Chapter 4: Save Your Sorrow ( For Tomorrow)
Inspiration: Song: Save your Sorrow ( For Tomorrow) by Tin Pan Alley (1925)
Despite the feeling of being trapped and her exhaustion; Caroline felt a rush of excitement while they walked through the streets. They only met a few people on their walk around town; and she was sure she would remember the hollow darkness of the closed windows and snuffed out lights. She wondered how many of the seemingly abandoned buildings had raging parties in the basements, or the cellars. They had since left the bar, and she had noted that the windows had been darkened, and that at each entrance there stood vampire guards, ready to compel any lawmen who guessed that prohibition was being ignored within the insides.
She would remember the flappers and their companions that she spotted in the courtyard; clearly drunk, selling booze, and being charged rightly so, desperately trying to plead with the police who were rounding them into a police car. She watched with curiosity as Elijah nodded to one of the policemen, wondering how far the Original's power stretched, whether bribery had been involved to keep the family safe from the law's reach.
She couldn't ignore the pounding exhilaration that passed through her as she took in this new world, this new place.
"Have you travelled?" Elijah asked, and he must have caught her gaze of awe when they passed one of the European influenced churches during their stroll towards home.
"No" she admitted. Elena, on the other hand, had seemed more nervous and anxious to get home; not managing to see the beauty in New Orleans, harbouring only anger for their current predicament. Caroline felt a temporary, foolish excitement at seeing the city during the day; hoping she would get time to investigate the past, and the town Klaus would not shut up about, first hand.
"How old are you?" Elijah asked, and when she answered he laughed out loud.
"No, your vampire age" he contradicted, then his features darkened as he caught onto the truth;"Ah" he responded, and it seemed as if he was holding in another laugh.
Whatever she had been about to say caught in her throat; silence overwhelmed her when she caught sight of their destination; mansion, didn't seem quite the right word for it. She gaped up at the massive, opulent structure; noticing the two guards on either side of the large gate.
"You live here?" she asked. They walked past the vampires and stepped inside. She thought it ridiculous that they should have any security, but then wondered if it was more to guard their home while they were away or the Original family within. Though they could very well handle themselves, she thought, and perhaps like the bar, they were a barrier between the law and illegal parties.
"Sometimes" Elijah admitted, "we have another estate outside of the city" he admitted, and Elena thought he was just showing off now. She surmised that he must have been used to the wealth by now. It was a two leveled compound unlike anything Caroline had seen before, and she wondered for the first time, how much wealth the Original Family actually had. Though they seemed to bespeak an aristocratic air, she wondered more about their history, she was curious, but not enough so to make a point to ask Klaus about it.
"Pretty big for just the three of you, isn't it?" Elena demanded, also in awe, though her tone still carried the anger left over from being trapped in time. Much of the party had been spent watching Rebekah and Stefan interact, watching Klaus laugh and dance with one of the backup singers, then another, then the first again. Elijah had spent most of the evening sitting at their table; going through the bottles of booze with them.
"More often than not, we have guests" Elijah responded, just as a holler came from a room on the first floor. Caroline's ears picked up the sounds; men, or vampires she supposed, playing a game, and more than a few of them, judging by the noise and the mixture of voices.
A goddamn hive of vampires, Elena thought, with terror, and the Originals were the Queen Bee.
"I'll show you to your room" he said, planning to do so quickly so he could join the current game of craps being played by Klaus' most recently made vampires; to cement the loyalty bought with wealth and booze. And this time when war hit; they would not be unprepared. They were vastly growing in numbers and had started to do so, at Kol's suggestion that they convince vampires to die for them, if ever Mikael managed to track them down. Even if Kol was boxed up and not around to fight, his big brothers would still protect him; and so would the vampires who pledged loyalty to them. A decade of alliances, and negotiations, Elijah thought, though it was a hassle, he wouldn't give up the power of New Orleans for anything. This was home, and he planned to have it stay that way as long as he could.
"I have a room downstairs" Elijah explained, leading them up the stairs; away from the noise of the dice game, "and this is Klaus' room" he gestured to the left of him as they walked past the door. Caroline kept her mouth shut; resisting the urge to comment. She so did not need to know that, she thought, and wondered why he had shared that information, when he'd left out the location of his sister's bedroom.
"And this" he stopped two doors down from Klaus, great, she thought of their close proximity. "Is where you ladies will be staying for the duration of your visit" Elijah responded, and Elena couldn't shake the feeling that despite the promised agreement, it sounded ominous. Elijah opened the door to one of the larger guest rooms of the compound and it was filled with furniture. Two posters beds had matching nightstands, a vanity each. A large settee also occupied the room; as well as the arm chair and book case by the massive window. In fact, Caroline could see the moon from the window; and it gave off a marvellous view. Even more exceptional, was the balcony that was attached to their room; the room glowed in the moonlight and in the morning the sun would simply bathe the whole room in golden light.
Caroline stared at the painting across from her bed as she climbed into the comfortable sheets; the print was of a the forrest under the glow of the full moon. She was sure she didn't have to look far for the artist. Exhausted from the excitement of the day, Caroline couldn't manage to ward off sleep any longer and fell quickly into slumber moments after her head hit the pillow.
Elena wasn't so lucky.
Elena didn't know if she was displeased or not that neither Stefan nor Rebekah stayed with them in the compound that night- surely visiting Stefan's home for a night cap was more than Elena wanted to think about. It was all too weird for her, she thought and tried desperately to remember the last thing she had said to Damon before she'd left, hoping she would have a chance to see him again, wondering if he had noticed she was missing. Wondering, even still if there was some strange future version of herself who had lived through the 1900s- if there was, would she even be with him? Would she survive great wars and find her way back to him? The thought of it made her head hurt and her heart beg for him, missing him and home badly. Caroline was already asleep and she felt utterly alone; listening to the sounds of the raging dice game that echoed through the compound; desperately trying to recall the memory of her future; of her home, her boyfriend and of her time.
She had watched Caroline and Stefan out of the corner of her eye as she put the phone to her ear. She tugged the black sweater over her jeans and with her other hand nursed the beer.
"Caroline's beating Stefan at pool" she relayed the message; "Going to join us?"
"Stefan crashed ladies' night? For shame!" Damon responded, and she loved that she could hear the smile in his voice. She was struck with the thought that she should abandon girls' night for her boyfriend, just as Bonnie had done. But she knew that Caroline needed her; that she would see Damon tomorrow and it was the passion and the inability to think of anything but him that was propelling her thoughts.
"And Bonnie ditched" she remarked, "for Jeremy" she clarified.
"Wish I could join Stefan, Elena and Caroline's night-o-fun, but I can't" again he lied to her, not letting on that he knew his brother just wanted one more night with them; wanted to say goodbye before he headed west.
"Why not?" she remarked, but instead he just cut her off.
"I'll see you tomorrow Elena. Have fun—"
"I'd have more fun if you were here" she responded, and god she couldn't believe she was already missing him, it had been just three hours since she'd seen him last- ripped his clothes off and populated his library with her moans.
"It'll be weird for Stefan" he responded instead, "I'll see you tomorrow beautiful" and before she had another word to say, he hung up. Stefan had caught up in the game of billiards, and she was sure her beer was getting warm. She forced thoughts of her boyfriend out of her mind and wandered back over to her friends.
I'll see you tomorrow beautiful. The words and memory replayed in her mind and she heard them again and again until, finally, sleep found her.
Klaus had returned home a little after 3 in the morning; furious and quite unsatisfied. He had failed on three accounts tonight, and the object of his attentions had left the party with another vampire. He supposed, too, that Theodore's seduction of Louise had been revenge, that he had been so quickly dismissed by Caroline for Klaus. There was only a question of how to proceed; to take something from Theodore, to kill the young vampire, or to resume his seduction of the French singer. If Theodore had managed to corrupt her pure soul, Klaus was sure he could do much worse. He had failed to get Katerina, a hybrid army, or to tempt the singer ( or her back up dancers) to bed. The compound was quiet when he arrived, remnant of a party scattered in the living room. The guests had left too; and the house was still. For a split second he stopped at his door; catching the rise and fall of breath; the sound of the girls' from two doors down. So, Klaus guessed, Elijah had brought the girls home and put them in the Gold Room- or so Rebekah had named it for the colour of the walls when the sun hit in the morning.
Klaus awoke even before Elijah, and choose to spend much of the morning reviewing their finances in the courtyard- coming to the conclusion that they should sell another of his paintings soon, if they wanted to keep all three of the factories they currently owned and operated. Elijah had wanted no part in the bootleg alcohol empire- saying that prohibition would eventually end, and it was too much trouble to keep the police and the humans of their home town satisfied anyway. He told Klaus again and again, that their power should be obtained through legal means; they were honourable, and not mobsters. Klaus had omitted any mention of their viking roots; knowing that his brother, like he, had chosen to reject home and any notion of belonging to Mikael. Monsters they could be, vikings they had been, and vampires the would embrace their nature, but they were not without honour, they were not criminals.
He'd finished his review of their finances and moved onto responding to letters by the time Elijah awoke, and came down stairs to read in the parlour room. Klaus had few to complete before he planned on joining his brother.
He looked up; quite distracted by the sound of Rebekah's heels as she made her walk of shame back home.
Elena woke, after a few hours of restless sleep to a clacking sound against the hard floors of the Original mansion. She could hear the voices carry from the courtyard below.
"The whole street can you hear, sister" Elena heard Klaus' voice first, full of insult and mockery. "Are you intentionally trying to shame our family?" he asked, setting down his pen and paper.
The clacking stopped and Rebekah's voice answered.
"Why so sore Nik?" she laughed aloud, like a cackle, thought Elena, not kindly. She rose out of her bed, surprised that her roommate was still snoring into her pillow, unaware of the dreams that plagued Caroline's subconscious mind.
"Still upset you didn't get any?" Rebekah continued, and the insult stung Klaus harshly. "I saw Louise leave the party with Theodore. I suppose he knows that you can't just shower women with money and expect affection" she laughed at her brother. "Don't you agree Stef?" she asked.
"I am staying out of this!" Stefan's voice responded to the question. Elena became suddenly eager to see him; she matted down the bed head she had managed to incur, taking in her appearance in the mirror. She adjusted the clothes she had slept in- jeans and a black sweater her boyfriend had yanked off of her in his library, god, it was hard to believe that had been just yesterday afternoon. Elena opened the door; giving one last look at Caroline; who looked peaceful, her face no indication of her dreams. Elena left the bedroom; promising herself she would be back before her companion awake, she had one intention; to find Stefan.
The clacking resumed in place of Klaus' response to his sister's insults.
"Ready?" Klaus asked instead. Klaus stood up as Rebekah climbed the stairs towards her bedroom. Abandoning his letters on the table in the courtyard; the pair headed out into the blinding sun, leaving home behind. Klaus was quite keen to show Stefan his real birthday present; a delectable, young treat in the woods. A delicious flapper that Stefan would rip into, and unsurprisingly, accidentally scatter limbs and head of throughout the woods.
Elena hadn't caught their sudden departure, and instead arrived downstairs to the empty courtyard, surprised to find it abandoned.
"Stefan?" she asked aloud, not expecting the voice that answered her.
"You just missed him I'm afraid" Elijah responded, his voice carrying from the left of where she stood.
The room was large and windowed, something of a living room or library she thought- and he looked quite peaceful, reading in the large armchair. The sun peaked through the window; bright and hopeful. She was pleased to find him alone, even if she had lost the chance to talk to Stefan. A few of what she supposed were Klaus' paintings hung scattered around the room; beautiful landscapes, most featuring a full moon.
"They've just left for breakfast" Elijah continued.
"Oh" she didn't mask how deflated she felt.
"How did you sleep?" he asked, polite conversation.
"Couldn't really" she admitted the truth. She hadn't been able to wait to get home and all night she had been restless, sure she had only caught a few hours of sleep before the clacking of Rebekah's heels had brought a sharp end to any rest.
"I want to get home" she admitted.
"Ah yes" he set the book down and looked up to meet her gaze, waving a hand at the empty chair across from him. "We shall discuss that when Klaus and Stefan return."
"Seriously?" she crossed her arms, not taking the seat.
"Quite" he admitted, "Do you know how it is that we have come to rule New Orleans for nearly a decade?" he demanded, and when she didn't respond, he picked up the book lazily, turning back to his page. A power play, having her hunger for every word as he took his time; as he decided what she would get to know. He continued as if she had answered his rhetorical question, "As a family" he admitted, "We make agreements and alliances together and-" she snorted, and it cut him off. He fixed his gaze on her, no mirth, no compassion.
"The whole family?" she asked, her turn to be rhetorical, "When Kol and Finn are in boxes?" she asked. It unnerved him that she knew so much about him, he thought. Again, he dropped the book from his hand; trying not to look at her and think of how much he resembled Katerina. "With Mikael still chasing you?" she continued, "You really believe that you work together as a family?"
"Do believe, Elena" his words were curt; " that any attempt to help you without Klaus' input would be seen as …..securing safety for Katherine, that Klaus would see that as a betrayal, so I tell you once again that we shall discuss the agreement once he returns from his hunt with Stefan."
"I shouldn't tell him then that you tried to warn me-" she couldn't finish her threat. He sat up in his chair, but the intent was all there. He buttoned the middle of his jacket and spoke with intention.
"On your life, I request that you will not" he threatened, and she thought it was one of the kinder threats she had received in her life. Tensions surely were high, she thought, if Elijah was threatening her. She had hoped he would be her one defendant, a salvation, someone she could expect compassion from. She had been hoping to separate him from Klaus, to talk sense into him and get his help, rather than involving the hybrid brother. She hoped his love for Katherine would make him split up from the family, but it seemed that in the 20s, they were not on the outs and she wouldn't have such luck. She tried desperately to escape the notion of dread that filled her up.
"Anything to stay on Klaus' good side and out of a box?" she asked. Before he could respond, however, Caroline's frantic voice carried, echoing throughout the mansion, "ELENA?!"
For a split second when Caroline woke up; she had forgotten everything. A strange dream; that's what she'd chalked it up to. A dream in which she was in the 20s and it was all wild, where she was the one sitting on Klaus Mikaelson's lap, seducing him in French, as Stefan and Rebekah cuddled and laughed at a table in front of them. As Elena and Damon stood at the bar, consuming more booze than anyone their age should. And when Klaus pulled her in for a kiss, she snapped her eyes wide open, assaulted suddenly with the sight of his painting across from her bed. Effectively awake, and bitter to be trapped in the past. She groaned, angry at her subconscious, angry more so, that it hadn't all been a goddamn dream. She threw her pillow towards the painting, it hit with a loud thud, tilting it slightly.
The reality of the situation hit her again and she knew nothing mattered apart from getting home. She was sure she would never get used to it- she was stuck in time now and the realization made her heart dive into her stomach and take refuge there; churning her insides with nervousness. The night before came back to her; how Elijah had demanded that they stay with the Original Family- Caroline thought it was more to keep an eye of them, rather than a kindness to the girls who didn't have a dollar on them, who were lost in time. New Orleans, 1928, they had found out. And the Ms that adored most of the pillars of the city buildings told them all they needed to know; they were in the Originals' city now, and there was no getting out alive without giving up Katherine.
She had to shake all thoughts of Klaus and his french ( she hated that she had heard him speak it yesterday) out of her mind. But still the phrase repeated in her mind; though she didn't know the meaning. Je te veux. He had sounded positively compelling when he'd whispered it into the singer's ear.
She groaned loudly, pushing the hair out of her face, rising out of the bed. She spotted Elena's empty bed and any trace of sleep left her. She was terrified for a split second, she would kill him she thought, she would lay ruin to him if he had dared to hurt Elena while she was sleeping.
"ELENA?" her shout echoed through the compound. Then, not waiting for a response, she continued shouting.
"KLAUS!" Caroline screeched, all anger and hatred. She would murder him, she would torture him, she would bury him alive and dagger him, she would get her goddamn revenge if he had dared to touch Elena. "KLAUS!" she demanded.
"BLOODY HELL. We all have supernatural hearing. You don't have to shout!" Rebekah's voice met Caroline's ears. She didn't sound pleased to be woken up, Elena thought bitterly, never expecting the reason for her friend's panic.
"Klaus is out," Elijah responded, calmly.
Caroline headed towards his voice, still shouting, "I swear to god if he's hurt Elena-" her threats floating through the air.
"Elena is quite unharmed!" Elijah responded, cutting her off, "she's with me in the parlour" he responded, and seconds later, Caroline came into view with supernatural speed, worry on her features; breathing heavy.
"Thank GOD!" relief rushed over and she felt foolish, flushed red with the fear.
"Sorry! I thought I'd be back before you woke up!" Elena admitted, sheepishly looking to her companion.
"I was scared Klaus murdered you" Caroline commented, laughing at her irrationality.
"We made a deal, didn't we?" Elijah said, and for a second Caroline could've sworn she heard some tension in his tone, not knowing what she had interrupted.
"I wanted to find Stefan, talk to him" Elena explained. More like talk him out of his murderous serial killer state and his relationship with the Original Vampire bitch, Caroline thought, understanding the impulse.
"As I told Elena, Klaus and Stefan are out...getting breakfast" she was met with visions of Ripper Stefan and Klaus hunting together, and was quite glad she had not been invited. "They'll be back soon and we will all discuss the terms of our agreement then" Elijah explained, "with the whole family."
"So we just sit around and wait?" Caroline demanded, not used to the idle, languid life.
"You could play cards or a parlour game to pass the time" Elijah suggested, his attention fixated on reading Ulysses.
"We're not something out of Pride and Prejudice!" Caroline snapped back.
"It's 1928 Caroline, not 1817" he corrected, not even bothering to look up from his page.
She fought against herself to say anything else; to demand their assistance. They were in a different time and she was dealing with a different family, one unfamiliar with her. One who could, if annoyed just kill them and forget their agreement. It was better to grin and bear the boredom, and hope that Klaus Mikaelson would get home sooner than later.
There was nothing to do but read or play cards, and they each selected a book from the vast collection adorning the shelves; hoping they would get out of here soon.
The spine of Charlotte Bronte's book snapped open as Caroline began reading; feeling like fiction would help her take her mind off the stupid dream that had dominated her mind; and how badly she wanted to explore the city. Elijah had been right; she had never travelled, and she would rather they were doing something to kill the time; even if it was exploring their current imprisonment; the century before their own.
Elena found a book from the shelves of the library; pulling it down. If they had to do nothing;she thought she might as well be productive as she did so. Mysterious Cases of the Supernatural; a look at witchcraft, hoaxes and unsolved mysteries of the 1800s. She hoped the volume would give her some sort of indication of what had happened to them; or what they could do to get out of the past.
The silence last only a few moments and was broken by the sound of a phone ringing; shrill and sharp it echoed through the compound. Elijah disappeared to answer it and returned a moment later, his face grave with worry.
"REBEKAH!" he called, standing at the door as he buttoned up a coat. He looked as if he was about ready to go out and Caroline stirred at the thought; the idea that she wouldn't have to wait around for Niklaus. They wouldn't be quite so lucky, she would realize.
"What?" Rebekah asked in return, arriving within seconds to the door of the parlour room in a long, beautifully detailed white dressing gown, thrown over a cream coloured dress.
"There's been a problem at one of the factories and I must go-"
"No." she denied him, "I bloody own them too." she growled in response, "I should be able to handle a little mishap —"
"It won't take long," Elijah responded, "and you planned to stay home, didn't you?" he continued in her silence; "You know very well I approve of you taking charge of the factory, but please, little sister, this time let me deal with the conflict while you relax." he offered it to her, and Caroline thought that there was little Rebekah could do to fight him. She hadn't thought of the implications of the past; she realized then. Stuck in a place where the alcohol was prohibited, where parties were secretive and crime rates were high; where women had little equality, and had only started to wear pants or been able to vote for little over a decade.
"Fine." she responded, with a shrug; before she sunk into a languid state in the settee in front of the open window and wafting curtains. "Men." she commented, once he'd left and the silence pulsed like the wind that floated through the open window; moving the curtains every moment it did so, with a swishing noise each time.
"It gets better" Caroline commented, struck by the notion suddenly to do so; "…it gets more equal." she responded. If Rebekah had hear her, she made no indication, staying silent as she reclined in the seat; content to sit and let the breeze pass over her. Happy in her own languid boredom.
Caroline rose in the silence, stepping forward to analyze one of Klaus' larger paintings in the room; discontent and anxious to get home, but unable to do anything about it, she busied herself with looking at the intricacies of the painting; the brush strokes, the colour, the masterful use of shadow. She sat back down after some time; startled to find Rebekah respond. Elena had since abandoned the book on witchcraft; having found that it too, was fiction, like Caroline's book. She returned to the bedroom to nap for some time; finally catching up that sleep that had eluded her the night before.
"It's not so terrible." Rebekah admitted, "I go to the meetings with Klaus and 'Lijah," flippant, calm, she spoke as if in a trance, so calm and relaxed that Caroline wondered what they did for fun; and if they just sat around all day, reading, soaking in the sun and playing cards. "and I partake in our political negotiations with the humans and witches of the town."
"How can you just sit around all day?" Caroline demanded, keeping her voice hushed despite the urge to yell until the house shook. The fury and anxiousness to get home was getting worse the longer they waited. She doubted Elena had managed to get much sleep last night; and she seemed even more frazzled than Caroline felt.
"There's nothing to do 'till nightfall." Rebekah responded.
"You could try to help!" Caroline growled back, vicious, as she made her way through the book Elena had been reading before the combination of the sun and exhaustion of waiting around for men to do anything about their current predicament brought on a wave of exhaustion and sleep took over her. She abandoned it for another; this one thankfully not fiction, though it would not prove to be any more helpful; Myth or Fact? Werewolves in our Midst!
"You think I care about you? Or your predicament?" Rebekah asked instead, only moving slightly so that she lay on her stomach. Lazily, she tangled her fingers from the divan, watching her nails in the sunlight as the light danced across her hand.
"UGH!" Caroline growled instead; turning her attention back to the book, about to find, that it would have nothing to help their current situation.
When Elijah did return a few hours later; he found Rebekah in the same spot; paralyzed with her own happy boredom. The parts of her dress and gown that hung off the divan fluttered with the slow pulse of the wind as it trickled into the open room. The clouds had come out; and it had gotten considerably darker; but there were still many hours of daylight left; and hours, Caroline thought, to explore the city quickly before they went back home. The only noise was Caroline's exhausted groan of boredom and the sound of her turning the pages of the third book that she hoped would solve their problems; Vampires and Vagabonds; and the truth behind Stoker's Dracula. Elijah assessed, quite correctly that the 21st century vampires were quite unaccustomed to sitting around and letting nothing but wind entertain them for hours.
"When is Klaus going to be back?" she demanded, and it had been obvious the way that she had looked up at Elijah when he'd arrived- that she hoped he was his brother. That she was pinning all her hopes on the younger brother. What was the point, Caroline thought angrily, of having daylight rings if they didn't even get outside during sunlight? What was the goddamn point of being in a new city and era if you couldn't explore it? What was the point of making an agreement with the Original Family if they didn't bother to honour it?
"When he's back." Rebekah sounded out the words languidly, yawning, though how she was tired from doing nothing all day, Caroline didn't know. She wondered what else the Original family had planned that day; if anything, and if they even cared for Katerina's head. Rebekah made no attempt to move or get up when Elijah returned; quite happy to sit in the stillness and recover from the previous night's festivities.
It was 2:00 by the time they returned and Caroline was ready to snap Klaus' neck when he arrived. It wasn't just that she hadn't fed in too long, it was the fact that she had to rely on him and his family to get home. To get back to her her mother and friends. There was an anxious feeling in them, a restlessness to get home. Exasperated by the day's boredom; by the inability to do anything but sit around and watch Rebekah lounge; but talk about home and how to get out of here; hypothetical discussions that only made them hate being stuck here more. Surprise had lasted the first few hours; that Klaus and Elijah and Stefan hadn't raced home to demand Katherine's head; that they were too content in the 20's for a 400 year old grudge.
"Where's Katherine?" was the first thing Klaus had said when he stepped into the parlour.
"Are you kidding me?" she asked, angry. "Oh hell no Klaus!" Caroline had stood up, furious, and he was quite intrigued by her anger; her passion. He was in a better mood than before, since he had satisfied his hunger, and spent the morning strolling New Orleans with his best friend. His gift giving wouldn't be derailed by the idea of Katerina's head- no, she would not be able to ruin this for him as well.
Caroline's passion drew him back to the moment, her shouts echoing through the compound as she let on all too well that she knew him, and would not tolerate this. Perhaps, he thought, the ultimate revenge, would be bedding the intriguing blonde currently residing two doors down from his bedroom. That would be a victory he could hold over Theodore, for sure, and she seemed even purer than Louise, if possible.
"You make us wait around all day!" Caroline snapped"With nothing to do! And then you just demand Katherine!?" she was aghast. Anger had replaced boredom and exhaustion; fueling her now.
"Do you want to discuss the terms of our agreement or not?" he demanded, and she shut up at that. Silently storming out of the room; to return moments later; with Elena in tow. He was sure he had more yelling to expect; Elena was indeed furious, more at herself that she had missed them by a matter of moments in the morning; when she could have avoided wasting the whole day; dependent on their whims and choice to help.
"We know you." Caroline continued, once she had returned and picked one of the chairs in the parlour room to sit in, crossing both legs and arms to show her fury. He badly wanted to know just how well she knew him. How well he knew her, but he kept the comment hidden, kept his smile in, not letting on that he was still effected by the alcohol and music from the night before. He doubted Caroline would like it if he just smiled at her attempts to yell at him, but for some reason, her presence inspired the gesture; inspired happiness in him.
"You'll double cross and leave us for dead the first chance you get!" Elena added.
She was fiery even when yelling at him, he couldn't help but think at Caroline's words; "We're not telling you where Katherine is until we have what we need to get home!"
"Fine." he responded, matching her tone, though he wanted to smile. Her resolve was quite brilliant, and she was stronger than anything he had seen before.
"The blade is called a Transcendence Instrument, Caroline." He offered up the information, watching her features for any emotion; he had remembered her name after all, and it had been spoken once the day before, while Elena had seemed to use her own name in every goddamn phrase she said. He wanted a reaction; a comment on his fine memory, when really, he couldn't escape the sound of her name, how it had lodged itself in his mind the second he'd heard it and he has been unable to shake it.
But, he supposed, she was more excited about the name of the tool that had brought her kicking and screaming to his world- and he liked that it had. She was far more interesting than anything had been in New Orleans for months, and that included making vampires every week, seducing the whole Louisiana chorus line, and hunting with his vicious side kick.
"YOU'VE KNOWN THE WHOLE TIME?" Caroline shouted at him, and again, he just wanted to smile at her passion.
"A Displacement Dagger?" Elijah asked, mentioning the item's nickname.
"I thought those were a myth." Rebekah commented airily.
"Obviously not!" Caroline blurted out.
Klaus repeated the statement with a touch more eloquence, "It appears we have evidence to the contrary" Klaus continued,"it sends the victim, once stabbed through the stomach into the past. Normally used against humans, not vampires," Klaus relayed the information to the whole room. Rebekah was still reclining by the window, and she looked for the most part uninterested in their new companions or their predicament. Stefan was helping himself to a healthy amount of booze, his feet resting on an ottoman as he relaxed in one of the comfier looking chairs of the parlour. Klaus paced as he spoke, quite relishing that everyone's eyes were on him.
"So what…these people have to …live their life in another era? " Stefan asked, crossing his legs as he reclined effortlessly in the chair. "That doesn't sound so bad" he commented, taking a sip of his afternoon whiskey.
"Sure. Just live without family, friends, or any comfort, anyone they know. And then they would die!" Caroline growled, and she had to admit she was being a touch dramatic, but she was furious at him for knowing the whole time; for keeping her waiting. "Probably of boredom if they were stuck with you!" Rebekah laughed aloud at that; slow and light the sound hung in the air; not until the tinkling of a bell.
Elena focused her attention on the more important matter, and Caroline felt bad that her anger was taking over her. "How do we get home?"
"A witch needs to perform the spell, perhaps a blood sacrifice, a ritualistic rune stone may be involved—" Elijah began, before he was rudely cut off by Caroline. .
"Perhaps? May?"
"I apologize that I don't know more about this, but we've never encountered it before" Elijah responded, though he didn't sound the least bit sorry, Elena thought, bitter.
"One of us should go to your hometown, to see if we can find anything there" Klaus commented.
"Great, let's all go!" Caroline responded.
"No darling, you two know where Katerina is. I plan on keeping that information close" Klaus contradicted. "And I don't plan on leaving my home"
"I'll will take the train, and make the trip" Elijah responded. "And I will return soon, whether or not I find anything." he nodded, and with that he left their company. It was unsettling for Elena, though Elijah hadn't seemed like he would help them without the family's input, he was the one she had made the deal with and she was more fearful for her life if he wasn't with them; if he was off on a wild goose chase and wouldn't be able to talk sense into the younger, wilder siblings. Siblings that made her wait around all day with nothing to do. She was sure the Originals would be the death of her, and the cause would be boredom, if the continued on this way.
"So that's it?" Caroline demanded, feeling, not for the first time that they were prisoners of The Originals'.
"We could find a witch tonight and get more details." Stefan added, shrugging, as if that would make up for not being able to even return to Mystic Falls. As if that would make up for the fact that they weren't helping, that it seemed as if they hardly cared whether they got Katherine that decade or not.
"What's tonight?" Elena asked.
"We're going dancing!" Stefan grinned, "in the mean time ladies, I suggest you have a bit of fun here. You're in the jazz age for crying out loud! Relax! Drink! Dance!" he proclaimed, as if it was sinful that they be preoccupied with anything other than pursuing enjoyment.
"You might want to go shopping as well." Rebekah's snide remark was the first thing she had said to contribute to the conversation.
"You go with them." Klaus demanded. His sister's response was not what he had expected.
"Are you out of your bloody mind? No!" she responded, apparently quite adamant to sit in the same place until evening came.
Caroline huffed, anger showing on her features, she said "We're not going to run away. We don't need Rebekah to come with us"
"I'll do it" Stefan had shrugged.
Upset that there was no more negotiation on the matter, Elena followed Elijah out of the room; hoping to plead with him.
"So how was your first day in New Orleans?" Klaus asked. Caroline huffed in anger at his attempt of small talk; and stormed out of the room. Sitting on her bed; focusing on her own anger as it boiled over her; she listened to Elena plea with Elijah, knowing that getting out of here would not be as easy as any of them had thought. God, she even considered getting stabbed in the stomach again by that blade if it just meant she could return home.
Elijah's room was simply furnished; but Elena felt as if it gave off warmth when she stepped into it. A simple bookcase and beautiful chair framed the window, but she didn't focus on the warmth exuding from the gold lighting; nor the expensive chandelier that adorned his ceiling; focusing instead on him, as he folded a few items into a bag. Clearly he thought he would be in Mystic Falls for a few days, at least.
"You're actually leaving?" he turned to the door when she spoke; "Couldn't Stefan or Rebekah go or all of us?-" she continued, but he cut her off, looking back to his packing. He focused on the shirt he had folded, putting it neatly into the bag, before he folded a few more items; speaking as he completed the task.
"Bekah?" he almost laughed at her, and it sounded like he wanted to for a moment; "Should she abandon her home and family simply for one of Klaus' revenge plots? I think not, and as for Stefan, there is nothing for him in Mystic Falls anymore. And you over estimate just how much he cares about whether Katerina lives or dies." Apparently, she had thought, she over estimated how much any of them had cared; or perhaps the time had seemed to go by slower because they hadn't been able to do anything to get out of here; still as lost and hopeless as they were when they arrived.
"You can't just leave us here with Klaus-" she made no attempts to hide her distrust of his family, and he thought it peculiar, too that she didn't bother to lower the volume of her voice.
"He will not harm you. In fact, he would do anything to assure you stay out of harm's way"
"Right"
"I wager you would not want to try to live in the 20s without our protection-" he looked at her for the final phrase, and it too seemed like a small threat, in a way "how long do you think you would last without our it or our income for that matter?" he didn't hide that he thought he knew the answer; not very long indeed.
"I will call once I arrive" he assured her, zipping up the bag, effectively done packing. "And you may call the Mystic Falls Post Office and leave a telegram if you have any information of importance to convey. Or even send a letter." he assured her, though it sounded as if he didn't want to be bothered by her. It did nothing to alleviate the stress she felt at his impending absence. Already, what she had thought would get her out of here was falling apart; already things were going wrong.
"Klaus will honour the agreement, You will not come into harm" he promised, never thinking how quickly his promise would be broken. He left her without another word; looking at the space where he had stood in his room; wishing more than anything, that things were how they were supposed to be.
/
Elena Gilbert was frustrated, but in no way as furious as her companion Caroline. The store was poorly lit, and had an underwhelming amount of stock. There were a few style of dresses, some pants, popularized by Zelda Fitzgerald's scandalous appearance in white linen pants along side her husband some years before ( Elena had read the newspaper article beside the pants) and a limited section of accessories.
"I cannot believe them!" Caroline growled loudly, while she examined a few delicate and intricate bracelets in the expensive boutique. She was so angry the excitement of any travel or sight seeing had dissipated; the idea that they could be living in another time held no fascination and she was intent to be angry at Klaus, and his whole damn family. She hadn't noticed the beauty of the buildings, or the vibrant life of the town as they walked towards the shop Stefan led them to. She hadn't paid attention to the swarming, busy crowds, the live music, the packed streets with cars, filled with men who hung out of their shop fronts; accepting packages and getting ready for the work week. Or the women who walked through the streets in pairs or trios, tittering excitedly, in fashion that in no way revealed what kind of lifestyle they led at night. New Orleans was a mecca of sorts; almost as wild during the day as at night; and certainly vibrant; electric and busy. But nothing could distract Caroline from her anger.
"Sh!" Elena shushed. She was fearful that their chaperone would hear them. Stefan was waiting outside, leaning against the wall of the store as the girls went shopping.
"I don't care if he hears! We wait all morning for them and when they finally show up they don't do anything! And Elijah abandons us to go to Mystic Falls! So! Not Fair!"
She remembered the conversation vividly, intent on reviewing it her mind until she was worked up with anger; how when Klaus and Stefan had finally returned, it seemed that vengeance wasn't the only thing on Klaus' mind (for once) and they were content if the plan wasn't put into affect immediately.
"Caroline, it's ok" Elena tried to calm down her companion, though she felt the opposite. More fearful than angry, more resolved to get out of here than angry. Caroline spun around, still furious, and headed towards the hanging dresses.
"They have like 5 options here!" Caroline growled, looking through the set of dresses again. "Hmm short flapper dress, short non flapper dress, pants, long dress that would make me look like something out of the 1880s and oh well let's see…another flapper dress! I miss shopping in the 21st Century!"
Elena was preoccupied, not with the lack of clothing choices, but with thoughts of the vampire outside. She had sought Stefan out in the morning; hoping to talk to him, to explain to him the future and somehow to beg him to return to his former self. She didn't want to think about what she would do if she was stuck here; if she had to live out her days in the 1920s; she would miss Damon and her brother terribly, but Elena Gilbert was used to missing people. She thought she could cope with it; knew she would survive, and if she had to; would focus on getting Stefan his humanity back, and the second he did she would demand he help her, and they would get away from the toxic relationship of the damn Originals. She didn't let herself think on it any longer, wishing desperately that there was hope, that Damon had figured out what had happened to them and was working on getting them home.
"I miss the internet and tv and being able to do something other than like sit around and wait for Stefan and Kalus to get home!" Elena remarked.
"I wish," Caroline remarked suddenly, "that there was a way to send a message home, like a letter or something, to my mom." she shrugged, feeling the appearance of tears imminent, she shoved them down and buried them with anger.
"Or Bonnie, or Jeremy. Or Dam-" Elena started, but her conversation was cut short with the abrupt appearance of Stefan.
"Ladies, as much as I enjoy listening to the plight of you shopping in the 20th century, can you please pick something already?" agitated, on edge, he didn't seem the charming self he had been last night or even that morning, content to party and make jokes. He seemed on edge, and perhaps, Caroline thought, that the hunger was getting the better of him again.
"Why? Don't like it when you have to wait around for something?" Caroline snapped, pleased that she wasn't the only one angry anymore, hoping they would all mirror her bad mood.
"Actually, because Annette's closes at 3." he responded, matching her tone.
"What's Annette's?" Caroline asked, anger still impacting every word.
"The dress store you're in," condescendingly, he responded.
"Oh." She only took a pause from her anger, to regain strength, "Well maybe if you and Klaus hadn't spend all morning making us wait aroun-"
He interrupted her, not terrified that it would fuel on her anger "Listen, we'll get you something to eat, just try on a damn dress. We have ten minutes." The audacity that a store would close at 3 was enough to fuel on her anger. She missed the 21st century again, with a pang.
"Fine" Caroline responded, grabbing a dress close to her. She had the sinking suspicion that they could keep Annette's open longer if they just compelled the store clerk. She could hear their conversation as she changed into the red flapper dress.
"What about you?" Stefan directed to Elena. "Pick something out yet?" his fingers fumbled over a dress she would look dashing in and he lifted it up her eye, eyebrow cocked.
"Stefan this isn't you." Elena ignored the comment, she had waited all morning for a chance to be alone with him and talk some sense into him. Secretly, she hoped she could get help from him and abandon the Original family, but she doubted they would be so lucky. If she couldn't work with Elijah, she'd rather deal with Stefan, she'd rather make alliances with a million vampires before she trusted Rebekah or Klaus, but she that wasn't what was in store for them.
"Well don't beat around the bush." the dress dropped to the floor unceremoniously from his hands.
"You're not a ripper." she continued, taking the much needed quality alone time.
"Apparently I am." he responded.
"No. This isn't you." Elena contradicted. Caroline lifted the dress over her head and it fell onto her; a little too big, but stunning even still.
"What does it matter to you?" Stefan snapped.
"It matters because….." She stopped, the words on the edge of her tongue. "Do you really not care about anything? Lexi? Your brother Damon-"
"Ah yes, Damon….you mean the brother who is intent on making my life miserable?" It was easy to pretend, he thought. He was intrigued by her, and he thought it was interesting that they knew each other in the future, in what capacity he wasn't sure. Though the care she showed him was something he wasn't used to; unending compassion. He didn't even get that from Rebekah.
"What about your father?" Elena pushed on, not taking no for an answer, not going to let this hell get any worse.
"Stop" he spat the word, because it had been too long since someone asked him how he felt, since someone expected him to feel anything and not just run around in a pack, killing, laughing and drinking. The 20s were all avoiding and forgetting the past; the war, family, friends, and brothers that didn't really mean anything anymore. He had wanted to pretend he was emotionless, but the guilt still ate at him. He was a ripper, and he'd learned to be more ruthless in the company of his vampire hive; compared to the Originals his violence was nothing, mild at best. He didn't want this, he couldn't stand this. It was starting to drive him wild.
"No. Actually, Absolutely not. This isn't you. I know the real you, protective, strong, kind-" she continued and he had enough. He hated her for a split second.
"Are you in love with me or something? Because I'd watch out for Rebekah then" he laughed at her attempts to get to him. He covered the seriousness with laughter.
"We were in love." she responded, admitting the truth, the memories of her Stefan piling on. "For years." she added.
"Were?" He asked, and she had to hold back from telling the truth; to bring him up to full speed, to tell him she was with his brother now.
"Yes. You became a ripper and we kinda….fell apart" she responded, selectively choosing the truth. Caroline looked at her reflection once she had zipped up the dress. It was easy to play pretend, when you had the wardrobe, she thought. And she had always been a fan of donning the different costumes for decade dances, but this was all too different. It seemed as if outside, Elena was reaching some progress with Stefan.
"Ok well. I'm not that guy. Get off my case doppleganger." Caroline could heard the pure annoyance in Stefan's tone. She pulled her curls away from her face, turning to the mirror to see the full effect of the dress, holding her hair up.
"No. Actually, never. If I am stuck here, know that I will make redeeming you my life goal. I will get you your humanity back Stefan. I'll find Lexi. I'll do whatever it takes." Rather than laugh at her, and tell her he had his humanity, he hated her. He could think of no other way to shut her up than moving with speed until he was behind her, taking her head in his hands and turning- until he heard that wonderful crack. Until she would just shut up already. He was a monster, and he damn well didn't want to be reminded of it. The 20's were about booze, and prohibition and forgetting anything that had happened before; depression, war, death, sacrifice. He hated her for trying to make him remember. But soon the guilt would bury him.
From the dressing room, where Caroline stood admiring her reflection in the knee length red dress, she heard the sound of a neck being snapped. Never expecting the sight that awaited her on the other side; her mouth fell when she raced out of the room to see Elena at Stefan's feet.
He look unperturbed, no malice; features plain, "God she's annoying" he commented before looking up at Caroline in the dress. He whistled loudly, signalling his approval of her in the gown, "you look swell, doll, you should get that one," he smirked.