Author's Note: I don't own TVD, as you all know. That doesn't mean that everything will remain the same as on the show, though, so keep that in mind as you are reading. Most of the facts will remain the same, but I had to change some events to better fit this story line. Thanks!:)
Tangled: I Want You To Stay
Chapter Four
The next evening, as promised, Klaus returns to my motel prison. He brings me an assortment of chocolates, like I asked for, and a few different department store bags filled with clothes. When I questioned him on the clothes, he simply shrugged in a nonchalant fashion and said he picked up a few things he thought I might need for our trip. Upon hearing there were sundresses and bathing suits to peruse, I immediately tore into the bags and started pulling out clothes by the bunches. I was so giddy with excitement at the sight of new clothes, and chocolate, that I even modeled a few outfits for Klaus. I know, I know, it's crazy, right? But he brought me clothes!
"So..." I ask casually while twirling slowly in front of the mirror in a lacy yellow sundress. When I come to a stop, I am facing Klaus, a hesitant smile on my lips, "We're really going to Mexico next week?"
Klaus' blue eyes take in the sight of me in the perfectly formed dress before he replies, "So long as the rest of this week goes as planned, yes. You look ravishing in that dress, love."
"Thank you," I smile shyly, knowing that if I were still human I'd be blushing red right now. I'm appalled by how much Klaus' compliment means to me. It almost distracts me away from my original question, which I brought up to hopefully segue into the conversation about the coffins that Elena and Bonnie stole out from under Klaus' nose. Getting back on track, I continue, "That didn't sound like a definite answer, though. Is everything all right? Are you sure you don't need my help at all? I'm a really good planner, you know. I've been head of the dance committee for two years in a row now, and..." I was going to list off my resume of qualifications, but at the look Klaus is sending my way, I trail off.
"Yes, yes," Klaus rolls his yes, "You're Miss Mystic Falls, and cheer captain, and a million other things, I'm sure, love. But I'm not planning a party, am I? I'm not in need of any cheerleading, nor does your pageant crown have much use to me in the current situation. If you were a powerful witch, then maybe you could be of some assistance."
My mouth drops open in shock and I frown, quickly biting my tongue to keep the indignant shout from slipping out. Quietly, I wonder, "If you think so little of me, then why do you keep me here? If I'm of no use to you, then what's the point in pretending you care? Why waste your time and energy on this ridiculous charade if it's going nowhere?"
"You're twisting my words, Caroline," Klaus replies in a superior tone.
"And you're avoiding this whole conversation!" I cross my arms over my chest and glare because I know I'm right. "Give me one good reason why you don't want to tell me what's going on back home. What could I really do anyways? I'm here and they're there! I don't understand why you won't let me in..."
"Because," Klaus yells, startling me, "Everyone I've ever trusted has betrayed me! What makes you any different?"
"You tell me..." I suggest quietly, reminding him, "You're the one who said I was different, special."
Klaus steps closer to me as he speaks, each step bringing him closer and closer until he's wrapped me up in his embrace. "You are special, Caroline. Your light attracts me like no other has before. I love your fiery personality, your beauty, your kindness, but...you are also fiercely loyal, and that is what worries me. You are upset with Bonnie and Elena, with your mother, but you still care for them, and your loyalties still lie with them. I can never-"
"What? Trust me? You can never trust me?" I interject, pulling out of his grasp and putting a little space between our bodies. I can't think or be angry at him when he's holding me like that, and what he is saying is definitely making me angry. "Are you kidding me, Klaus? That's not fair. How do you expect me to trust you? Seeing how I left my hometown with you and allowed you to bring me to Middle-of-Nowhere, Georgia, and you locked me up in this shit-hole motel! I mean, I trusted you to be true to your word and not compel me into a situation against my will, but you betrayed that trust. What makes you think you can even earn it back? And all you are worried about is how much you can't trust me, when I haven't even done anything to you!" I don't realize how my hands are flying out in all directions to show Klaus how crazy I think he's being until he's grabbed them with his own and stilled them. Suddenly, everything else I was going to say has completely disappeared, and all I see are deep, blue eyes.
"Calm down, you're going to wake the neighbors, dear." He half-heartedly winks to signify he's joking, there probably aren't any guests in the room next door, but his face returns serious pretty quick. "If I tell you..." He hesitates, but continues, "You have to understand that you're the only person alive who will know the truth, and...I'll be honest, Caroline, that puts me in a vulnerable position, and as you know, I don't like feeling that way. This is why I'm in such a predicament. Do I tell you and risk you running your mouth to your friends? Or do I keep it a secret, as it has been for a thousand years..." His inner turmoil is written so clearly across his face then, and I do acknowledge that whatever he's been keeping to himself this long must be a big deal. It can't be an easy decision to make.
But this is life or death, and that includes mine, so I need to know! "Klaus," I implore him, using my most compassionate voice, "I can see you're struggling with this, and even though I've never kept a secret for as long as you have, I know how much of a weight it is to carry on your shoulders alone. You don't have to, though. You can tell me. I promise...if you decide after that you don't want me to know, I'll let you compel me to forget."
"You'd let me compel you to forget?" He asks skeptically, clearly surprised by that statement, since I've told him a hundred times I hate when he compels everyone into doing his bidding.
I nod, "Only if you really change your mind and decide it'd be better if I didn't know."
Klaus considers my offer and then agrees, "Fine, but we'll need a drink first." He walks towards the mini-fridge and mutters quietly, "Or three or four..."
I snort upon hearing his remark and comment, "That bad, huh?"
"You have no idea." Klaus answers without looking in my direction. He pours two drinks and brings both drinks and the bottle over to the bed. I sit down beside him and take the glass he extends towards me. I'm not a big fan of whiskey, but since I'm a vampire, I can stomach it. I watch Klaus finish his glass in one large gulp, so I finish mine in two. Klaus smirks in amusement, "I didn't know you were such a lush, love."
"I'm not," I deny, "But I can party hard on occasion. Just because I'm the Sheriff's daughter doesn't mean I'm an angel or anything." I realize he's gotten me distracted and I point a finger at him and accuse, "Don't go trying to change the subject."
"I would never do that," Klaus denies as he pours himself another glass.
"Liar," I tease, holding my glass out for another double-shot as well.
"All right," Klaus sighs. He downs his second glass of whiskey in under two seconds, reminding me somewhat of Damon when he tries to drink away, well, every emotion he feels. This is the first time I've ever seen Klaus have more than one drink, and even then, he usually drinks it slowly. "But I can assure you, Caroline; you will want me to make you forget after you hear this story."
Klaus begins to tell me the story of his family, and how they became the first vampires to walk the earth. Mikael and Esther Mikaelson came over to the America, then called the New World, when their old home was ravaged by a deadly plague. They settled in the land that is now Mystic Falls, Virginia, and their family grew. Elijah was born first, then Finn, Klaus, Kol, Rebekah, and finally Henrick. The youngest, Henrick, was tragically killed by a werewolf during a full moon, and it is the event that pushed Mikael and Esther to turn their children into something immortal, something they could not lose so easily as they lost Henrick. Esther, being a powerful witch, used dark magic to turn her children, and her husband, into creatures of the night.
"She forgot to mention one little thing," Klaus says of his mother, "That I'm not actually Mikael's son, but the product of a one-night-stand with a werewolf." I try and hide the shock in my features, but I'm not sure it's working. "When I drank the blood to complete my transformation, my werewolf gene was triggered, thus making me a hybrid. When my father found out, he was furious. He went on a rampage that lasted for three days, slaughtering nearly the entire werewolf village. When he came back home, it was to kill me, but my mother stopped him. She used a powerful spell to bind his powers, to desiccate him, and trap him within a coffin which can only be opened by two very powerful witches of the same blood line."
Slowly, the wheels in my brain start to spin and I'm connecting the dots. The coffins that Bonnie and Elena took are Klaus' siblings, except for Elijah, and the fourth must be Mikael. What Klaus is saying is that if Bonnie's mother does extend a helping hand, they'll be able to unlock the coffin and release Mikael from his imprisonment. But what will happen then? How does that result in the death of the entire vampire race? Was Klaus only exaggerating to keep me with him? Or am I still missing something?
Thankfully, I don't have to ask. Klaus isn't finished speaking yet. "My mother warned me that if my father were ever to get out of his box, he'd kill us all: me and my siblings. He immediately regretted the decision to turn us, convinced that we were made into something purely evil. She was going to try and reverse the spell, but I couldn't let her do that. I killed her." After confessing to taking his own mother's life, Klaus changes the subject, "Right now, your friends are working on a way to open that box, Caroline. They don't know what they are dealing with, but if they awaken Mikael, he'll slaughter the whole town. He'll kill Bonnie and Elena first, then most likely the Salvatores and anyone else who crosses his path as he tries to seek out me and the rest of my family."
"And what happens then…?" I wonder, almost too scared to find out the answer, because there is such a strong feeling of foreboding in the air that I fear the worst.
"It is said that if you kill an Original, all who were created from that Original's blood will die too," Klaus explains in simple terms, "And my blood is at the top of your bloodline, Caroline."
I frown, trying to follow how that works. "What? But, that doesn't make any sense. Damon's blood turned me, and he was turned by Katherine, and she…she killed herself with Rose's blood in her system. You turned Rose?"
"I turned Mary Porter," Klaus corrects, "Who turned Rose. So you see, I am looking out for you too, love. If I get killed, there is no hope for you. A few minutes after my death, you'll be turning to ash from the inside out, and so will the Salvatore brothers, et cetera, et cetera. All that has to happen is for Mikael to get free, and then it will almost be too late. He'll know that if he kills us first, he won't have to kill countless vampires; just five."
All of this information is so much to soak in that I feel restless. I get up and start pacing the floor in front of the bed, back and forth, back and forth, as I watch Klaus drink whiskey from the bottle. "We have to do something," I conclude, "We have to stop them before they make a seriously big mistake. This is not good. This is so not good…" I shake my head rapidly, blonde hair tossing around my face and shoulders. I press my fingertips against my temples and massage them while I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to think as hard as possible for a solution. I can't do anything from in here. At least, not until Stefan returns to see what I found out, and I bet he never thought I'd be this successful.
"I am doing something," Klaus reminds. "This is exactly the reason I didn't want to tell you about all of this. Now what are you doing? Worrying and getting worked up for nothing. I will fix this, Caroline."
He sounds so sure, looks so determined, but…I'm not as optimistic as him. Bonnie is strong-willed and stubborn, and when she sets her mind to something, she doesn't stop until she's achieved what she set out to do. She will not give up the coffin to Klaus unless she's exhausted every possible idea to open it and still had no success, or if she's dead. I don't want Bonnie to get herself killed over this. Sometimes I wish Elena and Bonnie had the sense to leave the unknown as it should be; unknown!
"What are you going to do?" I need to know. "How do you know you can stop them?"
Klaus studies my face for a very long time, and then he says simply, "I have a plan. It will work." After a short pause, he quickly decides, "Well, you said I could change my mind, right? I-"
"No." I take a step away from Klaus once I see he's getting to his feet, "No, Klaus, don't. I know what I said, and I meant it, but please don't make me forget. I need to know this. Besides the fact that this is about my life too, this is the first time you've really opened up to me about anything. Don't take it away. Then you'll be nothing but a stranger to me again. I don't want that. I want you to trust me. I heard your story, and guess what? I don't think any worse of you than I did before. In fact, it makes you…more human, to me. Everybody has a story, and now I know yours."
Klaus approaches slowly, and gently takes my face between his hands. I am trembling a little, waiting for him to compel away our latest conversation, but he doesn't do it. "Don't make me regret trusting you," He states, before brushing his lips against mine.
.
"Caroline…Caroline, wake up."
.
"Caroline…"
I can hear Stefan's voice calling me through the darkness, sounding distant and foggy, like he is far away but all around me at the same time. I look left and right, but all I see is darkness. I look up and down, but it is the same. I am surrounded by an endless black sea of nothing.
"Care, come on, wake up. You have to wake up, Care."
A second voice joins Stefan's, my mother's, "Caroline, honey, can you hear us? Please wake up…"
She sounds so scared. I've never really heard my mom scared before. She's the Sheriff. She's the brave one. She always knows what to do. What could be frightening her so badly?
Curiosity pulls me out of the thick, fever-induced nightmare I was falling into, and I rub the sleep out of my eyes as I look up at my mom and Stefan's faces. At first, I want to ask them what is going on, and why they are standing over me like I'm on my death bed or something. Then I remember…I am on my death bed. Tyler bit me, and now the poison from his werewolf bite is seeping into my veins, spreading throughout my body and festering like a disease. The fever has taken over, soon the hallucinations, and then it will all be over.
"Hey," Stefan greets gently, taking one of my hands in his, "There you are. You have to try and stay awake, okay? You can't fall asleep. You might not wake up, and," He shakes his head, swallowing the emotion that crept onto his features a moment before, "We need you, Care. You have to stay with us."
"How?" I croak out, my throat beyond parched. "I'm dying, Stefan. It-it hurts…so bad."
"I'll get her some water," My mom whispers in a tight voice before running from the room. I think it's too much for her to see me like this. She hasn't even come to terms with me being a vampire, and now she has to let me go forever.
Stefan peers down at the small bite on my neck, concern written all over his face. It must look much worse than it did earlier, before I accepted my fate and climbed into bed to wait for my death. It was just beginning to turn from red to a grotesque blue-ish black color, signifying the infection is successfully spreading from my neck to other vital areas in my body. It burns, but more than that; it feels like my skin is on fire. My insides feel like they've been replaced with lead, my head is pounding, and I'm in complete agony. I've never felt so bad in my life. It is so painful. I almost wish death would come now, just so it will finally be over.
"No, don't think like that," Stefan chides, and I realize I must have said some of my thoughts out loud without realizing it. Maybe I am hallucinating already. "You are not dying, Caroline."
My eyes focus on his and fill with tears. His face blurs as I blink them away. "You're always here for me," I murmur, struggling to get the words out, "I don't know what I did to deserve a friend like you." I try to smile, but I don't think it reaches my eyes. I realize, "I'm going to miss you the most."
"Shh," Stefan hushes me, brushing my hair off of my face with delicate fingers, "You won't have to miss me because you aren't going anywhere. Stop talking like that."
"You know that's not true," I mutter, rubbing my cheek against his palm like a cat. His touch feels soothing. It doesn't burn or ache like everything else I feel right now. It's comforting. I wish he would lay down with me and just hold me. A tear streaks down my cheek as a sharp pain radiates from my neck down to my chest.
My mom returns with a glass of cold water and helps me up to drink from it. I take a slow, cautious sip, but the taste is off and I choke and sputter it down before pushing the glass away. "You have to drink," Mom insists, trying to bring the glass to me lips again. I snatch it from her hands and shatter it against the wall. She steps back in shock and I realize my face has vamped out and I am baring my fangs at her.
"Caroline," Stefan holds me back, "Relax."
I can't believe I almost tried to attack my mother. My face returns to normal before crumpling as I start to sob. "I-I'm so s-sorry," I stutter through my tears, "I d-didn't mean to, Mom. I-" I gasp, clutching my neck, "Ah! Why does it hurt so bad?!" I scream, closing my eyes tightly and begging for the pain to go away.
"Liz," Stefan suggests kindly, "I know you want to be here for her, but I think you should wait downstairs." Slowly, she nods and then backs out of the room, avoiding the broken glass on the floor. After she leaves, Stefan climbs into the bed with me, like I wished for him to do before her intrusion. He lays behind me, his arms wrapped around my shoulders and holding me close. He strokes my hair gently, soothing me into a state of calm. "Just hold on a little longer," He promises, "You'll be fine. I know you will."
"I don't want to die," I share with Stefan, "I didn't want to be a vampire, but I didn't want to die more. And…I like who I am now. I like the girl that I've become the past few months. And now she's fading away…"
"She's not going anywhere," Stefan argues. "Elena is on her way, Caroline."
"She doesn't care about me," I state bitterly, "She'll be glad to have me gone. She still has Bonnie, and Bonnie's always been her best friend. I'm just her second best friend…I'm nobody's first. Nobody's first anything."
"Elena does care about you," Stefan insists, "We all do."
"Really?" I roll my eyes, turning over to look at him, despite the fact that it hurts to move. "Who cares, Stef? Bonnie, who hasn't looked at me the same since I turned? Matt, who is terrified of me and disgusted by me? My mom, who can't decide if it'd be better if I were dead or not? Don't tell me Damon cares if I live. He will probably dance on my grave. 'Good riddance, Blondie,' he'll say, 'She was useless and dumb anyways.' Do you care? You don't really care…you just care about Elena. And-"
"I care," Stefan says firmly, "I care about you, Caroline. I'm not going to let you die. I promised you I would protect you, and I will. This is not the end for you, so stop giving in. Soon, you'll have the cure, and when you wake up tomorrow morning this will all seem like a bad dream."
I don't believe what he's saying. I don't believe I'll live, but I still ask, "Will you be here?"
Stefan seems surprised, but he says, "If you want me here, yes."
"Elena is stupid if she doesn't see how perfect you are," I blurt out, not really deciphering the difference between what is an appropriate conversation to have while dying, and what isn't appropriate. "You're so much better than Damon. There is no comparison. Sometimes I forget you're even related to him. You love her so much…and she-" I sigh, closing my eyes to the pain for a moment.
"She what, Care?" Stefan prompts quietly.
I open my eyes again and continue, "She's falling for him. She says she's not, but she is…she's just like Katherine. She wants both of you. She-" I see Stefan's face fall and I reach out to him, "No, don't be sad. You deserve so much better. Don't let her break you." Changing gears, I start talking Elena up to Stefan, "You can convince her he's no good. You can make her remember how much she loves you. How can she forget? How can she not see the way you look at her? She's just confused."
Stefan stares at me but says nothing. I half-smile at him, my eyes drinking in every feature of his so that I can savor it until my final minute. If anyone was going to be the last person I see, I think Stefan is the best choice. "I still remember the first time I saw you." I giggle, "You were like the most handsome boy I've ever seen. You still are. Of course you would want Elena. I was so mad at her, so jealous, that she got you without even trying. I know now why, but at the time it was just another blow to my oh-so fragile self-esteem."
"I didn't mean to hurt you."
"It's okay," I shrug off his sort-of apology. "I don't blame you for liking her more."
I feel my body growing weaker. It's becoming more of a struggle to take a breath. But I still feel comforted knowing Stefan is going to hold me until I'm gone. He'll be here. I lick my dry lips before I drop a bomb on Stefan, "I know that you'll always love Elena, and that you guys are meant to be together, but…I think I kinda love you. It doesn't change anything. I just thought since I was dying now would be a good time to say something about it. Well, I…I wanted you to know."
Stefan doesn't reply, doesn't even react in the slightest. He searches my face for truth, and I hope he sees it. I use the little strength that I have left to move closer to him, watching him intently for a sign that he wants me to stop. When I don't see one, I place my hand on his cheek and press my lips against his. It was only meant to be a quick peck, but Stefan kisses me back. He opens his mouth to mine and I melt into the kiss, closing my eyes and savoring this moment. I've thought about it before, kissing Stefan, but I always pushed the thought to the back of my mind because I knew it would never happen. Now that it is, I realize it is so much better than I could have ever imagined, and I don't want it to end.
Then, he pulls away suddenly and quickly, and jumps out of the bed. I blink up at him in surprise, and he explains, "Elena is here."
I don't understand what that means until she runs into the room, a relieved smile spreading across her pretty face. "I've got it!" She cries out desperately, holding up a small vial of what appears to be blood.
It is blood. Klaus' blood. The cure for a werewolf bite. After I take it, I immediately start to feel better. The bite starts to heal, the pain subsides, and the fever vanishes. I begin to feel like myself once more. I also quickly realize the awkward position I've put myself in. I just confessed my love, which I'm not even sure exists, to Stefan. I just kissed Stefan. Elena offered some of her blood to Klaus in exchange for a cure, and I kissed her boyfriend. Not to mention, I totally threw her under the bus and told Stefan she is harboring feelings for his brother! I am the worst friend in the history of friends. I am a fool for letting my hallucinating mind take advantage of Stefan and...and do something I would have never done had I been in my right mind. From the way Stefan is avoiding me and looking out the window like he's debating whether or not to simply jump out and run away, I think it's safe to assume he regrets what just occurred between us.
Downstairs, I hear my mom..."What are you doing here?"
A distinctly British-accented voice replies, "I came to check on Caroline..."
.
"Come on, Caroline, wake up."
Upon hearing Stefan's voice, I stir, rolling over to my side and flicking on the lamp on the nightstand. Stefan is standing next to my bed, and after waking from that dream about the night Tyler bit me, I am beyond confused. I blink, looking around the room completely before settling my eyes on Stefan's form. I'm not at home in my bed, I'm in the springy motel bed in Georgia. I haven't been home in months. Now I remember.
I stretch and sit up before saying anything to Stefan. "Okay, okay, I'm up. What do you want?" Then, seeing how I just realized he got in the room without my noticing, I add, "Did I really not lock the door again? I'm going to have to start remembering to dead bolt this damn door."
"Caroline," Stefan urges impatiently, his whole demeanor different from the night he comforted me when I thought I was knocking on death's door, "Did you find out about the fourth coffin? Do you know what Klaus is hiding?"
I still regret the way the events of that night went down. I wish I could go back in time and take back what I said and the kiss that followed, but...I can't. I ruined the best friendship I currently had, and betrayed a friendship of over ten years, all in one night. That isn't why Stefan is here, though, and I have to remember that. He's here for something much more important than some stupid love confession and a kiss that should be put out of my mind by now. I need to seriously get my priorities straightened out.
Putting aside all thoughts of the night I left Mystic Falls, I recall my earlier conversation with Klaus. I recall his story, and how he trusted me with it. But I know I can't keep it to myself. I have to tell Stefan, otherwise Elena and Bonnie are going to open that coffin and unleash Klaus' monstrous father. I open my mouth to re-tell the story, but then close it. Can I really trust Stefan? Is he going to do the right thing? Who am I kidding; of course he'll do the right thing. What is the right thing...?
"Does Elena know you're here?" I find myself asking, hoping I sound unconcerned, though I don't feel it.
Stefan avoids my gaze, "No. I can't be gone too long, either, so did you figure it out?"
"You could be a little nicer, you know," I point out, glaring at Stefan in defiance.
"Look, I don't have time to argue with you, Caroline," Stefan tells me, "Bonnie's mom just got to the Boarding House when I was leaving, so they're probably working on a way to open the coffin as I speak. Is there any reason they shouldn't? Or should I let them continue spelling the crap out of that last coffin?"
"No," I shake my head furiously, "Do not let them open it, Stefan." I tell him why, that Mikael is inside, and that he'll kill everyone in sight if he is released. I tell Stefan that even if he does spare the lives of Bonnie and Elena, Mikael will go after the Originals and kill them all. I tell him that if the Originals are killed, all the vampires made by their bloodline will die, too.
Stefan pulls out his cell phone and starts dialing numbers right away. He gets frustrated when no one answers. "Elena's phone is off, and so is Bonnie's. I have to go, Caroline." He strides purposefully towards the door, but then stops and turns back. "Come with me."
"What?" I ask, surprised by the question. "I...you know I can't. Klaus compelled me to stay."
"Until when? What were his exact words?" Stefan presses.
"He said I have to stay here until I'm emotionally prepared to leave with him," I explain, forgetting the part where Klaus didn't say 'him' but 'someone like him', "And I'm not sure I'll ever be emotionally ready." I sigh, "Just, go. I know you have to. Make sure you stop them. Don't let them release Mikael."
"I won't."
Thanks for reading! Reviews are greatly appreciated!
What do you think is going to happen next? What do you want to happen? What do you think about the kiss between Caroline and Stefan?
NEXT chapter: Klaus discovers Caroline told Stefan about Mikael. Caroline learns some terrible news...
-MissCarolineForbes