for them and Stefan was the only one to actually help her in return, even if it was for Elena.
"Yea… anyway we talked after that. Seeing as we both thought I was going to die we spent more time together. I started shifting with her dad and one night at a party it just happened. We were just getting to a good point before you turned us. Now it's like we're back at square one."
"Would have happened anyway mate… remember? I don't suppose her father ever tried to warn you away from her?"
"He did give me a lecture once about being responsible and then he told me he'd kill me if I got her pregnant."
"He didn't mention anything about her heritage at all?" Klaus asked even though he doubted she had; the Forbes were very particular about letting people know anything about them.
"No… I guess it's because we're both in high school and he didn't expect it to get serious."
"Probably not… maybe you should read the statistics on high school relationships. I had the pleasure of hearing my sister reading about those before I put her back in a box; they never last in this day and age."
"I don't know… I don't really want to think about it… or talk about it anymore right now."
"That's alright mate… I need to do a few errands. I'll start sending my hybrids this way so make room for them."
"Alright." Tyler replied and Klaus walked out of the room and out into the night. He had leaned a considerable amount and knew some of it could be useful if use correctly. He knew Caroline's father was likely responsible for her being a wild card, but he felt the man knew more than he had ever told Tyler; and probably Caroline too. Going straight to her father would draw too much attention and using Tyler would only get him so much; probably not anything he needed to know. He thought about going to Caroline's house to see if she was saying anything valuable to her mother or on the phone to one of her friends, but thought she might notice her was there and he didn't want anyone to think she meant anything. But maybe if he kept a distance and stayed silent she wouldn't notice since she was a baby hybrid; so he got close enough to watch and listen to find she was in the shower. Deciding to wait around since he had nothing better to do he flashed up a tree to remain hidden.
Caroline POV…
Caroline was taking a shower when she heard the front door open and shut so she stepped out long enough to yell and make sure it was her mom before going back to finish up. She was still furious that Tyler had snapped her neck and rubbed the spot that had been hurting when she woke up. She was mad at her friends too since they had come up with a plan and didn't include her in it at all, but Tyler should have talked to her instead of just snapping her neck. She didn't know how much more she could stand of all the secrecy, but then felt guilt since she had her own secrets she was keeping from her friends; and more that she didn't know yet since her father hadn't told her everything. She hoped he could come back soon to help Tyler because she didn't know how much longer she could hold on to him when he wasn't entirely to blame.
Stepping out of the shower again she wrapped a towel around her body and pulled her hair up in another one before stepping into her room. She took her time lost in thought as she dried her hair and rubbed her lotion on; she may not need it anymore but didn't see any harm in keeping the habit. She heard a knock and looked to see her mom coming in, still in her uniform. She told her mom to give her a minute and gathered her pajamas to change in the bathroom before facing her mother again.
"How was the party?" Liz asked as she sat on Caroline's bed and Caroline huffed before leaning back against her desk.
"It was alright until Tyler snapped my neck…"
"What did he do that for?" Liz interrupted her and Caroline groaned when she realized she'd have to explain everything that had happened that night.
"Because he thought our friends were planning something against the psycho hybrid and it turns out they were; he didn't want me involved."
"So he was protecting you?"
"It doesn't matter what he was trying to do… he shouldn't have snapped my neck. He should have talked to me." Caroline exclaimed with her arms out as she tried to explain her side; she needed someone to think she was justified in being pissed off.
"Did you know there was a plan?"
"No I didn't and that makes it even worse. It's like I'm caught between Tyler and my friends and I can't talk to any of them. Someone is always planning something and Tyler can't be included because he's sired, and I'm not included because of how I feel for Tyler." Caroline ranted further before kicking her desk chair out and sitting in it backwards so she could still look at her mom.
"So what happened tonight?" Her mom asked and Caroline nodded as she took a breath, hoping to get it all out on the one breath.
"Turns out psycho had a father… or stepfather, I guess you should say, that wanted him dead; no surprise since he's an ass. Matt said Damon was about to kill Klaus but Stefan stopped him and then Klaus killed Mikael; psycho daddy."
"I don't approve of how Tyler got you out of it but I am glad he protected you." Liz said after a minute of silence and Caroline groaned again as she bumped her head down on the back of the chair.
"Therein lies my problem… I love him but I can't just sit back and not help my friends." She argued and began playing with the edge of her shirt sleeve.
"I don't know what to tell you on this. Your father might be able to when he comes back."
"When is he coming back?" Caroline asked as she came back to full alert; she really hoped it was soon for once.
"Well he missed a week of work for you so he's been making up for that. It'll be soon though… I talked to him today."
"What'd he say?" Caroline asked as she tilted her head; her dad was always difficult to tell what was going on in his mind.
"He asked if you were still doing okay with everything and I told him you were. Then he asked if you had shifted at home yet, to which I said no."
"I told you I can't risk someone seeing me in wolf form inside the house like that. I'd like to but I can wait until the full moon and turn with Dad." Caroline grumbled and pulled her legs up to cross in the chair with her.
"Alright… I think he just wants you to practice anyway. You've done so well with everything. I'm proud of you."
"Thanks mom." Caroline replied and moved to sit next to her mom on the bed and cuddle up to her. "Hey mom… did Dad tell you why he and I look different than Tyler does?"
"No he didn't. Whatever reason it is he's keeping it to himself until you're ready to hear it."
"I guess… it just sucks having to wait." Caroline fussed and Liz gave a small chuckle as she moved Caroline's hair over her shoulders.
"He would tell you if you needed to know it right away."
"I'm worried about him… Klaus is back in town and Daddy has to come back for lock-up. What if Klaus tries to turn him?"
"Your father won't turn… and if he was forced to turn he'd find a way to die; he won't be a vampire." Liz stated matter-of-factly and Caroline felt the tears come up; she didn't want to think about either of them dying. What was worse was she knew exactly what it felt like to be in transition and she didn't want her father to go through that.
"I don't want him to die. What about you? Would you turn into a vampire?"
"No sweetie… I'm human, and I want to live and die that way."
"I don't want you to die either…" Caroline started but Liz held up her hand to silence her.
"It's a part of life…"
"But it doesn't have to be… I could turn you and then I'd help you…" Caroline argued against her mother's wishes; even if she knew she'd never force it on her.
"Sweetie one day you'll have to let me go; you'll have to let us both go."
"I hate this…" Caroline stated as she fell back on her bed and crossed her arms over her stomach. She hated that she'd have to lose her family and friends while she remained alive; well dead alive.
"You'll have to move around a lot… people will notice in a few years that you aren't aging anymore."
"Will you go with me or will you stay here?" Caroline asked worriedly as she realized she hadn't thought about that yet; it meant she'd lose everyone faster.
"I'll be here but I'll visit you. Now… you've got a birthday coming up…"
"Mom please don't start… it doesn't even count anymore. I'm stuck at 17; a freaking filler year." She growled frustrated in return, but heard her mom laugh.
"We're still celebrating it whether you agree or not; it can be just us if you wish but I am going to celebrate my daughter's 18th birthday."
"I'm dead…"
"But you're still here so drop it… you're still my baby. Now… I'm going to bed. I have to leave when I get you up in the morning so get some sleep. Goodnight."
"Goodnight Mom; I love you."
"I love you too sweetie." Liz replied as she left the room and Caroline stood from her bed to go sit in front of the mirror again to look at her reflection; a reflection that wouldn't change again. Then she stood and looked at all the pictures in her room feeling like nothing would ever be normal again; how much normal could you have when you were a 17 year old hybrid? She couldn't stand to look at them anymore so she flipped off her light and went to bed; waking up a few times throughout the night.
Klaus POV…
He had listened to the entire conversation between Caroline and her mother, often finding himself having to keep from letting his presence be known; he didn't like Caroline constantly calling him a psycho. Furthermore, he didn't like the idea of Caroline's father coming to town soon; even if he did want information on her family. However, he couldn't help but notice the look on her face when she talked about her birthday and how she wasn't going to age anymore; looking as if the idea of remaining young forever was nothing but misery. He wouldn't deny there were some downsides to being immortal, but he had soon worked past them whenever they would surface. He could tell she hadn't thought of all the endless possibilities that were now laid out for her; even if he could get her into his service.
He watched as she moved away from her mirror looking disappointed before laying in the bed to chase sleep, and thought he should go, but he wanted to watch her a little while longer; that and he didn't want to go around Tyler more than he had to. He kept wondering what Caroline had meant when she talked about how she looked as a wolf; she shouldn't look any different than Tyler unless she was from a VERY old bloodline. But that couldn't be possible because he knew where those particular living families were; at least the general area. Caroline would likely not tell him or ask him anything about it, so he might have to spy on her or try to get it out of her in conversation later; if they did speak anytime soon, which wasn't likely until he could get past her loyalty to her friends.
Caroline's loyalty would be very difficult to gain, but not impossible. Her strongest bonds were to the doppelganger, the Bennett witch, the quarterback, and Stefan; aside from Tyler, but Klaus knew he couldn't count him because she would side with her friends against him. And now she couldn't really run to the rippah because of his emotionless state, so he needed to find a way to break her trust of her childhood friends. He didn't know which way to go about doing that since she had already shown she was willing to die than side with him, so maybe he should find a way to appeal to her; at least more than her friends are.
He was pulled from his musings when he heard her shift in her bed and mumble something he couldn't make out so he moved closer. He was right outside her window, yet still unseen, when he saw her head turn back and forth and another unidentifiable sound escaped. He decided to peek inside her head and saw she was strapped to a chair as some man tortured her. Klaus briefly wondered if the man was her father before he tried to change her dream to something else; not just to make the nightmare stop, but also to see if he could get some kind of information from her. What shocked him was the realization that he couldn't change her dream; he couldn't take hold of her mind. Thinking about it he shouldn't have been surprised since she couldn't be compelled, but he hadn't thought it would extend to her dreams; it seemed her mind was TRULY her own, even when it was against her.
He watched her wake up from that particular dream and rub her hands over her face before settling back down in the bed. It took her longer to fall back asleep than it had the first time, so he didn't move or make a sound to keep her from noticing him. When she was finally asleep again he paid attention to her mind again as another dream began; not really knowing why since he had planned to leave once she had fallen back asleep. He could see her walking through town, but there wasn't another soul around and she began getting scared as she walked through the different empty stores and houses. Seeming to remember she was a vampire she flashed to her house, but it was as empty as the rest of the town and she began screaming for her mom. She began thrashing in her bed as her fear grew in her dream and Klaus began feeling tempted to make a sound loud enough to pull her awake, but he didn't want to risk giving away his presence so he remained still.
Caroline kept checking houses, starting with her friends' dwellings, but again there wasn't another person to be found. He began to wonder what hidden fear her subconscious mind was bringing to the surface because the dream wasn't making much sense. She ran to the falls and seeing no one she ran further until she reached the graveyard. Klaus noticed what had stopped her in her tracks and realized what fear her mind was making her face; she hadn't found anyone in town because they were all in the graveyard. She walked around all the fresh graves crying harder each time she passed a friend, and sobbing when she reached her parents' graves; her tears coming out in her sleep as she shifted from one side of the bed to the other. Klaus noticed they all had the same date for death but he didn't pay much attention to it as he saw people come into focus.
He saw Caroline notice them and go to run to them, but she passed right through them. When she fell down to her hands and knees he couldn't help but remember how she had looked the same in the gym the night he had turned her. Then each person wordlessly disappeared and she began begging them to stay and not leave her alone. That's when Klaus realized her fear wasn't just that everyone died; it was of being alone. That was something he could relate to her on since he ended up alone many times after daggering his siblings; much like he was right now, except for his hybrids. When she woke up that time she shot out of bed and left her room, so Klaus took the opportunity to move further away from her house again so he wouldn't get caught snooping.
When she came back into her room she looked calmer, but she was still shaking a little and he noticed she had brought a bottle of alcohol back with her; no doubt she had went to check on her mom. He wasn't surprised that she didn't lay back down immediately as she took a few swallows from the bottle and covered her mirror up. He could hear her scolding herself, telling herself to "get a grip", "everyone's okay", "it was just a dream", and "you're not alone". He wondered if she let anyone know she had nightmares or fears like she did, or if she just kept them hidden from everyone with that bubbly personality and "I'm fine" attitude; although it did explain part of her loyalty. Once she placed herself back in bed and fell asleep he left since he didn't want to watch her the whole night; he really did have other things he wanted and needed to do.
