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Chapter 7: Change of Plans
"So are you going to help us or not?" Damon sounded irritated on the other end.
Caroline stood there, fazed by what was happening. She looked around, noticing she was in Elena's home not her own. Behind the door she could hear Bonnie and Elena talking. The smell of something she could only describe as an 'earthy spice' penetrated the crevices of the door, circling around her nose like a ghostly veil.
"What?" She replied, without a remote clue of what was being asked of her. She looked down at her clothes, she was wrapped in a form-fitting black dress and black coat. Her hair was curled to perfection and she smelled of her favorite perfume.
"Did you not hear a single word I just said?" He raised his voice, agitated by her lack of attention.
"I'm sorry Damon but I have a lot on my mind right now, ok? So if you want me to help you, you're going to have to tell me again." The creases on her forehead deepened as she looked down at the floor, worried.
Damon huffed impatiently, "We need you to go to the Grill and distract Klaus, while we go in and dagger Kol. You had already agreed to this earlier!"
Caroline gasped, realizing it was now the day after the Mikaelson's Ball. She shook her head incessantly as if trying to reorganize her thoughts. Keeping track of everything at different times was making her lose her mind.
"Alaric told us they were still there."
The blonde's eyes widened, this was getting to be too much for her to handle. Alaric was no longer with them, how was she supposed to face him and act like nothing had happened. She shook her head, "I can't Damon. I can't see Alaric."
"What are you talking about? You see him every day." He spat back.
Caroline wanted to scream the truth off the top of her lungs. "Look, if you want me to help, then find a way to get Alaric out of there." There was a silence between them as an eerie feeling took over her. She was willing to put up with repeats of anything but seeing her dead teacher was out of the question.
"Fine. But be there in the next 30 minutes." He relented, hanging up before she had time to say anything else.
Caroline maintained a tight grip on her phone, closing her eyes for a second to go through all the events of that day. Her mind ordered things one way while her heart reacted in a completely different way, especially when she thought about Klaus. She was starting to get reality and reality mixed and it was messing with her head.
The blonde took a deep breath and opened the bedroom door in front of her. Bonnie was waving a smoking bundle of sage around, sitting on Elena's bed with three lit candles resting on a silver platter. Elena was talking about the eldest Salvatore and his latest tryst with Rebekah. They shot the blonde a worried look before asking what was wrong. Caroline looked at the ground, unable to form a coherent response. Up until this point she had been able to hold everything perfectly together.
"Care..." Bonnie muttered.
She quickly regained her train of thought, "The spell's not working. I heard everything you said about Damon sleeping with the she-devil."
Elena looked away and the blonde knew her internal conflict was probably very similar to what she was now going through. Never in a million years would she have imagined that she'd be able to relate to Elena in this way. The thought of seeing her and Bonnie's reaction if they found out about her and Klaus made her shiver. The girls raised their eyebrows at her, Elena motioning for her to go back outside.
She nodded, before heading out to the hall and closing the door. The privacy spell failed to work yet again, Caroline listened as Bonnie told Elena about Esther's visit and her plan to channel the Bennet bloodline for power. She paid close attention to the conversation.
Elena's voice was bathed in guilt. "Before the sun and moon ritual, Elijah found a way to keep me alive, and now I'm in the exact same position. And I'm just gonna let him die? It just doesn't feel right." The brunette lamented behind closed doors.
It's not right, Caroline thought, leaning back against the cold wall and hitting her head against it as she looked up at the ceiling. Feelings of remorse for what she had done that day took over her. She had lured Klaus out of the Grill, feeling so proud of herself for playing her game right, only to have him find out it was all a setup. Her stomach churned, feeling disgusted with herself. Elena was right to feel guilty about betraying Elijah; he had saved her life just like Klaus had saved hers. Granted, both their circumstances were polar opposites.
"There's no time to change your mind, Elena. He'll be dead by the end of the night." Bonnie replied, and a look of horror took over the blonde's face.
She opened the door again, and the girls looked up at her. Elena's face displayed worry while Bonnie's reflected calmness. Caroline stared at them with wide eyes, "Elena's right."
The witch gave her a disapproving look, "No. She isn't." She said between gritted teeth.
"Elijah saved your life, Elena." She paused, glancing at Bonnie for a quick second. "And Klaus saved mine."
Elena's expression changed radically. "You're joking."
"No. Why is one Original worthy of saving while the other isn't?" She countered, knowing that their answer to this question was more than obvious.
"Elijah is not like Klaus, Caroline. He's... moral." Elena replied.
"Not to mention, the reason you were dying in the first place was because Klaus put Tyler up to it." Bonnie agreed. "If any Original deserves to die, it's Klaus."
Caroline huffed, feeling her phone vibrate in her coat's pocket. She pulled it out, reading the message on the screen. Where the hell are you? Damon was already at the Grill, having changed the plans to be there with Meredith, instead of Alaric.
"I have to go distract the Original that deserves to die." Caroline replied mockingly.
The girls looked at her puzzled, taken aback by her sudden change of heart when it came to Klaus.
"Why do you care so much about him? You never have before." Bonnie remarked.
"You'll find out eventually." She replied, rolling her eyes as she left the room.
The blonde entered the Grill, eyeing Klaus and Kol as soon as she walked inside. They were standing in front of the bar, downing drink after drink like there was no tomorrow. There was so much chatter around that Caroline found it difficult to focus on what they were saying. She looked around, catching a glimpse of Damon and Meredith by the pool table. As if by instinct, the Salvatore brother looked up, giving her a nod to let her know she should proceed.
Caroline raised an eyebrow and scowled. She walked smoothly and with grace, opening her coat to expose her cleavage and swaying her hips as she approached the Original brothers. This time, she didn't bother pretending not to see them. Kol spotted her first, leering at her like the dangerous predator he was. His voice sounded like a distant echo in Caroline's ears, as he mentioned to Klaus that he remembered her from the night before.
"She looks like a tasty little thing." He said in a perverse tone and she rolled her eyes at his suggestive statement.
Her gaze remained on the older Original, his body turned towards her as his eyes widened in pleasant surprise. She, on the other hand, couldn't help acknowledging his good looks. Caroline would have given anything to know what he was thinking. The 5 o'clock shadow on his face, under the dim lights of the bar, made him look that much more mysterious and handsome. She sensed a slight thump in her chest, feeling as if he somehow had heard her think that out loud.
The reply Klaus gave his little brother was anything but light. "Say another word and I'll tear out your liver."
Klaus kept his eyes locked on her as Caroline smiled at him coquettishly. He returned the gesture, those sweet, angelic dimples surfacing on his face. She stopped in front of them, fixing her hair as if the walk there had caused it to get out of place.
"Caroline." He said with a hint of amazement. "I wasn't expecting to see you here, love."
The sound of that word, made her feel warm inside. "Well, this town isn't really known for its entertainment factor." She replied.
"Yeah, this is definitely not what I had in mind when I said I needed entertainment." Kol chimed in, giving her a playful smirk. "But now that you're here–"
Klaus turned to him, his eyes ordering him to back off the blonde. He smiled in response, almost enjoying getting on his brother's nerves. Klaus turned back to her with a smile.
"Join us for a drink?"
Caroline bit down on her lip, considering his offer. Kol raised his glass to her, tilting his head in an inviting manner. "Only if Kol promises to stop being so... creepy." She glowered at the younger Mikaelson.
"It's not my fault, I can't help admiring beautiful women." Kol replied.
Klaus huffed under his breath, "Would you like to have a drink with me?" He corrected himself.
Caroline felt an inner conflict building up. She knew why she was there and what Damon and Meredith would do as soon as she lured Klaus away. Her eyes wandered pensively, glancing at Kol who was still giving her flirty looks. She shook her head in annoyance, coming between the brothers and closing the distance between her and Klaus. Behind him, she could see Damon still hanging around by the pool tables. He was shooting her daggers with his eyes, prompting her to hurry up.
Caroline looked directly at Klaus, his scent was intoxicating, causing her to drift even closer to him. She placed her hands around his neck, feeling him tense up in response. "Come with me." Her plea was a delicate purr. "But your brother needs to leave as soon as possible." She said in a tiny whisper.
Klaus looked at her suspiciously but nodded in agreement. He directed his attention to his brother, asking him to go home. The younger Mikaelson wasn't one to take orders, he was defiant and reluctant to leave. It took some serious persuasion from Klaus' part but eventually he set his drink down and walked away. Caroline and Klaus quickly followed, watching as he disappeared into the night until the blonde was certain he had dodged the bullet – or in this case, the dagger.
"What was that all about?" He asked, walking side by side with her as they crossed the street into the Square.
Caroline's phone began buzzing incessantly in her pocket. "Klaus." She began, "Do you trust me?"
The question took the Original by surprise but he was honest, "I don't know."
She frowned, "I suspected as much."
"Is there something I should know, love?"
Caroline ignored his question and pulled her cellphone out of her pocket. Damon had already called her more than once. After it rang for a third time she brought it up to her ear.
"Hello?" She gave Klaus a worried look.
"Do you realize you just ruined our whole plan? What is the matter with you?" The Salvatore was practically screaming into the phone.
"I couldn't do it, Damon." She admitted.
She heard the sound of a door slamming in the background. "We're doing this with or without you."
The line went dead as Caroline took a seat on the bench, she knew she only had a few minutes with Klaus before he figured out what was happening. She looked at the time on her phone, a new day wouldn't start for a few more hours. The Original looked down at her with a stern expression plastered on his face. He was suspicious and for very good reasons.
"You couldn't do what?" He hissed.
Caroline looked at him with sad puppy eyes. She closed them and swallowed hard, realizing she was going to have to tell him everything. There was no point in hiding it now, her cover had already been blown. So much for our talk, she thought, remembering the chat they'd had on the bench that night. There was a sense of melancholia at the realization that she wouldn't be reliving those moments with him.
"Damon and Stefan were planning on daggering Kol tonight." She confessed, watching as Klaus' eyes filled with anger.
He remained still. "You're trying to play me for a fool!"
She stood up swiftly, taking a hold of his wrist. "I'm worried about you!"
Klaus' eyes narrowed, "So you're telling me you came here tonight to tell me the truth?" He laughed mockingly, "Don't lie to me, Caroline. You came here to distract me, so my brother could get put down like a sick dog."
Caroline found his words ironic, considering he was the one who had daggered Kol in the first place. "I'm telling you the truth."
Klaus turned to her, his eyes conveying something she wish she'd never see again. "What are they planning to do?" He grabbed her by the arms, tightening his grip. "Tell me!" He growled, his eyes turning from a sapphire to gold.
Caroline gulped. "You and your siblings are linked. If one of you dies, you all die."
The Original was enraged. "How?"
The blonde looked at him with pleading eyes, "Let go of me." She ordered.
He huffed in anger, slowly releasing his grip. "How?" He repeated.
"Esther." She replied, "She bound you and your siblings together last night at the Ball, during the champagne toast."
"My mother thinks she's so clever, trying to kill five birds with one stone." He growled, "What else do you know?"
Caroline knew it was time to tell the whole truth. She played with the ring on her finger, shifting her eyes from the ground to him and then up at the dark sky.
"You created our bloodline," She blurted out. "You can't die because if you do, then we all die with you." She paused, allowing him to take in the news.
"If you know this, then why are you trying to kill us?" He was stunned and confused.
"I'm the only one that knows. You're just going to have to trust me on this."
The coldness of the night fell upon them, as they both remained still. Klaus was trying to believe her but after what she had done, it was hard for him to trust her. His eyes suddenly widened and he flinched, bringing his hand up to his chest as a quick, sharp pain struck his heart. He looked at the blonde, waiting for her to give him an explanation for what was happening.
"They must have gotten to Kol." She muttered, "You have to find him, before it's too late. Esther is about to perform the ritual at the old Bennett witch house."
Klaus shot her one last glance and without saying another word, disappeared from sight. She wrap herself in her coat, an overwhelming sense of distress and disappointment clouding her thoughts.
Caroline must have sat at the bench for hours, alone and in the cold, as she waited for something to happen. The blonde somehow believed that by trying to help the Originals, she had actually, inadvertently, doomed everyone. She expected to begin feeling weak, to start coughing up blood and become short of breath before expiring. But the minutes passed and none of that happened. Her fingers ran over the cold edges of her phone and she pressed down on the screen until it lit up. There were dozens of missed calls, most of them from Stefan but the most recent ones from Elena and Bonnie. She looked at the time, noticing this would all be over soon.
"You're still here." His accent-infused voice was a melodic tune that brightened the darkness currently enveloping her soul.
Caroline turned around, unable to conceal her feelings of elation. "Klaus!"
She came to her feet, wanting nothing else but to wrap her arms around him. Her body, however, didn't follow through. The Original looked at her, his sullen expression was now that of relief. Caroline smiled at him, and after a few minutes, he relented the smallest of smirks that somehow still managed to make her heart leap.
"You were right." He said, taking a few steps closer to her.
She looked at him, beaming with delight. "It all worked out?"
He nodded, pursing his lips. "You only did it to save yourself and your friends. Didn't you?"
Caroline shook her head, denying his assumption. "How could I possibly want you dead after everything?" She said gently.
Klaus was confounded, "Everything?"
She nodded, knowing time was once again running out. "I–" She paused, arming herself with courage, "I didn't want to lose you."
His eyes glazed over, touched by her words. He was now standing only inches from her, capable of feeling the warmth radiating from her body. He looked down at her mouth, the street lights made her flush lips glisten like a tempting red apple, begging to be devoured.
"How is that possible?" He mutter, leaning down, hopelessly surrendering to her alluring pull.
Caroline closed her eyes, waiting for him to press his lips against hers. "How is any of this possible?" She hummed.
She felt his warm breath caress her lips and then only the gentle graze of his soft lips before a chill breeze hit her face and an incandescent brightness appeared behind her eyelids. Caroline knew it was over.
"Where would you like me to put this?" A deep, male voice shattered the moment.
The blonde opened her eyes, looking down at the green pasture underneath her feet. The young man in front of her was holding the Miss Mystic Fall crown atop an elegant cushion.
"Right over there." She said mechanically, pointing to one of the tables.
The string quartet was playing a somber melody and all the guests had already arrived. They were all seated at their tables, enjoying glasses of champagne and chattering amongst themselves. She looked away, wondering when she would get used to switching from one day to another in the blink of an eye. An annoyed huff escaped her mouth at the fact that she didn't even get to enjoy that imminent kiss.
A waiter walked by her and she stopped him dead on his tracks, pointing to the empty glasses on the tables and asking him to do his job properly. She shook her head, annoyed by her own perfectionist behavior.
"And how am I doing?" His voice alone made her stomach twirl with excitement.
Caroline turned around, eyeing Klaus as his proximity to her increased. His hands were behind his back and a deliciously irresistible smirk lit up his face. And just like that, things are starting to look up, the blonde thought, delighted by the Original's presence.
You guys are probably thinking that I should've titled my story "Cockblocked" huh? I promise things will be changing... for the better ;) Please be sweethearts and leave me a quick review! I'd appreciate it! xoxo
