Thanks for the love on my last Drabble. =)
Sorry for any spelling or grammatical errors. I's not the bestest at that stuff. ;)
Here's Day Seven!
Caroline races through the woods and tears stream down her face as she makes her way in to a clearing. The bloodhounds howl and the flicker of flashlights in the distance are still in pursuit of her and her stomach is in knots.
Why didn't she listen to her mother when she told her to get out of town? Now she was running for her life, and her mother is probably…
Oh God, what happened to her mother?
The last time she saw her was at their house. Liz came storming in to her bedroom screaming.
"They're coming!"
She tried to ask her who was coming; ask her what happened, but she wouldn't listen. The next thing she remembered was a gun shot, her mother falling to the ground and screaming at her to "Leave!"
The scenario was so closely paralleled with her final goodbye to Tyler. She left him that night, afraid for her own life. She went back to the underground cellar moments later to find him not there. Klaus had taken over his body, she would later find out, and he was safe, but she still felt a painful regret that she didn't see him through.
Her mother asked her to do the same, but before she could bring her mother with her to safety, the door smashed open and a barrage of men came storming in to their home. Doc Peterson led the onslaught and upon seeing her he lifted his rifle and pointed it at her. She hissed and crouched down protectively over her mother, knowing she'd rather die than leave her. But, once again, with a final plea from another loved one, she dodged the bullet and crashed through her bedroom window toward escape.
She's been running for hours; making circles around her small town and waiting for her followers to grow weary of their chase. The sun will be up soon and it will only make their hunt easier, but she isn't going to leave town without knowing if her mother is alright, or she will die trying.
"I think Butch has caught her scent!" she hears one of the men yell to the others. Just then the dog bellows and she hears it scramble in her direction and she quickly decides to climb the nearest tree. It won't help but she has no other choice and she's tired of running. As she reaches the highest branch and waits in the darkness, her face turns vampire and the animal inside of her comes rushing to the surface.
The flashlights get closer and she can smell the blood coursing through the men, and the fear she's been harboring starts to pass. If she's going down, she's going to take at least two down with her. She leans forward on her hands and waits for the dogs and their masters to stop below. Before they can reach her she hears another man in the distance.
"Doc, we got a scent this direction too!"
"Well follow it!" Peterson bellows back, "I'll go after the girl."
Excellent, the demon inside her thinks. One on one places the odds in her favor.
Humanity drifts away, not completely, but floating somewhere on the edge of her subconscious and her survival instincts swim to the surface. The man slows at the base of the tree and she's about to leap, when he surprises her when he speaks.
"Come now, I know you're up there!" he sneers.
She isn't in the mood for games, and she jumps through the air and lands behind him. She slowly lifts to her feet as he turns on his heels and lets the dog go. The bloodhound races toward her and she deflects it quickly, grasping it by the collar and tossing it aside. The dog's yelp fills before the ringing sound of a gunshot follows.
She is suddenly falling backward, her feet are in the air and her head comes crashing down on to the ground. She quickly surveys her body and feels a sting in her right shoulder. The bastard shot her, and with a wooden bullet.
Of course it was a wooden bullet.
"Son-of-a-bitch," she screams and starts at him again, but there's a familiar burning in her shoulder and it slowly begins to creep through the rest of her body. She drops to her knees and a scream escapes her, as the vervain takes its hold.
Caroline writhes on the ground and crawls away from the sound of Doc's boots drawing near. Scrambling up against a tree she breathes heavily. The vervain burns and the bullet wedges further in to her with each movement.
He slowly crouches down beside her, and she hisses at him but is too weak otherwise to do much more.
"Those are some fancy bullets, wouldn't you say, Vampire?" he says with a sadistic smile on his face. "If for some reason the bullet doesn't make its target, and misses the heart, it still opens up and releases vervain into the target's system."
She has no response. She lets out a soft whimper and feels the veins below her eyes disappear and the tears begin to stream down her face once more. She looks Doc in the eyes and shakes her head at him. "Why?"
"Why?" he repeats her question. "Because you're a monster," he says in a low and dangerous tone.
"Caroline," She speaks her own name.
"What was that?"
"My name is Caroline, Doc," she says his name gently and finds his eyes again, "You know me." There's a glimmer of hope when she notices him soften, but its over faster than it began and his eyes turn cruel once again. He rises to his feet and holds the rifle out to her one last time.
"You have to die," he simply says and Caroline closes her eyes. Death isn't what scares her, it's what she's leaving behind that does. Her mother, her friends, and the years she was expecting to enjoy traveling and seeing the world. Her mind stops with this thought and lingers on a face; his face. He promised to show her, and he'll never get the chance.
The shot fires but she doesn't feel the impact. Her eyes fly open to see the gun pointing up and Doc's head twists to the side and his body slumps to the ground, revealing her savior.
Klaus.
Her hand covers her mouth and she stares at the dead man in front of her. The relief that washes over her is unbearable as the tears begin again. This time she sobs, and an audible expression of her exhaustion and her fear comes pouring out. His arms are there immediately, as they scoop her up and she begins to cry into his shoulder.
"It's okay, you're safe." She hears him say, and he lowers to the base of the tree and cradles her in his arms.
How did he find her? How does he always find her?
They huddle against the tree for some time, and she's not sure how long she cries for. The sun begins to greet them and the vervain begins to weaken when she finally speaks, "He was my Pediatrician, you know," she whispers. "He was there the day I was born and watched me grow up."
Klaus doesn't speak, he just pulls her in to a tighter embrace and gently strokes her hair. This is not the first time that Klaus has saved her, and she was sure it wouldn't be the last.
Caroline was a strong vampire, for such a young one, and she can take care of herself in most situations. It's why she opts on staying in Mystic Falls when her mother tells her to leave. At least that's what she tells her friends and family, but she knows he's there, helping her from the shadows. Always keeping watch. Always there when she needs him.
She can take care of herself, with a little help from Klaus.
Against her better judgement, they have created a bond, and a deep friendship. It wasn't her intention but she was lonely. Tyler left her months ago to join a new pack and as much as she loved spending time with Elena and showing her the vampire ways, she always felt like a third wheel, or fourth if both the Salvatores were around. She began to let Klaus in a little at a time and before she knew it they were friends, and now as he holds her and she's reminded of his devotion to her, she admits to herself that one day they'll probably be more.
Klaus begins to stir, "Caroline, we should go," he says and begins to lift her back in to his arms.
Her eyes linger over Doc's body and she knows he's right, they couldn't stay here any longer. "What happened to the others?"
"Rebekah has lured them away, but they'll be back."
Klaus starts toward the woods and back to Caroline's home when her head jerks up as she remembers. "My Mom?!" she practically screams, and wiggles herself free from his hold. Her knees are still weak when her feet hit the ground and his arm is there to hold her up.
"She's fine, Caroline," he assures her.
"No she's not, she was shot!" She pulls herself away from him but he places his hands on her shoulders and holds her still; forcing her eyes to meet his.
"She's fine, Caroline," he tells her again and places a hand on her cheek. "I took care of her." He smiles warmly at her as he pulls her in to another embrace. And she knows he's telling the truth.
"Thank you," she says. She doesn't ask how, she just knows that she's taken care of, and his words of comfort are all she needs. She feels the tears begin again and she swallows to keep them down before bringing her eyes up to his.
Before she can stop herself, she closes her eyes, lifts to the tips of her toes, and her lips or on his. His arms are comfort as they wrap around her protectively once more, his hand is gentle as it caresses her face and tucks her hair behind her ear, but his mouth...his mouth is warm and soft and moves perfectly with hers.
She wonders why it took her so long to give in to him, why she hasn't followed her heart and her instincts from the beginning. The salty flavor of tears roll across their lips and her heart feels as though it will burst through her chest. He answers her kiss in the most intimate way, when she realizes they are not her tears...
Her eyes are dry.
Let's all say it together now...AWWWWWWWW!
Review me! Woo!
