AN: Hello again! Okay, you know the way I said that it was going to be twenty chapters? Well, I lied. These two chapters were short and I couldn't bear to leave you with so little, so now they are one! So really you're getting two chapters in one, don't say I don't spoil you!
First off- WOAH THE RECEPTION THIS STORY IS GETTING IS AMAZING. To all the regulars (aka the ones who have read other stories of mine) hi again and thanks for sticking with me! And to all you newbies-hello and welcome aboard the crazy train! No doubt a lot of you are here through a certain tumblr blog- miss 'klaroline-fantasies' –and her AWESOME graphic for the story! Isn't it amazing? She was super nice about making it for me! So whether you're new or an old timer-welcome and I hope you enjoy this chapter! As always- feel free to leave a review to let me know what you think! Have a great day!
SONG RECS: 'Happiness is Overrated' by The Airborne Toxic Event, 'Can't Pretend' by Tom Odell, 'Blood' by The Middle East, 'No More Running Away' by Air Traffic, 'Black Flies' by Ben Howard, 'Maneater' by Blue Eyed Blondes, and 'Seven Nation Army' by The Killers.
Katherine Gilbert lived in the outskirts of Chicago. Her little brother, Jeremy, was temporarily crashing with her as he tried to make it as an artist. Jeremy wanted out of the family business that much was obvious. The Gilbert's had been at it since birth, accompanying their parents on different jobs and acting as distractions. Katherine's family always had a pigeon holes for each member. Elena, her twin, was the responsible, grown up one. She was the martyr, the perfect one who everyone loved. Katherine was her opposite. She was the daredevil, always pushing too far. She was the risktaker, the bold one. Whereas Elena would usually debate a fight calmly, Katherine would be head and heels into it, making it a full out bar brawl. Jeremy was the baby of the family, the quiet one, the artsy type, who had just wanted to play video games and draw comics, but instead he was thrust into a world he hated, and didn't have much choice it the matter.
When Grayson and Miranda Gilbert died in a car accident when Elena and Katherine were seventeen, and Jeremy fifteen, their world was turned upside down. They were thrust into the care of their mother's sister, Jenna, who took care of them until the girls were eighteen, and it was decided that it was time they made their own way. Elena and Katherine off, doing jobs, making money the only way they knew how. Jeremy stayed with Jenna awhile longer, as it was decided that the twins were too young to look after him just yet. Jeremy stayed and did all the wrong things, and dated all the wrong people, until he finally realised what he wanted to do years later. He joined the family business again, feeling like he'd be letting down his parents if he didn't. It was Katherine that put him out of his misery and told him their parents would want him to be happy, doing whatever he wanted to do.
Elena offered to give him a substantial amount of money to set him up, but Jeremy refused, wanting to do it the right way and get out of the business completely. He did, however, take up Katherine's offer of living with her for a while.
"You want to be the damaged, struggling artist? Okay, you can live with me and when you're famous I will go along with the story that you begged me to sleep on my sofa and we weren't living in a comfy lap of luxury."
Not that Elena didn't offer, but sometimes Jeremy found she tried to take the role of mother hen too seriously. And that was that, and here they were. Katherine was 22 and Jeremy 20, and their sister was dead and they didn't know it yet.
But they were about to.
Caroline paced at the door of the house, and when Katherine opened the door, she wanted to cry. Katherine and her twin were identical, and it hurt just looking at her. Katherine left the door open and sauntered away. "This better be good, Caroline," Katherine warned. "If my sister sent you with a message about her bailing on me, I don't want to hear it," she strode into the kitchen, and Caroline dutifully followed. "Where's Jeremy?" she asked. "Out at Matt's," Katherine answered. "And I'm not interested in a job, you can tell her that," she added, flashing her hand that held a sparkly engagement ring on it. "I'm engaged, and in temporary retirement, you all know that." Caroline swallowed a lump in her throat. "Kat..." she began, searching for the right words. She'd rehearsed it, of course, saying the words 'Elena's dead' over and over again until she could hold it together, but this was her sister. How was she supposed to tell her that? Instead of talking, not feeling brave enough yet, Caroline shakily pulled out a small case she had been carrying in her bag. She unlocked the case and slid it over to Katherine, who gasped. "A Klimt? Nice," she whistled, then looked up at Caroline, who was pale and trembling.
"It's a...it's a wedding present. From Elena."
Katherine shook her head at Caroline, her face contorting in pain as she understood, but she didn't want to. "No...Elena can give it to me closer to the wedding," she said firmly, her own hands trembling as she hastily shoved the case back over to Caroline and stepped away from the table. Caroline eyes filled with tears that threatened to spill over. "Katherine, I-"
"SHUT UP, CAROLINE!" Katherine yelled. "Shut up," she said more quietly as tears fell down her cheeks.
"I'm sorry," Caroline whispered. "I'm so sorry," and Caroline did something truly selfish. She didn't tell Katherine it was her fault. She didn't say it was to send a message to her that Katherine's twin was dead. She didn't, couldn't, because having to live with that knowledge seemed punishment enough. Katherine went to the bar and poured a shot and downed it. She didn't offer Caroline one. Caroline didn't blame her. "How?" Katherine asked quietly, and then changed her mind. "No. Don't tell me. I don't want to know yet," she spoke hastily and her lip trembled as she spoke. "Who?" Katherine asked, clutching the countertop in an iron grip, her knuckles white. Caroline took a deep breath. "It was Vincent Moroney and his men," she answered carefully. "Kat, I-"
"I don't want to know the details," Katherine interrupted. "But whatever it is you're planning, and I know you, Caroline, you're planning something-I want in. If it kills Moroney, I want a part in it," Katherine spoke with a firm, steely determination in her voice. Caroline knew she'd find out the details eventually. But at the minute, Katherine didn't want the details, and Caroline wouldn't be the one to break it to her. "Jeremy?" Caroline asked.
"Not interested," Katherine replied firmly.
"That's okay," Caroline shrugged, wiping the tears from her eyes. "I have another idea for him anyway. If it's alright with you, I've already made the...the preparations," she said carefully, and Katherine nodded, rather gratefully. She was never much of a planner, or a people person. Caroline was generally better at handling people than she was. "Elena's ashes," Caroline explained. "She wants-wanted," she corrected herself, and Katherine flinched, "her ashes to be spread overlooking the city. I thought...would Jeremy want to?" She asked softly. Katherine considered her.
"I'll need to tell him, but yes, he'd want to." Katherine confirmed. She tapped her fingers against the marble. "What do you need me to do?" Caroline sighed. This would take a while.
"I need you to get information for me."
"Okay?"
"I need you to seduce an ex-Nazi, basically."
Katherine sighed. Her talons tapped the marble. "Fine. What do you need to know?" Caroline could almost get over the speed she recovers from being told she needs to seduce an old man. Almost, but not quite.
"The Battle of Anghiari. It was kept in secret storage, and was then taken by the Nazis, but it was never put on record. I need you to find out what happened to it, and who saved it from the bonfire in Paris."
Katherine went to the bar, downed another shot, and wiped away her tears. On a second thought, she got another glass, filled it and handed it to Caroline, who smiled ruefully at her, then filled her own. "To Elena," Katherine whispered, raised her glass in toast, and then threw it back. "To Elena," Caroline echoed, doing the same. In that moment, they could almost pretend she was still with them, and neither woman wanted to face the reality that she wasn't.
X.x.X
Klaus Mikaelson was in his office when he heard a muffled commotion outside his door. He sighed and stopped flipping through his papers. He stood, and walked towards the door, opening it and looking out. There was no one there. His second hand man Trevor must be around the corner, he thought, as he turned in his corridor and went back into his dark office, only lit by a small lamp on his desk. He managed to not look surprised when he saw a pair of lean legs crossed by the blonde haired girl lounging on his desk. "Your security is poor," she informed him as she dropped a small tool kit onto the desk beside her and picked up his papers. "Duly noted," he replied and shut his study door.
"Oh, and he's also unconscious," Caroline added and smiled brilliantly at him. Klaus sighed.
"Also noted." Caroline lightly swung her leg and flipped over the page she was inspecting.
"I'd implement these new security measures if I were you," she advised and handed the papers to him.
"So did you just come here to beat up my friends-which is rather impressive, by the way, Trevor studied Krav Maga- and show me how terrible my security systems are?" Klaus asked. Caroline smiled at him and stood up. "Well, first off, thank you," she said with a little bow. "Second off, no, I didn't. Though you really could use someone doing that."
Klaus rubbed his temples. "Love it's very late. Care to get to the point?" Caroline shrugged.
"I have time. Plus, it's never late for thieves like you and me."
Klaus tilted his head in acknowledgement before he strode towards her and reached out towards her neck. Caroline protested. "Hey, you can't just do that-"
"Nice necklace," he commented as he plucked the chain, plucking the ruby from beneath her shirt where it had been hidden. "In fact, it looks like a missing heirloom from the Norwegian royal family, to my mind." Caroline smiled coyly.
"I met a very nice Duke."
"Clearly. And that painting you have in your hallway is lovely. A Degas?" he raised an eyebrow, and she shrugged.
"Payment for a job."
"And that emerald bracelet you have is a nice piece from King John's lost treasure, along with a few other pieces."
Caroline looked at him, surprised. "How did you kno-"
Klaus grinned brightly at her. "Because I stole the rest of it."
Caroline tilted her head and pursed her lips. "You're good," she admitted reluctantly.
Klaus smirked. "You aren't so bad yourself. I've tried following your work. I can't. There is no pattern and you leave no trace." Caroline shrugged.
"If you don't want to get caught, and you're in for the long haul, you have to be good." She paused. "Who trained you?"
Klaus shook his head. "No one," he muttered. Caroline let out a tinkling laugh.
"That's a lie."
"What?"
"You're lying," she stated.
"Am not," Klaus protested.
"You are. I can tell."
"How?" Klaus asked, crossing his arms. He didn't like being read. This girl already reminded him too much of Rebekah, with her blonde hair and haughty attitude, without her sharing one of his sister's talents.
"You blinked at a high speed," Caroline explained.
Klaus sighed. "Family business," he answered shortly.
Caroline nodded. "Tell me about it."
Klaus shook his head at her slowly. "I am a very powerful man, sweetheart, and I have a lot of very powerful allies with a lot of knowledge. And not one knows of a family in the business called Forbes."
Caroline glared at him. "What are you, spying on me?!"
Klaus chuckled. "You were the one that broke into my home, sweetheart." Caroline pursed her lips and sat back down on desk. Klaus stood in front of her, waiting.
"That's because it's not technically...MY family business," she admitted. Caroline had always hated that. Not the fact that it wasn't her business, it wasn't about that. It was the fact that no matter how much they included her, how involved she was and how much she and the Salvatore's loved each other, she wasn't one of them. She wasn't a Salvatore, no matter how hard she tried. And she felt like she always had to prove herself to be worthy of being there.
"Then whose was it?" Klaus asked in genuine interest.
Caroline tapped her nails on his desk. "The Salvatore's. I was trained by the Salvatore's."
"Salvatore's?" Klaus asked in surprise. "Stefan never mentioned they had a woman in their team."
"Family," Caroline corrected, her eyes narrowing. "And how do you know Stefan?"
Klaus shrugged uncomfortably. "We go way back. We knew each other three, four years ago." Caroline bristled.
"Well, Stefan's different now. And I didn't know him then, only three years ago, when he was..." Caroline trailed off.
"Yes, I know," Klaus explained. "I was there with him."
Caroline stared at him and clicked her tongue. "You know, Damon mentioned a guy that Stefan hung out with back then. He and his sister were his partners in crime, fellow comrades in the business. Then one day they just...upped and left." Her eyes narrowed as Klaus swallowed. "Ring any bells?" her voice dripped in venom. Damon may have been the one who started Stefan on the drinking, but Stefan said he had a friend who encouraged him to keep drinking whilst Damon begged his brother to stop. He and his friend's sister fell in love, but they suddenly upped and left, and Stefan never heard from them, sending him spiralling further. "Look, love-" Klaus started.
"Don't 'look love' me!" Caroline snapped at him. "It was you! You left him a mess!"
"What's in the past is in the past," Klaus said dismissively. He strode forward until he was nose to nose with her. "And I wouldn't bring it up again," he said darkly. Caroline lifted her chin stubbornly.
"Make me."
At this point, Trevor, a little bruised and bloody burst through the door. "Boss, are you okay?" He asked, a gun held at his side. Neither Klaus nor Caroline broke eye contact. "Get out," they said in unison and Trevor nodded in submission and backed out of the room, closing the door after him. Caroline and Klaus glared at each other.
"Why are you here?" Klaus asked tiredly.
Caroline swallowed her pride. "I'm here because I-I need your help."
Klaus cocked an eyebrow. "You do?"
"Yes," Caroline snapped, then composed herself. "My team was-we were compromised. One of our own was killed. And they took my mother." Caroline said in a steely voice. Klaus nodded. "Who?" he asked, and Caroline knew this would be the deal breaker.
"Vincent Moroney."
Klaus laughed. "You've got to be kidding, sweetheart,"
Caroline glared at him. "Do I look like I'm joking?"
Klaus stopped laughing and rubbed his jaw. "I don't see how I can help you."
"You're one of the best in the business," Caroline admitted begrudgingly. "And I can only have the best. I need someone with your skills, your expertise and your knowledge," she admitted. "I need your help." Klaus stared at her in silently, considering her for a while.
"What does he want you to retrieve?"
"The Battle of Anghiari."
Klaus considered this. The Battle of Anghiari had been officially missing since the mid 16th century. If he could steal that...he'd never have to work a job in his life again. "I may know someone who can help."
Caroline perked up. "So you're in?"
Klaus grinned lazily. "I'm in. On one condition."
"What?" she asked.
"I need my team."
Caroline blinked. "I'm sorry, what?"
"Well love, you have your team, and I have mine. And I need it. So they're going us on this little rescue mission." Caroline pinched the bridge of her nose.
"I don't think you understand. My friends don't play nice with others," she said carefully, and it was true. They all bickered like cat and dog between themselves. Klaus smiled at her.
"Well I don't think you understand. Either they're in, or I'm out." Caroline pursed her lips, and furrowed her brow in thought. "Fine!" she spoke exasperatedly. "You can have your team. Are you in? I need your word," she threatened. Klaus offered his hand out to her.
"First off, I believe a proper introduction is necessary. I'm Klaus." Caroline shook his hand firmly. "Caroline," she replied.
"Caroline, you have my word that I'm in," Klaus said.
Caroline nodded. "Good."
"Now," Klaus said and put a hand on the small of her back as he lead her out of the room, "I think you should apologise to Trevor, and he'll make us a cracking cup of tea." Caroline scoffed. "You are so British. You'll meet me with your team tomorrow at Stefan and Damon's. I'm sure you know where that is," she said sourly, before slipping away from him and leaving.
