Part 4
The whole dating Klaus is putting a damper on her graduation parties attendance and moping. Shouldn't he be smart enough to know that she isn't really interested? You'd think two months into dating and no kisses would clue him in.
But, he seems oblivious, hand on the small of her back, dimpled smile and blue eyes looking down at her as if she hung the moon. She hates him, and the way he always seems to be touching her. A hand on her back, light grip on her wrist, grasping her upper arm, arm around her waist.
She wants to rip his heart out, get it over with, but apparently that doesn't kill original vampires. Who knew? And doing something like that would put a damper on the plan of getting his obsession to become trust.
She feels his fingers ghost over her bare back, rising onto the skin exposed by her dress. She nearly hates Elena for choosing this dress.
"You are breathtaking tonight, Caroline."
"Why do you say my name, like that? All slow and melodramatic?" The question is out, before she can stop it.
His eyes change to a yellow, momentarily, and he smiles. She tenses and he runs a finger along her spine. "Because, Caroline, your name is worth the attention. Everything about you deserves attention."
She really wishes he didn't believe that.
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They are all gathered around the island in Elena's kitchen, minus Bonnie.
"Can we just kill him already?" She questions, throat raw, voice desperate, and still clothed in her pretty dress from the date.
Damon rolls his eyes. "Blondie, these things take time."
She hates him, possibly as much as Klaus. Why is he even welcome here, around her, in Elena's house? Her best friend is kinda shit at being a...friend.
"Shut the fuck up, Damon!" She's taken up cursing lately, something about it is therapeutic and makes her feel in control when people back away, shocked. She takes comfort in not being girly, sweet, taking directions, ever-loyal Caroline and when she cusses, she isn't.
But, she doesn't want to make a habit of it, because she wants to remain herself, wants to be all the things she doesn't because that's who Tyler fell in love, who he would never take for granted or advantage of. That's the girl who loves him and she doesn't want to lose herself in this newest plan, but it's the most traumatic one yet. She wonders if her friends even care how traumatic the whole thing is for her.
Do they not realize how dangerous it is for her to be alone with Klaus? He's so much stronger than her. He's an original vampire and she's merely a baby. He could snap her neck, stake her, pull out her heart in a moment. The only thing she has going for her is his fascination, and that could change if she blinks wrong.
He's a maniac.
"I know you're not really familiar with the concept, but I kinda love Tyler, remember him? Ya know, our friend?" She uses air quotes around friend, because do they really know what the word means. She knows Damon doesn't.
Matt seems offended, and she can make out every speck in his blue-eyes as they narrow, lips setting in a thin-line. "Caroline, he was my friend before he was your boyfriend, or did you forget?"
"No...Matt..." She could push through, raise her voice, like she has been trying to reteach herself to do. Being a vampire had given her confidence, fake dating Klaus has taken that away. Even if she still had that confidence, she wouldn't interrupt him, not Matt. Not sweet, independent, always-there, never-changing Matt.
"I realize I'm only human, but I'm still worth something..."
She nods. "Of course you are." He's probably the only one in the room that's a decent person. "And Tyler is so lucky to have you as a friend."
"This is all beautifully tragic, but back to the important adult stuff, children."
"You're right, Damon, compared to you, we are children. And it's creepy how you convinced me you were a teenager and then...you're just a creep, okay."
Stefan looks wounded by her words, seeing as those he is, like, a hundred years old and screwing her best-friend, so yeah, he kinda should. She wonders if she should feel guilty for hurting his feelings, because she doesn't. At all, not one bit.
Tyler might be a werewolf, but he is her age! An 18, recently-changed supernatural being. And damn, she misses him. And she is fake-dating an old, creepy man who looks like he is thirty, which is still old. Klaus does nothing but creepily stare at her and she guesses that after so many lifetimes social norms are just not a thing.
"Caroline what Damon really meant was: This is a delicate situation and we need to stick to the plan."
"What if I quit, now, randomly? Hmm? Because if Tyler walked through that door, right now, the act would be over, I would go back to Tyler."
Damon snorts. "Yeah, right, and put your puppy's life in danger. You and I both know if you dump Klaus for Tyler, Klaus would kill him. You're stuck, Blondie, until this is finished."
She wants to cry, and no amount of cussing is going to keep the tears at bay.
He's right. She's stuck.
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She spots Matt between fourth and fifth period and rushes over to him.
"Matt!"
He hesitantly faces her, turning on the balls of his feet. "Yes, Caroline?"
"I'm sorry about the other day, well, yesterday to be exact."
He shakes his head. "Don't worry about it."
"I am. I do. I worry about you, Tyler, everyone, even Damon." She tugs at the end of her hair. "I miss him," she whispers, leaning in, because it is a secret. She isn't supposed to miss someone that isn't Klaus, and the odds of him watching her are high.
"This is ridiculous, Caroline. What you're doing is dangerous, and Tyler wouldn't want it. When he finds out, he's going to be furious."
She steps back and glares. "Yes, well, he can be as mad as he wants, but he'll be safe. We all will be."
Matt sighs, hands reaching up to grip the straps of his backpack. "Not with you Caroline, well, maybe a bit, but with himself. He's gonna blame himself for not being here to do it."
The thought of Tyler being angry had crossed her mind, but she's been so focused on distracting Klaus and simply missing him that she hadn't given it much thought, until now.
"It's not just gonna go back to normal when he gets home, is it? We're gonna have baggage to sort through." She knows the answer, but she wants Matt to disagree.
"Probably, but only a little. Stop adding more to it, Care."
"I don't know how to stop." She doesn't. At all. Especially not when Klaus suddenly appears behind her, touching her back and guiding her away from Matt.
"Ya know, stalking isn't really an epic romantic gesture in the 21st century."
"Neither is deception, Caroline."
She panics, and he has to feel her tense. His breath tickles her temple when he laughs.
"I don't much care for sharing, especially with dinner."
She swallows. "Matt is a friend, Klaus."
She wants to pull away from him, to wrench out of the grip he has on her waist, but Matt is so delicate, so easily hurt, so human. She, very much, is at the mercy of Klaus, even if she doesn't want to be.
She isn't sure who is playing who anymore. She is supposed to be earning his trust, but maybe some people just aren't capable of forming bonds. Maybe, he is too cold-hearted to trust.
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They're sitting on Elena's bed, painting toe-nails, when Elena decides to drop the bomb.
"Ya know, you really should cut Damon some slack, considering what Tyler did to Vicki."
Caroline rolls her eyes, because, really, it wasn't some big secret how badly he treated his ex-girlfriend. "I'm aware of his past, Elena." Her tone is sharp, and she is prepared to defend her boyfriend.
Elena has this glint her eye, that is so, unlike Elena. "He tried to rape her, and would have if Jeremy didn't stop him."
Caroline flinches and misses her toe, getting cold, wet polish on her toe. In her anxiety, she scrubs at it with her thumb.
"Care, what's wrong?"
Caroline blanches at her. "What's...what's, are you serious? You can't be serious...you are."
Elena seems equally confused and concerned.
Caroline nods, to herself. "This was Damon, it had to be."
Elena's plucked brows draw together. "I know you don't like Damon, but..."
"Elena, shut up, please."
Caroline has to remind herself that Elena genuinely doesn't remember the exchange about Tyler and that it probably was Damon's doing.
"I just have something to take care of, okay?"
Elena nods, slowly.
With a half painted left foot, Caroline leaves.
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Damon is shirtless when she walks in, music blaring and a bottle in his hand. She shakes her head in disapproval.
"Ya know, that's a new low, even for you."
"Look, blondie, I really am sorry that you aren't able to wear your stupid bracelet." He sounds somewhere between resigned and sympathetic. "I know you love wolf boy, God only knows why."
"I thought you actually gave a shit about Elena."
"First off, I do and I recommend you never question that again. Second, profane language doesn't look good on you, Blondie." He takes a sip from the clear bottle.
"But..."
Damon shrugs, not even bothering to let her finish her statement.
"Klaus. He...he took control of Elena."
It makes a lot more sense than Damon, and she is disappointed in herself for not realizing it sooner. She is starting to let what happened last year define her thought pattern and take away her ability to problem-solve.
His entire demeanor changes, grip tightening around the bottle so much it breaks. "He wouldn't dare."
"It makes sense. He wants Tyler completely out of the picture, and Klaus knows I would never forgive him for killing him."
Damon makes calls, and Caroline stands, numbly, watching as everyone gathers and reacts frantically to the idea of Elena being danger, while they have been throwing her in the line knowingly for past few weeks.
They really don't care, do they? As long as Elena is safe, nothing else matters. Certainly not her. Not even Matt, the guy who had professed his love just months before hasn't spared her a glance.
That's what finalizes the decision for her. Even if what Klaus/Elena had said was true, she forgives Tyler, because he's not that guy anymore. And that wasn't his story to tell, that had been Vicki's. Now, she is gone, as is anyone's right to that story. And, really, it's not Caroline's mistake to forgive.
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"Start packing, son." Bill tosses him a duffel bag. "We're heading back."