The theme of this chapter is based on the song Possibility by Lykke Li...enough said
"Wow, I'm not sure if you're my brother or not. I don't see a blonde hanging on your arm." Rebekah joked walking into the living room, taking a seat in the chair across from Klaus who was sketching in his sketch pad on the couch.
Klaus glanced up at her briefly with a smirk before focusing his attention back on his drawing.
"Remember when you first realized you could draw? You literally drew everything in sight, mother couldn't keep the parchment and pencil away from you." She stated with a faint smile.
He grinned still looking down at his sketch. "As if she tried. She would always tell me not to draw when Mikael was around because he didn't like it."
"And you of course stubbornly disobeyed knowing it would just give him another excuse to lash out at you."
"He hated me no matter what I did, didn't see the point." Klaus coldly responded still not looking at his youngest sibling. Rebekah looked at him sympathetically as the sensitive topic of their father came into the discussion.
She cleared her throat, settling into her chair curiously observing him.
"I haven't seen you sketch this much in centuries, it's nice to see. I suppose I have Caroline to thank for that? For giving you the inspiration you lost so long ago."
"I suppose you do." He looked up placing his charcoal and pad down on the coffee table.
"Contrary to other's assumptions, I've actually grown a liking to your...girlfriend. I'm never going to get use to saying that." She snickered but Klaus didn't seem impressed.
Rebekah scoffed. "I'm putting in an effort with Caroline, okay? What more do you want from me Nik? We should start having sleepovers and braiding each other's hair?"
"Don't be dramatic Rebekah."
"That's rich coming from the king of drama." He rolled his eyes.
"Out of all of us, me and you are the closest but we're also the two who have kept each other from being truly happy. Kept each other from falling and being in love with someone and I understand why." He stared at her curiously.
"In our own twisted way we're trying to protect each other from getting hurt...we've always looked out for one another, you and I. But in the process we were actually doing more harm than good without even realizing it. Maybe I was just...a little jealous of you and Caroline. You both found true happiness in each other, love and companionship."
Klaus raised an eyebrow at her admission.
"I will deny ever saying that." She spat back.
He smirked then heavily sighing.
"I know I've been the reason why you haven't achieved that with anyone because I wanted you to be as miserable and lonely as i was."
"Yeah, you were kind of a dick." Rebekah joked.
He shyly grinned. "I've treated you unfairly when it comes to love in the past. You could've easily got your revenge with Caroline but you didn't...I don't do this often and it's not like your opinion would've changed my mind but...thank you Rebekah."
Her features softened.
"For respecting Caroline even if it's just for my sake. After everything I've put you through...you didn't have to."
The blonde nervously pressed her lips together sighing. "You finding your salvation is all I've ever wanted for you, I just didn't think that salvation was going to be a blonde cheerleader."
He chuckled.
"My heart isn't that cold, Nik and your girlfriend makes it difficult not to like her." She rolled her eyes making Klaus smirk.
"Well it still stands." He grinned.
"Okay okay, I get it. Let's not make a thing of it."
Klaus chuckled.
"Speaking of, where is Caroline? Isn't letting her out of your sight against the rules?"
He glared at her making Rebekah softly laugh sitting back in her chair, loving how easy it was for him to tick.
"She's out. She wants to familiarize herself with the city on her own."
"On her own huh? I'm sure you have one or two of your hybrid lackeys following her."
"Tried. She spotted them before leaving the house." He frustratingly sighed. "I trust her, besides New Orleans is her home now too, she should be familiar with it by now."
Rebekah's eyebrow arched at the last statement. "So she's really staying? I have to say I'm honestly surprised but impressed, I guess she's more serious about you than I thought."
Klaus briefly grinned. His biggest fear with Caroline arriving here for grieving the loss of her mother and humanity was that when she recovered, she'd eventually leave. He expected her to, until her confession. Until she admitted wanting a new beginning and him being a part of it.
When she admitted wanting him.
All that fear diminished from just that one night. That maybe she was finally as serious about him as he's been for her, serious about them.
He shrugged. "I suppose so."
"Now all you need are those 'I love you' bombs to drop and you finally may have found yourself in a committed relationship. Who would've thunk?" Rebekah teased.
He rolled his eyes not wishing to entertain Rebekah's comment. Marcel is already nagging at him about the three letter word, he didn't want to discuss it with his youngest sister either.
"I'm not going to pester you about it because I already know the answer but it means nothing if you can't say it yourself."
Klaus sighed. "I'll keep that in mind." He gathered his things and walked off to his art room. He placed the sketch pad on the table and the charcoal and pencil next to it, spotting a few of his unfinished or trashed drawings underneath. Shoving the equipment on top aside he spotted a half burnt drawing of Caroline.
Still remembering that day. He couldn't stop drawing her even if he tried, she was all he could think about.
Then that night.
The night he realized he was truly falling for her, the night she betrayed him.
He remembered racing back home with a bruised heart determined to rid himself of anything that had to do with her, hell bent on burning away his feelings but he failed miserably. If anything it made it all feel even more real.
That someone was actually capable of crippling the big bag hybrid. A baby vampire at that.
He picked up the drawing observing it closely, faintly smiling at how far him and Caroline have come since that then.
His nostalgia was interrupted by his phone ringing in his pocket. He sighed in annoyance when he saw Lucien's name read across the screen.
After a minute of contemplating, he finally answered.
"Did you really just hesitate to answer my call?" Lucien blurted through the phone. "I'm hurt you know that, genuinely hurt."
He chuckled to himself. "I'm sure you are."
"You could apologize by joining me for a drink."
"As riveting as that sounds, mate, I think I'll have to sit this one out." Klaus confirmed.
"Oh c'mon! I'm sure Caroline will understand you having some time away from her and I'm sure she loves the idea that you actually have friends." He snickered.
"That would require an actual friendship."
"I'm going to just ignore that comment and wait for you at Don's."
"I told you not to go near there."
Lucien stayed silent.
"I mean it, Lucien." Klaus ordered.
"Yeah, yeah I heard you and I'll try not to take offense to this brief and rather rude phone call."
Klaus chuckled at Lucien abruptly hanging up. He placed his phone down, fighting the urge to call Caroline. Instead he picked up his pencil and sketch pad and sat down on the couch, beginning to draw again as he waited for her return.
Caroline felt like she raided the entire city, if the six shopping bags hanging on each arm hadn't proven it enough. She was thoroughly enjoying herself and being independent for the day. Of course she loved being with Klaus and indulging in he and his family's company but the Mikaelsons were definitely not underwhelming people. Sometimes Caroline just needed a break. She had to force Klaus not to seek any of his hybrids out to watch over her, ruining the whole point of independence. He's paranoid but she can handle herself especially after he gave her his credit card to shop around with.
It was great seeing New Orleans on her terms. Everyone was so friendly and there was jazz music playing on every corner. She couldn't keep the wide smile off her face the whole time. The city was so historic and beautiful she still couldn't believe she was actually here or anywhere besides Mystic Falls. She wished she could experience this with her friends too and tell her mom about it, how different and more lively it was compared to home. That this could possibly be her new home.
Klaus hadn't formally asked Caroline to stay maybe he felt he didn't need to? Maybe he was in fear she'd feel pressured if he mentioned it? She's been here for little over a month now if she wanted to go by now she would have. Not that the thought of living with Klaus long term didn't terrify her; it definitely did.
She still couldn't believe all that's happened between them in the past month, never expected a cry for help to result in her possibly falling for him.
Wow, was she falling for him?
No. She couldn't be. It's too soon, right?
Caroline undoubtedly cares a lot about Klaus and wants him in her life but she's not ready for that next step...not yet.
The thoughts rattled in her head as she walked down the street happily. She was passing by the bar Rebekah took her to the other day, the streets were empty. That happiness began to fade as Caroline sensed something wrong. She cautiously continued walking down the sidewalk before dropping her bags abruptly, pinning a young brunette girl against a brick wall by her throat.
"Who are you and why the hell are you following me?" Caroline sternly asked. The girl began to softly laugh which only made Caroline angrier, pressing against her throat harder. She whimpered in pain.
"I was actually having a good day and you're really pushing your luck. Now talk." She demanded, her vampire features subconsciously appearing on her face. Suddenly she heard footsteps from behind, turning slowly while still holding up the girl on the wall.
"Amazing." Another young woman sarcastically commented, slowly clapping her hands together. The familiar female voice made Caroline gulp.
"You've only been shacking up with Klaus for a hot second and you're already starting to act like him." The appearance of a smirking Sophie Deveraux alarmed Caroline but she tried not to show it. She's only come across the witch that one time at the club but she definitely had a bone to pick with Klaus which was never a good sign.
The blonde let go of the less threatening young girl, dropping her to the cement roughly. The girl gasped for air while on the ground after being deprived of it for so long.
Caroline fully faced Sophie now.
"Seriously? I already told you if you have something against Klaus, it has nothing to do with me."
The witch smirked. "So naive and young. I was actually surprised to find out Klaus Mikaelson of all people is in love with someone like you."
Caroline gulped at the mention of Klaus being in love with her but quickly recovered. She knew he did even though he's never said it to her but she also knew it was something he didn't want his enemies to know.
"But I can see why now. There's a light about you that he finds intriguing and comforting. Helps him forget about the monster that he actually is and the chaos he's caused in other's lives, if only briefly. When he's with you he feels saved. But we both know there is no saving the beast that is Klaus Mikaelson."
Caroline could feel her fangs threatening to appear but she kept them in. "Did you need something or are you here just to insult me and my relationship?" She sassed.
"Actually I do." Sophie took a step towards her. "I need you to send a message to your boyfriend for me."
"Message? What kind of message?"
"That he's not as invincible as he thinks. Everyone has something to lose and everyone has to pay for their wrongs somehow. I know he hasn't told you much, what a shame. It would sure make this a lot easier."
Caroline scoffed. "Okay, I'm not entertaining this anymore. Take your issues up with Klaus and send your own 'messages'."
"Oh but I think you'll be much more effective."
Caroline glared at her before attempting to walk away but the sudden agonizing pressure pounding through her head halted her movements.
The young girl behind her, also a witch herself, was giving Caroline the most intense aneurysm she's ever experienced. She brought her hands to the side of her head trying to suppress the pain but it was no use. The baby vampire screamed at the top of her lungs but no one came to her rescue, no one. Her eyes screwed shut as she fell to her knees as the pain dominated her entire body. Caroline could feel her blood vessels popping one by one, over and over again on endless loop. Tears began to stream down her face and high pitched cries escaped her lips at the brutality.
She squinted an eye open enough to see Sophie's black boots standing right in front of her. The witch bent down to Caroline's level on the ground.
"I wish we could've met under different circumstances. You're just collateral damage, it's nothing personal." She sighed before harshly stabbing Caroline in the neck with a syringe, injecting her with a double dose of venom.
Sophie stood back up waving over her partner in crime who eventually stopped inflicting pain on the vampire. They were both gone in the blink of an eye, at least from what Caroline could notice. She couldn't focus on much besides her head brutally throbbing and the weakness of her body from the poison.
She laid there still on the empty street not moving a muscle.
They left her for dead and for the first time in a long time, that's exactly how she felt.
"What in the bloody hell are you doing?" Kol asked from the doorway of Freya's room.
"I guess knocking isn't second nature anymore." She spat back. "I haven't worked on any spells lately due to a lot of family drama."
Kol raised an eyebrow before walking into the room.
"You know, you weren't exactly invited in."
"On the contrary, sister this was my house before yours so let's not be petty about it."
She rolled her eyes concentrating back on her spell book until her phone started ringing.
"What is with all the interruptions?!" She growled walking over to her phone that was on the dresser by Kol. He of course picked it up before she could reach it, noticing the number he decided to tease her about it.
"Well, well, well looks like someone has been keeping us out the loop about their love life." He teased.
"What are you talking about and give me my phone." Freya tried taking it from him but he held the mobile device above his head.
"Really? Then why is Lucien Castle calling you?" He pointed the screen to her.
She stood back. "What?"
"That's the number on the screen, darling." He chuckled.
"You're having way too much fun with this. And by the way," she finally snatched her phone out his hand. "There's no love life between me and him."
"Lucien?" She finally answered.
"I'm not sure what it is about you and your siblings not wanting to answer my calls today but I'm trying not to get offended." Lucien muttered.
"How did you even get my number?"
"Mmm...that's not relevant at the moment, love but what is relevant is a nice lunch and drink with a handsome vampire."
Kol laughed causing Freya to playfully hit him on the shoulder.
"Great, you know any?"
Lucien smiled. "So witty, that's why I like you. Look, Klaus shut me down so I figured-"
"So now I'm second to my brother. Way to make a girl feel special."
"You sound interested." He grinned. "But seriously, Freya I'm about a minute away from Don's Den and I would very much love if you accompanied me for lunch."
She sighed.
"No tricks or cheesy lines I promise."
"I barely know you."
"Isn't that the whole point of dates, so people can get to know each other."
Her eyes widened. "Now it's a date?"
"You can call it whatever you want as long as you say yes." He smirked.
She nervously licked her lips, pondering. "I have spells to practice but maybe some other time."
"At least I know you were thinking about it." He grinned before hanging up the phone. She lightly bit her lip putting the phone down.
"My gods sis, you were actually considering it." Kol teased.
She playfully rolled her eyes. "If you're going to just tease me all day, you can leave my room at any time."
He smirked. "Now where's the fun in that? But when you and Lucien get together, I beg of you to have sex at his place. It's bad enough I have to hear Nik and Caroline going at it all day, I don't need another one of my siblings reminding me that they're getting properly fucked and I'm not."
Freya began to blush. "That's it." She hurriedly pushed him out the door and shutting it closed.
Lucien got out of his car as he approached the street of the bar, against Klaus's orders. He wasn't scared of any witches and all the times he's been here they've done nothing but stare, never even tried to hurt him.
He straightened out his suit jacket as he continued walking down the street with a wide grin on his face until he paused.
The body on the ground looked like a typical girl until he spotted the bracelet on her wrist. The bracelet he knew Aurora gave Klaus and Klaus gave-
"Caroline?" He muttered her name as he stepped closer to her. She didn't say anything, just laid there still. Lucien sped over, bending down to observe her frail body.
"Caroline, can you hear me?" He asked cradling her face in his hands, her eyes barely opened. He could see the puncture in her neck from the syringe and suddenly her eyes completely closed.
"Bloody hell." Lucien mumbled. Carefully picking her up he sped her straight to the Mikaelson mansion leaving his car behind, he could move faster on his own feet. They were there in an instant
"KLAUS!" Lucien yelled from outside. Klaus was out of the house in seconds, face flushed of color as he observed a limp Caroline in Lucien's arms. He felt his unbeating heart stop. Shock and disbelief took over his body for he couldn't drag his eyes away from her dying form.
"What happened?!" He growled.
"I don't know! I was on my way to Don's and then I just saw her lying in the street...she's been injected with something I'm not sure but she doesn't have much time." He clarified.
He felt he couldn't move for his eyes never drifted from here.
"Klaus!" Lucien's voice snapped him out of it. His face was hard as he stared at Lucien before immediately grabbing her out of his arms and speeding her upstairs to his room.
Rebekah and Kol turned to Lucien in confusion, wondering what has gotten into their brother. Rebekah was the first to speak up.
"What the bloody hell is going on?" She asked walking up to him. "Lucien?"
His face tensed. "It's Caroline." He confirmed lowly.
Those words were all she needed to hear before racing upstairs to Klaus's room. She found him sitting on the edge of his bed where he rested Caroline's body.
"Caroline? Caroline?" He repeated trying to get some kind of response out of her.
She was still unresponsive.
Not a twitch of an eyebrow or finger. Klaus dived his fangs into his wrist aggressively pressing it to her mouth. The dark blood lingered down but due to her unresponsiveness it failed to go through her mouth. Her eyes stayed closed and usual ivory skin began to turn a bluish grey.
Klaus felt himself panicking, his heart racing and entire world coming apart literally right in front of him.
He cradled her face in his slightly shaky hands. "Caroline...you have to wake up, sweetheart...Caroline you have to wake up!" He repeated over and over again now shaking her body.
"Nik stop!" Rebekah finally spoke.
"Now is not the time, Rebekah." He growled.
"Neither is yelling at her! You're not going to find a solution that way."
"What do you expect me to do! She's dying!" His voice cracked at the last word. He didn't want to believe what was actually happening, he refused to believe Caroline was-
Klaus didn't want to bring himself to say the word again. A light bulb suddenly went off in his head.
"I could get it out of her." He softly said to himself. "Rebekah, bring me a knife. I can cut open her arm and suck it out of her then feed her my blood."
"Are you mad?" Rebekah yelled walking fully into the room.
"You have no idea what kind of venom is in her system or what it could do to you as well not to mention she could possibly bleed you dry!"
"We are wasting time discussing a topic I've already concluded now give me the bloody knife!" He loudly demanded but Rebekah stayed looking displeased.
"This is happening with or without your assistance."
"Nik-"
"Fine." Klaus interrupted coldly, rising off the bed attempting to walk down to the kitchen but was stopped by Rebekah blocking the entrance way. She sped downstairs and was back to him in a second with a knife in her hand. Her eyes full of tears threatening to fall as she observed the desperate look on her brother's face. She kept them in as she handed the knife to him.
Klaus quickly took it silently thanking her with a nod before walking back over to his dying girlfriend. Her appearance was depressing. It reminded him of when she first arrived on his doorstep in New Orleans except now he wasn't sure he could save her this time.
He sat on the edge of the bed again, clenching his jaw as he stared down her desiccating body. Reality was right in front of him but he chose to believe otherwise. Instead of Caroline lifeless and bleak he imagined her glowing and happy...like she was prior to leaving this morning. Klaus blinked a few times to focus, not wishing to waste anymore time. He rolled up his sleeves preparing himself before grabbing the knife next to him.
Placing the cold blade on her forearm he began to cut deep into her skin, deep enough for him to have a better chance of getting all the venom out her body. When he finished he put the knife on the nightstand.
"You're going to be okay, Caroline. You're going to be okay." Klaus shakily promised before bringing her open fleshed to his mouth. His fangs pierced into her arm as he began sucking, seeking out the poison.
The bitter taste rushed to his taste buds and he quickly detached from her, spitting the venom out his mouth. He repeated the action at least 20 times, not taking any chances of any leftover venom being left in her system.
Rebekah watched Klaus's desperate actions from the doorway entrance of the room.
Stunned and saddened.
The last time she's seen him this distraught and helpless was the day their youngest brother Henrik died, when them and their family were still human. All Rebekah could think of was a screaming Klaus racing back to their village with a bloody and mutilated Henrik in his arms. She remembered him pledging that day as the worst day of his life. Never did he think any day could top that one, until now. The sight was giving her flashbacks of that devastating time and she couldn't help tearing up, trying not to so it wouldn't give Klaus something else to focus on.
She hated seeing him like this, she couldn't. The blonde Original couldn't hold out her cries as she stormed out the room, not even phasing Klaus.
He sucked at her flesh a few more times till he tasted her blood completely pure again. A beautiful faint gasp miraculously escaped her thin chapped lips alarming Klaus. His eyebrows lowered in disbelief even when he heard it again until it finally dawned on him.
She's awake.
Klaus let out a sigh of relief, eyes scattering for the knife. He spotted it, picking it up from the nightstand aiming the blade at his throat and without hesitation he cut himself clean.
Slowly lifting her weak body, cradling her in his arms he brought her closer to him. She was cold and still. The blood gushing out of him as he held her head as her face nuzzled in his neck. The liquid once again hitting her lips but no response. She still wasn't drinking from him.
"You will not die, you will not die, you will die." He repeated softly to himself with closed eyes, catching himself praying for her revival.
-Is this my punishment? Am I finally paying for all my sins? If so let me pay for them myself, don't take it out on one of your angels. Don't take her from this world before she's even seen it. Please...don't take her away from me.
Klaus begged.
This was what he feared.
Tainting her, destroying the bright light that is her by allowing his darkness to invade. Ruining her with his past sins. She's brought nothing but good and pureness into his life and this is her payback?
He did this to her.
He stroked her dulling hair lovingly, fighting back the water threatening to seep from his eyes down his cheeks. Klaus gulped down the lump in his throat as he began speaking Aramaic into her hair softly. Reciting the same those fateful three words he's said to her before wishing that he had told her when he had the opportunity.
If he knew today would be his last day with her, she would already be fluent in saying it herself because he wouldn't be able to stop. Muttering it when she adorably interrupted him talking, whispering it repeatedly in her ear while they made love, screaming it on the top of his lungs on their balcony for the whole quarter to hear while she embarrassingly laughed. More missed opportunities he may never get back.
"Come back to me." He choked out, allowing one tear to fall from his eye.
He heard the faint gasp again, instantly looking down at her face. Klaus moved his head to the side to give her better access which was effective when he heard a sucking noise coming from her. Another sigh of relief escaped him as Caroline began drinking from him. He was still staring down at her in awe as she continued feeding, softly moaning into his neck taking in all that he allowed, and he allowed it all.
Klaus didn't care if she bled him dry, so long as she was back and alive he honestly didn't care what happened to him. The world needed her more than it needed him.
"You're going to be okay, Caroline. You're going to be okay." He promised her again, kissing the top of her head with clenched eyes still stroking her hair while she continued feeding, before everything became a blur.
*hides under a rock*
REVIEWS ARE APPRECIATED