N/A: I'm sorry it took me so long to update. I was almost giving up to translate this baby, but so many people kept reviewing here that I had to. Well, this one might be a polemic chapter, so be aware that A – I didn't had a beta; B – The character opinions are not mine.
Have fun!
Falling Inside The Black
She choked a scream of panic, horror, as his red, bloodshot eyes fixed on hers. His lips rose to reveal fangs. He smiled the bad wolf smile and trusted his teeth on her soft skin, sucking a hickey as she yelled in pain.
Damon groaned against her skin, planting bites and letting the blood run freely through his chin and bath her breasts.
"Delicious…" whispered him, holding her hip bone with his fingers. Caroline felt her muscles burn and she tried to free herself from his hold. "Stay away from me… Let me go…"
"You talk too much… I want you to shut your mouth and don't even try to scream of fear nor pain." He mumbled. Then, his eyes were on hers. And Caroline only saw blue, a crystalline lake drowning her.
She wanted to scream, but the water was filling up her lungs and she could do nothing but let go softly groans of a pleasure she never felt.
She heard her mouth whisper his name; cry his name in a fake orgasm… Her legs wrap around his waist and her body was not her anymore.
Caroline woke up sweaty, heart pounding and breathing heavy. Her mouth was pressed against the pillow and scream was dying in her throat. She closed her eyes, letting out a deep breath.
It was just a nightmare… Damon couldn't hurt her, at least not in this world.
She sat up carefully, as vertigo made the couch swim under her body. Her arm had fallen asleep because of the uncomfortable position she had slept on and her head was aching.
The blonde sighed, finally standing up and walking toward the kitchen.
Klaus woke up with the noise of a cell phone ringing. He rolled through the bed, whining as his body protested again the early annoyance and finally got a grasp on the ridiculous noisy thing.
He believed it was Caroline's, as the ringtone was way too infuriating to be his. However he wasn't sure, this world version of him was so much different from himself.
"Where are you?" a male voice almost shouted through the phone, making Klaus grimace.
"Hello?" his voice was husky in the morning.
"Mikaelson?" the person across the line got soft "Sorry… Could you tell Caroline she's late?" asked whoever it was.
"Late for what?" he mumbled, once again closing his eyes.
"Umm… work?" the man sounded unsure about Klaus's sanity. "The Fells will be here in ten minutes, so she better hurry up." completed. Klaus yawned, blinking heavily and agreeing with a groan, hanging up without saying goodbye.
He stumbled down the stairs, feeling slightly ashamed of making a lady sleep on the couch… No! He wasn't ashamed! Be ashamed would mean He had made something wrong, thing He never did.
Found her at the kitchen, watching the coffee cup as if she was considering drown herself into it. He knocked lightly on the doorway.
"A guy called, he said you are late for work." He said as apathy tinted his words and he pulled himself a cup of coffee. Niklaus was starving. He wasn't human for so long that He had forgotten what was to feel hunger.
As a vampire he never felt the emptiness on his stomach, could never hear his body complaining of the lack of food and his mouth never got that weird sweet taste. Yes, he craved blood, felt thirsty… But thirst was pain, as his esophagus was on fire and his head was turning into a clock bomb.
A thing couldn't be compared to another.
"Work?" her voice was weak.
Caroline had no idea of which was her job. She never knew what she wanted to do as human and, after became a vampire, it simply stopped mattering.
With what would her human self work?
"Do you have any idea of what work with?" questioned. A nod of head saying no. She sighed, resting her cup in the sink. "Ok, I gonna… get ready…" mumbled, awkwardly, walking off the kitchen.
Niklaus attacked the fridge with the ferocity of a lion, as soon as she left. He didn't know what he wanted, only knew that he was famished and he hated that feeling. He thug his teeth into the delicate skin of a peach, the juice running down his lips and chin.
His hands grabbed unceremoniously a jar of milk and he drank with such a hurry that his head spun from the lack of air. Then the bread, followed by the yogurt. Niklaus smiled when he finally set eye on thing which crave was twisting his stomach.
He froze on the spot as heard a surprised exclamation. He turned around slowly, fingers still around the piece of raw meat and a guilty expression.
"What are you doing?" she questioned in a whisper, seeming too shocked to say anything else. The man put down the food he was smothering under his anxious fingers, thinking about how disgusting he would be in her eye.
His face was dirty of juice, milk and blood and he realized, surprised, that his hands were shaking. "Klaus, what are you doing?" Caroline asked, strongly this time, walking toward him.
She had changed her outfit, was perfumed and wore a concerned expression that he didn't like. He didn't need her pity, her fake comprehension.
"I'm hungry." He answered simply, turning his back and once again eyeing the fridge, thought this time he wasn't hungry at all.
Klaus felt a hand on his should and let the Chinese food box fall from his hand, that one hidden right behind the cheese. "Klaus…" his fiancée voice was soft, almost scared. "Klaus, stop." Asked, pulling him gently away from the fridge and putting him sit at the table.
He watched with his brows frowned as she wet a cloth and cleaned, calmly, the dirty from his face.
Niklaus eyed her blue greenish eyes, hunting down a reason for her to be so kind toward him. Was it pity? Fear?
"Why are you doing that?" asked his voice husky and shaken. He hated the weakness the humanity had given him.
"Shh…" she mumbled motherly, cleaning the blood and oil that had dripped down his neck. It was like her fingers were brushing a child's skin. "You cannot do it, Klaus." Guided, forgetting completely with whom she was talking to.
All Caroline saw was a man frightened with a new situation. She saw herself: scared, lost in her new vampire nature… holding Stefan as clingy child, wanting to know how she would survive if she didn't even know what she was.
Except that, in this case, it Klaus who was human. The girl sighed, brushing her thumb against his cheek. She wanted to tell him that being human was as frightening as it looked… But she couldn't.
Not just because he hated her. But also because it would be a lie. Being human was scaring, it had to be. During a thousand years he had been invincible, untouchable, and immortal and now he was stuck into a fragile human body, susceptible to all kind of feelings and illnesses.
It would be awful to feel all those feelings, after a millennium feeling none. And hunger, misery, was just the first one.
His hands wrapped around hers, pulling her away. "I don't need your pity, Caroline." He said, eyes piercing hers. She froze, reminding herself with whom she was dealing.
"Then don't be worthy of it." The blond growled, letting him go and walking away from him.
She needed another hour to finally get to her job, but, thanks to GPS technology, she was there.
"Hell, Caroline!" a male voice immediately froze her on the spot. She wasn't expecting such a reception. The blonde raised her eyes to find a man, staring at her in annoyance. "I was going to pick you up myself." He complained, grabbing her by the arm and pulling her inside the building.
It was a beautiful place, with champagne porcelain covering the floor and walls of a delicate shade of pastel pink. There were pictures of brides on the walls, people smiling and couples in love.
She was thrown in her chair and a book was hurriedly opened in her hands. "You better start to pick it soon. The Fells are going to kill us." The unknown man said.
Caroline raised an eyebrow. She had no idea of what to do.
Jeremy Gilbert waited as Klaus entered the car, playing drum happily against the steering wheel.
Klaus had just finished his shower, after washing his face so hard it left reddish bruises, when Gilbert called, asking if he wanted a ride to work.
Obviously Mikaelson agreed, as it would at least save him from spend hours trying to find his work route.
"So?" said the boy, raising an eyebrow, after ten minutes in dead silence. Klaus frowned.
"So what?"
"What's up between you, dude? Kol came back all weird, you and Care barely look at each other… I spend two weeks away and that's what happens?" the young man seemed concerned.
Klaus had never talked with Jeremy Gilbert.
"Nothing happened." He guaranteed.
Jeremy turned off the music. "Yeah, sure, whatever." Mumbled, rolling his eyes.
Niklaus sighed, crossing his arms. He had thought he had convinced everyone, but it was getting clearer and clearer that he hadn't had such luck… He didn't like it. Didn't like to leave loose ends. Didn't like things less than perfectly going with his plan.
The young Gilbert stopped the car in front of a black loft with sandblasted windows. There was a huge sign reading "Original Art".
"Uow…" mumbles Klaus to himself. He always knew he was gifted in arts, but he never imagined himself as an artist. It was just a hobby, in the end.
Not in this world.
"See you later." Jeremy mumbled, locking the car and entering the place. Klaus followed him.
"Good morning, Jer." A young lady said, smiling to the boy. Nik raised his eyebrows: she was beautiful.
Wavy golden hair, green eyes and a pair of long tanned legs that could make the heart of man stop.
"Morning, Jules." Jeremy answered, shooting a quickly smile toward her and keeping walking toward his office.
"Good morning, Klaus." She smiled to Nik and he lost his breath. That reaction was new to his body and he hurriedly tried to compose himself. "Morning, Jules." Answered, leaving her as fast as possible.
He entered his office and took a deep breath.
It wasn't an unknown feeling the luxury, the desire. However, he never felt it as a human. He was young when died and the bit of contact he had with Tatia was never that sexual, that passionate.
He felt desire toward Caroline, but as a vampire. And the vampire's feelings, thought much more intense, were also way easier to repress. He had turned off his humanity and could control himself around her easily.
Klaus didn't know how to be human.
Caroline burrowed her face between her hands, fighting a headache.
She had spent her days picking flowers, talking to infuriated business man and running from one place to another. The girl had never thought being an even planner could be so hard.
The blonde sighed, closing her eyes.
Although her day had been exhaustive, she wasn't anxious to come back home. To face him.
"Caroline, we're closing." The receptionist said. The young woman agreed, standing up and dressing her coat. She walked down to the parking in silence, thinking what she would do to pretend another day.
She was never a good liar. Learned how to lie after became a vampire, but always hated it. When she lied, she felt like a true monster. She wished to say the truth, be accepted by who she really was.
It was never going to happen.
Entered the car and turned on her GPS. It would be another battle to find her way back home.
It's not my home, it won't ever be…
Home. As an empty word for her as another one. Liz never wanted to have children, Bill was a kid when she was born; Elizabeth, a scared girl.
And, obviously, none of them had a hold on her. Bill gave on his daughter when she was in her earlier childhood, gave up on a marriage. Liz never tried. She would do her best, but never wanted to be a mother… And never made the yellow house a home.
Caroline remembered, and that made her head spin, when she would go to Elena's. And how she hated to see Miranda and Richard, Jenna and Jeremy.
To see a home.
The street swam in front of her eyes and she stepped on the brake, resting her head on the steering wheel. She wasn't in condition to drive, with her feeling right underneath her skin. She searched for her phone and, breathing heavily, pushed the dial button.
A throat cleaning "Caroline?"
Of all of her friends she could have called… She had called this one.
"Damon?"
"It's late, Barbie. What happened?"
"I… I…" what could she say? That she had an emotional collapse because was dragged from her supernatural Mystic Falls to a normal one? That she didn't know how to come back home? That she hated to face the man she was supposed to marry?
"Care, where are you?" now his voice was worried. The girl could picture him: his ridiculously perfect face in a scowl, dark eyebrows frowning, and crystal eyes shady… The familiar face of "Elena is in trouble".
"I don't know… I was going home… I don't know…"
"Your GPS is turned on?" He interrupted, thinking quickly as always. It was one of the few traits of him that she didn't hate… in the other world.
"Yeah, I turned it on… in the morning…"
"Alright, don't move. I'm going." He said before hanging up.
She let her head rest in the seat, closing her eyes strongly. Caroline didn't know how she could regress so much: from a mature, powerful vampire… to a human who had to be picked up by an ex-boyfriend. After all, Caroline wasn't made to be human.
She was born to become vampire. Was happier with fangs, and even thought it had its price, she had become a better person. A deep person, not a kiddie poll. She would give anything to come back, to be what she had become.
Klaus danced his fingers against the kitchen's table, eyeing the clock on the wall. It was late; she should already be here… Or called.
What if something had happened? Would she run away from him? Worst, could something related to the other world happen? Vampires, werewolves and witches…
His cell rang, too loud, startling him. "Hello?" He tried to make his voice don't sound too anxious, too worried, but it was a futile try. The emotion ruled this fragile body.
"Mikaelson… Caroline is here and she's not ok." Damon Salvatore answered. His human heart, a betrayer, pounded against his chest, his hands started to sweat.
"Caroline? What do you mean?"
"She called me and was very nervous. I went to pick her up and she was almost passed out. I took her to the hospital, but you better move your lazy ass here, now." It was an order. Niklaus hated to be ordered around.
"Now listen here…"
"Don't start." A growl. "Don't start. Come to the hospital right now." The phone went dead.
The original… the ex-original punched the table, taking a deep breath. He was angered by being ordered, to don't have the bit of respect he had in the other reality. And he was angered that Damon Salvatore was by Caroline's side. Angered that she had called that despicable being, instead of him.
Klaus had no other choice but go to the hospital. He was her fiancee, after all.
Mystic Falls was so tiny that only had a single hospital. He was glad. Asked for information about her, as soon as he realized the super hearing was gone. She was at Doctor Salvatore's office.
Niklaus laughed to himself… Damon, a doctor. It was the same thing as ask a pedophile to a babysitter.
Caroline must had fallen asleep. Yes, she must have fallen asleep when Damon helped her out of the car… Klaus' voice woke her up. She kept her eyes closed; maybe he wouldn't realize she was pretending and go away.
The older Salvatore seemed troubled, annoyed. His voice was dangerously low, contrary to the almost yelps of Klaus. "You are being ridiculous, as always." He was saying.
Caroline felt a little personal victory. It was weird to be on Damon's side, but she was.
"You are being ridiculous!" accused Klaus as a child. To a man that had lived a thousand years, had very little personal growth. "She can't… That is impossible!"
She opened her eyes, curious. What couldn't she? What was impossible?
Damon was holding a paper right in front of Klaus nose. "Impossible? Did you never have sex ED at school? Or Britain doesn't have it, you arrogant prick?"
"I know how we reproduce!" Klaus pushed him aside. "But she… This is irresponsible! Immature! Totally impossible! I wouldn't ever He so carefree and Caroline wouldn't ever let a pregnancy screw her young life!"
"Pregnancy?"
Both men turned to look at her. Froze on spot, pale and open mouthed. Klaus was shaking, his face was white as sheet. A crazy smile painted his lips and he took the paper from Damon, shoving it on her hands.
"Yes. Can you explain me how? Because, as doctor Damon says, you're pregnant. But we both know vam…" his voice wandered and lost itself in the thin air. "Caroline? Caroline! Talk to me!" yelled again.
She didn't know what to tell him… what to think. That couldn't be happening, Klaus was right, vampires couldn't procreate… A dead body couldn't create life; it was a nature law…
I'm no vampire.
"What's this paper?" was the only thing she could mumble.
"I asked for an exam when you passed out. I'm a doctor, they were quicker than normal." Damon explained.
"Isn't it illegal? Don't you need my permission or something?"
"ARE WE REALLY GOING TO IGNORE THE TRUE ISSUE HERE?!" Niklaus' voice was hysteric, broken. He was right, again. Caroline was getting done with him being right. Stood up, smothering the paper between her fingers, and walked out of the room.
She couldn't argue right now, had no idea how to. She couldn't think with Klaus yelling and Damon talking… She simply couldn't. I want to go home.
That was too much: Changing world, being human, bride to be, being older and now… Mother to be?! It was too much for anyone, let alone for an eighteen baby vampire.
The park outside the hospital was cold, the wind was whistling around her. She hugged herself, trying to hide her body from the outside world. Had never been so scared, not even when she was smothered to death. How many people could say they had died and came back? How many of them remembered the sensation of the missing air burning their lungs? The panic she was feeling right now was worst.
She fell sit in a bench by the curb and buried her face in her hands, crying.
Felt a hand on her should and rose her wet eyes, mascara messed up, hoping o find Damon. That weird, sweet Damon from this world. The one she could call a friend.
Klaus' eyes were blurred, but not with tears. It was an unknown feeling for her… Something between panic, disbelief, horror and even anger.
"Klaus…"
"No, Caroline, just… No." He sat by her side. "Everything is so wrong."
"I know."
"We're vampires and vampires don't have children." His voice was getting swiftly, emotional. "How are we supposed to go back now? How?"
"You're coming back." She interrupted, grabbing his hands.
"What?"
"You're coming back. There's no reason for you to stay."
"How? We don't even know if we can come back…"
"If we can, you'll."
There was a moment of silence. Her hands around his, bonding over the horror of the situation they were in. Klaus brushed his thumb against the warm skin of her palm. His eyes widened and he took a deep breath.
"You're not coming back." Understood. Caroline shot him a skeptical glare.
"If you didn't realize, I'm stuck here." Her free hand gestured toward her body.
"Abort." The suggestion fell from his tongue. He watched as her blue eyes widened.
"No." she released his hands. "No. I never wanted to be an assassin there, I won't be one here."
"An abort won't make you an assassin." Said Niklaus, indignity tinting his words. He had seen more of the world, met other cultures and learned more… He saw life from a different point of view, wasn't so naïve as her… So limited.
"It doesn't matter. I'm not making an abortion, Klaus… We're gonna fix it and you'll leave to Mystic Falls. The real one." Her voice shook. "And we gonna be ok, everything is going to ok." She guaranteed lied.
He let out a dry laughter. Caroline wasn't lying to him, but to herself… She was so used to believe everything would turn out right. Sometimes thing simply wouldn't.
"No, Caroline. Nothing is going to be fine." He corrected her gently, taking her hands again.
Her eyes got wet. "Ok." Stood up, freeing her from his hold, his false tenderness. "Do you want to keep being a conformist? Forever denying any comfort or hope? Go on! Put you won't drag me with you. I'm stuck here and I won't make myself some martyr because of it… I'm a damsel to be saved. I never was, won't be one now." She took a deep breath. "I'm sweet, silly, Caroline anymore… I can be on my own just fine."
And Caroline left him. It was time to go home, to find her a home.