Chapter 9
Caroline turned her head in the soft plush pillow and tried to drown the knocking on her door.
'What?' She mumbled as she rubbed her eyes.
'You should come down...breakfast is ready.'
Klaus' voice behind her door, got her sitting up straight in bed and look around her. Her shoulders stooped as she remembered where she was.
'I'm not hungry.' She said frowning at the door.
'I think I know...may I come in?'
'No!'
'I got your clothes here, cleaned up and ready to wear.'
She made a face at the closed door. 'Leave them outside.'
'Okay,' He agreed, 'but I'm going to wait out here with them until you come out.'
'Like hell you will!'
Furious now she threw back the covers and jumped out of bed only for her leg to give out on her and make her shout out in pain.
'Caroline?' Suddenly he was next to her, as she lay crouched on the floor next to the bed. She had forgotten the pain and it had came back so unexpected and intense that it brought tears to her eyes. Before she realised his intention, he picked her up and settled her back gently on the bed. She felt his fingers through the soft silk on her back making it tingle and his arm under her knees, but before she could protest they were gone. A small wince was all the indication that he gave that he felt any discomfort too.
'It's my fault...I should have been more careful...' She mumbled.
'Do you want your breakfast to be brought up here?' He asked looking at her.
'No...I'm okay really...I can walk...but as I said, I'm not hungry.'
He sighed, 'I think I know why you're feeling worse than I am...you need to feed...you gave me your blood, remember?'
'How could I forget? It's the reason I'm trapped in here.' She exclaimed,'...and really how do we know who is really feeling the worse? You're the one who was bitten after all and we're sharing the same pain, aren't we?'
'Because I was in no pain until you put your foot down...I tell you, you need to feed...and the food isn't bad either.'
'Maybe later.'
'No, now.'
She frowned at him. 'What are you my mom? You can't force me to eat.'
'I can...if it makes me weak because of you.' He frowned back.
'That's ridiculous.'
He sighed heavily. 'No, it's not. I will not go around limping because you refuse to be reasonable and feed.'
'You don't know if that will solve the problem.' She insisted.
'Only one way to find out.'
'What the hell?' Again not leaving her time to realise his intentions she was suddenly flung over his shoulder.
'This. Is not happening! Put me down immediately.'
'Are you coming down on your own?' He asked as he took the first steps away from the bed.
Her answer was to hit him hard with both her fists on his back only to end up gritting her teeth at provoking herself pain. He chuckled, the sound vibrating from his chest to her legs as he still held her up.
'Ok, I'll come down...but not in this.' She'll be damned if she would go around in this flimsy nightgown.
He stopped outside her room and put her down, and she noticed he favored her leg. He kept a hold on her arm as he checked her face to see if she meant it. She yanked her hand back, 'You're a brute! I refuse to be ordered about by you like some...'
He put his hand up to silence her. 'You either come down in five minutes or I am coming back up and...'
'Oh shut up! I hate you!' She stormed pass him, sheer anger making her ignore the pain in her stupid leg. And slammed the door so hard, it almost got off its hinges.
'And that's how we say good morning it seems...' She heard him say before she gave the bathroom door the same treatment of the bedroom one.
Exactly five minutes later she entered the dining area. A round table was set in the middle where Klaus and Rebekah stood while another long table along a wall had everything you could wish for breakfast. Toasted bread, fruits, jams, scrambled eggs, sausages, juices, coffee and that was what she noticed with one glance. She walked slowly, trying her best to avoid to limp but Klaus small sigh was enough to know, he was perfectly aware of the amount of pain she was in and therefore him too.
'She deigns to join us.' His sister said under her breath.
Caroline ignored her and sat down at the table after glaring once at Klaus. She took another glance at the other filled up table then her eyes darted to check out the rest of the room. Simple but beautiful decor, everything spoke of wealth, from the paintings on the wall to the carpets under their feet. Hushed voices came from a room nearby and she noticed another door, opposite the one she had come in from.
'I thinks she's expecting half naked humans to come in so we can feed.' Rebekah chuckled softly as she took a sip out of her coffee cup.
Caroline lowered her eyes and still said nothing. She had to admit that the thought that they could actually drink from humans at their table had really occurred to her.
'Do you want some blood now?' Klaus asked her quietly.
She shook her head once, 'Then take whatever you feel like.' he added motioning towards the other table. 'They'll bring some blood bags soon.'
'Blood bags, ewww.' Rebekah commented. 'but I guess it's still much better than your usual bunnies and squirrels.'
Again Caroline ignored her and just stared down at her own hands.
'You cut her tongue off last night, Nik?'
'Unlike you, I don't need to hear my own voice to keep me company, I actually have friends.'
The knife swished so fast next to Caroline's face that even as she moved her head sideways, knew she wouldn't be fast enough and in fact she felt her cheek sting and a warm trickle of blood like a tear coming down. Her hand found the fork in front of her and she threw it towards the other girl. Rebekah caught it in her own hand before it hit her shoulder.
'You little bitch!' The original girl hissed at her as she lowered the fork down on the table.
'Bekah enough!' Her brother roared at her.
'But Nik...' She turned angry eyes on him but stopped and her mouth formed an O as she noticed the same cut on his cheek.
'Oops,' Rebekah winced slightly, 'it's just a nick...Nik.' She smiled at her own joke but her brother thunderous face stopped her. He took a clean table cloth and wiped the blood off his face, his lips pressed in a thin line of anger.
Caroline did the same with hers, feeling her hands tremble as she realised once more exactly how this binding spell worked. It was as if they were suddenly one body, like they were looking in a mirror at each other, that's how exact was their small wound.
'It's wasn't a nick you aimed for.' He hissed through his teeth.
'Neither did she.'
'You attacked first.'
Rebekah tied her hands in front of her. 'Did you hear what she said to me?'
'Truth hurts.' Caroline jabbed under her breath.
Rebekah's hand grabbed another knife on the table.
Klaus's hand closed over hers. 'Drop it...You will not hurt her in any way.'
'Fine,' His sister said as she let the knife go, 'I'll make do with her friends then.'
'Don't you dare.' Caroline hissed at her.
Rebekah went on as if Caroline hadn't spoken. 'The only problem is that I've already killed her best friend so...'
Caroline got out of her chair but before she could reach the other blond girl, Klaus was up and between them.
'Enough both of you.' He looked from one to the other. 'You, stay off that leg and start eating now. You,' he pointed towards his sister. 'go to school.'
No.' Both girls answered back together.
'Oh my Lord, wasn't one brat in my life enough?' He asked the ceiling.
'I'm not a brat.'
'Don't call me a brat.' Again both girls spoke over each other.
Klaus took a very heavy, long, breath inside and then stared his sister down. 'Go to school.'
She stared back for a moment, then sighed, 'Fine.'
'And remember what I told you. Let the hybrids know where you are.' He added as she started to leave the room.
She looked back at him. 'They wouldn't be so stupid as to attack me in daylight and among people.'
'Still...'
She gave him a small smile. 'Okay...you be careful too.'
'What?' He asked confused.
'It can be dangerous if one should forget to think...with his head.' She replied, motioning with her head to the other girl.
'Get out.' He ordered but Caroline saw a hint of a smile on his lips.
'I'll say hi to Matt for you, Caroline.' She added with a smirk on her face.
Caroline threw daggers from her eyes at her. 'Hope he spits right in your face in answer.'
For a second Rebekah's smile drooped and her eyes lowered. Good. I hit a nerve!
She turned back to the table when Rebekah left to find Klaus looking at her. 'Eat.' he said again.
She sighed and shook her head. She got up and poured some milk and cereal in a bowl and went back to sit at the table. She made a show of putting a spoonful in her mouth.
A hybrid came in, in that moment with a tray and some blood bags in it.
'Take them.' Klaus ordered quietly after the hybrid left the tray on the table.
'Seriously?! You think...'
'Yes.' He interrupted her.
She dropped the spoon in the milk noisily then grabbed two bags from the tray and put them next to her bowl.
When she saw he kept his eyes on her, she said. 'I'll take them upstairs with me if you don't mind.'
'Are you ashamed of who you are?' He asked, his eyes narrowing on her.
'No, I...'
'Bad idea,' he kept on talking, ignoring her denial, 'since it's who you'll be for the rest of your life.'
'I am not ashamed, I just don't flaunt it.'
'Why not? Being a vampire has helped you change from that little human girl you were. You should be proud of the strong, fearless girl you are now.'
Caroline opened her mouth to retort but found herself just looking at him. It was something she thought too, that being turned had been a blessing in disguise for her, but she didn't like that he seemed to know things about her so effortlessly. Not when she had barely scratched the surface when it came to him. She could also see he meant it, just like those other times he had told her what he thought of her. His gaze was soft as he looked back at her.
'Paying me compliments won't make me like staying here, you know?' She finally said to break the silent moment.
'I have a feeling that nothing will make you like staying here...and you will let me know that very clearly, won't you?' He took a piece of apple from his plate and munched on it.
'Still,' he continued, when she just looked angrily at him, 'the only way you'll leave here is when we're unspelled...now eat some more.'
'You ordering me about was not part of our deal!' She said, her voice rising.
He winced his lips in a small smile. 'Neither the four am music was...I guess, we'll just both have to make do, won't we?'
She grabbed the spoon so hard she felt it twist under her fingers, then raised it to her mouth.
Three spoonfuls later another hybrid came in the room from behind her.
'You have a visit.' He told Klaus.
'Who is it?' He asked him with a small frown.
'Sheriff Forbes.' He replied darting a look at the girl.
'Mom?!' In a flash Caroline was out of her chair and rushing out, ignoring the pain in her leg.
A moment later she was tightly hugging her mother in the living area, near the fireplace.
Liz hugged her back, asking her if she was okay, to which she nodded without speaking against her neck.
'Sheriff Forbes, do you think it's wise coming here?' Klaus voice interrupted their moment.
Her mother's arms dropped from around her as she turned to look at him, 'Bonnie explained everything to me, and while I understand why you told the others to stay away, I'm the sheriff of Mystic Falls, I don't think it's strange if I find a need to visit a house...any house.'
Caroline smiled at her mom. She felt proud of her for how she didn't cower in front of Klaus, knowing who he was.
Liz, turned to her daughter and caressed her cheek. 'Bonnie, also packed a bag for you, she got you the things she thought you would need,' She said pointing towards the suitcase at her feet. 'Your laptop is in there too, so you can communicate with your friends and with me too of course.'
'Thank you.' Caroline hugged her again.
'I talked to the group in the forest, the pack.' Her mother said looking at Klaus. 'They told me they were camping and they are not breaking any laws, so there's nothing I can do about that. They are about twenty five...'
Caroline gasped, 'That many?'
'Twenty six plus the three I killed.' Klaus corrected her mom. He had been doing his homework already it seemed. The vampire girl shook her head. Only Klaus would calmly admitted he had killed three men in front of an officer of the law as if it was nothing more than a passing comment.
'What are you going to do?' Liz asked him quietly.
'What I have to.' Was his short reply.
The sheriff nodded once, then looked straight at him. 'I trusted you once, on her birthday ...and you gave her back to me. I also know you saved her from the council...and again this week...so I have to believe that my daughter's welfare is important to you.'
'Mom?!' Caroline mumbled but her mother ignored her.
'And from what Bonnie told me, now more than ever.'
Klaus nodded slightly.
'Good, then promise me no harm will come to my daughter...you will protect her or you'll have me to answer to...and I know that to you, I may look just like all the other helpless humans, and maybe you're right, but this isn't a normal human being talking to you, this is a mother and I swear that if something happens to her because of you...'
'I promise you Liz, I will keep her safe.' His tone was serious. If he found her threats hilarious considering she didn't stand a chance in hell with him, there was nothing that gave him away.
Something close to gratitude welled in Caroline's chest. He was respecting her mom, as a mother and as a cop. He must have felt her eyes on him cause suddenly he looked at her and their eyes locked, making her breath lodge itself somewhere in her throat. Then slowly his eyes went back to her mom.
Her mother was silent for a moment. 'Thank you.' She finally said.
'Mom?! He brought me here against my will!' This time Caroline's stunned voice was loud.
'Honey, if I had to choose the safest place for you in the world right now, it would be by his side.'
'What!?' Caroline frowned heavily at her mother.
'I'm not saying I like it, but it's the truth... you heard what I said, they are a really huge pack. It would be way too easy for them to hurt you. Please, don't do anything crazy or stupid, stay here.'
Her daughter's mouth dropped in surprise. 'Did you compel her or something?' She asked Klaus frowning at him. The moment that had just passed between them completely gone.
'Seems your mother is the one who have realised exactly what is going on here...and the best way to help you.'
'Thanks mom.' She said sarcastically.
'Honey...' Her mother looked at her with worried eyes. 'I got myself four corpses in the morgue...and I'm scared out of my mind cause I can't help thinking it could have been you...please, just stay here.'
Caroline closed her eyes. She knew how hard it had been for her mother to accept that her daughter had become part of the world she kept hidden from the normal people of Mystic Falls. To even accept that she was still her daughter. And now that she had, she wanted her girl safe. She just didn't know what she was asking her.
Caroline gave her a bright smile. 'Mom, I won't be here long, Bonnie will soon break this stupid spell and I'll come back home.'
Her mother looked like she was about to say something, then seemed to change her mind.
'Yeah, I'm sure of it too.' She smiled back at her daughter but Caroline couldn't help feel that it looked kind of forced. Or maybe all that she was seeing was a worried mom and sheriff.
'Don't worry mom, I'll be fine.' She said.
'I have to go now.' Liz replied before hugging her again. 'I have to...investigate.' The last word dripped of sarcasm.
'...and thank you so much for the bag.' Her daughter added as she hugged her back.
'I will visit again.' She told Klaus as she released her daughter. She smiled one last time at Caroline.
