Thank you to ignore common sense, BlueJean452, PenelopeSuriCUTE, arabella, shadowfaxangel, imusic247, LorenaLaufey, chillwithJyl, Princess Aziza, LadyKlaus, Sunfiresarah, TopazDragon, Emmalea, batgirl2992, ILoveYou1978, Clara, meagainpauline, Carasedrin, Akhemz831, PsychVamp, Guest, anon, Jessie, justine (x2), Guest, Lovely Rain Dancer, CinderNella, babyvfan, MarsterRoo, coffee14, angel1725, The Plant Reader, Jinx-inside, lotusdujapon, epic sweetness712, cakepopshelly and SweetyK for reviewing!
So, to all of those a little underwhelmed by the lack of shock last chapter, don't worry! This was all part of the plan :) I thought there was enough going on last chapter without adding more oomph to the cliffhanger. HOWEVER, this chapter focuses on Klaus' point of view (where last chap. was all about Caroline – which is why we didn't see much of Klaus' true reaction, either) so, I can tell you, there will be a lot more shock here ;)
Disclaimer: Me? Own The Vampire Diaries? Never!
Chapter Seven
Lifetimes Ago
Mystic Falls, Virginia 2010
"We must be sure to get two of each Maddox." Klaus said as adjusted his clothing. It was always a bit uncomfortable, transferring to and from bodies, especially going into the body of a human; they were so much weaker than he was used to, after all.
"Yes, sire." The warlock replied, head bowed.
"Well, the wolves are taken care of. I do believe we still need some vampires. Tell me of our prospects." Klaus sat down in the couch, kicking up his feet on the coffee table.
"There are only three vampires in Mystic Falls, sire, the Salvatores and another; a girl, I believe her name was-" The Original held up his hand, gesturing for Maddox to stop; at this point, he could care less about some vampire he was going to sacrifice.
"Take the girl, I don't care how." He commanded with a wave of his hand. "Leave the Salvatores out of it, though. Take the Lockwood boy too." Maddox started for the door, when Klaus' voice stopped him. "Oh and Maddox..." The warlock glanced back. "It'd be best if you did not fail me in this matter."
"Yes, sire." He consented before leaving. Klaus then turned to the other witch in the room; he smirked, Greta had been scandalously easy to turn to his cause, as infatuated as she was with him. Unfortunately for her, all he needed from her was her witchy powers; without them, she would be useless to him.
"Greta, love." He said, waving her over. The girl smiled viciously at him as she came to stand before him. "I'll trust you to take care of plan B?" She nodded. "Then you'll take the other werewolf."
"And for the vampire, sire?" At this, Klaus smirked darkly. He had the perfect candidate in mind.
"We'll which Salvatore betrays me… However, the Gilbert girl, she lives with an aunt, does she not?" He asked causing the witch to nod in confirmation. "Take her as well; never can be too careful… Also, that way, if one of those foolish brothers tries to stop me, they'll see just what happens to those who cross me." He leaned back in his seat, satisfied, watching as his second witch also left, smirking.
Everything was going right according to plan.
Oh how Klaus loved being just one step ahead of his opponents; it made the game so much more fun.
"I wasn't aware you'd been invited in." Klaus stated as the blur passed by him. He could've caught the Salvatore in mid-run and simply ripped him in half right there, but that would be playing his cards too soon. Besides, he wanted to taste victory as he told the younger vampire of his imminent failure.
"I've come here to tell you that you have to postpone the ritual." Damon said. I had thought it might be you.
"Didn't we already have this conversation?" Klaus replied, darkly, not entertained by his pathetic persistence. He should've just given in; most others would have. Didn't the fool know that there was nothing constant in his life?
"Yeah, but that was before I rescued your werewolf and vampire and killed your witch." The elder Salvatore stated, as if it would make all the difference in the world. It wouldn't really effect his plans, but still, such disobedience angered Klaus.
"Excuse me?" The Original growled in return.
"And you can kill me for it, I don't care. It was all me." Well, if that isn't desperation…
"Katerina, give us a moment." Klaus said, not caring for the Petrova woman to be here to witness his triumph. He was seriously consider just killing her and being done with it; she was, after all, clearly keeping things from him, such as the vervain she had been drinking. But a quick death truly was too kind, after all she had done to him, done to Caroline….
"I've heard about you; the crazy, impulsive vampire, in love with his brother's girl." Klaus stated, staring at Damon, showing him that he wasn't shaken at all by the other vampire's little 'intervention' plan. "I knew one of you would try to stop me; it was just a 50-50 guess on who…" The Original enjoyed the look of terrible realization on the Salvatore's face as he reopened up his laptop, showing the tape of his second werewolf. "The nice thing about werewolves is they tend to travel in packs; need a closer look?" He shut his laptop and tossed the other vampire his phone, listening to the sweet sound of the tortured yelling that came from it, and waited for the Salvatore to catch on.
"Jules." Klaus smirked before approaching Damon slowly, like a hunter does his prey.
"When you spend a thousand years trying to break a curse, you learn a thing or two." He mocked, circling. "First rule: Always have a backup. Backup werewolf. Backup witch…"
"Backup vampire." Damon finished for him, finally realizing what his role would be.
"I've got that covered too." Klaus stated before bringing up his hands and snapping the Salvatore's neck with one powerful turn of his arms. He watched at the body seemed to fall slowly to the floor… And then he heard the footsteps and a single shout that froze him in his spot.
"No!" The scream was desperate, horrified, and not at all unlike the screams he heard nearly everyday. And, it was different. It was completely and utterly different; it was the voice he had been yearning to hear every day for the last five centuries now. It can't be…
It was like the world was whirring around him in slow motion as Klaus lifted his head to look at his intruder. And then his worst and best dreams were all fulfilled as he saw her standing there.
She was just as beautiful as he remembered, as he dreamed. And just as young too. Her hair was shorter now, though, falling just a little past her shoulder in tight curls. And her eyes, those beautiful blue orbs that haunted him in his sleep, they were turning to look at him now.
It's impossible… How…? Klaus thought that he was perhaps dreaming; how else would she be here?
When her eyes met his, Klaus was filled with the sudden urge to run to her, scoop her up in his arms and take her away forever. As it was, however, the shock froze him completely and all he could do was look at her as she stared back at him in a painful horror; horror because to him she was simply Klaus the Original, not Lord Niklaus her love of times past.
She doesn't remember me… and it is my fault.
"Caroline?" He finally asked, tone desperate to confirm that she was truly there in front of him, that this wasn't some imagined dream. Her eyes suddenly took a surprised light at the sound of her own name.
"You-You know me?" By gods, her voice, that heavenly voice; just hearing it once more made Klaus truly believe she was there; no one could copy that voice, not even his own subconscious. The way she almost stuttered reminded him of the first time they had met, and the months spent afterwards pursuing her. She'd been so sweet, innocent, at the time, but as time passed she grew fiercer and fiercer. She was all he could have asked for, an equal.
And he had given her away, for the sake of honor – of being selfless. Klaus had never before that moment been selfless. For the life of him, he couldn't remember what he had been thinking. He hadn't given her away once but twice; Klaus wasn't sure if he could do it again.
All he could think now, after seeing her, so close, so very close, was of the way they had danced back in the 20's, with abandon and joy. She may not have realized who he was, but, deep down, Klaus realized she did know him; even his compulsion hadn't been able to wipe that away.
So, Klaus decided to be selfish with her, just once more. He half-smiled at her, his head screaming at him to have some sense but his heart rejoicing, enjoying this, even if only for a moment. As if in a dream, he felt himself take a step closer.
"Tell me, love." He said, desperate to know if this was like in Chicago, desperate to know that she was not lost to him, despite his efforts to make it so. "Do I?"
Klaus knew he should simply leave, make a clean break, but he had never been particularly good at self-control, especially when it came to one Caroline Forbes. He couldn't do it in the 1920's and he can't do it now.
How could he? He saw them dancing.
He waited with baited breath for her reply. He knew it was a long shot; after all, the Klaus she saw before her was an enemy to her. But, maybe, just maybe, she had seen the signs. Maybe she'd seen the signs that she had once been his, and that he was once hers…
He watched her eyes, the ones that he knew so well no matter how long it had been since he'd seen her.
"Yes." She finally said, allowing Klaus to let go of his nervous anticipation. "Yes, I think I do."
It was those words, those meager words, which broke the thin thread of control that Klaus had left.
He did something he had not done in near five centuries; he smiled.
"As I know you." He replied, allowing himself to approach her. He came closer until they stood almost nose-to-nose. He slowly lifted a hand, frowning slightly when she flinched. She seemed frozen in spot and Klaus was observant enough to notice that she seemed to be holding her breath, afraid to move.
She thought he would harm her.
So Klaus decided to prove her wrong. He traced his thumb carefully across a delicate cheekbone, holding her eyes with his own, before twirling a single lock of her hair around his finger.
The shuddering gasp that went through Caroline made Klaus smirked; he was pleased he still had an effect on her.
It seemed as if an eternity passed as they stood there, frozen, just staring at one another. Klaus could barely believe this was happening; he had thought the last time he would ever see her was in the 1920's, that that had been the true end of it. And when he had lost all track of her in the 30's…
But here they were, together at last. To Klaus, it seemed the world was not big enough to keep them apart.
So he continued to meet her eyes, her blue, blue eyes. Klaus was surprised when a sudden, unexpected surge of happiness went through; it was something naught felt in many years.
And then the moment broke when Klaus heard Katerina shifting about in the other room and he was brought back to reality in one harsh blow, the bitter reality that was whispering in his ear. This Caroline, beautiful and real as she was, was not his Caroline; he'd made sure of that. This was not the same woman whom had declared her love for him, the woman had gone from servant to lover… no, this Caroline was simply a shell of her former self.
And Klaus would make damn sure it stayed that way; she would never be safe otherwise.
He would become selfless again, only for a moment. He would let her go. Even if it pained him…
Knowing very well Katherine could overhear them, Klaus realized what he had to do. He could not appear weak, and Caroline, she could not know anymore than she already did. But he didn't have time to compel her in a careful manner, and he would not botch the job lest he leave her permanently damaged. And, if he stayed too long, his resolve would most assuredly crack. So he did something he knew he would regret forever from this moment on.
"I'm sorry." He whispered as her eyes looked up at him in question, a frightened light in them. My Caroline would never be frightened of me, not after all we had been through… His eyes hardened. Suddenly, the hand that was in her hair pulled her head back and the other flashed to her throat. He snapped her neck in one quick blow, strength rippling through his arms, just like he had Damon.
Only, as Caroline began to fall, Klaus caught her, holding her familiar body securely in his arms, the guilt already eating her up. He picked her up gently and laid her on the couch, carefully arranging her so she was in a comfortable position. On the outside, he was sure he looked the picture of composure. The inside, however, was an entirely different matter.
He crouched beside her for a moment, knowing in his intuitive way that this would be the last time in a long while that he would see her like this, peaceful. He also knew that he could not avoid her forever, not anymore. No, the world was cruel that way. Soon enough, she would see him as a true enemy, just as her and the Gilbert girl's other friends would.
Maybe this is my Caroline… He quickly shook the thought away, denying. No, he could not allow himself to feel false hope. Fallacies such as that were for the young and foolish; Klaus was neither.
He touched his fingers to her cheek before leaning forward and laying a small kiss to her forehead.
Goodbye, Caroline, the voice in his mind, the voice of the man he could have been, whispered.
He called for one of the few servants he had left and told the young vampire to take Caroline someplace and keep her away until after the ritual; he could be distracted no longer. Not after the thousand-year long journey he had taken to get here.
As Caroline was no longer the woman she had been, he was no longer the man he used to be. No, Klaus was something else, a monster; one with no equal, not anymore. He would not allow this to slow him down. The monster in him could not be so easily wiped away as Caroline's memory.
He would break the curse, and he would do it tonight, just as he had planned.
He would show them all what the most powerful Original did to those who displeased him.
As Klaus the monster smirked, he tried to ignore that little part inside of him that was screaming in agony, begging to be let free. He tried to ignore the beautiful blonde vampire on the couch and just what she had meant to him.
He tried to ignore the tiny speck of humanity left in him.
And Klaus knew only one way to do this. He would break the curse tonight and let the monster, the real monster, free.
Caroline's world was a swirl black shadow, and the whispering of one word.
Klaus.
Klaus watched as the Gilbert girl said goodbye to Stefan, anger boiling deep in his black soul. It was simply a reminder of what he no longer had, what he would never have again. He kept his face impassive, however, hiding his inner turmoil; emotion was a human folly, one that he refused to partake in. Instead, he stood serenely, holding his hands in front of him, much in the way a nobleman from many centuries past would.
Klaus yearned for the days of lords and ladies and servants…
"Close your eyes." Elena whispered, trying in vain to give Stefan some measure of comfort. Klaus was well aware that many would deem him cruel for ripping those two lovebirds apart, especially considering that Stefan was his once friend. The man himself, however, did not think his actions to be cruel. No, they were merciful, for love was a great weakness to vampires. He was saving his friend from the pain love caused.
Soon enough, Stefan would forget his beloved little human because she would be gone.
He wouldn't be forced to think of the possibilities everyday about what might be, because she would be gone, not wandering the world unaware of events past.
The pain placed on Stefan's face would not last. Not like his own had.
As the Original continued to observe the couple with outward patience, he had to admit, the Gilbert girl garnered his respect somewhat. She wasn't screaming and begging for life like many had. No, she kept her dignity about her and was going to go on her terms.
This was something an age-old vampire like Klaus could respect.
It still did not stop him from taking what was rightfully his, however.
Elena was gone before Stefan could even open his eyes.
The euphoria of the kill made Klaus dizzy, proved to him he still had his strength to fall back on. It was the closeness of it, the intimacy, which thrilled Klaus. He held the wolf's heart in his hand, watching impassively as the light went out in her eyes. One, he thought.
He stood over the dais that Greta was using for the spell, holding the heart over it. The blood flowed through his fingers as he squeezed the heart in his hand; Klaus thought it was beautiful.
Soon enough, Klaus turned his eyes to his next victim. He had wanted to use Damon Salvatore as the vampire sacrifice, by when he saw the werewolf bite he knew that would be a much more painful end. Besides, the Gilbert girl's aunt added just the right amount of extra menace, a warning to the Salvatore's and their helpers to never cross him again. He ignored the slight twinge of pain in knowing that Caroline was among them.
Klaus didn't heed Elena's begging for mercy, mercy for her aunt. All he focused on was the next kill.
But then Elena's other half had to arrive and disturb his plans.
Stefan tried to convince Klaus to replace Jenna with himself. Klaus, of course, took the opportunity to add a little false hope; a hope he knew from personal experience was the most painful kind. He listened to his former friend's offer at being the vampire sacrifice; all the while knowing he would not accept it. He soon headed back to the spell-ground where Elena and Jenna were waiting in their circles of fire.
He mocked Elena, pretending that she had a choice in who would live and who would die. Of course, she realized that she was completely under his control when he took that power of choice away from her and staked Stefan in the back, a few inches from his heart, so as to keep him alive but get him out of the way.
He had other plans for his old friend, after all. Perhaps his plans would also be a distraction from Stefan's eventual pain at losing Elena. Perhaps it would also be a distraction to Klaus, distancing himself from Caroline.
When Jenna was released from her prison of fire, she foolishly tried to kill Greta in an attempt to stop the ritual. She was but an infant compared to Klaus, however, and he was quick to end her, staking her through the heart. Two, he thought.
Klaus felt the addictive rush that ran through him. He was purely in control. At this moment, he was the Gilbert girl's god; he chose when she would die.
It was an incomparable feeling.
In a phantom of courtesy, a mocking of who he used to be, Klaus offered Elena his hand. When she refused it and later told him to go to hell, Klaus couldn't help but have a little more respect for her, and he felt the anticipation of the next kill rise in him. He pulled her back to him, using his hand at her neck to bare her throat to him.
The blood that rushed into his mouth as he bit into the doppelgänger's veins made the monster inside him roar in pleasure. Soon he was holding her in what could have been a lover's embrace but was something much more deadly. It was only when the blood began to dry that he let her fall. Three, he thought.
Finally…
He began to feel the change in him, the one that had eluded him for a thousand years. The moon above him shined upon him.
There was a sudden pain, but not a bad one, but rather one of relief as his bones finally broke in the way that had been made to for nearly a millennium. He was brought to his knees as his vision changed into that of a wolf's, the breaking and shifting of his body weakening him. He snarled viciously as he stood upright once more, eagerly waiting for the moment where he would run on four legs.
And then he felt the wave of magic, more powerful than he had ever felt and he was flung across the grounds. He knew immediately whose magic it was.
Bonnie Bennet.
She was alive?
For once in his life, Klaus was not one step ahead, but rather one step behind. The euphoria he had felt before changed abruptly into unfamiliar panic.
He was vaguely aware of the appearance of Damon Salvatore as he snapped his own witch's, Greta's, neck, much like Klaus had snapped Damon's own.
"No." Klaus growled as the Bennet witch continued to approach, sending waves of painful magic at him. "You were dead!"
The Original let out a pained scream as the magic continued to abuse his body. He felt himself fading, fading away from life. He had not felt such a feeling since he had been turned into a vampire. As his vision shifted in and out, there was only one name on Klaus' mind.
Caroline.
He continued to scream incoherently as the red pain destroyed him from the inside out. He suddenly realized that he was truly not going to survive this, he was truly going to die.
In his mind the name still rang true; Caroline, Caroline, Caroline…
Goodbye, my love.
As if the situation could not get any worse, Klaus saw someone that he thought would never show his face to him again. Not after his sudden departure back in the 1500s. Elijah. His own brother. His own blood.
"Elijah." Klaus said, watching as his long-estranged brother approached.
"Hello brother." Elijah replied, looking down at him.
For a second Klaus felt an unexpected surge of hope. Elijah was surely here to kill them all, all of his enemies. Family above all.
It only took Klaus the slightest moment to realize he was idiotically mistaken when Elijah's hand entered his chest, squeezing his heart. His brother had come here not rescue him but, rather, to ensure his death. Klaus had always hoped that perhaps one day he would see his brother again. After all, he had lost two important people to him in those long ago years. One he knew he could never return to, and another who had completely severed all ties to him.
Only, this reunion made him realize just how little he was cared for in the world.
It made Klaus angrier than ever.
"In the name of our family, Niklaus." Elijah pressed his hand down more, causing Klaus to yell out.
"I didn't bury them at sea." Klaus suddenly blurted out, knowing Elijah was exacting revenge because of the fact that Klaus had 'killed' the rest of their family.
"What?" Elijah asked, looking suddenly hesitant.
"Their bodies are safe." The now-hybrid knew this was his only chance at survival. "If you kill me, you'll never find them." He stated, locking eyes with his brother so that he could see the truth in them. As soon as he saw the consideration on Elijah's face, Klaus knew he had him.
"Elijah." He heard Stefan call. "Don't listen to him."
Too late…
"I can…" Klaus struggled for a moment, the words hard to say as the pain wracked through his body. "I can take you to them." He finally managed. And then he added the final words that he knew would make Elijah turn to his side. "I give you my word… brother."
Elijah was staring at him when the decision reached the elder Original's eyes and then Klaus knew he would live.
"Do it and I'll take you both out." Klaus distantly heard the Bennet witch say. He ignored it, choosing instead to continue to look at his brother, making sure that Elijah would stick to his decision.
"You'll die." Elijah replied.
"I don't care." The witched exclaimed.
Elijah glanced back down to Klaus for a moment, before nodding once, imperceptible to all but Klaus.
"I'm sorry." Elijah said whilst Klaus smirked. Those fools… He was suddenly yanked up and his arm placed around his brother's familiar shoulders.
"No!" Came the anguished screams of Stefan and Bonnie.
It did not matter what the two did, the brothers were simple too fast and too powerful. Elijah and Klaus darted away as fast as they could, leaving nothing but dust and a devastated disappointment in their wake.
Klaus smiled to himself, triumphant.
It is done.
Later that night marked the first time Klaus ever ran as a wolf. As his four strong legs moved swiftly beneath him, Klaus felt the rising sense of power in him. He was finally all the he had been meant to be.
His plans were fulfilled.
He was the Original hybrid, most powerful being to ever walk the earth.
He only wished his Caroline had been there to share this with him.
So, that's Klaus' POV for you; this entire chapter was entirely set in the second season's finale, which, I think, was the most important turning point for the show. It was where Klaus was introduced!
Next chapter: Finishing season two, moving into season three and, what will Caroline do with this new information about her past?
Anyways, I wish you all a happy new year! Let's make 2013 a great year for klaroline ;) Thanks for reading!
RW
