Rescue Me
A.N. I am in awe of you all. You are amazing.
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The atmosphere in the room had shifted, leaving a tense, silent moment in its wake, and Klaus found himself shifting his gaze between the young man that stood next to his sister and Caroline, who stood frozen with a devastated look on her face next to Stefan.
He watched as the color drained from Caroline's lovely face, and the way her spine straightened, as if she were preparing for a confrontation. His eyes didn't miss the way Stefan's arm was protectively pressed against her back, either, and he bit his tongue when he felt a surge of jealously rise up.
Tearing his gaze away, he returned his attention to the newcomer. Clearly he was young, a few years younger than Rebekah and Caroline, he'd wager. He was dressed in the typical college student attire: T-shirt, baggy jeans, messenger bag slung over his shoulder. His face, though, led Klaus to believe that, despite his age, the lad felt much older than his 20 odd years. His face was weary. His eyes, dark and brown, were clouded with emotion—which emotion was anyone's guess. And they were cold. Unforgiving.
And focused on Caroline.
"Stefan," Rebekah said, propping a hand on her hip. One perfectly shaped eyebrow was arched as her blue eyes took in the sight of her fiancé standing so closely to the other blonde. "You remember Jeremy Gilbert from the other day?"
Jeremy Gilbert.
Gilbert.
Of the Golden Family of Mystic Falls.
Klaus shut his eyes, his jaw clenched as everything suddenly fell into place. The argument between Stefan and Rebekah, Caroline's reaction to seeing the young man standing behind her. Jeremy's evident disdain for the young blonde across the room. Jeremy Gilbert, younger brother of Elena Gilbert, who'd perished with her parents one fateful night on Wickery Bridge. The last surviving member of the Gilbert family.
He'd never wanted to throttle his sister more than he did in that moment.
He heard Stefan clear his throat and he opened his eyes, returning his gaze to Caroline again. She'd taken a step back, further into the room, her arms crossed protectively across her chest, gaze downcast as she avoided looking at the young man in front of her.
"Jeremy," Stefan said softly, taking a step forward. "It's good to see you again."
Jeremy nodded, finally breaking his death glare, and turned to Stefan. "Yeah, you, too," he said, making quick work of the two stairs that led into the foyer. "Thanks for giving me the shot. It'll look great for my end-of-the-year portfolio. And it's pretty much the most talked about event in Mystic Falls, so who wouldn't want to be involved?"
Stefan smiled, nodding. "No problem. Couldn't really say no to Rebekah," he said, his voice lilting slightly at the his fiancée's name as he met her eyes over Jeremy's shoulder. She merely glared at him, shaking her head slightly. "It's her dream wedding, so. I'm sure you'll do fantastic though. You always had a good eye."
He was angry, Klaus realized. Clearly, he'd been trying to spare Caroline the ordeal of facing Jeremy. He'd obviously fought against using the Gilbert boy, talented he may be, knowing that, as the photographer, his path would cross with hers constantly. And clearly, Rebekah had completely ignored his plea.
Klaus wondered just how much his sister knew of Caroline's past with this town. Surely his baby sister wasn't as heartless as she was appearing now, if she knew the truth.
Though, given the genes that ran in the Mikaelson family, he supposed he wouldn't be horribly surprised.
He looked over at Caroline again. She was standing next to the fireplace now, arms wrapped tightly around her waist. He could see her chest heaving from where he stood, and he could only imagine what she was feeling in that moment. He wanted to cross the room and pull her into his arms, race her out of the Boarding House and far away. Away from Jeremy Gilbert's hate-filled gaze and Rebekah's insecure, jealous tendencies.
"Of course he will," Rebekah proclaimed, her heels clicking against the hardwood floor as she made her way into the foyer. "I wouldn't have picked him otherwise. Now, shall we get on with it? I wanted to run through how the ceremony will go, and what I know I want photographed. Then we can go over everything else—the mingling and whatnot. Sound good?"
Jeremy nodded, shrugging his shoulders. "Yeah, sounds great. Lead the way."
Rebekah smiled at him as she headed towards the hallway, allowing him to pass by her when she stopped to look over her shoulder. "Stefan?"
Klaus watched as Stefan stood in the center of the room, equal distance from Rebekah and Caroline, and the image wasn't lost on him. The younger man's face showed how clearly torn he was as he glanced between the two blondes, brow furrowed and jaw set tight. He didn't envy him, in that moment. Torn between the two of them, both of whom meant more to him than life itself, he was sure.
Caroline weak-hearted sigh saved Stefan from his moment of torment. "It's okay, Stefan," she said softly, her body still rigid as she continued to face the fireplace. "Go on, I'll be fine. We'll talk later."
Stefan hesitated, his hands clenching at his sides as he stared at her back. She wasn't fine. She wasn't going to be fine. This was a slap in the face she hadn't been prepared for. He knew that. He knew that she was hanging by a thread just then, on the verge of tears or screams. And it killed him that Rebekah had been the cause of it.
He sighed, nodding his head in resignation, before he turned on his heel and headed towards the hallway, running a hand through his hair as he did. He didn't return Rebekah's smile as he approached her, and he didn't react when it fell quickly from her face at his coldness. He stopped when he came to Klaus' side, meeting his gaze before glancing over at Caroline again. "Get her out of here, will you?" he asked quietly, a plea in his voice, and Klaus silently wondered if Stefan knew that he was now in on Caroline's secret.
Klaus merely nodded, watching as the Salvatore boy strode purposefully past his sister, whose mouth dropped open at her fiancé's abrupt departure. She shook her head, long blonde hair curling over her shoulder, before she let out a frustrated sigh and followed his footsteps, not even managing a glimpse into the room behind her.
Klaus stared after her for a long moment, swallowing down his anger and making a mental note to have a long chat with his dear little sister, before he turned his gaze back to the distraught blonde by the fireplace.
Caroline's back was still to the room, though she'd shifted now, so one shoulder was braced against the brick and mortar. Her arms were still wrapped tightly around her waist, her hands clenching tightly to the fabric of her shirt. Her breathing had slowed, he realized as he took a few hesitant steps towards her, and he heard her sigh wearily. He stopped just behind her, his hands halfway outstretched towards her. "Caroline," he said softly, reaching out and letting one hand rest gently against her shoulder.
She gently jerked away from him, turning around. Her blue eyes were clouded with unshed tears, her face a mixture of grief and guilt, and another emotion that Klaus couldn't quite identify. She swiped at the hair that fell into her eyes, those few strands that never wanted to obey when she pulled it back. "Don't, I'm fine," she stressed, though her voice sounded unsure. "Just…just get me out of here, okay?"
Klaus nodded, noticing the desperate plea in her voice, and he stepped aside so she could walk quickly towards the door, her hands swiping at her cheeks as she went.
He felt that twinge in his chest again. That obvious protectiveness he'd found himself feeling towards Caroline Forbes since the afternoon outside the body shop.
He shook his head, pushing it down and out of his mind, before he followed her out the door, grabbing his keys from the corner table.
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For once in his life, it was Klaus that was hated the awkward silence.
"Just drive," she'd told him as she shut the door to his truck, her hands shaking as she fastened the seatbelt around her. She'd turned from him as he climbed behind the wheel, hunching her body against the passenger door and resting her forehead against the window.
So drive he did. The car was silent, apart from Caroline's voice randomly telling him when and where to turn. He didn't know where she was taking them, and honestly wondered if she even did, but he kept his concerns to himself. He knew she needed the silence then. Knew she needed to come to terms with the thoughts racing through her head before she could even begin to talk to him.
If she even wanted to talk to him.
They were strangers, he remembered. They'd barely known each other a week. They were mere housemates. Barely acquaintances, both of whom just happened to be in town for the same event. He didn't know anything about her.
And yet, he desired to learn EVERYTHING he could about her.
He glanced at her from the corner of his eye. She'd relaxed a little during the drive. Her heavy, hectic breathing had slowed to its regular rhythm, and her hands were once again steady as they rested, one on her lap, the other against the window next to her face. He'd heard her let out a few calming breaths now and then, though in the last few minutes she'd lapsed into silence.
"Care to tell me where we're going, love?" he asked softly, his gaze returning to the off-beaten path in front of them. "Not that the scenery isn't lovely to gawk at, but I'd like to know if I'm about to drive into a lake or something of the sort."
Caroline laughed softly next to him. "To the Falls," she answered, straightening in her seat and facing forward. "Stefan and I used to go there all the time. Everyone did really."
Klaus nodded, tapping his thumb against the steering wheel. "So…I would have driven right into a lake then?"
She giggled, rolling her eyes. "I would have stopped you before you did, dumdum."
Her laugh was one of his favorite sounds, he decided, laughing softly. He couldn't deny that it was a relief to see her smile again. She was so bright. So stunning. Sadness didn't suit her.
"So, Jeremy is Elena's brother," she said after a moment, her gaze riveted on her folded hands in her lap.
"I gathered as much."
"He was 16 when they died," she continued, raising her gaze to follow the scenery as it flew passed the windows. "He'd gone to live with his Aunt Jenna in Colorado. I thought he was still in school there. I…didn't even know he'd come back home, let alone…"
She trailed off, and once again Klaus reminded himself that he needed to have a discussion with Rebekah about her silly jealousy over Caroline.
"Anyway, thanks for rescuing me."
Klaus smiled. "Well, I thought it was only right to return the favor, considering you did the same for me on the side of the road just days ago. Though that was after you threatened me with deadly harm."
She looked at him, raising an eyebrow in question.
"Your stun gun."
She stared at him a moment, eyes moving between him and the windshield, before the memory of their first exchange came to mind. She laughed, swiping a hand at the hair that fell into her eyes, and nodded, quickly recovering her story from that early morning just outside of Mystic Falls. "Right, yeah. Stun gun. Well, you know, you just never know when you're gonna need that little extra shock."
He grinned, shaking his head. "Oh, trust me, love, you don't need that 'little extra shock' in any way."
Caroline scoffed, shaking her head, but unable to stop the small smile that spread across her face. That fluttering feeling in her chest and stomach was back. That ridiculous feeling that made her feel like she was 16 all over again. She cleared her throat, pushing the feeling to the back of her mind, and pointing to the clearing in front of them. "You can pull over up here."
He did as she instructed, shifting the truck into park and shutting of the ignition. He settled back into his seat, the leather squeaking slightly as he shifted. He turned his head, leaning one shoulder against the door behind him, and looked at Caroline. He could see her shooting his quick glances out of the corner of her eye, and her foot was tapping nervously against the floor of the car. He made her nervous. Fantastic, he thought, smirking, as he let his gaze wander over the scene in front of him. It really was beautiful.
"So, I can't help but notice that you are really understanding about my whole…situation," Caroline said suddenly, causing Klaus to swing his head back around to look at her. She shrugged, smiling. "I'm just saying, you know. Most people probably would have run for the hills by now. Or you know, called me 'killer' or 'murderer' or something."
His fingers were tapping against the his knee, an unsteady rhythm. Tap, tap, tap. She was looking at him in anticipation, her blue eyes shining again, and it was a sight to behold. Tap, tap, tap. She wanted to know why. Maybe she suspected that they weren't all that different. That maybe he harbored a deep, dark secret, too. Which was true. He did. But not like hers. No, his was worse.
And, like her fears earlier, he didn't want to see the look in her eyes change towards him when she found it out.
"You're not the only one with a shady past, Caroline," he said finally, softly, letting his eyes rake over her beautiful face as she looked at him. If she knew the truth, she'd be the one running. He was sure of it. "We've all done things. Some just worse than others."
Caroline nodded. "So…you can relate then. In a way."
"In a way, yes, I suppose I can."
Caroline titled her head to the side, taking in his chiseled profile; the way his eyes seemed to stare into hers, the way his lips quirked up slightly when their eyes met at the same time. "Why are you so nice to me?" she asked, smiling softly. "I mean, I've pretty much been nothing but a bitch to you since you got into town. So…why rescue me and talk to me and…make me feel like I'm not the horrible person everyone makes me feel like I am?"
Klaus shrugged, his lips quirking up into a smile as he kept his gaze fixed on hers. "I fancy you."
She straightened in her seat, letting out a quiet, soft scoff.
"Is that so hard to believe?" he asked, taking in her sudden change. She only laughed, shaking her head. "You're beautiful, you're strong, you're full of light." She turned her head to look at him again, a small, slightly embarrassed smile on her face, and he smiled. "I enjoy you."
Caroline laughed, running a hand down her ponytail as she looked at him. She laughed again, reaching for the handle at her side and shouldering the door open. "You're just…you're crazy, Klaus."
Klaus smiled, watching as she walked further down the path, her blonde ponytail swinging with her every step. What was this one, small town girl doing to him? He shook his head, pushing open his own door and striding purposefully after her. "You should learn to take a compliment, Caroline," he said, falling into step next to her. "I don't give them often."
"Oh, so I guess I should feel super privileged then, huh?" Caroline asked, glancing over at him. "You know, you are like this giant, chiseled walking contradiction, Klaus. One minute you're all snarky and smirking, being a major jerk, then suddenly you're all sweet and nice and 'I fancy you, Caroline.' Then you make some arrogant comment that just reverts you right back to the jerk. It's driving me crazy."
"Chiseled?"
Caroline stopped, turning to face him, laughing up at the satisfied smirk that was clearly plastered across his face. "Seriously? That's what you take away from that rant?"
He shrugged. "Would you rather I focused on the part where you openly admitted that I drive you mad?" She made a sound then, a cross between a scoff and a laugh, and ran her hands down the side of her face. He grinned, leaning in towards her. "It's out in the open now, love, you can't take it back."
She looked up at him, shaking her head, and shoved him back by his shoulders, causing him the let out a loud laugh. "Clearly, you misunderstood. It was crazy in the bad kind of way. Like I wanna rip my hair out and strangle you with it. Not the…you're crazy hot so let's go nuts kind of…crazy."
His eyes gleamed in the midmorning sun, and his smug, arrogant, goddamn sexy smirk grew. "Thin line between love and hate, darling."
"You're insufferable!" Caroline half yelled, half laughed, refusing to admit just how much she enjoyed sparring with him. Really, this was the most fun she'd had in a long time. It wasn't flirting really. More like…word play.
"Why are you so hesitant to admit that you find me attractive?" Klaus called after her, the sound of his footsteps gaining behind her quickly until they matched hers pace for pace.
"Because I don't," Caroline fired back, the lie nearly burning her tongue the second it was uttered.
"Our little exchange in the kitchen last night says otherwise." That comment made her halt in her steps, and she whirled to face him, her mouth agape, unable to come up with a single response. Klaus grinned, knowing he'd caught her just then. He held his arms out at his sides, leaning his head down until he was more eyelevel with her. "Come on…take a chance, Caroline."
He took a step towards her, his grin widening when she took an equally large one back, and suddenly he was stalking her. She was flailing her hands behind her, searching for any escape route, knowing that if he kept coming, if he kept talking and telling her she was beautiful and strong, she wouldn't be able to keep up her arguments. She gasped when her back collided with the hard, scratchy bark of an oak tree, and she sent it a distasteful glance before turning her head to look at him again.
He was close—so close. Closer than last night, when the had been against the counter. His breath skirted against her cheek as he leaned down, bracing his hands against the tree next to the sides of her face.
"Look," she finally said, reaching a hand out and bracing it against his chest, pushing him back slightly. "Maybe there's a little attraction, okay? But, you know, that doesn't mean anything. I mean, Rebekah, your sister, she hates me."
"My sister and I are two separate beings, Caroline," he said, smirking down at her as she struggled to come up with some kind of argument against his accusations. Accusations that were clearly true, if her flushed face and unsteady breathing were any indication. "You'll find that we rarely share the same viewpoints or opinions. Is that honestly the best you can come up with?"
"I'm not trying to come up with—it's just we—ugh!" She smacked her hand against his chest, tossing her head back and resting it against the tree, unknowingly giving Klaus a delicious view of the curve of her neck. "This is just such a bad idea," she said under her breath, and he wondered if she was saying it to convince him or herself.
Klaus smiled, gently grasping her chin and tilting her head down until they were eyelevel again, their foreheads resting against each other. "Come on, Caroline," he said softly, his fingers releasing her chin only to graze gently over her cheek. "Give it a chance, love…I dare you."
Her eyes snapped up to meet his then, searching his face for something—what, he had no idea. And he didn't have to time to ponder on it, because before he could even form another argument to convince her, the hand that had been clenching the fabric of his shirt slid up his shoulder and to the back of his neck. He felt himself being pulled down, and he heard the words "To hell with it" slip her lips before they collided with his. He felt her sigh against him, her fingers curling into the hair at the nape of his neck, and he moaned softly, wrapping an arm tightly around her waist and bringing her flush against him.
He could feel every curve of her body through her thin t-shirt, and he let his hands spread across her back, exploring every inch he could reach. His other hand grasped her hip tightly, holding her in place against him. He felt her other hand curl its way up her chest, rising to gently caress the side of his neck.
His lips moved frantically against hers, his tongue delving into her mouth, wanting to taste every inch of her he could. She was a glorious kisser—passionate and frantic, but gentle and soothing at the same time. He could feel her heart raging against her ribcage, and he tore his lips away from hers, hearing her gulp down the air her lungs had been burning for, before he trailed a fiery trail down her neck. Her breath raged against his ear as his lips traveled further down, sucking gently at her pulse point before moving on to her collarbone.
Her fingers were digging into his shoulders through his shirt, and he groaned lowly at the light sting.
Caroline was on fire—everywhere his lips and hands touched left a scorching path in their wake. She knew this was wrong—so wrong and impulsive. She didn't do things like this. She didn't flirt with the unknown. She'd lived her life the past five years knowing exactly what was going to happen the next day. She liked having her ducks in a row, as her grandmother used to say. She liked knowing that tomorrow was going to be stable and secure.
Neither of which she felt in that moment, when Klaus' lips were sending delicious tremors through her body.
She pressed herself closer to him, pulling at the hair between her fingers to tug his face back to hers, and she laughed at the smirk she found waiting on his face. She shook her head briefly, bringing his lips back to hers.
"You're glorious," he murmured against her lips, causing her to break into a smile as she grasped his face in her hands. "You've driven me bloody insane since I saw you walk down the stairs in that red dress the first night here." He kissed her again, long and deep, before he broke away, letting his breath ghost over the shell of her ear. "Even more so when I saw it rumpled and hiked up around your thighs the next morning."
She laughed, running her hands over his broad shoulders and down the hard planes of his chest, before they came to rest against his hips, her fingers sliding themselves into his belt loops. "Wishing it was you that responsible for it instead of two bottles of champagne and haunted memories?"
He chuckled, pressing a kiss to her cheek, before he pulled back to look her in the eyes again. "More than you know, love." He kissed her again, stepping into her and pushing her against the tree, until he could feel every plane of her body against his own. He'd wanted this. He NEEDED this.
A muffled shrill cut through the air, and they broke apart, both gasping for air. Caroline sighed, resting her forehead against his chin. She felt his lips press a kiss to her skin as she pulled a hand away and reached for the phone in her pocket. "It's Stefan," she said, staring down at the message displayed on her screen.
Are you okay? –S
She smiled, shaking her head slightly. Always looking out for me, she thought, sliding the phone back into her pocket as she pulled—reluctantly—away from Klaus' warm, welcoming body. She sighed, swiping again at the strands of hair that curled into her eyes, and looked up at him. His eyes were heated, scanning every inch of her face, and she could feel the heat escalate between them in a matter of seconds. "He's going to just keep at it," she said, smiling at him as she let her hand rest against his chest again. His heart was thumping against it, a steady rhythm that made her smile.
Klaus nodded, disentangling his arms from her body, and took a step back. "We should head back then," he said, waving an arm to indicate she should lead the way.
Caroline frowned, her heart dropping slightly at how he could so easily bounce back from the passion they'd just shared a mere minute ago. She scoffed, shaking her head and moved to make her way around him. She barely made it a foot away before she felt his strong fingers wrap around her wrist and tug, pulling until her back was flush against his chest, his lips grazing the skin around her ear.
"But don't think that doesn't mean we won't finish this later, sweetheart," he whispered huskily, pressing a kiss to her neck.
She felt her heartbeat race at his words, and she giggled when one strong arm wrapped around her waist for a brief moment as he deepened the kiss on her neck.
She'd forgotten how exhilarating it was to live life on the edge.
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Rebekah was waiting for them when they walked through the door of the boarding house, and Caroline didn't miss the way her narrow gaze zeroed in on their close proximity. She sighed, watching as the long haired blonde strode towards them, and she felt Klaus' hand rest reassuringly against her back for a moment. She looked at him over her shoulder, smiling softly in thanks.
"Where have you been, Nik?" Rebekah demanded, stopping just in the entryway with her hands perched on her slender hips.
Caroline pointed towards the staircase, shuffling off to the side discreetly, avoiding Rebekah's fiery gaze and the look of want she knew she'd find in Klaus' if she risked a glance in his direction. "I'm just gonna…go…find Stefan." She hurried away, wrapping her hands around her waist reassuringly as she felt Rebekah glaring a hole through her back. She knew she was being a cowards, running without facing her. But she still couldn't quite put a reign on her raging emotions from earlier, and she knew she was in no condition to go head-to-head with Rebekah Mikaelson.
Klaus watched Caroline race up the stairs, wanting his arms to be the ones wrapped around her waist, before the sound of heels against the hardwood floor tore his attention away. He turned his head to watch Rebekah storm over to him, and he sighed, crossing his arms across his chest.
"What is this, Nik?" she demanded, waving a hand in the general direction Caroline had disappeared to. "I've been calling you for over an hour, and here you come waltzing in with none other than Caroline Forbes at your side."
His eyes narrowed slightly at the way she nearly spit the name. "Rebekah…"
"Do you even understand that she's the reason Stefan and I are fighting right now?" his sister continued, as if he hadn't said anything. "It's my sodding wedding, for God's sakes, and the only thing he's concerned with is her feelings. Wanting to make sure it's not difficult for her. Because she has some sordid history with Jeremy Gilbert, suddenly the decision about MY wedding is inconsiderate and petty."
"Rebekah."
"And need I remind you, Niklaus, that you are here for ME. Not for her, for me. Your sister, in case it's slipped your mind. Why you're off gallivanting around with that little blonde trollep—"
That was enough to set him off. He stepped forward, grasping her upper arms in a solid grip, and he gave her a small shake. "Rebekah!"
She froze, her eyes wide, but the anger far from gone from her face. "What?"
"Rebekah, if you would stop being a spoiled, entitled brat for one second…"
"Don't call me a brat, I am NOT a brat!"
Klaus smirked, shrugging his shoulders. "Your little tirade just now says otherwise," he said, squeezing her shoulders gently until he felt her body relax under his grip. She let out a frustrated sigh, tossing her hair over her shoulder.
"Why were you with her, Nik? Can't you see that she is ruining everything for me?"
He sighed, closing his eyes for a moment before letting them drift to the stairs.
He knew she wouldn't want him to tell her. He knew she'd be upset.
But he had to get Rebekah to realize why Stefan was going through so much trouble for Caroline.
He turned back to Rebekah, his face softening slightly as he stared down into her face. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, turning her until he could lead her into the main room, pressing a soft kiss into her hair as they walked.
"We need to have a talk, little sister."
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FINALLY! Geez, this chapter felt like such a bitch to write. But yay, Klaroline smooches!
So, the last chapter, I got my first negative review. Like…ever. So I just want to take a second and apologize to anyone who might not be liking Caroline's "sordid" past in this story. Yes, it's dark, and yes, it's slightly OC for everyone's favorite bubbly blonde, but I hope it's not enough to make you guys abandon this fic, because I promise you that there's much more to it than what Caroline's admitting. There's still a lot to this story, so I really hope you guys don't let one little aspect completely turn you off to it. If you do, though, I totally understand. But, I hope you don't.
Anyway…I hope you guys liked it!
Coming up next: Rebekah maybe mellows out a little, Stefan gets protective, Klaroline gets a little *ahem* heated, and faces from the past emerge.
Let me know what you think!
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